Question 37 — Distinction, Acts, and Character of Order

In the next place we must consider the distinction of the orders and their acts, and the imprinting of the character.

Under this head there are five points of inquiry:

(1) Whether holy orders should be divided into several kinds?

• (2) How many are there?
• (3) Whether they ought to be divided into those that are sacred and those that are not?
• (4) Whether the acts of the orders are rightly assigned in the text?
• (5) When are the characters of the orders imprinted?