The Ordering of Priests.

YOV have heard, Brethren, as well in your private examination, as in the exhortation which was now made to you (in the Ser­mon preceding) and in the Holy Lessons taken out of the Gospell and the writings of the Apostles, of what dignity, and of how great importance this Office is, whereunto you are called. And now again we exhort you in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ, that you have in remembrance into how high a dignity, and to how weighty an Office and Charge ye are called: That is to say, to be Messengers, Watchmen, and Stewards of the Lord; to teach and to premonish, to feed and provide for the Lords Family; to seek for Christs Sheep that are dis­persed abroad, and for his Children who are in the midst of this naughty World, that they may be saved through Christ for ever.

Have alwayes therefore printed in your remem­brance how great a Treasure is committed to your charge. For they are the Sheep of Christ which he bought with his Death, and for whom he shed his Blood. The Church and Congregation whom you must serve, is his Spouse, and his Body▪ [Page 6]And if it shall happen the same Church, or any member thereof to take any hurt or hindrance by reason of your negligence, ye know the greatness of the fault, and also the horrible punishment that will ensue. Wherefore consider with your selves the end of your Ministration towards the Children of God, towards the Spouse and Body of Christ; and see that you never cease your Labour and Diligence, untill you have done all that lyeth in you, accor­ding to your bounden duty, to bring all such as are or shall be committed to your Charge, unto that agreement in the faith and knowledge of God, and to that ripeness and perfectness of age in Christ, that there be no place oft among you [...]either for er­ror in Religion, or for vitiousness in Life.

Forasmuch then as your Office is both of so great excellency, and of so great difficulty, ye see with how great care and study ye ought to apply your selves, as well that you may shew your selves dutifull and thankfull unto that Lord who hath placed you in so high a dignity; and also to be­ware that neither you your selves offend, nor be oc­casion that others offend.

Howbeit, ye cannot have a mind and will thereto of your selves; for that will and ability is given of God alone; therefore ye ought, and have need to pray earnestly for his holy Spirit. And seeing that you cannot by any other means com­pass the doing of so Weighty a work, pertaining to the salvation of Man, but with doctrine and exhor­tation taken out of the Holy Scriptures, and with a life agreeable to the same; consider how studious you ought to be in reading and learning the Scriptures, and in framing the manners both of your selves, and of them that specially pertain un­to you, according to the rule of the same Scrip­tures: And for this self same cause, how you ought [Page 7]to forsake and set aside (as much as you may) all worldly cares and studies.

We have good hope that you have well weighed and pondered these things with your selves long before this time, and that you have clearly deter­mined, by Gods grace, to give your selves wholly to this Office, whereunto it hath pleased God to call you: So that, as much as lieth in you, you will apply your selves wholly to this one thing, and draw all your cares and studies this way; and that you will continually pray to God the Father, by the mediation of our only Saviour Iesus Christ, for the Heavenly assistance of the holy Ghost; that by daily reading and weighing of the Scrip­tures, ye may wax riper and stronger in your Mi­nistry, and that ye may so endeavour your selves from time to time, to sanctify the Lives of you and yours, and to fashion them after the Rule and Doctrine of Christ, that ye may be wholsom and godly examples and patterns for the People to follow.

And now, that this present Congregation of Christ here assembled, may also understand your minds and wills in these things, and that this your promise may the more move you to do your duties, ye shall answer plainly to these things, which we in the Name of God, and of his Church, shall demand of you touching the same.

Do you think in your heart that you be truly called, according to the Will of our Lord Iesus Christ, and the Order of this Church of England, to the Order and Ministry of Priesthood?

I think it.

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Are you perswaded that the Holy Scriptures contain sufficiently all doctrines required of neces­sity to Eternal Salvation, through faith in Iesus Christ? and are you determined out of the said Scriptures to instruct the People committed to your charge, and to teach nothing (as required of necessity to Eternal Salvation) but that which you shall be perswaded may be concluded and proved by the Scripture?

I am so perswaded, and have so determined by Gods grace.

Will you then give your faithfull diligence alwayes so to minister the Doctrine and Sacraments, and the Discipline of Christ, as the Lord hath com­manded, and as this Church and Realm hath re­ceived the same, according to the Commandments of God; so that you may teach the People commit­ted to your cure and charge, with all diligence to keep and observe the same?

I will so do, by the help of the Lord.

Will you be ready with all faithfull diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange Doctrines, contrary to Gods Word; and to use both publick and private monitions and exhorta­tions, as well to the sick as to the whole within your [Page 9]Cures, as need shall require, and occasion shall be given?

I will, the Lord being my helper.

Will you be diligent in Prayers, and in reading of the holy Scriptures, and in such studies as help to the knowledg of the same; laying aside the study of the world and the flesh?

I will endeavour my self so to do, the Lord being my helper.

Will you be diligent to frame and fashion your own selves and your families, according to the Do­ctrine of Christ, and to make both your selves and them, as much as in you lyeth, wholsom examples and patterns to the Flock of Christ?

I will apply my self thereto, the Lord being my helper.

Will you maintain and set forward, as much as lieth in you, quietness, peace, and love among all Christian People, and especially among them that are or shall be committed to your Charge?

I will so do, the Lord being my helper.

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Will you reverently obey your Ordinary, and other chief Ministers, unto whom is committed the charge and Government over you; following with a glad mind and will their godly admonitions, and sub­mitting your selves to their godly judgements?

I will so do, the Lord being my helper.

These are the sacred Bonds, in which you tyed your selves to Christ, when you entred into his Service, and were made his Ministers: That is, had the highest Honour conferred on you, but withall the greatest Trust; which if it be not duly discharged, will bring you un­der the heaviest guilt. You have need therefore to quicken your selves, to be faithfull in your Office, by reflecting ve­ry often on these holy Resolutions, or Vows rather, which you made when you undertook it: And pray to God also constantly to be your He [...]er; as the Bishop did after those Demands in these words,

Almighty God, who hath given you this will to do all these things, Grant also unto you Strength and Power to perform the same that he may ac­complish his work which he hath begun in you, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

[Page 11] It would conduce very much to the accomplishing of his work in you, if you would reflect often and seriously, upon the very first step you made towards it; when you declared (at your admission to the Order of Deacons) that you trusted you were inwardly moved by the holy Ghost, to take upon you this Office and Ministra­tion: i. e. Not by mere Worldly ends and considerations, that you might get a livelyhood; but by Spirituall and Hea­venly motives, out of a desire (as it follows there in that first Question) to serve God, for the promoting of his Glo­ry, and the edifying of his People.

This Question, you may observe, was not renewed afterward, when you came to be admitted to the Order of Priest­hood, because it was supposed that the same Motions continued in you, which you felt at first; or rather that they were grown stronger, pressing you for­ward to desire to be made compleat Mi­nisters of Jesus Christ, for the advance­ment of his Kingdom in the World. Now if what you affirmed at your en­trance into his Service was true, that [Page 12]you were inwardly moved to it by th [...] holy Ghost (out of Love to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to those Souls which cost him no less than his pretious Blood) no Question that blessed Spirit of Grace, which began a good work in you, hath never ceased since that time (unless you have quenched the Spirit, which God forbid) to move you to mind your duty, and pursue the end of your Mini­stration: That is to have this constantly in your thoughts, to apply your selves wholly to this one thing, how you may win Souls to the Knowledge, and Love, and Obedience of our Saviour.

For this is your Office (which you undertook by the motion of the holy Ghost) and therefore this ought to be your constant design, your business, your study and daily care; how you may bring those Souls that are committed to your charge, unto their Blessed Redeemer in Heaven: by instructing both Young and Old in the Truth, as [...]t is in Christ; by pressing it upon their hearts, both in Catechizing and Preaching; by per­swading them to the practice of eve­ry [Page 13]part of their Christian duty; by stirring them up when they are negli­gent; taking all opportunities, not on­ [...]y in Publick, but (according to your [...]romise) in Private also, to admonish [...]nd exhort them, both in Health and [...] Sickness: that they may sensibly [...]erceive the great worth of their Immor­ [...]l Souls, even by your unwearied Di­ [...]gence, Labour, Pains and Care, to save [...]em. Amen.