the end of the ministry towards the children of God, towards the spouse and body of Christ; and see that ye never cease your labor, your care and diligence, until ye have done all that lieth 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 left among you, either for error in religion or for viciousness 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 yourselves, as well to show yourselves dutiful and thankful unto that Lord who hath placed you in so high a dignity; as also to beware that neither you yourselves offend, nor be occasion that others offend. Howbeit ye cannot have a mind and will thereto of yourselves; 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 ye 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 ye ought to be in reading and learning the Scriptures, and in framing the manners of yourselves and of them that specially pertain unto you, according to the same Scriptures; and for this self-same cause, how ye ought to forsake and set aside as much as ye may all worldly cares and studies.

We have good hope that ye have well weighed these things with yourselves, long before this time; and that ye have clearly determined, by God's grace, to give yourselves wholly to this office, whereunto it hath pleased God to call you: so that, as much as lieth in you, ye will apply yourselves wholly to this one thing, and draw all your cares and studies that way; and that ye will continually pray to God the Father, by the mediation of our Saviour Jesus Christ, for the heavenly assistance of the Holy Ghost; that by daily reading and weighing the Scriptures, ye may grow riper and stronger in your ministry: and that ye may so endeavor yourselves 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 wholesome and godly examples and patterns for the people to follow.

And now, that this present congregation of Christ may also understand your minds and wills in these things, and that this your promise may the more move you to do your duties, we shall ask of you the following questions:

Do you think in your heart, that you are truly called, according to the will

of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the order and ministry of the Presbytery? Answer. I think so.

Question. Are you persuaded that the Holy Scriptures contain all doctrine required as necessary for eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ? And are you determined out of the same Scriptures to instruct the people committed

to your charge, and to teach nothing as necessary to salvation but that which you shall be persuaded may be concluded and proved by the same?

Answer. I am so persuaded, and have so determined, by God's grace.

Question. Will you then give your faithful diligence always so to minister the doctrine and ordinances, and the discipline of Christ, as the Lord hath commanded, so that you may teach the people committed to your care and charge with all diligence to keep and observe the same?

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

Question. Will you be ready, with all faithful diligence, to banish and drive away from the Church all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to God's word: and to use both public and private monitions and exhortations, as well to the sick as to the whole, within your cures, as need shall require, and occasion shall be given?

Answer. I will, the Lord being my helper.

Question. Will you be diligent in prayers and in reading the Holy Scriptures, and in such studies as help to the knowledge of the same, laying aside the study of the world and the flesh ?

Answer. I will endeavor to do so, the Lord being my helper.

Question. Will you be diligent to frame and fashion your own selves and your families according to the doctrine of Christ; and to make both yourselves and them, as much as in you lieth, wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of Christ?

Answer. I will apply myself thereto, the Lord being my helper.

Question. Will you maintain and set forwards, 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?

Answer. I will do so, the Lord being my helper.

ALMI

The one presiding.

LMIGHTY 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 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

After this, the Congregation should be desired, secretly in prayer, to make their humble supplications to God for all these things; for the which prayers there should be silence kept for a space.

That done, the one presiding should pray in this wise, and say:

ALMIGHTY

LET US PRAY.

LMIGHTY God and heavenly Father, who of Thine infinite love and goodness towards us, hast given to us Thy only and most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ to be our Redeemer, and the Author of everlasting life; who,

after He had made perfect our redemption by His death, and was ascended into heaven, sent abroad into the world His Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Teachers, and Pastors; by whose labor and ministry He gathered together a great flock in all the parts of the world, to set forth the eternal praise of Thy holy Name; for these so great benefits of Thy eternal goodness, and for that Thou hast vouchsafed to call these Thy servants here present to the same office and ministry, appointed for the salvation of mankind, we render unto Thee most hearty thanks, we praise and worship Thee; and we humbly beseech Thee by the same Thy blessed Son, to grant unto all who either here or elsewhere call upon Thy holy Name, that we may continue to show ourselves thankful unto Thee for these and all other benefits; and that we may daily increase and go forward in the knowledge and faith of Thee and Thy Son, by the Holy Spirit. So that as well by these Thy ministers as by them over whom they shall be appointed Thy ministers, Thy holy Name may be for ever glorified, and Thy blessed kingdom enlarged; through the same Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who livech and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.

To be said or sung by the clergy and people, all standing.

VENI, CREATOR SPIRITUS.

COME, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire,

And lighten with celestial fire;
Thou the anointing Spirit art,
Who dost Thy sevenfold gifts impart ;
Thy blessed unction from above
Is comfort, life, and fire of love;
Illumine with perpetual light
The dullness of our blinded sight:
Keep far our foes, give peace at home;
Where Thou art Guide no ill can come.
Teach us to know the Father, Son,
And Thee, of both to be but one;
That, through the ages all along,
This may be our endless song;
Praise to Thy eternal merit,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Then the Ministers in the Chancel, laying their hands severally upon the head of every one of them, kneeling, let the Bishop, or Presbyter presiding, say:

TAR

NAKE thou authority to hold the office and execute the work of a Presbyter in the Church of God, and be Thou a faithful dispenser of the Word of God and a true shepherd over His flock. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Then let the Bishop, or Presbyter presiding, deliver to each one of them kneeling, the Bible into his hand, saying:

TAKE

AKE thou authority to preach the Word of God and to administer the ordinances in the Congregation, where thou shalt be lawfully appointed

thereunto.

Then let the Minister go on with the Communion Service; all they who receive Orders partaking together.

The Communion being done, after the last Collect, and immediately before the Benediction, let there be said this Collect:

OST merciful Father, we beseech Thee to send upon these Thy servants M Thy heavenly blessing; that they may be clothed with righteousness, and that Thy Word spoken by their mouths may have such success that it may never be spoken in vain. Grant also that the people to whom they may minister may have grace to hear and receive what they shall deliver out of Thy most holy Word, or agreeable to the same, as the means of their salvation; so that all may seek Thy glory, and the increase of Thy kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and

minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.

And if on the same day the Order of Deacons be given to some, and the Order of Presbyters to others; the Deacons should be first presented, and then the Presbyters.

30

THE

Reception of Presbyters.

Form for the Reception into this Communion, of those who have been already ordained in other Christian denominations, answering to the definition in the XIXth Article.

Morning Prayer having been said, after the Sermon, the Presbyter to be admilled should be presented to the Bishop by a Presbyter of this Church, as follows:

REVEREND Sir, I present unto you this godly and well-learned Presbyter

R

to be received into our Ministry.

Bishop.

EVEREND Brother, it has been duly certified to us that you have been ordained to the Holy Ministry, after due examination, in the

Branch of the Church, and are now desiring to labor among us; do you solemnly declare your belief in the Old and New Testaments, and the doctrines set forth in our Articles and Liturgy?

Answer. I do.

Bishop. Our help is in the Name of the Lord;
Answer. Who hath made heaven and earth.

Bishop. Let us pray. [All kneeling.]

OU

UR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name: Thy kingdom come: Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven: Give us this day our daily bread: And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

OST merciful Father, we beseech Thee, to send upon this Thy servant Thy heavenly blessing; that he may be clothed with righteousness, and that Thy Word spoken by his mouth may have such success that it may never be spoken in vain. Grant also that the people to whom he may minister may