Then the Bishop shall say unto the People: GOOD people, these are they whom we purpose, GoD willing, to receive this day unto the holy office of Priesthood: for after due examination, we find not to the contrary, but that they are lawfully called to their function and ministry, and that they are persons meet for the same. But yet if there be any of you, who knoweth any impediment or notable crime in any of them, for the which he ought not to be received into this holy ministry, let him come forth in the name of GOD, and show what the crime or impediment is. And if any great crime or impediment be objected, the Bishop shall cease from Ordering that person, until such time as the party accused shall be found clear of that crime. Then the Bishop (commending such as shall be found meet to be Ordered, to the prayers of the congregation) shall, with the clergy and people present, say the Litany, with the prayers as is before appointed in the Form of Ordering Deacons ; save only, that in the proper suffrage there added, the word Deacons shall be omitted, and the word Priests inserted instead of it. WHEN JESUS saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few: Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Or else this that followeth, out of the tenth Then shall be said the Service for the Com-that entereth not by the door into the munion, with the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, as followeth. The Collect. ALMIGHTY GOD, giver of all good things, who by thy HOLY SPIRIT hast appointed divers orders of ministers in the Church; mercifully behold these thy servants, now called to the office of Priesthood; and so replenish them with the truth of thy doctrine, and adorn them with innocency of life, that both by word and good example they may faithfully serve thee in this office, to the glory of thy name, and the edification of thy Church, through the merits of our Saviour JESUS CHRIST, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the HOLY GHOST, world without end. Amen. The Epistle. Ephes. iv. 7. UNTO every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of CHRIST. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended, is the sheep-fold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door, is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him; for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake JESUS unto them, but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said JESUS unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly: I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice: and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Then the Bishop shall say unto them as followeth. YE have heard, brethren, as well in your private examination, as in the exhortation which was now made to you, and in the holy lessons taken out of the gospel, and the writings of the Apostles, of what dignity, and of how great importance this office is, whereunto ye are called. And now again we exhort you in the name of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, that ye 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 LORD's family; to seek for CHRIST's 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 always 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. And if it shall happen that the same Church, or any member thereof, do take any hurt or hinderance 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 the ministry towards the children of GOD, towards the spouse and body of CHRIST; and see that ye never cease your labour, 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 both of yourselves, and of them that specially pertain unto you, according to the rule of 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 this way; and that ye will continually pray to GOD the FATHER, by the mediation of our only Saviour JESUS CHRIST, for the heavenly assistance of the HOLY GHOST; that by daily reading and weighing the Scriptures, ye may wax riper and stronger in your ministry; and that ye may so endeavour 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 The Bishop. more move you to do your duties; ye shall answer plainly to these things, WILL you be diligent to frame and which we, in the name of GOD, and of fashion your own selves, and your famihis Church, shall demand of you touch-lies, according to the doctrine of CHRIST; ing the same. and to make both yourselves and them, as much as in you lieth, wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of CHRIST? Do you think in your heart, that you are truly called, according to the will of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and according to the Canons of this Church, to the order and ministry of Priesthood? Answer. I think it. Answer. I will apply myself thereto, the LORD being my helper. The Bishop. WILL you maintain and set forwards, as much as lieth in you, quietness, people, and especially among them that peace, and love among all Christian are or shall be committed to your charge? Answer. I will so do, the LORD being my helper. The Bishop. WILL you reverently obey your Bishop, and other chief ministers, who, according to the Canons of the Church, may have the charge and government over you; following with a glad mind and will their godly admonitions, and submitting yourselves to their godly judgments? Answer. I will so do, the LORD being my helper. ¶ Then shall the Bishop, standing up, say, 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 JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Amen. After this, the congregation shall be desired, secretly in their prayers, to make their humble supplications to GoD for all these things: for the which prayers there shall be silence kept for a space. After which, shall be sung or said by the COME, HOLY GHOST, our souls inspire, That through the ages all along Or this: COME, HOLY GHOST, eternal GOD, Both from the FATHER and the SON, Thy heavenly grace inspire; The heavenly gift of GOD most High ;; The fountain and the living spring The fire so bright, the love so sweet, Thou in thy gifts art manifold, By them CHRIST'S Church doth stand: In faithful hearts thou writ'st thy law, The finger of GOD's hand. According to thy promise, LORD, Thou givest speech with grace; 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, Doctors, and Pastors; by whose labour 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, which either here or elsewhere call upon thy That, through thy help, God's praises may holy name, that we may continue to Resound in every place. O HOLY GHOST, into our minds Put back our enemies far from us, Peace in our hearts with GOD and man, We may escape the snares of sin, Dissolve, O LORD, the bands, May gain the blissful sight; And pray we, that our only LORD On all that shall profess his name, Amen. show ourselves thankful unto thee for these and all thy other benefits; and that we may daily increase and go forwards 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 liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same HOLY SPIRIT, World without end. Amen. When this prayer is done, the Bishop with the Priests present, shall lay their hands severally upon the head of every one that receiveth the order of Priesthood; the receivers humbly kneeling, and the Bishop saying, RECEIVE the Holy Ghost for the office and work of a Priest in the Church of GOD, now committed unto thee by the imposition of our hands: whose sins thou dost forgive, they are forgiven: and whose sins thou dost retain, they are retained: And be thou a faithful dispenser of the word of God, and of his holy sacraments: In the name of the FATHER, and of the Son, and of the HOLY GHOST. Amen. ¶ Or this: TAKE thou authority to execute the office of a Priest in the Church of GOD now committed to thee by the imposition of our hands; and be thou a faithful dispenser of the word of GOD, and of his holy sacraments: In the name of the FATHER, and of the Son, and of the HOLY GHOST. Amen. Then the Bishop shall deliver unto every one of them kneeling, the Bible into his hand, saying, TAKE thou authority to preach the word of God, and to minister the holy sacraments in the congregation where thou shalt be lawfully appointed there unto. When this is done, the Bishop shall go on in the Service of the Communion, which all they who receive Orders shall take together, and remain in the same place where hands were laid upon them, until such time as they have received the Communion. The Communion being done, after the last collect, and immediately before the Benediction, shall be said this Collect. MOST merciful Father, we beseech thee to send upon these thy servants 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 we may have grace to hear and receive what they shall deliver out of thy most holy word, or agreeably to the same, as the means of our salvation; that in all our words and deeds we 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 ALMIGHTY, 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 Priesthood to others; the Deacons shall be first presented, and then the Priests; and it shall suffice that the Litany be once said for both. The Collects shall both be used; first, that for Deacons, then that for Priests. The Epistle shall be Ephesians iv. 7 to 13, as before in this office. Immediately after which, they that are to be made Deacons, shall be examined, and ordained, as is above prescribed. Then one of them having read the Gospel, which shall be either out of Saint Matthew ix. 36, as before in this office; or else Saint Luke xii. 35 to 38, as before in the form for the Ordering of Deacons, they that are to be made Priests, shall likewise be examined, and ordained, as in this office before appointed. THE FORM OF ORDAINING OR CONSECRATING A BISHOP. When all things are duly prepared in the church, and set in order, after Morning Prayer is ended, the Presiding Bishop, or some other Bishop appointed by the Bishops present, shall begin the Communion Service, in which this shall be The Collect. ALMIGHTY GOD, who by thy Son JESUS CHRIST didst give to thy holy Apostles many excellent gifts, and didst charge them to feed thy flocks; give grace, we beseech thee, to all Bishops, the pastors of thy Church, that they may diligently preach thy word, and duly administer the godly discipline thereof; and grant to the people, that they may obediently follow the same; that all may receive the crown of everlasting glory, through JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Amen. ¶ And another Bishop shall read The Epistle. 1 Tim. iii. 1. THIS is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a good work. A Bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy to hospitality, apt to teach, not given to lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of GOD? not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach, and the snare of the devil. ¶ Or this: For the Epistle. Acts xx. 17.` FROM Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church. |