THE ORDERING OF PRIESTS.

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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 shew what the Crime or Impediment is.

And if any great Crime or Impedi­ment be objected, the Bishop shall sur­cease 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, sing or 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.

Then shall be sung or said the Service for the Communion, with the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, as followeth.

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY God, giver of all good A 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 replenish them so 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 same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers; for the per­fecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

After this shall be read for the Gospel part of the ninth Chapter of Saint Matthew, as followeth.

St. Matt. ix. 36.

THEN Jesus saw the multitudes,

W

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 Chapter of Saint John.

St. John x. 1.

VERILY, verily I say unto you, He

that not the

the sheep- fold, but elimbeth 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.