THE ORDERING OF PRIESTS.

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.

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 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 you may) all worldly cares and studies.

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 the same Church, or any Member there- We have good hope that you have of, to take any hurt or hindrance by well weighed and pondered these reason of your negligence, ye know things with yourselves long before the greatness of the fault, and also this time; and that you have clear­the horrible punishment that will en- ly determined, by God's grace, to sue. Wherefore consider with your- give yourselves wholly to this Office, selves the end of your Ministry to- whereunto it hath pleased God to wards the children of God, towards call you: so that, as much as lieth the Spouse and Body of Christ; and in you, you will apply yourselves see that you never cease your labour, wholly to this one thing, and draw your care and diligence, until you all your cares and studies this way; have done all that lieth in you, ac­and that you will continually pray cording to your bounden duty, to to God the Father, by the Mediation bring all such as are or shall be of our only Saviour Jesus Christ, committed to your charge, unto that for the heavenly assistance of the agreement in the faith and know- Holy Ghost; that, by daily reading ledge 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.

and weighing of the Scriptures, ye may wax riper and stronger in your Ministry; and that ye may so endea­vour vourselves, 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.

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 that ye may shew 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;

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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