After the oaths, Candidates for deacons orders are afked: Do you trust the you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghoft to take upon you this office and miftration? A folemn queftion: and which ought to be well confired, before it is anfwered. Obferve then: it is not faid, Do you feel; ave you an immediate perception of fuch an impulfe from the Holy Jhoft, as you can diftinguish from all other inward movements by its manner of impreffing you: 'but, Do you truft; are you on good grounds perfuaded? What then are the proper grounds of fuch perfuafion?

In the first place, if he hath not moved you effectually to live foberly, righteously, and godly (f), you may be fure he hath not moved you to affume the office of a minifter in God's church. Examine yourselves therefore ftrictly on this point: a most important one to all men; but to you, if poffible, above all: and before you prefume to officiate in his house, afk your hearts, Do you tranfgrefs, do you omit, no duty, wilfully or knowingly? Have you a genuine practical faith in Chrift? Are you, on the terms of the Gofpel covenant, intitled to everlasting life? But fuppofing that you are, more is requifite in the prefent case: and what more, the latter part of the queftion points out. To ferve God, for the promoting of his glory, and the edifying of his church. This then being the defign of the office; if, fo far as you know your own hearts, this is your motive to defire it; and if, fo far as you can judge of your own abilities and attainments, they are equal to it in fome competent degree: then you may fafely anfwer, that you trust you are moved by the Holy Ghoft to take it upon you. For we can have fuch truft to Godward only through Chrift, who hath fent us the Spirit: we are not fufficient to do or think any thing as of ourselves: but our fufficiency is of God (g). To-gether with this principal motive, of ferving God by edifying his people, you may allowably have the fubordinate one, of providing a decent mainten-ance for your own fupport, and for thofe who may belong to you: but if you are indifferent or cool about the former, and attentive only or -chiefly to the latter: fince you cannot think that fuch difpofitions are approved by the Holy Spirit, as proper for the miniftry, you will be guilty of lying to him (b), if you affirm, that he hath moved you to enter on it with them. Therefore infpect your fouls throughly; and form them, by the help of Divine grace, to be duly influenced by the right principle, before you venture to answer this question: which is very wifely made the leading one; because your inducement will be the rule of your behaviour, and probably also the measure of your fuc

-cefs.

The next queftion, put to those who apply for deacons orders, and the first to fuch as have received them, and defire to be admitted priests, is, Do you think, that you are truly called, according to the will of Chrift, and the due order of this realm, to the miniftry of the church? That is, are you conscious neither of any defect in body or mind, nor of any other impediment, which may, for the prefent, if not for ever, be, according to the laws of God or man, a juft obftacle in your way? Such things may escape our knowledge or memory. Therefore we call upon you to inform us. And you are bound to answer with fincerity.

(A) Tit. ii. 12.
(2) 2 Cor. iii. 4, 5.

(4) A&ts v. 3.

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It is not requifite, that I fhould enlarge on every question; though it is, that you should weigh every one seriously. That, which recites the duties of deacons, may feem to have fome difficulty in it: as it affigns to them occupations, which the Acts of the Apoftles do not, in the hiftory of their appointment (i); and as they are but little employed now in the fingle business, there allotted to them. But that paffage of Scripture plainly was intended to set forth, only the immediate and urgent reafon of ordaining them, not the whole of what was, then or foon after, given them in charge. For we find in the fame book, that Philip the deacon both preached and baptized (k). And the qualifications, required in deacons by St. Paul (1), intimate very clearly, that more things muft, even then, have been incumbent upon them, than adminiftring to the relief of the poor. Accordingly, from the primitive ages downwards, they are described as performing occafionally most of the fame offices, which they do now; and being, what their name denotes, affiftant and fubfervient to priests in all proper employments (m). And the lefs they are engaged in their chief original one, the more opportunity and the more need they have, to fhew diligence in the other good works, belonging or fuited peculiarly to their station.

The next question is common to Candidates for each order: Will you fashion your own lives, and thofe of your families, fo far as in you lieth, to be wholefome examples to the flock of Chrift? This extends to avoiding in your own behaviour, and reftraining in theirs, follies, levities, mean and difreputable actions, as well as crimes and vices. The Apostle enjoins deacons, and their wives, to be grave (n): much more then ought priests. He enjoins every Chriftian to abstain from all appearance of evil (o). And our bleffed Lord enjoins all his Difciples to be wife, as well as harmless (p). Therefore govern yourselves and yours by thefe rules: and confider frequently, whether you obferve them well. For without it you will neither gain efteem, nor do good.

The laft queftion. put alike to the whole number of Candidates, is, Will you reverently obey your ordinary, and them to whom the government over you is committed? You would be bound to this, though you were not to promise it: for both reafon and Scripture demand it. Still more firmly you will be bound, when you have promised it, though it were of fmall importance. But it is of very great, not only to the dignity and ease of your fuperiors, but to your own intereft, and the benefit of the whole church. Our Saviour both commands, and prayed for unity amongst his followers in the most expreffive terms (q). Without union there cannot be a fufficient degree either of ftrength or beauty: and without fubordination there cannot long be union. Therefore obey, as the Apoftle directs, them that have the rule over you (r); and promote their honour, their credit, their influence. This will make us abler to serve

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the cause of religion, and protect you. And God forbid that, so far as we are able, we should ever fail to be willing and zealous.

In the office for the ordination of priests, after a pious and awful charge, which I recommend to your moft ferious attention, follow feveral questions of the greatest moment, your answers to which, I hope, you will remember to the last day of your lives. In these answers, befides what hath been already mentioned, you promife, that the doctrine and difcipline of Chrift, as contained in Scripture, and received in this church and realm, fhall be the ftandard of your teaching and acting; and every thing contrary to them be faithfully oppofed by you that you will use both public and private monitions and exhortations, as well to the fick as to the whole, within your cures; and that, as frequently and fully as need shall require, and occafion be given. You promise alfo, that you will be diligent in prayers and reading the Holy Scriptures; which by the preceding exhortation evidently appears to mean, private prayer and reading; and in fuch Studies, as help to the knowledge of Scripture, laying afide the fudy of the world and the flesh: that is, not making, either grofs pleasures, or more refined amusements, even literary ones unconnected with your profeffion, or power, or profit, or advancement, or applause, your great aim in life; but labouring chiefly to qualify yourfelves for doing good to the fouls of men, and applying carefully to that purpose whatever qualifications you attain. Further yet, you promife, that you will maintain and fet forwards, as much as lieth in you, quietness, peace and love among all Christian people; and efpecially among them, that are or shall be committed to your charge. By this you oblige yourselves, never to raise or promote perfonal, family, parochial, ecclefiaftical, political, or any other, animofities; but to dif.courage, and, if poffible, compofe and extinguifh them; than which you cannot perform a more Chriftian part, or one more conducive your honour and your usefulness.

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But, befides pondering well beforehand thefe answers, which you are to make, I earneftly beg you, to read and think them over often afterwards and particularly, at each return of the ember weeks to examine yourselves, as in the prefence of God, whether you have made good the engagement, into which you entered at your ordination. So far as you have, this practice will afford you the greateft poffible comfort: fo far as you may have failed, it will fuggeft to you the most useful admonition. After these questions, a fhort filence is appointed to be kept for the fecret prayers of the congregation, that God would enable and incline you to do what you have undertaken: which bleffing, I hope, you will afk at the fame time for yourselves very earnestly. Then follows a hymn of confiderable antiquity: and to be repeated with much reverence, on account of the important petitions and doctrines comprized in it, though it be altogether void of ornament in that old tranflation, which we ftill retain. Next to this, follows a very proper address to the Throne of Grace, pronounced by the Bishop alone, in the name of the whole affembly which is inftantly fucceeded by the act of ordination. ...The first words of that, Receive the Holy Ghof, were used by our Saviour to his Apoftles, immediately after he had faid, As my Father hath fent me, even fo fend I you (s). God gave not the Spirit by measure unto him (t):

(s) John xx, 21, 22.

(1) John iii. 34.

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and he was able to beftow what measure he pleafed, both of fpiritual gifts and graces, upon others. He meant however by this benediction to confer only the ordinary ones: for the extraordinary, you know, were referved till after his afcenfion. For be it from the Bifhops of his church to claim, even in refpect of the former, the powers which he had. But ftill these words in our mouths, when spoken over you, properly exprefs, in the first place, the communication of that authority, which proceeds from the Holy Ghoft. For we read, that the Holy Ghoft faid, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work, whereunto I have called them (u): and that the latter of thefe exhorted the elders of the church of Ephefus, Take heed to the flock, over which the Holy Ghoft hath made you overfeers (w). They alfo exprefs, in the fecond place, our earnest request to the Father of Mercies, that you may at all times enjoy fuch proportions, both of the graces and gifts of the Spirit, as will be needful for you: which requeft, if it be not your own fault, will prove effectual; because having, in the common courfe of his Providence, appointed us, though unworthy, to act in this behalf, he will affuredly be ready to own and blefs our minif trations.

It follows very foon: whofe fins thou doft forgive, they are forgiven; and whofe fins thou doft retain, they are retained. Thefe again are the words of Chrift to his Apoftles, immediately after the former. But he did not grant to them the power, either of retaining the fins of penitent perfons, or of forgiving the impenitent. Nor do we pretend to grant, by uttering them, all the powers, which the Apostles had in this relpect. They had the difcernment of fpirits (x): and could fay with certainty, when perfons were penitent, and confequently forgiven, and when not (y). They were able alfo to inflict miraculous punishments on offenders; and to remove, on their repentance, the punishments, which had been inflicted. These words will convey nothing of all this to you. But still, when we use them, they give you, firft, an affurance, that according to the terms of that Gofpel, which you are to preach, men fhall be pardoned or condemned: fecondly, a right of inflicting ecclefiaftical cenfures for a fhorter or longer time, and of taking them off; which, in regard to external communion, is retaining or forgiving offences. This power, being bestowed for the edification of the church, must be reftrained, not only by general rules of order, but according to the particular exigencies of circumftances. And our church wifhes, with much reafon, for circumftances more favourable to the exertion of it (z). But how little foever exerted, the power is inherent in the office of priesthood. And though we are no more infallible in our proceedings and fentences, than temporal judges are in theirs; yet our acts, as well as theirs, are to be refpected, as done by competent authority. And if they are done on good grounds alfo, whatever we shall bind or lofe on earth, will be bound or loofed in heaven (a). Nor will other proofs of repentance be fufficient in the fight of God, if fubmiffion to the difcipline of the church of Chrift, when it hath been offended, and requires due fatisfaction, be obftinately refused, either from haughtiness or negligence.

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(x) 1 Cor. xii. 10.

(z) Office of Commination. (a) Matth.xviii. 18.

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To these words is fubjoined the concluding charge: and be thou a faithful difpenfer of the word of God, and of his holy facraments. This then is the ftewardship committed to you. And you cannot but fee, in what a profane and corrupt age it is committed to you: how grievously religion, and its minifters, are hated or defpifed; how lamentably both they, and and its other profeffors, are degenerated and divided. Your business will be, each within the sphere of his influence, to prevent these things from growing worse; which, bad as they are, they still may; and, if poffible, to make them better; or at leaft, to recover or preferve fuch, as you can, from the general depravity. But you will never fucceed in your attempts for this purpose, either by bitterness against Infidels, Heretics and fectaries, or by contempt and ridicule of enthufiaftic or fuperftitious perfons. The only right method is a very different one: diligent study, to fit yourselves more completely for teaching and vindicating the truths of Chriftianity: Scriptural and rational instruction, affiduously given, with zeal and mildness duly tempered, and fuited to the capacities and condition of your hearers: a willing and devout and affecting performance of all facred rites, whether in the church or elsewhere: but above all, a behaviour, innocent, humble, peaceable, difinterested, beneficent, abftemious, difcreet, religious.

Take heed therefore to your fteps: and walk in the present evil days with fuch piety and caution, that, as the office exhorts, you may neither offend, nor be occafion that others offend; but may cut off occafion from them which defire occafion (b) against you; that they who are of the contrary part, and falfely accufe your good converfation in Chrift, may be afhamed (c) of themfelves; or however, that your Master and Judge may not be ashamed of you (d) at the great day, but pronounce over each of you, Well done, good and faithful fervant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord (e).