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The Gospel. S. John 10. 1.

ESUS faid, Verily, verily, I fay unto you, He that entreth not by the door into the fheep-fold, but climbeth up fome other way, the fame is a thief and a robber. But he that entreth in by the door, is the fhepherd of the fheep. 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 fheep, he goeth before them, and the fheep follow him, for they know his voice. And a ftranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jefus unto them, but they understood not what things they were which he fpake unto them. Then faid Jefus unto them again, Verily, verily, I fay unto you, I am the door of the fheep. 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 fteal, 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 fhepherd: the good thepherd giveth his life for the fheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the fhepherd, whose own the sheep are not, feeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth them, and fcattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good fhepherd, and know my fheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even fo know I the Father; and I lay down my life for the fheep. And other sheep I

have,

have, which are not of this fold, them alfo I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

After the Gospel and Nicene Creed are ended, the Bishop fitting in his Chair, fhall fay unto the Priest Elect as followeth.

THOU haft heard, brother, as well in thy pri

vate examination, as in the exhortation which was this morning made to thee, and in the holy leffons taken out of the Gofpel and the writings of the Apostles, of what dignity and of how great importance this office is, whereunto thou art called. And now again we exhort thee in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that thou haft in remembrance into how high a dignity, and to how weighty an office and charge thou art called. That is to say, to be a meffenger, a watchman, and a steward of the Lord; to teach, and to premonish, to feed and provide for the Lord's family, to feek for Chrift's fheep that are difperfed abroad, and for his children who are in the midst of this naughty world, that they may be faved through Chrift for ever.

Have always therefore printed in thy remembrance, how great a treasure is committed to thy charge. For they are the sheep of Chrift, which he bought with his death, and for whom he shed his blood. The Church and Congregation whom thou must serve, is his Spoufe, and his Body. And if it fhall happen, that the fame Church or any member thereof fhall take any hurt or hindrance by reafon of thy negligence, thou knoweft the greatness of the fault, and also the horrible punishment that will enfue. Wherefore confider with thy felf the end of thy miniftry towards the children of God,

towards

towards the Spouse and Body of Chrift; and fee that thou never ceafe thy labour, thy care and diligence, until thou haft done all that lieth in thee, according to thy bounden duty, to bring all fuch as are or fhall be committed to thy charge, unto that agreement in the faith and knowledge of God, and to that ripeness and perfectness of age in Chrift, that there be no place left among them, either for error in religion, or for vicioufnefs in life.

Forafmuch then as thy office is both of fo great excellency and of fo great difficulty, thou feeft with how great care and study thou oughteft to apply thy self, as well that thou mayeft fhew thy felf dutiful and thankful unto that Lord, who hath placed thee in fo high a dignity; as alfo to beware, that neither thou thy felf offendeft, nor art occafion that others offend. Howbeit thou canst not have a mind and will thereto of thy felf; for that will and ability is given of God alone: Therefore thou oughteft, and haft need to pray earnestly for his Holy Spirit. And feeing that thou canst not by any other means compaís the doing of fo weighty a work, pertaining to the falvation of man, but with doctrine and exhortation taken out of the holy Scriptures, and with a life agreeable to the fame; confider how ftudious thou oughtest to be in reading and learning the Scriptures, and in framing the manners, both of thy felf and of them that specially pertain unto thee, according to the rule of the fame Scriptures; and for this felf fame cause, how thou oughteft to forfake and fet afide (as much as thou mayeft) all worldly cares and ftudies.

We have good hope, brother, that thou haft well weighed and pondered these things with thy felf long before

before this time; and that thou haft clearly determined, by God's grace, to give thy felf wholly to this office, whereunto it hath pleafed God to call thee: So that as much as lieth in thee, thou wilt apply thy felf wholly to this one thing, and draw all thy cares and ftudies this way; and that thou wilt continually pray to God the Father, by the mediation of our only Saviour Jefus Chrift, for the heavenly affiftance of the Holy Ghoft; that by daily reading and weighing of the Scriptures, thou mayest wax riper and ftronger in thy miniftry, and that thou mayeft fo endeavour thy felf from time to time to fanctify thy life, and to fashion it after the rule and doctrine of Chrift, that thou mayest be an wholfom and godly example and pattern for the people to follow.

And now, that this prefent congregation of Chrift here affembled may also understand thy mind and will in these things, and that this thy promife may the more move thee to do thy duty, thou fhalt answer plainly to these things, which we in the name of God and of his Church fhall demand of thee touching the fame.

Bish. Doft thou think in thy heart, that thou art truly called, according to the will of our Lord Jefus Chrift and the laws of the Church, to the order and ministry of the Priesthood?

Anfw. I think it.

Bifh. Doft thou unfeignedly believe all the Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament? And art thou determined out of the fame Holy Scriptures to instruct the people committed to thy charge?

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Answ.

Anfw. I do believe them, and am fo determined by God's grace.

Bifh. Wilt thou give thy faithful diligence always fo to minifter the doctrine and facraments and the difcipline of Chrift, as the Lord hath commanded, and as the Church hath received the fame, according to the commandments of God; so that thou mayeft teach the people committed to thy care and charge, with all diligence to keep and obferve the fame?

Anfw. I will fo do by the help of the Lord.

Bifh. Wilt thou be ready with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous doctrine and ftrange practice, contrary to God's word and to the doctrine and practice of the Catholick Church; and to use both publick and private monitions and exhortations, as well to the fick as to the whole within thy cure, as need fhall require, and occafion fhall be given ?

Anfw. I will, the Lord being my helper.

Bish. Wilt thou be diligent in prayers, and in reading the Holy Scriptures, and in fuch ftudies as help to the knowledge of the fame, laying afide the study of the world and the flesh ?

Anfw. I will endeavour my self so to do, the Lord being my helper.

Bifh. Wilt thou be diligent to frame and fashion thy life according to the doctrine of Chrift, and to make thy felf, as much as in thee lieth, an wholfom example and pattern to the flock of Chrift?

Anfw