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JESUS

The Gospel. S. John 10. 1.

ESUS faid, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entreth not by the door into the sheep-fold, but climbeth up fome other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entreth 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 faved, 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, feeth 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.

After the Gospel and Nicene Creed are ended, the Bishop fitting in his Chair, shall fay unto the Prieft 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 lessons taken out of the Gospel 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 Jesus Christ, that thou hast 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 messenger, 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 sheep that are difperfed abroad, and for his children who are in the midst of this naughty world, that they may be saved 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 Christ, which he bought with his death, and for whom he shed his blood. The Church and Congregation whom thou must serve, is his Spouse, and his Body. And if it shall happen, that the fame Church or any member thereof shall take any hurt or hindrance by reason of thy negligence, thou knowest the greatness of the fault, and also the horrible punishment that will ensue. Wherefore confider with thy felf the end of thy ministry towards the children of God, towards towards the Spouse and Body of Christ; and see that thou never cease thy labour, thy care and diligence, until thou hast done all that lieth in thee, according to thy bounden duty, to bring all fuch as are or shall be committed to thy 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 them, either for error in religion, or for viciousness in life.

Forasmuch then as thy office is both of fo great excellency and of fo great difficulty, thou seest with how great care and study thou oughtest to apply thy felf, as well that thou mayest shew thy felf dutiful and thankful unto that Lord, who hath placed thee in so high a dignity; as also to beware, that neither thou thy felf offendest, nor art occasion 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 oughtest, and haft need to pray earnestly for his Holy Spirit. And feeing that thou canst not by any other means compaís the doing of so 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 same ; confider how studious 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 oughtest to forsake and set aside (as much as thou mayest) all worldly cares and ftudies.

We have good hope, brother, that thou hast well

weighed and pondered these things with thy felf long before

before this time; and that thou hast clearly determined, by God's grace, to give thy felf wholly to this office, whereunto it hath pleased 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 studies this way; and that thou wilt continually pray to God the Father, by the mediation of our only Saviour Jesus Chrift, for the heavenly afsistance of the Holy Ghost; that by daily reading and weighing of the Scriptures, thou mayest wax riper and stronger in thy ministry, and that thou mayest so endeavour thy self from time to time to fanctify thy life, and to fashion it after the rule and doctrine of Christ, that thou mayest be an wholsom and godly example and pattern for the people to follow.

And now, that this present congregation of Chrift here assembled may also understand thy mind and will in these things, and that this thy promise may the more move thee to do thy duty, thou shalt answer plainly to these things, which we in the name of God and of his Church shall demand of thee touching the fame.

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

Anfw. I think it.

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

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

Bish. Wilt thou give thy faithful diligence always so to minister the doctrine and facraments and the difcipline of Christ, as the Lord hath commanded, and as the Church hath received the same, 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 observe the fame ?

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

Bish. Wilt thou be ready with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous doctrine and strange 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 shall require, and occasion shall 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 such studies as help to the knowledge of the same, laying aside the study of the world and the flesh?

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

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

Answ

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