the Sacraments and the Difcipline of Chrift, as the Lord hath commanded. To oppofe all fuch erroneous and strange Doctrines as are contrary to God's Word. To use both publick and private Admonitions and Exhortations as well to the Sick as to the Whole within his Cure, as Need fhall require, and Occasion shall be given. To offer up the Prayers in the publick Affemblies. To maintain Quietnefs, and Peace, and Love among all Chriftian People, especially among thofe committed to his Charge. To fafhion and frame himself and Family according to the Doctrine of Chrift; and to make himself and them Examples to the Flock he feeds. To exercise all thefe Duties with Diligence and Fidelity, and to forfake and fet afide (as much as may be all worldly Cares and Studies; fince the Employment of his Function is fufficient to engage all his Time and all his Thoughts. The facerdotal Powers none muft undertake, but fuch as have received their Commiffion from Bishops, who only have Authority to fend Minifters into the Lord's Vineyard.

Q. What Qualifications are required in a Priest, or Minifter of the Gofpel, to enable him to dif charge his Duty?

A. A thorough Knowledge of the whole Will of God, fince it is the Priest's Lips must preserve Knowledge; and except they have it themselves how can they communicate it to others? Faithfulness in the Inftruction of thofe that are committed to their Care, that they may deliver nothing for the Will of God, but what is contained within the Bounds of their Commiffion, and that they may conceal nothing that is neceffary for the People to believe and practise; and this,

though

though it contradicts the Prejudices of fome, and the corrupt and worldly Maxims of others. For by this particular Application to the Confciences of Men, according to their Wants and Neceffities, it will be plain they confult not so much. what will please them, as what will do them good. Great Prudence in all their Conduct; which, tho' it will not permit them to neglect any Part of their Duty, yet it implies the performing it in such a Manner as may render Inftructions and Perfuafions most effectual, by taking the most convenient Seasons, and teaching Things of prefent Ufe, and by avoiding all unnecessary ProVocations. A faithful Servant doth what he is commanded, and a wife Servant doth it in the moft effectual Manner. But above all, exemplary Holiness, which is neceffary not only for his own Salvation, but to make all his Endeavours for the Salvation of others effectual.

Q. What Care bath the Church of England taken, that unfit Perfons fhould not be admitted to Holy Orders?

A. Befides the folemn Profeffion of the Candidates in the Prefence of God, that they think themselves truly called according to the Will of our Lord Jefus Christ, the Church requires that the Bishops be well affured, either by their own Knowledge, or by the Teftimonials of credible Perfons, that the Candidates be Men of good Lives, and free from all noted Crimes, as well as of fufficient Learning for the Discharge of their Office. To this End it is wifely enjoined, Can. 34. that the Candidates fhall bring fufficient Teftimonials of their fober Life, from fuch as have known and lived near them for three Years before. Moreover, they are to undergo the Trial

and

and Examination of the Arch-deacon, who is to affure the Bishop he thinks them apt and meet, both for Learning and godly Converfation. And yet, to prevent any fcandalous Intruders, the BiShop, before he gives them their Commiffion, makes a publick Application to the Congregation, to enquire whether they know any Impediment, why the Perfons prefented fhould not be ordained; and if any Crime is objected against any one, the Bishop is to delay giving him Orders till he has cleared himself. And, as a farther Security in this Matter, if a Bishop fhall Can. 35. be convicted of any culpable Neglect in admiting Candidates, he fhall be fufpended by the Archbishop of the Province from conferring Orders for two Years. It is to be heartily wished, that all Perfons concerned would be very confcientious in figning Teftimonials, that this admirable Method might not be rendered ineffectual by an ill-timed Complaifance; for which they must severely anfwer at the dreadful Tribunal of God; fince eminent Hands may miflead a Bishop the beft difpofed to do his Office.

Q. What is the Office of a Bishop?

A. The Office of a Bishop contains and includes in it all the Sacerdotal Powers; and by confequence the Powers of the inferior Orders; as, to difpofe of the Church's Alms, to preach, to pray, to adminifter the holy Sacraments, and abfolve Penitents, And moreover contains peculiarly the Power of confecrating Bishops to fucceed them in vacant Sees, and of ordaining thofe inferior Officers, Prefbyters and Deacons, and of confirming thofe that renew the folemn Vow, that was made in their Names at their Baptifm. It hath the inherent Right of adminiftring the Cenfures

Eufeb. lib.

I. C. I2.

Cenfures of the Church, and the Power of rul-
ing and governing it, and providing for its
Welfare by good Laws.

Q. How were the Bishops called in the Apofto-
lical Age?

A. Those whom we now call Bishops, were in the first Age of the Church ftyled Apoftles, Phil.2.25 and by St. John in the Revelation, Angels. And 2 Cor. 8. the Words Bishop and Prefbyter in the fame Age Gal. 1.19. were used often promifcuoufly to denominate Rev. 2. the fame Order; and generally that which we

23.

now call the Order of Priests. But in the fuc-
ceeding Age, and that whilft St. John was alive,
the Governors of the Church abftained from
the Name of Apoftles, and were contented with
that of Bishops; and then the fecond Order
were called altogether Prefbyters. And that the
Title of Bishop was appropriated thenceforward
to thofe that had the Power of Ordaining, Con-
firming, and Governing, is plain from the Eccle-
fiaftical Writers of that Age. So that it is not
fo much the Name as the diftinct Powers which
are contended for; of which there will be an
Account given on the next Seafon of these Em-
ber Fafts.

Q. What do you mean by an Archbishop?

A. When Christianity began to spread over the Provinces of the Roman Empire, the Bishops of leffer Cities were fubordinate to thofe of the greater, after the Method of the Civil Government; which chief Bishop was originally ftyled the first Bishop or Primate, and in the following Ages Metropolitan and Archbishop; who was not fuperior to other Bishops in Order, but only in Jurifdiction. All learned Men agree that Metropolitans were of very great Antiquity;

and

and fome of an eminent Character have thought them of Apoftolical Inftitution, and that Timothy and Titus were fuch. The Privileges that belong to these chief Governors of the Church, are, to confirm the Elections and Confecrations of all Bishops in their Provinces; to fummon the Bishops in their Provinces to hold Synods under them; to enquire into the Manners and Opinions of the Bishops under their Jurifdiction, and to cenfure with Sufpenfion or Deprivation, according to the Heinoufnefs of the Crime; and laftly to hear and determine Caufes between contending Bithops, and to interpofe their Authority in all Affairs of their Provinces which are of great Moment.

Q. What Solemnity was anciently used in admitting Men into holy Orders?

A. According to primitive Practice, Men: were admitted Officers in the Church of Chrift Mat.9.38. by Fafting, Prayer, and Impofition of Hands. Our 10. 1. Saviour directed his Difciples to pray, immediately before he created them Apoftles; and Luke 6. doth himfelf retire to pray to God for Succefs 12. in a Matter of fuch great Importance. In this Manner did the Apoftles convey the fpiritual Powers they received from their Ma- Acts 6. 6. fter; and the Cuftom was obferved regularly in 13. 2, 3. the fucceeding Ages of the Church; neither is it reasonable that Men fhould be admitted to fo honourable an Office as the Care of Souls, without fome folemn Inveftiture, when no Office of Truft is conveyed without fome Form of Creation.

Q. What may we learn from the Inftitution of thefe feveral Orders in Chrift's Church?

A. To be thankful to God for his great Good

1 Tim. 4.

14.

nefs