T Then this Collect shall be said:

BLESSED Father, the giver of all good things, who of thy great goodness hast vouchsafed to accept and take these thy servants unto the office of Deacons in thy Church; make them, we beseech thee, O Lord, to be modest, humble, and constant in their ministration, to have a ready will to observe all spiritual discipline; that they having always the testimony of a good conscience, and continuing ever stable and strong in thy Son Christ, may so well behave themselves in this inferior office, that they may be found worthy to be called unto the higher ministries in thy Church, through thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ; to whom be glory and honor, world without end. Amen.

THE peace of God, which passeth all under

standing, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord: And the blessing of God Almighty, of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.

And here it must be declared unto the Deacon, that he must continue in that office of a Deacon the space of a whole year (except for reasonable causes it shall otherwise seem good unto the Bishop) to the intent he may be perfect, and well expert in the things appertaining to the ecclesiastical administration; in executing whereof, if he be found faithful and diligent, he may be admitted by his Diocesan to the Order of Priesthood, at the times appointed, or else, on urgent occasion, upon some other day, in the face of the Church, in such manner and form as hereafter followeth.

THE

FORM AND MANNER OF ORDERING PRIESTS.

When the day appointed by the Bishop is come, after Morning Prayer is ended, there shall be a Sermon, or Exhortation, declaring the Duty and Office of such as come to be admitted Priests; how necessary that Order is in the Church of Christ, and also how the people ought to esteem them in their office.

TA Priest shall present unto the Bishop, sitting in his chair near to the holy table, all those who are to receive the order of Priesthood that day, each of them being decently habited, and shall say:

REVEREND Father in God, I present unto you these persons present, to be admitted to the order of Priesthood.

¶ The Bishop.

TAKE heed that the persons whom ye present unto us, be apt and meet for their learning and godly conversation, to exercise their ministry duly to the honor of God, and the edifying of the Church.

T The Priest shall answer:

I HAVE inquired concerning them, and also examined them, and think them so to be.

Then the Bishop shall say unto the People:

GOOD people, these are they whom we purpose, God willing, to receive this day unto the holy office of Priesthood: for after due examination, we find not to the contrary, but that

they are lawfully called to their function and ministry, and that they are persons meet for the same. But yet if there be any of you, who knoweth any impediment or notable crime in any of them, for the which he ought not to be received into this holy ministry, let him come forth in the name of God, and show what the crime or impediment is.

And if any great crime or impediment be objected, the Bishop shall cease from Ordering that person, until such time as the party accused shall be found clear of that crime.

Then the Bishop (commending such as shall be found meet to be Ordered, to the prayers of the congregation) shall, with the Clergy and People present, say the Litany, with the Prayers as is before appointed in the Form of Ordering Deacons; save only, that in the proper suffrage there added, the word Deacons shall be omitted, and the word Priests inserted instead of it.

T Then shall be said the Altar Service with the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, as followeth.

COLLECT.

BLESSED Father, the giver of all good things, who by thy Holy Spirit hast appointed divers orders of ministers in the Church; mercifully behold these thy servants, now called to the office of Priesthood; and so replenish them with the truth of thy doctrine, and adorn them with innocency of life, that both by word and good example they may faithfully serve thee in this office, to the glory of thy name, and the edification of thy Church, through the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who liveth and

reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.

THE EPISTLE. Ephes. iv. 7.

UNTO every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first? He that descended, is the same also that ascended up far above all.) And he gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come, in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

¶ After this shall be read for the Gospel, part of the ninth chapter of Saint Matthew, as followeth :

St. Matthew ix. 36.

WHEN Jesus saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.

YE

T Then the Bishop shall say unto them as followeth : E have heard, brethren, as well in your private examination, as in the exhortation which was now made to you, 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 ye are called. And now again we exhort you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye have in remembrance, into how high a dignity, 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 busy world, that they may be saved through Christ for ever.

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 that the same Church, or any member thereof, do take any hurt or hindrance by reason of your negligence, ye know the greatness of the fault, and the consequences that may ensue. Wherefore consider with yourselves the end of the ministry toward the children of God, toward the spouse and body of Christ; and see that ye never cease