The PRAYERS.

I.

Almighty God, the Giver of all good Gifts, Candi

who of thy Divine Providence haft ap-dates for pointed divers Orders in thy Church; give thy OrdinatiGrace, I humbly befeech thee, to all thofe who on. are to be called to any Office and Adminiftration in the fame; and fo replenish them with the Truth of thy Doctrine, and endue them with Innocency of Life, that they may faithfully ferve before thee, to the Glory of thy great Name, and the Benefit of thy holy Church, through Jefus Chrift my Lord. Amen.

A

II.

Lmighty God, who haft conftituted feveral For DeaDegrees of Minifters in thy Church, and cons. didit infpire thy holy Apoftles to chufe into the Order of Deacons the firft Martyr St. Stephen, with others full of the Holy Ghoft and Wisdom; mercifully behold thy Servants at this Time to be called to the like Office and Administration. Replenish them fo with the Truth of thy Doctrine, and adorn them with Innocency of Life, that both by Word and good Example, they may faithfully ferve thee in this Office, to the Glory of thy Name, and the Edification of thy Church, through the Merits of Jefus Chrift, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghoft, now and for ever. Amen.

Thank

fits of

hood.

III.

Almighty God and

heavenly Father, who, fulness for of thy infinite Love and Goodness tothe Bene- wards us, haft given to us thy only and most the Prieft. dearly beloved Son Jefus Chrift, to be our Redeemer and Author of eternal Life, who, after he had made perfect our Redemption by his Death, and was afcended into Heaven, fent abroad into the World his Apoftles, Prophets, Evangelifts, Doctors and Paftors; by whose Labour and Miniftry he gathered together a great Flock in all the Parts of the World, to fet forth the Praise of thy holy Name: For thefe fo great Benefits of thy eternal Goodness, and that thou ftill vouchfafeft to call others to the fame Office and Miniftry of the Salvation of Mankind, I render unto thee moft hearty Thanks, I worship and praise thee. And I humbly befeech thee by the fame thy Son, to grant unto me, and all that call upon thy Name, that we may fhew ourselves thankful to thee for thefe and all other thy Benefits; and that we may daily increase and go forwards in the Knowledge and Faith of thee and thy Son, by thy holy Spirit; fo that as well by thy Minifters, as by them to whom they fhall be appointed Minifters, thy holy Name may be always glorified, and thy bleffed Kingdom enlarged: through the fame thy Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the Unity of the fame holy Spirit, World without End. Amen.

IV. MOST

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IV.

OST merciful Father, I befeech thee to For fend upon thy Servants now to be ordain- Priests. ed Priests in thy Church, thy heavenly Bleffing, that they may be cloathed with Righteoufnefs, and that thy Word spoken by their Mouths may have fuch Succefs, that it may never be spoken in vain Grant alfo that thy People may have Grace to hear and receive the fame as thy moft holy Word, and the Means of their Salvation, that in all our Words and Deeds we may feek thy Glory, and the Increafe of thy Kingdom, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CHAP. VIII.

Ember Days in September.

HAT Fat doth the Church obferve at

W this Time?

A. The third Seafon of the Ember Days, which are the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, after the Fourteenth of September: The Sunday following being one of the ftated Times for conferring the great Ilonour and Dignity of holy Or

ders.

Q. Wherein confists the Dignity of the Priesthood?

A. In the peculiar Relation it hath to God, whether we confider him as the Author of it, from whom it received its Inftitution, or the Nature of thofe Affairs it treats about, it being ordained

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Heb. 5.1. ordained for Men in Things pertaining unto God. An Employment, as in its own Nature the moft honourable and the moft happy, fo in its Effects. the most beneficial to Mankind.

1.14.

Q. How doth it appear to be the most honourable Employment?

A. Because no Man can be employed in any Work more honourable than what immediately relates to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and to the Salvation of Souls, immortal in their Nature, and redeemed by the Blood of God. The Powers committed to their Truft, cannot be exercifed by the greatest Princes, as fuch; and it is the fame Work in Kind, and in the main End and Design of it, with that of the bleffed Angels, who are miniftring Spirits for those who fhall be Ileirs of Salvation. It is the fame the Son of God difcharged, when he condefcended to dwell among Men. It is the encreafing and maintaining that Building whereof he laid the Foundation when upon Earth. It is the promoting his glorious Design and Undertaking for the Salvation of Souls.

Q. Wherein corffts the Happiness of this Employment?

A. In that it fixes the Mind upon the best and the nobleft Objects; upon God, a Being infinite in all Perfections, and upon that Happiness which is placed in the eternal Enjoyment of him, and upon thofe Methods that are established for the attaining of it. In that it engages Men in the greatest Acts of doing Good, in turning Sinners from the Error of their Ways, and by all wife and prudent Means in gaining Souls unto God. In that it fets Men above the low and mean Concerns of this Life; and instead

of

of bodily Labour confines them to the more delightful Exercifes of the Mind. Add to all this, that the faithful and diligent Difcharge of the holy Function gives a Title to a higher Degree of Glory in the next World; for they that Dan. 12.3. be wife, fhall fine as the Brightness of the Firmament, and they that turn many to Righteousness, as the Stars for ever and ever.

Q. What are the Benefits of the Priesthood? A. It is by the Execution of the Prieft's Office, that Men are made Members of the Church of Chrift by Baptifm; and without being born of WaJohn 3.5. ter and of the Spirit, we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: That our fpiritual Life is maintained by the holy Eucharift; for it is the Cup of Cor. 10. Bleffing which they blefs, that is the Communion of 16. the Blood of Chrift; it is the Bread which they break, that is the Communion of the Body of Christ. That the Pardon of our Sins is figned and fealed to us; for by the Adminiftration of the Sacraments are the Benefits of Chrift's Sacrifice really conveyed to all worthy Receivers: and that our Minds and Confciences are quieted by the Comfort and Benefit of Abfolution. It is moreover by the faithful Difcharge of this high Office Men are turned from Darkness to Light, convinced of the Folly of their Sins, and of the Neceffity of being holy, if ever they will be happy. Befides that the Good of the State is hereby more fecured, in thofe Inftructions Men receive from the Minifters of God, in the neceffary Duties of Obedience, Juftice, and Fidelity.

Q. What hath been the general Senfe of Mankind in Reference to the Priesthood?

A. All Nations, whether learned or ignorant, whether civil or barbarous, have agreed in this