the clergy were considerably improved in point of literature; but even at that time Neal reckons that there were 8,000 parishes without preaching ministers. James the first made a canon, directing that a sermon should be preached every Sunday, in every parish church which had a minister licensed for that purpose; but by another canon, unlicensed ministers were permitted only to read a Homily. And our present form of ordering deacons does not empower them to preach, unless they "be thereunto licensed by the bishop himself;" but to a priest, the bishop says, "Take thou authority to preach the word of God."

ARTICLE THE THIRTY-SIXTH.

Of the Consecration of Bishops and Ministers.

THE BOOK OF CONSECRATION OF ARCHBISHOPS AND BISHOPS, AND, ORDERING OF PRIESTS AND DEACONS, LATELY SET FORTH IN THE TIME OF EDWARD THE SIXTH, AND CONFIRMED AT THE SAME TIME BY AUTHORITY OF PARLIAMENT, DOTH CONTAIN ALLTHINGS NECESSARY TO SUCH CONSECRATION AND ORDERING; NEITHER HATH IT ANY THING THAT OF ITSELF IS SUPERSTITIOUS OR UNGODLY. AND THEREFORE WHOSOEVER ARE CONSECRATED OR ORDERED ACCORDING TO THE RITES OF THAT BOOK, SINCE THE SECOND YEAR OF THE FORENAMED KING EDWARD UNTO THIS TIME, OR HEREAFTER SHALL BE CONSECRATED OR ORDERED ACCORDING TO THE SAME RITES; WE DECREE ALL SUCH TO BE RIGHTLY, ORDERLY, AND LAWFULLY CONSECRATED AND ORDERED.

WE treated of the different orders of ministers in the antient church, and in our own, under the twenty-third article: this article is confined to the mode of "Consecration of Bishops and Ministers," as directed by our church.

Though

Though bishops, priests, and deacons are all expressly mentioned in the New Testament, yet we have no particular account of the forms by which they were appointed to their respective offices, except that it was done by imposition of hands, accompanied with prayers (a); nor are any directions given upon this subject to be observed in succeeding ages: the church therefore is left to prescribe such forms as it may judge most suitable and convenient.

THE BOOK OF CONSECRATION OF ARCHBISHOPS AND BISHOPS, AND ORDERING OF PRIESTS AND DEACONS LATELY SET FORTH IN THE TIME OF EDWARD THE SIXTH, AND CONFIRMED AT THE SAME TIME BY AUTHORITY OF PARLIAMENT, DOTH CONTAIN ALL THINGS NECESSARY TO SUCH CONSECRATION AND ORDERING; NEI¬ THER HATH IT ANY THING THAT OF ITSELF IS

SUPERSTITIOUS OR UNGODLY. This book (b) not only contains every thing which is necessary for the appointment of persons to the several ministerial functions, without being liable

(a) Acts, c. 6. v. 6.

in

(b) When the Liturgy was revised immediately after the Restoration, some alterations were made in the forms of consecrating bishops, and ordaining priests and deacons ; but these alterations were but few, and of no great importance; and therefore I consider this part of the Article as referring to our present forms.

in any one respect to the imputation of superstition or ungodliness; but whoever reads it, will be convinced that it is drawn up with the utmost caution, and with every possible attention to propriety: it guards against the admission of unworthy persons into the order of deacons and priests, by enjoining previous examination into their moral (c) and literary character,

(c) I cannot omit this opportunity of expressing a most earnest wish, that both parochial clergymen and the governing part of colleges in our universities, would be more correct upon the subject of signing testimonials, than it is to be feared they are at present. They should reflect, that the interests of religion are deeply concerned in the moral character of its ministers; that for the moral conduct of the candidates for orders, bishops must necessarily depend upon the testimony of others; and that whoever recommends for ordination an unworthy young man, makes himself responsible for all the mischief of which he may be the cause when invested with Holy Orders. A greater degree of strictness upon this point would, I am convinced, be productive of very extensive benefit; and colleges in particular would quickly experience a material difference in the behaviour of those who are designed for our holy profession. Young men would naturally become more diligent, more regular, more virtuous in every respect, if they knew that they should fail in the main object of their education, that all the hopes and expectations of themselves and their friends would be disappointed, unless by their positive good conduct they merited that recommendation to the bishop,

VOL. II.

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character, and also into their religious knowledge and principles: it requires, at the time both of ordination and consecration, an explicit declaration and solemn promise, relative to the great points of faith and practice: the prayers are devout and appropriate, and all the ceremonial parts of these offices are simple and grave, and admirably adapted to their respective occasions. The service for the ordination of priests is indeed so solemn and impressive, and contains such an excellent summary of the duties of ministers of the Gospel, and such earnest exhortations to the discharge of those duties, that every clergyman, whatever may be his age or his station in the church, would do well to read it carefully and attentively at least once in every year.

AND THEREFORE WHOSOEVER ARE CONSECRATED OR ORDAINED ACCORDING TO THE RITES OF THAT BOOK, SINCE THE SECOND YEAR OF THE FORENAMED KING EDWARD UNTO THIS TIME,

bishop, which now they trust, and in most cases I fear with too much reason, that they shall certainly obtain, unless they be guilty of some gross immorality. I say not this from any want of respect for the Universities, but from a real regard for their best interests, and from a conviction that the discipline which they observe is of great importance to the cause of religion, and to the welfare of the kingdom at large.