Sacraments; in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Amen.

¶ Then the Bishop shall deliver to every one of them kneeling, the Bible into his hand, saying,

Take thou Authority to preach the Word of God, and to minister the holy Sacraments in the Congregation, where thou shalt be lawfully appointed thereunto.

1

¶ When this is done, the Nicene Creed shall be sung or said; and the Bishop shall after that go on in the Service of the Communion, which all they that receive Orders shall take together, and remain in the same place where hands were laid upon them, until such time as they have received the Communion.

of human learning and study, but as teaching and imparting that, to which no human learning or study can attain. Such teaching the Ministers of the Church of England should look for, when they are ordained to their office, and when they are engaged in the discharge of it.

1 Very suitably and beautifully is it appointed, that all they who receive Orders should take the sacrament together, that they may be thereby reminded of the holy bonds by which they are bound together as Brethren in the family of God, and "very members incorporate in the mystical body of Christ;" and that feeding upon Christ in their hearts by faith with thanksgiving," they may be strengthened and refreshed for the work to which they are called.

dost retain, they are retained. And be thou a faithful Dispenser of the Word of God, and of His holy

of a certain learned and subtle Philosopher; who, being an extreme adversary to Christ and His doctrine, could by no kind of learning be converted to the faith, but was able to withstand all the arguments, that could be brought against him, with little or no labour; at length there started up a poor simple man, of small wit and less knowledge, one that was reputed among the learned as an idiot, and he, in God's Name, would need take in hand to dispute with this proud Philosopher. The Bishops and other learned men, standing by, were marvellously abashed at the matter, thinking that by his doings they should all be confounded, and put to open shame. He notwithstanding goeth on; and, beginning in the Name of the Lord Jesus, brought the Philosopher to such point in the end, contrary to all men's expectation, that he could not choose but acknowledge the power of God in his words, and to give place to the truth. Was not this a miraculous work, that one silly soul, of no learning, should do that which many Bishops of great knowledge and understanding were never able to bring to pass? So true is the saying of Bede: Where the Holy Ghost doth instruct and teach, there is no delay at all in learning."

The latter part of this passage shews what were the views maintained by the Fathers and Reformers of our Church, as to the mighty and "miraculous" working of the Holy Ghost, ages long after the Apostolic: whereby we also understand at the

ked for in their own days, and would have us to

-not indeed as setting aside the necessity

Sacraments; in the Name of the Father, and of the

Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Amen.

¶Then the Bishop shall deliver to every one of them kneeling, the Bible into his hand, saying,

Take thou Authority to preach the Word of God, and to minister the holy Sacraments in the Congregation, where thou shalt be lawfully appointed thereunto.

¶ When this is done, the Nicene Creed shall be sung or said; and the Bishop shall after that go on in the Service of the Communion, which all they that receive Orders shall take together, and remain in the same place where hands were laid upon them, until such time as they have received the Communion.

of human learning and study, but as teaching and imparting that, to which no human learning or study can attain. Such teaching the Ministers of the Church of England should look for, when they are ordained to their office, and when they are engaged in the discharge of it.

1 Very suitably and beautifully is it appointed, that all they who receive Orders should take the sacrament together, that they may be thereby reminded of the holy bonds by which they are bound together as Brethren in the family of God, and 'very members incorporate in the mystical body of Christ; " and that "feeding upon Christ in their hearts by faith with thanksgiving," they may be strengthened and refreshed for the work to which they are called.

¶ The Communion being done, after the last Collect, and immediately before the Benediction, shall be said these Collects :

Most Merciful Father, we beseech Thee to send upon these Thy servants thy heavenly blessing; that they may be clothed with righteousness, and that Thy Word spoken by their mouths may have such success, that it may never be spoken in vain. Grant also, that we may have grace to hear and receive what they shall deliver out of Thy most holy Word, or agreeable to the same, as the means of our salvation; that in all our words and deeds we may seek Thy glory, and the increase of Thy kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings with Thy most gracious favour, and further us with Thy continual help; that in all our works, begun, continued, and ended in Thee, we may glorify Thy holy Name, and finally by Thy mercy obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The peace of God which passeth all understanding, 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, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.

[The exceptions taken against this portion of our Liturgy may fitly serve to illustrate what I have elsewhere observed, that the cavils and objections raised against our Liturgy, arise principally out of its peculiar excellences. One of those portions which I have noticed with peculiar admiration, is the part more especially objected to: that is to say, the particular words used in the act of Ordination: "Receive the Holy Ghost for the Office and Work of a Priest in the Church of God."

Here then arise two questions: first, Do we need peculiar gifts and qualifications, wrought in us and conferred upon us, by the powerful operation of the Holy Ghost, to enable us rightly to discharge this office, to the promoting of God's glory, and the edifying of His people?' If any one denies this, it is vain for me to argue with him further: we have no common ground to stand upon. But I am sure that no real Christian will deny this. For we read in the Old Testament, of those who were called to the work of the tabernacle, that God had filled them "with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship," (Exodus xxxi. 2-11, and xxxv. 30— 35) which surely must be understood as implying, that no one could be qualified for any work in the Church of God, except by the special influence of the Holy Ghost. Are we to suppose the work of the Christian Ministry less arduous, or less spiritual,

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