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And the mean whereby the ART. XXXIII. Of excommunicate body of CHRIST is received and eat- Persons, how they are to be avoiden in the Supper, is faith. ed.

The sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by CHRIST'S ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.

ART. XXIX. Of the wicked, which
eat not of the Body of CHRIST in
the use of the Lord's Supper.
The wicked, and such as be void
of a lively faith, although they do
carnally and visibly press with their
teeth (as St. Augustine saith) the
sacrament of the body and blood of
CHRIST; yet in no wise are they
partakers of CHRIST; but rather to
their condemnation do eat and drink
the sign or sacrament of so great a
thing.

ART. XXX. Of both Kinds. The cup of the LORD is not to be denied to the lay-people: for both parts of the Lord's sacrament by CHRIST'S ordinance and command. ment, ought to be ministered to all Christian men alike.

That person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off from the unity of the Church, and excommunicated, ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the faithful, as a Heathen and publican, until he be openly reconciled by pe nance, and received into the Church by a judge that hath authority there

unto.

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It is not necessary that traditions and ceremonies be in all places one, or utterly like; for at all times they have been divers, and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against GOD's word. Whosoever, through his private judgment, willingly and pur posely doth openly break the tradi tions and ceremonies of the Church, which be not repugnant to the word of GOD, and be ordained and ap ART. XXXI. Of the one Oblation of proved by common authority, ought CHRIST finished upon the Cross. to be rebuked openly (that other The offering of CHRIST once made, may fear to do the like) as he that is that perfect redemption, propitia- offendeth against the common order tion, and satisfaction for all the sins of the Church, and hurteth the auof the whole world, both original thority of the magistrate, and woundand actual; and there is none other eth the consciences of the weak satisfaction for sin, but that alone. brethren. Wherefore the sacrifice of masses, in which it was commonly said, that the priest did offer CHRIST for the quick and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, were blasphemous fables, and dangerous deceits.

ART. XXXII. Of the Marriage of

Priests.

Every particular or national Church hath authority to ordain, change, and abolish ceremonies, or rites of the Church, ordained only by man's authority, so that all things be done to edifying.

ART. XXXV. Of Homilies. The second Book of Homilies, the Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, are several titles whereof we have joined, not commanded by GoD's law, either under this Article, doth contain a to vow the estate of single life, or to godly and wholesome doctrine, and abstain from marriage: therefore it necessary for these times, as doth the is lawful for them, as for all other former Book of Homilies, which were Christian men, to marry at their own set forth in the time of Edward the discretion, as they shall judge the Sixth, and therefore we judge them same to serve better to godliness. to be read in churches by the min

Bishops and Ministers.

isters diligently and distinctly, that | ART. XXXVI. Of Consecration of they may be understanded of the people.

Of the Names of the Homilies.

1. Of the right Use of the Church.
2. Against Peril of Idolatry.
3. Of repairing and keeping clean
of Churches.

4. Of good Works: first of Fasting.
5. Against Gluttony and Drunk-

enness.

6. Against Excess of Apparel. 7. Of Prayer.

8. Of the Place and Time of Prayer.

9. That Common Prayers and Sacraments ought to be ministered in a known Tongue. 10. Of the reverent Estimation of GOD'S Word.

11. Of Alms doing.

12. Of the Nativity of CHRIST.
13. Of the Passion of CHRIST.
14. Of the Resurrection of CHRIST.
15. Of the worthy receiving of the
Sacrament of the Body and
Blood of CHRIST.

16. Of the Gifts of the HOLY
GHOST.

The Book of Consecration of Bish. ops, and Ordering of Priests and Deacons, as set forth by the General Convention of this Church in 1792, . doth contain all things necessary to such consecration and ordering; neither hath it any thing that, of itself, is superstitious and ungodly: and, therefore, whosoever are consecrated or ordered according to said form, we decree all such to be rightly, orderly, and lawfully consecrated and ordered. ART. XXXVII. Of the Power of the Civil Magistrates.

The power of the civil magistrate extendeth to all men, as well clergy as laity, in all things temporal; but hath no authority in things purely spiritual. And we hold it to be the duty of all men who are professors of the Gospel, to pay respectful obedience to the civil authority, regularly and legitimately constituted. ART. XXXVIII.

Of Christian Men's Goods, which are not com

mon.

The riches and goods of Christians are not common, as touching the right, title, and possession of the same, as certain Anabaptists do falsely boast. Notwithstanding, every man ought of such things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability.

17. For the Rogation-days. 18. Of the State of Matrimony. 19. Of Repentance. 20. Against Idleness. 21. Against Rebellion. [This Article is received in this Church, so far as it declares the Book of Homilies to be an explica tion of Christian doctrine, and in- ART. XXXIX. Of a Christian structive in piety and morals. But Man's Oath.

all references to the constitution and As we confess that vain and rash laws of England are considered as swearing is forbidden Christian men inapplicable to the circumstances of by our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and this Church, which also suspends James his Apostle: so we judge that the order for the reading of said Ho- Christian religion doth not prohibit, milies in churches until a revision of but that a man may swear when the them may be conveniently made, for magistrate requireth, in a cause of the clearing of them, as well from faith and charity, so it be done acobsolete words and phrases, as from cording to the prophet's teaching in the local references.] justice, judgment, and truth.

OF

MAKING, ORDAINING, AND CONSECRATING

BISHOPS, PRIESTS, AND DEACONS,

ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS ESTABLISHED BY THE BISHOPS, THE CLERGY, AND LAITY OF SAID CHURCH, IN GENERAL CONVENTION, IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, A. D. 1792.

THE PREFACE.

It is evident unto all men, diligently reading holy Scripture and ancient authors, that from the Apostles' time there have been these Orders of Ministers in Christ's Church,-Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. Which offices were evermore had in such reverent estimation, that no man might presume to execute any of them, except he were first called, tried, examined, and known to have such qualities as are requisite for the same; and also by public prayer with imposition of hands, were approved and admitted thereunto by lawful authority. And therefore, to the intent that these Orders may be continued, and reverently used and esteemed in this Church, no man shall be accounted or taken to be a lawful Bishop, Priest, or Deacon, in this Church, or suffered to execute any of the said functions, except he be called, tried, examined, and admitted thereunto according to the form hereafter following, or hath had Episcopal Consecration or Ordination.

And none shall be admitted a Deacon, Priest, or Bishop, except he be of the age which the Canon in that case provided may require.

And the Bishop knowing, either by himself, or by sufficient testimony, any person to be a man of virtuous conversation, and without crime; and, after examination and trial, finding him sufficiently instructed in the holy Scripture, and otherwise learned as the Canons require, may, at the times appointed, or else, on urgent occasion, upon some other day, in the face of the Church, admit him a Deacon, in such manner and form as followeth.

THE FORM AND MANNER OF MAKING DEACONS. 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 Deacons; 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, such as desire to be ordained Deacons, each of them being decently habited, saying these words:

REVEREND father in GOD, I present unto you these persons present, to be admitted Deacons.

¶ 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 his Church.

¶ The Priest shall answer:

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

T Then the Bishop shall say unto the People:

BRETHREN, if there be any of yeu, who knoweth any impediment, or notable crime in any of these persons presented to be ordered Deacons, for the which he ought not to be ad mitted to that Office, let him come forth in the name of GOD, and show what the crime or impediment is.

that person, until such time as the party ac

cused 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.

Then shall be said the Service for the Communion, with the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, as followeth.

The Collect.

And if any great crime or impediment be ob- leave the word of GOD, and serve jected, the Bishop shall cease from Ordering tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the HOLY GHOST and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give our. selves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude. ALMIGHTY GOD, who by thy of faith and of the HOLY GHOST, and And they chose Stephen, a man full divine Providence hast appointed Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, divers orders of ministers in thy and Timon, and Parmenas, and NiChurch, and didst inspire thine colas a proselyte of Antioch: whom Apostles to close into the Order of Deacons the first martyr Saint Ste- they set before the Apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid phen, with others; mercifully be- their hands on them. And the word hold these thy servants now called to of GOD increased, and the number the like office and administration; so of the disciples multipled in Jerusareplenish them with the truth of thy lem greatly, and a great company of doctrine, and adorn them with inno- the priests were obedient to the faith. cency 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, now and for ever.

Amen.

The Epistle. 1 Tim. iii. 8. LIKEWISE must the Deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a Deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a Deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in CHRIST JESUS.

Or else this, out of the sixth Chapter of the
Acts of the Apostles.

Acts vi. 2.

THEN the twelve called the mul titude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should

Then shall the Bishop examine every one of

those who are to be Ordered, in the presence of the people, after this manner following : DO you trust that you are inward. ly moved by the HOLY GHOST to take upon you this office and minis tration, to serve GOD for the promot ing of his glory, and the edifying of his people?

Answer. I trust so.

The Bishop.

DO you think that you are truly called, according to the will of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and according to the Canons of this Church, to the ministry of the same?

Answer. I think so.

The Bishop.

DO you unfeignedly believe all the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testament?

Answer. I do believe them.

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Then shall the Bishop deliver to every one of

them the New Testament, saying, TAKE thou authority to read the Gospel in the Church of GOD, and to preach the same, if thou be thereto licensed by the Bishop himself.

Then one of them appointed by the Bishop

shall read

be appointed to serve, to assist the Priest in divine service, and specially when he ministereth the Holy Communion, and to help him in the distribution thereof; and to read holy Scriptures and Homilies in the church; and to instruct the youth in the Catechism; in the absence of the Priest to baptize infants; and to The Gospel. St. Luke xii. 35. preach, if he be admitted thereto by LET your loins be girded about, the Bishop. And furthermore, it is and your lights burning, and ye your. his office, where provision is so made, selves like unto men that wait for to search for the sick, poor, and im their Lord, when he will return from potent people of the parish, to inti-the wedding; that when he cometh mate their estates, names, and places and knocketh, they may open unto where they dwell, unto the Curate, him immediately. Blessed are those that by his exhortation they may be relieved with the alms of the parishioners, or others: Will you do this gladly and willingly?

Answer, I will so do by the help of GOD.

The Bishop.

WILL you apply all your dili. gence to frame and fashion your own lives, and the lives of your families, according to the doctrine of CHRIST; and to make both yourselves and them, as much as in you lieth, wholesome examples of the flock of CHRIST?

Answer. I will so do, the LORD being my helper.

The Bishop.

WILL you reverently obey your Bishop, and other chief ministers, who, according to the Canons of the Church, may have the charge and government over you; following with a glad mind and will their godly ad

servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching: Verily I say unto you, That he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third

watch, and find them so, blessed are

those servants.

Then shall the Bishop proceed in the Com

munion; and all who are Ordered, shall tarry, and receive the Holy Communion the sam day with the Bishop.

The Communion ended, after the last collect, and immediately before the Benediction, shall be said this Collect following:

ALMIGHTY GOD, giver of al 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 Answer. I will endeavor so to do, CHRIST, may so well behave them the LORD being my helper. selves in this inferior office, that they Then the Bishop, laying his hands severally may be found worthy to be called upon the head of every one of them humbly unto the higher ministries in thy Church, through the same thy Son TAKE thou authority to execute our Saviour JESUS CHRIST; to the office of a Deacon in the Church whom be glory and honor, world of GOD committed unto thee; in without end. Amen. the name of the FATHER, and of the SON, and of the HOLY GHOST.

monitions?

kneeling before him, shall say,

Amen.

The peace of GOD, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and

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