ceive the Duty of Fafting and Prayer is at this time moft notoriously neglected; and though the thing be fo rational, and fo pious, fo antient and fo unexceptionable, yet those who have nothing to fay against it, do never regard thefe times, nor ufe either abftinence or any extraordinary Devotion on them, which is as well a fhame as a fin; and I hope this may move us to amend for the future, efpecially when we have confidered what excellent Forms are provided for our ufe at these Holy Seasons, which the following Tables, and Difcourfes will shew.

разал a

S.III. Lmighty God, our Heavenly Father, who hat purchased to thy felf an Univerfal Church by the precious blood of thy Dear Son,mercifully look upon the fame.]

We have a double Encouragement to make this Prayer: First, if we confider the Perfon of whom we ask: Secondly, the thing which we ask for. I.He that we ask of is all-fufficient,and able to help us, because he is an Almighty God,and he is very likely to hear us, because he is our heavenly Father, especially, II. Because that which we petition for, is his Universal Church, which he loved from all eternity:and because by Adam's fall it was likely to become the Poffeffion of Sathan; rather than lose it, he was pleased (as is here noted from S.Paul) to purchase it to himself with the blood of his own dear Son, Acts xx.28. Ephef.v.25. We were God's by Creation before, but fince Mankind had univerfally loft that happiness of belonging to God, he made an univerfal Purchase, that we might be his by à fecond Title of Redemption. Now the whole body of Mankind, which do own and believe God to be their God, and Jefus their Redeemer, makes up this univerfal Church, and for these we pray, who no doubt are very precious in the fight of God; for can we imagine, God would purchase a Church fo dearly, and not price it highly after he hath gotten it (c)? When he hath given his own Son for us, will be not with bim alfo freely give us all things, Rom. viii. 32 Efpecially fuch things that was given before would be in vain? We pray,

Bb

(c) Solemus enim

magni facere ea, que
nobis magni conftant.
Grot.in Ephef.i.14:

without which all

that

that the Church may have a worthy Miniftry, without the which the very Death of Chrift will not profit Men, for how fhall they believe in him,of whom they have not beard? and how shall they bear without a Preacher? Rom. x.14. The Reconciliation was made by the Death of Christ, but the Miniftry of this Reconciliation is committed to the Ecclefiafticks, they are to apply it,and by their Endeavours men are actually reconciled, 2 Cor.v. 19. It was St.Paul's Argument to the Afian Clergy to be diligent in their Office, because they were fet over that flock, which Chrift had bought with his own blood, Als xx.28. And it is the motive, which we ufe to Almighty God,to move him to look mercifully upon his Church at this time, when Minifters are to be chofen into it, because he purchased his Church fo dearly, and the price will be loft to very many particulars, if there be not fit Minifters to fhew the people their need of Jefus, and his willingness and power to help them; unlefs there be fuch ordained, as may pray for them, and inftruct them, reprove and exhort them, alas! they will be but little the better for all that Jefus hath done for them. God once looked upon this Church, when it was likely to be loft for ever, he looked then with fo much Mercy as to fend a Saviour to redeem it; wherefore we hope he will look upon it now with fo much compaffion, as to fend able Minifters to make that great Salvation effectual. When he hath bought and brought home his ftraying fheep to the great Bishop of their Souls, doubtless he will appoint proper Shepherds and Paltors to feed them with all things needful to Salvati

on.

S.IV.D at this time to guide and govern the minds of thy Servants, the Bishops and Paltoss of thy flock, that they may lay hands (udden→ ly on no man; bat faithfully and wifely make choice of fit Perlons to serve in the facred ministry of the Charch,]

I

The first Petition of this Prayer is in behalf of those that choose and do ordain, and that is the Bishops and Paftors of Chrift's flock; The Bishops by their own Right, the Paftors only as Assistants,and by the permision of the Bishops. The Church of England indeed admits of the Order of Presbyters by license from the Bishop to examine Candidates, and allows the Archdeacon to present them, and gives the Priests which are prefent leave to lay their hands upon the head of the Perfons ordained, which was decreed in the fourth Councel of Carthage can.3. And which some would gather to have been an Apoftolical Custom from 1 Tim.iv. 14.though S.Chryfoftom believes by the Presbytery there is meant, the Colledg of Bishops (d). However it is moft certain, neither this Church doth, nor the ancient Church did think, that the Paltors had any Right to the Power of Ordination: For the fecond Canon of the Apostles affirms, that the Bishop alone had that Power (e), and all the Writings of the Fathers confirm it, Yea S. Hierom himfelf, where his anger was hottest against the Bishops, confeffeth them above Presbyters however in this power of Ordination(f). Epiphanius makes this the difference Bb 2

(α) ου περί προςβυτέρων φησὶν ἐνταῦθα, ἀλλὰ περὶ IGXV. S.Chryf.

in loc. verfio Ethiop.habet impofttione manuum EpifcaPorum.

(ε) Πρεσβύτε indiv© ITIGкоть хроторн &c. Can. Apoftol.2. (f) Quid facit (excepid Ordinatione) Epifcopus,quod Presbyter non facit Hieron. ad Evagr..

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