bleffed Kingdom enlarged, through the fame thy Son Jefus Chrift, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the Unity of the fame Holy Spirit, World without End.

Amen.

IV.

Priefts.

OST merciful Father, I beseech thee to For fend upon thy Servants now to be ordained Priefts in thy Church, thy heavenly Bleffing, that they may be clothed with Righteoufnefs, and that thy Word spoken by their Mouths may have fuch Succefs, that it may never be spoken in vain : Grant also that thy People may have Grace to hear and receive the fame as thy most holy Word, and the Means of their Salvation, that in all our Words and Deeds we may feek thy Glory, and the Increase of thy Kingdom, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

CHAP. VIII.

Ember Days in September.

Q. WHAT Faft doth the Church obferve at 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 stated Times for conferring the great Honour and Dignity of holy Orders.

Q. Wherein confifis 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 those Affairs it treats about, it being ordained Heb.v.1. for Men in Things pertaining unto God. An EmployI i

ment,

Heb. i.

14.

ment, as in its own Nature the most honourable and the moft happy, fo in its Effects the most beneficial to Mankind.

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 is the main End and Defign of it, with that of the bleffed Angels, who are miniftring Spirits for those who fhall be Heirs of Salvation. It is the fame the Son of God difcharged, when he condefcended to dwell among Men. It is the increafing and maintaining that Building whereof he laid the Foundation when upon Earth. It is the promoting his glorious Defign and Undertaking for the Salvation of Souls.

Q. Wherein confifts the Happinefs of the Employ

ment?

A. In that it fixes the Mind upon the best and noblest 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 inftead 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

they that be wife fall fine as the Brightness of the Fir- Dan. xii. mament, and they that turn many to Righteousness, as 3. the Stars, for ever and ever.

Q. What are the Benefits of the Priesthood?

A. It is by the Execution of the Priest's Office, that Men are made Members of the Church of Chrift by Baptifm; and without being born of Water John iii. 5. 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. x. Bleffing which they blefs, that is the Communion of the 16. Blood of Chrift; it is the Bread which they break, that is the Communion of the Body of Chrift. That the Pardon of our Sins is figned and fealed to us; for by the Adminiftration of the Sacraments are the Benefits of Christ'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 the State is hereby more fecured, in those Instructions 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 as a common Dictate of natural Reason, to exprefs their Reverence for the Deity, and their Affections to Religion, by conferring extraordinary Privileges of Honour upon fuch as administer in holy Things, and by providing liberally for their Main

tenance.

cide doubtful Cafes; and from those severe Panifhments he threatens to bring on fuch as did not comply with their Determinations. And as for the High-Prieft, his Garments, his Palace, his Place in the Sanhedrim, and upon other Occafions, fufficiently fhew the Dignity of his Office, and the Authority he was invefted with. The Laws that God was pleafed yet farther to give in relation to the Priesthood, tended to preferve the Character from being contemptible; for any corporeal Blemish made a Man unfit for it; and the particular Directions concerning their Marriages, and their not mourning for their nearest Kindred, made their Perfons ftill more eminent. But what chiefly contributed to their Honour, was the Law about Firft-Fruits and Tenths, which were folemnly dedicated to God, and yet were to be brought to the Temple for the Maintenance of the Priefis.

Q. Why was the Priesthood confined to one Tribe? A. It is thought that the chief Reason why God confined the Priesthood under the Law to one Tribe, was the better to train up the Jews in the Knowledge and Worfhip of the true God, and to preserve them from the idolatrous Rights of their Neighbours, to which they were but too much addicted. For this was a certain Sign, that Sacrifices offered to him by any other Hands, were neither agreeable nor acceptable to him; becaufe this teftified that the Church of God was reftrained to one People. So long, therefore, as none could adminifter in holy Things but thofe of the Tribe of Levi, · fo long there could be no Church but of that People whereof Levi was a Tribe.

Q. Why was Levi preferred to this great Honour before any of the other Tribes?

A. Not only because this Tribe was diftinguifhed by its Relation to Mofes, who was Prince of

the

xxxii. 26,

20.

the Congregation, and whom God thought fit farther to honour, by advancing his Father's Houfe to the highest Pitch of Dignity mortal Man could attain to; but also because this Tribe had given the most famous Inftances of their Zeal agunft Idolatry. When the Ifraelites worshipped the Golden Calf, the greatest Part of the Levites preferved themselves free from that Infection. When Mofes took Ven- Exod. geance on thofe that were guilty of that Idolatry, the Levites being kindled with Zeal, were obedient Spen de to his Voice, and affifted in expiating the Guilt leg. Heb. of fo great a Sin with the Blood of their own p. 138, Kindred. And if we may believe the Jewish Rabbins, when the other Tribes were tainted with the Superftitions of Egypt, the Tribe of Levi kept conftant to the Worship of God; whereupon God was pleafed thus to reward that Fidility and Zeal for which they were fo renowned.

Q. What Inftances are there in the Teftament of honourable Perfons exercifing the Pricfthood?

lib. 1. c.6.

Heb. vi

Gen. xli.

45.

1.

A. Melchifedeck, who exercised that holy Function, Gen. xiv. was King as well as Prieft, and the Patriarch Abra- 4. bam acknowledged his Superiority by receiving his Benediction, and by paying him Tribute, even the Tenth of all his Spoils. Potipherah, Pricft of On, Exod. iii. was fo confiderable as to marry his Daughter to Jofeph, the great Favourite of the King of Egypt. Jethro, Priest of Midian, was Father-in-law to Mofes, eminent for his Wifdom and Authority. And the High-Prieft Aaron was Brother to the fame Mofes, who was fo mighty in Words and Deeds.

Q. How was the Priesthood esteemed among Primitive Chriftians?

the

A. The Primitive Chriftians always expreffed a As vii. mighty Value and Eftcem for their Clergy, be- 22. caufe they were fenfible there could be no Church without Priefts, and that it was by their Means that God conveyed to them all thofe mighty Bleffings which we.e purchafed by Chrifi's Death. Ecclefiaftical

Ii4