TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
BISHOP WILSON'S MEDITATIONS ON HIS SACRED OFFICE.
No. VI.—FRIDAY.
ORDINATION.
Question from the Office of Ordination.—Will you be faithful in ordaining, sending, or laying hands upon others? Ans. I will so be, by the help of God.
Jer. iii. 15. "O Lord, give us pastors according to thine own heart, which shall feed us with knowledge and understanding. ."
Acts xiii. 3. "And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." All Christians being concerned in this affair, all ought to fast and pray, in order to have faithful pastors. Quesn.
Apostolical usages ought to be kept up to, as proceeding from Jesus Christ Himself.…
Awaken and touch all our hearts most powerfully from above, that we may not forget our ordination vows. And, for Jesus Christ's sake, grant that I may not be answerable for the sins and the dreadful mischiefs that may follow, if not hindered by Thy grace. Amen. The conversion of souls is Thine, O Lord, and not ours; prosper Thou thine own works. It is not in us to save souls. Let us not sacrifice to our own net, but use the means, and ascribe all the glory to God; we of ourselves have nothing whereof to glory.…
John xxi. 7. "Jesus saith unto him the third time, lovest thou Me?" Though Jesus Christ knew Peter's heart, yet He asked him three times whether he loved Him? to teach those to whom the power of ordaining belongs, to be very solicitous and careful, and not content themselves with a slight inquiry into the dispositions and qualifications of those who are to have the care of souls committed to them.
It being entirely at the Bishop's discretion, whether he will admit any one to the order of Priest or Deacon, and being not obliged to give any reason for his refusal, he will be more accountable to God, both for ordaining unfit persons, and for any prejudice against such as are worthy.
Ember Week.
All persons being concerned in the choice of pastors, every body ought to pray for good pastors.…
N.B.—To give every person I ordain some short hints, in writing, of the nature, dignity, several branches, hazard of not discharging them faithfully, &c. of the Ministry.
Matt. xxviii. 20. "Lo! I am with you." The chief care of a minister of Christ should be, not to render himself unworthy to have Christ present with him in the exercise of his Ministry.
John xvii. 16. "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." The repetition of this truth ought to make us sensible how different our life ought to be from that of worldly people.…
N.B.—Remember, that a Minister of Christ can save himself but only by labouring to save others.…
1 Tim. v. 22. "Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure." A Bishop engages to answer before God for such persons as he by advice, ordination, &c. causes to enter into a state of life so very hazardous, and which requires so great a stock of virtues. It is happy for a minister of God, that the life he is to lead, and the very outward acts he has vowed to perform, will help to change his heart, and create in him those dispositions which will make him like his great Master. For instance; he has solemnly promised to read the Holy Scriptures daily; he will therefore have daily before his eyes the precepts, the instructions, the example of Christ;—the rewards and punishments of the life to come. He is obliged to catechize; and the more careful he is to instruct others, the more effectually he will learn himself, how far we are fallen from God, and what pains we must take to be restored to the image and favour of God. He has promised to lead an holy and exemplary life. If he does not do this sincerely, he will be the scorn of men now, and of devils hereafter. It will be impossible to converse with poor and needy people, and to seek out for help for them, without partaking of the spirit and compassion of the blessed Jesus, who laid down His life for them. If he is careful to read divine service distinctly, with deliberation and gravity, it will beget devotion in himself, as well as those that hear him. If his sermons be plain and practical, they will affect his own heart, as well as those he preaches to. Every child he baptizes puts him in mind of the vows that are upon himself. And he cannot administer the other Sacrament as he ought to do, but it must needs fill his soul with a thousand holy ideas and devout thoughts,—with a holy fear, lest he should offer the prayers of the faithful with polluted lips, or distribute the bread of life with unclean hands, with an ardent love for Jesus Christ, whose love and death he commemorates, with a perfect charity for all the world for whom he died. And the oftener he administers this Sacrament, the more he will find his graces increased. In visiting sick and dying persons, he will be put in mind of his own mortality; and in fitting them as he ought to do for the account they are going to give, he will be put in mind of the much greater he is himself to give. When he exhorts, reproves, admonishes others, it will bring to his mind the words of the Apostle, "Thou that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself?" &c. When he calls to mind that he has promised all faithful diligence, &c. he will give himself wholly to these things, and will be ashamed to be found wholly taken up with business which no way relates to the salvation of souls. If he is diligent in prayer, which he promises to be, God will certainly enlighten his mind with saving truth and grace. In short, if he has an ardent desire to save souls, and really strives to do it as effectually as he can, he will be loved of God, assisted by His Spirit; he will see the fruit of his labours; he will secure his own peace and hope, and will give an account with joy when his Lord calls for him.
One of the most certain marks of a divine call is, when it is the full purpose of a man's heart to live for Jesus Christ, and His Church.
Oxford,
The Feast of St. Peter.
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