THE Bishop of ELY's LETTER TO HIS CLERGY.  HINC LUCEM ET POCULA SACRA  printer's or publisher's device 
CAMBRIDGE, ●●●●ted by John Hayes, Printer to ●he University. 1692.   

Dear Brethren,  
I Am so fully convinced, by long experience, how powerful a frequent Reflection upon the Vows you made at your Ordination, would be, to awaken and excite you to a diligent and zealous performance of every part of your Ministerial duty; that as I made it my earnest Request to you at my Visitation, so now I renew it, and again beseech you, as you love your own Souls, and the Souls of those committed unto your care, to read over and weigh seriously, every Lord's day at least, the Solemn Questions to which the Bishop, in the Name of God and of his Church, demanded your Answers, before he laid his Hands on you And if you would likewise ponder, that most weighty Exhortation, wherewith the Bishop prepared you to attend unto those Demands, when you were made Priests, it would make the consideration of them, more effectual.  
Now because I fear they may not be distinctly remembered, and every One of you may not be well able to purchase one of those Common Prayer Books, wherein they are Printed (which commonly are only those of the Largest Volumes) I have Transcribed them, and herein sent them to you: that you may have them continually before your Eyes.  
And first I will lay before you, what you promised when you were admitted Deacons.  
Then the Bishop is required to examine every One of them that are to be Ordered, in the presence of the People, after this manner following.  
Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the holy Ghost, to take upon you this Office and Ministration, to serve God for the promoting 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 the due Order of this Realm, to the Ministry of the Church?  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.  The Bishop. 
Will you diligently Read the Same unto the People assembled in the Church, where you shall be appointed to serve?  Answer. 
I will.  The Bishop. 
It appertaineth to the Office of a Deacon in the Church where he shall 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 Baptise Infants, and to Preach, if he be admitted thereto by the Bishop. And furthermore, it is his Office, where provision is so made, to search for the Sick, Poor and Impotent People of the Parish, to intimate their Estates, Names and Places where they dwell, unto the Curate, 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 Diligence▪ 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 Ordinary, and other chief. Ministers of the Church, and them to whom the Charge and Government over you is committed, following with a glad mind and will their Godly admonitions?  Answer▪ 
I will endeavour myself, the Lord being my helper.  
Nothing can be more solemn than this Examination, and the Engagements into which you entered, by the Answers you publicly made to these Questions: unless it be the obligations you further took upon you, when you were admitted to the Order of Priesthood.  
At which time the Bishop spoke to you, as here followeth: which cannot be read too often over.  

The Ordering of Priests.  
YOU have heard, Brethren, as well in your private examination, as in the exhortation which was now made to you (in the Sermon preceding) and in the Holy Lessons taken out of the Gospel and the writings of the Apostles, of what dignity, and of how great importance this Office is, whereunto you are called. And now again we exhort you in the Name of our Lord jesus Christ, that you have in remembrance into how high a dignity, and to how weighty an Office and Charge ye are called: That is to say, to be Messengers, watchmans, and Stewards of the Lord; to teach and to premonish, to feed and provide for the Lords Family; to seek for Christ's Sheep that are dispersed abroad, and for his Children who are in the midst of this naughty World, that they may be saved through Christ for ever.  
Have always therefore printed in your remembrance how great a Treasure is committed to your charge. For they are the Sheep of Christ which he bought with his Death, and for whom he shed his Blood. The Church and Congregation whom you must serve, is his Spouse, and his Body▪ And if it shall happen the same Church, or any member thereof to take any hurt or hindrance by reason of your negligence, ye know the greatness of the fault, and also the horrible punishment that will ensue. Wherefore consider with yourselves the end of your Ministration towards the Children of God, towards the Spouse and Body of Christ; and see that you never cease your Labour and Diligence, until you have done all that lieth in you, according to your bounden duty, to bring all such as are or shall be committed to your Charge, unto that agreement in the faith and knowledge of God, and to that ripeness and perfectness of age in Christ, that there be no place oft among you ●either for error in Religion, or for viciousness in Life.  
Forasmuch then as your Office is both of so great excellency, and of so great difficulty, ye see with how great care and study ye ought to apply yourselves, as well that you may show yourselves dutiful and thankful unto that Lord who hath placed you in so high a dignity; and also to beware that neither you yourselves offend, nor be occasion that others offend.  
Howbeit, ye cannot have a mind and will thereto of yourselves; for that will and ability is given of God alone; therefore ye ought, and have need to pray earnestly for his holy Spirit. And seeing that you cannot by any other means compass the doing of so Weighty a work, pertaining to the salvation of Man, but with doctrine and exhortation taken out of the Holy Scriptures, and with a life agreeable to the same; consider how studious you ought to be in reading and learning the Scriptures, and in framing the manners both of yourselves, and of them that specially pertain unto you, according to the rule of the same Scriptures: And for this self same cause, how you ought to forsake and set aside (as much as you may) all worldly cares and studies.  
We have good hope that you have well weighed and pondered these things with yourselves long before this time, and that you have clearly determined, by God's grace, to give yourselves wholly to this Office, whereunto it hath pleased God to call you: So that, as much as lieth in you, you will apply yourselves wholly to this one thing, and draw all your cares and studies this way; and that you will continually pray to God the Father, by the mediation of our only Saviour jesus Christ, for the Heavenly assistance of the holy Ghost; that by daily reading and weighing of the Scriptures, ye may wax riper and stronger in your Ministry, and that ye may so endeavour yourselves from time to time, to sanctify the Lives of you and yours, and to fashion them after the Rule and Doctrine of Christ, that ye may be wholesome and godly examples and patterns for the People to follow.  
And now, that this present Congregation of Christ here assembled, may also understand your minds and wills in these things, and that this your promise may the more move you to do your duties, ye shall answer plainly to these things, which we in the Name of God, and of his Church, shall demand of you touching the same.  
Do you think in your heart that you be truly called, according to the Will of our Lord jesus Christ, and the Order of this Church of England, to the Order and Ministry of Priesthood?  Answer. 
I think it.  The Bishop. 
Are you persuaded that the Holy Scriptures contain sufficiently all doctrines required of necessity to Eternal Salvation, through faith in jesus Christ? and are you determined out of the said Scriptures to instruct the People committed to your charge, and to teach nothing (as required of necessity to Eternal Salvation) but that which you shall be persuaded may be concluded and proved by the Scripture?  Answer. 
I am so persuaded, and have so determined by God's grace.  The Bishop. 
Will you then give your faithful diligence always so to minister the Doctrine and Sacraments, and the Discipline of Christ, as the Lord hath commanded, and as this Church and Realm hath received the same, according to the Commandments of God; so that you may teach the People committed to your cure and charge, with all diligence to keep and observe the same?  Answer 
I will so do, by the help of the Lord.  The Bishop. 
Will you be ready with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange Doctrines, contrary to God's Word; and to use both public and private monitions and exhortations, as well to the sick as to the whole within your Cures, as need shall require, and occasion shall be given?  Answer 
I will, the Lord being my helper.  The Bishop. 
Will you be diligent in Prayers, and in reading of the holy Scriptures, and in such studies as help to the knowledge of the same; laying aside the study of the world and the flesh?  Answer 
I will endeavour myself so to do, the Lord being my helper.  The Bishop. 
Will you be diligent to frame and fashion your own selves and your families, according to the Doctrine of Christ, and to make both yourselves and them, as much as in you lieth, wholesome examples and patterns to the Flock of Christ?  Answer 
I will apply myself thereto, the Lord being my helper.  The Bishop. 
Will you maintain and set forward, as much as lieth in you, quietness, peace, and love among all Christian People, and especially among them that are or shall be committed to your Charge?  Answer 
I will so do, the Lord being my helper.  The Bishop 
Will you reverently obey your Ordinary, and other chief Ministers, unto whom is committed the charge and Government over you; following with a glad mind and will their godly admonitions, and submitting yourselves to their godly judgements?  Answer 
I will so do, the Lord being my helper.  
These are the sacred Bonds, in which you tied yourselves to Christ, when you entered into his Service, and were made his Ministers: That is, had the highest Honour conferred on you, but withal the greatest Trust; which if it be not duly discharged, will bring you under the heaviest guilt. You have need therefore to quicken yourselves, to be faithful in your Office, by reflecting very often on these holy Resolutions, or Vows rather, which you made when you undertook it: And pray to God also constantly to be your He●●er; as the Bishop did after those Demands in these words,  
Almighty God, who hath given you this will to do all these things, Grant also unto you Strength and Power to perform the same that he may accomplish his work which he hath begun in you, through jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.  
It would conduce very much to the accomplishing of his work in you, if you would reflect often and seriously, upon the very first step you made towards it; when you declared (at your admission to the Order of Deacons) that you trusted you were inwardly moved by the holy Ghost, to take upon you this Office and Ministration: i. e. Not by mere Worldly ends and considerations, that you might get a livelihood; but by Spiritual and Heavenly motives, out of a desire (as it follows there in that first Question) to serve God, for the promoting of his Glory, and the edifying of his People.  
This Question, you may observe, was not renewed afterward, when you came to be admitted to the Order of Priesthood, because it was supposed that the same Motions continued in you, which you felt at first; or rather that they were grown stronger, pressing you forward to desire to be made complete Ministers of Jesus Christ, for the advancement of his Kingdom in the World. Now if what you affirmed at your entrance into his Service was true, that you were inwardly moved to it by th● holy Ghost (out of Love to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to those Souls which cost him no less than his precious Blood) no Question that blessed Spirit of Grace, which began a good work in you, hath never ceased since that time (unless you have quenched the Spirit, which God forbidden) to move you to mind your duty, and pursue the end of your Ministration: That is to have this constantly in your thoughts, to apply yourselves wholly to this one thing, how you may win Souls to the Knowledge, and Love, and Obedience of our Saviour.  
For this is your Office (which you undertook by the motion of the holy Ghost) and therefore this aught to be your constant design, your business, your study and daily care; how you may bring those Souls that are committed to your charge, unto their Blessed Redeemer in Heaven: by instructing both Young and Old in the Truth, as ●t is in Christ; by pressing it upon their hearts, both in Catechising and Preaching; by persuading them to the practice of every part of their Christian duty; by stirring them up when they are negligent; taking all opportunities, not on●y in Public, but (according to your promise's) in Private also, to admonish ●nd exhort them, both in Health and 〈◊〉 Sickness: that they may sensibly perceive the great worth of their Immortal Souls, even by your unwearied Diligence, Labour, Pains and Care, to save ●●em. Amen.   
July 6. 1692. Sy. Eliens.