one forgive iniquity ?) then let him pardon and absolve men's sins, even as it shall be written in the ordination service, Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted, and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained.

25. Moreover, let Curates learn to be in subjection to the higher powers: let them still be clothed with humility. And to this end see that they have not much of this world's Mammon committed to their care; because the Scripture speaketh expressly of the little that a good man hath; and they should know how to suffer need.

26. It being only ye, the Lords over God's heritage, that must be clothed in purple and fine linen, and fare sumptuously every day, and be found in Kings' houses, setting not your feet on the ground for very delicateness.

CHAPTER III.

1. And as touching the ministry of the word, I will that the priest (know ye not how in former epistles all saints are called priests, but that now ye are to limit the name, as the manner is at Rome also, unto those who have been consecrated to the priestly office by the bishop,) be clothed in a white robe;

2. Which robe let the wardens of the church wash duly, that it may be without spot, at the general cost.

be no

3. And let the priest no more pray, but read sundry prayers made by other people, and authorized by the civil powers, so that there may variety to fix the attention; which prayers also are well pleasing unto those who know not how to pray, having only a form of godliness.

4. See to it also that they read publicly, as if they were true, the blessed books of the Apochrypha, thereby giving all possible sanction thereto, albeit ye know that they are the words of men and not the words of God, and exalting the same to equal rank with those books which were written by holy men of old who were moved by the Holy Ghost. Thus doing, the trumpet will give an uncertain sound.

5. At every mention of the name of Jesus, let all the congregation bow down; and when, with an audible voice, the priest shall repeat, and the people after him, The Belief, let no man in any wise forget, that he is, above all things, to turn to the East, which also the heathen were wont to do of old time.

6. Furthermore in every place let one be appointed and paid to cry with a loud voice, A-men.

7. And when there is made an end of reading all the words of morning and evening prayer, let the priest be sure, yea, brethren, let him be very sure, to put off from him his white robe, and be clothed in a black one, and so preach;

8. For judge ye of your own selves, whether it be seemly that a man should both pray and preach in the same robe. Did I Paul act thus ?

9. And let not the preached word be too long. In many cases a few minutes, if due haste be made, may suffice, for the flesh is weak. And let the clergy buy sermons ready made.

10. And when ye come together to eat the Lord's supper, let the priest see that he stand on the north side of the table; and after sundry prayers, let him lay his hand on all the bread, and lay his hand upon every vessel, be it chalice or flagon, in which there is any wine to be consecrated.

11. And if the consecrated bread and wine be all spent before all have communicated, the priest is to consecrate more.

12. When all have communicated, the minister shall reverently place upon the Lord's table what remaineth of the consecrated elements;

13. And when the service is ended, if any of the bread and wine remain unconsecrated the curate shall have it to his own use: But, if any remain of that which was consecrated (understandest thou what thou readest?) it shall not be carried out of the church, but the priest, and such other of the communicants as he shall call unto him, shall reverently eat and drink the same.

14. And concerning baptism, I have written afore in few words that ye must baptize all infants, although Christ did not so enjoin, which, indeed, matters nothing, for, consider how dreadful would it be for a child to die unbaptized:

15. Wherefore, if an infant be not likely to live, let the people fetch, with all haste, a priest, even if it be at dead of night: for, better is it that the child be only half-baptized, than pass out of the world without being regenerated by baptism.

16. And, in baptizing children, let the priest be sure to make on the forehead the sign of the cross.

17. And let him certify the people, that, by baptism, the child is renewed of the Holy Ghost; and let him, therefore, thank God for the same

18. But some will say, how can a babe, unconscious, be thus born again? or what efficacy is there in four, or it may be five, drops of water from the font, or in the sign of the cross?

19. Thou fool; did not Christ say, Suffer little children to come unto me, and how can they come, except by baptism?

20.

And if any die, though he have been a liar, an adulterer, a thief, a swearer, and to every good work reprobate, let him be buried in consecrated ground, provided he was duly baptized in infancy, and thereby made a child of God.

21. And when they come to the grave, and some cast earth upon the body, let the priest say, without faltering of voice, or scruple of conscience, these words :—namely,

22. Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God, of his great mercy, to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed, we therefore commit his body to the ground, in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life.

23. Now I would not have ye unmindful, brethren, of these words, how that every man, whether he were a drunkard or unclean, is to be solemnly denominated a brother.

24. And ye are to count his death a mercy to him, and are to believe he is happy with the Lord; provided always he was properly baptized in his infancy.

25. And ye must, therefore, seriously, say to God in prayer, whom ye were once told to worship in spirit and in truth, We give thee hearty thanks, for that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our brother out of the miseries of this sinful world.