Diligence in the Study of Holy Scripture.

"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?

Office for the Ordination of Priests.

ADDRESS IX.

DILIGENCE IN THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE.

MY

Y BRETHREN IN CHRIST, The question to which we now proceed bears, like the last, not directly upon your external ministrations, but upon the maintenance of that life of God within your souls, which must be kept vigorous and strong within you, if you would have your work either fruitful amongst others or blessed to yourself.

The question is, "Will you be diligent in prayer, 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 ?"

Now this is the second question put to the candidates for ordination concerning the Holy Scriptures, and it will help us to see the exact meaning of your pledge to compare it first with that which you have already given. In the former question, then, you were asked as to your belief in Holy Scripture as the ultimate rule of faith. The enquiry then was, "Whether you believed that it contained sufficiently all doctrine required of necessity for eternal salvation, and whether you were determined to instruct out of it those committed to your charge." This question, then, had reference to the matter of your teaching: it took security of you as to

what you would teach; that your teaching should be the pure Word of God, and not the fables or inventions of men. And so the same question, with but little variation, was addressed to the candidates for Deacon's orders as well as to those who sought the Priesthood. For it is a part of the Deacon's special charge "to read the Scripture to the people," and so he was questioned as to his own faith in it, and as to his purpose of reading it to the people. But no question answering to that which we to-day consider is put to the candidates for Deacon's orders; whilst in the office for the consecration of a Bishop this question re-appears, in some degree enlarged. This restriction of the question to the higher orders of the ministry might of itself lead us to see its special object; for it shews us that it bears upon that part of the ministerial work which is not to be entrusted to the Deacon. The Deacon is to read the Word of God to the people, and if specially licensed by the Bishop, but not otherwise, he may preach. But the Priest is distinctly commissioned to preach; and, yet further, to be "a dispenser of the word of God:" and so in his case this question, bearing upon the new power entrusted to him, is added to the simpler enquiry which alone is addressed to the candidate for Deacon's orders. And for this reason it follows, as you may notice, the engagement of the Priest, which we have already considered, "to banish and drive away all strange doctrine, and to use publicly and privately monitions and exhortations amongst his flock." What, then, is the special meaning of the question in this connexion? Doubtless it has reference to his own qualifications as a teacher. He has already undertaken to teach out of the Scrip