† Or them.

blessed laver of Baptism, thereby receiving us † into the number of thy children, and making us † heirs of everlasting life, in the communion of thy glorious saints; strengthen us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, with thy blessed Spirit, the ghostly Comforter; and daily increase in us thy manifold gifts of grace, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and ghostly strength, the spirit of knowledge and true godliness, and fulfil us †, O Lord, with the spirit of thy holy fear, even through Him who hath sent down the Spirit upon his Church, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord God, who dwellest in Sion, and delightest to have thy habitation in the hearts of men: Thou hast built the Church as a city upon a hill, and laid the foundation of it upon the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone: make us to be a spiritual building fit for thy habitation, and a residence for thy Holy Spirit, grounding us in faith, building us up in hope, and perfecting us in charity, that we, being joined in the communion of saints, in the union of the holy Catholic Church militant on earth, may all partake of the blessings of thy Church triumphant, in the city of Thee our God, in the celestial Jerusalem, where Thou livest and reignest, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications and prayers, and dispose the way

of thy servants towards the attainment of everlasting salvation; that among all the changes and chances of this mortal life, they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore.

Amen.

18

DEVOTIONS

TO BE USED IN PRIVATE FOR SOME TIME PREVIOUS TO CONFIRMATION.

NOTE. The following Devotions should be used, if possible, at a fixed hour, distinct from your Morning and Evening Prayers: but if this be not possible, they may be added at your usual hours of prayer.

Take daily one of the following passages for meditation, Isaiah xi. 1-9. S. Luke ii. 39-52. S. John xiv. 15-27; xv. 1-12. Acts viii. 5-17; xix. 1-6. Rom. viii. 1-17. 1 S. Pet. i. 2-11.

Then repeat the first Hymn in the Ordination Service, Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire, &c.

Then say one or more of the Psalms following,

iv. viii. xxvii. xxxvi. lvi. lxv. lxviii. lxxxiv. cxix. parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 14.

Then say your usual Prayers, and add one or more of the following

Collects,

4th Sunday in Advent; Christmas Day; 5th Sunday after Epiphany; Quinquagesima; 5th Sunday after Easter; Sunday after the Ascension; Whit-Sunday; 4th, 6th, 9th, 14th, 18th, 19th Sundays after Trinity; St. Barnabas; St. Simon and St. Jude; first Collect in the Communion Service.

And this Prayer,

Most merciful God, by whose gracious providence I was born of Christian parents, and early dedicated to Thee in holy Baptism, wherein I was made a member of the Catholic Church, of which Jesus Christ is the Head, adopted thy child, and entitled to the unspeakable happiness of thy glorious kingdom; I most heartily thank Thee for calling me to this state of salvation, and for bestowing upon me such blessed privileges. O dispose my mind, by thy heavenly grace, carefully and diligently to perform those conditions which Thou requirest to qualify me for such inestimable benefits, and that I may continue in the same unto my life's end.

And now, O Lord, that I am preparing myself to receive a further degree of thy grace and favour, which will advance me into the number of the faithful who are admitted to approach thy Holy Table, I humbly beseech Thee to enlighten my mind with the true knowledge and understanding of that solemn vow which I made at my baptism, and which I am now about to ratify and confirm publicly in thy presence; that I may constantly renounce the devil, by avoiding all those temptations with which he seeks to destroy me, and by abstaining from all those sins which partake most of his nature; that I may resist all covetous desires of honour, riches, and pleasure, and all those evil customs and maxims of the world which alienate men's minds from the love of God; that I may mortify all the inordinate

appetites of my corrupt nature; that I may believe all thy holy revelations, and keep thy blessed will and commandments all the days of my life.

Give me, O Lord, unfeigned repentance for all my past errors; that the many and great sins which I have committed may not deprive me of the assistance of thy Holy Spirit which I am about to receive: but let my hearty sorrow, through the merits of Christ, wash away all that is past; and let power and strength communicated to me from above mortify and subdue them for the time to come. I am unable, O Lord, of myself to help myself; mercifully grant that thy blessed Spirit may in all things rule my heart, that by his holy inspiration I may think those things that are good, and by his merciful guiding may perform the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

DEVOTIONS

TO BE USED AT THE TIME OF CONFIRMATION.

On going into Church, say,

I will pay my vows unto the Lord, in the sight of all his people: in the courts of the Lord's house, even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.

An offering of a free heart will I give Thee, and praise thy name, O Lord; because it is so comfortable.