Behold my delight is in thy commandments; O quicken me in thy righteousness.

Give me the comfort of thy help again; and stablish me with thy free Spirit.

O God, who hast prepared for them that love Thee such good things as pass men's understanding; pour into my heart such love towards Thee, that I, loving Thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that I can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

If there should be still time before the beginning of the service, read slowly and meditate upon Psalm cxix. parts 1-4.

Before receiving the imposition of hands, say :—

Be merciful unto me, O God; for the evil one goeth about to devour me; he is daily fighting and troubling me.

Mine enemies are daily in hand to swallow me up, for they be many that fight against me, O Thou Most Highest.

But Thou, O Lord, art my defender. Thou art my worship, and the lifter up of my head.

For Thou, O Lord Jesu Christ, art gone up on high. Thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men; yea, even for thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

O God, the Holy Ghost, wonderful art Thou in thy holy places: even the God of Israel. He will give strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.

O Lord God Almighty, who didst endue thy

holy Apostles, and those on whom they laid their hands, with singular gifts of the Holy Ghost; leave me not, I beseech Thee, destitute of thy manifold gifts, nor yet of grace to use them alway to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

If there should still be time,read slowly and meditate upon Psalm xxvii.

After receiving the imposition of hands, say :—

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart hath trusted in Him, and I am helped.

Therefore my heart danceth for joy; and in my song will I praise Him.

The Lord is my strength; and he is the wholesome defence of his anointed.

As for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. My trust is in the tender mercy of God for ever and ever.

I will always give thanks unto Thee for that Thou hast done; and I will hope in thy Name, for thy saints like it well.

O save thy people, and give thy blessing to thine inheritance: feed them, and set them up for

ever.

O God, forasmuch as without Thee I am not able to please Thee, mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule my heart; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, I beseech Thee to keep thy Church and household continually in thy true religion;

that they, who do lean only upon the hope of thy heavenly grace, may evermore be defended by thy mighty power, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

If there should still be time, read slowly and meditate upon Psalm ciii.

DEVOTIONS

TO BE USED IN PRIVATE FOR SOME TIME AFTER CONFIRMATION.

Take daily one of the following passages for meditation, Romans xii. 1 Cor. xii. 1-13; xii. 27, to xiii. 13. Gal. v. 16-26. Ephes. i. 13-18; ii. 18-22; iv.

Then say one or more of the Psalms following,

xx. xxiii. xliii. xlvi. lxiii. lxxi. lxxiii. xci. xcii. ciii. cxi. cxxi. cxlv.

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

5th Sunday after the Epiphany; 2nd for Good Friday; Easter Day; 3rd Sunday after Easter; 2nd, 5th, 17th, 19th, 25th Sundays after Trinity; for St. Michael and all Angels; All Saints' Day; 1st in the Confirmation Service;

And this prayer,

I bless and praise thy Holy Name, O Lord God, for those renewed assurances which Thou hast vouchsafed me of thy favour and gracious goodness towards me; and for that, though in

24

DEVOTIONS AFTER CONFIRMATION.

thine infinite wisdom Thou hast thought fit to withdraw the extraordinary gifts of thy Holy Spirit, Thou art yet pleased to guide thy faithful servants by his secret and invisible communications, when they seek them in a regular and ministerial way. O, therefore, let the blessing, which I have received by the hands of thy servant the Bishop, be and remain with me, and most powerfully help and support me in all trials and temptations, when I most need the aid of thy Holy Spirit. Leave me not a moment to my own frailty, without his assistance: but through his succours enable me to adhere to that public and solemn profession of my faith, which I have declared in the presence of God and the congregation; and faithfully to perform the promises I have renewed, of observing and keeping thy holy commandments; that walking uprightly before Thee all my days, and being found watching, when my appointed time shall come, I may, from a life of righteousness, be translated to a life of glory, through Jesus Christ, my only Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

THE END.

GILBERT & RIVINGTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London.