first regeneration, so I may at the last day have my part in the second and great regeneration of the world, to live and reign with Thee for ever : through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ALMIGHTY GOD, the Fountain of all goodness, and the well-spring of Divine graces, Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate me, being born in sin, by water and the Holy Ghost in the blessed laver of Baptism, thereby receiving me into the number of Thine elect children, and making me an heir of everlasting life, in the communion of Thy glorious Saints: strengthen me, I beseech Thee, O Lord, with that blessed Spirit of Thine, the Ghostly Comforter; and daily increase in me Thy manifold gifts of grace, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and ghostly strength, the spirit of knowledge and true go liness, and fulfil me, O Lord, with the spirit of Thy holy fear, even through Him Who hath sent down the Spirit upon the Church, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Renewal of Baptismal ALMIGHTY, Everlasting God, Who of Thy great mercy hast, by holy Baptism, received me into Thy holy Catholic Church, and hast showered upon me many continual spiritual blessings; I humbly pray Thee ever to keep me in this Thy Holy Church, and to give,me grace to live and die in the same, as Thy true and obedient child. Wherefore, O God, I do this day renew and repeat before Thee, and before the whole of heaven, the vow which my godparents made for me in my name, that I will remain all my life faithful and true to the same. I renounce the Devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, aud all the covetous desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that I will not follow nor be led by them. I believe all the articles of the Christian faith. I promise obediently to keep Thy holy will and commandments, and to walk in the same all the days of my life. Not for the fear of hell, nor for the reward of everlasting life; but for love of Thee, O God, Who art my God, and worthy of eternal love. Pardon, O God, of Thy great mercy, all the sins whereby I have hitherto offended Thy Divine Majesty; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow; give me again the white garment of innocence, and confirm me in good, that I may persevere unto the end. All this I hope, O God, to receive from Thy great mercy, Who art always more ready to hear than we to pray. Glory, praise, and honour be to Thee for all Thy benefits poured upon us now and for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Confirmation. Prayer for Candidates for Confirmation. LORD, graciously behold Thy servants, on whom Thy Bishop is about to lay his hands. Possess their hearts with a lively sense of Thy great mercy, in bringing them from the power of Satan, in giving them an early right to the covenant of grace; that with the full consent of their will they may devote themselves to Thee and Thy service; that they may receive the fulness of Thy grace, and be able to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Keep them, O Lord, in the unity of Thy Church, and grant that they may imrove all the means of grace vouchsafed them in thisChurch, of which they are now to be made complete members. In crease their knowledge, confirm their faith, and strengthen them in all goodness. Preserve their minds in a constant remembrance of their vow, which they are going to renew before Thee and Thy Church; that knowing that they are the servants of the living God, they may walk as in Thy sight, avoid all such things as are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable unto the same. O Lord, Who hast made them Thy children by adoption, bring them, in Thy good time, to Thine everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost. COME, Spirit of Wisdom, and instruct our hearts, that we may know how to value the eternal treasures of heaven, and to prefer them to but to hearken to Thy holy inspirations and the counsel of them that fear Thee. Make us in all things to consider the end, and by obedience to Thy counsels to attain to our perfect consummation and bliss. Amen. all the transitory things of COME, Spirit of Strength, earth. Show us the way also to attain to all holiness, and to obtain eternal life. Amen. COME, Spirit of Under standing, and enlighten us, that we may have a clar and strengthen our hearts in all temptations and trials. Anoint us with courage for the battle. that we may never be conquered; that we may triumph with Christ, and attain to everlasting life. Amen. COME, Spirit of Know understanding concerning the COM mysteries of salvation and the truths of our Religion, and may embrace them with ready hearts. Grant us, untainted by passion, to walk in Thy light, and hereafter in everlasting brightness perfectly to know Thee with the Father and the Son, and for all eternity to behold Thy glory. Amen. COME, Spirit of Counsel, ledge, and teach us to use the transitory things of earth, only to Thine honour and our salvation. Grant us to see at every turn of our lives our opportunities of grace, and to make use of them. Grant us, among all things here only to seek, to find, and to treasure, those which may lead us to heaven. Amen. and be with us in all the COME, Spirit of Godliness, undertakings of this transitory life. Unite us to good, and give us a dread of evil, that we may choose always what is profitable for our salvation. Suffer us not to take counsel with flesh and blood, neither with the children of this world, stir up our souls and lift us up to our God, that we may evermore have Him before our eyes and in our heart, and, continually thinking upon Him, may for love of Him accomplish perfectly the duties of the station to which He shall call us, that we may evermore rejoice in God, and by Him be blessed both in time and in eternity. Amen. Fear of the Lord, and Spirit, that by the indwelling of the same Spirit in their hearts, they may become temples of Thy glory; Who livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen. COME, Spirit of the fear, that we may not fear NTO Thee, O Lord, lift I up mine eyes; in Thee, O God, is all my trust, O Father of Consolation. Bless and hallow my soul by Thy heavenly gift, that it may be Thy dwelling-place, and a temple of Thy Majesty, wherein Thou mayest find nothing displeasing to Thee. According to the greatness of Thy goodness, and the multitude of Thy mercies, look down upon me, and hear the prayer of Thy servant: make me able, by Thy grace, to do what I alone cannot do. Preserve my soul from the perils of this frail life and lead me, by the guidance of Thy grace, on the way of peace to the home of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. : Ghost, and was confirmed and established in the Divine law of Thy Son. I thank Thee, O God, with all my heart, for the grace of this day and I renew my vow of faithfulness to Thee, and again dedicate myself entirely to Thy service. May Thy Holy Spirit, the Author of all good, give my weak will the necessary strength for constant perseverance, through Jesus Christ our Lord; Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the same Holy Spirit one God, world without end. Amen. Also the Litany of the Holy Ghost, Prayers for Whitsuntide, and for Confession, Penitential Devotions. Devotions for the Church's Seasons and Festivals. Those who wish to follow the circle of the Church's Year, with devotions adapted to every Season and Day, Fast and Festival, as they occur, will find the ancient services of the Canonical Hours the best method of so doing. Several excellent translations and adaptations of the ancient Service Books are published in English. The most perfect, containing the Night Services as well as the Day Hours, is that begun under the guidance of Dr. Neale, and used by the Sisters of S. Margaret's, East Grinsted. knees: heal by Thy visitation the wounds of the sick: enlighten by Thy heavenly touch the eyes of the blind; guide and govern the steps of the lame; loosen, by Thy pardon, the chains of the sinful. Grant to those who now celebrate with devotion Thy former wonderful coming in the flesh, hereafter at Thy second coming to judgment, to come to Thee with joy, and to be taken to rejoice in the rest of Paradise :: that being by Thy mercy de livered from eternal pain, made partakers of everlasting life, and crowned with joy, they may sing Thy praises for ever; Who livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen. : |