This Rite is not necessary for admission to the Church, but may be used when specially desired.

When the Persons to be confirmed are standing before the Minister, he shall say:

DE

EARLY beloved, in your infancy, when you could not know the blessedness of the Christian religion, those who best loved you expressed in the most solemn manner, with prayer to Almighty God, their desire that you should be partakers of this inestimable blessedness; and pledged themselves to instruct you in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. You have now reached an age at which it might reasonably be hoped that you would, by your own voluntary act, take upon yourselves the responsibility of a public Christian profession : and forasmuch as you have signified your desire so to do, let me ask you in the presence of God and of this congregation, Do you now renounce the fellowship of evil, and resolve to learn and do the will of God as revealed by Jesus Christ?

Each of those about to be confirmed shall answer, I do.

Then shall the Minister say the following Prayer,

ALMIGHTY and ever-living God, the Father of our spirits, who delightest to do us good; strengthen, we beseech thee, these thy servants with the Holy Ghost the Comforter; and daily increase in them thy manifold gifts of grace, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and inward strength, the spirit of knowledge and true godliness. Grant this, O blessed God, through thy love to us in Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Then, all standing, the Minister may lay his hand upon the head of each one, saying,

Defend, O Lord, this thy child with thy heavenly grace, that he may continue thine forever, and may daily increase in thy Holy Spirit more and more, until he come unto thy everlasting kingdom. Amen.

Then shall the Minister say,

The Lord be with you.

Answer. And with thy spirit.

Minister. Our help is in the name of the Lord; Answer. Who hath made heaven and earth.

Minister. Blessed be the name of the Lord;

Answer.

Henceforth, world without end.

Minister. Lord, hear our prayers;

Answer. And let our cry come unto thee.

Then the Lord's Prayer, to be said after the Minister.

OUR

UR Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be

done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day

our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And

lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

Then shall the Minister say the following Collects.

ALMIGHTY and ever-living God, who makest

us both to will and to do those things that be good and acceptable unto thy Divine Majesty; we would offer our humble supplications unto thee for these thy servants who have made a public profession of their Christian faith, and expressed their earnest desire and prayer to be enabled to fulfil their duties as disciples of Jesus Christ. Let thy fatherly hand ever be over them; let thy Holy Spirit ever be with them; guide and help, strengthen and sanctify them, we beseech thee; that, by the living bond of obedience and charity, they may be united to thee and thy beloved Son. Amen.

LORD of all power and might, who art the

author and giver of all good things, graft in our hearts the love of thy name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness, and, of thy great mercy, keep us in the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall follow this Benediction :

ΤΗ
THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the
love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy
Spirit, be with us all evermore.

Amen.

ΤΗ

Or this.

HE peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep our hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. Amen.

First the Banns of those who are to be married may be published in the Church three several Sundays or Holydays, in this manner:

I

PUBLISH the Banns of marriage between M. of and N. of If any of you know cause or just impediment why these two persons should not be joined together in matrimony, ye are to declare it. This is the first [second or third] time of asking.

When the Persons to be married are assembled with their Friends, the Minister shall say,

DEARLY beloved, we are gathered together

here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony; which is an honorable estate, instituted of God in the time of man's innocency; which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee; and is commended. of St. Paul to be honorable among all men; and therefore is not by any to be enterprised, or taken