in this ordinance: I would humbly desire to confirm the solemn promise and vow made in my name, relying only on Thy gracious goodness to confirm me unto the end. I am unable, 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 gracious guiding may perform the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. II.-LORD, we beseech Thee, grant thy servants grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to to follow Thee the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (After Confirmation.) III. ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, heavenly Father, I give Thee humble thanks, for that Thou hast vouchsafed to call me to the knowledge of thy grace, and faith in Thee: increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in me ever more. May the solemn vow, promise, and profession, made for me in my infant Baptism, and now renewed by me in Confirmation, be ever printed in my remembrance. Mercifully assist me to lead a godly and a christian life; remem bering always that Baptism doth represent unto me my profession; which is to follow the example of my Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto Him; that as He died and rose again, so should I, who am baptized, die from sin, and rise again unto righteousness; continually mortifying all evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living. Hear me, O merciful Father, for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen. VENI CREATOR. 1 Come, Holy Ghost: Creator, come, 2 Thou art the Comforter, the gift And holy unction from above. 3 Thy gifts are manifold; thou writ'st 4 Enlighten our dark souls, till they 5 Drive far from us the mortal foe, 6 Teach us the FATHER to confess, And Son, who from the grave reviv'd; HOLY MATRIMONY. I.-Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Heb. xiii, 4. II.-And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. GENESIS ii, 22-24. III.-Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning, made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ST. MATT. xix, 4-6. IV. For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thine husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? I COR. vii, 16. V.-Being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. I PETER iii, 7. VI.—But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;-and they that use this world as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. But I would have you without carefulness. I COR. vii, 29, 31, 32. PRAYERS. (For married persons.) I.—O GOD of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, bless us thy servants, and sow the seed of eternal life in our hearts; that whatsoever in thy holy Word we shall deed fulfil the same. upon us from Heaven profitably learn, we may inLook, O Lord, mercifully Look, O Lord, and bless us. And as Thou didst send thy blessing upon Abraham and Sarah, to their great comfort, so vouchsafe to send thy blessing upon us thy servants; that we obeying thy will, and always being in safety under thy protection, may abide in thy love unto our lives' end; (and that we may have the joy of seeing |