The Book of Common Prayer Part 49

_Then all of them in order kneeling before the Bishop, he shall lay his hand upon the head of every one severally, saying_,

Defend, O Lord, this thy Child [or _this thy Servant_] with thy heavenly grace, that _he_ may continue thine for ever; and daily increase in thy Holy Spirit, more and more, until _he_ come unto thy everlasting kingdom. Amen.

_Then shall the Bishop say_,

The Lord be with you.

_Answer_. And with thy spirit.

_And_ (_all kneeling down_) _the Bishop shall add_,

Let us pray.

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespa.s.ses, As we forgive them that trespa.s.s against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

_And this Collect_.

Almighty and everliving G.o.d, who makest us both to will and to do those things that be good and acceptable unto thy divine Majesty; We make our humble supplications unto thee for these thy servants, upon whom (after the example of thy holy Apostles) we have now laid our hands, to certify them (by this sign) of thy favour and gracious goodness towards them. Let thy fatherly hand, we beseech thee, ever be over them; let thy Holy Spirit ever be with them; and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of thy Word, that in the end they may obtain everlasting life; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, ever one G.o.d, world without end. _Amen._

O almighty Lord, and everlasting G.o.d, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to direct, sanctify and govern both our hearts and bodies, in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments; that through thy most mighty protection, both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. _Amen_.

_Then the Bishop shall bless them, saying thus_,

The Blessing of G.o.d Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be upon you, and remain with you, for ever. _Amen_.

_And there shall none be admitted to the holy Communion, until such time as he be confirmed, or be ready and desirous to be confirmed_.

| AN ALTERNATIVE ORDER FOR THE | |MINISTRATION OF CONFIRMATION | |AS CANONICALLY SANCTIONED IN THE SCOTTISH CHURCH | | | _The circ.u.mstances of this Church requiring on many occasions | such modifications of the Order of Confirmation as may render | it appropriate to candidates who had not G.o.dfathers and | G.o.dmothers at their baptism, the Bishop may subst.i.tute for the | Preface in the Order of Confirmation in the Book of Common | Prayer a suitable address, and may subst.i.tute for the question | Do ye here, etc., the three following questions_: | | Dost thou renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp | and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, | and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow | nor be led by them?

| | _Answer_. I do.

| | Dost thou believe in G.o.d, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven | and earth? And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord? And that he | was conceived by the Holy Ghost; born of the Virgin Mary; that he | suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; | that he descended into h.e.l.l, and the third day did rise again from | the dead; that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right | hand of G.o.d the Father Almighty; and from thence shall come to | judge the quick and the dead?

| | And dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic | Church; the Communion of Saints; the Forgiveness of sins; the | Resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting?

| | _Answer_. I do.

| | Dost thou promise that thou wilt endeavour to keep G.o.d's holy | will and commandments, and to walk in the same all the days of thy | life?

| | _Answer_. I do.

| | _The Bishop_.

| | Our help is in the Name of the Lord; | | _Answer_. Who hath made heaven and earth.

| | _Bishop_. Blessed be the Name of the Lord; | | _Answer_. Henceforth world without end.

| | _Bishop_. Lord, hear our prayers.

| | _Answer_. And let our cry come unto thee.

| | _Bishop_.

| | Let us pray.

| | Almighty and everliving G.o.d, who hast vouchsafed to regenerate | these thy servants by Water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given | unto them forgiveness of all their sins: Strengthen them, we | beseech thee, O Lord, 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 ghostly | strength; the spirit of knowledge and true G.o.dliness; and fill | them, O Lord, with the spirit of thy holy fear, now and for ever.

| _Amen_.

| | _Then all of them in order kneeling before the Bishop, he shall | lay his hand upon the head of every one severally_.

| | _The Bishop, when administering Confirmation, may at his | discretion, with concurrence of the Clergyman, use the | following form in addition to that prescribed in the Book | of Common Prayer_: | | _N_. I sign thee with the sign of the cross [_here the Bishop | shall sign the person with the sign of the cross on the | forehead_] and I lay my hands [_or_ hand] upon thee, in the | Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

| | Defend, O Lord, this thy Child [_or_ this thy Servant] with thy | heavenly grace, that _he_ may continue thine for ever; and daily | increase in thy Holy Spirit, more and more, until _he_ come | unto thy everlasting kingdom. Amen.

| | _Then shall the Bishop say_, | | The Lord be with you.

| | _Answer_. And with thy spirit.

| | _And_ (_all kneeling down_) _the Bishop shall add_, | | Let us pray.

| | Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy | kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.

| Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespa.s.ses, | As we forgive them that trespa.s.s against us; And lead us not into | temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

| | _And this Collect_.

| | Almighty and everliving G.o.d, who makest us both to will and | to do those things that be good and acceptable unto thy divine | Majesty: We make our humble supplications unto thee for these thy | servants, upon whom (after the example of thy holy Apostles) we | have now laid our hands, to certify them (by this sign) of thy | favour and gracious goodness towards them. Let thy fatherly hand, | we beseech thee, ever be over them; let thy Holy Spirit ever be | with them; and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of | thy Word, that in the end they may obtain everlasting life; | through our Lord Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Ghost | liveth and reigneth, ever one G.o.d, world without end. _Amen_.

| | O almighty Lord, and everlasting G.o.d, vouchsafe, we beseech | thee, to direct, sanctify and govern both our hearts and | bodies, in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy | commandments; that through thy most mighty protection, both | here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul; through | our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. _Amen_.

| | _Then the Bishop shall bless them, saying thus_, | | The Blessing of G.o.d Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy | Ghost, be upon you, and remain with you, for ever. _Amen_.

THE FORM OF SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY

_First, the Banns of all that are to be married together must be published in the Church three several Sundays, during the time of Morning Service, or of Evening Service_, (_if there be no Morning Service,_) _immediately after the second Lesson; the Curate saying after the accustomed manner_, I publish the Banns of Marriage between _N_. of and _N_. of------. If any of you know cause, or just impediment, why these two persons should not be joined together in holy Matrimony, ye are to declare it. This is the first [second, _or_ third] time of asking.

_And if the persons that are to be married dwell in divers Parishes, the Banns must be asked in both Parishes; and the Curate of the one Parish shall not solemnize Matrimony betwixt them, without a Certificate of the Banns being thrice asked, from the Curate of the other Parish_.

_At the day and time appointed for solemnization of Matrimony, the persons to be married shall come into the body of the Church with their friends and neighbours: and there standing together, the man on the right hand, and the woman on the left, the Priest shall say_,

Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of G.o.d, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy Matrimony; which is an honourable estate, inst.i.tuted of G.o.d in the time of man's innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church; which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought, in Cana of Galilee; and is commended of Saint Paul to be honourable among all men: and therefore is not by any to be enterprized, nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, to satisfy men's carnal l.u.s.ts and appet.i.tes, like brute beasts that have no understanding; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of G.o.d; duly considering the causes for which Matrimony was ordained.

First, It was ordained for the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of his holy Name.

Secondly, It was ordained for a remedy against sin, and to avoid fornication; that such persons as have not the gift of continency might marry, and keep themselves undefiled members of Christ's body.

Thirdly, It was ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity. Into which holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. Therefore if any man can shew any just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace.

| _The Clergyman may at his discretion shorten the prefatory_ | _address by reading it thus_: | | Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of | G.o.d, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this | man and this woman in holy Matrimony: which is an honourable | estate, inst.i.tuted of G.o.d in the time of man's innocency, | signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ | and his Church; which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified | with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of | Galilee; and is commended in Holy Writ to be honourable among all | men; and therefore is not by any to be taken in hand, unadvisedly, | lightly or wantonly; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, | soberly, and in the fear of G.o.d; duly considering the chief causes | for which Matrimony was ordained.

| | It was ordained for the increase of mankind according to the will | of G.o.d, and that children might be brought up in the fear and | nurture of the Lord and to the praise of his holy Name.

| | It was also ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort | that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and | adversity.

| | Into which holy estate these two persons present come now to be | joined. Therefore if any man can shew any just cause why they | may not lawfully be joined together, let him now declare it.

_And also, speaking unto the persons that shall be married, he shall say_,

I require and charge you both, as ye will answer at the dreadful day of judgement, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment, why ye may not be lawfully joined together in Matrimony, ye do now confess it. For be ye well a.s.sured, that so many as are coupled together otherwise than G.o.d's Word doth allow are not joined together by G.o.d; neither is their Matrimony lawful.

_At which day of Marriage, if any man do allege and declare any impediment, why they may not be coupled together in Matrimony, by G.o.d's law, or the laws of this Realm; and will be bound, and sufficient sureties with him, to the parties; or else put in a caution_ (_to the full value of such charges as the persons to be married do thereby sustain_) _to prove his allegation: then the solemnization must be deferred, until such time as the truth be tried_.

_If no impediment be alleged, then shall the Curate say unto the man_,

_N_. Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after G.o.d's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?

_The man shall answer_,

I will.