¶ If so desired, these PRAYERS and THANKSGIVINGS may be offered in the form following; the People reverently bowing down:

GOD, who by the blood of Thy dear Son hast consecrated for us a new and a living way into the holiest of all; Cleanse our minds, we beseech Thee, by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit, that, drawing near unto Thee with a pure heart and undefiled conscience, we may receive these Thy gifts without sin, and worthily magnify Thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then the People, still bowing down, shall make these responses:
Minister. The Lord be with you.
People. And with thy spirit.
Minister. Lift up your hearts.

People.

We lift them up unto the Lord.

Minister. Let us give thanks unto the Lord our God. People. It is meet and right so to do.

IT

Then the Minister, proceeding, shall say,

is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should, at all times and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God, for all Thy bounties known and unknown; but chiefly are we bound to praise Thee that Thou hast ransomed us from eternal death, and given us the joyful hope of everlasting life through Jesus Christ Thy Son, whom Thou didst send into the world to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption. Thee, God the Father Everlasting: Thee, Only Begotten Son: Thee, Holy Spirit, the Comforter: Holy, Blessed and Glorious Trinity: we confess and praise with heart and mouth; saying, with angels and archangels, and all the company of Heaven,

Here let the People, still bowing down, join aloud, singing or saying,

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, Lord God of Hosts; Heaven

and earth are full of the majesty of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

¶ Then the Minister shall proceed, saying,

ALMIGHTY God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose once offering up of Himself, by Himself, upon the cross, once for all, we commemorate before Thee; We beseech Thee to accept this our spiritual oblation of all possible praise for the same. And here we offer and present, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice, acceptable unto Thee through Jesus Christ Thy Son :

And we most humbly beseech Thee, Father of all mercies and God of all comfort, to vouchsafe Thy gracious presence, and the effectual working of Thy Spirit in us, and so to sanctify these elements both of Bread and Wine, and to bless Thine own Ordinance; that we may receive by faith Christ crucified for us, and so feed upon Him, that He may be one with us and we with Him; that He may live in us, and we in Him who hath loved us, and given Himself for us :

Even Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be praise and power, might, majesty, and dominion, both now and evermore. Amen.

The Bread and Wine being thus set apart by Prayer and Thanksgiving, the Minister is to take the Bread, and break it, in view of the People, saying,

OUR Lord Jesus Christ, on the same night in which He

was betrayed, having taken Bread, and blessed and broken it, gave it to His disciples; as I, ministering in His Name, give this Bread unto you; saying, Take, eat: this is My Body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me.

Then the Minister, who is also himself to communicate, is to give the Bread to the Elders to be distributed.

¶ After having given the Bread, he shall take the Cup and say,

AFTER the same manner our Saviour also took the Cup: and having given thanks, as hath been done in His Name, He gave it to His disciples, saying, This Cup is the New Testament in My Blood, which is shed for many for the remission of sins: drink ye all of it.

Then the Minister, who is also to partake of the Cup, shall give it to the Elders to be administered.

After all have communicated, the Minister shall say,
Let us pray.

ALMIGHTY and ever-living God, we most heartily thank Thee for Thy rich mercy and invaluable goodness, vouchsafed to us in this sacred Communion, wherein we have assurance that we are very members of the mystical body of Thy Son, and heirs through hope of Thine everlasting kingdom. And, as we have been made partakers of Christ, so enable us to hold fast that which we have received, that no man may take our crown. Help us, we beseech Thee, to bear about with us continually the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal body; and grant that we may remain alway in the holy fellowship of all faithful people, with whom in the unity of the Spirit, we now make our intercessions unto Thee:

O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever. Remember, O Lord, Thy congregation, which Thou hast purchased of old: pour out Thy Spirit as floods upon the dry ground, and refresh Thy waiting heritage. Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Thy saints shout for joy. Show Thy mercy also unto them that are afar off, and gather all the lost sheep into Thy fold; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

MOST merciful God, we bless Thy holy Name for all

Thy servants who have kept the faith, and, having accomplished their warfare, are at rest with Thee. We pray Thee to enable us so to follow their good example, that we with them may finally be partakers of Thy heavenly kingdom, and, at the glorious appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, may behold Him with unveiled face, being changed into His likeness; when He shall present us, with all His Church, faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. Hear us, O heavenly Father, for His sake: to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Then the People shall rise and sing

A HYMN.

¶ Then, the People reverently bowing down, the Minister shall pro

nounce

THE BENEDICTION.

NOW the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

¶ After the Benediction it is fitting that the Communicants remain in silent prayer, beseeching God that none may leave His Table without a blessing.

THE ORDER FOR

THE ADMINISTRATION OF BAPTISM

TO INFANTS.

¶ Baptism is not to be unnecessarily delayed; nor to be administered in any case by any private person; but by a Minister of Christ, called to be the steward of the mysteries of God. - Directory for Worship, Chap. viii, § 1.

Although Baptism is usually to be administered in the church, in the presence of the congregation; yet there may be cases when it will be expedient to administer this Sacrament in private houses; of which the Minister is to be the judge. Directory for Worship, Chap. viii, § 5.

¶ After previous notice is given to the Minister, the Child to be baptized is to be presented to him by one or both the parents, whom the Minister shall address in this wise:

DEAR

EARLY beloved, Almighty God, who has called us into His Church, has promised to be our God, and also the God and Father of our children; which covenant He renews in this Sacrament of Baptism, given to us and to our children, as a sign and seal of the washing away of our sins and our ingrafting into Christ. St. Paul assures us that the children of the faithful are to be numbered among the holy people of God. Our Saviour also, in the Gospel, calls the children unto Him, and blesses them, saying Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the Kingdom of God.

Forasmuch as you desire and claim these blessings for your Child, you will now engage, on your part, to perform those things which God requires of you, that the good will and pleasure of your Heavenly Father may not be hidden from your Child.

Here the Minister shall address the following QUESTIONS to the Parents; and the Parents, each of them, shall make answer : Question. Do you accept, for yourself and for your Child, the covenant of God, and therein consecrate your Child to Him?