no Communion, the Priest shall turn to the People, and say, Let us pray. And then, turning to the Altar, he shall stand before it, and say one or more of these Collects last before rehearsed, concluding with the Blessing.

¶And there shall be no celebration of the Holy Communion, except two persons, at the least, communicate with the Priest.

And every Priest shall either administer or receive the Holy Communion every Festival, (that is, every Sunday and Holyday,) except he cannot get two persons to communicate with him, or except he be hindered by sickness, or some other urgent

cause.

And every Priest shall inform the people of the advantage and necessity of receiving the Holy Communion frequently. He shall likewise exhort them not to neglect coming often to God's Altar, because they have but little to give at the Offertory. For he shall instruct them, that, provided they frequent the Holy Communion, their offering will be accepted by God, though it be never so little, if it be given according to their abilities, with a cheerful and devout heart.

¶ And to take away all occasion of dissension and superstition, it shall suffice that the Bread be such as is usual to be eaten, but the best and purest wheat Bread that conveniently may be gotten.

If there be any Persons who through sickness, or any other urgent cause, are under a necessity of communicating at their houses; then the Priest shall reserve at the open Communion so much of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood, as shall serve those who are to receive at home. And if after that, or if,

when none are to communicate at their houses, any of the consecrated elements remain, then it shall not be carried out of the Church; but the Priest, and such other of the Communicants as he shall then call unto him, shall immediately after the Blessing reverently eat and drink the same. The money given at the Offertory being solemnly devoted to God, the Priest shall take so much out of it as will defray the charge of the Bread and Wine; and the remainder he shall keep, or part of it, or dispose of it, or part of it, to pious or charitable uses, according to the discretion of the Bishop.

THE

ORDER OF CONFIRMATION,

OR

Laying on of Hands upon those that are Baptized.

Upon the day appointed, all that are to be then Confirmed, being placed, and standing in order before the Bishop; he, or some Priest appointed by him, shall read this Preface following: To the end that Confirmation may be ministered to the more edifying of such as shall receive it, the Church hath thought good to order that none hereafter shall be Confirmed, but such as can say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments; and can also answer to such other questions as in the short Catechism are contained. Which order is very convenient to be observed, to the end that children, being now come to the years of discretion, and having learned what their Godfathers and Godmothers promised for them in Baptism, they may themselves, with their own mouth and consent, openly before the Church ratify and confirm the same; and also promise, that by the grace of God

they will evermore endeavour themselves faithfully to observe such things, as they by their own confession have assented unto.

¶ Then shall the Bishop say to those who are to be Confirmed : Do ye here, in the presence of God and of this Congregation, renew the solemn promise and vow that was made in your name at your Baptism; ratifying and confirming the same in your own persons, and acknowledging yourselves bound to believe and to do all those things which your Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook for you?

And every one shall audibly 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. The Lord be with you;
Answer. And with thy spirit.

Bishop. Let us pray.

¶ Here all shall kneel down, except the Bishop; who shall proceed, saying:

ALMIGHTY and ever-living God, who hast vouch

safed to regenerate these thy servants by water and the Holy Ghost, and hast thereby given unto them forgiveness of all their sins: Send down from heaven, we beseech thee, O Lord, thine Holy Ghost, the Comforter, upon them; 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 godliness, and fill them with the Spirit of thy holy fear, now and ever. Sign them, O Lord, and mark them to be thine for ever, by the virtue of thy holy cross and passion. Mercifully confirm and strengthen them with the inward unction of thy Holy Ghost unto everlasting life. Amen.

Then, all of them kneeling in order before the Bishop, he shall anoint every one of them with the Chrism, or Ointment, making the sign of the cross upon their forehead, and saying:

N. I sign thee with the sign of the cross; anoint thee with holy ointment.

I

Then the Bishop shall lay his hand upon the head of the Person he is Confirming, and say:

And I lay my hand upon thee: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.