Order for Receiving a Catechumen.

The Candidate shall stand in readiness at the further end of the Church, or other building. The Priest, after private prayer, shall come down to the Candidate, and shall say,

LMIGHTY GOD, who willeth not that any should perish, but that all should come to the knowledge of the Truth, even of His Son Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; And who hath given unto thee to believe His Word, to desire instruction in the Faith, and to seek for His grace in Baptism; Of His great mercy grant unto thee all thy desire, and fulfil in thee the good pleasure of His will. R. Amen.

Let us pray.

HOLY LORD, Father Almighty, Eternal

vant, who hath hitherto wandered and strayed in error and uncertainty, in the midst of the darkness of this evil world. Expel from him, we beseech Thee, the spirit of evil; make plain unto him the way of truth; enlighten Thou his eyes, unstop his ears, and open his heart, that he may know Thee, the only true God; the Father in the Son, and the Son in the Father, with the Holy Ghost; and may be counted worthy to receive the fruit of this confession, both here and in the world to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

T The Candidate shall remain on his knees; the Priest shall rise, and, extending over him his right hand, shall say,

THE

The

HE Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who with His finger did cast out devils, and came into the world that He might destroy the works of the devil; Deliver thee from Satan, and from all his works, and from all his evil power; and cause him to depart from thee both now and for ever. Lord deliver thee from every evil and unclean spirit; the spirit of deceit and guile, the spirit of idolatry and covetousness, falsehood and uncleanness: that thou mayest be made meet for the Holy Ghost, and that He may take up His abode and dwell in thee for ever.

R. Amen.

Then signing him on the forehead with the sign of the Cross,

IN

N the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, I sign thee with the sign of faith, the sign of the Cross of Christ: Be thou never ashamed of His Cross, but confess the faith of Christ crucified, and continue His faithful soldier and servant unto thy life's end.

R. Amen.

A

Then laying his hand on the person's head,

Let us pray.

LMIGHTY and Everlasting God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, mercifully regard Thy servant whom Thou hast vouchsafed to call to the rudiments of the Faith, and upon whom we have set Thy sign in token of Thy good will and

gracious purpose towards him. Deliver him, we beseech Thee, from all unholy and vain desires; remove from him all blindness of heart; instruct him in Thy holy mysteries; enable him to apprehend and embrace Thy truth; and speedily make him meet for the great grace of Thy holy Baptism, and receive him unto the same; through the goodwill and grace of Thine Only-begotten Son, with whom, and with Thine All-Holy, Good, and Quickening Spirit, be Thou blessed for ever.

R. Amen.

TH

HE blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be with R. Amen.

you all.

The Dedication of Catechumens previously to their Baptism.

¶ On a convenient day to be appointed, not exceeding ten days, previously to the day for baptism (and of which notice shall be given on the preceding Lord's-day), the Catechumens, with their Sponsors or Witnesses, shall present themselves at the further end of the Church. The Angel, after prayer before the altar, shall come down to them, accompanied by the Elder, Prophet, Evangelist, and Pastor, and shall address them as follows:

HE day approaches, when, of God's infinite grace, you shall be admitted unto holy Baptism; and the time is come when the last act in your instruction in the faith shall be fulfilled. We are therefore

gathered together, that we may solemnly deliver to you the mysteries of that faith, which with your heart you must believe, and of which with your mouth you must make confession, in order duly to receive the Sacrament of Baptism; and further, that we may commend you to Almighty God, imploring for you His blessing, that He may prepare you for

the same.

And ye have this opportunity, that, before ye are brought unto the holy font, ye may deliberately and carefully search and examine your own hearts: yea, rather, that ye may suffer the Word of God to enter in and search you; for it is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

I beseech you to remember how solemn a profession and vow ye are about to take upon yourselves. Ye are to renounce the devil and all his works, and all his ways, and to refuse to yield to his suggestions; ye are to promise that ye will follow Christ our Lord, unto whom ye are about to be joined, and that ye will believe all His words, obey all His laws, and conform yourselves unto all His mind and will. Open, therefore, I beseech you, your ears to hear, make ready your hearts to receive and to embrace the words of life, the Gospel of our Salvation, the Faith once delivered to the saints; hide it in your hearts, that ye may keep it whole and undefiled: So shall ye be enabled, with holy purposes and in steadfast faith, to approach unto the holy Font, wherein all your sins shall be washed away, and ye shall receive pure garments, white and clean, which are the righteousness of saints; wherein ye shall be sanctified by the Holy Ghost, who worketh in those

who believe all the good pleasure of God. These are the benefits which God on His part will surely bestow, and for these, as His gift unto you, ye shall have to give account at the day of the tremendous judgment, before the judgment-seat of Christ. See, therefore, that ye be wholly resolved to walk worthy of your most holy calling; to love God with all your hearts, and your neighbour as yourselves; to be pure and holy, as God is holy; to be perfect, as God is perfect; to be sincere and without offence unto the day of the Lord; that so ye may finish your course with joy, and in that day may hear those welcome and joyful words, which the Lord shall then pronounce on all who love His appearing, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

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In firm persuasion that God is more willing to hear than we to ask, and will on His part most surely fulfil upon you His grace, and grant unto you His blessing; we approach unto Him at this time, commending you unto His mercy, presenting and dedicating you unto His service, and especially beseeching for you, that ye may be made worthy to receive His holy Baptism, and to be reckoned in the number of His true flock and congregation.

I demand therefore of each one of

you,

Art thou steadfastly resolved to renounce the devil and all his works, and all evil spirits; the world and all its glory and vanities; and the flesh and all its sinful lusts; so that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them?

Each of the Candidates shall make the Responses to this and the following questions, distinctly and audibly.