R. Such is my resolution. Art thou resolved and purposed to cleave unto Christ alone, and to submit thyself wholly to His will? R. Such is my purpose and resolve. Blessed be God, who openeth your heart, and giveth you to will and to resolve. And unto Him, even unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, be glory; R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. A Let us pray. Amen. LMIGHTY GOD, heavenly Father, who hast vouchsafed to call these Thy servants with Thy heavenly calling, inviting them unto Thy holy Baptism; We beseech Thee to pour into their hearts the light of the knowledge of Thy glory in the face of Jesus Christ: do Thou make them worthy partakers of Thy heavenly gift, and add them to the number of Thy holy Catholic Church. For to Thee it belongeth to have mercy, and to save us; and to Thee we ascribe all glory, even to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it hath ever been, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. R. Amen. Peace be with you all. R. Amen. ¶ The Angel and other Ministers shall then return within the choir, and, after retiring to put on the proper vestments, the Angel shall commence the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist. ¶ The Gloria in Excelsis shall be sung; after which the following Collects, Lesson, and Anthem, before the special Collect, &c., for the occasion. A Let us pray. LMIGHTY and Everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity; and that we may obtain that which Thou dost promise, make us to love that which Thou dost command; through Jesus Christ our Lord. R. Amen. A LMIGHTY and Everliving God, we beseech Thee to bestow upon Thy Church such spiritual fruitfulness, that the number of Thy children may be abundantly multiplied. And grant that those who by natural birth are of the earth, earthy, may by regeneration be made spiritual and heavenly; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, O Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. R. Amen. The Lesson from the Prophet Isaiah. The reading of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah [Chapter lv. 1-7]. CO The Anthem after the Lesson. YOME, ye children, hearken unto me: What man is he that desireth life: And loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil: And thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good: Seek peace, and pursue it. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart: And saveth such as are of a contrite spirit. The Lord redeemeth the soul of His servants: And none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate. The Collect. GR RANT, we beseech Thee, O Lord, unto all those whom Thou choosest out of the world, that, having been instructed in Thy holy mysteries, they may be quickened with newness of life in the waters of regeneration, and may be numbered among the members of Thy holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. R. Amen. The Epistle [Coloss. iii. 9-17]. Seeing that ye have put off the old man, &c. The Anthem after the Epistle. HO shall ascend into the hill of the Lord: WHO Who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart: Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord: Then the Gospels following. Here beginneth the holy Gospel according to Matthew. "The book of the generations," &c. to the end of the 1st chapter. R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord. Here beginneth the holy Gospel according to Mark. "As it is written in the prophets" to "baptize you with the Holy Ghost." R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord. Here beginneth the holy Gospel according to Luke. "There was in the days of Herod" to "a people prepared for the Lord." R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord. Here beginneth the holy Gospel according to John. "In the beginning was the Word" to "full of grace and truth.' R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord. Here shall follow a Sermon or Discourse upon the Faith of the Church, addressed to the Catechumens. After which the Angel, with the Four Ministers, shall proceed to the Catechumens at the further end of the Church; and the Angel shall say, IN N the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. R. Amen. Then the Catechumens, presented by their Sponsors or Witnesses, shall kneel, and the Angel, stretching his hand over them, shall recite the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer. I believe in God, &c. After which, The Lord be with you; R. And with thy spirit. Then the Angel and Four Ministers shall return to the Altar, and proceed with the Creed called the Nicene Creed. I believe in One God, the Father Almighty, &c. After which shall follow the sentences for the Offertory; and, while these are being read, the Sponsors or Witnesses shall bring up from the Catechumens their offerings, and give them to the Deacons, who shall present them in the usual manner, the Sponsors kneeling at the entrance to the choir, and the Catechumens in their place, at the further end of the church. The Prayer of Offertory. R Father, these Thy servants, whom Thou hast ECEIVE unto Thy grace, O most merciful redeemed with the precious blood of Thy dear Son, and callest to the washing of regeneration. Accept, we beseech Thee, these offerings, which they present in token of their good resolution to dedicate themselves henceforth to serve Thee in Thy holy Church. And as Thou hast given them to hope for Thy mercy, so do Thou enable them to abide steadfast in their profession, and, receiving the gift of Thy regeneration, to persevere unto eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. R. Amen. The Catechumens shall remain on their knees, and the Angel shall pronounce upon them this Blessing: |