Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

earnestly pray for them, that God, the lover of mankind, would by Christ rebuke the unclean and wicked spirits, and deliver his supplicants from the dominion of the adversary. Let us pray, that he who rebuked the legion of demons, and the prince of wickedness the devil, would now also rebuke these apostates from goodness ; would deliver his own workmanship from the power of Satan ; and cleanse his creatures, whom he hath made with great wisdom.

People. Lord, have mercy upon them : Save them, O God, and raise them up by thy power.

Deac. Bow down your heads, ye Energumens, and receive the Benediction.

[ocr errors]

Then shall the Priest say the following Prayer, all standing but

the Energumens, who are to bow their heads.

O THOU, who hast bound the strong one, and spoiled his goods; who didst give thine Apostles authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and didst deliver the serpent, that murderer of men, bound unto them ; at whose sight all things shake with fear, and tremble at the presence of thy power ; who hast cast down Satan as lightning from heaven to earth, from honour to dishonour, by reason of his voluntary malice : thou, whose looks dry up the deep, whose threatening melteth the mountains, and whose truth endureth for ever ; whom infants praise, and sucklings bless, and angels celebrate and adore ; who lookest upon the earth, and makest it tremble ; who touchest the mountains, and they smoke ; who rebukest the sea, and makest it dry, and driest up all the rivers ; the dust of whose feet is the clouds, and who walkest upon the sea as on firm ground: 0 thou only-begotten God, Son of the great Father, do thou rebuke these wicked spirits, and deliver the works of thine hands from the power of the adverse spirit. For to thee is due glory, honour, and adoration, and through thee to thy Father in the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.

Then the Deacon, being turned to the Energumens, shall say,

Depart, ye Energumens.

PRAYERS FOR THE CANDIDATES FOR BAPTISM;

Or, those Catechumens who have given in their Names before

Lent to be Baptized at the approaching Paschal Festival,

These Prayers are to be used from Ash-Wednesday to the time

the Candidates are Baptized,

PRAYERS FOR CANDIDATES FOR BAPTISM.

89

:

The Deacon, being turned towards the People, shall say : YE Candidates for Baptism, pray : (Here the Candidates are to kneel down, on Sundays and all days without exception :) and let all us of the faithful earnestly pray for them, that the Lord would vouchsafe that they, being initiated into the death of Christ, may rise again with him, and be made members of his kingdom, and partakers of his mysteries ; that he would unite them to and number them with those, who shall be saved in his holy Church.

People. Lord, have mercy upon them : Save them, O God, and raise them up by thy grace.

Deac. Bow down your heads, ye Candidates for Baptism, and receive the Benediction. Then shall the Priest say the following Prayer, all standing but

the Candidates, who are to bow their heads. O THOU, who by the prediction of thy holy prophets didst say

to them that are to be initiated, Wash ye, make you clean ; and by Christ didst appoint a spiritual regeneration : Look down now upon these persons who are to be Baptized, and bless and sanctify them ; fit and prepare them, that they may be worthy of thy spiritual gift, of the true adoption of children, and of thy spiritual mysteries, and may be

90

PRAYERS FOR CANDIDATES FOR BAPTISM.

deservedly numbered among those who shall be saved, through Christ our Saviour; by whom glory, honour, and adoration be to thee in the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.

Then the Deacon, being turned to the Candidates for Baptism,

shall say,

Depart, ye Candidates for Baptism.

PRAYERS FOR THE PENITENTS,

Or, Persons in the state of Fenance.

The Deacon, being turned towards the People, shall say :

1

YE Penitents, pray : (Here the Penitents are to kneel down, on Sundays and all days without exception :) and let us all earnestly pray for our brethren, who are in a state of penance ; that God, the lover of compassion, would shew them the way of repentance, and accept their return and confession ; that he would speedily beat down Satan under their feet, deliver them from the snare of the deril, and the incursion of evil spirits, and preserve them from all impure thoughts, all wicked words, and all unlawful deeds; that he would forgive them

all their sins, voluntary, and involuntary, blot out the hand-writing that is against them, and write their names in the book of life ; that he would cleanse them from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and restore and unite them to his holy flock. For he knoweth our frame ; and who can glory that he hath a clean heart? or who can say that he is pure from sin ? For we are all worthy of punishment. Let us still pray more earnestly for them, since there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, that they may turn from every evil work, and constantly practise all that is good ; that the merciful God would hasten to accept their petitions, would restore to them the joy of his salvation, and strengthen them with his free Spirit, that they may never fall or be shaken again, but that, being admitted to communicate in his holy solemnities, and to be partakers of his divine mysteries, they may be made worthy of the adoption of children, and may obtain everlasting life.

People. Lord, have mercy upon them : Save them, O God, and raise them up by thy mercy.

Deac. Bow down your heads, ye Penitents, and receive the Benediction.

« ForrigeFortsæt »