to walk in the way of thy commandments, and to serve thee with pure hearts. Through our Lord Jesus Christ.

At the Gradual.

How wonderful, O Lord, is thy name in the whole earth! I will bless thee, O Lord, at all times; thy praise shall ever be in my mouth. Be thou my God and Protector for ever; I will put my whole trust in thee; O, let me never be confounded.

After this the book is removed to the other side of the altar, in order to the reading of the Gospel of the day; which removal of the book represents the passing from the preaching of the old law (figured by the lesson or epistle) to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, published by the preachers of the new law. The priest, before he reads the gospel, stands a while bowing down before the middle of the altar, begging of God, in secret, to cleanse his heart and his lips, that he may be worthy to declare those heavenly words. You may at the same time ask of God that he would open your ears and heart, that these divine lessons may sink deeply into your soul.

At the beginning of the gospel the priest greets the people with the usual salutation, Dominus vobiscum, The Lord be with you, and then tells out of which of the evangelists the gospel is taken, saying, Sequentia S. Evangelii secundum, &c., that is, What follows is from the Holy Gospel according to St., &c., at which words both priest and people make the sign of the cross: first, upon their foreheads, to signify that they are not ashamed of the cross of Christ and his doctrine; secondly, upon their mouths, to signify that they will ever profess it in their words; and thirdly, upon their breasts, to signify

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that they will always keep it in their hearts. The clerk answers, Gloria tibi, Domine, Glory be to thee, O Lord.

At the gospel stand up, to declare by that posture your readiness to go and do whatsoever you shall be commanded by your Saviour in his Gospel; and if you have not the convenience of reading it, or otherwise attending to it, you may pray as follows:

A Prayer at the Gospel.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who camest down from heaven to instruct us in all truth, and continuest daily to teach us by thy holy Gospel, and the preachers of thy word; grant me grace, that I may not be wanting in any care necessary for being instructed in thy saving truths: let me be as industrious for my soul as I am for my body; that while I take pains in the affairs of this world, I may not, through stupidity or neglect, let my soul starve and perish everlastingly. Let the rules of the Gospel be the direction of my life, that I may not only know thy will, but likewise do it; that I may observe thy commandments, and that, resisting all the inclinations of corrupt nature, I may ever follow thee, who art the Way, the Truth, and the Life for thus only can I be thy true disciple.

At the end of the gospel the clerk answers, Laus tibi, Christe, Praise be to thee, O Christ. And the priest

kisses the book in reverence to those sacred words which he has been reading out of it. Then, upon all Sundays, and many other festival-days, standing in the middle of the altar, he recites the Nicene Creed, kneeling down at these words, He was made man, in reverence to the great mystery of our Lord's incarnation.

The Nicene Creed.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God; born of the Father, before all ages; God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God; begotten, not made; consubstantial with the Father; by whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary: AND WAS MADE MAN. He was crucified also for us; suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. The third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and he shall come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead; of whose kingdom there shall be no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the

Father and the Son; who, together with the Father and the Son, is adored and glorified; who spake by the prophets. And one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Then the priest turns to the people, and says, Dominus vobiscum, The Lord be with you. And having read in the book a verse or sentence of the Scripture, called the Offertory, he uncovers the chalice; and taking in his hand the paten or little plate, offers up the bread to God: then, going to the corner of the altar, he takes the wine, and pours it into the chalice, and mingles with it a small quantity of water, in remembrance of the blood and water that issued out of our Saviour's side; after which he returns to the middle of the altar, and offers up the chalice. During the offertory you may pray thus:

A Prayer at the Offertory.

Accept, O eternal Father, this offering which is here made to thee by thy minister, in the name of us all here present, and of thy whole Church. It is as yet only bread and wine; but by a miracle of thy power and grace, will shortly become the Body and Blood of thy beloved Son. He is our High-Priest and our Victim. With him and through him we desire to approach to thee this day, and by his hands

to offer thee this sacrifice, for thine own honour, praise, and glory; in thanksgiving for all thy benefits; in satisfaction for all our sins, and for obtaining conversion for all unbelievers, and mercy, grace, and salvation for all thy faithful. And with this offering of thine only-begotten Son, we offer ourselves to thee, begging, that by virtue of this sacrifice we may be happily united to thee, and that nothing in life or death may ever separate us from thee any more. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

After the offering of the chalice, the priest, bowing down, begs that this sacrifice, which he desires to offer with a contrite and humble heart, may find acceptance with God; and blessing the bread and wine with the sign of the cross, he invokes the Author of all sanctity to sanctify the offering. You may join with him, and say:

In a contrite heart and humble spirit may we be accepted by thee, O Lord; and let our sacrifice be made in thy sight this day, so that it may please thee, O Lord God.

Come, O almighty and eternal God, the Sanctifier, and bless this sacrifice prepared for thy holy name.

At the end of the offertory, the priest goes to the corner of the altar, and washes the tips of his fingers (to