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IX.—*A FORM of Consecration, or Dedication of Churches and Chappels, according to the Use of the Church of IRELAND.†

¶ The Patron, or the Chief of the Parish where a new Church is erected, is to give timely Notice to the Bishop of the Diocese, and humbly desire him to appoint a convenient time, some Lord’s-Day, or other great Festival of the Church, for performance of the Solemnity.

¶ At the Day appointed, the Bishop, with a convenient Number of his Clergy, (of which the Dean or Archdeacon to be one] and the Chancellor of the Diocese, and his Register shall come between the Hours of Eight and Ten in the Morning; and when they are near, the Bell is to ring till they be entred into the Church appointed to be consecrated.

¶ First, the Bishop and his Clergy, together with the Patron or his Deputy, shall go round about the Cœmetery or Churchyards; which done the Bishop and his Clergy shall enter into the Church at the West Door, the Patron and People standing without, while the Bishop and Priest do vest‡ themselves in their respective Ecclesiastick Habits.

¶ When they are vested, they shall kneel down in the Body of the Church, with their Faces to the East, and say together,

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name; thy Kingdom come; thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven: Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our Trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

¶ Then the Bishop shall pray.

Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help, that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorifie thy Name, and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ Then rising up, they shall go together to the West Door, and the Dean or Archdeacon on one Hand, and the Chancellor on the other, shall bring the Patron to the Threshold of the West Door, and present him to the Bishop; who shall thus say to him:—

SIR,—I am come hither at your desire; I ask therefore for what intent you have desired my coming ?

¶ The Patron shall answer; or some of the Clergy at his request and appointment shall answer for him.

He hath, [or mutatis mutandis,] I have caused a House to be built for the service of God, and the publick Ministries of Religion, and separated a burying place for [his or] my dead; and [his or] my humble desire is, that it may be set apart from all common and prophane uses, and dedicated to the honour of God by your Prayers and holy Ministries, according to the Word of God, and the Laws and Customs of this Church.

* The typographical arrangement, capital letters, &c. are accurately reproduced from the original edition.

† From “the Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, according to the Use of the Church of Ireland, &c. Dublin: printed by and for George Grierson in Essex Street. 1736.”

‡ This order to vest in church does not imply that they were without surplices before, but only refers to the special vestments.—Ed. D. A.

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¶ Then shall the Bishop say,

Whiles it remained, was it not thine own ? and before it is given to God, was it not in thine own power? but when once you give it to God, it can never be recalled; but is in his propriety for ever.

¶ The Patron or his Deputy shall answer.

I humbly desire he will be graciously pleased to accept it, and that it may remain his own for his service and his honour for ever.

¶ Then shall the Patron kneel down and receive the Bishop’s blessing in the words following.

¶ The Bishop laying his hand upon, or lifting it over the Patron’s head, shall say,

The Lord bless you and prosper you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be merciful unto you. Remember thy servant, O God, concerning this also; accept his gift, sanctifie his heart, purifie his intentions, reward his loving-kindness, and spare him according to the greatness of thy mercies. Enrich him and his family with all blessings of thy Spirit and thy Providence for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And now in the Name of God, and to the honour of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us perform this Ministry.

¶ Then the Patron arising, the Bishop shall call for the Instrument of Donation, which the Bishop receiving from the hands of the Patron, shall deliver to the Register, to be read publickly in that place.

¶ Which being done, all may enter into the Church: then shall the Bishop, attended by his Clergy, kneel in the body of the Church, before the Chancel door, at a Convenient distance upon a foot-step raised higher than the floor, and shall say,

Let us pray.

I.

1 Chron. xxix. 10, &c.

Blessed be Thou, O Lord God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the Majesty: All that is in the heavens, and in the earth is thine. Thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head over all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might, and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious Name, that thou hast put it into the heart of thy servants to build a house for the honour of thy Name, and the service of thy Majesty. O Lord our God, What are we, and what is thy people, that from thy servants anything should be given and offered unto thee by us ? All things come of thee, and of thy own we give unto thee. But we know also, O God, that thou triest the hearts, and hast pleasure in uprightness. O Lord God of our fathers, God of mercy, and Father of Men and Angels, keep this, and all thankfulness and piety, and devotion in the imagination of the thoughts of the hearts of thy servants for ever; and prosper thou the work of our hands unto us, O prosper thou our handy work. Confirm this thing which thou hast wrought in us, from thy holy Temple, which is in Jerusalem, which is from above, and is the Mother of us all. And for ever be pleased to imploy us in thy service, to strengthen us in all obedience, to lead us in the way everlasting, and to accept us in those religious duties which we shall perform by thy commandment, and by the assistances of thy holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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II.

O Almighty and Eternal God, Who by thy Immensity fillest all places both in heaven and earth, and canst not be limited nor circumscrib’d in any: Thou art the most High, and dwellest not, as we do, in houses made with hands; for Heaven is thy Throne, and the earth is thy Footstool; and what house can we build for thee ? And what is the place of thy rest, that we can furnish out for thee ? Surely every place is too little and too low for thee, who dwellest on high, and thy glory is above the heavens: And yet thou humblest thyself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth, and thy delight is to be with the sons of men. Thou speakest out words, thou compliest with our weaknesses, thou acceptest our services, and wilt be worshipped and ador’d according to what thou hast put into our power. Thou therefore hast been pleas’d in all ages to meet with thy servants in places separate for thy worship and for the invocation of thy holy Name. In Paradise there was a proper place which thy servant Moses called The presence of the Lord; and thy servant Abraham called on thy Name in the place of the Altar, [Gen. xiii. 4]. And thou didst meet the Patriarch Jacob at Bethel, and he consecrated a stone for thy memorial, and it became dreadful and venerable, the house of God, and the Gate of Heaven, [Gen. xxviii. 17]. And Rebekah had a proper place whither she went to enquire of the Lord. Thou also didst fill the Tabernacle with thy presence, and the Temple with thy glory; and when the fulness of time was come, thou, by thy most holy Son, didst declare that thou wilt be present in all places, where two or three are gathered together in thy Name; and that amongst all Nations for ever thy house shall be called the house of prayer; and by thy Apostle hast signified to us, that our dwelling-houses are to eat and drink in, but that we must not despise the Churches of God. For thou art a jealous God, and wilt not endure that thy Temples should be defiled. Our God is a consuming fire, and he that defiles a Temple him will God destroy.

Therefore, in confidence of thy goodness, in expectation of thy favours, in full assurance of thy promises, in obedience to the manifold declaration of thy pleasure, and in imitation of the piety of thy servants, who in all generations of the world have separated places and houses for thy service, and left great monuments of their piety for our comfort and example, that we may come together into one place,* and by a join’d prayer, wrestle with thee for blessings, and not depart thence till thou hast blessed us: We thy servants walking in the steps of their most holy faith, partakers of the same hope, fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God, are this day met together in thy fear and love, to dedicate a house to thee, and to the glories of thy Name, that we may not neglect the assembling of ourselves together, but meet here to implore thy mercies, to deplore our sins, to deprecate thy anger, to magnifie thy goodness, to celebrate thy praises, to receive thy Sacraments, to bless thy people, and to perform all Ministries of Salvation.

Be pleased, therefore, most gracious Lord and Father, to accept the devotion and oblation of thy servants: admit this place and house into a portion of thine own inheritance: Let it be a resting-place for thy feet, and the seat of thy graciousness. Depute thy holy Angels to abide here, to defend thy servants, and to drive away all the power of the Enemy. Place thy Mercy-seat among us also: Let thine eyes and thine ears be open towards this house night and day, and hear the prayers of thy people which they shall make unto thee in this place; granting to them all the graces which they shall need and ask: And whensoever in humility and contrition they shall confess their sins unto thee, be thou more ready to hear than they to pray: forgive them all their sins: encrease and perfect their repentances, remove thy judgments far from them, and let them feel and rejoyce in thy mercies and lovingkindnesses for ever and ever. Grant this for his sake, who is the King of the Saints, and the Head of the Church, the great lover of souls, and our High Priest, who continually makes intercession for us, our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus. Amen.

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III.

O Almighty God, who art the Father of the faithful, and a gracious God to all that call upon thee in truth and love; thou hast taught us by thy holy Apostle, that everything is sanctified by the word of God and prayer: Attend this day and ever to the prayers of thy servants: be present with thy grace in all our Ministries of the Sacraments, and Sacramentals; and bless all the labours and accept all the religious duties, and satisfie all the holy desires of them who in this thy house shall make their supplications before thee. And let the dew of thy divine blessing descend and abide for ever upon this house, which by invocation of thy holy Name, and to the honour of the Lord Jesus, and the Ministries of thy servants, we, though unworthy, consecrate, and dedicate unto thee.

Spare all the penitents, relieve the distressed, comfort the comfortless, confirm the strong, and strengthen the weak; Ease the afflicted, heal the wounded and the sick; provide for the widows, and be a father to the fatherless; and unto all them whose consciences being accus’d for sin, come with confidence to the Throne of Grace, give help in all the times of their need, that whensoever thy Name is called upon thy blessings may certainly descend. Let thy eternal peace be to this house, and to them who in this house come to thee to be eased and refreshed.

Here let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousness, and let thy Saints sing with joyfulness. Here let thy people make their prayers, and perform their vows, and offer their free-will offerings with a holy worship. Here let the weight of their sins that so easily besets them be laid aside: here let the chains of their corruptions, and the cords of vanity be broken. Let the lapsed be restored, let the sick be cured, let the blind eyes and hearts be enlightened with the lanthorn of thy Word and the lights of thy Spirit. Here let the power of Satan be lessened and destroyed; and let thy servants find a cure for all their wounds; a comfort for all their sorrows; a remedy to all their inconveniencies: that all who shall enter this house now dedicated to thy service may obtain all their desires and triumph in the Name of the Lord our God, who hath performed all their petitions. Preserve their souls from sin, their eyes from tears, and their feet from falling, for Jesus Christ his sake; to Whom with Thee, O Father, and thy most Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory, praise and thanksgiving, love and obedience, for ever and ever. Amen.

¶ Then the Bishop and the congregation arising from their knees, the Bishop attended by his Clergy, shall go in procession round about the church within, and say this Hymn alternately,

HYMN I.

Ex Psalmis 127, 84.

1. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keepeth the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

2. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, in whose heart are thy ways.

3. They go from strength to strength: every one of them in Sion appeareth before God.

4. How amiable are thy tabernacles: O Lord of Hosts!

5. My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God: whence shall I come and appear before the presence of God ?

6. The sparrow hath found her an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thy altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God.

7. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be alway praising thee.

8. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand: I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

9. For the Lord God is a Sun and a Shield: the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

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10. O Lord of hosts: blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

¶ Then shall the Bishop go to the Vault appointed in the church for the burial-place (in case there be any), or else standing in the most open pavement of the church, the Archdeacon shall read this lesson.

¶ The Lesson in the Cœmetery.

And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul; all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. 1 Sam. xxxi. 11 —13.

And they told David, saying, that the men of Jabesh-Gilead were they that buried Saul. And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-Gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have shewed this Kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. 2 Sam. ii. 4, 5.

And the son of David, King Solomon, said, If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good; and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. Eccles. vi. 3.

And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the Holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done. Eccles. viii. 10.

But let a man remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. Eccles. xi. 8.

For the dust shall return to the earth as it was, and the Spirit shall return unto God that gave it. Eccles. xii. 7.

¶ Then the Bishop standing in the same place shall pray.

O Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of them that die in the Lord, grant unto all thy servants whose bodies shall be buried in this Dormitory, that they may lie down with the righteous, and their souls may be gathered to their Fathers in the bosom of Christ, and their bodies may rest in peace unto the latter day; and when thy holy Son shall come to judge both the quick and the dead, they may hear the sentence of the right hand, and may have their perfect consummation and bliss in their eternal and everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ Then the Bishop, with the Clergy attending, shall go to the Font, and the Verger or Clerk presenting pure water to him, he shall pour the water into the Font.

¶ Then shall the Senior Priest read this Lesson.

¶ The Lesson at the Font.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matt. xxviii. 18 — 20.

¶ Then shall the Bishop pray.

O Eternal God, fountain of all purity, bless and sanctifie the waters which thou hast ordained and constituted for the mystical washing away of sin: and grant unto all them who shall come hither to be presented unto thee, and to be washed in this Lavatory, that they may receive the baptism

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of the Spirit, and may have a title and portion in repentance, remission of sins, and all the promises of the Gospel, that they may not only have the warning of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God; that they dying unto sin and being buried with Christ in his death, may live unto righteousness, and become thy disciples in an unreprovable faith and a perfect obedience, and at last may partake of the Resurrection of thy Son to life eternal, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ Then shall the Bishop go attended as before, to the Pulpit, and laying his hand upon it, shall appoint one of the Priests to read the following Lesson.

¶ The Lesson at the Pulpit.

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom, preach the Word, be instant in season, and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine: for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. 2 Tim. iv. 1—3.

This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works: these things are good and profitable unto men. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the Law, for they are unprofitable and vain. Titus iii. 8, 9.

But let the man of God watch in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an Evangelist, and make full proof of his Ministry. 2 Tim. iv. 5.

¶ Then shall the Bishop pray.

O Almighty God, who by thy Word, and by thy Spirit, dost instruct thy servants and teach them all truth, and lead them in the way of salvation; Grant that this place may be always filled with wise and holy persons, who may dispense thy word faithfully according to the ability thou givest, and the charge which thou imposest and the duty thou requirest; giving to every one their portion in due season, and feeding the flock of God, not of constraint or of necessity, but willingly and chearfully; not for filthy lucre’s sake, but readily and of a good mind. O send faithful labourers into thy harvest; and grant that all the people which from this place shall hear thy word, may not receive it as the word of man, but as the good word of God, able to save their souls: and let thy holy Spirit for ever be the Preacher, and imprint thy word in their minds, opening their hearts, convincing their understandings, overruling their wills, and governing their affections, that they may not be hearers of the Word only, but doers of good Works; that they by their holy lives adorning the Gospel of God, and seeking for glory and honour, and immortality, may attain eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ Then the Bishop and Clergy shall go towards the Chancel, the doors of which being shut, he shall stand there, and with the Priests recite this Hymn alternately.

HYMN II.

1. Open to me the gates of righteousness, I will go into them, and praise the Lord:

2. This is the gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter.

3. The stone which the builders refused, is become the head stone of the corner.

4. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.

5. This is the day which the Lord hath made: we will rejoyce and be glad in it.

6. Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send us now prosperity.

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7. Blessed be he that cometh in the Name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.

8. God is the Lord which hath showed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar.

9. O Lord, open thou my mouth: and my lips shall show forth thy praise.

10. For thou desireth not sacrifice, else would I give it thee: but thou delighted not in burnt offerings.

11. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

12. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

13. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with burnt-offerings and whole burnt-offerings: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

14. Whoso offereth praise, glorifieth me, and to him that ordereth his conversation right will I show the salvation of God.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

¶ Then the doors being opened, the Bishop with his Clergy shall enter and ascend to the Communion Table, and sitting in a Chair on the south side of it, shall appoint the Dean or Archdeacon to read this Lesson.

¶ The Lesson at the Communion Table.

I speak as to wise men, judge what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ ? For we being many are one bread, and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of Devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and the table of Devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie ? are we stronger than he? Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Cor. x. 15—17, 21, 22, 31.

We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him, bearing his reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Heb. xiii. 10, 12—16.

¶ Then the Bishop arising from his chair shall kneel before the Altar, or Communion Table, and say,

¶ Let us pray.

O Eternal God, who in an infinite mercy to mankind, didst send thy holy Son to be a sacrifice for our sins, and the food of our souls, the Author and finisher of our faith, and the great Minister of eternal glory; who also now sits at thy right hand, and upon the heavenly altar perpetually presents to thee the eternal Sacrifice, a never ceasing prayer, be present with thy servants, and accept us in the dedication of a ministerial altar, which we humbly have provided for the performance of this great Ministry, and in imitation of Christ’s eternal Priesthood, according to our Duty and his Commandment. Grant that all the gifts which shall be presented on this table may be acceptable unto thee and become unto thy servants a savour of life unto life. Grant that all who shall partake of this table may indeed hunger after the bread of life, and thirst for the wine of elect souls, and may feed upon Christ by faith and be nourished by a holy hope, and grow up to an eternal charity. Let no hand of any that shall betray thee be ever upon this table; let no impure tongue ever taste of the holy body and blood which here shall be sacramentally represented and exhibited.

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But let all thy servants that come hither to receive these mysteries come with prepared hearts, and with penitent souls, and loving desires, and indeed partake of the Lord Jesus, and receive all the benefits of his Passion. Grant this for his sake, who is the Priest and the Sacrifice, the Feeder and the Food, the Physician and the Physick of our souls, our moll blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus. Amen.

¶ Then the Bishop arising shall return to his Chair, and sitting covered, some persons by the Patron’s appointment shall bring the Carpet, the Communion cloath, and Napkins, the Chalice, Paten, and the other Vessels, Books, and Utensils for the Communion; and humbly presenting them on their knees to God, the Bishop shall receive them severally, and deliver them to the Deacon, to be laid orderly on the Communion Table; excepting only the Chalice and the Paten, which two Priests shall (when the Table is covered) humbly on their knees lay upon it. Then the Bishop returning to the Altar, shall with reverence and solemnity (his face being Eastward) lay his hands upon the Plate, and say this Prayer standing:

What are we, O God, and what is this people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things come of thee, and of thine own we have given thee. Accept the Oblation of thy servants, who in the uprightness of their hearts have willingly offered these things, and give unto them a perfect heart to keep thy Commandments, thine Ordinances, and thy Sacraments; and be pleased to grant to them a greater ability, an enlarged heart, and an increasing love to serve thee with their souls and bodies, with all their time, and all their goods, that thou may’st be honoured with all their heart and with all their strength; and grant that these gifts may be received into the lot and right of God and of Religion, and the Donors be continued for ever in the lot of thine inheritance: that by thy grace, accepting these gifts, they may in all their other Possessions be blessed, and by the use of these gifts in the Ministries of thy holy Religion, they may be sanctified, and by a guard of Angels they may be preserved from all evil, and by the perpetual presence of thy holy Spirit they may be led into all good, and accepted to pardon, and preserved in peace, and promoted in holiness, and conducted certainly to life eternal, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 1 Chron. xxix. 14.

¶ Then the Bishop shall go to the North end of the Holy Table, and turning to the People, shall say,

The Lord be with you.

Answer, And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

I.

O Most Glorious and eternal God, who makest all things by thy power, and adornest all things with thy bounty, and fillest all things with thy goodness, and sanctifiest the hearts and gifts of thy servants by thy Spirit, we worship and adore thy glories, who fillest all the world by thy Presence, and sustainest it by thy Almightiness: We love and magnify thy to omitted when mercies that thou hast been pleased to enable and admit thy servants [to build an house to thee* and] out of thine own store to give gifts to thee, who givest all that we possess. We humbly pray thee by the Death and Passion, by the Resurrection and Ascension, and by the glorious Intercession of our Lord, that thou wouldest vouchsafe to sanctifie [this house and] these gifts to thy service, by the effusion of thy holiness from above. Let the Sun of Righteousness for ever shine here, and let the brightest illumination of the Spirit fill [this place, and fill] all our hearts for ever with thy glorious presence: That which we have blessed, do thou bless; that which we offer, do thou accept; that which we place here, do thou visit graciously and for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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II.

Let this house be for the religious uses of thy servants; let it be the abode of Angels; let it be the place of thy Name, and for the glory of thy grace, and for the mention and honour, and the memorial of the Lord Jesus. Let no unclean thing ever enter here: Drive from hence all sacrilegious hands, all superstitious Rites, all prophane Persons, all proud and unquiet Schismaticks, all misbelieving Hereticks. Let not the powers of darkness come hither, nor the secret arrow ever smite any here. Let no corrupt air, and no corrupt communication, no bloodshed, and no unclean action ever pollute this place dedicated to thy holiness.

By the multitudes of thy mercies and propitiations, to the visitors of this place coming with devotion and charity, let there be peace and abundance of thy blessings. Hear them that shall call upon thee, sanctifie their Oblations, let the good Word of God come upon them and dispense thy good things unto them. Let the title of this Church abide until the second coming of Christ, and let thy Holy Table stand prepared with the blessings of a Celestial Banquet. Bless the gifts and the givers, the dwellers and the dwelling, and grant unto us here present, and to all that shall come after us, that by the participation of thy heavenly graces, we may obtain eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

III.

O Eternal God, who art pleased to manifest thy presence amongst the sons of men by the special issues of thy favour and benediction, make our bodies and souls to be temples pure and holy, apt for the entertainments of the Holy Jesus, and for the inhabitation of thy holy Spirit. Lord, be pleas’d with the powers of thy grace to call out all impure lusts, all worldly affections, all covetous desires, from these thy Temples, that they may be places of prayer and holy meditation, of godly desires, and chaste thoughts, of pure intentions, and great zeal to please thee, that we also may become Sacrifices, as well as Temples, eaten up with the zeal of thy glory, and even consumed with the fires of thy love; that not one thought may be entertained by us, but such as may be like perfume exhaling from the Altar of Incense; and not a word may pass from us, but may have the accent of heaven in it, and found pleasantly in thy ears.

O dearest God, fill every faculty of our souls with the impresses of Religion, that we loving thee above all things in the world, worshipping thee with frequent and humblest adorations, continually feeding upon the apprehensions of thy divine sweetness, and living in a daily observation of thy Divine Commandments, and delighted with the perpetual feast of a holy Conscience may, by thy Spirit, be seal’d up to the day of Redemption, and the fruition of thy glories in thine everlasting Kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom with thee, O Father of mercies, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with thee, O blessed and eternal Spirit the Comforter, all honour and power be ascribed from generation to generation for ever and ever. Amen.

¶ Then add the Prayer of S. Clement.

God, the beholder and discerner of all things, the Lord of spirits and all flesh, who hath chosen our Lord Jesus, and us through him to be a peculiar people, grant unto every soul that calleth upon his glorious and holy Name, faith and fear, peace and patience, longsuffering and temperance, with purity and wisdom, to the well-pleasing of his Name, through our High Priest and Ruler, by whom unto him be glory and Majesty, both now and to all ages evermore. Amen.

¶ Then the Bishop arising shall sit in his Chair at the South end of the Holy Table, and being covered, shall cause the Chancellor to read the instrument of Consecration, and give command that it be entred into the Registry and an Act made of it in perpetuam rei memoriam: A Duplicate of which Instrument attested under the Register’s hand and seal of the Office, is to remain with the Patron or Founder, and the Original with the Bishop.

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¶ After which this Anathematism shall be read by him and his Clergy alternately all standing up.

¶ The Anathematism.

Ex Psalmis 79, 83, 129.

1. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.

2. Let not thine Enemies make a tumult, and they that hate thee lift up their head.

3. Let them not come into thine inheritance to defile thy holy temple, lest they lay waste thy dwelling places, and break down the carved work thereof with axes and hammers.

4. Make their Nobles like Oreb and Zeeb: yea, all their princes like Zeba and Zalmunna.

5. Who say, let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.

6. O my God, make them like unto a wheel, as the stubble before the wind.

7. As the fire burneth the wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire.

8. So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.

9. Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek thy Name, O Lord.

10. That men may know, that thou, whose Name is Jehovah, art the most High over all the earth.

11. For the Lord is righteous, he will cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

12. Let them all be ashamed that hate Sion.

13. Let them be as the grass upon the house-tops, which withereth before it groweth up.

14. Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand: nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.

15. Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the Name of the Lord.

The Bishop.

Glory be to God on high.

Answer. And on earth peace to men of good will.

Bishop. Amen.

Answer. Amen.

¶ Then shall the Bishop conclude with this EufhmismoV, or Acclamation, the Clergy answering alternately.

¶ The Bishop first saying,

Seeing now, dearly beloved in the Lord, that by the blessing of God and his gracious favour, we have dedicated to God [this House of Prayer, and] these gifts for the Ministries of Religion, let us give hearty thanks to Almighty God for these benefits, and say,

Ex Psalmis 150, 68, 87, 99, 100.

1. Praise ye the Lord: praise God in his sanctuary, praise him in the firmament of his power.

2. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits: even the God of our salvation.

3. He that is our God, is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.

4. The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of Angels: the Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the holy place.

5. They have seen the goings of God, even the goings of my God, my King in the sanctuary.

6. The lingers went before, the players on Instruments followed after: amongst them were the damsels playing with the timbrels.

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7. Bless ye God in the congregations: even the Lord from the fountains of Israel.

8. Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought in us.

9. O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places; the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people, Blessed be God.

10. His foundation is in the holy mountains: the Lord loveth the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

11. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O thou city of God; and of Sion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her, and the Highest himself shall establish her.

12. Exalt ye the Lord our God: and worship at his footstool, for he is holy.

13. Moses and Aaron among his Priests: and Samuel among them that call upon his name: they called upon his name and he answered them.

14. Thou answerest them, O Lord our God: Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou didst take vengeance of their inventions.

15. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill: for the Lord our God is holy.

16. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

¶ Then shall All together say,

For the Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth to generations.

Bishop. Worship Jesus.

Answer. We worship and adore the great King of heaven and earth, the blessed Saviour of the World.

Bishop. Holy is our God. Answer. Holy is the Almighty. Bishop. Holy is the Immortal.

All together.

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; blessed be thy Name in Heaven and Earth for ever and ever. Amen. Amen.

So ends the Office of Consecration.

¶ Then the Bell tolling a little in the interval, the Bishop shall appoint the Dean to read the Morning Prayer, or first Service, in the reading desk.

¶ The Psalms appointed for the day. Psalm 122, 125, 132.

¶ The first Lesson is Genesis 28. 10 unto the end. Or else 1 Kings 8, 10 unto 62 exclusively.

¶ The second Lesson is St. Matt. 21, verse 1 unto 17, inclusively.

¶ At the end of the Litany the Bishop shall confirm such persons as can be conveniently brought to him, fitted for that purpose.

¶ The Bishop shall read the second Service and administer the Communion.

¶ The Epistle is taken out of the third of the Acts verse 1 unto verse 16 inclusively.

¶ The Gospel is S. Luke 7, verse 1 to the 10th inclusively.

¶ The Collect to be said at Morning Prayer, and the Communion, together with the Collect of the day.

O Almighty God, who dwellest among thy Saints and hast plac’d thy Tabernacle in the hearts of thy servants, give thy heavenly blessings and encrease to the place where thine honour dwelleth, that what is founded by thy Providence and built according to thy Commandment, may be established for ever and blessed in all things by thy eternal goodness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.