Vestry Prayers with a Choir.

BEFORE SERVICE.

Let us pray.

O LORD, Open Thou our lips.

R. And our mouth shall show forth Thy praise. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness. R. And let Thy saints sing with joyfulness.

ALMIGHTY FATHER, we pray Thee to send Thy grace into our hearts this day, that we may worship Thee in spirit and in truth. Purify our sinful hearts; quicken our dulness of spirit; help our many infirmities. Make us more worthy to lead the praises of Thy Church; and may we so worship Thee here below, that we may worship Thee for ever hereafter in heaven; through JESUS CHRIST Our LORD. Amen.

Or,

CLEANSE US, O LORD, and keep us undefiled, that we may be numbered among those blessed ones, who, having washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb, stand before Thy Throne, and serve Thee day and night in Thy heavenly Temple; for JESUS CHRIST's sake.

Amen.

AFTER SERVICE.

GRANT, O LORD, that what we have uttered with our lips, and heard with our ears, we may

believe in our hearts; and what we believe in our hearts, we may practise in our lives; through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen.

Or,

FORGIVE, O LORD, our many shortcomings, our coldness of heart and wandering of thought in Thy service, and keep us evermore in Thy fear and love; through JESUS CHRIST Our LORD. Amen.

Or,

PARDON, O LORD, our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and teach us to worship Thee more worthily; through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen.

BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION.

CLEANSE Thou us, O LORD, from our secret faults, and mercifully pardon our presumptuous sins, that we may receive Thy holy Gifts with a pure mind; through JESUS CHRIST Our LORD. Amen.

Or,

GRANT, O LORD, that we Thine unworthy servants may offer unto Thy Name the incense of true devotion, and the pure offering of this holy service; through JESUS CHRIST Our LORD. Amen.

AFTER HOLY COMMUNION.

THANKS and praise be unto Thee, O LORD GOD. Keep Thy servants, O heavenly FATHER, in all their ways; and may they so live that men may take knowledge of them that they have been with JESUS. Amen.

Or,

O GOD, who in this wonderful Sacrament hast left us a memorial of Thy Passion; Grant us, we beseech Thee, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of Thy Body and Blood that we may ever feel within ourselves the fruit of Thy Redemption; who livest and reignest with the FATHER, in the unity of the HOLY SPIRIT, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

N.B.-These Prayers can be had on a card for
use in the Vestry, price 1d.

boly Marriage.

No. I.

[A short Sermon, which may be read, when desired, in place of the Exhortation at the end of the Solemnisation of Matrimony: adapted for persons of little education.]

BEFORE you leave the house of GOD, listen to the holy words which St. Peter, the Apostle of CHRIST, who was himself a married man, saith unto them that are married. First, as touching the duty of husbands towards their wives, his words are these: "Ye husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge; giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered." The Apostle

here bids the husband show all tenderness and gentle consideration towards the wife, helping her forward in the way of life, and, above all, joining with her in daily prayer to GOD. To wives the same Apostle writes thus: "Ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may, without the word, be won by the conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible; even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight

of GoD of great price." Here a wife is told to obey her husband; and to live so chaste and holy a life; in the fear of GOD, that, if her husband be not a godly man, she may win him over to become so. Also she is told that her best and truest adornment is no outward adornment of the body; but, what is far more beautiful and lovable, "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit." May God, whose blessing you have come here to seek, bless you by giving you grace to remember and obey these good words.

And now I will give you three short rules to help you to spend your married life in the fear of GOD, which only can make it happy.

First, Never neglect your prayers. Pray together, morning and night. If GOD gives you children, teach them also to pray. And, whenever it may be possible, use family prayer; that you and yours may be blessed of the LORD.

if necessary.

Secondly, Never neglect attendance at Church. Walk together in the house of GOD as friends. In the Church you have been bap- The words in itatized. In the Church you have been lies to be omitted, joined together as man and wife. To the Church you will be brought, when this life, with all its joys and sorrows, shall be over. Come, then, to the Church whenever the bells invite you, to pray and to hear God's Word.

Thirdly, Join yourselves yet more closely, both to one another, and to all good Christian people, by kneeling together the first time you can at the LORD's holy Table. There you will find grace and strength to fulfil your marriage vows, and to live in all godliness. And, when you have made this good beginning, persevere in the frequent and regular partaking of the Holy