own imaginations: cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness; for they have rebelled against thee.

12. And let all them that put their trust in thee rejoice: they shall ever be giving of thanks, because thou defendest them; they that love thy Name shall be joyful in thee.

13. For thou, Lord, wilt give thy blessing unto the righteous: and with thy favourable kindness wilt thou defend him as with a shield.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

As it was in the beginning, &c.
The Lord be with you.
And with Thy spirit.

Let us pray. (Kneeling.)

O God! Father Almighty! we Thy suppliants intreat Thee, on behalf of this house, and its occupiers, that Thou wouldest vouchsafe to bless and sanctify, and enlarge them in all good things. Bestow upon them, O Lord! abundance of Thy celestial dew and plenteousness of the fatness of the Land of the living and of Thy compassion: and bring to good effect all their desires and vows. At this our prayer be graciously pleased to bless and hallow this abode, as Thou didst vouchsafe to bless and hallow the House of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. May Angels of Light ever dwell within its walls, and guard it and its inhabitants from all evil, through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, God world without end. Amen.

The Lord be with you.
And with Thy spirit.
Bless we the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

I

VARIOUS BENEDICTIONS.

(TRANSLATED FROM THE EXETER PONTIFICAL.)

Form of Blessing the Holy Water.

The Exorcism of the Salt.

by

EXORCISE thee, creature of salt, by the living GOD, the true GOD, by the holy GOD, by the GOD Who, by the Prophet Eliseus, commanded thee to be cast into the water that the barrenness of the water might be healed, that thou mightest be salt exorcised for the spiritual health of believers, and be to all who take thee health of soul and body, that all delusion and wickedness, or crafty deceit of the devil, and every unclean

spirit, may flee and depart from the place in which thou art sprinkled, adjured by Him, Who will judge the quick and the dead and the world by fire. R. Amen.

Benediction of the Salt.

Almighty and Everlasting GOD, we implore Thy great mercy, that Thou wouldest deign of Thy lovingkindness to bless and sanctify this creature of salt which Thou hast given for the use of the human race, that it may be to all who take it health of mind and body, that whatever is touched or sprinkled by it may be freed from all uncleanness and may be defended from all attacks of ghostly wickedness, through our LORD JESUS CHRIST. R. Amen.

Exorcism of the Water.

I exorcise thee, creature of water, in the Name of GOD the FATHER Almighty, and in the Name of JESUS CHRIST His SON our LORD, and in the virtue of the HOLY GHOST, to become water exorcised to chase away all power of the enemy, and to be able to uproot and overthrow the enemy himself and his apostate angels; by the virtue of the same LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who will come to judge the quick and dead and the world by fire. R. Amen.

GOD, Who, for the salvation of the human race, hast hidden even Thy greatest Sacraments in the substance of water; mercifully hear our supplications, and pour upon this element, prepared by divers purifications, the virtue of Thy Blessing, that Thy creature, obeying Thee in all Thy mysteries, may by divine grace be effectual for casting out devils and for driving away diseases, that whatever in the houses or places of the faithful this water has sprinkled, may be cleansed from all uncleanness, and be freed from bale, that there the breath of pestilence and the destroying blast shall not abide; that all snares of the enemy who lies in wait may be-dispersed, and that whatsoever does despite to the safety and quietness of Thy servants may flee by the sprinkling of this water, that health may be sought by the invocation of Thy Holy Name, and may be defended from all assaults, through our LORD JESUS CHRIST. R. Amen.

Then shall the Consecrator cast the salt into the water, and shall say,

This mixture of salt and water together is done in the Name of the FATHER, and of the SON, and of the HOLY GHOST. R. Amen.

Then shall follow the Benediction of Salt and Water together in this

wise.

V. The Lord be with you.

R. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

O Almighty GoD, the Author of victorious power, King of all kings, magnificent Conqueror, Who crushest the strength of adverse rule, Who overcomest the bondage of the enemy, Who vanquishest all hostile wickedness; suppliant and trembling we beseech and implore Thee, O LORD, mercifully to accept this creature of salt and water, and of Thy lovingkindness to illuminate and sanctify it with the dew of Thy blessing, that wherever it shall be sprinkled, by the Invocation of Thy Holy Name, all malice of the unclean spirit may be driven away, and the terror of the venomous serpent be chased far hence, and that the presence of the HOLY SPIRIT may be vouchsafed to us in every place when we ask Him of Thy tender mercy through our LORD JESUS CHRIST Thy SON, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the same Spirit, one GOD world without end. R. Amen.

(TRANSLATED FROM A MS. IN THE POSSESSION OF THE REV. DR. FREDERICK G. LEE.)

Of a Chalice and Paten.

V. Our help standeth in the Name of the LORD.

R. Who hath made Heaven and Earth.

V. LORD, hear our prayer.

R. And let our cry come unto Thee.

The LORD be with you.

And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

Almighty and Everlasting GOD, Who under the old law willedst that gold and silver should be set apart for Thine honour and worship, vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, to bless, sanctify, and consecrate this chalice and paten for the ministration of the Eucharist of Thy dearly beloved SON JESUS CHRIST, Who for our salvation offered Himself a Sacrifice on the Altar of the Cross, and now, pleading the same sacrifice, liveth and reigneth with Thee and the HOLY GHOST, ever one GOD, world without end. R. Amen.

Of a Corporal.

V. Our help standeth in the Name of the LORD.

R. Who hath made Heaven and Earth.

V. LORD, hear our prayer.

R. And let our cry come unto Thee.

The LORD be with you.

And with thy spirit.

O Almighty GOD, we humbly beseech Thee graciously to bless, sanctify, and consecrate this Corporal for the use of Thine Altar, on which is presented to Thee the Sacrifice of Thy

dearly beloved SON JESUS CHRIST, and grant that all who assist at these sacred Mysteries may receive here the virtue of that Sacrament and hereafter everlasting life, through the same JESUS CHRIST our LORD. R. Amen.

Of a Chalice-Veil.

Almighty and Everlasting GOD, Whose most blessed SON JESUS CHRIST willed not only to die for our sins, but also to feed us with His most Blessed Body and Blood, bless and sanctify, we beseech Thee, this Chalice-veil for the use of Thine Altar, and grant that we who by faith know Thine only-begotten SoN here, may hereafter behold Him face to face, through the same JESUS CHRIST Our LORD. R. Amen.

Of an Alb or Surplice.

O GOD, the Creator and Sanctifier of all things, vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, to bless, sanctify, and consecrate this Alb (or Surplice), that they who wear it for Thy glory may have grace to wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the LAMB, and at last be found meet to worship Thee in Heaven for ever, through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. R. Amen.

Of a Maniple or Girdle.

Hear us, Almighty GOD, and vouchsafe to bless, sanctify, and consecrate this Maniple (or Girdle) prepared for the use of Thy Ministers, for the sake of JESUS CHRIST our LORD. R. Amen.

Of a Stole.

O LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON of the living GOD, Who hast said with Thine own blessed and holy Lips, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light;" grant that all who wear this Stole, which do thou vouchsafe to bless, sanctify, and consecrate, may follow Thee in all humility, and at last find eternal rest for their souls, through Thee, O blessed SAVIOUR of the world, Who with the FATHER and the HOLY GHOST livest and reignest one GOD, world without end. R. Amen.

Of a Chasuble or Vestment.

O Almighty God, vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, to bless, sanctify, and consecrate this Vestment for the ministry of Thy Holy Altar, and grant that those who use it may gain the graces bought by the Sacrifice of Thy dear SoN, through Him Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the HOLY GHOST, ever one GOD, world without end. R. Amen.

A General Benediction.'

Vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, O Almighty God, to bless, sanctify, and consecrate this for Thy service, and grant that we who are permitted to worship Thee in Thy courts below may hereafter adore Thee for ever in heaven, through JESUS CHRIST Thine only Son our LORD. R. Amen.

After each and every Benediction the thing blessed should be reverently sprinkled with holy water.

OLD VESTMENTS TO BE BURNT.

"ALTARIS palle, cathedræ, candelabrum, et velum,

si fuerint vetustate consumpta, incendio dentur ; quia non licet ea quæ in sacrario fuerint male tractari, sed incendio universa tradantur. Cineres quoque eorum in baptisterium inferantur, ubi nullum transitum habeat; aut in pariete aut in fossis pavimentorum jactentur, ne introeuntium pedibus inquinentur." Corpus Juris Can. vol. i. p. 960.

And again: "Ligna Ecclesiæ dedicatæ non debent ad aliud opus jungi, nisi ad aliam Ecclesiam, sed igni sunt comburenda." (Ibid.) Apud Harrington.

Under the law the old Vestments were made up into wicks for the great candlestick in the Holy Place and the lamps in the Temple.

RECONSECRATION AND RECONCILING OF CHURCHES.

“IF

F the Altar be taken away, let the church be consecrated anew. If the walls only are altered, let it be reconciled with salt and water. If it be violated with murder or adultery, let it be most diligently cleansed and consecrated anew." Excerptions of Ecgbriht.

See also Harrington on the Consecration of Churches, pp. 44, 96, 98, 140.

1 It is convenient to use this Form for the Blessing of Bells, &c.