HE two petitions put up in the bishop's. prayer are for strengthening and for increase in manifold gifts of grace. As God has vouchsafed the greater blessings of the new birth and of forgiveness in the past, it is assumed He will not now refuse the less gifts to those that ask Him. This mode of arguing from God's love in the past is used by St. Paul when he declares, "He that spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Rom. viii. 32). It is also worthy of notice that there is in this prayer the same kind of structure as in almost all the collects. In the beginning the foundations are laid in the statements of God's promises or of God's blessings, and then upon these foundations is raised the body of the prayer, which corresponds in its nature and in the number of its petitions with the foundations already laid. In the prayer before us the two foundations of the new birth and of the gift of

forgiveness support the two corresponding requests for strengthening and for increase of gifts. The strengthening or confirming is ascribed to the Holy Ghost the Comforter, whose office it is to comfort, not merely by imparting that soothing peace which passes all understanding, but by infusing that spiritual strength which enables us to endure patiently all trials and to remain stedfast amid all difficulties. The increase for which prayer is made is that daily steady growth in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ of which the apostle speaks. As the number seven represents perfection and completeness, so seven gifts are named, borrowed from the magnificent passage in Isaiah, where the prophet (xi. 2) enumerates those gracious features which were to distinguish the Christ when the Spirit of the Lord rested

upon Him. The prayer enumerates seven of these gifts, which run in pairs leaving one over. This last it is from which the rest spring, and so it may be regarded as the root of a tree with its six branches equally distributed, or rather as the stem of the golden candlestick in the temple with its six lights, three on either side. Careful comparison would show that the fruits are of different kinds, and that the lamps do not give precisely the same colour of light. If we take the first pair, viz., "wisdom and understanding," we may regard wisdom as that spiritual gift which enables us to choose a right end, but un

derstanding as that spiritual gift which teaches us to use the proper means to attain that end. When we take the second pair, viz., "counsel and ghostly (or spiritual) strength," we may regard counsel as that spiritual gift which enables us to choose the right path in reference to the difficulties which confront us, but ghostly strength as the spiritual gift which makes us strong to overcome them. In the third pair, of "knowledge and of true godliness," we may consider knowledge to be that spiritual gift which makes us acquainted with God, whom to know is life eternal, but true godliness that spiritual gift which conforms us to the likeness of Him whom we know. All these have their root in that "holy fear," that spirit of filial love and reverence which is the spiritual gift which lies at the foundation of all our Christian character.

In the early Church there were miraculous gifts, gifts of tongues, of healing, of prophecy, which God vouchsafed in answer to the prayers of His Church as useful in themselves under the special circumstances in which the early Church was placed, and as signs of the better gifts which the disciples were encouraged earnestly to covet. The miraculous gifts are now withdrawn because no longer required, but the better gifts remain and are freely given to them that faithfully ask. Such are the gifts which the bishop invokes on our behalf. Greek fable tells how when Achilles was to go forth to fight all

the gods conspired to endue him with suitable gifts and arms. It is no fable with which we have now to deal, as countless soldiers of the cross of Christ have found by blessed experience. May all who read this manual believing receive the spiritual and manifold gifts of grace, and in their exercise ever remember that daily increase is due to the Holy Ghost the Comforter.

"Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire
And lighten with celestial fire;
Thou the anointing spirit art,

Who dost Thy sevenfold gifts impart."

**

SECTION III.

THE SOLEMN BLESSING.

Then all of them in order kneeling before the Bishop, he shall lay his hand upon the head of every one severally, saying,

DEFEND, O Lord, this thy Child [or this thy Servant]

with thy heavenly grace, that he may continue thine for ever; and daily increase in thy Holy Spirit more and more, until he come unto thy everlasting kingdom. Amen.

Then shall the Bishop say,

The Lord be with you.
Answer. And with thy spirit.

¶ And (all kneeling down) the Bishop shall add,

Let us pray.

UR Father, which art in heaven, &c.

0°

¶ And this Collect.

LMIGHTY and everliving God, who makest us

that go

and acceptable unto thy divine Majesty; We make our humble supplications unto thee for these thy servants, upon whom (after the example of thy holy Apostles) we have now laid our hands, to certify them (by this sign) of thy favour and gracious goodness towards them. Let