The Lord Be With You

Answer. And with thy spirit.] This may be taken as the mutual

salutation of Minister and People at the close of the Praise Service.

It is therefore to be said before they kneel. In the Confirmation

Service, the Laying-on of Hands is concluded with the same words.

Compare the close of our Lord's words to the Apostles, S. Matth.

xxviii. 20: S. John xiv. 27: and the close of S. Paul's Epistles

without exception; also, close of the Epistle to the Hebrews, 1 Peter,

3 John, and Rev. In the Old English Services (Sarum Use), it closed

the Preces. In 1549 it was entirely omitted there, but replaced as it

now stands, when, in 1552, the Creed was taken out of the Prayers, and

placed immediately after the Canticles.



Let us pray.] This is the signal for kneeling, and commencing the

prayers.