•-S? w $ IE 4 ■a CO *~» IE , ^» hi Q. •** *«5 fc o ^ ^ 5 •*-«* O a> s c C\ »■* EH fc* O "53 3 xf fe E .«o «> M «« "K» jZ* s CO S> P4 2 •si O >>- -O % c § % r 01 0) ¥> CL 1° JUL*. US24 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://www.archive.org/details/practicalexpositOOy A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION ON THE <©fl&M0 of 33tH)ti0m anti Confirmation j ...'■ - AND ON THE COMMUNION SERVICE OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, AS PRESCRIBED BY THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER, BEING THE Substance of Eight Sermons, preached at the Chapel at Highgate, in Middlesex. TO WHICJI ARE ANNEXED, PRAYERS AND DEVOTIONS SUITABLE TO THOSE SUBJECTS. / BY EDWARD YARDLEY, B.D. ARCHDEACON OF CARDIGAN. A NEW EDITION. Honoon : PRINTED FOR F. C. & J. RIVINGTON, ftcpktellcri to the Society for Promoting Christian Knvuuedgt NO. 62, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD, AND SO. 3, WATERLOO-PLACE, PALL-MALL. 1821. CONTENTS. OF BAPTISM. Page, Of Public Baptism 5 Of Private Baptism 26 Of Baptism of those of Riper Years 32 OF CONFIRMATION 38 A Prayer on Baptism 47 A Prayer and Thanksgiving on ditto 48 A Prayer before Confirmation 49 A Prayer after Confirmation 51 THE RATIONAL COMMUNICANT 53 Communion Service 59 The Three Creeds ., 69 Offertory 74 Exhortation and Invitation 77 Confession and Absolution 80 Eucharistical Suffrages „ 86 Consecration of the Elements 91 Distribution and Reception $6 Post Communion , 102 Application of the Whole 107 A List of Books suitable to the Subjects treated of in this Work 115 An Eucharistical Office, consisting of Prayers, Meditations, and Thanksgivings 118 AN EXPOSITION ON THE OFFICES OF BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION, %A OF PUBLIC BAPTISM. mattkew xxviii. ]Q, £0. 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 ob- serve ali things whatsoever 1 have commanded - you : And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. The Evangelist St. Matthew having given us a large account of the birth and circumcision, the preaching and the miracles, the crucifixion and the resurrection of the blessed Jesus, concludes his Gospel vuth relating the solemn manner in v\hich he instituted the holy sacrament of Baptism. He tells us, that when the eleven Apostles Mere gathered to- B 2 An Exposition on the Offices gether, according to the appointment of their Mas- ter, Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying. All power is given unto vie in heaven and in earth, ver. J 8. As if he had said, I have finished the work which my Father gave me to perform ; I have con- stituted and built a Church which I have purchased with my own blood; I v\as obedient unto death, but now death is swallowed up in victory ; I am risen from the dead, and have triumphed over the grave, and am by God the Father exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour ; he hath given all things into my hands, and my power is unlimited and unrestrained; all things both in heaven and earth obey my will, and as an act of this authority, As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you, and give you, by virtue of the following commission, power to make disciples, and in my name to admit them into the Church : What ye shall do herein according to my institution, I will ratify and confirm your act, for Lo, I am rcith you a/way, even unto the end of the world; Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The word Baptism implies dipping or plunging in water, or sprinkling or washing with it; and as the element of water hath a natural property of cleansing, so this hath very anciently been used both by Jews and Gentiles as a sacred rite to signify inward puri- fication, and the washing away of crimes and guilt; and 10 this the Jews introduced another use of Bap- tism, and besides Circumcision, adopted it as a ce- of Baptism and Confirmation. 3 remony at the initiation of members into their Church. After this, John, the forerunner of the Messiah, in order to prepare the way for the recep- tion of the Gospel, did in the river Jordan adminis- ter the Baptism of repentance. The Jews then, be- ing accustomed to this rite, did not look upon it as a new or uncouth ceremony, when our Lord ex- alted it into a perpetual sacrament for the admis- sion of members into his Church. And the essentials of Baptism were pointed out by the founder of our holy religion, and these were to remain without any alteration : but as to other circumstances relating to the administration, he hath left the Church at liberty to order such ceremonies as shall seem fittest to the state and condition she is at any time in ; and to make such orders in relation to the manner of administering this sacrament, which, though they are in themselves indifferent, yet it be- comes our duty to comply with them, because she prescribes them. The primitive Churches were not without their forms for the decent and solemn administration of this rite; and the Church of England hath not been wanting in making the same provision; aud hath in her Common Prayer Book inserted three several of- fices for the ministration of Baptism, to be used ac- cording to her direction. One of them is for the sake of such whom the ancient Church styled adults, who were of riper years, and were coming to the use of their reason, and capable of answering for them- B '2 4 An Exposition on the Offices selves when they came to be baptized. The other two are for the use of infants, one of them to be performed in the Church ; and the other in private houses, out of compassion to such children, whose health will not permit them to be carried out of doors. As all our offices of religion ought to be well un- derstood by those who join in them, that their zeal may be weil guided, and their behaviour suitably and properly directed ; and with this view the Commu- munion Office hath been already explained, as being a service which every good Christian ought frequently to be present at: so the Baptismal Office will re- quire the same pains, though it be but once used in behalf of every member of our Church, and his baptism is never to be repeated. For as to those few who were baptized since the) came to years of discretion, and answered for themselves, it is very tit that in attending to the Baptism of others, they" should be reminded of the things they themselves promised, and of the engagements they entered into, which it is their bounden duty to comply with. And as the far greatest part of us were baptized in our tender a«e, when we knew neither the benefits of this Sacrament, nor the vows and promises which the charitable care of our godfathers and godmothers made for us, and in our names undertook that we should perform them ; so it is exceeding useful for us seriously to listen to the baptismal service when- ever it is performed, and to consider the advantages of Baptism and Confirmation. 5 we are entitled to from having received that sacra* ment, and the obligations which from thence we are bound to fulfil. In order therefore to make this divine service the belter understood, [ shall proceed to a practical ex- planation of The Ministration of Public Baptism of Infants, to be used in the Chunk. This is the title it bears in the Common Prayer Book ; arid this will remind us to make two observations. First, That the \x\\ fulness of infant Baptism is maintained by our Church, who in her twenty-seventh Article of Religion declares, that it ought to be " retained " in the Church, as most agreeable with the instltu- " tion of Christ," and hath here furnished us with a peculiar office for the ministration of it. The bap- tizing of infants is no novel practice, but was in use in the primitive Church : and certainly when our Lord commanded his Apostles to baptize all na- tions, he would have expressly forbid the baptizing of Infants, if he had meant that they should be ex- cluded ; but as he hath not, his permission must be understood, and even infants comprehended under the term of all nations. Baptism succeeded in the room of Circumcision, and those who were then capable of the one, are undoubtedly now qualified for the other. W children of eight days old were fit to enter into covenant with Gon by Circumci- sion, no reason can be given why infants should at any time be debarred from entering into covenant with God by Baptism: nor is it any new thing for chil- dren or minors to agree to, and promise those things li 3 6 An Exposition on the Offices by their guardians or sureties, which themselves are not able neither to understand or perform at the time in which they enter into that engagement. A second observation is, That this office is in- tended to be used only in the Church ; and there- fore whenever this 'public service is used in any other place, the desigu of the Church is opposed, who hath provided another office for "private use. But I shall defer entering farther on this topic, until I come to consider that other form. After the title there follow some Rubrics of direc- tion. 1. Though, " If necessity so require, chil- " dren may be baptized on any day, yet the people " are to be admonished, that it is most convenient " that Baptism should not be administered but upon " Sundays and other Holy-days, when the most ei number of people come together ; as well for " that the congregation there present may testify " the receiving of them that be newly baptized into « gagement. Whilst these demands and answers are making, the rest of the congregation are not to join therein : the whole transaction being between the minister on the one side, and the godfathers and god- mothers on the other. But that this time, instead of being lost, may be employed to their spiritual ad- vantage, let every one seriously recollect what pas- sed at his own Baptism ; and let him take this pro- per opportunity of renewing the vows which were then made in the behalf of himself. When the minis- ter begins, " Dost thou renounce V Let him say not aloud so as to disturb the congregation, but to himself, without a devout heart, " I do renounce t( the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and ** glory of the world, with all covetous desires of " the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so " that, God being my helper, I will not follow nor " be led by them." When the minister saith, " Dost " thou believer" repeat to yourself the Articles of your Christian Faith, and at the end say in your heart, " All this I stedfastly believe." W T hen he saith, " Wilt thou be baptized :" Say softly, " Lord, iC I thank thee that I have been baptized in this " faith." And when he comes to the last demand, " Wilt thou then obediently keep :" Say within yourself, " I will obediently keep God's holy will " and commandments, and walk in the same all the " days of my life ; and may the grace" of God as- " sist me herein." Thus shall, we turn this part of the service to our own use, into an act of true devo. of Baptism and Confirmation. 17 tion, beneficial to our own souls, and acceptable to Almighty God. The stipulations being made, the priest offereth up to our merciful Gon four short petitions, to every one of which, as to every other prayer in this office, the people are to answer, a Amen.'" The purport of them is, that God would "grant that " the old Adam in this child," the original corrup- tion which every one brings with him into the world, " may be so buried, that the new man may be " raised up in him : that all carnal affections may " die in him, and that all things belonging to the " Spirit, may live and grow in him : that he may " have power and strength to have victory, and t» " triumph against the devil, the world, and the " flesh :" and that all who are here {that is at this font, erected in the house of God, and set apart for this sacred office) dedicated to God by his minis- ters, e tied, and manfully to tight under his banner ii against sin, the world, and the devil, and to con- " tinue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto " his life's end." This ancient, harmless, and significant ceremony, hath met with much opposition from the adversaries of our Church, and by some been made an argument for disssenting from us. The Rubric at the end of this office refers us to the 30th canon of our Church, for satisfaction herein; and therefore, instead of say- ing any thing of my own on this head, and because many have not the book of Canons by them, I shall beg leave to make a large extract from it. It bears for its title, " The lawful Use of the Cross in Bap- " tism explained." In it the convocation commends " to all the true members of the Church of Eng- " land, these their directions and observations." " First, That although the Jens and Heathens *' derided both the Apostles, and the rest of the of Baptism and Cotijirmatim. 21 u Christians, for preaching and believing in Him " who was crucified upon the cross; yet all, both " Apostles and Christians, were so far from being " discouraged from their profession by the ignominy " of the cross, as they rather rejoiced and triumphed " in it. Yea, the Holy Ghost, by the mouths " of the Apostles, did honour the name of the " cross (being hateful among the Jews) so far, that *' under it be comprehended not only Christ cru- " cified, but the force, effects, and merits of his " death and passion, with all the comforts, fruits " and promises which we receive or expect thereby." " Secondly, The honour and dignity of the Name " of the cross, begat a reverend estimation even in " the Apostles times of the sign of the cross, which " the Christians shortly after used in all their actions, " thereby making an outward shew and Profession, " even to the astonishment of the Jews, that they u were not ashamed to acknowledge him for their " Lord and Saviour, who died for them upon " the cross. And this sign they did not only use " themselves with a kind of glory, when they met " with any Jercs, but signed therewith their children " when they were chiistened, to dedicate them to " that badge to his service, whose benefits bestowed " upon them in Baptism, the name of the cross did " represent. And this use of the sign of the cross " in Baptism was held in the primitive Church, as " well by the Greeks as the Latins, with one con- " sent and great applause. At that time if any had *' opposed themselves against it, they would certainly 22 An Exposition on the Offices 'i have been censured as enemies of the name of the " cross, and consequently of Christ's merits, the " sign whereof they could no better endure. This " continual and general use of the sign of the cross, " is evident by many testimonies of the ancient fa? " thers." " Thirdly, It must be confessed that in process " of time the sign of the cross was greatly abused ie in the Church of Rome, especially after that cor- t{ ruption of popery had once possessed it. But " the ubuse of a thing doth not take away the lawful 3 .54 The Rational Communicant. the Gospel, and be brought hereby to receive it : and being converted to the faith of Christ by this miraculous sign, might, by the same means, be more fully instructed in his religion! tongues then were not chiefly given for the edification of the Church ; for, in the words of the Apostle, He that speaketh in an unknown tongue may edify himself ; but except he interpret, the Church can receive no edifying thereby. Hence it is that St. Paul here argues largely against praying in the public congregations in a tongue unknozm to the people ; and resolves for his own part, though he spake icith tongues more than they all, so to pray that the brethren might nnder- jjlaud him, and join with him in his petitions: Ehe, saiih he, in the text, zchen thou shalt bless with the Spirit ; when thou being a minister in the Church, shalt use such forms of prayer and thanksgiving as the Spirit hath dictated to thee, or, as being com- posed by the Church, are agreeable to the mind of the Spirit, but shalt use them in an unknown tongue, How shall he that oceupieth the room of the un- learned, how shall any of the congregation who hath neither learned the language thou speakest, nor hath the gift of interpreting tongues; how shall such an one join with thee in thy address to God, and say amen at thy giving of thanks, see- ing he nnderstandeth not ivhat thou say est? For thou verily givest thanks zvell, but the other is not edified. The Rational Communicant. 55 If then it be unlawful to use prayers in the Church in an unknown tongue ; we may from thence conclude that it is the duty of erery one to understand aright those prayers which are offered up in their name as the common prayers of the Church, every time they meet together to serve God. For it is equally ab- surd, whether the minister offers up prayers in a tongue unknown to the people ; or in terms above their comprehension. But as our service in general should be a rea- sonable service; as whenever we pray with the Spi- rit, we should pray with the understanding also : my text reminds me of a particular office which we should do our diligence thoroughly and clearly to understand, lest we offer the sacrifice of fools, in- stead of performing rightly the highest act of our Religion. The words of St, Paul seem to relate to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which was celebrated with solem blessing of the elements, with most solemn actions of blessing, praise, and thanks- giving ; and therefore in the Christian Church the whole action very early received the general name of the Eucharist or thanksgiving : and what confirms this explanation of the words is, what Justin Mar- tyr, who lived in the age after the Apostles, tells us, speaking of the prayer of consecration ; when the bishop has finished the prayers and the eucharis- iical service, all the people present conclude with an audible voice, saying, Amen. The meaning of St. Paul then, speaking to him who officiates in an un- known tongue, is this : — When thou shalt bless the D 4 56 The Rational Communicant. sacramental elements, and bless God, the fountain of goodness, how shall a private and unlearned per- son in the congregation, be able to consent and say the Amen to thy giving of thanks and celebration of the Eucharist, seeing he undentandeth not what thou sayest ? Our Church hath provided an Order for the ad- ministration of the Lord's Supper or Holy Commu- nion ; an office excellent for its use and beauty ; which on the one hand avoids any puritanical ine- verence or indecency in the participation of the holy mysteries; and on the other, shuns with caution the opposite extreme of popish superstition. An office which acquaints us with the nature and ends of this Sacrament ; and is fitly contrived to excite us to the actual exercise of those several graces which are re- quired in those who come to the Lord's Supper. But as this care and pains of our Church must come to nought, unless this office be understood by her members who make use of it: as without thfe, they cannot ' say Amen, OT rationally assent to the prayers which the priest at the altar offers up in their name : I cannot but think that it will, through God's blessing, be of great service, if I should thoroughly examine and explain the Communion Office, as you have it in your Common Prayer-books, and point out to you the excellency and propriety of every part of it. But first let us take notice of what precedes the celebration. Because the Church would have none come to the Holy Communion but such as are fitly prepared to receive the holy mysteries, and to par- The Rational Communicant. 07 lake of the sacramental grace ; she hath ordered warning to be given of its celebration, on the Sun- day, or some holiday immediately preceding, to give them time for a proper preparation ; and hath com- posed an exhortation to be read to this purpose; — that as this Sacrament is a remembrance of Christ's meritorious cross and passion ; we should render thanks to Govt, for that he hath given his Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, not only to die for us, but also to be our spiritual food and sustenance in that holy Sacrament. That the comfort of receiving it worthily, and the danger of receiving it unwor- thily, should teach us to consider the dignity are toid that our light should shine before men, our treasures be laid up in heaven, and that we should do to others, as we desire they would do to us ; and should not only profess, but practise Christianity. By the example of Zaccheus we are exhorted to alms-giving and restitution ; and are encouraged to distribute cheerfully according to our power ; to take all opportunities of doing good; to be ready to give, and glad to distribute ; because God is pleased with such sacrifices, blesses those w ho offer them, and himself becomes our debtor for what we thus lay out. And now the bread and nine, and the alms of the congregation being humbly presented and placed upon the holy table, the priest is to begin the prayer for the stale of Christ's Church. None of the Com- munion Offices of the primitive Church was without such a form. It was called the Catholic or general Collect, or the Prayer for Peace : and this prayer of ours is, as to the substance of what it contains, agreeable to the most ancient Liturgies. We have already in the Creed, testified our faith to be ihe same with that of the universal Church : we have shewed our compassion in alms to the poor : and here we declare the extent of our charity, in praying for all conditions of men in the Church, that they may live agreeable to their profession of Christianity ; that those who govern the state, those who preside over the Church, and wait at the altar, and the people in general, may, in their several sta- tions, promote the glory of God, and the good of u -2 76 The Rational Communicant. one another. Christianity teacheth men loyalty and obedience ; and the Apostle hath taught us to make prayers, and supplications, and thanksgivings, or Eucharists, for all men, for kings, and all in au- thority ; which words seem particularly to bind it upon us as our especial duty, when we celebrate this Sacrament. In this prayer the priest solemnly offers to God the devotions of the people, and humbly begs of hiin to accept their alms and oblations ; — those alms which whilst the sentences were reading, have been collected for the use of the poor, and are therefore, with great propriety, offered unto God, who is pleased with such sacrifices : — Those oblations of bread and wine, which are to be med in this holy Sacrament, and ought therefore to be humbly dedi- cated to God, with a petition for his acceptance of them. We make some provision for the poor by our alms ; but there are, besides, many others whom this kind of charity will not reach. Money will nei- ther cure the grief of the mind, nor absolutely heat! the distempers of the body: and the alms which are at this time bestowed, cannot, be so distributed as to relieve all those that are m necessity ; but our hearty prayers we are assured will reach lliem, and God will have regard to the petitions we faithfully offer up in their behalf: and therefore with extensive and universal charity we beseech him of his goodness to comfort and succour all them who are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity. To The Rational Communicant. Tl our prayers we then join our thanks for all the saints of Goo departed this life; beseeching him that we may follow their good examples, and with the n be partakers of his heavenly kingdom. THE EXHORTATION AND INVITATION. This excellent Collect being concluded, the priest is to read an Exhortation fit to prepare the minds of the communicants for receiving the holy Sacrament. In it he reminds them of the qualifica- tions necessary to a worthy reception, namely, a pe- nitent hart and a. lively faith : he sets before them the advantages of partaking, in such a manner, that then we spiritually eat the Jlesh of Christ, and drink his blood ; then tee dwell in Christ, and Christ in ws ; zee are one with Christ, and Christ with us. But if, on the contrary, we come without due pre- paration, we are guilty of the body and blood of Christ ; and by not discerning the Lord's body * pro- * This part of the Exhortation is taken chiefly from 1 Cor: xi. The word damnation here borrowed from v. 29, might ■with greater propriety have been translated judgment; and in the text plainly refers to the temporal punishments, deaths, and sickness, which were then inflicted by Goo on those who vilely profaned this Sacrament. The crimes of the Corinthians were, not discerning the Lord's body, looking upon the Sacrament as a common meal, and eafingand drinking to excess at the Lord's table: and for these God inflicted remarkable judgments od them. So that eating and drinking unworthily, in the sense of St, Paul, h receiving the Sacrament in a careless and profane E 3 78 The Rational Communicant. voke GoD to send the judgments of his wrath upon us here, which, if not averted by sincere repent- ance, will at last end in final damnation. Hence it is, that he again presses them to judge and examine themselves, to repent of their sins past, to amend their lives, to have a lively and stedj'ast faith in Christ our Saviour, and to be in perfect charity with all men, that so they may be meet partakers of those holy mysteries. What follows is partly admonitory, and partly eu- tharistical : in which, whilst the people are exhorted to be thankful, the minister recounts and acknow- ledges the goodness of Go n in the redemption of the world, by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ both God and man, who did humble himself even to the death upon the cross, for us miserable sinners, who lay in darkness and the shadow of death; that he might make us the children of God, and exalt us to everlasting life, and moreover in- sti tided these holy mysteries to our great and endless t omfort, as pledges of his love, and for a continual remembrance of his death, and the innumerable benefits he hath thereby obtained for us. manner, an J abusing it to intemperance; sins that cannot at present be charged on any communicants : but our Church here uses it not so much in respect to the manner of receiving, as to the qualifications of the communicants, and their fitness to re- ceive. Let then no pious Christians flight themselves from the Sacrament by expounding these words in too rigid a manner : let them but bring with them sincere repentance, faith, and charity, and they will be meet partakers of those holy mys- teries. The Rational Communicant. 7'9 After this, it ends with a solemn Doxology to the ever-blessed Trinity, and a tender of thanks, sub- mission, and obedience to the divine will : and this the whole congregation is to assent to, and seal with an hearty Amen. Is not therefore our Communion Office eucharii-, tical ? Do we not in it shew ourselves grateful to our blessed Redeemer, when even the preparatory Exhortation to it includes an Hymn of praise for our redemption, and the institution of the holy Sa- crament ? In the primitive Church, before the administration of the Eucharist, the deacon was ordered to say, Let none of the unbelievers, none of the heterodox stay. — Let no one have aught against any mar* Let no one come in hi/pocrisi/. Thus they drove the unworthy from the holy table ; and though they suf- fered them to hear God's word read, and to join in the preceding prayers of the Church; yet they charged none to communicate in the holy mysteries, but the faithful and the orthodox, and those who came with charity and sincerity of heart. And thus our Church endeavours to prevent any from incurring the danger of receiving unworthily, by the following invita- tion ; in which, whilst she encourages those who are qualified by repentance and charity, to draw near with faith; she at the same time silently warns those who are not fitly prepared to withdraw them- selves. This then is a proper time to consult with our hearts^ and strictly to ask ourselves whether we have E 4 80 The Rational Communicant. these qualifications ; and if we can say, in the sin- cerity of our souls, that we truly and earnestly re- pent us of our sins, and are in love and Charity with our neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, fol- lowing the commandments of God, and zca/kingjrom henceforth, in his holy ways ; we may then draw near %&ith faith, and full assurance that the holy Sacra- „*n€nt which we take will be to our comfort. THE CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION, &c. But as we cannot drnzo near with a true heart in full assurance of fail h, without having our hearts first sprinkled from an evil conscience : what more efficacious means of doing this, than to make our humble confession to Almighty God, meekly kneel" ittg upon our knees'? The form of Confession in- serted in the Communion Office is excellent as to the place it bears, as to the matter it contains, and. as to the form it is expressed in. First, As to the place it stands in ; if we respect the Exhortations going before, nothing can be more reasonable, than, when we have been convinced of the especial necessity at this time of a true and un- feigned repentance, we immediately fall down at the throne of grace, and with shame and sorrow ac- knowledge our sins. If we regard the most hob/ ser- vice which follows, we must allow, that as the priests amongst the Jews were to purify themselves before they offered up their sacrifices ; as the primitive The Rational Communicant. $1 Christians washed their hands before they consecrated the holy Sacrament ; so we should wash our hands in innocence, before we go to God's a/tar : and purge ourselves from guilt by confessing our offences, and craving pardon for them, before we presume to rake those holy mysteries. We are unworthy through our manifold sins to offer unto God any sacrifice ; penitent confession is the condition of our pardon ; and this we must seek for, before we commemorate in this our Christian sacrifice the death and passion of our Lord and Saviour. Secondly, This confession is excellent as to the matter it contains and the form it is expressed in. It represents God as the maker of all things, and so we sinners are the work of his hands, and at his disposal : as the Judge of all men, and so capable of knowing all our words and actions, and of dis- cerning the thoughts of our hearts, and just to deal with every man according to his deeds : as an Al~ mighty God, and so able to punish with utter ruin those who transgress his will ; but then it represents him as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and so for his sake gracious and merciful to mankind, easy to be intreated, and ready to forgive. When the sinner thus speaks to God, the words which he useth teach him to dread his power and justice, and to fly for safety to the arms of his mercy, and the merits of his Saviour. After these compilations, we come to acknow- ledge, that our sins are manifold; that we have transgressed, in thought, word, and deed ; that it is e5 82 The Rational Communicant. the Divine Majesty whom we have offended ; and that hereby we are justly become obnoxious to his wrath and indignation. We then express our sor- row, we cry for mercy, and beg to be delivered from the heavy harden of our past sins, for Christ's sake, and that we may ever hereafter serve and please Goo to the glory and honour of his name. Here then the penitent sinner is taught to confess his faults in a form so comprehtitsive as to include all the sins that he can possibly have been guilty of; and yet not so particularized as to make any blame themselves un- justly for sins of which they are not conscious : and in the most pathetic expressions, to humble him- self before the throne of grace, and implore God's mercy on the most prevailing motives. And as every one of us are burdened with sins, the Chinch requires that every one of us should, with his own mouth, make this his confession : that everyone may accuse himself before Gon; and whilst he makes this outward confession, he may pri- vately in his own heart reflect on the sins he hath committed against each article, and secretly confess them with sorrow to God who knows all the mo- tions of his soul. When we do this, let us consider ourselves as guilty criminals appearing before the Judge of all the world, a powerful, a dreadful, an avenging God ; and let us behave ourselves as becometh those who have highly offended and provoked him ; abashed at our own vileness, and with fear and trembling meekly kneeling upon our knees. If in all the prayers we The Rational Communicant. 83 make, we should carry ourselves with reverence and submission ; surely this must in an especial manner, be attended with the most profound humility and de- votion. Finally, let our voice be as humble as our gesture, not clamorous so as to disturb any, but sober so as to excite and animate the devotion of others. The Confession being ended, then shall the priest pronounce the Absolution, because to him, and not the Deacon, it is said at ordination, Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted : unless the Bishop be present, and then for honour sake, and in token of his spiritual superiority, this act of authority is re- served to him. Here it is he, in a peculiar manner, acts as the messenger of the Lord of Hosts, as the ambassador of Christ: and therefore be is or- dered to stand whilst he pronounceth it ; and to turn himself' to the people, because the good news he brings, and the pardon he pens, directly concerns them. Christ hath given pozver and commandment to his ministers to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the Absolution and Remission of. their sins : and when they make a right use of the ministry of reconciliation which is committed unto them; whatsoever they regularly declare on earth, He who hath empowered them to do this, will, in his sovereign court in heaven, make good ; and will there ratify what his ministers do according to his own rules and orders. £ 6 84 The Rational Communicant. Here then the Church, charitably supposing that those who come to the Holy Communion, come not without faith and repentance ; and that ihe profes- sions thereof which they have made in the Creed, and general Confession, are hearty and sincere ; she hath ordered the priest to pronounce the Absolution to the people, as fitly qualified to receive the benefit of it; and grounding what he doth on the divine pro- mise, to wish them, from God, pardon of their sins, confirmation in goodness, and everlasting life, through the merits of Jesus Christ. This he wishes them in the name of our Lord, as impovv- ered by his authority ; and not after the manner of men, as when we wish each other any kind of hap- piness. Though the Church in her several offices varies the form of Absolution, according to the par- ticular circumstances of the persons to whom it is pronounced, the variety of expression doth not ren- der it less efficacious. The Absolution of the priest is not a mere prayer for pardon, or a bare declara- tion of God's good will to repenting sinners, but carries with it something authoritative and judicial. As a judge on the bench represents the person of the prince, and pronounces those to be right in court, and exempt from punishment, who are qualified to plead the mercy of their sovereign ; so the priest in God's stead, judicially pronounces them to be in- nocent, and assures and conveys remission of sins to those whose faith and repentance entitle them to pardon, according to the promises of God, and the The Rational Commiinicani \ 85 conditions of the Gospel : and therefore, when a true penitent hears his pardon thus solemnly pro- nounced by an officer whom God has deputed and commissioned for it, he may quiet his heart, as one whose case is judged, and/irmly hope God will pro- nounce the same at the last judgment. Let every one therefore, with a lowly demeanour and sober joy, attend to the Absolution. Let them by no means usurp the peculiar office of the priest, and disturb the congregation, by repeating it after him. But let them beg of God to confirm what he pronounces, by adding to it a devout and hearty Amen. And now, that none may think the minister hath gone beyond his commission, or that our Louis himself will not agree to what he hath declared ; .he affixes thereto the seal of his master, and subjoins some sentences out of the word of God, upon which the declarations of mercy and forgiveness are found- ed. We there hear what comfortable words our Sa- viour Christ saith unto all that truly turn to him. Come unto me, all that travel, and are heavy laden,, and I zcill refresh you. What an affectionate call is this to those who are slaves to vice, who toil and labour in iniquity, and are grieved with the intole- rable burden of their sins ! What assurance doth it give to contrite hearts, that confessing and repenting they shall find mercy ! What comfort doth that which follows afford the faithful, that God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten San, to the 86 The Hational Communicant. end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting l/J'e. Thus in the words of the Son of God, we ac- knowledge the infinite Love of God the Father lowards fallen man, in not withholding his Son, his only Son from us ; and with the Apostle profess, that this is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. The bare mention of the goodness and love of God is an act of praise : such good- ness can never more properly be expressed than in the terms of Him who is truth itself : and, not to mention the other forms of thanks in this office, for the redemption of man, these sentences make our service eucharistical. None truly pious and faithful can hear or utter them without hearts full of joy and religious gratitude. And in the next words, we ex- press our confidence and trust in the satisfaction Christ once made for all our sins, and in the in- tercession he daily makes for us ; saying with St. John, It any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and h? in i he propitiation Jbr our sins. THE EUCHARISTICAL, SUFFRAGES, &c. Having spoken of those sentences of Scripture, which are placed just after the Absolution, I shall now proceed to consider what immediately follows, The Rational Communicant. 87 which is strictly eucharislical : and as to the sub- stance of it, is taken from the ancient Liturgies, and by them chiefly from the Holy Scriptures. Of this St. Cyril bears witness, who explains this part of the office, and shews the propriety of it. The Priest, saith he, calls out, Lift up your hearts -for truly at that tremendous hour we ought to have the heart lifted up to God, and not set upon the earth y and worldly affairs. By the force of these words, the priest requires all, that in this hour theij lay aside all the concerns of this life, and their domestic cares, and have their hearts in heaven with the lover of mankind. Then you answer, We lift them up unto the Lord; acknowledging that you assent to what he requires: but let no man stay here, and say With his mouth, We lift them up unto the Lord, whilst he lets his mind rove, upon the things of thin life. We ought, indeed, always to think upon God ; hut if this cannot be done, by reason of the infir- mity of human nature, it is in an especial manner to be endeavoured at this hour. Then the priest says, Let us give thanks unto the Lord. We ought certainly to give thanks that he hath called us un- worthy to so great a grace: that he hath reconciled ws to himself being his enemies ; that he hath given us the spirit of adoption, and the privilege of feast- ing at his holy table : and therefore, when he hath invited them to glorify God in a solemn and devout form ; the people are taught to answer, It is meet and right so to do. 9 88 The Rational Communicant. We are commanded in evert/ thing to give thanks , for this, says the Apostle, is the zcill of God in Christ Jesus concerning you : and in obedience here- unto, the priest who h;ith been speaking to the people, now turning to the Lord's table, addresseth himself to God, and acknowledged it to be meet, right, and our bounden duty, at all times, and in all places, to pay this debt of praise to him : and ac- cordingly, as we are going to celebrate the sublimes* mysteries of the Gospel, which things the angels de- sire to look into, for which they glorify God, and congratulate the happiness of man ; to show that we worship the same Lord of hosts, and that we hold Communion with the saints above ; we in a full chorus join with angels and arch-angels, and all the company of heaven, to laud and magnify the holy Trinity, in that Seraphic Hymn which Isuiah tells us he heard the sacred choir sing to the Lord of glory, saying, Holy, hoi i/, holy, Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory. Praise is our bounden duty at all times; but orr those holydays and seasons, on which we particu- larly commemorate some especial blessing, it is meet and right that we should make especial mention of it, and in an especial manner render our thanks to God for that his gracious goodness. And hence it is that our Church hath added proper prefaces, taken cut of the service of the ancient Church, to be pre- fixed to this general act of praise on some of the grand festivals. The Rational Communicant. §Q On Christmas-day, we are, in the preface taught, io thank God for the incarnation of the immaculate Jesus, zcho by the operation of the Ilolj/ Ghost^ $vas 9 . at that time, made man, that he might make us clean from all sin. Upon Easter-day, because this our Paschal Lamb by his death hath destroyed death, and by his resur- rection hath restored to us everlasting life. Upon Ascension-day because Christ Is ascended up into heaven to prepaie a place for us. The three first proper prefaces are to be used for eight days together ; for, so long the Church, taking pattern from those laws which God gave the Jews, intends that the Commemoration of these signal and extraordinary mercies should continue. If we think it but just and reasonable to set apart one day to com- memorate the virtues of some of God's holy saints and martyrs, and to thank him for the benefit the Church receives by their examples: then, surely, the immense benefits the Church receives by these principal acts of our Saviour, which brought about and compleated our redemption, must needs require from us, that these solemnities should be drawn out to a greater length. Hereby the Church shews !iow r agreeable it woulii. be to her inclination, if the number of those who are willing and ready to communicate, did give occa- sion to the administration of the holy Eucharist on each of those days, by having appointed a preface proper to them : and that so those pious Christians, who have leisure equal to their devotion, might niee.^ 90 The liational Communicant. daily to express the fulness of their joy and gratitude lor the blessings which are then the chief subject of our meditations ; and those who are unavoidably hindered from attending the public worship on the first of those days, might, at least on some of them, have opportunity of assembling themselves in the house of God. The preface for Whit Sunday acknowledges the truth of Christ's promises, fulfilled in sending down the Holy Ghost, to enable the Apostles to preach to all nations. And this is to be repeated but six days after; because the octave, or seventh day after, is the feast of Trinity, for which a par- ticular preface is appointed, confessing the unity in trinity, and the trinity in unity. When these prefaces are used, after each of them follows the Seraphical Hymn : and then the priest, who hath hitherto been chiefly employed in exhort- ing the people, and in praising God, and (excepting in the confession) hath continued standing, kneeling dozen at the Lord's table, says the prayer of humble address, in the name of all them that shall receive the Communion. Lest the joy which we have ex- pressed in our lauds and thanks, should make us for- get that we are yet in the body surrounded with im- perfections and infirmities, and look upon ourselves as members of the Church triumphant : Lest we should not serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto him with reverence. We are here taught to check all vanity and confidence by an act of humility ; not to approach the altar but with fear and trembling : The Rational Communicant. Ql or dare to partake of his sacred mysteries, without a becoming reverence and religious awe. We there- fore lay aside all pretence to merit, and trust only in the mercies of God ; and for his mercies sake alone, we beg that we may so eat the flesh of ' his dear Son> and drink his blood in this holy Sacrament, that our body and soul may be cleansed thereby, and we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. THE CONSECRATION. And now we come to the most solemn and es- sential part of the service ; the Consecration of the elements, in order to their being religiously received by the faithful. The Oblation of the bread and wine, haih been already made, and God hath been prayed ?o, to accept them. What remains is, that God's blessing be craved upon them; and the mystical and holy use for which they are designed be declared in the words which our Saviour used when he insti- tuted this holy Sacrament. As it is the privilege of the priesthood to bless the Sacrifice ; as it belongs to that order to consecrate the elements of bread and wine, that from common food they may become the body and blood of Christ : as this is an authoritative act, it is to be performed by the priest standing. He doth not stand bfjort the altar, as the Romish priests do ; nor like them, pronounce the words with a low voice, to countenance their pretended miracle of Tiausub- slantiation, and to make the people gaze with won- 9$ The Rational Communicant. der on those who are thought to perform it in that secret manner. But ihe priest in the Church of England says the prayer with an audible voice, as in ibe primitive Church, that the people may hear, and join with him ; and stands, so as he may with the more readiness and decency break the bread be- fore the people, and take (he cup into his hands ; that they may observe and meditate on those actions which are significant, and proper to this rite. The prayer consists of three parts, of which one is Eucharislical, another Petitionary, and the last Historical. As our Saviour on taking the elements gave thanks : so it begins with a form of thanks- giving, in which is acknowledged God's power and goodness, and his tender mercy in giving his Son to suffer death for our redemption : we there remem- ber ihe full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, which the Son of God made once for the sins of the whole world ; and calling to mind that perpetual memory of his death, which he hath commanded us to continue until his coming again ; we, in obedience to our blessed Lord, perform his institution ; and from returning thanks, Pass in the second place to petition God the Fa- ther, that he would hear us of his mercy y and make the bread and wine lying before him the body and blood of his Son ; not by the perishing of their substance and substitution of a new ; — not by a change of their nature; — not by any concomitanvy or annexing of the substance of Christ's natural Jlesh and blood to the bread and wine;— -but his The Rational Communicant, 9$ foody and blood in virtue and effect, his sacramental body and b'ood, endued with a quickening and life- giving power. But as this must be the wotk of God ; as the elements cannot be changed, even as to their effects, but by the operation of his Holy Spirit ; it becomes necessary for us to make our addresses to God, that lie would exert his power to make them the body and blood of Christ: and this we do when we beg that me receiving the elements, may be par* takers of his bodij and blood. To make the consecration compleat, there is ad- ded, in the third place, the hislory of the institu- tion, as related in the holy Gospels. And here the priest is ordered not only to say what our Saviour mtd, but to do what he did ; and to imitate his ac^ ■tion, as well as the words he used at the institution of this Sacrament. Our blessed Lord took bread into his hand, as the symbol of his body, and the cup, as the symbolical representation of his blood: he gave thanks to Gon, and blessed tiie elements; he distributed them to his disciple-, and commanded them to do this in imitation and remembrance of him. When we see the priest lake the elements into his hand, and in the words of our Loud declare the significancy of that right • let us with hearts full of gratitude reflect on the infinite goodness and compas- sion of our blessed Saviour, who, on the night be- fore he was betrayed, willingly gave his body to God, under the representation of bread, for the sins of the world : and brake this bread, which he dignified by calling it his body, to shew-, that as no 7 94 The Rational Communicant. man could without his consent have power to lay hands on him ; so he freely, of his own good -will and pleasure, offered his natural body to be broken upon the cross : Who made the fruit of the vine, poured into the cup, his sacramental blood, which he willingly offered up for the remission of our sins; in token, that when his blood should be shed out of his natural body upon the cross, it might not be thought to be done without his consent or agreement. Here Christ suffered in will, but on the cross in deed. The sacrifice began when he instituted the eu- charist ; but was not finished till he expired on the cross. Let us reverently (but silently) attend to the words and actions of the priest; and with the eye of faith, look upon the one perfect sacrifice of our Sa- viour's natural body and blood, of which the sacri- Jice we now assist at is only a representation and memorial : and let us conclude all with a fervent Amen. If it be here demanded, to what words the conse- cration of the elements ought to be ascribed? I an- swer, to the prayer of the faithful offered by the priest, and to the zvords of institution repeated by him. This was the sense of the ancient Church of Christ, which used them both in their eucharisti- cal offices ; and never held, that the elements were changed from their common to a more sublime use and efficacy, by the bare repeating of the words, 1%'ts is my body, and This is my blood, as the Pa- pists absurdly hold. To bring about this change must be the work of the Holy Ghost: and there- The Rational Communicant. 95 fore it is requisite that we should pray to God to en- due the elements with this life-giving virtue. Now the tiords of institution can by no means be called a prayer : they were addressed by our Saviour to his disciples, and not to God; to them he said, Take end eat. When we use them, they are historical, recounting what our Lord said and did when he or- dained this Sacrament. And, though when he said, 'I his is my body, This is my blood : these words ef- fectually made tliem so ; shewing that it was his will and pleasure, that they should be taken as his sacra- mental body and blood : though the virtue of those words once spoken by Chkist doth still operate towards making the bread and wine his body and blood : yet as now used and spoken by the priest, they do not contain in them any such power, unless they be joined with prayer to God. Our Lord himself did, besides pronouncing them give thanks, and bless the elements. Thus our Church uses prayer, as well as the icords of insti- tution ; and doth not attribute the consecration to the one without the other. If the consecrated bread or wine be all spent before all have communicated, the priest, it is true, is ordered by the Rubricks, to consecrate more by repeating only the words of In- stitution : but the virtue of the prayer which the Church hath last made, is to be understood as con- curring therewith ; and this is only a particular ap- plication to these part icidar elements. Hence comes the propriety of saying Amen at the end of thote words j which would not be so properly added, un- §6 The Rational Communicant. less it referred back to the preceding petitions. And that this is the sense of the Church of England is farther plain, in that she in her Rubric, calls this the prayer of consecration, in which the words of institution are contained : and it is addressed to Al- mighty God, Kc. whereas the words of Christ were not supplicatiory to God, but declaratory to his disciples. After the same manner, in the Office of Public Baptism (in imitation of the custom of the ancient Christians, who dedicated the baptismal water to the holy and spiritual use for which it was designed) our Church not only repeats the weirds of institution of that other Sacrament ; but likewise adds a solemn prayer, that God would sanctify the water to the mystical zcashing away of sin : and as in that Sa- crament she joins the prayer of the faithful to the words of Christ ; so in the Sacrament of the altar, she thinks them both necessary to compleat the con** secretion. THE DISTRIBUTION AND RECEPTION. After the consccrati'.m of the elements, imme^ diately follow the reception and distribution of them ; "which continue still in their natural substances of bread and zoiue, though they are changed, as to ' their virtue and efficacy, into the sacramental body ' and blood of ihriat. And here m e may consider the' ardcr iu which, and the place where they are distri-' : The Rational Communicant. 97 bated; the posture of the communicants ; the man- ner in which they are delivered ; and the words used at the distribution. I. The order in which the elements are to be ad- ministered is taught by the Rubric which says, The minister shall jirst receive the Communion in both kinds himself, and then proceed to deliver the same to the bishops, pnests, and deacons, in like manner (if any be present) and after that, to the people also in order. — The Church endeavours that every thing should be done with decency and regularity ; and enjoins that the clergy should receive Jirst, both out of respect to the dignity of the ministerial func- tion ; and likewise that they may be ready to help the chief minister in the distribution of the elements to the people. II. The place where the clergy communicate is within the rails of the holy table or altar ; and this, together with that of receiving before the people, was the practice of the ancient Church. The rest of the congregation was to receive without the rails : and herein only consists the true difference between Ecclesiastical and Lay Com;munion ; and not, as the papists pretend, in the clergy's receiving under both kinds, and the cup being denied to the laity. III. The Church prescribes, that the Sacrament shall be received by all meekly kneeling. Our Lord when he instituted this holy Sacrament, enjoined us no particular gesture ; and therefore the Church is at liberty to prescribe herein, as she thinks fit. The primitive Christians took it in a posture of adoration j F 98 The Rationed Communicant. and as kneeling is the principal gesture which ice use in the worship of God, that is fixed upon, as the gesture which we are to use when we approach Gob's altar to receive the holy mysteries. Nothing can be more proper than this posture of adoration, at this time especially, because the Sa- crament is a principal part of Christian worship : — because it is a f ader al rite, in which we should, in the humblest manner, dedicate ourselves to God : because meekly kneeling becomes sincere peni- tents, who confess their sins to God, and take this bread and this cup as a means of remission of them; —because a less humble behaviour would very im- properly benefit a rebellious subject, who appears before the throne of his prince, to receive his gra- cious pardon : and because the minister delivers the consecrated elements with a. prayer, with which be who receives them joins in his heart, and gene- rally answers /I men to it. To prevent any objection which might be made hereunto, I need only repeat the protest which is added at the end of the Communion Office in defence of this order, which the Church saith, is zeell meant, for a signification of our humble acknowledgment of the benefits of Christ therein given to all worth;/ receivers, and for the avoiding of such profanation and disorder in the Holy Communion as might otherwise ensue : yet lest the same kneeling should by any persons, either out of ignorance and infir- mif.ij, or out of malice and obstiuaci/, be miscon- strued and depraved ; it is declared, that thereby no The liational Communicant. 99 adoration is intended or ought to be done, either unto the . sacramental bread or wine, there bodily re- ceived, or unto any corporeal presence of Christ's natural flesh and blood. For the sacramental bread and wine remain still in their very natural substances, and therefore max) not be adored ; (for that were idolatry to be abhorred of all faithful Christians) and the natural body and blood of cur Saviour Christ are in heaven, and not here ; it be- ing against the truth of Christ's natural body, to be at one time in more places than one. IV. But Fourthly, As to the manner in which the elements are to be delivered to the communi- cants, namely, into their hands. This was the most ancient practice, though afterwards it was altered for no significant reasons, and put into their mouths by the officiating priests : but after the Reformation, the Church of England restored the primitive usage;, which is now in force. V. Let us now, Fifthly, consider the zoords which are used by the minister, when he delivers the bread or the cup to any one. The promises which Gon hath given us in the Gospel are generally belonging to the whole flock of Christ: but in the Sacraments God applies his blessings in particular unto every man's person. And therefore, both in Baptism and the Lords Supper, the minister addressed! himself particularly to every one who receives either Sacrament. Whe- ther Christ at his last supper did speak generally once to all, or to every one in particular, is a thing f2 100 The Rational Communicant. uncertain. The history of the institution is very short and concise, and doth not acquaint us with every minute circumstance which is not essential to this holy ordinance. But" certain it is, that in re^ gard the greatest part of mankind are dull and heavy, and almost insensible of their duty : that, in their offices of religion, they want continually to be awakened, and reminded of the duty they are about; it is exceeding proper and useful, at this time espe- cially, that the words at the delivery of the sacred elements should be spoken to every Communicant severally ,* and that they should hereby be admo- nished of the solemn service they are performing. I. The words themselves consist of two parts : The first is precatory, and the second exhortatory. The form begins with a solemn -prayer or wish of the minister, in behalf of the person to whom he speaks, and delivers the sacred mysteries ; " that the body and blood of Christ, which were given and shed for him, may preserve his body and soul unto everlasting life ,"" i. e. That he receiving with due dispositions the means of grace now offered to him, namely, the sacramental body and blood of Christ, may thereby have the merits of Chrtst applied to him, and partake of all the benefits of his passion : that the consecrated bread and wine may exert the life-giving virtue with which the Holy Ghost hath endued them, and be to him the prin- ciple or seed of an happy immortality. II. The other part is exhortatory, when the mi- nister at the delivery of the bread, says, Take and 5 The 'Rational Communicant. 101 eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on him in thy heart by faith and thanks- giving : the Communicant is reminded, that this Sa- crament was instituted in remembrance of the death of Christ, and to convey to us the benefits of his passion : That as the sacramejital body of Christ is now given to him; so the natural body of Christ was, on the cross, offered up for him ; and that he is one of those whom Christ died for : — That whilst with his mouth he eats the holy bread, he should feed on Christ in his heart by faith ; not fixing his attention solely upon the external sig?i, the sacramental body ; but lifting up his soul to heaven, where alone Christ sitteth in his glorious body at the right hand of God, in that body which was crucified for him, the symbol and type of which he is now to take and eat, and, by faith in Chrjst, to make himself partaker of the blessed effects of his sufferings. The direction at the delivery of the cup is but lit- tle different from this : the Communicant is charged to drink this in remembrance that Christ's blood was shed for him, and be thankful. A thankful remem- brance of Christ's death is absolutely necessary to a, worthy participation of these sacred mysteries. Our souls should at this time be tuned to the highest pitch of gratitude, whilst we commemorate the greatest testimony of love that ever was or could be shewn towards mankind ; whilst we take the bread of life, and the cup of salvation, by which we are made partakers of all the benefits of Christ's death F 3 J 02 The Rational Communicant. and passion ; which gives us an earnest and •pledge of an happy eternity, and a right and tide to that exceeding weight of glory which he hath purchased for us. And here we may observe, that the Church of England defrauds none of her members of any pait of the Sacrament; the laity, as well as the clergy, partaking of it under both kinds : for thus our Sa- viour instituted it, and thus the Church adminis- tered it for the first thousand years after he left the world. THE POST COMMUNION. I have pursued my design as far as that part of the service, in which the elements are delivered to, and received by the congregation. What follows is called the Post- Communion. After we have been guests at the table of the Lord, who hath fed us with this heavenly repast, it would not be seemly for us hastily and abruptly to depart out of his house, without joining in some public acknowledgment. We do not finish our common and daily meals, without giving thanks to God the founder of them, although they tend only to preserve this mortal life : how much more then are we bound to express our thank- fulness to the governor of this feast, who hath en- tertained us with such celestial food, as is able to preserve both body and soul unto everlasting life? Now when we have been feasting at the table of the Lord, what words can we more properly use, than that form which our Lord himself', who insti- The Rational Communicant. 103 tuted this Sacrament, hath composed ? — A form which, being compleat and perfect, may supply what- soever the other prayers have of deficiency : — and which may incline God to pardon us for the failings or indevotions we have been guilty of in any part of the preceding service ; since we are sure, that prayer must be acceptable to the Father, which was com- posed by his beloved Son- Those who have spiri- tualty eaten the flesh of Christ, and drank his blood, who dwell in Christ, and Christ in them, who are one tcith Christ, and Christ with them, may, after that, be allowed the privilege of calling God their Father ; since the regenerate have the title of the Sons of God. In the prayer that follows, we beg of God to look favourably with an eye of mercy on what we have been doing : — To except the Eucharistical ser- vice, or sacrifice of 'praise and thanksgiving we have been offering up : and to grant to his whole Church remission of sins and all other benefits of the death and passion of his Christ. And then, as St. Paul hath taught and enjoined us, we offer and present ourselves, our souls, and bodies, to be a rea- sonable, hohj, and lively sacrifice unto God. This holy Sacrament must be looked upon as a solemn dedication of ourselves to God, and in these words we resign entirely both our .-iouls and bodies to him, and submit ourselves wholly to his holy will and plea- sure. But as we are not sufficient of ourselves to do any thing as of ourselves ; as we cannot keep f 4 104 The Rational Communicant. God's commandments without his continual assist- ance ; we beg that those who have been partakers of the Communion, and now dedicate themselve f s to the service of God, may be fulfilled with his grace, and heavenly benediction, which alone can enable them to perform what they here promise. As none of our services have any merit inherent in them ; as our best works are full of defects ; it is fit we should own our unworthiness to offer any sacrifice to God ; that we should intreat him to accept that our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merits (who dis- claim all pretensions to desert) but pardoning our offences for Christ's sake; and then we conclude this prayer with giving all honour and glory to the sacred and undivided Trinity. There follows, in our Common Prayer Book, another form, which the minister may, at his dis- cretion, make use of instead of the former. It is partly Eucharistical and partly petitionary. It be- gins with an hearty acknowledgment of God's good- ness in feeding those with the spiritual food of our Lord's most precious body and blood, i. e. in mak- ing them partakers of the benefits purchased by his death, who have duly received the sacramental body and blood: in hereby assuring them of his favour and goodness towards them ; of their incorporation into the mystical body of Christ; and of their being, through his death and passion, heirs of his kingdom. And then we humbly beseech God through Christ ; to keep us by his grace in the The Rational Communicant. 10.5 fellowship and union of his Church ; and to enable us to do our duty : ending this prayer likewise with a Doxology. After this, in imitation of our blessed Lord and his Apostles, who sang an Hymn before they con- cluded their devotions, at the time when our Lord instituted this holy Sacrament ; our Church hath sub- joined an Hymn to be said or sung, which is taken principally from the Holy Scriptures, and the Litur- gies of the primitive Church ; and is very fit and proper for us at that time, to express in it the over- flowings of our joy, the greatness of our thankful- ness, and the zeal and fervour of our devotion. It begins with what the angels said, when they declared the birth of our blessed Saviour ; in which we give glory to God on high, and congratulate mankind for the happiness they reap from his good-will towards man, which inclined him to give his Son for us on the cross, and now to give him to us in the Sacra- ment. The sequel of it consists in an acknowledg- ment of the eternal glory of the Three Persons of the holy Trinity ; in acts of praise and thanks, ado- ration and worship, in the most pathetic terms that can possibly be conceived. It would enervate this sublime Hymn to express the sense of it in other words than those the Church hath made use of: and therefore I shall only observe from hence, that no- thing can be more strong for the Divirtity of the Son of God, or more evidently shew, that it is the doctrine of our Church : though some who com- municate with us, and of consequence join in re* * 5 106 The Rational Communicant* peating it, have (to their shame be it spoken) denied this grand article of our holy faith. Christ is here expressly called Lord God; and as he who only is holy, and only is the Lord, is invoked with a repeated fervency to have mercy upon us, and to receive our prayer. Let us then pity either the blindness or obstinacy of those unhappy men, and do thou, O Lord Christ, who openest the eyes of the blind, O Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the icorld, have mercy upon them ! And now we draw to a conclusion of the whole Service, here are added several Collects which may be used at the discretion of the minister. One of which begs acceptance of our prayers, defence of God in this life, and his direction in order to attain zalvation. Another for sanctification and direction, in the laws of God, and preservation both in body and soul. A third, that what we hear may bring forth the fruit of good living. The next, that all our works may tend to the glory of God, and the saltation of our souls. Another, that God would pardon our failings, and grant what he knows to be good for us. And the last desires, that God, through Christ, would hear our petitions, and answer them, so that his glory may be promoted, and our necessities relieved. Nothing can be more fit for the conclusion of our devotions. And then all is shut up with a solemn blessincr : so was the Communion Service of the primitive Church. As the high priest under the law was commanded to bless the congregation : as our Sa- The Rational Communicant. 107 viour when on earth, blessed his disciples ; so be- fore his death he left his peace with his Apostles, and they, and their successors, were commissioned to give it unto men. When the bishops or priests, under the Gospel, bless the people, if the son of peace be there, their peace shall rest upon him ; i. e. the blessing of God shall infallibly descend on those who are fitly disposed to receive it. God will not be wanting on his part, but will confirm the autho- ritative and ministerial acts of his priests : he will bless those whom they bless in his name, unless the impediment be on the side of man. x\nd here we observe the impropriety and absurdity of that cus- tom which some have of repeating ii after the preist : he here speaks as from God, and the duty of the people is only to attend with silence and submissive reverence. That part of this form which relates to the peace of God, is taken from the 7ih Verse of the fourth chapter of the Epistle to the Philippiuns. And the other part is a solemn benediction in the name of the ever blessed Trinity : and so very fitly adapted to the Christian Church, to which this mysterious doctrine is more fully revealed, than it was formerly to the Church of the Jews. THE APPLICATION. And thus I have gone through what I first pro- posed, which was to give you a rational account of the Communion Offices of the Church of England : f fj 108 The Rational Communicant. 1 have pointed out to you the excellency and pro-' priety of the several parts of it, and the behaviour which they severally require from us : and cannot better bestow the time that remains, than in observ- ing, by way of application ; I, First. The excellency of this office : And, II. Secondly. What is due from us in return (ov this care of our Church. The excellencu of our Communion Office consists in the following particulars, I. First r In that it retain* all the essentials of the Sacrament; it administers it with decency ; and is free from superstition. 1 . In it the elements of bread and zcine (which were wjiat our Lord made use of, and the only ones specified in the Gospel) are blessed by a priest lawfully ordained, with prayer and thanksgiving, and rehearsing the words of institution ; and are then taken and distributed in both kinds to the whole con- gregation. And thus no one, who judges without prejudice or partiality, can tax our Church with usin<* an office that hath any essutial defects. 2. The ornaments of our altar or holy table, and the vessels to be used at the ministration, are such as decency and the dignity of this Christian sacrifice requires. According to the ancient practice of the Church, the table is to have a fair white linen cloth upon it ; than which nothing can be more decent* nothing freer from exception. The Rational Communicant. 109 3. We do not deck it with gorgeous and gaudy furniture, such as may serve to delight the wandering eyes of the vulgar; to please them with the gay pomp; and turn aside their minds from better con- templation, more befitting the place and presence they are in, and the duty they come thither to per- form. Neither do we hold images or relics to be any ways befitting that holy place, (or indeed any part of those sacred buildings erected to the honour of God) when they are set up to encourage super- stition, and are apt to lead men into idolatry. Our Church suffers not even the holy Sacrament itself to be adored., though it be the typical and sym- bolical body and blood of Christ; and therefore as I have observed, she formally protests, that she intends no adoration to the sacramental bread and wine, when the Communicants, according to her order, receive them kneeling. To prevent the abuse uf solitary masses, in which, amongst the papists, the priest consecrates and re- ceives by himself ; which is directly contrary to the notion of a Communion ; we have at the end of this office, a Rubric which forbids the celebration of the Lord's Supper, except there be a convenient number to communicate with the priest : and this is by the same authority determined to be three at least. The compilers of our Liturgy were exceedingly cautious, lest they should run into those faults for which they blamed our adversaries ; and therefore, to take away all occasion of dissention and super- 110 The Rational Communicant. stition, which any person hath, or might have con- cerning the bread and wine, they lay down this rule, It shall suffice, that the bread be such as is usual to he eaten ; but the best and purest wheat bread that may be gotten. The best, out of reverence to the Sacrament : and such as is usually eaten, because the silence of the Gospel intimates to us, that our Sa- viour himself instituted and administered it with such bread as was then at hand, and they had been eating of in the preceding meal. And then further, lest what remains of the conse- crated elements should be abused to superstition ; it is ordered, That it shall not be carried out of the Church, but the priest, and such other of the Com- municants as he shall then call unto him, shall, im" mediately after the blessing, reverently eat and drink the same. And herein our practice agrees with those canons of the ancient Church, which, under severe penalties, forbid private persons to re- serve the elements. II. But, Secondly, the care and prudence of our Church, and the excellency of this office, appear likewise in that frequent Communion is encouraged by it. Part of the office is to be read every Sunday and holiday : and it is the indevotion of the people who neglect this holy mystery, which hinders the service from proceeding, and the Sacrament from being administered ; and prevents the good desire of the Church, who cannot continue the office for want of Communicants. The Rational Communicant. Ill In Cathedral and Collegiate Churches, the Ru- bric enjoins a weekly Communion, every Sunday at least. Thereby also shewing, that the more fre- quent this holy Sacrament is administered, the ho- nour of God, and the good of mankind is thereby the more promoted ; and therefore where men have, as in these seminaries of religion, more leisure from worldly affairs, it becomes their indispensable duty to be more constant in this act of Christian wor- ship. And thus it is every one's duty to communicate as often as opportunity will permit them. They are frequently invited by the minister in the name of God. But as men are too negligent in affairs of this nature ; the Church absolutely insists upon every parishioner's communicating at the. least three times in the year, ofzehich, Easter to be one. She would have men do it often, and miss no opportunities of thus remembering their Saviour; as may be seen by those pressing arguments made use of in her second teaming before the Sacrament. But if they will not follow her advice, she exerts her authority, and commands at the least they should do it thrice every year. And here I cannot but bewail the decay of that spirit of zeal and devotion, which was in the first Christians, who made this Sacrament an essential and constant part of their daily worship; and that the Christians of this age should give occasion for such an order ! But yet there are, God be praised, many congregations, (even in these loose and dege- 1 12 The Rational Communicant. nerate times) in which a zeal for this sacred ordinance is apparent. May this their devotion continue and increase ! And may their own examples inflame all those who live under their roofs ! It is the duty of those who are heads of families to see all their do- ?nestics instructed in their religion ; and to bring them to the public worship in prayers, preaching, and the Sacraments : and know this assuredly, that as they are intrusted to your care; you must answer to God for those faults of omissions, which through your neglect or connivance, through want of ad- vice or admonition, your dependarrts fall into. On this account, I do, in the name of God, charge it upon the consciences of you whose servants they are, that you oblige them to follow your own Christian pattern, and do your endeavour to bring them to the Lord's table ; that in so doing, not only you, but your house may serve the Lord, and be frequent in commemorating the death of Christ. III. But, Thirdly, As this office encourages fre- quent Communion, so it takes all possible care that none should rush hastily and unadvisedly to the holy table, without being duly and worthily prepared to partake of the Lord's Supper: and therefore the minister is impowered to repel all those who are open and notorious evil livers, or those between whom he perceiveth malice and hatred ; since while they continue in an impenitent state, or in an uncha- ritable disposition of mind, they are very unlit guests for the table of the Lord. The necessity of pre- paring ourselves for the holy Sacrament, aud the The Rational Communicant. 113 manner in which we are to do it, are taught fully iu the first of those Exhortations, which are to be read when warning is given of its administration ; in tliat which is to be read at the time of the Commu- nion ; and in the short invitation that immediately precedes the Confession ; and in this, last are summa- rily contained the qualifications of a worth 1/ Com- municant. I have already explained them severally and at large, and only mention them now to shew you, that as much care is taken to prepare those who come to the Sacrament, as earnestness to invite them to it. IV. And then, Fourthly, Our Communion Office is an excellent system of the doctrine of the Church relating to the Lord's Supper. Besides the prepa- ration required, it sets forth the end of its institu- tution ; the benefits which flow from it ; and w ith what J'aitli, what devotion, what thankfulness, we should receive those holy mysteries. Its prayers are full of the most fervent zeal, mingled with humility and a sense of our own unworthiness : its thanks- givings of the most grateful and pious joy : and all this couched under the most pathetic and moving expressions. There is in the whole office, a noble sublimity of sentiments and strength of words ; such as is abundantly sufficient to stir up the affections of the congregation ; and yet, at the same time, a plainness of diction, a simplicity and propriety of style, which is familiar and easy to the most common understandings. 114 The Rational Communicant. II. If then we have so excellent a Communion Office provided, let us consider, Secondly, what is due from us in return for this care of our Church. If we would shew our esteem for it, let us read it frequently, and study it thoroughly : let it be our companion at home, as well as at Church ; in our closet, as well as at the Lord's table. So shall we come to a right knowledge of the holy Eucharist ; — so shall we see the necessity of frequently partaking of it ;— so shall we approach God's akar with due qualifications ; — so shall we know how to behave our- selves in every part of the office with becoming re- verence;^— so shall we relish the joy of lis is celestial banquet, and retain the benefits of this holy Sacra- ment : whereas, if men never look into this office, but when they use it in the Church, (which happens, perhaps, much seldomer than it should be) they then iind themselves about a business they are not well ac- quainted with ; by the novelty of which, or the scruples which may suddenly occur, they are apt to be diverted from that intenseness of devotion, and vehemence of affections, with which this holy Ser- vice should be attended. There can be no better rules laid down, no better help given for the devout and profitable receiving of the Lord's Supper, than those we have been ex- plaining : and therefore when we once thoroughly ■understand this office ; when at our approach to the Lord's table it is used in the Church, let us con- form ourselves, as much as possible, to the direc- tions it gives us; and resign up ourselves to those The Rational Communicant. \\b pious motions it is so fitly adapted to inspire us with. But as there are in this service some intervals, in which even/ particular person is not taken up in the public service ; (such as tiie space in which the rest of the congregation is receiving;) let us, at those times, be composed and silent, and neither by in- decency of posture offend others, or by an irregular loudness interrupt their devotion. This is the time to commune zrith our own hearts and be still. And that we may not be at a loss how to employ this time in a. profitable manner, there are several treatises of devotion * useful to assist * The Catalogue of Books dispersed by the Society for Pro- moting Christian Knoivteclge, will direct the pious Enquirer to Books and Tracts on the Subjects here treated of. On Baptism. Wall on Infant Baptism. Price Is. Serious Address to Godfathers and Godmothers. Price 2d. Bishop Bradford on Baptismal and Spiritual Regeneration. Price 3d. On Confirmation. Pastoral Advices before Confirmation. Price 2d. Pastoral Advices after Confirmation. Price 2d. Nelson's Instructions for them that come to be confirmed. Price 2d. On the Holy Communion. Doctor Stebmng on Prayer and the Lord's Supper. Price Is. 6d. Bishop of Sodor and Mann (Dr. Wilson) on the Lord's Supper. Price 2s. 116 The Rational Communicant. Communicants, and to furnish them with proper prayers and meditations. But whilst I recommend such books, and approve of the use of them ; I must caution you against the abuse of them. They are only as handmaidslo serve, assist, and wait upon the Liturgy of the Church ; and are to take place only when that is silent. Let then this be laid down as a fixed rule, which is by no means to be deviated from ; no private de- votions whatsoever must at any time be suffered to interrupt the public service of the Church ; or to employ us, when we are called upon to join zeith the congregation in common prayers. If according to this rule, you use these private Eucharistical Offices only during the intervals of the Liturgy ; and use a judgment of discretion, to accommodate the prayers they contain to your own particular circumstances ; Bishop Fleetwood's Reasonable Communicant. Price Is. Bishop Gibson on the Sacrament of the Loiid's Supper. Price Is. 3d. Archbishop Tillotson's Persuasive to frequent Communion. Price 4d. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper explained to the meanest Capacity, in a Dialogue between a Minister and his Parishion- er, witli Prayers proper for the Occasion, by Bishop Greene. Price 4d. An Answer to all Excuses and Pretences for not coming to the Holy Communion. Price 4d. A Companion to the Altar. Price 66. A friendly Call to the Holy Communion, wherein is shewn to the meanest Capacity the Nature and End of the Lord's Supper ; with a particular Address to Servants. To which are added, Prayers, Meditations, &c. Price Is, The Rational Communicant. ] 17 then may your whole time, during the administration of this sacred ordinance be employed to the honour of God, and your own advancement in goodness and piety. Having thus, through God's assistance, gone through the task I undertook, nothing remains, but that we humbly beseech the Almighty, that all who have heard me, being persuaded of the necessity of frequent Communion, and the excellency of our Communion Office, may constantly attend at his holy table ; and receiving his holy Sacrament with due dispositions of mind, may partake of all the inesti- mable benefits of it, the pardon of their sins, peace of conscience, the assistance of God's grace, and the salvation of their souls, through Jesus Christ our Lord ; To whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed, as is most due, all honour, praise, and adoration, now and for ever. AN EUCHARISTICAL OFFICE FOR RECEIVING THE HOLY SACRAMENT OF THH BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST; COLLECTED FROM THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, AND THE LITURGIES OF THH CHURCH. ^f Preparatory Devotions before the Offertory begins. O Thou that nearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. My misdeeds prevail against me : O be thou merciful unto our sins. Psalm lxv. 2, 3. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord ; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. Psalm li. 15. We wait for thy loving-kindness, O Gob, in the midst of thy temple. Psalm xlviii. 8. Hear the voice of my humble petitions, when I cry unto thee ; when I hold up my hands towards the mercy seat of thy holy temple. Psalm xxviii. 2. Our Lord and God restrain our thoughts, that they wander not upon the vanities of this world. An Eucharistical Office S(c. 119 Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 2 Chrou. vi. 40. And mercifully accept this our bounden duty and service, this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving we are about to offer up to thy Divine Majesty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.