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 The great duty of 
 
 frequenting the Christian 
 
^^,KW of Pf?///^, 
 
 THE ^v>^ '',; 
 
 GREAT DUTY OF PUlJiattfltTfeG 
 
 CHRISTIAN SA 
 
 0! 
 
 AND TIIK NAT C RE OF THE 
 
 PREPARATION REQUIRED; 
 
 ■\VITIt 
 
 SUITABLE DEVOTIONS; 
 
 PARTLY COLLECTED FROM THE ANCIENT LITURGIES. 
 
 TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED 
 
 INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONFIRMATION. 
 
 By ROBERT NELSON, Esq. 
 
 " For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's 
 deatli till he come." — 1 Cor. xi. 26. 
 
 '• We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the taber- 
 nacle."— Heb. xiii. 10. 
 
 l^EW EDITION, 
 
 Adapted to the Use of the Society. 
 
 (. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for the 
 SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE; 
 
 SOLD AT THE DEPOSITORY, 
 
 GREAT QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS; 
 
 AND BY ALL BOOKSELLERS. 
 
 an 
 
 iA 
 
Gilbert & Rivington, Printers, St. John's Square, London. 
 
 l! 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Exercise upon Confirmation 1 
 
 The Obligations to receive the Holy Communion . . 13 
 
 From the positive command of our Saviour ... 15 
 
 From the Nature of the Duty 16 
 
 From the Benefits annexed to it 18 
 
 The Nature of Preparation required 20 
 
 Consists in understanding the meaning of the Holy 
 
 Rite 21 
 
 And by whom to be administered 26 
 
 In the exercise of several Christian Virtues ... 29 
 
 The Objections against frequent Communion answered . 36 
 
 From Unworthiness ib. 
 
 From want of Respect 38 
 
 From preventing the Profit of it 39 
 
 From Multiplicity of Business 41 
 
 From the Commands of the Church 42 
 
 The Advantages of frequent Communion 44 
 
 The Care of the Church of England to prevent the Pro- 
 
 fanatitm of the Lord's Supper 46 
 
 Directions about the manner of receiving 48 
 
 As to the Reverence of our Bodies ib. 
 
 As to the Reverence of our Minds 50 
 
 Devotions for the Altar 51 
 
 A Prayer to prepare our Minds for the devout Celebra- 
 tion of the Holy Mysteries : ib. 
 
 Meditations upon the Sentences of Scripture used at the 
 
 Offertory 53 
 
 A Prayer when we offer our Alms 60 
 
 Meditations on the Sentences of Scripture after the 
 
 Absolution %Q 
 
 A Prayer immediately after Consecration 73 
 
 A Prayer before the receiving the Consecrated Bread, 
 
 consisting of Confession and imploring Pardon . . 74 
 
IV CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 A Prayer before the receiving the Consecrated Bread, 
 consisting of Petitions for the Virtues of a Christian 
 
 Life 77 
 
 A Shorter Prayer before receiving the Consecrated Ele- 
 ments, containing the Affections of a devout Commu- 
 nicant 82 
 
 A Prayer when the Priest approaches to dehver the Con- 
 secrated Bread 84 
 
 A Prayer after receiving the Consecrated Bread . . . 85 
 When the Priest approaches to dehver the Consecrated 
 
 Wme 86 
 
 A Prayer after receiving 87 
 
 An Intercession for all Estates of Men 88 
 
 A General Thanksgiving 91 
 
 A Short Prayer when the Communion Service is ended . 97 
 
 Acts of Faith 99 
 
 Acts of Hope 101 
 
 Acts of Love 103 
 
 Acts of Conformity to the Will of God 105 
 
 Acts of Virtue in relation to the Passion 107 
 
 Acts of Humility 109 
 
 Acts of Contrition Ill 
 
 Acts of Praise 114 
 
 A Prayer which may be used at any time in the Week 
 before the Sunday or Holyday on which we design to 
 communicate, and which may properly be annexed to 
 
 our Morning Devotions at such times 117 
 
 A Prayer in our retirement after we are returned Home 
 
 from the Lord's Table 119 
 
 A Morning Prayer for a Family 121 
 
 An Evening Prayer for a Family 124 
 
INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 FOR THEM THAT 
 
 Come to be confirmed 
 
 BY WAY OF 
 
 QUESTION AND ANSWER. 
 
 Q. What is Confirmation ? 
 
 A. A solemn rite instituted by the Apostles, 
 wherein the Bishop, by laying on of hands, and 
 by fervent prayer, and authoritative benediction, 
 conveys to such persons, who, in the presence of 
 God and the congregation, sincerely renew their 
 baptismal vow, a farther degree of God's grace and 
 Holy Spirit. 
 
 Q. JV/iat is the end and design of confirmation ? 
 
 A. That baptized Christians should by their own 
 deliberate choice take upon themselves that vow 
 and promise, which was made in their names by 
 their godfathers and godmothers, when they were 
 admitted members of Christ's Church ; so that the 
 confirmed person expressly consents to the baptis- 
 mal covenant, and before God and many witnesses 
 engages to perform his part of it. 
 
 Q. At what age is con^rmsition to be administered? 
 
 A. The Church of England hath not determined 
 any certain age, but requires it to be done only to 
 such as are come to a competent age : which implies 
 that none should be admitted till they understand 
 the nature of the baptismal vow, which they then 
 renew, and till they are capable of making a pru- 
 dent and firm resolution of observing it. 
 
 Q. What custom was there among the Jews which 
 lore any resemblance with confirmation ? 
 
 A. The Jews were wont to bring their children 
 [96] B 
 
2 Of Confirmation. 
 
 before the congregation at thirteen years old, when 
 
 they had learned the law, and the ex- 
 
 Jud. cap"*vii. phcation thereof, and their daily prayers ; 
 
 whereupon they were declared sons of 
 
 the precept, and henceforth they were to answer for 
 
 their own sins, for which before the fathers and 
 
 not the children had been responsible ; and the rite 
 
 ended with prayers and praises. 
 
 Q. JVhat hath the Church of England declared 
 
 concerning confirmation ? 
 
 A. That it hath been a solemn, ancient, 
 
 and laudable custom, continued from the 
 
 Apostles' time, that all Bishops should lay their 
 
 hands upon children baptized, and instructed in 
 
 the Catechism of the Christian religion, praying 
 
 over them and blessing them. 
 
 Q. How does it appear that this rite was used by 
 
 the Apostles ? 
 
 A. We have the Scripture itself for the evi- 
 
 ... dence of the fact; for when the men of 
 
 Samaria had been converted and baptized, 
 
 and had received the word of God, the Apostles, 
 
 St. Peter and St. John, were sent to confirm those 
 
 new converts, to lay their hands upon them, that 
 
 they might receive the Holy Ghost. And the dis- 
 
 . ^ ^ ciples at Ephesus, after they had been 
 Acts XIX. 5, G. T ^ . 1-1 p 1 
 
 baptized m the name ot Jesus, were 
 
 confirmed by St. Paul, who laid his hands upon 
 them, and then they received the Holy Ghost. 
 And further, the same Apostle mentions as funda- 
 mentals, not only the doctrine of baptism, 
 but the laying on of hands, by which the 
 ancient interpreters have always understood con- 
 firmation, which appeared so plain to Calvin 
 himself, that it was his opinion, that this one 
 place shotvs evidently that confirmation was insti- 
 tuted by the Apostles. 
 
 Q. How does it appear that con^rmsition was not 
 confined to the age of the Apostles ? 
 
Of Confirmation. 3 
 
 A. Because this solemn rite is highly useful and 
 beneficial to the spiritual wants of Christians in all 
 ages ; who stand in need of the influences of God's 
 Holy Spirit to the great purpose of sanctification ; 
 and was as such accordingly practised by them in 
 all the succeeding ages of the Church, as appears 
 by the testimonies of fathers and councils, who 
 in this matter speak as witnesses of a catholic 
 custom. 
 
 Q. /F^a^ testimonies caw youshow ofthisjyractice? 
 
 A. Tertullian, who flourished about fourscore 
 years after St. John, and who is very careful in 
 relating the practice of the Primitive 
 Church, tells us. That after baptism ^ ap • c. . 
 succeeds laying on of hands, by prayer calling for 
 and inviting the Holy Spirit. And St. Cyprian, 
 who flourished about sixty years after Tertullian, 
 hath this remark upon the history of the Samaritan 
 converts ; The same thing is practised among us, 
 that they ivho are baptized in the Church, . 
 are presented to the governors of it, the P^^ * ' • 
 Bishops, that by our prayers and imposition of 
 hands, they may obtain the Holy Ghost, and be 
 perfected with the seed of Christ : which is by con- 
 firmation to attain the highest order of Christians. 
 St. Jerome speaks full to the point : If you ask, 
 says he, where it is written ? it is 
 written in the Acts of the Apostles: Lu^if. 
 but if there loere no authority of Scrip- 
 ture for it, yet the consent of all the world in this 
 particular, is instead of a command. 
 
 Q. What are the effects of confirmation ? 
 
 A. In the Primitive Church, these effects were 
 extraordinary gifts, such as were necessary then 
 in the infant state of the Church ; but upon the 
 settlement of it, the Holy Spirit guides it by secret 
 and invisible communications, which those receive 
 who are qualified to partake of them in this regular 
 and ministerial way ; and they are those ordinary 
 B 2 
 
4 Of Confirmation. 
 
 helps and assistances, which are necessary for the 
 performing the conditions of our salvation, which 
 we cannot work out, without the influences of 
 God's Holy Spirit. 
 
 Q. Who is the proper minister 0/ confirmation ? 
 
 A. The administration of this rite was devolved 
 
 by the Apostles to their successors, the Bishops of 
 
 ... the Catholic Church; for though 
 
 ' * Philip the deacon had liberty both to 
 
 preach and baptize, yet the Apostles only had the 
 
 power to confirm, as is plain by the his- 
 c. xvm. V. 16. 5 r a.1 o -^ / a i 
 
 tory or the bamantan converts. And, 
 therefore, this rite is appropriated to the Bishops, 
 as being successors of the Apostles in the govern- 
 ment of the Church, in all the primitive records of 
 Christianity. 
 
 Q. What ceremony is used in confirmation ? 
 
 A. The laying on of the hand of the Bishop 
 upon the head of the person to be confirmed ; a 
 very ancient ceremony in giving of blessings, prac- 
 tised by the Jews, and made use of by our Saviour 
 Matt. xix. 13. himself and adopted by the Apostles, 
 Acts vii. 17. with prayer for communicating the Holy 
 Heb. VI. 2. Spirit in confirmation, and which gave 
 name to the whole office, which is called The laying 
 on of hands. 
 
 Q. What qualifications are necessary for the can- 
 didates of this holy ordinance ? 
 
 A. Those who are brought to be confirmed, 
 ought to be thoroughly instructed in the nature of 
 their baptismal vow, which they then renew, and 
 of that obligation they lie under to perform it. 
 They ought to be acquainted with the meaning of 
 this holy rite, and whose office it is to administer 
 it. They ought to have a competent degree of the 
 knowledge of those Christian duties that relate to 
 God, their neighbour and themselves. And in 
 order to these ends, it is advisable that they should 
 some time before read over the confirmation office. 
 
Of Confirmation, 5 
 
 Q. What 'particular 'preparation is necessary 
 before confirmation ? 
 
 A. The persons to be confirmed ought to exa- 
 mine themselves concerning those sins of omission 
 or commission they have been guilty of, in thought, 
 word, and deed ; and to confess them to God, de- 
 claring their hearty sorrow and repentance for 
 them, and earnestly begging God's pardon and 
 forgiveness; to which they must add serious reso- 
 lutions of living answerably to their Christian 
 profession. And that their prayers and holy 
 purposes may be effectual, they would do well to 
 join fasting to them, that they may be the better 
 disposed to receive the influences of God's Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 Q. Si7ice you mention the necessity of making 
 serious resolutions of living answerably to the Chris- 
 tian profession, when you receive confirmation ; 
 pray what do you resolve in relation to those ene- 
 mies that oppose your salvation, the devil, the world, 
 and the flesh ? 
 
 A. I resolve, by the grace of God, to be always 
 upon the watch against those various ways, in 
 which each of them is likely to endanger my salva- 
 tion ; I resolve to use all fit and proper means to 
 secure myself against those dangers ; and particu- 
 larly to fortify those weak places of my mind, 
 which my temper or circumstances of life render 
 most exposed to them. 
 
 Q. What do you resolve in relation to the devil ? 
 
 A. I resolve, by God's assistance, never to give 
 my consent to any of those wicked thoughts which 
 he may throw into my mind; nor to comply with 
 any of those temptations whereby he solicits me to 
 sin. And I particularly resolve to avoid all pride, 
 malice, and envy, treachery, lying, revenge, and 
 cruelty, which are most properly the works of the 
 devil. 
 
 Q. What do you resolve in relation to the world I 
 B 3 
 
6 Of Confirmation. 
 
 A. I resolve, by the help of God, not to do any 
 thing unlawful in order to procure honour, riches, 
 or pleasure ; neither will I set my affections immo- 
 derately upon any lawful enjoyment. I resolve to 
 contradict the evil maxims and customs, to avoid 
 the bad company of a vain and wicked world ; and 
 to forego all worldly comforts and possessions, all 
 my natural relations and my own life, whenever 
 they stand in competition with my duty. 
 
 Q. What do you resolve in relation to the flesh ? 
 
 A. I resolve, by God's help, to resist the un- 
 lawful desires of my own corrupt nature; to sup- 
 press all lascivious and wanton thoughts, to avoid 
 all filthy and obscene discourse, and never to gratify 
 my fleshly appetites, but with temperance and so- 
 briety, and only in such a manner as is allowed by 
 the law of God. And in order to this purpose I 
 will shun sloth and idleness, which are common 
 incentives to our carnal minds. 
 
 Q. What do you resolve in relation to your faith? 
 
 A. I resolve to be stedfast in the belief of the 
 being of a God, which is evident from his making 
 and preserving all things. I resolve stedfastly to 
 believe, that in this one glorious Godhead, there 
 are three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the 
 Holy Ghost ; that the second Person in the blessed 
 Trinity, God the Son, took upon Him human na- 
 ture, was born of a virgin, and died upon a cross as 
 a sacrifice for the sins of the world ; that He rose 
 again the third day from the dead, ascended into 
 heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, and 
 that He will come again to judge the quick and 
 the dead. That this Son of God, our Lord Jesus, 
 planted a Church while He was upon earth, and 
 committed the care of it to his Apostles, with a 
 power to ordain others to succeed them in their 
 office. That the Holy Ghost bestowed miraculous 
 gifts upon the Apostles to fit them to convert the 
 world, and to bring all mankind into the Christian 
 
Of Confirmation, 7 
 
 Church, in which forgiveness of sins, and eternal 
 life after the resurrection of the body, are always 
 to be obtained. 
 
 Q. Why do you resolve to believe thus ? 
 
 A. Because these and all other points of my 
 creed are revealed in the holy Scriptures, by God 
 himself, who is infinite truth, and cannot lie, who 
 is infinite love, and will not deceive me. 
 
 Q. What do you resolve in relation to your prac- 
 tice ? 
 
 A. I resolve, by the help of divine grace, to ob- 
 serve all those precepts which relate to God, my 
 neighbour, and myself. 
 
 Q. What do you resolve in relation to God ? 
 
 A. I resolve to pay my obedience to Him in a 
 'due and devout attendance on prayers, both in 
 public and private, and on the holy sacrament. I 
 resolve to own his bounty in all the good things I 
 receive, and to submit patiently to his wisdom in 
 all the afflictions I suffer. I resolve to reverence 
 his holy name, never to use it lightly, nor to pro- 
 fane it by customary swearing, much less by false 
 and faithless oaths. I resolve to reverence his holy 
 word, constantly to resort to his worship, and to 
 observe his day particularly set apart for it, and to 
 show a due regard to all things and persons devoted 
 to Him and commissioned by Him. 
 
 Q. What do you resolve in relation to your 
 neighbour ? 
 
 A. I resolve, by the grace of God, to be just in 
 all my dealings, never to deprive him of his right 
 by fraud or force ; to be sincere in my expressions, 
 and to be true to my promises. I resolve to relieve 
 his necessities according to my ability, and to be 
 candid in interpreting his words and actions; never 
 to slander him by false reports, or unnecessarily 
 to publish his faults by evil speaking. I resolve to 
 be meek and patient under all provocations, and to 
 be ready to forgive all affronts and injuries; and 
 B 4 
 
8 Of Confirmation, 
 
 to study to promote peace among all men. I 
 resolve to love, reverence, and obey my natural 
 parents, and to perform the several duties I owe to 
 all my governors in Church and State. 
 
 Q. What do you resolve in o'elation to yourself? 
 
 A. I resolve, by the grace of God, to humble 
 myself under a just sense of my own faults and 
 defects, not to be puffed up with a vain conceit of 
 myself, or with a contempt of others. I resolve to 
 be chaste in all my thoughts, words, and actions : 
 and to avoid every thing that may in the least have 
 a tendency to uncleanness : to be temperate in the 
 use of meats, drinks, and all other enjoyments, and 
 to fly from all temptations to drunkenness. I re- 
 solve to deny myself, to keep my body under by 
 fasting and abstinence, and to mortify my affections 
 to the things of this world ; and to be ready to part 
 with any of the conveniences of life rather than for- 
 sake the ways of truth and righteousness. 
 
 Q. From whence appears the necessity of being 
 sincere in these resolutions? 
 
 A. Because God, who knows our hearts, will 
 reject our pretended dedication of ourselves to his 
 service, if we engage only out of custom, and in 
 compliance with the fashion of the world ; and, con- 
 sequently, will withhold his grace from us, since we 
 render ourselves unworthy of the influences of it, 
 by never really designing what we openly profess. 
 
 Q. What are the great advantages o/confirmation? 
 
 A. It is a new engagement to a Christian life ; 
 and is a lasting admonition and check not to dis- 
 honour or desert my Christian profession : it tends 
 to preserve the unity of the Church, by making 
 men sensible that they are obliged to communicate 
 with those ecclesiastical superiors, who are endowed 
 with all those powers that were left by the Apostles 
 to their successors. And it is moreover a testi- 
 mony of God's favour and goodness to those that 
 receive it. 
 
Of Conjirmalion, 9 
 
 Q. How is it a testimony of God's favour and 
 goodness to those that receive it ? 
 
 A. Because his lawful minister declares that God 
 accepts their proficiency, and advances them into 
 the highest rank of the faithful, by giving them a 
 title to approach the holy table. And because God 
 vouchsafes thereby to communicate supernatural 
 strength to encounter their spiritual enemies, and 
 enables them to perform what they undertake. 
 
 Q. What care has the Church of England 
 shewn for the effectual administration of confir- 
 mation ? 
 
 A. Such is the wise discipline of our holy 
 mother, that both by her rubrics and canons, she 
 trains up by gradual steps for a worthy partaking 
 of this holy rite ; for in our baptism she requires 
 sureties that shall engage for us, and give security 
 for our Christian education in the communion of 
 the Church ; they being obliged not Ejchort. at the 
 only to see us instructed in all neces- end of Public 
 sary points of faith and practice, but ^«/'^""*- 
 to take care, that when we are fit, we be brought 
 to the Bishop for confirmation. 
 
 Q. What farther care has the Church expressed 
 in this particular ? 
 
 A. The parish priest or curate is particularly en- 
 joined to catechize, to instruct^ and ex- 
 amine the youth, and the common people, ^"* ^* ^'* 
 in the principles of the Christian religion, according 
 to the Church Catechism, And the 
 Church farther requires, that none be CatecLsm ^ ^ 
 presented as candidates, till they can 
 give an account and reason of their faith, of which 
 the minister, who presents them, is to be judge ; 
 and none are even then to be confirmed, except 
 the Bishop approves of them : and to strike a 
 greater awe in the candidates, they are solemnly 
 charged to answer as in the presence of God and 
 the whole congregation. 
 
 B 5 
 
|"0 Of Confirmation, 
 
 Rub. at the end Q. Why is a godfather or godmother 
 o ateciibm. ,jre quired for the person to he conjirmed? 
 
 A. As a voucher for the sincerity of the parties 
 they stand for, and to be a continual monitor to 
 them to perform their vow, as well as a witness of 
 their making the same. 
 
 Q. How hath the Church endeavoured to prevent 
 any neglect in those that are intrusted with the ad- 
 ministration of confirmation ? 
 
 A. She wills and ordains, that every Bishop or 
 his suffragan, in his usual triennial visi- 
 tation, should perform in his own person 
 this rite and usage ; but if through any infirmity 
 he is hindered from making his triennial visitation, 
 he is charged not to omit it the following year, as 
 soon as conveniently may be. 
 
 Q. What is the minister of the parish obliged to 
 doy when the Bishop giveth notice of confirmation ? 
 
 A. The minister of every parish is obliged to 
 Last Rubric bring or send in writing, with his hand 
 after the subscribed thereunto, the names of all 
 Catechism. ^\xc]\ persons within his parish, as he 
 shall think fit to be presented to the Bishop to be 
 confirmed. 
 
 Q. Ought confirmation to he received more than 
 
 once : 
 
 A. It is not to be repeated, because this solemn 
 renewal of our baptismal vow is sufficient by being 
 once performed, and for farther supplies of grace we 
 have hereby a title to receive the Holy Communion* 
 
 A Prayer before Confirmation, to be tised by those 
 that are preparing for it. 
 
 Most merciful God, by vv^hose gracious provi- 
 dence I was born of Christian parents, and early 
 dedicated to Thee in holy baptism ; make me 
 thoroughly sensible, I beseech Thee, of thy infinite 
 
Of Confirmation, 11 
 
 goodness, in bestowing upon me the blessed privi- 
 leges of being made a member of thy Church, a child 
 of Gcd, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 Grant, O Lord, that by the assistance of thy 
 grace, I may carefully and zealously perform all 
 those conditions, upon which Thou wert pleased to 
 vouchsafe to me such inestimable benefits : that I 
 may constantly resist the devil, and all those temp- 
 tations by which he seeks to destroy me : that I 
 may renounce all covetous desires of honour, riches, 
 and pleasure, and all those evil customs and maxims 
 of the world, which alienate men's minds from the 
 love of God : that I may mortify the inordinate 
 appetites of my own corrupt nature, of my own 
 carnal mind ; that I may believe all thy holy reve- 
 lations, and keep thy blessed will and command- 
 ments all the days of my life. 
 
 And now, O Lord, that I am about to renew 
 the solemn vow of my baptism, and publicly in thy 
 presence to ratify all those things I then promised 
 by my sureties ; I humbly beseech Thee to enlighten 
 my mind with the knowledge and understanding of 
 that solemn engagement I then made, and am now 
 about to confirm ; influence my will, and all the 
 faculties of my soul, heartily and sincerely to per- 
 form it. Let not the many and grievous sins that 
 I have committed, deprive me of those assistances 
 of thy Holy Spirit, which I now expect to receive ; 
 but, on my true repentance, let the precious blood 
 of my Saviour wash away all my past sins, and grant 
 that I may be enabled to mortify and subdue them 
 for the time to come. And forasmuch as without 
 Thee, I am not able to please Thee, pour thy Holy 
 Spirit into my heart, that by his holy inspiration I 
 may think those things which are good, and by his 
 merciful guidance may perform the same, through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose blessed name and 
 words I continue to pray, saying, 
 
 Our Father, ^c. 
 
 B 6 
 
12 Of Confirmation, 
 
 A Prayer after Confirmation^ which may he said 
 while others are confirming ^ and may he added to 
 the evening prayer by the party confirmed. 
 
 Blessed and praised be thy holy name, O Lord, 
 for those fresli supplies of grace which Thou hast 
 been pleased to communicate to me. 
 
 Blessed be thy name for those comfortable assur- 
 ances Thou hast given me of thy favour and good- 
 ness towards me. Blessed be thy name for that 
 privilege Thou hast now bestowed upon me of 
 approaching thy holy table, and of strengthening 
 and refreshing my soul by partaking there of the 
 body and blood of Christ. 
 
 Increase in me, O Lord, more and more the gifts 
 of thy Holy Spirit, that I may be wise for eternity, 
 and make it the chief business of my life to please 
 Thee in all my actions ; that I may love and fear Thee 
 above all things ; that I may be just and righteous 
 in all my dealings, and ready to communicate to 
 the necessities of others : that I may keep a constant 
 watch over myself, so as not to exceed the bounds 
 of temperance and sobriety. 
 
 Grant, O Lord, that my corrupt nature may be 
 daily renewed and purified by thy Holy Spirit, that 
 no danger or persecution may affright me from my 
 duty ; that no pleasure may make me careless and 
 negligent in the performance of it; and that under 
 afflictions most grievous to flesh and blood, I may 
 be entirely resigned, and submitted to thy holy will 
 and pleasure. Let thy Holy Spirit, O Lord, so 
 guide and govern me through the whole course of 
 my short life in this world, that I may not fail to 
 obtain eternal life in the world to come, through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, 
 
THE 
 
 GREAT DUTY 
 
 OF FREQUENTING 
 
 THE CHRISTIAN SACRIFICE. 
 
 It is no wonder that men, who are not serious 
 in the business of religion^ and who frequent the 
 Church only in compliance with the fashion of the 
 world, and in obedience to an established custom, 
 should neglect one of the greatest advantages of the 
 Christian life, I mean the frequent receiving the 
 holi/ Sacrament of Christ's body and blood: but 
 that Christians, otherwise very devout and not law- 
 fully hindered, who have the fear of God before 
 their eyes, and who aim at pleasing Him in all their 
 actions, should ever turn their backs upon his holy 
 table, and when invited to commemorate the meri- 
 torious sacrifice of the death of Christy should refuse 
 to give such an easy instance of a thankful heart, 
 is really matter of astonishment ; because they do 
 thereby neglect the most effectual means of grow- 
 ing in grace, and overlook the best method of 
 attaining what they most sincerely purpose and 
 desire. 
 
 I am apt indeed to think that this their bad 
 conduct chiefly proceeds from the want of a true 
 sense of their duty in this particular. Their great 
 desire to perform an acceptable sacrifice to God, 
 fills their minds with lively apprehensions of the 
 great danger of being unworthy communicants ; so 
 
14 Duty of frequenting the Christian Sacrifice. 
 
 that they do not give themselves leisure to attend 
 to those considerations that enforce the necessity 
 of the duty ; and therefore do not sufter their 
 thoughts to rest upon the great hazard they run, 
 in neglecting to execute a plain command of our 
 blessed Saviour ; which is more dangerous to their 
 salvation than performing it after an imperfect 
 manner. The duty, therefore, being indispensable, 
 the just consequence we should draw from the 
 danger of unworthy receiving, should be the 
 necessity of exciting ourselves to great care and 
 diligence in preparing ourselves for the due dis- 
 charge of it ; but never to delude ourselves by false 
 reasons into such a neglect as will certainly increase 
 our guilt, and add to our punishment. 
 
 As for those who never partake of the holy com- 
 munion during their whole lives, for fear lest their 
 sins should receive a fresh aggravation by being 
 committed after so solemn an obligation to be reli- 
 gious ; it is plain they run into a very great error. 
 For one main reason why sin becomes more heinous 
 after repeated obligations to the contrary is, be- 
 cause it is committed with greater deliberation, and 
 against clearer conviction : when, therefore, a man 
 who believes religion, and understands the obliga- 
 tions ti lays upon him, omits this duty for no other 
 reason, but that he may sin, as he thinks, with less 
 danger, his sins are then equally deliberate, and 
 against equally clear conviction ; and he moreover 
 adds to them a contemptuous neglect of one of the 
 best means of becoming better. 
 
 In order, therefore, to make this short discourse 
 more useful upon so important a subject, I shall 
 reduce it to the following method. 
 
 Firsts I shall inquire into those obligations that 
 lie upon all Christians to receive the Holy Commu- 
 nion, and to frequent the Christian sacrifice. 
 
 Secondly, I shall show what preparation is neces- 
 sary to perform this duty after an acceptable manner. 
 
The Obligations to frequent Communion. 15 
 
 Thirdly, I shall endeavour to ansiver some objec- 
 tions against frequent communion. 
 
 Fourthly, I shall lay before you the great advan- 
 tages of frequent communion. 
 
 ■ Fifthly, I shall show the particular care the 
 Church of England has taken to prevent the profa- 
 nation of the Lord's Supper. 
 
 Sixthly, I shall add some directions as to the 
 manner of performing it, with suitable devotions on 
 such occasions. 
 
 First, I shall inquire into those obligations that 
 lie upon all Christians to receive the Holy Commu- 
 nion, and to frequent the Christian sacrifice. 
 
 The first argument for the performance of this 
 Christian duty arises from the positive command of 
 our Saviour Jesus Christ, the author of our religion. 
 It is from this Anointed of the Lord, that we are 
 denominated Christians, which implies a firm belief 
 of those doctrines which He has revealed, and a 
 stedfast purpose of mind to perform those pre- 
 cepts which He has commanded; we moreover 
 solemnly promised in our vow of baptism, to go- 
 vern all our actions by the rule of his holy Gospel. 
 Therefore to persist in the neglect of a plain law 
 of our Lord and Master, sufficiently made known 
 to us, is no ways consistent with our engagement, 
 nor with that character we profess of being his 
 disciples. Besides, our obedience in this parti- 
 cular pays a peculiar regard to his authority; for 
 this duty being a positive injunction, receives all 
 its force from his right to command. Now that 
 our Saviour has made it the duty of all Christians 
 to frequent his commemorative sacrifice, is plain 
 from the history of its institution, in the close of 
 which our Saviour adds this positive injunction. Do 
 
 this in remembrance of me. By which, ^ , .. ,„ 
 ^111 A .1 11-1 Luke xxu 19. 
 
 as the noly Apcstles were obliged 
 
 to do to others as our Saviour had done to themj 
 
16 The Obligations to frequent Communion, 
 
 viz. to bless, break, and give the bread to all that 
 joined with them in these holy services ; so were 
 all Christians hereby engaged to receive from them 
 and their successors these symbols of Christ's body 
 and blood. By this precept, therefore, the com- 
 munion of Christ's body and blood, as represented 
 by bread and wine in the holy sacrament, is made 
 the standing memorial of his death and sufferings, 
 in all Christian assemblies, to the end of the world. 
 St. Paul, who received from the Lord himself what 
 He taught concerning this holy institution, repeats 
 the same command, This do in remem- 
 hrance of me. And if we consider the 
 circumstances of this command, it will still have a 
 greater influence upon us ; for it was given by our 
 best Friend, and greatest Benefactor, when He was 
 about to lay down his life for our sakes. They 
 are as it were his dying words to all his sincere 
 disciples and followers; and therefore ought to be 
 received with the greatest respect and deference 
 imaginable. In pursuance of this precept, we find 
 the first Christians did not continue more sted- 
 
 fastly in the Apostles* doctrine than they 
 Acts 11. 42. -^ • * 1 • J T. 7 ' 
 
 communicated in prayer ana breaking 
 
 of bread. It being well known, that the public 
 worship, the synaxis of the ancient Christians, con- 
 sisted of these three parts, of hearing God's word, 
 of prayers, and of commemorating of Christ in the 
 eucharist. 
 
 The second argument for the performance of this 
 Chri.stian duty arises from the nature of the duty 
 itself. It is a piece of worship appropriated to 
 the Christian religion, by which, in a peculiar man- 
 ner, we profess ourselves followers of the blessed 
 Jesus. The Heathens and Mahometans offer up 
 prayers and praises to God, and by the light 
 of nature apply themselves to Infinite Power for 
 the relief of their necessities, and return their 
 thanks to Infinite Goodness, as the source from 
 
The Ohligations to frequent Commuiiion. 17 
 
 whence they receive all their blessings. The Jews, 
 by slaying of beasts, and by burning incense, invo- 
 cated God, and praised and blessed Him for those 
 mercies of which they partook. But Christians 
 only set before God bread and wine in the eucha- 
 rist, as figures or images of the 'precious hlood of 
 Christ shed for us, and of his precious body, as it 
 is expressed in the Clementine liturgy. And, 
 therefore, we cannot be said so properly to wor- 
 ship as Christians, as when we join in those sacred 
 mysteries that Christ has made peculiar to his own 
 religion ; and it cannot be imagined, that it should 
 be at our own disposal, whether we would perform 
 it or no, when it was ordained as the pecuHar ser- 
 vice of Christians, to distinguish them from all 
 other worshippers of the Deity; and as the prin- 
 cipal act whereby we partake of the sacrifice of 
 Christ made upon the cross, and without which 
 our public service wants its due perfection. Upon 
 which account the primitive Christians (at least for 
 a time in some places) on no day held their public 
 assemblies without this Christian sacrifice, Justin 
 Martyr, in his Second Apology, instances this 
 sacred ordinance, as a constant part of the Lord's- 
 day service; and there is no great doubt, but that 
 each Lord's-day was that status dies, that set time, 
 on which Pliny tells the emperor Tra- 
 jan the Christians in Bithynia met ^ '^' 'P' ' '* 
 together to bind themselves with an oath not to 
 steal or rob, or withhold what was deposited with 
 them, or commit any sort of wicked- 
 ness. And long after, in the time of ^^j^'^^^f ' ^^ 
 St. Basil, who commends a daily com- 
 munion, he shows us how near the practice in his 
 days came to it: the Christians then not only com- 
 municated constantly four times a week, hut on other 
 days, lihen they celebrated the memory of any mar- 
 tyr. And the faithful that joined in all other 
 parts of the public worship, never failed in par- 
 
18 The Obligations to frequent Communion. 
 
 taking of the blessed sacrament. What opinion 
 the ancient Christians had of those that turned their 
 backs upon this holy ordinance, may be collected 
 . from one of those canons which are called 
 Apostolical ; whereby all the faithful that 
 came to their public assemblies, and heard the holy 
 Scriptures, and did not continue to partake of the 
 holy Sacrament, were liable to be separated from the 
 communion of Christians. 
 
 The third argument for the frequent performance 
 of this Christian duty, arises from the great benefits 
 that are annexed to the luorthy participation of 
 this holy ordinance. By the nature of our circum- 
 stances in this world, we are surrounded with a 
 variety of temptations, no condition of life being 
 free from the assaults of our spiritual enemies. 
 So that it but too frequently happens, that we 
 become a prey to their attempts, and are prevailed 
 upon to transgress our duty. Now, when we are 
 brought to a sense of our follies, and our souls are 
 pierced with an unfeigned sorrow for having com- 
 mitted them, what surer method have we to pro- 
 cure our pardon from God, than by shelving forth 
 the Lord^s death, by representing his bitter passion 
 to the Father, that so He would, for his sake, ac- 
 cording to the tenor of his covenant in Him, be 
 favourable and propitious to us, miserable sinners? 
 "We all know, by fatal experience, how unable we 
 are of ourselves to do any thing that is good ; but 
 this heavenly banquet is the food and nourishment 
 of our souls ; it gives new life and vigour to our 
 pious resolutions, and conveys power and strength 
 to perform our duty. We are convinced that the 
 satisfactions of this life can never complete our hap- 
 piness: but this holy Sacrament inspires a hope 
 to be made equal to angels ; and no less than the 
 kinsjdom of heaven is hereby made our inheritance. 
 So that a man must be very insensible of his own 
 interest that neglects one of the best instruments 
 
Measures of the Duty to frequent Communion. 19 
 
 of advancing his spiritual welfare ; and what can 
 the concern of the whole world promise us, com- 
 pared to the advantage of such gracious vouch- 
 safements ? Neither is it probable, that a man 
 should retain a very grateful sense of those stu- 
 pendous blessings purchased for us by the death 
 of Christ, when he refuses to give such an easy 
 instance of a thankful heart. If, therefore, we pay 
 any regard to the positive command of our Saviour; 
 if we are concerned to proclaim to the world that we 
 are really the disciples of Jesus ; if we are solici- 
 tous about growing in grace, and desire above all 
 things the improvement of our minds in all Chris- 
 tian virtues, and breathe after a life without sor- 
 row, and without sin, we must constantly attend 
 this holy ordinance, from whence we may expect 
 the pardon of our sins, and all the other benefits 
 of Christ's passion. 
 
 And when we are once convinced of these obli- 
 gations that enforce the practice of this duty, we 
 must take care never to turn our backs upon this 
 holy ordinance. The truest measure of our duty 
 in this particular, is to be taken from those oppor- 
 tunities which the good providence of God affords 
 to us for this purpose-; there being no better way 
 of determining the frequency of our obligation to 
 receive, than this of God's giving us the oppor- 
 tunity. According to this rule the primitive 
 Christians practised ; who never withdrew them- 
 selves from the Lord's Supper, when it made a 
 part of the public worship. And it is in the com- 
 munion of the Sacrament, as it is in the communion 
 of prayers, and other parts of public worship, we 
 are bound to join in them when opportunities offer 
 for the performing them, and we are not otherwise 
 lawfully hindered. Whoever, therefore, shall ne- 
 glect to communicate, and retire from the holy 
 table when the heavenly banquet is there prepared, 
 either does not thoroughly understand his duty in 
 
20 The Nature of Preparation 
 
 this particular, or must be very defective in the 
 performance of it. For, as the Exhortation before 
 the Communion suggests to us: Who would not 
 think it a great injury and wrong done to him, if 
 he had prepared a rich feast, and decked his table 
 with all kind of provision, so that there lacked 
 nothing but the guests to sit down, and yet that they 
 who were called, without any cause, should most 
 unthankfuUy refuse to come ? And how can it be 
 imagined, that a man has a true love for his Sa- 
 viour, or a grateful sense of his sufferings, that 
 shall refuse to make a thankful remembrance of 
 them, when our Saviour has commanded it, and 
 the providence of God offers him the opportunity ? 
 1 shall conclude this head with the judgment of 
 two eminent fathers, St. Chrvsostom and St. Am- 
 brose, whereby we may guess at the sense of the 
 Greek and the Latin Church in relation to this 
 practice. The first, St. Chrysostom, delivers him- 
 self after this manner : He ivlio does not allow 
 himself in the practice of any known sin, ought 
 every day to approach the holy table ; but it is not 
 safe for him who has contracted a habit of sinning, 
 and does not sincerely repent thereof, to communi- 
 cate even upon the greatest festival. St. Ambrose 
 gives us his opinion, by way of advice, in these 
 words, concerning the holy sacrament: Receive 
 daily what will be of daily advantage to you : so live, 
 that you may be Jit to receive every day : for he 
 that is not Jit to receive every day, is not Jit to re- 
 ceive once a year. 
 
 Secondly, I shall show what preparation is ne- 
 cessary to perform this duty after an acceptable 
 manner. 
 
 When we speak of preparation for the holy sa- 
 crament, we suppose the candidates to have been 
 educated in the belief of the Christian relip^ion; 
 that they have taken upon themselves the solemn 
 vow made at their baptism ; that they are instructed 
 
for frequent Communion. 2\ 
 
 in what is necessary for a Christian to believe and 
 practise ; and that they have in some measure per- 
 formed those engagements which they solemnly 
 ratified at their confirmation. And, therefore, I 
 think it very advisable, before any one makes his 
 first communion, that he should consult the priest 
 of his parish, that he may be satisfied how far he 
 has complied with those obligations he has lain 
 under to faith and obedience, and may be further 
 examined as to those qualifications that make a 
 man a fit guest at the Lord's table. And then 
 the requisite preparation will consist in understand- 
 ing what is the nature and end of that holy action, 
 and in the actual exercise of such Christian virtues 
 of which they are supposed to have laid a founda- 
 tion in the former course of their lives. 
 
 T\\Q first part of preparation consists in the in- 
 forming ourselves carefully in the nature and end 
 of this sacred institution; inquiring what is meant 
 by this holy action, and to what purpose this 
 blessed sacrament was ordained. This necessary 
 knowledge once attained, is a standing qualification 
 in all our future communions ; and, therefore, we 
 ought to take the more pains to settle right notions 
 in our minds concerning this matter, because they 
 will be serviceable to us in all the remaining part 
 of our lives. In order to this purpose, it will be 
 necessary to read over the history of the institution 
 of this Christian sacrifice, as recorded jyj^^^ xxvi 17 '>6 
 by the Evangelists : and by St. Paul Mark xiv. 12. 20. 
 in his Epistle to the Corinthians, Luke xxii. 7. 19. 
 who received what he taught in ^ ^^*"' ^'* ^'*' 
 this matter by a divine revelation. St. Matthew's 
 account of it is this — That as our Saviour and his 
 disciples were eating the passover, Jesus took bread 
 and blessed it, and brake tt, and gave it to the dis- 
 ciples, and said, Take, eat, this is my body. And 
 he took the cup^ and gave thanks, and gave it to 
 them, saying, Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood 
 
22 The Holy Communion 
 
 of the New Testament, which is shed for many for 
 the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will 
 not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until 
 that day I drink it new with you in my Father s 
 kingdom. And when they had sung an hymn, they 
 went out into the Mount of Olives. St. Mark 
 makes the same relation, and St. Luke and St. 
 Paul concur in the same particulars, with the 
 addition of this positive injunction. Do this in 
 remembrance of me. From which places it will 
 appear, that when our Saviour Jesus Christ cele- 
 brated the Jewish sacrifice of the passover with 
 his disciples a little before his sufferings, he sub- 
 stituted the Sacrament of his body and blood as 
 the true Christian sacrifice, in the room of the 
 passover : and ordained it as a rite to invocate his 
 Father by, instead of the manifold and bloody sa- 
 crifices of the law, and to be a means of supplica- 
 tion and address to God in the New Testament, 
 as they were in the Old. To which end our Sa- 
 viour first offers up the creatures of bread and 
 wine to God, as an acknowledgment of his sove- 
 reignty ; by taking the bread and wine into his 
 sacred hands ; by looking up to heaven, and giving 
 thanks ; and then, by blessing the elements, He 
 makes them the symbols of his body and blood, 
 and distributed them to his disciples, to eat and 
 drink them in commemoration of Him. So that 
 the design of instituting the sacrament of the 
 Lord's Supper was to constitute a Christian sa- 
 crifice, wherein God mystically entertains man at 
 his own table, in token of amity and friendship 
 with him ; which that he might do, the bread and 
 wine are offered to God, to acknowledge Him Lord 
 of the creatures ; and accordingly, in the ancient 
 Church, they were laid on the holy table by the 
 priest, (as they are still ordered to be done by the 
 rubric in the Church of England,) and tendered 
 to God by this short prayer, Lord, we offer thy 
 
the Christian Sacrifice. 23 
 
 ozvn out of ivhat. Thou hast bountifully given us ; 
 which by consecration being made symbols of the 
 body and blood of Christ, we thereby represent to 
 Grod the Father the passion of his Son, to the end 
 that He may, for his sake, according to the tenor 
 of his covenant in Him, be favourable and propitious 
 to us miserable sinners. That as Christ intercedes 
 continually for us in heaven, by representing his 
 death and satisfaction to his Father; so the Church 
 on earth, in like manner, may approach the throne 
 of grace, by representing Christ unto his Father 
 in these holy mysteries of his death and passion. 
 That what every Christian does mentally and vo- 
 cally, when he recommends his prayers to God the 
 Father, through Jesus Christ, making mention of 
 his death and satisfaction ; that in the public ser- 
 vice of the Church is done by this rite, which our 
 Saviour commanded in commemoration of Him. 
 
 The incense and mincha, or the offering prophe^ 
 sied of by Malachi (ch. i. 11), whereby God's name 
 was to he great among the Gentiles, is applied by 
 the primitive fathers to this Christian sacrifice, or 
 solemn worship in the eucharist, taught by our 
 blessed Saviour to his disciples, to be observed by 
 all that should believe in his name. The incense, 
 which denotes the prayers of the saints, represent- 
 ing the spiritual part of the Christian sacrifice, 
 which is prayer, thanksgiving, and commemoration ; 
 the mincha, or offering, representing the material 
 part thereof, which is at present of bread and wine, 
 which may very well be called Oi pure offering, not 
 only in respect of Christ, whom it signifies and 
 represents, who is a sacrifice without all spot, 
 blemish, and imperfection : but in respect of that 
 purity of conscience and freedom from malice, 
 with which it was to be offered. For it is in that 
 singular purity, that the Christian oblation differs 
 from that of the Jews, who were not prohibited to 
 offer sacrifices and other gifts, though they were 
 
24} The Holy Communion 
 
 at enmity with one another. And it is reasonable 
 to think that the ground for introducing the kiss of 
 charity in the apostolical times was, that Christians 
 might express their mutual love and freedom from 
 malice, when they approached the altar. 
 
 The ancients held the oblation in the eucharist 
 to be answerable in some respects to the legal sa- 
 crifices. They believed that our blessed Saviour 
 ordained the sacrament of the eucharist, as a rite of 
 prayer and praise to God, instead of the manifold 
 and bloody sacrifices of the law. That the legal 
 1 Sam vii 9 sacrifices were rites to invocate God 
 xiii. 12. * by, and for praising and blessing 
 
 Ez. vi. 10. Him for his mercies, is evident from 
 
 Prov. XV. 8. Scripture. Instead, therefore, of slay- 
 
 2Chron. XXIX. 27. . ^r ^ i i • • *^ 
 
 mg 01 beasts, and burnmg mcense, 
 
 whereby they praised God and called upon his 
 name, under the Old Testament, our Saviour under 
 the New appointed this Sacrament of bread and 
 wine, as a rite whereby to give thanks and make 
 supplication to his Father in his name. That as 
 the legal sacrifices were types and shadows of the 
 great sacrifice on the cross, and had a relation to 
 Christ that was to come ; so the Christian sacrifice 
 of bread and wine looks back, and has a relation to 
 Christ that was crucified. 
 
 There was also among the Jeivs an ancient tradi- 
 tion, as has been observed by learned men, That 
 in the time of the Messias all sacrifices should 
 ceas, but that of bread and wine. And this obla- 
 tion of the bread and wine is implied in St. Paul's 
 parallel of the Lord's Supper, and the sacrifices of 
 the Gentiles : You cannot, says he, be 
 partakers of the table of the Lord, and 
 the table of devils ; because they imply contrary 
 covenants, incompatible one with the other. Now 
 here it is manifest, that the table of devils is so 
 called, because it consisted of meats offered to 
 devils, whereby those that eat thereof eat of the 
 
the Christian Sacrifice, 25 
 
 devirs provision; therefore the table of the Lord 
 is called his table ; not only because He ordained it, 
 but because it consisted of meats offered to Him. 
 The author of the Epistle to the He- 
 brews, St. Paul, insinuates the same ^^' ^"'' ' 
 thing: fVe have an altar ^ saith he, whereof they 
 have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. By 
 which it is plain there was an altar in the Chris- 
 tian Church, besides that in the Jewish temple, 
 and consequently a sacrifice, not only the spiritual 
 one of prayer and thanksgiving, but the material 
 one of bread and wine, sufficiently signified by the 
 word eating. The first Christian writer after the 
 apostles, St. Clement, in his Epistle to the Corin- 
 thians, uses the phrase, offering the gifts y for the 
 administration of the Sacrament; and that the 
 succeeding writers in the Christian Church observed 
 the same style is clearly proved by the learned and 
 pious Mr. Mede, in his Christian Sacrifice, Hence 
 we may observe, that the holy Sacrament consists 
 of two parts, the earthly ^ which are the elements 
 of bread and wine ; and the heavenly ^ which is the 
 power of the Holy Ghost descending at the time of 
 consecration, and sanctifying the bread and wine 
 with the divine virtue of Christ's body and blood. 
 For though, as Theodoret speaks. The symbols of 
 our Lord's body and blood, after the prayer 
 of consecration, are changed and become 
 other; yet they depart not from their own nature, 
 for they remain in their former essence, and figure, 
 and shape, and are visible, and sensible, such as 
 before they were. And the priest that ofiiciated in 
 the ancient Church not only rehearsed the evan- 
 gelical history of the institution of this holy Sacra- 
 ment, and pronounced these words of our Saviour, 
 This is my body, this is my blood; but he offered up 
 a prayer of consecration to God, beseeching Him 
 that He would send doivn his Holy Spirit upon the 
 bread and wine presented unto Him on the altar, and 
 [96] c 
 
26 The Power of Adviimstering 
 
 that He would so sanctify them, that they might 
 become the body and blood of his Son Jesus Christ ; 
 not with respect to the gross substance, but only as 
 to the spiritual energy and virtue of his holy flesh 
 and blood, communicated to the blessed elements 
 by the power and operation of the Holy Ghost de- 
 scending upon them ; whereby the body and blood 
 of Christ is verily and indeed taken and received by 
 the faithful in the Lord's Supper, This prayer is 
 found in all the ancient liturgies. 
 
 And as this Christian sacrifice was designed to 
 render God propitious to us, by representing to 
 Him the merits of our Saviour's sufferings, so it 
 was instituted to be a standing monument of the 
 infinite love of our Saviour, in djing for us; and 
 by eating and drinking at God's table, according to 
 Christ's appointment, to fix in our souls the me- 
 mory of those invaluable blessings He has purchased 
 for us, and to communicate to all worthy receivers 
 the benefit of his sacrifice upon the cross ; upon 
 which account it is called the communion of his body 
 arid blood. And it was moreover ordained to be a 
 bond of union, to knit Christians together in the 
 same fellowship and communion. Thus the infinite 
 love of Christ appeared not only in giving Himself 
 to die for us, but in so far complying 
 Exhort, before ^{^\^ i\^q weakness of our nature, as to 
 Sacrament. institute and ordain holy mysteries as 
 pledges of his love, and for a continual 
 remembrance of his death, to our great and endless 
 comfort. 
 
 And since we live in an age that is inclinable to 
 make all the inherent powers in the priesthood to be 
 the effects oi priestcraft, and that others take upon 
 them to sign and seal covenants in God's name, 
 who have received no commission to that purpose, 
 it will be fit for every man that prepares him- 
 self for this holy ordinance, to consider who has 
 the power of administering this holy Sacrament ; 
 
the Holy Sacrament. ^Ti 
 
 whether laymen, as well as clergymen that have 
 received their commission by succession from the 
 apostles. This consideration, I am sure, will be of 
 great comfort to the faithful members of the Church 
 of England, which has preserved the ancient apos- 
 tolical government, and the primitive orders in a 
 due subordination, whereby they are secured of a 
 right and truly canonical ministry. 
 
 Now to satisfy ourselves In these inquiries, we 
 must observe, that in the first institution of this 
 Sacrament, it was celebrated by our Lord and 
 Master Jesus Christ ; He blessed the bread and 
 wine, and gave both to his disciples ; and He Him- 
 self was, as the Apostle calls Him, the High Priest 
 over the house of God. And, indeed, the design of 
 the Epistle to the Hebrews seems to be, to show us 
 the difference between the two covenants, the na- 
 ture of the Levitical and evangelical priesthood, 
 what necessity there was of a change from the one 
 to the other; that the evangelical was after the 
 order of Melchisedec ; that our Saviour was the 
 High Priest of that order, and that this honour he 
 took not to himself, hut was called of God to it,^ as 
 well as Aaron was to his. The Sacrament being 
 thus instituted, and the elements being consecrated 
 by a priest at the first celebration of it, the Apos- 
 tles kept close to their Master's institution ; being 
 commanded to do the same in remembrance of Him; 
 they consecrated the elements, and gave them to 
 the people, as He before did to them; and the 
 same did the Bishops, their successors after them, 
 and those that they appointed. Arid this was so 
 constantly and universally practised in these early 
 times, that one instance is not to be brought to the 
 contrary. 
 
 Besides, the very nature of a Sacrament requires 
 
 commissioned ofl[icers for the administration of it. 
 
 For sacraments being seals of the covenant of grace, 
 
 of that covenant between God and man, which our 
 
 c2 
 
28 Power of Administering the Holy Sacrament. 
 
 Saviour purchased for us, and confirmed with his 
 blood : who can seal this covenant, unless such as 
 are empowered by God to transact with us in his 
 name ? On our part, to offer up our prayers and 
 supplications to Him ; and on his, to bless us, to 
 absolve us from our sins upon repentance, and to 
 seal the pardon of them, by admitting us to partake 
 of these holy mysteries. 
 
 To this end the Apostles were careful in provid- 
 ing good men to succeed them in their ministry ; 
 St. Paul was earnest with Titus to ordain elders in 
 every city, and with Timothy, to lay hands sud- 
 denly on no man; and in his epistles to both he 
 describes, and that nicely too, the qualifications 
 of those that were to be admitted to ecclesiastical 
 orders. In the Church of Corinth there were pro- 
 phets and teachers, helpers and governors. Now 
 what need was there of this distinction, and of this 
 great care and caution in conferring orders, if they 
 had no particular powers to exercise, and that 
 every layman had an equal right to dispense them? 
 .. Our Church, in asserting the sw^r^wacy 
 ' of sovereign magistrates, has declared that 
 the ministering either of God's word, or of the 
 sacraments, is not given to princes, because they 
 are not invested with, nor have a sovereign disposal 
 of the power of orders. 
 
 But the practice of the Christian Church from 
 the beginning of Christianity is too solid and sub- 
 stantial an argument to be confuted by art and 
 sophistry. St. Clement, in his Epistle 
 ^\^^' P- ^* to the Corinthians, tells us, when the 
 Apostles planted Churches, they made 
 the first fruits of those they converted. Bishops and 
 Deacons over those that should afterwards believe. 
 And that as the Priests have the proper services 
 appointed them, appertaining to their mi- 
 ^^^ nistries, so the layman is confined within 
 
 the hounds of what is commanded to laymen. And 
 
Pious Qualifications for frequent Communion. 29 
 
 ill another place lie speaks to this purpose : All 
 those duties which the Lord hath commanded 
 us to dOi we ought to do them regularly • ' 
 
 and orderly : our oblations and divine services, to 
 celebrate them on set and appointed times. For so 
 hath He ordained, not that we should do them at 
 hap-hazard, and without order, but at certain de- 
 terminate days and times ; where also and by whom 
 He will have them executed. Himself hath defined 
 according to his supreme will. St. Ignatius, who 
 was disciple to St. John, and Bishop of Antioch, 
 in his Epistle to the Smyrnaeans, p. 6, is more ex- 
 press to this purpose : Let no man do any thing, 
 says he, of what belongs to the Church, without the 
 Bishop: Let that eucharist he esteemed firm and 
 valid, which is either administered by the Bishop, 
 or by him whom he authorizes : Wheresoever the 
 Bishop shall appear, there the people ought to be; 
 as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic 
 Church. It is not lawful without the Bishop, either 
 to baptize or to celebrate the holy communion ; for 
 whatsoever he shall approve, that will be acceptable 
 to God, to the end that whatsoever is done may be 
 regular and of force. 
 
 I would only desire those that are too apt to 
 attack the Christian priests, as the rebellious princes 
 did Moses and Aaron, by insinuating that they take 
 too much upon them ; and by demanding, wherefore 
 they lift up themselves above the congre- ^ , 
 gation of the Lord ; to be mindful of 
 their punishment, and to consider how severely 
 God revenged their insolence, in causing the earth 
 to open her mouth, and to swallow up them and all 
 their adherents. 
 
 The second part of preparation consists in those 
 pious dispositions of mind which qualify us to re- 
 ceive this Sacrament after a worthy manner, and 
 make us fit guests at the Lord's table. And there- 
 fore when we plead the merit of Christ's death and 
 c 6 
 
30 Pious Qualifications for frequent Communion, 
 
 passion before God the Father in this Christian 
 sacrifice, it ought to be accompanied with a most 
 thankful acknowledgment of those great blessings 
 our Saviour has purchased for us by his sufferings, 
 and with a public proclaiming to all the world the 
 great sense we have of such invaluable kindness. 
 With a hearty repentance for all the sins we have 
 been guilty of, in thought, word, and deed; for this 
 was the end of his death, to reconcile us to God, by 
 ... turning us from our iniquities. With 
 
 firm resolutions of better obedience ; 
 for He gave Himself for us, to purifj to himself a 
 .. peculiar people, zealous of good works. 
 
 With an entire resignation of our souls 
 and bodies to be a reasonable, holy, and lively sacri- 
 fice unto Him; for He has the justest claim to us, 
 because He purchased us at the price of 
 ^^' ^* * * his own blood. With a constant endea- 
 vour to make some proficiency in all the virtues of 
 the Christian life ; because He has obtained for us, 
 by the merits of his sufferings, the grace and assist- 
 , .. ance of God's Holy Spirit, to work in 
 
 ^^ ■ "* "■ us both to will and to do of his good plea- 
 sure. With a readiness of mind to be reconciled 
 to all those that have offended us, because when we 
 
 ivere enemies tve were reconciled to God 
 Rom. V. 10. ^y ^j^^ j^^^j^ ^j^j^-^ g^^^^ ^yj^^^ j^^^^^y 
 
 and sincere love and charity to our brethren, con- 
 tributing all we can to the relief of Christ's poor 
 distressed members, by reason He was so liberal 
 of his inestimable blood for us. Lastly, with the 
 purity of our inte?ition, sincerely aiming at and 
 designing to answer all those ends and purposes for 
 which this holy Sacrament was ordained ; and not 
 merely to comply with custom, and to qualify our- 
 selves for a profitable employment. 
 
 But then it must be noted, that all these qualifi- 
 cations are the same that we are obliged to acquire 
 by our baptismal vow, and are necessary in the 
 
The Duty of Self-examination. 31 
 
 course of a Christian life, and in the use of all other 
 means of grace. For except we confess our sins 
 with an humble, penitent, and obedient heart, and 
 are ready to forgive those that have offended us, 
 and ask with faith, even our prayers and praises 
 will find no acceptance at the throne of grace. In- 
 deed, charity and good will towards all men was 
 always thought so necessary a qualification for the 
 celebration of this Christian sacrifice, that in the 
 ancient Church, at the very entrance thereunto, 
 the deacon was wont to proclaim, Let no man have 
 ought against his brother : and this practice was 
 founded upon our Saviour's ordinance, in his divine 
 
 sermon upon the mount. If thou bring- 
 
 ^ j7 -/-^ J ^7 7^ 7 ^7 Matt. V. 23, 24. 
 
 est thy gift to the attar, and there re- 
 
 memberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, 
 leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; 
 first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come 
 and offer thy gift. Which scripture, in the sense 
 of the primitive Church, was taken to be an evange- 
 lical constitution, implying, by way of anticipation, 
 that our Saviour v^^ould leave some rite to his Church 
 instead, and after the manner of the sacrifices of the 
 law, which should begin with an oblation, as they 
 did ; and that, to require this proper and peculiar 
 qualification in the offerer, to be at peace, andivith- 
 out enmity with his brother; insomuch that Irenseus 
 seems to place that purity of the evan- 
 gelical oblation, prophesied of hy j^jyj^^jJ^-^^^Pj j * 
 Malachi, principally in this requisite. 
 And besides this, the only duty the Scripture seems 
 to make peculiar to the receiving the holy Sacra- 
 ment, is self-exarai7iation. This is St. . _ . __ 
 ^ y, ^. . , ^ -1 Cor. XI. 28. 
 
 Pauls du'ection, Let a man examine 
 
 himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink 
 of that cup ; which, if taken in the largest sense, 
 for searching into the state of our souls, in order to 
 know how far we believe and practise what is re- 
 quired of us, and to amend for the future what has 
 c 4 
 
3S The Duty of Self-examination 
 
 been amiss in our past conduct, is certainly obligin^:^ 
 at other limes, as well as before the Sacrament; and 
 it is impossible a Christian should govern his life 
 with that necessary care and watchfulness that is 
 required, without practising of it very frequently. 
 And yet I believe, if the sense of St. Paul be im- 
 partially weighed in that matter, it will appear that 
 the examination he recommends is not that of our 
 state and condition towards God, and of our duty in 
 general, but an examination of our manner of eating 
 the Lord's Supper by Chrisffi institution of it^ to 
 see whether our behaviour comports with the rules 
 of the institution, and with the end for which it was 
 instituted. For to remedy the disorders that were 
 in the Church of Corinth, in the administration of 
 the Lord's Supper, he sets before them Christ's 
 institution of the holy Sacrament, that they might 
 acquaint themselves with the manner and end pro- 
 posed in the partaking of it ; so that by that, every 
 one might examine his comportment therein, whe- 
 ther conformable to that institution, and suited to 
 that end. In the account St. Paul gives of Christ's 
 institution, he remarks, that eating and drinking in 
 the Sacrament was no part of common eating and 
 drinking for hunger and thirst, but to represent 
 Christ's body and blood, to be eaten and drank in 
 remembrance of Him; or, as the Apostle expounds 
 it himself, to show forth the Lord's death. He more- 
 over observes, that this was done by all who were 
 present, united together in one company at the same 
 time. All which put together, shows what the exa- 
 mination here proposed relates to ; for the design of 
 the Apostle being to reform those abuses he found 
 fault with in their celebrating the Lord's Slipper; 
 it is by that alone we must interpret the directions 
 he gives concerning it, if we will suppose he talked 
 pertinently to the subject in hand, which was to 
 reduce the Corinthians from the irregularities they 
 were run into in this matter. And if the account 
 
before the Holy Communion, 33 
 
 of Christ's institution be not brought in for their 
 examining their carriage by it, and their adjusting 
 their comportment to it, it will be hard to find a 
 reason for what purpose it is here mentioned. 
 
 From whence we may, therefore, gather what 
 that unworthy receiving was, which is condemned 
 in the Corinthians by St. Paul, and what was the 
 punishment annexed to it : it was their disorderly 
 and irreverent participation of the Lord's Supper ; 
 it was their eating and drinking after an unworthy 
 manner, without a due regard to the manner and end 
 of that holy institution ; without a due respect had 
 to the Lord's body, in a discriminating and purely 
 sacramental use of the bread and wine that repre- 
 sented it : it being the custom of the Christians in 
 the apostolical times to receive the holy eucharist 
 after t\\Q\v feasts of charity ^ wherein the rich and 
 the poor were wont to eat together with great 
 sobriety and temperance ; in the Church of Corinth 
 this method was not observed ; the poor were not 
 admitted to this common feast ; for in eating, every 
 one took before each other his own supper ; so that 
 when some wanted, others were guilty of scandalous 
 excess, and gross intemperance : and the effect of it 
 was, they did not discern the Lord's body. They 
 made no difference between the Sacrament and a 
 common meal ; between what was to sustain their 
 bodies, and what was to nourish their souls. So that 
 to eat the bread, and drink of the cup, in the holy 
 Sacrament, without a due and direct discrimination 
 had to the Lord's body, by separating the bread and 
 wine from the common use of eating and drinking 
 for hunger and thirst, was to eat unworthily. The 
 punishments annexed to these offences were infir- 
 mities, sickness, and temporal death, with which 
 God corrected them, that they might not be con- 
 demned with the unbelieving world. By which it 
 appears, that temporal judgments must be under- 
 stood by the word our translators render damnation. 
 c 5 
 
34 The Persons not qualified 
 
 Though if these temporal judgments had not pro- 
 duced amendment and reformation, such a contempt 
 of holy things might have made them obnoxious to 
 the eternal judgment of God. 
 
 Now, it appears farther, by the nature of these 
 punishments, that the examination St. Paul recom- 
 mends, referred to the institution of the Sacrament ; 
 for if the unworthiness here spoken of was either 
 unbelief, or any of those sins which are usually 
 made the matter of examination, it is to be pre- 
 sumed the Apostle would not wholly have passed 
 them over in silence : this, at least, is certain, that 
 the punishment of these sins is infinitely greater 
 than that which God here inflicts on unworthy 
 receivers, whether they who are guilty of them 
 receive the Sacrament or no. 
 
 That, then, which makes a man absolutely unfit 
 to receive the holy Sacrament, besides ignorance of 
 the meaning of that holy institution, is the living 
 in the constant habitual practice of any known sin 
 without repentance. Such a man's approach to 
 the holy table would be a mocking of God, and a 
 great contempt of his authority ; and though the 
 ancient discipline of the Church is at a low ebb 
 among us, yet there is still power to debar such 
 scandalous and open sinners in the com- 
 
 Can. XXVI. . j ^' i i ^ 
 
 munion, and a particular order to pa- 
 rochial ministers not to admit such. But then it 
 ought to be observed, that this impenitent state 
 makes our prayers also an abomination to the Lord ; 
 for to profess ourselves sorry for our sins, and re- 
 solved to forsake them, when we have no sense of 
 the one, nor are determined to do the other, is the 
 greatest afi'ront imaginable to our Maker; by sup- 
 posing, that either He does not know our hearts, or 
 that He will be pleased when we draw near to Him 
 with our lips, though our hearts are far from Him. 
 There is a case, indeed, wherein I think a man 
 may be supposed qualified to attend the public 
 
for frequent Communion, S5 
 
 prayers of the Church, and yet that it may be fit 
 for him to abstain from approaching the altar; 
 which is, when a man first rises by unfeigned re- 
 pentance from a deplorable fall into some grievous 
 sin, the first scene of his penitential sorrows should 
 pass in the exercise of mortification and self-denial, 
 and some time may be necessary to prove the sin- 
 cerity of his return to his duty. And this is agree- 
 able to the discipline of the Church in the primitive 
 times, when, whoever was found guilty of any 
 scandalous fault, was, according to the nature of 
 the offence, debarred the communion a shorter or a 
 longer time ; so that it will very well become the 
 modesty of a penitent, in these loose times, wherein 
 the Christian discipline is relaxed, to exercise it 
 upon himself; it being reasonable that the sense 
 of any heinous crime lately committed should so far 
 humble and mortify us as to make us ready and 
 willing to impose this penance upon ourselves, as 
 thinking ourselves for some time unworthy to 
 participate in the highest and most solemn act of 
 religion. 
 
 In short, the best preparation for the Sacrament 
 is a constant endeavour to live as becomes that holy 
 religion we profess. For they who really believe 
 the Christian religion, and sincerely govern their 
 lives by the doctrines and precepts of the gospel of 
 the blessed Jesus, have all that substantial prepara- 
 tion that qualifies them to partake in this holy 
 ordinance, and ought to receive at any time when 
 there is an opportunity, though they were not 
 beforehand acquainted with it. Indeed, when 
 they have a foresight of their communicating, it is 
 very advisable they should trim their lamps, exa- 
 mine the state of their minds, renew their repent- 
 ance, exercise their charity, enlarge their devotions, 
 spiritualize their affections ; and, in order to this, 
 should retire from business and pleasure, as far as 
 the nature of their circumstances will admit; that 
 c 6 
 
36 The Objection of Unworthiness 
 
 by prayer, fasting, and alms-deeds, their minds may 
 be raised to relish spiritual enjoyments. But still 
 great care must be taken, that when a man is 
 habitually prepared, he does not impose upon him- 
 self so much actual preparation as shall make him 
 lose an opportunity of receiving the holy Sacra- 
 ment when he has not had time to go through with 
 that method he has prescribed to himself. 
 
 Thirdly, I shall endeavour to answer some objec- 
 tions against frequent communion. 
 
 Object. 1. The ^r*^ usual objection men make 
 is, that they are unworthy to receive the holy Sa- 
 cra7nent, and consequently if they approach God's 
 table, they shall eat and drink damnation to them- 
 selves. 
 
 Answ, If this objection is made by such who live 
 in a course of wickedness, it is certain, as long as 
 they resolve to continue such, they are very unfit 
 to approach these holy mysteries ; while they are 
 at open defiance with God Almighty, break all his 
 laws, and refuse all ofifers of reconciliation, they 
 ought not to be admitted as guests at God's holy 
 table ; and if the discipline of the Church were re- 
 stored, which is founded upon the laws of Christ 
 and his Apostles, and sufliciently explained to us 
 by primitive practice, such refractory sinners should 
 be excommunicated, and thrown out of the com- 
 munity of Christians, and not to be re-admitted till 
 they had given public testimonies of their sorrow 
 and repentance. But all men easily see the vanity 
 of this excuse, because one fault can never justify 
 the commission of another. 
 
 But if this objection is made by devout people 
 to excuse their not frequenting the Christian sacri- 
 fice, they must consider that this argum.ent, pushed 
 home, ought to hinder them from ever communi- 
 cating. For if men take the word unworthy in a 
 strict sense, for such persons as no way deserve 
 those great benefits that are offered and conferred 
 
for frequent Communion. 37 
 
 in the holy Sacrament, no man should ever receive 
 at all, because no man deserves any thing at God's 
 hands, much less those invaluable blessings pur- 
 chased for us by Christ's death ; and yet they that 
 make the objection do venture at some great solem- 
 nities to approach these holy mysteries; which 
 makes it wonderful how they can reconcile this 
 their notion of unworthiness with their practice of 
 receiving at such seasons ; or else they must have 
 at those times a better opinion of themselves than 
 is consistent with Christian humihty. But there is 
 a great difference to be made between deserving 
 that favour, and receiving that favour after a worthy 
 and fit manner. We may have no merit to pro- 
 cure us such benefits as may be conferred upon us ; 
 and yet if we receive them with a great sense of 
 gratitude, acknowledging the bounty of the Giver, 
 with a great sense of our own demerit, owning they 
 are infinitely above our deserts, with care and diH- 
 gence to receive them in the way and manner pre- 
 scribed, and with resolutions of making the best 
 returns we are capable of ; we may be truly said to 
 receive such favours after a worthy manner, though 
 we are never so unworthy of the benefits them- 
 selves. 
 
 The unworthy eating and drinking^ condemned 
 by St. Paul in the Corinthians, has been already 
 explained, with the punishment annexed to it ; 
 which will certainly, if seriously considered, abate 
 those fears which but too often possess devout 
 souls ; and, if they are in earnest, will be able to 
 turn their fears quite on the contrary side, and 
 make them apprehensive of provoking God, by 
 neglecting a positive command of our Saviour's by 
 Him laid upon all Christians. 
 
 It is not to be supposed that we must be perfect 
 and strong grown Christians before we partake of 
 these divine mysteries; it is enough we sincerely 
 desire to be such : and if so, we shall find the 
 
38 Objections against 
 
 frequent use of the holy Communion to be the most 
 effectual means to that purpose. We are here in a 
 vale of tears ; where shall we seek for comfort but 
 from the source of all joy and satisfaction ? We 
 are surrounded with a multitude of temptations ; 
 where shall we find strength to resist them but in 
 this divine armoury ? We are loaded with many 
 imperfections, and sometimes, by negligence or 
 surprise, fall a prey to the tempter : what so pro- 
 per to wash away our stain, as that precious inesti- 
 mable blood, which was shed to that very end and 
 purpose ? So that the very sense of our unworthi- 
 nessy if rightly applied, should quicken our zeal in 
 approaching frequently, that we might become 
 better. 
 
 Object. 2. Some object. That the frequent use of 
 the holy Sacrament may be apt to abate and dimi- 
 nish that reverence and respect which men ought to 
 have for it. 
 
 Answ. This objection is founded upon the expe- 
 rience men have, that their familiarity and intimate 
 converse with men and things in this world is apt 
 to diminish their value and respect for them ; not 
 considering that it is quite the contrary in spiritual 
 things, the frequent use whereof is the likeliest 
 means to increase our veneration and respect to- 
 wards them. An uninterrupted enjoyment of the 
 good things of this world may very well lessen our 
 esteem of them, because it convinces us they do not 
 administer that happiness which they promise : but 
 the more we employ ourselves in spiritual exercises, 
 we find they produce a satisfaction that rises above 
 what we expected, or worldly men can imagine. 
 The better we know men, the more we discover 
 their frailties and imperfections ; at a distance we 
 see only the brightness of their good qualities, but 
 a closer correspondence acquaints us with their 
 failings ; and therefore our famiharity with the 
 best of men may be apt to abate that respect we 
 
frequent Communion. 39 
 
 paid them at a distance, by reason of that mixture 
 
 of frailty which accompanies their ojreatest virtues. 
 
 I But the oftener we converse with God in his holy 
 
 I ordinances, the more we shall admire his divine 
 
 I perfections, and the more we shall be disposed to 
 
 ' conform ourselves to his likeness : for an object of 
 
 [ infinite perfection in itself, and of infinite goodness 
 
 ' to us, will always raise our admiration, and heighten 
 
 our respect and esteem the more we contemplate 
 
 it : it being the discovery of some imperfection, or 
 
 some flaw, where we thought there was none, that 
 
 lessens our esteem, and provokes our contempt. 
 
 Object. 3. Others pretend, That the custom 
 of frequent communion dimi?iishes the profit and 
 advantage that is to he reaped from that divine 
 institution. 
 
 Answ. This objection is founded upon the un- 
 happy temper of most men, who are apt to put the 
 greatest value upon things that are rare and un- 
 common, and to neglect, or at least to perform 
 \actions of the greatest consequence after a slight 
 jand careless manner when they frequently occur. 
 But if the fear of falling into this weakness were a 
 sufficient reason to abstain from frequent commu- 
 nion, it w^ould hold with as much force against fre- 
 quent prayer, which the precepts of the Gospel make 
 necessary ; and, therefore, as in praying often we 
 at length learn to pray well, so in frequently re- 
 ceiving the holy Sacrament, that fervour and appetite 
 sensibly increases, which is so necessary to make us 
 receive with advantage. If people reap no profit 
 I from their frequent communions, the fault must be 
 I laid upon the negligence of their lives, and upon 
 I the slight care they take in the examination of 
 I their consciences : and if, upon a strict inquiry, they 
 ' find any secret sin unrepented of, any habitual 
 neglect of their duty, this great bar to the influence 
 of grace must be removed. And if, after that, they 
 still make the same complaint, they must consider 
 
40 Frequent Communion useful and profitable. 
 
 what they mean by unprofitableness ; for it is cer- 
 tain, if we bring a right temper of mind, the body 
 and blood of Christ in the Sacrament is of great 
 profit and advantage to us. If we are penitent, it 
 seals to us the pardon of our sins ; if we are sincere, 
 it fortifies our resolutions ; if we believe, it 
 strengthens our faith ; and if we are real and in 
 earnest, it inflames our charity ; but if we think it 
 must cure us of all those imperfections which are 
 inseparable from the frailty of our nature, we de- 
 ceive ourselves. The best of Christians groan under 
 the perverseness and impotence of corrupt nature. 
 Or if we expect always those heavenly joys and 
 raptures which God is pleased sometimes to com- 
 municate to his faithful and devout servants, we are 
 too presumptuous ; God may deny us those fore- 
 tastes of bliss to keep us humble, and to quicken 
 our industry to attain them ; and if God does not 
 communicate Himself to us after that way and 
 manner our shallow reason thinks most desirable, 
 it does not become us to lay any blame upon this 
 divine ordinance, which is certainly in itself the 
 most efficacious means tomake us justand charitable, 
 pious and devout. And they that owe their ardours 
 : at the altar to their seldom approaching the holy 
 , table, have too much reason to conclude they are 
 i more affected from the rarity and unusualness of 
 . the action, than from the divine virtue that flows 
 ■ from it ; like those that converse seldom with men 
 , of great quality and title, the awe they feel of their 
 \ greatness proceeds more from their not being used 
 ; to frequent their company than from the opinion 
 of their true worth and dignity. So that these 
 people seem rather to be under the power of nature 
 than the influences of grace. 
 
 I am sure experience will inform us, that the 
 devoutest ages of the Church were those wherein 
 the practice of frequent communion most prevailed. 
 Never was there so much fervour and strictness of 
 
Objections against frequent Communion. 41 
 
 piety, as when the faithful met daily at the Lord's 
 table. And in the accounts we have of the greatest 
 saints, never any one excelled in the virtues of the 
 Christian life but what distinguished himself by 
 frequently nourishing his soul with this heavenly 
 banquet. 
 
 Nay, I dare appeal to those holy souls who live 
 under a strict sense of their duty in this particular, 
 and embrace all opportunities which the providence 
 of God offers them to commemorate the ineffable 
 love of their dying Redeemer ; whether they do not 
 find themselves more determined to be just in all 
 their dealings, and readier to relieve the necessities 
 of the poor ; whether their affections to the world 
 do not lose ground, and their desires towards 
 heaven do not grow more intense and vigorous ; 
 whether their passions are not more calm, and their 
 patience and submission to the will of God more 
 evident and conspicuous ; whether they are not 
 sensible of less fondness for life, less earnestness 
 for trifles, less desire of glory, less eagerness for 
 profit, and less concern for whatever the world most 
 esteems ? 
 
 Object. 4. It is farther objected. That men of 
 great business^ either in public or private affairs, 
 may justly be excused Jrom frequent communion^ 
 because they have not leisure to prepare for it. 
 
 Answ. Any business, though lawful in its own 
 nature, yet if prosecuted to such a degree as to 
 take men off from the care of their souls, ought to 
 be laid aside, because the salvation of our souls is 
 of much greater consequence than any affair that 
 relates to this world ; and wuse men proportion their 
 care of a thing according to its worth ; they do not 
 spend their time upon trifles, and neglect what may 
 be of the greatest consequence. I suppose they who 
 make this objection design to be saved, and there- 
 fore must own that their souls are of greater worth 
 than their bodies, and that they must certainly 
 
42 Objections against frequent Communion. 
 
 find a time to die, however careless and negligent 
 they may be in making a due preparation for it. 
 But besides, the care of our temporal concerns, 
 and our duty to God, are ver}^ consistent. A great 
 deal of business, and the duties of religion, may 
 stand together, provided we govern our affairs by 
 Christian principles. For though such men have not 
 leisure for so much actual preparation, yet they may 
 have all that habitual preparation upon which the 
 great stress ought to be laid in this matter. Nay, 
 even the conscientious discharge of their business 
 is an admirable qualification for receiving the sacra- 
 ment. A man is serving God when he follows his 
 calling with diligence, and observes justice and 
 equity in all his dealings, when he manages the 
 affairs of the public with fidelity and honesty ; with- 
 out selling justice, without oppression, and without 
 sacrificing them to his private interest. And the 
 greater dangers and temptations he is exposed to, 
 the greater need he has of God's grace and assist- 
 ance, which is abundantly communicated in this 
 holy ordinance. When we travel in ways frequented 
 by robbers, we go in well-armed and united com- 
 panies, that we may be the better able to defend 
 ourselves. So that the man of business, who has 
 any serious thoughts of another world, ought more 
 especially to lay hold on such opportunities, which 
 may secure him against those dangers he daily con- 
 verses with, and which may fortify him against those 
 watchful enemies that lie in wait to destroy him. 
 For as they who have leisure ought frequently to 
 receive the holy communion, as the best improve- 
 ment of their time ; so they that are engaged in 
 many worldly affairs ought to come often to the 
 Sacrament, and learn how to sanctify their employ- 
 ments. 
 
 Rubric after Object. 5. Others think they satis/?/ 
 the Commu- their duty in this particular ^ if they 
 iiion,ch.xxi. QQj^ipiy ^.iiii i]iQ command of the Church, 
 
Objections against frequent Communion, 43 
 
 which enjoins three times in the year, zvhereof Eas- 
 ier to be one, and so think themselves excused from 
 
 frequent communion. 
 
 Answ. These objectors against frequent commu- 
 nion quite mistake the sense of the Church in this 
 injunction, who in her exhortations excites us to 
 frequent communion ; and, therefore, in most pa- 
 rishes invites us at least every month, and in some 
 churches every Sunday, and every holy day ; espe- 
 cially in cathedrals, where all priests and 
 deacons are enjoined at least to receive ^"^^^l^^H 
 every Lord's day, excejit they have a nion. 
 reasonable cause to the contrary. All 
 that she says is, that Christians ought to communi- 
 cate at least three times in the year, as if that was 
 the minimum quod ; that is, the least that is abso- 
 lutely necessary to denominate us Christians ; which, 
 if w^e neglect, we deserve to be separated from that 
 body, whereof Christ is the head, and incur the 
 censures of the Church, which, when rightly dis- 
 pensed, are very terrible. I would fain know, if a 
 physician should tell a man that just so much is 
 absolutely necessary to maintain life, if he should 
 eat less he would not only endanger his health, but 
 run the hazard of starving himself; whether a man 
 that confines himself to such a method would be 
 thought to be in love with life, and whether those 
 that have good appetites could subsist under such a 
 discipline. It is just the same in our spiritual life ; 
 so many times communicating preserves us from 
 being separated from the body of Christ, which is 
 the life of a Christian : except we are members of 
 
 1 his body, we cannot in any ordinary way partake of 
 
 \ the favourable influences of the head ; but this is 
 not enough in order to our well-being. It is a sign 
 
 j that we are very weak and very imperfect Chris- 
 tians if we have so small an appetite for this spiri- 
 tual food: it is a sign we have little relish for the 
 things of God. Let us call to mind the fervours of 
 
4i The great Advantages 
 
 the primitive Christians, who made the commemo- 
 ration of our Saviour in the eucharist a constant 
 part of their public worship. As the primitive piety 
 decayed, so the means of maintaining it were less 
 frequented; and it was the bad lives of Christians, 
 and their total neglect of communicating, which 
 made the Church oblige them to receive at some 
 certain times, under the penalty of excommunica- 
 tion. And is it becoming a man that has any sense 
 of the excellency of this Christian institution, any 
 value for the privilege of being a disciple of the 
 crucified Jesus, any care of his salvation, an} desire 
 of being perfect as God is perfect, to excuse him- 
 self from a necessary duty by an injunction, which 
 was introduced by the indevotion of negligent Chris- 
 tians ? It is not enough that we are Christians; 
 we must grow in grace, and the man of God must 
 be made perfect ; of which, when we are once con- 
 vinced, we shall never neglect frequent communion, 
 because it is the most effectual means of attaining it. 
 
 Fourthly, I shall, in short, lay before you the 
 great advantages of frequent communion. 
 
 Our intimate converse with temporal things, and 
 our familiarity with the delights and satisfactions 
 of sense, are but too apt to take off our minds from 
 serious thoughts, and to impair that vigour and 
 resolution which ought to be employed about the 
 one thing necessary. Now, frequent communion 
 keeps a lively sense of religion upon our minds , and 
 invigorates them with fresh strength and power to 
 perform our duty. It is the proper nourishment of 
 our souls, without which we can no more maintain 
 our spiritual life, than we can our temporal without 
 eating and drinking. 
 
 As long as we carry these frail and sinful bodies 
 about us, the world, the flesh, and the devil, those 
 constant enemies to our true happiness, will be 
 making perpetual assaults upon our virtue, and using 
 their best endeavours to corrupt our innocence. 
 
of frequent Communion. 45 
 
 Now, frequent communion is the sovereign remedy 
 against all their temptations^ by mortifying our 
 passions, by spiritualizing our affections ; for how 
 can we yield to any sinful satisfactions that crucified 
 the Lord of glory, or fix our hearts upon perishing 
 objects, when God only deserves, as He requires, 
 the whole man ? 
 
 One of the great advantages of our Christianity 
 consists in being made members of Christ's mystical 
 body, by reason of those happy influences we derive 
 from our head : and our happiness depends upon 
 our enjoying this blessed privilege. Now, frequent 
 coxnmumon preserves this spiritual union inviolable^ 
 between Christ and all faithful Christians ; by a 
 mutual intercourse of goodness and compassion, in 
 pardoning our sins, strengthening our feeble virtues, 
 and in communicating heavenly joys and foretastes 
 of happiness ; and, on our side, by repeated acts of 
 adoration and thankfulness, of love and admiration, 
 of resignation and submission to his holy will, and 
 of sincere professions of constancy and perseverance 
 in his service. 
 
 We are convinced, by fatal experience, that 
 either through surprise, or the strength of tempta- 
 tion, we cannot always stand upright; that we do 
 those things we ought not to have done, and leave 
 undone the things which we ought to have done. 
 Now, this holy Sacrament perfects our repentance, 
 and ratifies and confirms to us the pardoji of our 
 sins ; repairs those breaches which our follies have 
 made in our souls, and applies to us in particular 
 that satisfaction which our Saviour made upon the 
 cross, and conveys to us the benefits of that all- 
 suflicient sacrifice, whereby God the Father is 
 rendered favourable and propitious to us miserable 
 sinners. 
 
 In this vale of tears, afflictions and calamities 
 are often the lot of the best of men. Now, where 
 shall we find comfort under these difficulties, or 
 
46 The Rules of the Church 
 
 strength to contend with thern^ but from that pro- 
 vision that is administered at God's table ; from 
 those sufferings which our Saviour endured for us, 
 and no ways deserved Himself? For who can com- 
 plain of affliction in any kind, that considers what 
 necessary correctives they are of our follies, what 
 noble improvements of our virtues, and what a 
 testimony they are of our love and affection to the 
 blessed Jesus, when borne with patience and sub- 
 mission ; and that withal remembers, that his Lord 
 and Master was made perfect through sufferings? 
 Besides, from this divine nourishment we receive 
 such comfortable impressions, as make the troubles 
 \ of this life lose their sting ; and it supplies us with 
 \ such inward delights as surpass ail expression, and 
 Kvhich are only felt by those that frequently make 
 the experiment. 
 
 This is the most proper method to make our 
 bodies temples of the Holy Ghost, and the most 
 effectual means to fit and prepare our souls for the 
 eternal enjoyment of God. 
 
 Fifthly, I shall show the particular care the 
 Church of England has taken to preveiit the profa- 
 nation of these holy mysteries. 
 
 Such is the wise discipline of our holy mother, 
 the Church of England, that both by her rubrics 
 and canons she trains us up, by gradual steps, 
 from our infancy to a worthy participation of this 
 Christian sacrifice. For in our baptism she re- 
 quires sponsors who shall stipulate for us, and 
 give security for our Christian education in the 
 doctrines of Christianity, and in the communion of 
 the Catholic Church ; they being engaged not only 
 to instruct us in all the necessary points 
 Exhortation at ^f faith, but are charged to take care, 
 
 the end of pub- ^ Hu j.\- F i i i . 
 
 lie baptism. when we are fit, that we be brought 
 
 to i\\Q Bishop for confirmation. This is 
 
 an additional security to that duty, which nature 
 
 and Christianity have laid upon parents, and a 
 
ahovt Communicants, 47 
 
 happy provision in case of their mortality. And 
 not the sureties only, but the parish priest or 
 curate is particularly enjoined to catechise^ to in- 
 struct, to examine the youth, and the ijx i i • 
 common people, in the principles of the 
 Chrisiianreligion, according to the Church Catechism; 
 which Catechism is an excellent abridgment of all 
 those things which are necessary to be believed 
 and practised in order to the welfare of our souls. 
 And farther, the Church requires that none be 
 presented to the Bishop for confirma- 
 tion, /z'// they can give an account of their fj^fcatecldsm. 
 faith; of which the minister, who is to 
 present them, is to be the judge ; and not even 
 then to be confirmed, unless the Bishop approves 
 of them, which supposes some trial and examina- 
 tion on his part. To all this she prudently adds 
 this important rule, that none he ad- 
 mitted to the holy communion, until such ^j"^ Cummmion 
 time as they he confirmed, or he ready or 
 desirous to he confirmed : the great reason whereof 
 is, that she may be satisfied, that those who pro- 
 mised by their sureties in Baptism, do renew and 
 confirm the contract then made, and that they will 
 evermore endeavour themselves faithfully to ob- 
 serve such things as, by their own confession, they 
 have assented unto. And still, to preserve the 
 dignity of the holy Sacrament, her ministers are 
 obliged, according to the direction of the ancient 
 canons, as well as our own, to admit Can. xxvi. 
 no notorious offenders or declared schis- xxvii. 
 matics to the participation of it. That this method 
 may be more effectual, and that no unqualified 
 person may surreptitiously intrude, strangers from 
 other parishes are not to he received to the 
 holy communion; and as many as intend 
 to be partakers of it, shall signify their j^^^^ ^j^^ ^y_ 
 names to the curate at least some time the brie before the 
 day bejore; that notorious ill livers may Communmi. 
 
48 The Manner of receiving 
 
 be admonished of their faults, and that such 
 as live in malice and hatred, and are at variance 
 with one another, may be reconciled, and give 
 proofs of their repentance, before they presume 
 to come and offer their gifts. When warning is 
 given for the celebration of the holy communion, 
 the whole congregation is put in mind of their duty 
 by a pathetical exhortation. And if any have such 
 a sense of their sins, that they cannot quiet their 
 own consciences, the}^ are advised to consult their 
 spiritual guides, and to open their grief, that they 
 may receive ghostly counsel and advice, with the 
 benefit of absolution. And even in the beginning 
 of the communion service, the priest that officiates 
 lays before the communicants the danger of un- 
 worthy receiving, and invites only such to approach 
 as have the requisite qualifications. So that if 
 pious education, if the solemn ratifying our baptismal 
 voWy if conference with bur spiritual guides, if a 
 ipavticular prohibition of notorious offenders, and the 
 earnest exhortations of our pastors, can secure these 
 holy inysteries from being abused, it must be owned 
 our Church has taken sufficient care to prevent it. 
 Let them only consider who neglect the observance 
 of such admirable rules, how they will be able to 
 answer it at the great day ; and how far they are 
 guilty of those profanations, which they might 
 prevent by a due discharge of what the Church 
 requires from them, and which they are under 
 such strict obligations to observe ; and how far they 
 give occasion by their neglect to those schisms, 
 which are made upon the pretence of the scan- 
 dalous practises of that kind. 
 
 Sixthly, I shall add some directions as to the 
 manner of performing this duty of receiving the 
 holy Sacrament, with suitable devotions on such 
 occasions. 
 
 As to the reverence of our bodies, our outward 
 behaviour ought to be governed by such measures 
 
the Holy Sacrament. 49 
 
 as the Church directs. For this reason, as well as 
 because it is the humblest posture, we must receive 
 the holy Sacrament upon our knees, which is most 
 proper, when we are at the same time making our 
 addresses to the great Majesty of heaven and earth. 
 And as we are to kneel or stand as the Church 
 directs, so I think it is fit we should not deviate 
 from some devout customs that are so established 
 by ancient and general practice, which in time to 
 come may have the force of a law. It is by such 
 rules that a beautiful uniformity is created in our 
 deportment, as well as in our petitions. And all 
 our different postures ought to be used with such 
 gravity and seriousness as may demonstrate how 
 intently we are engaged in this Christian sacrifice ; 
 and yet without such affectations and particulari- 
 ties as are apt to disturb those that are near us, 
 and give occasion to others to suspect us, as acting 
 a formal hypocritical part. To this end, when we 
 put our bodies into a praying posture, with which 
 I think leaning and lolling seems very inconsistent, 
 we should do well, when upon our knees, to fix our 
 eyes downward, that we may not be diverted by 
 any objects near us ; at the same time resolving not 
 to suffer them to gaze about, whereby they do but 
 fetch in matter for wandering thoughts. A farther 
 help to this attention is great silence ; therefore we 
 should never join aloud with the minister, but where 
 it is enjoined, endeavouring to make the rest our 
 own, by a hearty Amen. The same care should be 
 taken about those private prayers we make use of 
 at the altar, which ought to be pronounced so 
 softly, that they may not disturb the devotion of 
 our fellow- Christians that are near us. We must 
 particularly remember, not to repeat after the mi- 
 nister what peculiarly relates to his office : which 
 I mention the rather, because I have frequently 
 observed some devout people following him that 
 ofiiciates, in the Exhortation and Absolution, as well 
 [96] D 
 
50 Manner of receiving the Holy Sacrament, 
 
 as the Confession ; which, if tlioroughly considered, 
 must be judged a very absurd and improper ex- 
 pression of the people's devotion, because a distin- 
 guishing mark of the Priest's office. 
 
 As to the reverence of our minds, it ought to con- 
 sist in such intenseness and application of thought^ 
 as may engage our hearts as well as our lips in 
 this solemn service ; in such fervency of affection, 
 and in such a measure o^ importuiiity , as may show 
 how desirous we are of the mercy which we re- 
 quest, and how highly we value and esteem what 
 we ask for. To this end we ought with great 
 attention to accompany the man of God that ad- 
 ministers, throughout the whole office, which is 
 admirably framed and composed to express all 
 those pious dispositions and devout affisctions, 
 which well-prepared minds ought to exercise upon 
 such occasions. Thus our repentance in the Confes- 
 sion and Absolution ; our charity in relieving our 
 poor brethren by a liberal offering, in praying for 
 all conditions of men, and in forgiving those that 
 have offended us ; our humility in acknowledging 
 our own unworthiness; our resolutions of better 
 obedience in presenting ourselves reasonable, holy, 
 and lively sacrifices unto God; our praises and 
 thanksgivings in the hymns, and devotions after the 
 holy communion : and when others are communi- 
 cating, we may enlarge ourselves upon these sub- 
 jects, always taking care tliat our private devotions 
 give place to those that are public, and that we 
 may lay aside our prayers, when the minister calls 
 upon us to join with him. 
 
DEVOTIONS FOR THE ALTAR. 
 
 When the sermon is ended, we should endea- 
 vour, as soon as we can, to compose ourselves for 
 the devout celebration of the Christian Sacrifice ; 
 and while the minister is preparing himself to attend 
 the holy table, that time, before the communion 
 office begins, may be well employed in imploring 
 God's grace to assist us in the right discharge 
 of that holy service we are about to perform. 
 
 A Prayer to prepare our minds for the devout cele- 
 bration of the holy mysteries. 
 
 Almighty God, by whose great bounty and 
 infinite goodness I have now an opportunity offered 
 me of approaching thy altar, and of pleading 
 before Thee the prevailing merits of the death and 
 passion of thy Son Jesus Christ ; I am sensible, O 
 Lord, of my great unworthiness to partake of this 
 Christian sacrifice ; but the positive command of 
 my blessed Saviour, when He was about to lay down 
 his life for my sake, has made it absolutely neces- 
 sary ; and the many spiritual wants I labour under, 
 oblige me to apply to this sovereign remedy to 
 repair those breaches my sinful follies have made 
 in my soul. 
 
 Assist me, therefore, O Lord, with thy Holy 
 Spirit in the duty and service I am about to per- 
 form ; grant that nothing, during all the time of 
 this holy action, may make me forfeit that reve- 
 d2 
 
52 Devotions f 07' the Altar, 
 
 rence and respect which I owe unto thy divine 
 majesty, or that attention which becomes the cele- 
 bration of these holy mysteries. Touch me with 
 such an awe of thy presence as may fix my wan- 
 dering thoughts, compose my tumultuous aifec- 
 tions, stir up mj flat and cold desires, that I may 
 feel the power, and taste the sweetness, of this 
 divine banquet. 
 
 That I may have such a sense of mj Saviour's 
 sufferings, as may fill my soul with love and grati- 
 tude towards Him for those inestimable benefits 
 He has purchased for me ; that I may have such a 
 sight of my sins which occasioned all his sorrows, 
 as heartily to bewail and detest them ; such a faith 
 in that full perfect oblation and satisfaction made 
 upon the cross for the sins of the whole world, that 
 I may so importunately plead the merit of it in 
 this commemoration of that sacrifice, as to render 
 Thee gracious and propitious to me a miserable 
 sinner; such a conviction of my own weakness and 
 insufficiency, as may procure thy gracious aid and 
 assistance ; such longing desires of being made 
 conformable to thy holy will and pleasure, as may 
 transform me into thy divine image, and fix me to 
 continue thy faithful servant all the remaining days 
 of my life. 
 
 I profess, O Lord, a firm and vigorous resolution 
 to resist all impertinent thoughts or wicked sugges- 
 tions that may any ways oppose my holy purposes; 
 I will never consent to them ; my sincere design is 
 to oflTer Thee a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving ; 
 to love and adore Thee as the God of my life, as my 
 portion which I have chosen in the land of the 
 living; and which I humbly beg may be my hap- 
 piness to all eternity, through the merits of Jesus 
 Christ my Saviour. Amen. 
 
 The Communion Service begins with some sen- 
 teiices collected out of the Holy Scriptures, proper 
 
Devotions for the Jltar, 53 
 
 for the occasion ; which do with great energy 
 enforce the duty of charity, which we are called 
 upon to exercise at this time. The oblations of 
 the primitive Christians were upon such occasions 
 offered in such great abundance, that their clergy 
 were thereby liberally maintained, and all neces- 
 saries provided for divine administrations, as well 
 as for the relief of the poor; but now that a stated 
 maintenance is settled upon those that wait at the 
 altar, these collections are particularly applied to 
 the sup[)ort of the necessitous. 
 
 This should make us more liberal in the perform- 
 ance of our alms-deeds at the altar, to which the 
 following sentences exhort us both from command 
 and exarmple; by showing us how reasonable it is 
 in itself, how acceptable to God, and how pro- 
 fitable to us both in this life and the next ; by re- 
 presenting to us the great sin, as well as danger of 
 omitting it. They farther instruct us in the objects 
 that are to be supported by our oblations, which are 
 the clergy, and all the poor, especially Christians; 
 in the measures of it, liberality and cheerfulness; 
 and lay down the end we ought to propose to our- 
 selves, which is the glory of God. All these sen- 
 tences are read by the minister during the collec- 
 tion, with such a pause generally between each 
 text, that the communicants have leisure to make 
 a short meditation upon each of them, of which I 
 shall give an example for the assistance of those 
 that want such helps. 
 
 1. Let your light so shine before men, that 
 they may see your good works, and glorify your 
 Father which is in heaven. St. Matt. v. 16. 
 
 Grant, O God, that I may set that example of 
 
 charity to my neighbour which thou requirest, 
 
 that it may redound to thy honour and glory, 
 
 from whom I receive the power to do any thing 
 
 D 3 
 
54 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 that is good, and that by such visible effects of thy 
 grace, my neighbour may be attracted to know 
 and love thee. 
 
 *2. Lay not up for yourselves treasure upon 
 the earthy where the rust and moth doth corrupt^ 
 and where thieves break through and steal ; but 
 lay tip for yourselves treasures in heaven, where 
 neither rust nor moth doth corrupt, and where 
 thieves do not break through nor steal. St. 
 Matt. vi. 19, 20. 
 
 I renounce, O Lord, all inordinate affections to 
 the things of this world, which are fading in their 
 nature, and liable to innumerable accidents. I 
 will fix my mind upon the enjoyments of thy 
 kingdom, which are everlasting, and prepare my- 
 self for them, by doing good to the souls and 
 bodies of men. 
 
 3. Whatsoever ye would that men should do 
 unto you, even so do unto them, for this is the 
 law and the prophets. St. Matt. vii. 1*2. 
 
 Let this golden rule, O Lord, govern all my 
 actions, let me relieve the necessities of my fellow- 
 Christians, because I should expect support if I 
 were in their circumstances ; this is moreover the 
 best expression of my love to Him, wherein thou 
 hast made so great a part of religion to consist. 
 
 4. Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, 
 Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, 
 but he that doeth the will of my Father which is 
 in heaven. St. Matt. vii. 2 1 . 
 
 We are happy upon any terms, O blessed Jesus, 
 to be admitted into thy kingdom: the belief of 
 thy holy doctrine shall appear in my life and con- 
 versation, and I will use all the means of grace 
 thou hast established, in order to purify my cor- 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 55 
 
 rupt nature, and to enable me to do the will of 
 thy heavenly Father. 
 
 5. Zaccheus stood forth mid said unto the 
 Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I 
 give to the poor, and if I have done any ivrong 
 to any man, L restore fourfold. St. Luke 
 xix, 8. 
 
 I am resolved, O Lord, to perfect my repent- 
 ance by restoring to the right owner whatever I 
 unjustly possess, by making satisfaction to those I 
 have any ways wronged, and by showing mercy 
 to the poor, which will entitle me to thy mercy, 
 
 Lord, when I stand most in need of it. 
 
 6. Who goeth a warfare at any time of his 
 own costf ivho planteth a vineyard, and eateth 
 not of the fruit thereof? orwhofeedeth a flock, 
 and eateth not of the milk of the flock f 1 Cor. 
 ix. 7. 
 
 May thy officers, O Lord, in their spiritual war- 
 fare, be always supported ; may the husbandmen 
 of thy vineyard be plentifully rewarded; and may 
 the pastors of thy flock receive abundant recom- 
 pense for all their care and pains ! 
 
 7. Lfwe have sown unto you spiritual things, 
 is it a great matter if we shall reap your worldly 
 things f 1 Cor. ix. 11. 
 
 Grant that I may always reverence thy priests, 
 because they have a peculiar relation to Thee ; that 
 
 1 may sincerel}' love them, and cheerfully provide 
 for their maintenance, because of those great bene- 
 fits I receive from their administrations. 
 
 8. Do ye not know, that they who minister 
 about holy things, live of the sacrifice, and they 
 who wait at the altar, are partakers with the 
 
 D 4 
 
5G Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 altar f even so hath the Lord also ordained, that 
 they who preach the Gospel should live of the 
 Gospel, 1 Cor. ix. 13, 14. 
 
 Under the legal dispensation thou didst particu- 
 larly, O Lord, provide for thy holy ones. Under 
 the Gospel thou hast declared thy labourers worthy 
 of their hire. Let me religiously observe what thou 
 hast ordained, that I may never deprive them of 
 their just rights by any sacrilegious encroachments, 
 but be ready always to contribute to their comfort- 
 able subsistence. 
 
 9. He that soweth little, shall reap little, and 
 he that soweth plenteously shall reap plenteouslij : 
 let every man do according as he is disposed in 
 his heart, not (jriidginfjly, or of necessity ; for 
 God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Cor. ix. 6, 7. 
 
 In my distributions to thy ministers, and to the 
 poor members ot thy body, let, O Lord, the will- 
 ingness of my mind, and the largeness of the gift, 
 recommend the offering ; that I may never confine 
 myself to the narrowest measures, but rather exer- 
 cise self-denial in order to relieve them ; for thy 
 bounty, which suffers not the least service to lose 
 its reward, will more abundantly recompense our 
 larger charities. 
 
 10. Let him that is taught in the word, min- 
 ister unto him that teacheth in all good things. 
 Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for what- 
 soever a man soweth, that shall he reap. Gal. 
 vi. 6, 7. 
 
 Thou hast, O Lord, rejoiced the heart of thy 
 servant with a knowledge of thy heavenly truth ; 
 as I desire to render praise to thy goodness for this 
 great blessing, so 1 desire to be thankful to the 
 instruments of this thy favour, that their lives may 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 57 
 
 be made easy and comfortable, whom Thou hast 
 ordained for men in things pertaining to thyself. 
 
 11. While ive have tirne^ let us do good unto 
 all men, and specially unto them that are of the 
 household of faith. Gal. vi. 10. 
 
 Make me, O Lord, ready to embrace all occa- 
 sions of doing good to all men, because they are 
 thy creatures; but let the members of the same 
 body, all necessitous Christians particularly, share 
 in my beneficence ; for they are the peculiar objects 
 of thy mercy and tenderness. 
 
 12. Godliness is great riches, if .a man be 
 content with that he hath ; for ive drought 
 nothing into the world, neither may we carry 
 any thing out. 1 Tim. vi. 6, 7. 
 
 Our happiness, O Lord, consists not in our abun- 
 dance of riches, but in the discharge of a good con- 
 science towards God and man, and in submission to 
 thy holy will. Let my care be for those things 
 which will last for ever, and not for the perishing 
 things of this life, which death will certainly strip 
 me of. 
 
 13. Charge them ivho are rich in this world, 
 that they he ready to give, and glad to distribute; 
 laying up in store for themselves a good foun- 
 dation against the time to come, that they may 
 attain eternal life. 1 Tim. vi. 17 — 19. 
 
 O my God, as I enjoy large effects of thy bounty, 
 so grant that I may rejoice the heart of my poor 
 neighbours by a plentiful distribution ; this will 
 make my wealth a true blessing in this world, and 
 through thy infinite mercy secure the happiness of 
 the next. 
 
 14. God is not unrighteous, that he will for- 
 get your works and labour that proceedeth of 
 
 D 5 
 
58 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 love ; wJiich love ye have showed for his nam^s 
 sake, who have ministered unto the saints, and 
 yet do minister. Heb. vi. 10. 
 
 There is no merit in our best works, O Lord, 
 but we hope for a reward fiom thy goodness 
 which hath promised, and from thy truth which 
 will perform it. Let but love animate our offer- 
 ings, and we are assured thou wilt cast a favour- 
 able eye towards them. 
 
 1 5. To do good, and to distribute, forget not, 
 for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 
 
 Heb. xiii. 16. 
 
 Do I know sacrifices, O my God, that will please 
 Thee, and shall I not offer them i O how happy 
 dost Thou make thy poor creatures, in putting it 
 into their power to do any thing that is acceptable 
 to Thee! I will readily catch at every opportunity 
 of doing good to the souls and bodies of men, for 
 therein'is thy delight. 
 
 1 6. Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth 
 his brother have need, and sJmtteth up his com- 
 passion from him, how dwelletli the love of God 
 in him? 1 St. John ill. 17. 
 
 In vain I pretend to love Thee, O my God, if my 
 necessitous brother finds not the effect of it. Thy 
 providence has made him the object of my charity, 
 and Thou hast thereby consulted my greater good, 
 in giving me thereby an occasion to testify the truth 
 of my love towards Thee. 
 
 17. Give alms of thy goods, and never turn 
 thy face from any foor man, and then the face 
 of the Lord shall not be turned aioay from thee^ 
 tobit iv. 7. 
 
 I am undone, O Lord, except Thou lookest upon 
 me with an eye of mercy : therefore will I regard 
 
Devotions for the Altar, 59 
 
 the cry of the poor, because the merciful shall 
 obtain mercy. 
 
 ] 8. Be merciful after tliij power; if thou hast 
 much, give ple7iteousk/ ; if thou hast little, do thy 
 diligence gladly to give of that little ; for so 
 gather est thou thyself a good reward in the day 
 of necessity. To bit iv. 8, 9. 
 
 'Tis fit, O Lord, that Thou who givest me all 
 shouldest be acknowledged with a proportionable 
 share ; and yet so great is thy goodness, that Thou 
 revvardest the small returns we are able to make 
 with comfort and support in the day of necessity, 
 and in the hour of death. 
 
 1 9. He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth 
 unto the Lord ; and look what he layeth out, it 
 shall be paid him again. Prov. xix. 17. 
 
 What hast Thou not done, O Lord, to 'provoke 
 me to good works? Thou condescendest to be a 
 debtor to thine own creatures, and I should be 
 justly counted worse than a brute, could I refuse 
 to lend upon such advantageous terms. 
 
 20. Blessed be the man that provideth for the 
 sick and needy, the Lord shall deliver him in the 
 time of trouble. Psalm xli. \. 
 
 'Tis thy blessing, O Lord, alone, that can make 
 us happy; let me never be so much wanting to 
 myself, as to neglect those means Thou hast pre- 
 scribed in order to attain it. 
 
 While the minister reads these exhortations to 
 charity, the communicants make their offerings, 
 which ought to be done with a short prayer for 
 God's acceptance. 
 
 d6 
 
60 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 A Prayer when we offer our Alms. 
 
 • I ACKNOWLEDGE, O Lord, that all I possess is 
 the effect of thy bounty: it is from Thee I have 
 received it, and to thy hol}^ name be the glory. 
 Accept of this free-will offering from my hands, as 
 a testimony of thy right to all I enjoy, and as an 
 exercise of that love and charity to my necessitous 
 brethren, which Thou requirest, and art pleased to 
 take as done to thyself. O my God, I am resolved 
 to prefer my duty before any temporal satisfaction, 
 because thy favour is better than life ; I will dedi- 
 cate a part of those good things Thou hast bestowed 
 upon me to relieve the poor, because Thou hast 
 made it an evidence of my love to Thee. And 
 grant that all my alms-deeds may be performed 
 with such purity and intention of mind, and with 
 such a proportion to what Thou hast given me, that 
 they may be acceptable in thy sight, through the 
 merits of Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. 
 Amen, 
 
 When the Offertory is finished, the Priest desires 
 God to accept of our alms, and of those oblations 
 of bread and wine, which he is now about to con- 
 secrate, whereby they may become to us the body 
 and blood of Christ ; in which we are to join with 
 the greater fervour, because we are so particularly 
 concerned in the acceptance of those holy gifts. 
 And at this time it is that we exercise another sort 
 of charity, by offering up our intercessions for the 
 Church militant, for all estates and conditions of 
 men, tnat God would be pleased to hear us for 
 them, by virtue of the sacrifice of his Son which 
 we are about to commemorate. And we now thank 
 God for all his servants departed this life in his 
 faith and fear, becnuse it is by virtue of the same 
 sacrifice they will obtain their perfect consumma- 
 
Devotions for the Altar, 61 
 
 tion and bliss. How conformable this is to the 
 practice of the ancient Church, is well known to 
 those who are skilled in ecclesiastical history. 
 
 Let us pray for the whole state of Christ's 
 Church militant here in earth. 
 
 Almighty and everliving God, who by thy 
 holy Apostle hast taught us to make prayers 
 and supplications, and to give thanks for all 
 men : we humbly beseech thee most merci- 
 fully [* to accept our alms and * // there he no 
 oblations, and'\ to receive these J,^- X'// Twi 
 our pravers which we offer unto [of accepting our 
 thy divine Majesty, beseeching tZ) tf./t 
 thee to inspire continually the unsaid. 
 universal Church with the Spirit of truth, 
 unity, and concord : and grant that all they 
 that do confess thy holy name may agree in 
 the truth of thy holy word, and live in unity 
 and godly love. We beseech thee, also, to 
 save and defend all Christian Kings, Princes, 
 and Governors ; and specially thy servant 
 Victoria our Queen, that under her we 
 may be godly and quietly governed : and 
 grant unto her whole council, and to all that 
 are put in authority under her, that they may 
 truly and indifferently minister justice, to the 
 punishment of wickedness and vice, and to 
 the maintenance of thy true religion and 
 •virtue. Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all 
 Bishops and Curates, that they may both by 
 their life and doctrine set forth thy true and 
 lively word, and rightly and duly administer 
 
62 Devotions f 07' the Altar. 
 
 thy holy sacraments. And to all thy people 
 give thy heavenly grace ; and especially to 
 this congregation here present, that' with 
 meek heart and due reverence they may hear 
 and receive thy holy word, truly serving thee 
 in holiness and righteousness all the days of 
 their life ; and we most humbly beseech thee, 
 of thy goodness, O Lord, to comfort and 
 succour all them who in this transitory life 
 are in trouble, sorrow^ need, sickness, or any 
 other adversity. And we also bless thy holy 
 name, for all thy servants departed this life 
 in thy faith and fear : beseeching thee to give 
 us grace so to follow their good examples, 
 that with them we may be partakers of thy 
 heavenly kingdom. Grant this, O Father, 
 for Jesus Christ's sake, our only Mediator and 
 Advocate. Ame7i. 
 
 While the Priest says the Exhortation and the 
 Invitation, we should stand with great reverence, 
 and attend to those advantages which he declares 
 to be the portion of worthy communicants, and 
 comfort ourselves with our pious resolutions against 
 the dangers those incur that receive unworthily ; 
 and at the same time look inward upon ourselves, 
 to see how far we come up to the qualifications of 
 those that are invited to draw nigh, and to receive 
 with comfort. 
 
 At the time of the celebration of the Commmiion, 
 the coinmunicants being conveniently placed 
 for the receiving of the Holy Sacrament, the 
 Priest shall say this Exhortation, 
 
 Dearly beloved in the Lord, ye that mind 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 63 
 
 to come to the holy communion of the body 
 and blood of our Saviour Christ, must con- 
 sider how St. Paul exhorteth all persons 
 diligently to try and examine themselves, 
 before they presume to eat of that bread 
 and drink of that cup. For as the benefit is 
 great, if with a true penitent heart and lively 
 faith we receive that holy Sacrament (for 
 then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, 
 and drink his blood; then w^e dwell in Christ, 
 and Christ in us ; we are one with Christ, 
 and Christ with us) ; so is the danger great, 
 if we receive the same unworthily. For 
 then we are guilty of the body and blood of 
 Christ our Saviour ; we eat and drink our 
 own damnation, not considering the Lord's 
 body ; we kindle God's wrath against us, we 
 provoke Him to plague us with divers dis- 
 eases, and sundry kinds of death. Judge, 
 therefore, yourselves, brethren, that ye be not 
 judged of the Lord ; repent you truly for your 
 sins past; have a lively and stedfast faith in 
 Christ our Saviour ; amend your lives, and be 
 in perfect charity ^^ ith all men ; so shall ye 
 be meet partakers of those holy mysteries. 
 And above all things we must give most 
 humble and hearty thanks to God the Father, 
 the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for the re- 
 demption 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 sin- 
 ners ; who lay in darkness and the shadow of 
 
G4 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 death, that He might make us the children 
 of God, and exalt us to everlasting life. And 
 to the end that we should always remember 
 the exceeding great love of our Master and 
 only Saviour Jesus Christ thus dying for us, 
 and the innumerable benefits which by his 
 precious blood-shedding He hath obtained to 
 us ; He hath instituted and ordained holy 
 mysteries as pledges of his love, and for a 
 continual remembrance of his death, to our 
 great and endless comfort. To Him, there- 
 fore, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, 
 let us give (as we are most bounden) con- 
 tinual thanks, submitting ourselves wholly to 
 his holy will and pleasure, and studying to 
 serve Him in true holiness and righteousness 
 all the days of our life. Amen. 
 
 Then shall the Priest say to them that come to 
 receive the Holy Communion, 
 
 Ye that do truly and earnestly repent you of 
 your sins, and are in love and charity with 
 your neighbours, and intend to lead a new 
 life, following the commandments of God, and 
 walking from henceforth in his holy ways ; 
 draw near with faith, and take this holy 
 Sacrament to your comfort ; and make your 
 humble confession to Almighty God, meekly 
 kneeling upon your knees. 
 
 We must make our Confession, which follows 
 next, in the humblest posture of kneeling, repeat- 
 ing the words after the minister with great sorrow 
 
Devotions for the Altar, Qo 
 
 of heart for the many heinous offences we have 
 been guilty of, and must be sure that the inward 
 sense of our minds answers the propriety of those 
 expressions which the Church puts into our 
 mouths, that while we draw near unto God with 
 our lips, our hearts may not be far from Him. 
 
 Then shall this general Confession be made in 
 the name of all those that are minded to re- 
 ceive the holy Communion^ by one of the 
 Ministers, both he and all the people kneel- 
 ing humbly upon their knees, and saying. 
 
 Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, Maker of all things. Judge of all 
 men ; we acknowledge and bewail our mani- 
 fold sins and wickedness, which we from time 
 to time most grievously have committed, by 
 thought, word, and deed, against thy divine 
 Majesty : provoking most justly thy wrath 
 and indignation against us. We do earnestly 
 repent, and are heartily sorry for these our 
 misdoings ; the remembrance of them is 
 grievous unto us ; the burden of them is in- 
 tolerable. Have mercy upon us, have mercy 
 upon us, most merciful Father ; for thy Son 
 our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, forgive us all 
 that is past, and grant that we may, ever 
 hereafter serve and please Thee in newness 
 of life, to the honour and glory of thy name, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, 
 
 When the Absolution is pronounced, we must 
 keep ourselves in great silence, and in an humble 
 posture, while we are receiving so great a blessing. 
 For here we must not repeat the words after the 
 
66 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 minister, because it is a peculiar part of the priestly 
 office to absolve; but we must be sure at the end of 
 the Absolution to offer up a hearty Amen, that God 
 would be pleased to confirm in heaven what He 
 has given his ministers authority to pronounce on 
 earth. 
 
 Then shall the Priest (or Bishop being present) 
 stand up, and turning himself to the People, 
 pronounce this Absolution : 
 
 Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of 
 his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of 
 sins to all them that with hearty repentance 
 and true faith turn unto Him ; have mercy 
 upon you, pardon and deliver you from all 
 your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all 
 goodness, and bring you to everlasting life, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, 
 
 After the Absolution^ the Church has provided 
 us with some choice portions of Scripture, to beget 
 in us a lively faith and firm persuasion of God's 
 mercy and forgiveness towards penitent sinners, to 
 the end that their hopes may be revived, and that 
 the comfort of the absolution may be confirmed to 
 them. 
 
 If the communicants have time to make any 
 reflection upon these texts, it may be done in the 
 following manner. 
 
 Come unto me all that travail and are heavy 
 laden, and I will refresh ijou, St. Matt. xi. 
 
 28. 
 
 In obedience to thy call, O blessed Jesus, I ap- 
 proach unto thee ! I must confess the sense of my 
 many and great follies oppresses me and covers me 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 67 
 
 with confusion ; but thy pardon and forgiveness 
 will restore joy and gladness to my soul. 
 
 So God loved the world, that he gave his 
 only-begotten Son, to the end that all that believe 
 in him should not perish, but have everlasting 
 life. St. John ill. 16. 
 
 No greater evidence of thy love, O Lord, can be 
 desired than the sacrifice of thy Son ; O ! qualify 
 my soul to receive the benefit of it by a firm and 
 immovable faith in the merits of his death, that I 
 may escape those punishments my sins deserve, 
 and obtain that salvation thou hast graciously 
 promised. 
 
 This is a true saying, and worthy of all men 
 to be received, that Christ Jesus came into the 
 world to save sinners, 1 Tim. i. 15. 
 
 A most blessed and joyful truth, which I will 
 firmly believe, because revealed from above. Thou, 
 O blessed Jesus, wert made manifest to destroy 
 the works of the devil, and to release me from the 
 punishment due to my sins ; let my true repentance 
 make me a fit object of thy mercy, and then, even 
 my sins shall not deprive me of the hopes of thy 
 favour. 
 
 If any man sin, we have an advocate with 
 the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, aiid he 
 is the propitiation for our sins. 1 St. John 
 ii. 1. 
 
 Blessed God ! who hast not left us without a 
 remedy, when our spiritual enemies prevail ao^ainst 
 us ; I will not despair of thy mercy, since the im- 
 maculate Jesus intercedes for me : let the merit of 
 his sufferings plead for the acceptance of my peni- 
 tential sorrow, and convey to me strength and 
 power to serve Thee better for the time to come. 
 
68 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 We have been hitherto employed in hearing our 
 duty, exercising our charity, professing our repent- 
 ance, and strengthening our faith in the goodness 
 of God. We are now called upon to praise Him, 
 and to lift up our hearts to Him : which made so 
 constant a part of this solemn service, that all the 
 ancient liturgies agree in this form, which our 
 Church retains. And indeed when our consciences 
 are eased by repentance, and quieted by pardon, 
 we have great reason joyfully to acknowledge the 
 bounty of our Benefactor, And this Exhortation 
 hath not only a respect to the duty of praise, but 
 seems to require the dismissing of all worldly 
 thoughts, that we may the better fix our minds 
 upon the holy mysteries. It is the Christian's call 
 to attend with great seriousness and devotion upon 
 the solemn service he is engaged in ; and, therefore, 
 we must take care, when we declare with our lips, 
 that we lift up our hearts to the Lord, that we be 
 sincere in our professions. 
 
 After which the Priest shall proceed, saying. 
 
 Lift up your hearts. 
 
 Answ. We lift them up unto the Lord. 
 Priest. Let us give thanks unto our Lord 
 God. 
 
 Answ. It is meet and right so to do. 
 
 Then shall the Priest turn to the Lord's Table, 
 and say. 
 
 It is very meet, right, and our bounden 
 duly, that we should at all times, and in all 
 * These words places, givo thauks unto Thee, O 
 i'°'L':'':?'r.L<»-d, *holy Father, Almighty, 
 nity Sunday. everlastlug God. 
 
Devotions for the Altar, 69 
 
 Here shall follozv the 'proper Preface according 
 to tlie thne, if there be any specially ap- 
 pointed : or else immediately shall follow^ 
 
 Therefore with angels and archangels, and 
 with all the company of heaven, we laud and 
 magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising 
 Thee, and saying. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God 
 of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy 
 glory. Glory be to Thee, O Lord most high. 
 Amen, 
 
 Proper Prefaces. 
 
 Upon Christmas-day^ and seven days after. 
 
 Because Thou didst give Jesus Christ thine 
 only Son to be born as at this time for us, 
 who by the operation of the Holy Ghost was 
 made very man of the substance of the Vir- 
 gin Mary his mother, and that without spot of 
 n, to make us clean from all sin. Therefore 
 with angels, &c. 
 
 Upon Easter-day, and seven days after. 
 
 But chiefly are we bound to praise Thee for 
 the glorious resurrection of thy Son Jesus 
 Christ our Lord ; for He is the very Paschal 
 Lamb, which w^as offered for us, and hath 
 taken away the sin of the world ; who by his 
 death hath destroyed death, and by his rising 
 to life again hath restored to us everlasting- 
 life. Therefore with angels, &c. 
 
70 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 Upon Ascension-day, and seven days after. 
 
 Through thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus 
 Christ our Lord, who after his most glorious 
 resurrection manifestly appeared to all his 
 Apostles, and in their sight ascended up into 
 heaven to prepare a place for us, that where 
 He is, thither we might also ascend, and 
 reign with Him in glory. Therefore with 
 angels, &c. 
 
 Upon Whit-Sunday, and sicV days after. 
 
 Through Jesus Christ our Lord, according 
 to whose most true promise, the Holy Ghost 
 came down as at this time from heaven with 
 a sudden great sound, as it had been a mighty 
 wind, in the likeness of fiery tongues, lighting 
 upon the Apostles, to teach them, and to lead 
 them to all truth, giving them both the gift 
 of divers languages, and also boldness with 
 fervent zeal constantly to preach the Gospel 
 unto all nations ; whereby we have been 
 brought out of darkness and error into the 
 clear light and true knowledge of Thee, and 
 of thy Son Jesus Christ. Therefore with 
 angels, &c. 
 
 Upon the Feast of Trinity only. 
 
 Who art one God, one Lord ; not one only 
 Person, but three Persons in one substance. 
 For that which we believe of the glory of the 
 
Devotions forthe Altar, 71 
 
 Father, the same we believe of the Son, and 
 of the Holy Ghost, without any difference or 
 inequality. Therefore with angels, &c. 
 
 After each of which Prefaces shall immediately 
 be sung or said, 
 
 Therefore with angels and archangels, and 
 with all the company of heaven, we laud and 
 magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising 
 thee, and saying, Holy, holy, holy. Lord God 
 of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory. 
 Glory be to Thee, O Lord most high. Ame?i, 
 
 Then follows the Address^ which consists rn an 
 acknowledgment of our own unworthiness to ap- 
 proach God's table, and in imploring his divine 
 assistance. 
 
 Then shall the Priest, kneeling doivn at the 
 Lord's table, say, in the name of all them 
 that shall receive the Communion, this Prayer 
 followi7ig : 
 
 We do not presume to come to this thy table, 
 O merciful Lord, trusting in our own right- 
 eousness, but in thy manifold and great 
 mercies. We are not worthy so much as to 
 gather up the crumbs under thy table. But 
 thou art the same Lord, whose property is 
 always to have mercy : grant us, therefore, 
 gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear 
 Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that 
 
72 Devotions for ilie Altar. 
 
 our sinful bodies may be made clean by his 
 body, and our souls washed through his most 
 precious blood, and that Ave may evermore 
 dwell in Him, and He in us. Amen. 
 
 After this comes the prayer of Consecration, tlie 
 most ancient and essential part of this Eucharistical 
 Service, because it is by the prayer and authority 
 of God's lawful minister, that the offerings of bread 
 and wine become to us symbols of the body and blood, 
 of Christ. We ought now with great devotion to 
 join in those petitions the Priest offers up, and to 
 accompany the actions, of breaking the bread and 
 pouring out the wine, with proper meditations. 
 
 When the Priest, standing before the table, hath 
 so ordered the bread and wine that he may 
 with the more readiness and decency break 
 the bread before the People, and take the cup 
 into his hands, he shall say the Prayer of 
 Consecration asfolloweth : 
 
 Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who 
 of thy tender mercy didst give thine only 
 Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the 
 cross for our redemption, who made there 
 (by his one oblation of Himself once offered) 
 a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, ob- 
 lation, and satisfaction for the sins of the 
 whole world, and did institute, and in his holy 
 Gospel command us to continue a perpetual 
 memory of that his precious death, until his 
 coming again : hear us, O merciful Father, 
 we most humbly beseech Thee, and grant that 
 
Devotions for the Altar, 73 
 
 we, receiving these thy creatures of bread and 
 wine, according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus 
 Christ's holy institution, in remembrance of 
 his death and passion, may be partakers of 
 his most blessed body and blood : who, in the 
 same night that He was be- 
 trayed («) took bread, and when . ici) Here the Priest 
 
 ■, ^ \ . 1 , / 7 V 1 ts to take the paten 
 
 he had given thanks, {b) he into his hands. 
 brake it, and gave it to his dis- , (^) Jl^ ^r' ^'^ 
 
 ' mi break the bread. 
 
 ciples, saying, Take, eat, (c) {c) And here to lay 
 this is my body which is given ^^J;;"^ "^^" «^^ '^' 
 for you : do this in remem- {d) Here he is to 
 brance of me. Likewise after [td!""" "^ "'" '" 
 
 supper He (d) took the cup ; {«) And here to lay 
 
 di TT 1- J • xi, 1 ^^* hand upon every 
 
 ,whenHe had given thanks, „,,,,^ (^e u chalice 
 
 He gave it to them, saving, ^r fiagon) in which 
 
 TA • 1 n c I^ ' n . i *'• / \ ^^^^^e is any wine to 
 
 Drink ye all ot this; for this (e) be consecrated. 
 is my blood of the New Testa- 
 ment, which is shed for you and for many 
 for the remission of sins : do this, as oft as 
 ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me. 
 Amen. 
 
 When the consecration is finished, it will be 
 very fit to express our admiration and thankfulness 
 for the divine nourishment provided for us. 
 
 A Prayer immediately after consecration. 
 
 Accept, O eternal God, of that representation 
 we make before Thee of that all-sufficient sacrifice 
 which thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ made 
 upon the cross : let the merit of it plead effectually 
 for the pardon and forgiveness of all my sins, and 
 render Thee favourable and propitious to me a mise- 
 rable sinner ; let the power of it prevail against all 
 
 [96] E 
 
74 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 the powers of darkness ; let the wisdom of it make 
 me wise unto salvation ; and let the peace of it 
 reconcile me to Thee, and bring to me peace of con- 
 science. 
 
 I adore Thee, O blessed Jesus, my Redeemer, 
 who didst endure the painful and shameful death of 
 the cross, to recover me from a state of sin and 
 misery ; I admire thine infinite condescension, who 
 wert pleased to be made miserable, that I might 
 be made happy : poor, that I might be enriched ; 
 and didst die, that I might live for ever. With all 
 my soul, O dear Jesus, I love and praise Thee for 
 these stupendous expressions of thy bounty and 
 goodness towards me; O Lamb of God, that takest 
 away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me ; 
 
 Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the 
 world, grant me thy peace. Amen, Lord Jesus, 
 Amen, 
 
 A Prayer before receiving the consecrated bread, 
 consisting of confession and imploring pardon, 
 
 I. Almighty and everlasting God, I desire to 
 humble myself before Thee, under the sense of 
 those many and heinous sins which I have been 
 guilty of against thy Divine Majesty, in thought, 
 word, and deed. 
 
 I confess, with sorrow and confusion of face, that 
 
 1 have too often neglected the duties of religion, 
 which is the great and important concern of my 
 life ; and when I have performed them, 1 have not 
 exercised that fervour of spirit, that intenseness of 
 mind, which such holy services require from me. 
 
 I have not been sufficiently thankful for the con- 
 tinued effects of thy goodness and bounty towards 
 me; neither have I received the afflicting dispensa- 
 tions of thy providence, with that patience and sub- 
 mission which is due to that infinite wisdom from 
 whence they proceed. 
 
Devotions for the Altar, 75 
 
 I have not preserved such a sense of my follies 
 and infirmities, as ought to have inspired a mean 
 and low opinion of myself, and to have made me 
 ready to condescend to the lowest offices for the 
 service of my fellow-Christians. 
 
 I have not set a sufficient guard upon my senses, 
 so that my eyes and ears have been instrumental 
 in defiHng and polluting my soul; and even the 
 comforts and conveniences of life have been made a 
 snare, by indulging pleasure more than the end and 
 design for which they were bestowed. 
 
 I have had a greater regard to the fashion and 
 custom of the world, than to that sincerity which 
 Thou requirest in all my conversation. 
 
 I have too often impaired the credit and repu- 
 tation of my neighbour, by discovering his faults 
 and infirmities, and have too easily listened to 
 those slanders against him which bad men have 
 suggested. 
 
 I have not embraced all those occasions Thou hast 
 offered me, of doing good to the souls and bodies of 
 my fellow- Christians, neither have I discharged with 
 due care those relative offices in the station wherein 
 thy providence has placed me. 
 
 II. I am astonished, O Lord, at my foolish rash- 
 ness, when I reflect upon that dread Majesty which 
 I have provoked : 
 
 I detest and abhor my ingratitude, when I con- 
 sider the infinite kindness of that bountiful Father 
 whom I have offended : 
 
 I condemn and accuse my unaccountable stupi- 
 dity, when I recollect that miserable slavery and 
 bondage which I have preferred before the perfect 
 freedom of thy service. 
 
 I abhor myself in dust and ashes ; and if Thou, O 
 Lord, hadst dealt with me according to my deserv- 
 ing, instead of approaching thy altar with hopes of 
 acceptance, I might have been spending a sad 
 eternity, under remediless pains and misery. 
 e2 
 
76 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou 
 mayest be feared ; and Thou hast declared thy 
 mercy to extend over all thy works. 
 
 The inestimable sacrifice of thy Son, which Thou 
 hast provided for us, sufficiently assures me of thy 
 readiness to admit me to terms of peace and recon- 
 ciliation. 
 
 Oh let thy infinite mercy and compassion receive 
 me in the quality of a penitent supplicant, whom 
 thy great patience has borne with as a sinner. 
 
 I am heartily sorry I have offended Thee ; I 
 detest my sins, because they are displeasing to 
 Thee, who art infinite goodness. 
 
 I am resolved, by the assistance of thy grace, to 
 return no more to folly, to avoid all occasions of 
 evil, and to live better for the time to come. 
 
 I entreat Thee, therefore, by the merit of thy 
 Son's blood, the price of my redemption, that Thou 
 wouldst be pleased to release me from the guilt of 
 all my sins : 
 
 Let that immaculate and pure sacrifice, which 
 He offered upon the cross, and which by thy good 
 providence 1 now commemorate, be effectual for 
 my pardon and forgiveness. 
 
 I know my many and great sins are just matter 
 of fear and dejection of spirit; but I will hope in 
 thy mercies, which are boundless and infinite. 
 
 The sense of my own unworthiness would sink 
 me into despair, did I not reflect upon thine infi- 
 nite goodness, and that precious blood which was 
 shed to purchase redemption for me. 
 
 III. Thus supported, O Lord, I approach this 
 Christian sacrifice. 
 
 I come as a sick man to the great Physician 
 of life ; I beseech Thee, O Lord, to cure my infir- 
 mities. 
 
 I come as a polluted wretch to the Fountain of 
 mercy; wash away, I entreat Thee, all my unclean- 
 ness. 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 77 
 
 I come as a returning prodigal child to his tender 
 and compassionate Father ; O receive me, and re- 
 lieve me, and revive me by thy favour. 
 
 I come as a bhnd man to the source of eternal 
 brightness ; do Thou, O Lord, enlighten my dark- 
 ness, that I may behold the wondrous things of thy 
 law. 
 
 I come as a poor frail creature to the great Lord 
 of heaven and earth ; supply my wants and do 
 abundantly more for me than I am able to ask or 
 think. 
 
 Let me not only receive the outward and visible 
 signs, but the inward and spiritual grace, the body 
 and blood of thy Son Jesus Christ. 
 
 That so all carnal affections may die in me, and 
 that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and 
 grow in me. 
 
 That I may have power and strength to have 
 victory, and to triumph against the world, the flesh, 
 and the devil ; 
 
 And also may be endued with all such heavenly 
 virtues which are pleasing to Thee, and which Thou 
 wilt eternally reward for the merit of thy Son's 
 death, to whom, with the Father, and the Holy 
 Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. 
 Amen, 
 
 Another Prayer before receiving the consecrated 
 bread; consisting of petitions for the virtues of a 
 Christian life. 
 
 I. Most merciful and gracious God, who of thy 
 great goodness didst give thy Son Jesus Christ to 
 take upon Him our nature, and to humble Himself 
 to death, even the death of the cross ; 
 
 I beseech Thee, by his infinite condescension, by 
 his perfect obedience, and by his meritorious suffer- 
 ings, not onlj' to pardon my past sins, but to endue 
 e3 
 
78 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 me with power and strength to resist them for the 
 time to come. 
 
 Let the virtue of these holy mysteries replenish 
 me with such supernatural gifts and graces of thy 
 Holy Spirit, as may enable me not only to act 
 conformably to the light of my own mind, but 
 may make me readily obey thy heavenly motions, 
 and constantly follow the suggestions of thy holy 
 inspiration. 
 
 Give me a zealous sense of piety towards Thee, 
 my gracious Lord and Sovereign, and to all thy 
 sacred and divine mysteries. 
 
 Let me reverence thy word and worship, and all 
 things and persons dedicated and devoted to thy 
 peculiar service. 
 
 Let me submit to all the afflictions Thou shalt 
 think fit to lay upon me, with patience and with 
 meekness. 
 
 Let me trust to thy providence to supply me 
 under all dangers and necessities ; 
 
 And let me thankfully acknowledge thy bounty 
 in all those good things which Thou so freely hast 
 bestowed upon me. 
 
 11. Give me, O Lord, that divine wisdom which 
 proposes the pleasing Thee as the end and aim of 
 all my actions, and which directs to all those means 
 which Thou hast graciously established for the 
 working out my salvation. 
 
 That my precious time may not be employed in 
 hunting after trifles, that my natural talents may 
 not be buried and drowned in brutish sensuality, 
 that my study may not be vanity, nor my labour 
 
 But that, framing a right judgment in all things, 
 I may fix my mind upon those pleasures which 
 are at thy right hand, which are permanent and 
 durable ; 
 
 And that the great care and business of my life 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 79 
 
 may be to obtain thy favour, who art the sovereign 
 good of my soul, and the satisfying centre of all my 
 desires. 
 
 To this end inure me to spiritual objects by 
 constant and fervent prayer, by entertaining my 
 thoughts with pious meditations, by reading and 
 hearing thy holy word with reverence and atten- 
 tion, and by frequently approaching thy altars with 
 humility and devotion. 
 
 And above all, let a constant fear of offending 
 my good God put me upon my guard, and make 
 me watchful amidst those imminent dangers that 
 surround me in this my pilgrimage on earth. 
 
 Thou, O Lord, who resistest the proud, and 
 givest grace to the lowly, endue me with the virtue 
 of true humility f the model of which thy only Son 
 traced out for the practice of the faithful ; 
 
 That I may have a just sense of all my weak- 
 nesses and follies, and may readily submit to the 
 meanest offices for the welfare and benefit of my 
 fellow-Christians ; 
 
 That I may restrain all immoderate desires of 
 honour, by doing nothing through strife and vain- 
 glory ; 
 
 And that I may never exalt myself upon the 
 account of any advantage I enjoy of body and mind 
 above others, by remembering that it is not the 
 effect of my merit, but of thy infinite goodness and 
 distinguishing mercy. 
 
 Oh ! deliver me from the slavery and dominion of 
 pride, which threw angels from heaven, and drove 
 man out of paradise; which produces so much evil 
 and torment wherever it resides, and which, above 
 all, is so hateful in thy sight. 
 
 III. Grant, O Lord, that I may love Thee above 
 all things, who art infinitely perfect in thy own 
 nature ; 
 
 That I may desire Thee above all things, who art 
 E 4 
 
80 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 full of mercy and compassion towards the children 
 of men : 
 
 Whom is there in heaven but Thee ? and whom 
 upon earth that I can desire in comparison of Thee ? 
 As the hart thirsteth after the water-brooks, so let 
 my soul long after Thee, O God. 
 
 Let the allurements of the world, and the enjoy- 
 ments of sense, appear as trifling entertainments, 
 in comparison with the pleasure and happiness of 
 serving Thee and doing good. 
 
 Let the difficulties and dangers which I meet 
 with in the way of my duty be so far from dis- 
 couraging me, that they may raise my spirits, 
 increase my resolution, and serve only to make 
 the pleasure of loving Thee more intense and per- 
 fect. 
 
 Let the divine flame of thy love burn so bright 
 in my soul, that it may free my mind from all vile 
 affections, and influence all my actions with a care- 
 ful observance of thy holy laws, and farther evidence 
 its sincerity by diligently consulting the temporal 
 and spiritual happiness of my neighbour. 
 
 Oh ! let it suppress all the bitter effects of envy, 
 that I may compassionate his misfortunes, and re- 
 joice in all the good things Thou art pleased to 
 bestow upon him : 
 
 That I may be tender of his reputation, and 
 never expose it by rash censures, nor diminish it by 
 the relation of his real infirmities : 
 
 That I may guard my heart from secretly re- 
 pining at his prosperity, or triumphing in his 
 calamity: 
 
 That I may set a watch upon the door of my 
 lips, that I may speak no evil concerning him, nor 
 utter any words of detraction : 
 
 That it may quiet and appease the furious boil- 
 ing of anger in my mind, by making me patient and 
 meek under all provocations, by disposing me to 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 81 
 
 forgive offences, and to return silence to all injurious 
 treatment. 
 
 That it may conquer worldly sorrow, which 
 worketh death, by a comfortable expectation of 
 future happiness : 
 
 That it may expel malice by doing good, that 
 it may strengthen my weakness by fortitude, cure 
 my despair by hope, my listlessness by spiritual 
 exercises ; 
 
 And restrain the wanderings of my mind towards 
 unlawful things, by being stedfast and unmovable 
 in the work of the Lord. 
 
 IV. Give me, O Lord, a sober abstinence, that I 
 may know how to abound, and how to want : 
 
 That my fleshly appetites may be kept under 
 strict government, since the indulging of them by 
 our first parents brought death into the world: 
 
 That they may always observe their due bounds, 
 by administering to the necessities of life, and never 
 support and encourage luxury, which is boundless 
 and infinite, which brings forth scurrility and im- 
 modesty ; which depresses the soul, and renders it 
 unapt for spiritual enjoyments. 
 
 Make me so mindful of that strict account I must 
 give of all my actions at thy dreadful tribunal, that 
 it may mortify all inclinations and temptations to 
 sinful pleasures. 
 
 And stir me up to zeal and diligence in per- 
 forming all those things which are acceptable in thy 
 sight. 
 
 In order to attain these blessed ends, O Lord, I 
 approach to thy holy table, that I may grow in 
 grace, and may be enabled to imitate the suffering 
 virtues of the crucified Jesus. 
 
 Grant, therefore, most merciful God, that the 
 receiving the symbols of his body and blood, which 
 I am about to partake of, may, by the grace and 
 efficacy of his Spirit, conform me to his divine 
 image, and make me stedfast in serving Thee, till 
 E 5 
 
82 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 Thou takest me finally to enjoy Thee, through 
 Jesus Christ my blessed Saviour and Redeemer. 
 Amen. 
 
 The foregoing Prayers may be used in our pews 
 before we go up to the communion table. When 
 the communicants are but few, and we have not 
 time to enlarge our devotions, we may comprehend 
 the devout affections of a worthy receiver in the 
 following shorter prayer : 
 
 A Prayer before receiving the consecrated elements. 
 
 Most gracious God, who of thy infinite mercy 
 hast given thy Son Jesus Christ to be our great 
 High Priest and the Bishop of our souls, who did 
 offer Himself up to Thee a pure and immaculate 
 sacrifice upon the cross for us miserable sinners, 
 who hast given us his flesh to eat and his blood to 
 drink in a mystical manner; and hast assured us by 
 the Holy Spirit, that as often as we eat that bread, 
 and drink that cup, we show forth the Lord's death 
 till his coming again ; 
 
 I humbly beseech Thee, therefore, by the merits 
 of his blood, the great price of our redemption ; 
 
 I entreat Thee by his wonderful and ineffable 
 charity, wherewith He has vouchsafed to love us, 
 unworthy creatures, at so great a rate, that Thou 
 wouldest be pleased to wash me in his blood from 
 all my sins, which make me unworthy to partake of 
 the holy mysteries : 
 
 Let my repentance be hearty and sincere, and 
 express itself in all the circumstances of holy obe- 
 dience for the time to come. 
 
 Thou alone out of an unclean thing canst bring 
 a clean ; of a wretched sinner make me, therefore, 
 holy and righteous. 
 
 Thou art the fountain of mercy, shut not up thy 
 bowels of compassion towards me. 
 
Devotions for the Jltar, 83 
 
 Thou art the great Physician of souls, display 
 thy power in my health and recovery. 
 
 Let me approach thy holy table with reverence 
 and devotion, that no vile affections may hmder me 
 from receiving the benefits of this divine nourish- 
 ment. . . , 
 
 Let me celebrate this Christian sacrifice with 
 purity of heart, and a right intention of mind, that 
 I may obtain all those advantages for which Thou 
 wert graciously pleased to establish it. 
 
 Let me entirely resign my soul and body to be a 
 reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice unto Thee; for 
 Thou hast the justest claim to me, since the blessed 
 Jesus has purchased me at the price of his own 
 
 blood. 
 
 Grant, O Lord, that I may constantly endeavour 
 to make some proficiency in all the virtues of the 
 Christian life ; because the blessed Jesus has ob- 
 tained for me, by the merits of his sufferings, the 
 grace and assistance of thy Holy Spirit, to work 
 in me both to will and to do thy good pleasure. 
 
 Make me ready to be reconciled to all those that 
 have offended me, because when we were enemies 
 we were reconciled to God by the death of his 
 
 Son. . 1 • 
 
 Let me embrace all my poor brethren with sm- 
 cere love and charity, and contribute all I can to 
 the relief of Christ's distressed members, because 
 He thought not his life too dear, nor his blood too 
 precious, to redeem me from a state of bondage and 
 slavery. 
 
 Strengthen me, O Lord, in such a manner by 
 this spiritual food, that I may successfully encoun- 
 ter all the attacks of my spiritual enemy. 
 
 Suppress in me the spirit of pride and vain-glory, 
 of envy and detraction, of uncleanness and intem- 
 perance, or of any distrust and diffidence of thy 
 
 mercy. . , 
 
 May all temptations to these offences agamstthy 
 E 6 
 
84« Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 holy laws be overcome by that power which Thou 
 shalt be pleased to communicate to me in this holy 
 Sacrament ; 
 
 And may all those evils which the craft and sub- 
 tilty of the devil or man worketh against me be 
 brought to nought: 
 
 That, being outwardly and inwardly fortified by 
 the assistance of thy grace, I may press forward 
 towards the mark for the prize of the high calling 
 of God in Jesus Christ ; when 1 shall enjoy Thee 
 no longer in mystery, which is our lot and portion 
 here below, but see Thee face to face, and be eter- 
 nally satisfied with the pleasures of thy kingdom, 
 in and through the merits of Jesus Christ, our only 
 Mediator and Advocate. Amen, 
 
 When the Priest approaches to deliver the conse- 
 crated bread. 
 
 Come, O Lord ! and make no long tarrying, O 
 my God ! 
 
 I am not worthy Thou shouldst enter under my 
 roof; but, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner. 
 
 I long for thy salvation, O satisfy me with thy 
 likeness. 
 
 I open my heart to Thee, O come unto me, and 
 abide with me, and powerfully support me in all 
 trials and temptations, when I most need thy help. 
 
 ^ Then shall the Mmister first receive the Com- 
 munion in both kindshimself, and then proceed 
 to deliver the same to the Bishops, Priests, and 
 Deacons, in like manner, (if any be present,) 
 and after that to the people also in order, into 
 their hands, all meekly kneeling. And, ivhen 
 he delivereth the Bread to any one, he shall say. 
 
 The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 85 
 
 was given for thee, preserve thy body and 
 soul unto everlasting life. Take and eat this 
 in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and 
 feed on Him in thy heart by faith with thanks- 
 giving. 
 A Prayer after receiving the consecrated bread. 
 
 Blessed be thy holy name, O Lord Jesus, for 
 this thy inestimable gift, for this comfort Thou 
 hast left me in this vale of tears. 
 
 As long as I live will I praise Thee : as long as 
 I have any being, I will most thankfully acknow- 
 ledge this thy bounty and goodness to the children 
 of men. 
 
 Thou hast given me thy precious body to be the 
 food of my soul ; behold, I offer to Thee my body 
 and soul, make them fit for thy service. 
 
 Let this divine food repair in me whatever has 
 been decayed by the lusts of the flesh or the wiles 
 .of Satan. 
 
 That my understanding may be exercised in the 
 knowledge of Thee, and the contemplation of thy 
 divine truths, which are alone able to make me 
 wise unto salvation ; 
 
 That my will may choose and desire Thee above 
 all things, who art the chiefest good, the most de- 
 sirable portion of immortal souls : 
 
 That my affections may be entirely fixed on 
 Thee, who art only amiable, and the centre of eter- 
 nal satisfaction. 
 
 I will love Thee, O Lord, because Thou art 
 infinitely good, and thy mercy endureth for ever. 
 
 I will love Thee, O Lord, because Thou didst 
 create me after thy own image, capable of loving 
 Thee, and enjoying Thee eternally. 
 
 I will love Thee, O Lord, because when I had 
 lost and undone myself, Thou didst die to redeem 
 me. 
 
86 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 I will love Thee, O Lord, because Thou only 
 art worthy of my love ; Thou only canst fill and 
 satisfy my soul. 
 
 Be Thou, therefore, my hope and confidence, and 
 let all my trust be placed in Thee. 
 
 Be Thou my riches and delight, and let all my 
 joy and contentment rest in Thee. 
 
 Be Thou my peace and refuge, and let my plea- 
 sure and safety depend on Thee. 
 
 Be Thou my portion and greatest treasure, and 
 let my eternal happiness be fixed in the enjoyment 
 of Thee. Amerif Lord Jesus, Amen, 
 
 When the Priest approaches to deliver the conse- 
 crated wine. 
 
 I WILL receive the cup of salvation, and call upon 
 the name of the Lord. 
 
 I will ratify mj vows with this blood of the New 
 Covenant, and engage myself, O God, to be eter- 
 nally thine. 
 
 Satisfy my thirsty soul with good things, and let 
 this communion of the blood of Christ put more 
 gladness into my heart than wine and oil when 
 they increase. Amen, 
 
 A7id the Minister that delivereth the Cup to 
 any one shall say, 
 
 The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which 
 was shed for thee, preserve thy body and 
 soul unto everlasting life. Drink this in re- 
 membrance that Christ's blood was shed for 
 thee, and be thankful. 
 
 When all have communicated, the Minister 
 shall return to the Lord's table, and reverently 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 87 
 
 place upon it what remaineth of the consecrated 
 elements, covering the same with a fair linen 
 cloth. 
 
 A Prayer after receiving the consecrated wine. 
 
 Blessing and honour, glory and power, be unto 
 Him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb 
 that was slain, for ever and ever. 
 
 I give Thee most humble and hearty thanks, O 
 Lord, from the bottom of my soul, that Thou hast 
 been pleased to admit me at this time to the par- 
 ticipation of these holy and desirable mysteries ; 
 
 That Thou hast vouchsafed to feed me, a sinner, 
 thy unworthy servant, with the spiritual nourish- 
 ment of the body and blood of thy Son Jesus 
 Christ ; and this, not for any merits of my own, 
 but for the sake of thy infinite goodness and 
 mercy. 
 
 Unworthy though I am, yet thy bounty, O 
 Lord, never fails : the love of my Saviour is not 
 diminished, and the virtue of his propitiation is 
 never exhausted. 
 
 Grant, therefore, I beseech Thee, that this holy 
 Sacrament may never turn to my judgment and 
 condemnation ; 
 
 But that it may be health and recovery under 
 all my weaknesses and infirmities ; 
 
 Safety and defence against all the attacks of my 
 spiritual enemies ; 
 
 Vigour and strength to all my holy purposes and 
 resolutions ; 
 
 Comfort and support under all the afflictions and 
 calamities of life ; 
 
 Assistance and direction under all difficulties and 
 doubts ; 
 
 Courage and constancy under all dangers and 
 
88 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 persecutions, especially in times of sickness and at 
 the hour of death. 
 
 Finally, let it procure for me pardon and for- 
 giveness in this life, mercy and favour at the day 
 of judgment, and a never-fading crown of glory in 
 thy heavenly kingdom, where, with thy Son Jesus 
 Christ, and the blessed Spirit, Thou livest and 
 reignest, one God, world without end. Amen, 
 
 Having finished those devotions that relate to 
 ourselves, this is a proper season to be mindful of 
 the wants and necessities of our brethren ; and we 
 cannot better exercise our charity, than by recom- 
 mending the whole state of mankind to the mercy 
 and goodness of God, and by interceding with Him, 
 by the virtue of this Christian sacrifice, for a supply 
 of whatever they shall stand in need of. Such 
 intercessions always made a part of the public 
 liturgies of the ancient Church, as it is well known 
 to those who are conversant in antiquity, and no 
 part of the prayers exceeded more in length than 
 that which related to this subject ; so that we 
 cannot do better, than to follow the ancient model 
 for our direction in this particular. 
 
 A Prayer for the whole state of mankind. 
 
 Accept, O Lord, of my prayers and interces- 
 sions, as a testimony of my charity for the whole 
 race of mankind, and let the virtue and efficacy of 
 this Christian sacrifice procure for them comfort 
 and relief in all those wants and necessities they 
 labour under. 
 
 Enlighten the dark corners of the earth with the 
 bright sunshine of thy glorious Gospel, and suc- 
 ceed the pious designs of all those that endeavour 
 the propagation of the kingdom of thy Son ; that 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 89 
 
 thy way may be known upon earth, and thy saving 
 health among all nations. 
 
 Let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy 
 Church ; and forasmuch as it cannot continue in 
 safety without thy succour, preserve it evermore 
 by thy help and goodness. 
 
 Endue the governors and pastors of it with 
 courage and resolution to preserve those sacred 
 rights Thou hast committed to their trust, with zeal 
 and diligence in promoting solid and substantial 
 piety, and with a conscientious discharge of all the 
 important duties of their holy function. 
 
 Let all secular magistrates study to govern their 
 people with truth and justice, and to preserve 
 them in wealth, peace, and godliness. 
 
 Bless our Sovereign, and all the Royal Family, 
 with the dew of thy heavenly Spirit, that they, 
 ever trusting in thy goodness, protected by thy 
 power, and crowned with thy gracious and endless 
 favour, may continue before Thee, in health, peace, 
 joy, and honour, a long and happy life upon earth, 
 and after death obtain everlasting life and glory in 
 the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 Let war and bloodshed cease among Christian 
 princes, and give to all nations unity, peace, and 
 concord. 
 
 Bless all the people of this land with health, 
 peace, and plenty ; and teach them to use such thy 
 blessings with sobriety, gratitude, and charity. 
 
 Make all Christians sincerely to practise that 
 religion they profess, and inspire them with such 
 uniting principles, and charitable hearts, that they 
 may love one another, and thereby convince the 
 world that they are thy disciples. 
 
 Be merciful to all my friends, relations, and 
 acquaintance ; those that are in sin, convert them ; 
 those that are in grace, confirm and strengthen 
 them ; those that are in adversity, comfort and 
 
90 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 support them ; and those that are in prosperity, 
 suffer them not to forget Thee. 
 
 Forgive all my enemies, make them easy and 
 ready to be reconciled, and give them repentance 
 and better minds. 
 
 Be gracious to all that are in affliction and dis- 
 tress, that labour under the straits of poverty, 
 that suffer persecution for the testimony of a good 
 conscience, that mourn under captivity or banish- 
 ment, or any unjust oppression ; 
 
 That are exercised with bodily pains and dis* 
 eases, that are solicited w^ith strong temptations, or 
 are dejected with terrors and troubles of mind. 
 
 Pity and relieve their several necessities, give 
 them patience under all their sufferings, and in thy 
 due time deliver them according to thy great mercy. 
 
 Assist those that are at the point of death ; and 
 when their strength fails, let not their faith fail ; 
 even in death, enable them to trust in Thee. 
 
 Shed thy particular grace and benediction upon 
 all those who are partakers of the holy communion 
 this day ; 
 
 That they may persevere in all their holy pur- 
 poses and resolutions, and may conform themselves 
 to the model of their crucified Saviour ; 
 
 That the pattern of his piety and devotion, of 
 his humility and charity, of his meekness and pa- 
 tient suffering, may be so livelily imprinted upon 
 our minds, that we may transcribe his example in 
 our lives and conversations : 
 
 That thus commemorating his all-sufficient sacri- 
 fice upon earth, we may receive the everlasting 
 benefit of it in thy heavenly kingdom, and bless 
 and praise Thee for it to all eternity. Amen, 
 
 "We cannot better conclude our devotions, if 
 time and opportunity will permit, than by ofiering 
 up our praises and thanksgivings for all those 
 
Devotions for the Altar, 91 
 
 mercies and blessings God hath bestowed upon us 
 all along in life, particularly for his inestimable 
 love in the redemption of the world by our Lord 
 Jesus Christ ; — and what heart that is warm with a 
 true sense of what his Saviour has done and suf- 
 fered for him, can refuse the humble tribute of a 
 most grateful acknowledgment? 
 
 A Thanksgiving for God's mercies, temporal and 
 spiritual. 
 
 Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is 
 within me, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, 
 O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. 
 
 Thou, O Lord, art alone infinite in all excellences 
 and perfections, and, therefore, thou only art the 
 eternal object of the adorations and praises of all 
 thy creatures. 
 
 I desire to praise and worship Thee with all the 
 heavenly host, saying. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God 
 of heaven and earth, Thou hast created all things, 
 and for thy pleasure they are and were created. 
 
 All praise and thanksgiving be rendered unto 
 Thee, for making me after thy own image and like- 
 ness, capable of loving Thee, and enjoying Thee 
 eternalI3^ 
 
 I bless Thee for the light of my reason, and all 
 other endowments and faculties of my soul and 
 body. 
 
 I bless Thee for preserving me from innumerable 
 accidents and dangers, through the whole course 
 of my life : for all my known and unobserved deli- 
 verances, and for the guard thy holy angels have 
 kept over me. 
 
 I bless Thee for the advantages of a pious educa- 
 tion, and for seasoning my tender mind with early 
 notices of virtue and religion. 
 
 I bless Thee for recovering me to a sense of my 
 duty, when I foolishly strayed from the fountain 
 
92 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 of all happiness ; and for thy unwearied patience 
 towards me, after so many and so great provo- 
 cations. 
 
 I bless Thee for all the comforts and accommo- 
 dations of life which Thou hast bestowed upon 
 me, whereby my pilgrimage in this world has been 
 softened and supported ! 
 
 And I adore thy wise providence in all those 
 afflictions and disappointments with which Thou 
 hast thought fit to exercise me, and which have 
 brought me to that sense of Thee, and of myself, 
 which it is likely nothing else would have done. 
 
 By Thee I have been holden up from the womb ; 
 my praise shall continually be of Thee. 
 
 Above all, I praise and magnify thy holy name 
 for thy inexpressible love to lost man: 
 
 For sending thy Son into the world to redeem us 
 from a state of sin and misery, by suffering for us, 
 and dying in our stead, that we might be partakers 
 of the Divine nature, and receive the promise of 
 eternal life. 
 
 And for his instituting and ordaining holy mys- 
 teries as pledges of his love, and for a continual 
 remembrance of his death, to our great and endless 
 comfort. 
 
 As long as I live will I praise Thee for these 
 wonders Thou hast done for the children of men ; as 
 long as 1 have any being I will show forth thy noble 
 acts. 
 
 I bless Thee for the advantages of thy divine 
 revelations, that Thou hast not abandoned me to 
 the dim light of my own reason, but hast given me 
 thy holy Scriptures to instruct me in what is neces- 
 sary for me to believe and practise, in order to my 
 eternal salvation. 
 
 I praise Thee for delivering me from temptations 
 too strong for me, and for supporting me under 
 many ; 
 
 For thy assistance and direction, and comforts of 
 
Devotions for the Altar, 93 
 
 thy Holy Spirit, for thy preventing and restraining 
 grace ; 
 
 For subduing my understanding and affections to 
 the obedience of faith and godliness ; 
 
 For inspiring me with good thoughts, and kin- 
 dling pious desires in my soul, and for assisting me 
 in all the methods of procuring eternal happiness; 
 
 For these and all other thy mercies and favours, 
 which are more than can be numbered, blessing and 
 honour, thanksgiving and praise, be given unto Thee, 
 O most adorable Deity, Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost, by me and by all angels, by all men and by 
 all creatures, for ever and ever. Amen, 
 
 When all have communicated, and the Priest 
 returns to the remaining part of the communion 
 office, we must be sure to accompany him with our 
 devoutest affections, and repeat after him all the 
 petitions of that perfect form of prayer our Saviour 
 has left us to help our infirmities, which is most 
 properly used in this place ; that his comprehensive 
 words may prevail for our acceptance, provided they 
 are attended with the sincere and earnest desires of 
 our hearts. 
 
 Then shall the Priest say the Lord's Prayer, the 
 people repeating after him every petition. 
 
 Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed 
 be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy 
 will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give 
 us this day our daily bread. And forgive us 
 our trespasses, as we forgive them that tres- 
 pass against us. And lead us not into temp- 
 tation ; but deliver us from evil : For thine 
 is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, 
 for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
94 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 The prayer and praise that follow do with great 
 
 propriety conclude this holy action in imitation of 
 
 our Saviour's pattern, who concluded 
 
 Matt xxvl 30 ^^^^ ^^^ ^^°^y institution both with a 
 prayer and hymn, and therefore ought 
 to be offered with particular intenseness and appli- 
 cation of thought, that we may make some amends 
 for any distractions or wanderings that may have 
 overtaken us in the former part of the service. 
 
 After shall he said asfoUoweth, 
 
 O Lord and heavenly Father, we thy hum- 
 ble servants entirely desire thy fatherly good- 
 ness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of 
 praise and thanksgiving; most humbly be- 
 seeching Thee to grant, that by the merits 
 and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and 
 through faith in his blood, we and all thy 
 whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, 
 and all other benefits of his passion. And 
 here we offer and present unto Thee, O Lord, 
 ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reason- 
 able, h(?ly, and lively sacrifice unto Thee; 
 humbly beseeching Thee, that all we, who are 
 partakers of this holy communion, may be ful- 
 filled with thy grace and heavenly benediction. 
 And although we be unworthy, through our 
 manifold sins, to offer unto Thee any sacrifice, 
 yet we beseech Thee to accept this our boun- 
 den duty and service; not weighing our merits, 
 but pardoning our offences, through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord ; by whom, and with whom, 
 in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honour and 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 95 
 
 glory be unto Thee, O Father Almighty, world 
 without end. Amen, 
 
 Or this. 
 
 Almighty and everliving God, we most 
 heartily thank Thee, for that Thou dost vouch- 
 safe to feed us, who have duly received these 
 holy mysteries, with the spiritual food of the 
 most precious body and blood of thy Son our 
 Saviour Jesus Christ ; and dost assure us 
 thereby of thy favour and goodness towards 
 us ; and that we are very members incor- 
 porate in the mystical body of thy Son, 
 which is the blessed company of all faithful 
 people ; and are also heirs through hope of 
 thy everlasting kingdom, by the merits of 
 the most precious death and passion of thy 
 dear Son. And we most humbly beseech 
 Thee, O heavenly Father, so to assist us with 
 thy grace, that we may continue in that holy 
 fellowship, and do all such good works as 
 Thou hast prepared for us to walk in ; through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with Thee 
 and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, 
 world without end. Amen, 
 
 Then shall be said (yr sung : 
 
 Glory be to God on high, and in earth 
 peace, good-will towards men. We praise 
 Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee, we 
 glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee for thy 
 
96 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, 
 God the Father Almighty. 
 
 O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesu 
 Christ ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of 
 the Father, that takest away the sins of the 
 world, have mercy upon us. Thou that 
 takest away the sins of the world, have 
 mercy upon us. Thou that takest away 
 the sins of the world, receive our prayer. 
 Thou that sittest at the right hand of God 
 the Father, have mercy upon us. 
 
 For Thou only art holy ; Thou only art the 
 Lord; Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy 
 Ghost, art most high in the glory of God 
 the Father. Amen. 
 
 The Blessing that only remains, which is pro- 
 nounced by the Bishop, if present, as the Priest of 
 greatest dignity, must be received in an humble 
 posture, and with silent devotion, begging of God 
 that it may be effectual for our future conduct in 
 all the circumstances of holy obedience. 
 
 Then the Potest {or Bishop if he be present) 
 shall let them depart with this Blessing. 
 
 The peace of God, which passeth all under- 
 standing, keep your hearts and minds in the 
 knowledge and love of God, and of his Son 
 Jesus Christ our Lord: and the blessing of 
 God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the 
 Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain 
 with you always. Amen. 
 
Devotions for the Altar, 97 
 
 A short Prayer ivhen the Communion Service is 
 ended. 
 
 Pardon, O God, all those imperfections that 
 have accompanied me at this time in my attend- 
 ance at the altar ; forgive the deadness and dulness 
 of my affections, the wanderings of my thoughts, 
 and the distractions of my mind. 
 
 Let the sincerity of my holy purposes and reso- 
 lutions make some amends for my weakness and 
 frailty. 
 
 Oh ! let this commemoration of my crucified 
 Saviour influence all my thoughts, words, and 
 actions, that my conversation may be as becometh 
 the Gospel of Christ. 
 
 Reward me not according to my deserts, but 
 according to my great necessities, and thy own rich 
 mercy in Jesus Christ, to whom with Thee, O God 
 the Father, and God the Holy Ghost, be all honour 
 and glory, world without end. Amen, 
 
 "Where communions are large, we may want some 
 exercises for the emp(fbying our devout affections ; 
 and the office of the administration of the holy com- 
 munion contains such a variety of excellent matter 
 for meditation, that it may not be improper to en- 
 tertain our minds, while others are receiving, with 
 the consideration of some particular parts of it. 
 This may possibly be sometimes more useful than 
 either these or any other prayers ; more especially 
 to such as complain of coldness and dulness in 
 their devotions ; for meditation naturally tends to 
 warm our affections, and raise in our minds a spirit 
 of devotion. 
 
 For example, suppose I had determined to medi- 
 tate on some part or parts of the confession, which 
 begins thus, — Almighty God, Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ J Maker of all things, Judge of all men: 
 
 [96] F 
 
98 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 here I would stop and consider well the import of 
 these words; they contain four of God's most com- 
 prehensive titles. First, He is here said to be 
 Almighty ; secondly, the Father of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ ; thirdly, the Maker and Creator of all things ; 
 fourthly, the Judge of all men. The consideration 
 of the first and last will provoke us to godly sor- 
 row, and the second and third will excite our hope 
 in his mercy. So that from hence we may take 
 occasion to exercise acts of sorrow and humiliation, 
 of hope and love, &c. thus, — I consider, O my God, 
 that I have offended Thee, who art Almighty, and, 
 therefore, able to punish ; hut I consider, too, that 
 Thou art the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and, 
 therefore, 1 cannot doubt of thy love to me, and of 
 thy readiness to forgive me, who repent and turn to 
 Thee. Such ejaculations might be formed from 
 each of these particulars, or from any other 
 branches of the communion office ; but because 
 all people are not able to form such acts, I have 
 taken the liberty of adding several acts of the 
 most considerable virtues of a Christian life; for 
 no moments of this holy season should be lost, all 
 these precious minutes should be husbanded to the 
 greatest advantage, for they will have a mighty 
 influence upon our whole lives, and by being fre- 
 quently repeated they will stock our minds with a 
 variety of good thoughts, which may prove ad- 
 mirable helps all the remaining part of our days. 
 If we have not time for this spiritual improve- 
 ment in the church, it will be very proper to make 
 use of them in our closets ; for days set apart for 
 the public worship of God should have a larger 
 share of our private devotions, and then the sense 
 of religion will stick closer to our minds, when we 
 mix again with the world, and return to our secular 
 employments. 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 99 
 
 Acts of Faith, 
 
 I BELIEVE, O God, that Thou art an eternal, 
 incomprehensible Spirit, infinite in all perfections, 
 who didst make all things out of nothing, and dost 
 govern them all by thy wise providence. 
 
 Let me always adore Thee with profound hu- 
 mility, as my Sovereign Lord ; and help me to love 
 and praise Thee with godlike affections, and suit- 
 able devotion. 
 
 I believe, O God, that in the unity of thy God- 
 head there is a trinity of persons ; that Thou art 
 perfectly one, and perfectly three : one essence, and 
 three persons; the depth of this mystery I cannot 
 comprehend, but I firmly believe it, because Thou 
 hast revealed it in thy holy word, who art infinite 
 truth ; and I will praise and adore the Holy Trinity, 
 to whose service I was religiously dedicated in bap- 
 tism, as the joint authors of my salvation. 
 
 I believe, O blessed Jesus, that Thou art of one 
 substance with the Father, the very and eternal 
 God ; that Thou didst take upon thee our frail 
 nature ; that Thou didst truly suffer, and wert cru- 
 cified, dead, and buried, to reconcile us to thy 
 Father, and to be a sacrifice for sin. 
 
 I believe, O Almighty Love, that according to 
 the types and prophecies which went before of Thee, 
 and according to thy own infallible prediction, Thou 
 didst by thine own power rise from the dead the 
 third day, that Thou didst ascend into heaven, that 
 there Thou sittest on thy throne of glory, adored by 
 angels, and interceding for sinners. 
 
 I believe, O Lord, that Thou hast instituted and 
 ordained holy mysteries as pledges of thy love, and 
 for a continual commemoration of thy death ; that 
 Thou hast not only given thyself to die for me, but 
 to be my spiritual food and sustenance in that holy 
 y2 
 
100 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 Sacrament, to my great and endless comfort! O 
 may I frequently approach thy altar with humility 
 and devotion ! and work in me all those holy and 
 heavenly affections, which become the remembrance 
 of a crucified Saviour. 
 
 1 believe, O Lord, that Thou hast not abandoned 
 me to the dim light of my own reason, to conduct 
 me to happiness ; but that Thou hast revealed in 
 the holy Scriptures whatever is necessary for me 
 to believe and practise, in order to my eternal sal- 
 vation. 
 
 O Truth ! Eternal Truth ! I am entirely satisfied 
 in believing thy holy word, because it came from 
 Thee, who art infinitely wise and omniscient, and, 
 therefore, canst not be deceived ; who art infi- 
 nitely good, and, therefore, wilt not deceive thy 
 creatures. 
 
 how noble and excellent are the precepts! 
 how sublime and enhghtening the truth ! how per- 
 suasive and strong the motives ! how powerful the 
 assistances of thy holy religion, in which Thou hast 
 instructed me ! my delight shall be in thy statutes, 
 and I will not forget thy word. 
 
 1 believe, O blessed Master, it is my greatest 
 honour and happincvss to be thy disciple ; how mi- 
 serable and blind are those who live without God in 
 the world, who despise the light of thy holy faith ! 
 make me ready to part with all the enjoyments 
 of life, nay, even life itself, rather than forfeit this 
 jewel of great price. Blessed are the sufferings 
 which are endured, happy is the death which is 
 undergone, for heavenly and immortal truth ! 
 
 I believe Thou hast threatened everlasting and 
 inconceivable torments to those who hold the truth 
 in unrighteousness, and who obey not the Gospel 
 of Christ. O just punishment of those who do not 
 love Thee ! 
 
 But if I believe this fatal doom, why am I not 
 afraid of it ? why are the evils of the body so 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 101 
 
 much shunned, and those of the soul so little re- 
 garded ? why do I take so much pains to avoid the 
 short and transitory evils of this life, and so little 
 pains to avoid those which are eternal? 
 
 I believe Thou hast prepared, O Lord, for those 
 that love Thee, everlasting mansions of glory. If I 
 believe Thee, O eternal happiness, why does any 
 thing appear difficult that leads to Thee ? why 
 should I not willingly resist unto blood to obtain 
 Thee? why do the vain and empty enjoyments of 
 life take such fast hold of me? O perishing time! 
 why dost thou thus bewitch and deceive me? O 
 blessed eternity ! when shalt thou be my portion 
 for ever? 
 
 Acts of Hope. 
 
 O MY God ! in all my dangers, temporal and 
 spiritual, I will hope in Thee, who art almighty 
 power, and, therefore, able to relieve me ; who art 
 infinite goodness, and, therefore, ready and willing 
 to assist me ! 
 
 Greater is thy mercy, O blessed Jesus, than my 
 wickedness ; thy goodness exceeds the number and 
 heinousness of my sins; greater is thy power, O 
 God, than the lury of my enemies ; therefore, 
 when my fears press hardest upon me, I will put 
 my trust and confidence in Thee. 
 
 precious blood of my dear Redeemer ! O 
 gaping wounds of my crucified Saviour! who can 
 contemplate the sufferings of God incarnate, and 
 not raise his hope, and not put his trust in them ? 
 
 1 firmly hope, O my God, for the pardon of all 
 my sins, which I heartily bewail and detest ; I 
 firmly hope to obtain the virtues and graces of thy 
 Holy Spirit, which I am resolved sincerely to en- 
 deavour after ; I wait and expect thy eternal glory, 
 which shall alwa^'s be the aim of all my longing 
 desires. 
 
 f3 
 
102 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 What though my body be crumbled into dust, 
 and that dust blown over the face of the earth ; 
 yet T undoubtedly know my Redeemer lives, and 
 shall raise me up at the last day. 
 
 Whether I am comforted, or left desolate ; 
 whether I enjoy peace, or am afflicted with temp- 
 tations; whether I am healthful or sickly, suc- 
 coured or abandoned by the good things of this 
 life, I will always hope in Thee, O my chiefest 
 infinite good ! 
 
 ** Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, nei- 
 ther shall fruit be in the vines ; although the labour 
 of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield 
 no meat; the flock shall be cutoff" from the fold, 
 and there shall be no herd in the stalls ; yet I will 
 rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my 
 salvation \" 
 
 What though I mourn and am afflicted here, and 
 sigh under the miseries of this world for a time; I 
 am sure my tears shall one day be turned into joy, 
 and that joy none shall take from me. 
 
 I should too much injure thy charity and thy 
 sufferings, O blessed Jesus, if I had not a firm hope 
 of working out my salvation. 
 
 Great is the malice of the powers of darkness, 
 and great is my own weakness: but how much 
 greater is thy goodness and thy might, O my gra- 
 cious God ! I will, therefore, work out my salvation 
 with fear and trembling ; but as long as I live, I 
 will hope in thy mercy. 
 
 O miserable wretch that I am ! If I hope, why 
 do not my endeavours answer my hopes? If I 
 hope to obtain the grace of God to overcome my 
 follies and to acquire all necessary virtues, why do 
 I not labour to such holy purposes ? 
 
 Wlioever hopes for great things in this world, 
 takes pains to attain them ; how can my hopes of 
 
 ' Habakkukiii. 17, 18. 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 103 
 
 everlasting life be well grounded, if I do not strive 
 and labour for that eternal inheritance? 
 
 I will never refuse the meanest labours, while I 
 look to receive such glorious wages ; I will never 
 repine at any temporal loss, while I expect to gain 
 such eternal rewards. 
 
 Blessed hope ! be thou my chief delight in life, 
 and then I shall be stedfast and unmoveable, always 
 abounding in the work of the Lord ; be Thou my 
 comfort and support at the hour of death, and then 
 I shall contentedly leave this world, as a captive 
 that is released from his imprisonment. 
 
 Acts of Love, 
 
 Almighty and everlasting God, Thou art infinite 
 in all excellences and perfections, and, therefore, 
 art the most proper object of the love and adoration 
 of immortal souls; Thou art infinite in goodness 
 and loving-kindness towards me, and, therefore, 
 hast the justest claim to my heart. 
 
 O infinite amiableness ! when shall I love Thee 
 without bounds, without coldness or interruption, 
 which, alas! so often seize me here below? Let 
 me never suflTer any creature to be thy rival, or to 
 share my heart with Thee; let me have no other 
 God, no other love, but only Thee. 
 
 Whatever is amiable in the creatures is derived 
 from Thee, and is no farther amiable than it bears 
 some impression of thy amiableness ; their good- 
 ness is imperfect and mixed with much evil, but 
 Thou only art perfectly excellent ; O let the v/orld 
 never more have place in my heart! all my affec- 
 tions I withdraw from that, to fix on Thee. 
 
 O dear Jesus, who didst love me to such a de- 
 gree that Thou wert pleased for my sake to endure 
 a painful and shameful death, how is it possible I 
 can live without loving Thee ? 
 
 O how much is it the grief of my heart, that my 
 F 4 
 
104 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 love is so imperfect, so little fixed upon the de- 
 serving object? O when shall I love Thee to the 
 utmost capacity of a creature, and praise Thee to 
 all eternity ? 
 
 How afflicting it is to me not to love Thee as 
 much as I desire ! alas ! when shall I love Thee 
 with all my strength? when shall all carnal affec- 
 tions die in me, and all things belonging to the 
 Spirit live and grow in me? when shall I be will- 
 ing to lay down my life for Thee, who hast shed thy 
 precious blood for me ? 
 
 Grant, O God, that I may continually exercise 
 upon earth what the blessed saints practise with so 
 much fervour in heaven ; the glories and pleasures 
 of that happy region would be imperfect, if the 
 flame of love did not continually burn before Thee. 
 
 Whoever loves, desires to please the beloved 
 object : and according to the degree of love is the 
 greatness of desire : make me, O God, diligent and 
 earnest in pleasing Thee; let me cheerfully discharge 
 the most painful and costly duties, and forsake 
 friends, riches, ease, and life itself, rather than 
 disobey Thee. 
 
 Whoever loves, desires the welfare and happi- 
 ness of the beloved object : but Thou, O dear Jesus, 
 canst receive no addition from my imperfect ser- 
 vices ; what shall I do to express my affection to- 
 wards Thee? I will relieve the necessities of my poor 
 brethren who are members of thy body ; for he that 
 loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can 
 he love God whom he hath not seen ? 
 
 I will pray without ceasing, and seriously medi- 
 tate upon thy precepts; I wall hear thy word with 
 reverence and attention, and receive the holy sacra- 
 ment with humility and devotion ; for these are the 
 methods Thou hast established of conversing with 
 Thee, of uniting us to Thee, and are the only means 
 whereby I can enjoy Thee here below. 
 
 Alas ! how is all my time unprofitable, my labour 
 
Devotions for the Altar, 105 
 
 lost, my actions and sufferings vain, when they are 
 not employed in thy service, when they are not 
 endured for the love of Thee, my God ! 
 
 I will long for thy appearing, O blessed Jesus, 
 because it will transform me into thy likeness, 
 because it will enter me into the full enjoyment of 
 Thee, and unite me to Thee for ever : the utmost 
 labour of all my days is little enough ; the service 
 of my whole life short enough, and no more than 
 sufficient to secure this eternal inheritance. 
 
 O crucified Jesus, in whom I live, and without 
 whom I die ! mortify in me sensual desires, inflame 
 my heart with thy holy love, that I may no longer 
 esteem the vanities of this world, but place my 
 affections entirely on Thee. 
 
 Let my last breath, when my soul shall leave my 
 body, breathe forth love to Thee, my God : I en- 
 tered into life without acknowledging Thee ; let me, 
 therefore, finish it in loving Thee : O let the last 
 act of life be love ! 
 
 Acts of Conformity to the Will of God. 
 
 Blessed will of God ! how just and upright art 
 Thou in all thy determinations ! how good and ami- 
 able in all thy dispensations ! they only love Thee 
 not, who know Thee not ; and they who know Thee 
 not, how miserable are they ! 
 
 What art Thou, O Lord ? and what am I ? Thou 
 art all wisdom, I am all blindness and ignorance : 
 choose Thou for me, let thy holy will be done in 
 me and by me, because, if I should choose and will 
 for myself, all would be vanity, rashness, and folly. 
 
 Thou art a God infinite in mercy and loving- 
 kindness, and therefore wilt order all things to my 
 greatest advantage. Wo to me ! when my will is 
 not obedient and resigned to thy blessed will in 
 every thing. 
 
 O my God, Thou canst will nothing but that 
 F 5 
 
106 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 which is truly good, and I am capable of willing 
 every thing that is monstrously evil ! I, therefore, 
 renounce my own will, I submit to be entirely 
 governed by thine. 
 
 The designs of thy mercy are to make me happy 
 to all eternity, and my perverse inclinations run 
 after present pleasures, how contrary soever they 
 may be to thy gracious purposes. It is, therefore, 
 reasonable, O Lord, that I should distrust my own 
 guidance, and that thy blessed will should direct all 
 my ways. 
 
 Holiness is the path my God hath chalked out to 
 everlasting bliss; may thy holy will be accomplished 
 in me, and then I shall be sanctified by thy grace 
 in this world, and glorified in the enjoyment of 
 thyself in the next. 
 
 Thy will, O blessed Jesus, is that I should avoid 
 all sin, and purify myself as Thou art pure ; my own 
 will does but too often prevail upon me to transgress 
 thy holy laws. Thy will shall be my rule, because 
 it makes me do every thing that is good. 
 
 How true is it, O my Jesus, that Thou art my 
 Lord and Master, my omnipotent Sovereign ! how 
 fit and reasonable, therefore, is it, that thy will in 
 every thing should be my choice and satisfaction ! 
 
 Consider well, O my soul, that upon two wills 
 depends either thy happiness or thy misery ; upon 
 the will of God, thy happiness ; upon thy own 
 will, thy misery; consider well to which thou 
 choosest to unite thyself, because eternal happiness 
 and eternal misery are of too great importance to 
 be neglected. 
 
 It is easy, O Lord, to submit to thy will, when 
 it is pleasing and agreeable to our natures ; but it 
 certainly is no less our duty when Thou thinkest fit 
 to try us with difficulties, and to contradict the 
 inclinations of flesh and blood. 
 
 In all thy sufferings, in thy painful crucifixion 
 and shameful death, O my dear Jesus, Thou didst 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 107 
 
 entirely resign thyself to the will of thy Father. 
 Shall I murmur against less sufferings, which I 
 have so much deserved? shall I not quietly and 
 patiently submit to them. 
 
 If I do not love Thee, O my God, more than my- 
 self, I am not worthy of Thee ; if I do not prefer 
 thy will to my own, it is much to be feared I do not 
 love Thee. O my God ! I will deny myself, to be 
 made perfect in love. 
 
 Thy will, O God, is thy blessed self: they, there- 
 fore, who refuse to follow thy will, declare that Thou 
 shalt not reign over them, that they desire not the 
 knowledge of thy ways. It is Thee I desire, O my 
 God ; I renounce my own will, therefore, to follow 
 thine. 
 
 Acts of Virtue in relation to the Passion of our 
 Saviour, 
 
 Whither has love carried Thee, O blessed Jesus? 
 even to the j)ainful and shameful death of the cross, 
 for my sake. O how imperfect is my love, if afflic- 
 tions or crosses are able to separate me from Thee ! 
 or if I am not willing to endure the greatest tor- 
 ments rather than forsake Thee ! 
 
 Thou wert, O Jesus, so in love with sufferings for 
 me, that rather than come down from the cross, 
 Thou didst choose to expire upon it. Miserable 
 wretch that I am ! how does my flesh and blood 
 start at the very appearance of a violent death, 
 though it might be necessary as a testimony of the 
 truth of my affection towards Thee ! 
 
 Thy sacred head was crowned with thorns, and 
 all thy body ploughed with scourges, but my sins 
 and follies added sharpness to them, and pierced 
 Thee and wounded Thee more than the thorns and 
 scourges themselves. O ! how I grieve and love, 
 when I consider my iniquities drew upon Thee all 
 F 6 
 
108 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 thy sorrows ; those exquisite pains and torments 
 in thy body! those inexpressible fears and anguish 
 in thy soul ! 
 
 I do for ever, O Lord, detest and abjure those 
 sins that were thy tormentors ! I will persecute 
 those vile lusts and affections that crucified Thee ; 
 I will fly from all appearance of evil. 
 
 Is it possible not to love Thee, O blessed Saviour, 
 above all things, who hast delivered me from such 
 imperious masters ? is it possible to remember that 
 my sins occasioned all thy grief, and ever to offend 
 Thee more ? 
 
 What does my soul long for ? what is the desire 
 of my heart ? is it possible that empty frail creatures 
 only should rejoice and delight it, when divine love 
 displays itself in the bleeding wounds of the suffer- 
 ing Jesus? 
 
 Let the fire of divine love burn bright in my 
 soul ; never will I search for any other fuel to 
 nourish this holy flame, than thy scourges and thy 
 thorns, than thy reed and thy cross ! 
 
 Thy whole life was spent in doing good, and so 
 far from indulging the pleasures of sense, that Thou 
 hadst not where to lay thy head ; and whoever fre- 
 quents the Christian sacrifice, must be convinced at 
 what a rate Thou didst value the welfare of man- 
 kind; for Thou didst willingly embrace all sorts of 
 sufferings in order to accomplish it. 
 
 What folly and rashness is it, therefore, for me to 
 be always indulging m3^self in sensual enjoyments : 
 to be spending in follv and luxury those means 
 which ought to be employed in doing good to the 
 souls and bodies of men! how unlike is this to that 
 example Thou hast set before me, and to that dis- 
 position of mind Thou requirest of me! 
 
 Alas ! suffering can only affright those that con- 
 sider themselves, and not Thee ; that love them- 
 selves, and not Thee, O my crucified Jesus. Thou 
 
Devotions for the Altar, 109 
 
 wert made perfect through sufferings, and can I 
 behold and love such a blessed pattern, and not 
 desh-e to suffer with Thee, and to die for Thee ? 
 
 Who can fathom this abyss of divine love ? I am 
 the criminal, and Thou, O blessed Jesus,art crucified; 
 what ought I not to have suffered, to have gained 
 an interest in Thee ? and yet what hast Thou not 
 suffered, to purchase such a wretch as I am ? 
 
 I have offended Thee, and Thou reconcilest me 
 with thy own blood : I occasioned thy death, and 
 Thou givest me life : was there ever any love like 
 that love which my Lord and my God has showed 
 towards me ? 
 
 When I consider Thee, O dear Jesus, what Thou 
 art in thyself, and what Thou art to me, I feel 
 myself constrained to love Thee. Where shall I 
 discover greater excellences and perfections to raise 
 my admiration? where shall I find greater bounty 
 and goodness to engage my affections ? 
 
 Acts of Humility, 
 
 O MY God ! Thou art the eternal source of all 
 excellency and perfection ; and I, miserable wretch ! 
 what am I ? nothing but poor dust and ashes, folly 
 and vanity. It is reasonable, therefore, I should 
 obey Thee, because Thou art infinitely above me ; 
 that I should submit to Thee in all things, without 
 grudging, without murmuring, because Thou art 
 infinite wisdom. 
 
 Blessed humility ! when shall I possess Thee ? 
 when shall I enjoy that tranquillity of mind, which 
 is only found among those that love and obey Thee ? 
 when shall I be adorned with that comeliness and 
 beauty, which Thou only canst bestow ? 
 
 What have I, O Lord, whereof to glory ? if of 
 my body, it is nothing but vile clay, moulded by thy 
 omnipotent hand, and must return to rottenness, 
 
110 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 and be the food of worms : if of my mind, it is the 
 breath of life infused by Thee, and by my own folly 
 made full of sin and wickedness. I have gone 
 astray iiom the womb, and in sin did my mother 
 conceive me. 
 
 All the good I possess comes from Thee : if my 
 outward man has any advantages above others, it is 
 the effect of thy bounty, from whence proceeds 
 health and strength, beauty and comeliness, and 
 upon thy will they depend, to be recalled at a 
 moment: if my mind has the least excellency, it is 
 thy gift, who didst endue me with reason and grace: 
 all that is my own is the abuse of thy favours ; and 
 whatever is bad in me is properly mine, 
 
 I am unworthy, O Lord, of all thy gifts, by 
 reason of my vileness and ingratitude ; I do not 
 deserve the air 1 breathe in, because I have infected 
 it, as it were, with noisome lusts; I do not deserve 
 the bread I eat, because my table has become a 
 snare, and the good creatures Thou hast given me 
 for refreshment have been abused to luxury and 
 sensuality. 
 
 let me consider what I am by nature, frail and 
 weak ; what I am by sin, odious and contemptible 
 in thy sight: and let this knowledge of myself 
 suppress and mortify all proud and vain thoughts ; 
 let a sense of my own vileness and unworthiness 
 make me humble myself, as it were, in dust and 
 ashes. 
 
 It is the sincere desire of my soul, O blessed 
 Jesus ! it is the firm choice of my will, to be rather 
 a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to 
 dwell in the tents of wickedness. 
 
 1 will not place my pleasure and satisfaction in 
 the praise of men, because it is an uncertain breath 
 of air, apt to swell me with pride and vanity, and 
 is the eifect of civility and charity, rather than of 
 what I deserve. I will in all my actions endeavour 
 
Devotions for the Altar. Ill 
 
 to please Thee, though it be attended with ignominy 
 and reproach, and though I thereby become the 
 contempt of the scornful. 
 
 O let me bear the injuries and aflfronts of bad 
 men with patience and meekness, because I have 
 deserved much worse treatment from Thee. Let 
 me receive the reproofs and admonitions of good 
 men with thankfulness, because I stand so much in 
 need of them, and because they are so proper to 
 correct my follies. 
 
 O let me never insult over the follies and sins of 
 my fellow-Christians, because I am liable to the 
 same temptations ; let me pity and compassionate 
 their misfortunes, because, if I am not plunged in 
 the same gulph of misery, it is wholly owing to thy 
 grace which has preserved me; to thy almighty 
 hand which hash&ld me up. 
 
 How didst Thou condescend, O dear Jesus, to be 
 born in a stable ; to lead a life destitute of all com- 
 forts and accommodations ; to die upon a cross ! and 
 all this for the good of thy sinful creatures : and 
 shall I think any labour too grievous, any office too 
 mean, whereby I may be able to promote the tem- 
 poral and eternal happiness of my neighbour? 
 
 Without Thee, O Jesus, I can do nothing ; in- 
 spire me with that humility which Thou hast taught 
 by thy precepts, and by thy own example ; I will 
 endeavour to imitate thy state of humiliation here 
 upon earth, that I may partake of those glories 
 Thou now dost possess at the right hand of thy 
 Father. 
 
 Acts of Contrition, 
 
 O MOST gracious God, who art the inexhaustible 
 fountain of all goodness, who art only amiable ; how 
 grievously have T offended Thee ! what return have 
 I made for those graces and favours which Thou 
 hast bestowed upon me ? what tribute have 1 paid 
 
112 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 to thine infinite perfections? I will declare my 
 iniquity, and be sorry for my sins. 
 
 I will repent, O my God, of my sins as the 
 greatest of evils; and the remembrance of them 
 shall be more grievous and afflicting to me, than 
 that of any other evil whatsoever ; for they are the 
 offences of a vile creature against Thee, the great 
 Creator, the chiefest and most desirable good; 
 wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and 
 ashes. 
 
 I can plead nothing, O Lord, to extenuate the 
 guilt of my sins; I ought to have renounced every 
 thing that is valuable in life, nay, even life itself, 
 rather than to have offended Thee, whose loving- 
 kindness is better than life : but I do now most 
 heartily detest my sins, because they are dis- 
 pleasing to Thee, who art infinite goodness ; and I 
 purpose, by the help of thy grace, to live better for 
 the time to come. 
 
 Thou hast graciously declared, O my chiefest 
 good, that a broken spirit is a sacrifice acceptable 
 to Thee ; that Thou wilt not despise a broken and a 
 contrite heart. O my heart! let grief and sorrow 
 rend thee in pieces, who hast hitherto sacrificed 
 thyself to a vain and wicked world. 
 
 If the sorrow of this vale of tears could enter 
 into the state of the blessed, even in heaven I 
 would lament the ofiences committed against the 
 great Lord of heaven and earth : but whilst I am 
 here below I will turn unto Thee, O Lord, with 
 weeping and mourning, and I will choose the 
 greatest sufferings rather than offend Thee. 
 
 I love Thee, O my God ; and how much is it the. 
 grief of my soul that I have not always loved 
 Thee ! that I have not always had a regard to thy 
 divine precepts ! O that my head were waters, 
 and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep 
 much, and love much, having much to be for- 
 given. 
 
Devotions for the Altar, 113 
 
 As my love increases towards Thee, O dear Jesus, 
 so much the more do I grieve for my sins, which 
 made Thee a man of sorrow and acquainted with 
 grief: and I am so much the more resolved, by the 
 help of thy grace, to abstain from all evil for the 
 time to come, by how much the more I rejoice in 
 every thing that tends to thy honour and glory. 
 
 Oh ! for what empty shadows have I forfeited 
 the favour of the Most High; for what trifling 
 vanities have I incurred the displeasure of my best 
 benefactor ! I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned 
 against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more 
 worthy to be called thy son ; but I return with the 
 prodigal: O let thy paternal bowels yearn on me, 
 and graciously receive me ! 
 
 How can I behold Thee, O infinite goodness, and 
 not love Thee ? how can I love Thee, and not grieve 
 for having offended Thee? and not detest my sins, 
 and not resolve to forsake them ? O may I always 
 sincerely love Thee, and then I shall always re- 
 nounce and abhor every thing that is evil. 
 
 The torments of the damned are justly the 
 objects of my fear ; and when I consider that 
 they are eternal, I tremble, O Lord, at thy just 
 and omnipotent wrath, provoked by my heinous 
 transgressions. But O ! let the sense of having 
 offended infinite goodness be more grievous and 
 afflicting to me, than that of any other evil what- 
 soever. 
 
 Blessed Jesus ! hast Thou not redeemed me from 
 many and great evils ? hast Thou not heaped upon 
 me abundant testimonies of thy goodness and 
 loving-kindness; and yet have not mine iniquities 
 increased over my head, and my trespasses grown 
 unto the heavens? but I will break off my sins by 
 rifjhteousness, and mine iniquities by showing mercy 
 to the poor. 
 
 O my God ! I will lie down in shame, and 
 confusion shall cover me. The measure of mv 
 
114 Devotions for the Altar. 
 
 sorrow shall bear some proportion to the heinous- 
 ness of my sins. I will keep under ray body and 
 bring it into subjection. I will avoid all fresh 
 occasions of backsliding. I will obey Thee in all 
 things, and suffer with patience whatsoever punish- 
 ment Thou shalt think fit to inflict upon me : 
 happy, infinitely happy ! if upon any terms I can 
 procure thy love and favour. 
 
 O heavenly Father! for thine own infinite mercy's 
 sake, for thy truth and promise sake, for all the 
 merits and sufferings of the Son of thy love, in 
 whom Thou art always well pleased, pardon all my 
 sins and failings, and receive me into thy favour. 
 Amen, O Lord God ! Ameiii Amen, 
 
 Acts of Praise. 
 
 Praise the Lord, O my soul, for it is a good 
 thing to sing praises unto our God : O sing praises 
 unto his name, for it is lovely! Thy name, O 
 Lord, endureth for ever, so doth thy memorial, O 
 Lord, from one generation to another. As long as 
 I live, I will praise the Lord ; as long as I have any 
 being, I will sing praises unto my God. 
 
 To Thee, O Lord, belong greatness and power, 
 and glory, and victory, and majesty : for all that is 
 in the heaven and in the earth is thine ; thine is the 
 kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as head 
 above all. Blessed and praised be thy holy name,' 
 O Lord God, for ever and for ever. 
 
 Thou art the everlasting and eternal King ; be- 
 fore the mountains were brought forth, or ever 
 Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from 
 everlasting to everlasting Thou art God. I will 
 trust in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah 
 is everlasting strength. 
 
 Thou art, O Lord, the same yesterday, to-day, 
 and for ever, and thy years fail not. Thy good- 
 ness, thy power, thy wisdom, and thy righteous- 
 
Devotions for the Altar. 115 
 
 ness endure for ever; with Thee is no variableness 
 nor shadow of turning. The counsel of the Lord 
 standeth for ever, and the thoughts of his heart 
 to all generations. The wicked, therefore, must 
 feel the power of thy wrath, the weight of thy 
 almighty arm ; and Thou wilt give grace and glory, 
 and withhold no good thing from them that live 
 a godly life. 
 
 Praised be thy being which knows no bounds 
 or limits, but doth spread and diffuse itself every 
 way, beyond the capacity of our shallow imagina- 
 tion. The darkest corners and the most private 
 recesses cannot exclude thy presence. Whither 
 shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee 
 from thy presence ? can any hide himself in secret 
 that Thou shalt not see him, who fillest heaven and 
 earth ? 
 
 Thou art an Almighty God: is any thing too 
 hard for Thee ? The Lord of Hosts hath proposed 
 it, who shall disannul it ? Thou art able to make 
 good all thy promises, and none can stay thy hand. 
 Thou canst inflict the greatest punishment upon 
 the wicked, and none can withstand thy power. 
 Who can resist the destruction which the Lord 
 sends ? they only are secure of a safe refuge who 
 abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 
 
 Praised be the Lord, who only searcheth the 
 hearts of all the children of men ; there is not a 
 word in the tongue, but Thou knowest it alto- 
 gether ; thine eyes are upon the ways of man, and 
 Thou seest all his goings. There is no darkness 
 where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves. 
 Let all the earth love and fear Thee, for Thou 
 knowest, and canst reward their services. Let the 
 faithful call upon Thee in all their straits, for thy 
 ear is open to their cry. And let every one prepare 
 for that dreadful tribunal, where every thought 
 shall be brought into judgment. God is greater 
 than our hearts, and knoweth all things. 
 
116 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 O Lord ! how manifold are thy works, in wis- 
 dom hast Thou made them all ; Thou hast framed 
 all things in number, weight, and measure, and 
 governest them with the best order and greatest 
 harmony. Thou choosest what is best for us, and 
 prescribest the best means for the advancement of 
 our happiness. But that wisdom can never be 
 sufficiently praised, which is manifested in the 
 stupendous mystery of mau's redemption, where 
 all the divine attributes shine with the greatest 
 lustre; which, to them that are saved, is the power 
 of God, and the wisdom of God. Happy is the 
 man that findeth this wisdom, that getteth this 
 Understanding. 
 
 Praised be thy name, who keepest truth for ever, 
 who wilt not suffer thy faithfulness to fail, nor alter 
 the thing that is gone out of thy mouth. Heaven 
 and earth shall pass away, but thy words shall not 
 pass away, till all things be fulfilled. Thou art a 
 God of truth, without iniquity and deceit ; no 
 deceitful person shall rest upon thy holy hill ; he 
 that telleth lies shall not tarry in thy sight. 
 
 The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy 
 in all his works. He will not clear the guilty, nor 
 respect the persons of men, but rewardeth every 
 man according to his work. Tribulation and an- 
 guish shall be the portion of every soul that loveth 
 evil ; but glory, honour, and peace, shall be to 
 every man that worketh good. 
 
 Thou art a holy God, and of purer eyes than to 
 behold iniquity, and hast no pleasure in wicked- 
 ness. It is contrary to the purity of thy nature, to 
 the perfection of thy laws, and to those pleasures 
 which are at thy right hand for evermore. Let us, 
 therefore, put on the new man, which after God is 
 created in righteousness and true holiness ; let us 
 purify ourselves as God is pure, for without holiness 
 no man can see the Lord. 
 
 Praised be the Lord for his great goodness which 
 
Devotions for tJie Altar, 117 
 
 is extended to all his creatures, and for the wonders 
 which He doth for the children of men. Whatever 
 appears good in the best of thy creatures is derived 
 from Thee ; the earth is full of thy goodness, and 
 nothing is hid from the influence of it. Thou 
 loadest us with thy blessings, that Thou mayest en- 
 gage us to returns of love and gratitude ; and if we 
 are bound in fetters, and held in the cords of afflic- 
 tion, it is that we may see our transgressions and 
 turn from our iniquities, and still Thou waitest to 
 be gracious. O that men would praise the Lord 
 for his goodness, and declare the wonders that He 
 doth for the children of men ! 
 
 A Prayer which may he used at any time in the 
 week before the Sunday or Holy -day on which loe 
 design to communicate, and which may properly 
 be annexed to our Morning Devotions at such 
 times. 
 
 Most gracious and merciful God, who hast by 
 thy minister given me an invitation to thy heavenly 
 feast, grant me grace to approach thy holy mys- 
 teries with penitential preparation, and with a heart 
 fully disposed to serve and obey Thee all the days 
 of my life. 
 
 Enable me, O my God, I most humbly beseech 
 Thee, to examine the state of my own mind, to com- 
 pare my actions with the rule of thy laws, that 
 nothing contrary to thy holy will may ever find a 
 settled abode in my soul ; Thou knowest all that 
 load of impiety and guilt under which I lie ; help 
 me, therefore, so impartially to judge and condemn 
 myself, so humbly to repent and beg pardon, that 
 I may not be condemned at thy dreadful tribunal : 
 but, alas! after the most strict examination we 
 can make, who can number his impieties ? who can 
 tell how oft he offendeth? cleanse me, therefore, 
 
118 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 O Lord, from my secret faults, which in general I 
 renounce and bewail. 
 
 O my God, who alone canst order the unruly 
 wills and affections of sinful men, be pleased to 
 change my heart into an entire love of Thee, that I 
 may be unfeignedly sorry for having offended Thee, 
 who art infinite goodness ; that with a broken and 
 contrite heart I may grieve and mourn, and repent 
 for all wry former sins, and may for ever forsake 
 them, and for the future stedfastly purpose to lead 
 a neiv life, that I may renew my baptismal vow, 
 and hereafter live as a sworn votary to thy love. 
 
 O heavenly Father, settle in my soul a lively 
 faith in thy mercy through Christ, a stedfast belief 
 of all thy love to sinners, and an afiectionate reli- 
 ance on the merits and mediation of thy crucified 
 Son ; of my being accepted in the beloved, for 
 whom I will ever adore and praise Thee. 
 
 my crucified God, let the remembrance of thy 
 death set all the powers of my soul on work, that I 
 may desire and pant after Thee ; that I may admire 
 and adore Thee ; that I may take heavenly delight 
 in thy gracious presence ; that with praise and 
 thanksgiving I may receive Thee in my heart, and 
 always entertain Thee with pious dispositions, and 
 devout affections. 
 
 1 see, O blessed Jesus, in the memorial of thy 
 sufferings, how Thou didst forgive me, and didst love 
 me when I was thy enemy; give me grace to love 
 my neighbour, and to he in charity with all men; to 
 forgive all my enemies, and to be at peace with all 
 the world, as I desire to be beloved, and forgiven, 
 and to be at peace with Thee. All that have any 
 way injured me I freely forgive, for thy sake, O 
 Lord; and if I have wronged or injured my neigh- 
 bour, give me grace to beg his pardon ; and, as I 
 have opportunity, to make him satisfaction and re- 
 stitution according to my power. Whenever I see 
 
Devotions for the Altar, 119 
 
 any of thy poor members hungry, or naked, or in 
 distress, let the remembrance of thy love, in dying 
 for me, engage me to contribute all I can to their 
 relief; may they ever liberally partake of what I 
 enjoy, since Thou wert so liberal of thy inestimable 
 blood for me. 
 
 Thus prepared, O Lord, let me approach thy 
 holy table, and so eat the flesh of thy dear Son 
 Jesus Christ, and drink his blood, that my sinful 
 body may be made clean by his body, and my soul 
 washed through his most precious blood, that I may 
 evermore dwell in Him, and He in me. Amen. 
 
 A Prayer in our retirement, after we are returned 
 home from the Lord's table, ivhich may he added 
 to our Evening Devotions. 
 
 I ACKNOWLEDGE, O Lord my God, with all 
 thankfulness of heart, thy great mercy and good- 
 ness communicated to me this day, in giving me 
 an opportunity of approaching thy holy table,* and 
 disposing my mind to commemorate the infinite 
 love of my crucified Saviour : to render Him thanks 
 and praise for laying down his life as a sacrifice for 
 the sins of the world ; and to represent unto Thee 
 that sacrifice, as a full satisfaction for them ; where- 
 by Thou dost incline me humbly to hope for all the 
 benefits of his death and passion. 
 
 How many, O Lord, turn a deaf ear to all the 
 pressing exhortations of thy ministers ; and beino- 
 influenced by the cares, and riches, and pleasures 
 of life, when they are invited, refuse to come! 
 How many pious and devout souls are deprived of 
 the blessed advantage of this highest and most 
 solemn act of rehgion ! and how many sincere and 
 faithful Christians are oppressed with scruples, 
 dejected with fear, so that they dare not venture 
 to partake of the holy mysteries ! 
 
 What thanks, therefore, most gracious God, can 
 
120 Devotions for the Altar, 
 
 I return unto thy Divine Majesty, for impressing 
 a sense of my duty upon my mind, and for that 
 strength and power whereby Thou hast in some 
 measure enabled me to perform it ? I will praise 
 and magnify thy great and glorious name, and will 
 entirely devote myself to thy service as long as 
 I have any being. 
 
 Blessed be thy name for those fresh supplies of 
 grace I have received at thy altar; grant that they 
 may make me run the way of thy commandments 
 with delight and pleasure; that I may never any 
 more faint or droop, or tire in my duty. 
 
 Blessed be thy name for those comfortable as- 
 surances Thou hast given me of pardon and forgive- 
 ness. Let this thy compassionate goodness be a 
 perpetual obligation to love and gratitude. Let it 
 put me upon my guard, that I may watch over all 
 my ways, and do always that which is well pleasing 
 in thy sight. 
 
 Blessed be thy name for that peace and quiet 
 Thou hast restored to my soul ; for those resolu- 
 tions Thou hast wrought in me to persevere in thy 
 service to the end of my days ; make them firm, 
 vigorous, and constant, and never let any sinful 
 passions any more ruffle and discompose my mind. 
 
 Blessed be thy name for that relish Thou hast 
 given me of spiritual delights ; that desire of pos- 
 sessing the eternal inheritance ; let the enjo^'ments 
 of sense appear mean and contemptible, and let 
 not the pleasures of the world any more prevail 
 upon me to transgress thy holy laws. 
 
 Grant, O Lord, that I may walk worthy of these 
 thy distinguishing mercies, and live as becomes the 
 redeemed of the Lord. Without Thee, O blessed 
 Jesus, I can do nothing ; without Thee, who art the 
 Sun of Righteousness, I shall walk in darkness ; 
 without Thee, who art the Physician of souls, I 
 shall languish and die ; without Thee, who art the 
 joy of all devout minds, I shall consume my days 
 
A Morning Prayer for a Family. 121 
 
 away in sadness. Remain, therefore, O Lord, and 
 abide with me for ever ; I shall then be enabled to 
 do thy will in this life, and thereby be qualified to 
 partake of thy glories to all eternity in the next. 
 Amen, Amen, 
 
 Since it is possible this little Treatise may fall into 
 hands that may he destitute of helps for Family 
 Devotion^ I have added a Morning and Evening 
 Prayer for such occasions, 
 
 A Morning Prayer for a Family. 
 
 O ETERNAL GoD, Creator and Preserver of 
 mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of 
 everlasting life ; we, thine unworthy servants, en- 
 tirely desire to praise thy name for all the expres- 
 sions of thy bounty towards us. We give Thee 
 thanks that Thou hast preserved us from many and 
 great dangers wherewith we have been encom- 
 passed ; that Thou hast brought us safe to the light 
 of this day, and that Thou hast refreshed us the 
 past night with quiet rest and sleep ; but, above 
 all, T)lessed be thy love that gave thy Son to die for 
 our sins, to put us in a way of being happy, if we 
 would obey Thee ; and, after all our wilful refusals 
 of thy grace, still hast patience with us, and hast 
 added this one day more to all we have mis-spent 
 already, to see if we would finish the work Thou 
 hast set us to do, and fit ourselves for eternal 
 glory. 
 
 Pardon, good Lord, all our former sins, and all 
 our abuses of thy forbearance and long-suffering, 
 for which we are now sorry at our hearts : give us 
 grace to lead more holy lives, and to be more care- 
 ful in improving all future opportunities; make 
 thyself present to our minds, and let thy love and 
 thy fear rule in our souls in all those places and 
 
 [96] G 
 
122 A Morning Prayer for a Family. 
 
 companies where our occasions shall lead us this 
 day. 
 
 Keep us chaste in all our thoughts; temperate in 
 all our enjoyments, humble in all our opinions of 
 ourselves, charitable in all our speeches of others, 
 meek and peaceable under all provocations, sincere 
 and faithful in all our professions, and so just and 
 upright in all our dealings, that no necessity may 
 force, nor opportunity in any kind allure us, to 
 defraud or go beyond our neighbours. When Thou 
 bestowest good on others, let us not envy but re- 
 joice in it ; and when Thou addest any to our- 
 selves, let us own thy mercy, and humbly thank 
 Thee for it. 
 
 Afford us convenient supplies in all our reason- 
 able necessities, and protect us against the approach 
 of all dangers ; make us diligent in all our affairs, 
 and give such success to all our lawful endeavours, 
 as Thou seest most expedient for us ; teach us con- 
 tentedly to submit, and not to repine at any thing 
 that happens by the allotment of thy wise Provi- 
 dence. 
 
 In all our passage through this world, and our 
 manifold concerns in it, suffer not our hearts to be 
 too much set upon it ; but always fix our eyes 
 upon the blessed hope, that as we go along we may 
 make all the things of this world minister to it, and 
 be careful above all things to fit our souls for that 
 pure and perfect bliss, which Thou hast prepared 
 for all that love and fear Thee, in the glories of thy 
 kingdom. 
 
 Give thy grace, most merciful God, to all the 
 world, and let all who are redeemed by the blood 
 of thy Son, acknowledge Thee to be the Lord, and 
 become his worshippers and faithful servants. 
 Make all Christians conscientious practisers of that 
 holiness they profess ; and, above all, inspire them 
 w-ith uniting principles and charitable hearts, that 
 by their loving one another as Thou hast loved us. 
 
A Morning Fray er for a Family, 123 
 
 all the world may know they are thy disciples. 
 Let all governors rule with wisdom and justice, 
 and subjects obey with love and cheerfulness: let 
 the priests of the Lord be exemplary in their lives, 
 and discreet and diligent in their labours, having a 
 most compassionate love of souls ; and let the 
 people be humble and tractable, most desirous to 
 hearken, and fully bent to follow wise instructions. 
 Relieve the afflicted, and those that are in want; 
 assist them contentedly to depend on Thee. ^ Raise 
 friends to the widows and fatherless, the prisoners 
 and captives, and all that groan under any oppres- 
 sion. Give repentance, patience, and resignation 
 to all that lie upon beds of sickness, and ease when 
 Thou seest it convenient for them. Speak peace to 
 troubled consciences, by delivering them from their 
 causeless scruples, and by making them constant 
 in the practice of holiness. Bless all our friends, 
 who are especially endeared to us by their kind- 
 nesses, all our relations according to the flesh, all 
 that particularly pray for us, or desire our prayers. 
 Teach us all to"^ask what Thou approvest, and then 
 grant us whatsoever is asked. 
 
 Prevent us in all our actions, guard us against 
 all dangers, relieve us in all straits, and grant that 
 we may always make Thee our confidant, and take 
 all things well that Thou orderest for us ; shorten 
 our sorrows, and deliver us from all our sins, and 
 fit us all for that eternal kingdom which Thou hast 
 prepared for us, for Jesus' sake, in whose holy 
 name and words we further pray unto Thee. 
 
 Our Father, &c. 
 
 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of 
 God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be 
 with us this day, and for evermore. Amen, 
 
 G 2 
 
124 
 
 An Evening Prayer for a Family, 
 
 Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 Maker of all things, Judge of all men : we acknow- 
 ledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, 
 which we from time to time most grievously have 
 committed by thought, w^ord, and deed, against thy 
 divine Majesty, provoking most justly thy wrath 
 and indignation against us ; we do earnestly repent, 
 and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings, and 
 the remembrance of them is grievous unto us. 
 
 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, after thy great 
 goodness ; according to the multitude of thy mercies 
 do away our offences ; wash us thoroughly from our 
 wickedness, and cleanse us from our sins ; create 
 and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, 
 worthily lamenting our past follies, and acknow- 
 ledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the 
 God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgive- 
 ness. 
 
 Grant us, O Lord, the assistance of thy Holy 
 Spirit, that for the time to come we may think and 
 do such things as be rightful ; that we, who cannot 
 do any thing that is good without Thee, may by Thee 
 be enabled to live according to thy will ; that thy 
 grace may always so prevent and follow us, as to 
 make us continually to be given to all good works. 
 And Thou, O God, whoknowestustobe set in the 
 midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason 
 of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand 
 upright, grant to us such strength and protection 
 as may support us- in all dangers, and carry us 
 through all temptations. 
 
 Help us, O Lord, to withstand the assaults of 
 the enemies of our salvation, the world, the flesh, 
 and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to 
 follow thee, the only God. Graft in our souls the 
 
An Evening Prayer for a Family. 125 
 
 love of thy name ; increase in us true religion ; 
 nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy 
 keep us in the same. And Thou, O God, whose 
 never-failing Providence ordereth all things both in 
 heaven and earth, put from us, we beseech Thee, 
 all hurtful things, and give us those things which 
 are profitable for us. And since it is Thou alone 
 canst order the unruly wills and affections of 
 sinful men, grant that we may love the things 
 which Thou commandest, and desire that which 
 Thou dost promise, that so, among the sundry and 
 manifold changes of the world, our hearts may 
 surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be 
 found. Dispose us, by all the means of grace we 
 enjoy, to attain that everlasting salvation Thou hast 
 promised ; that we may both perceive and know 
 those things which we ought to do, and may have 
 grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same. 
 
 Teach us, O Lord, so to number our days, that 
 we may apply our hearts unto wisdom ; and grant 
 that neither the splendour of any thing that is great 
 nor the conceit of any thing that is good in us, may 
 any way withdraw our eyes from looking upon our- 
 selves as sinful dust and ashes, but that we may 
 press forward towards the prize of the high calling 
 that is before us, with faith and patience, with 
 humility and meekness, with mortification and self- 
 denial, with charity and constant perseverance to 
 the end ; that so when we shall depart this life we 
 may sleep in the Lord, and at the general resur- 
 rection in the last day may be found acceptable in 
 thy sight, and receive that blessing which thy be- 
 loved Son shall then confer upon all those that truly 
 love and fear Thee. 
 
 Charge thy holy Providence, O Lord, we humbly 
 beseech Thee, with us this night, and by thy great 
 mercy defend us from all the perils and dangers of 
 it. Keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and 
 inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended 
 
126 An Evening Prayer for a Family. 
 
 from all adversities that may happen to the body, 
 and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt 
 the soul. 
 
 Extend thy goodness, O Lord, to the whole race 
 of mankind; have mercy upon all Jews, Turks, In- 
 fidels, and Heretics ; take from them all ignorance, 
 hardness of heart, and contempt of thy word ; and 
 so fetch them home to thy flock, that they may be 
 saved among the remnant of the true Israelites. 
 Grant unto all them that are admitted into the 
 fellowship of Christ's religion, that they may 
 eschew those things that are contrary to their pro- 
 fession, and follow all such things as are agreeable 
 to the same. Let thy continual pity cleanse and 
 defend thy Church ; and because it cannot continue 
 in safety without thy succour, preserve it evermore 
 by thy help and goodness. Bless all our governors 
 both in Church and State, that in their several 
 stations they may be useful and serviceable to thy 
 glory and the public good. We make our humble 
 supplications to Thee for all our benefactors, friends, 
 and relations, and also for our very enemies ; let 
 thy Fatherly hand be ever over them, let thy Holy 
 Spirit be ever with them, and so lead them in the 
 knowledge and obedience of thy word, that in the 
 end they may obtain everlasting life. Look with 
 an eye of pity and compassion upon all those who are 
 anyways afflicted in mind, body, or estate; give 
 them patience under all their sufferings, and in thy 
 due time a happy issue out of all their afflictions. 
 
 And as we pray unto Thee, O God, for ourselves 
 and others, so we desire to bless and praise thy holy 
 name for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us 
 and to all men. We give Thee hearty thanks for thy 
 preservation of us this day past, and the rest of our 
 lives, from innumerable accidents and dangers; for 
 the comforts and conveniences as well as the neces- 
 saries of life ; but above all, we laud, and magnify, 
 and adore thy goodness, in the redemption of the 
 
An Evening Prayer for a Family. 127 
 
 world by the death and passion of our Saviour 
 Christ, both God and man ; who did humble Him- 
 self, even to the death upon the cross, for us miser- 
 able sinners, who lay in darkness and in the shadow 
 of death, that He might make us the children of 
 God, and exalt us to everlasting life. Teach us to 
 express our thankfulness by submitting ourselves 
 entirely to his holy will and pleasure, and by study- 
 ing to serve Him in true hoUness and righteousness 
 ali the days of our lives. Accept, O Lord, of these 
 our prayers and praises, in and through the media- 
 tion of Jesus Christ, our blessed Saviour and 
 Redeemer, who has taught us, when we pray, to 
 say, 
 
 Our Father f &c. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 Gilbert & Rivington, Printers, St. John's Square, London. 
 
Date Due 
 
I