They are indeed most comfortable. They tell the weary, burdened and troubled conscience-Take not God's pardon on my word, I have a commission from above. Hear our Saviour Christ, hear St. Paul, hear St. John speak and say, “ Poor, burdened, troubled sinner, here is peace for thee; Christ takes away all thy sins, and will give thee everlasting life.” It will have been seen that there is set forth in this service, as has been noticed, one of the most solemn transactions that can take place on earth between God and man. “ If we have been in carnest, if we have rightly joined in it, we are justified by faith, we rejoice in God, and we have peace of conscience. High, and holy, and blessed is our state; we are children of God, and heirs of everlasting life.” The several parts which follow, describe and assist the feelings and emotions of the pious and believing soul. Humility and praise sweetly temper one another. Mourning for sin, and joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, delightfully go together. The Priest proceeds, saying, O Lord, * Holy Father, AlLift up your hearts, mighty, everlasting God. Answer, We lift them up omitted on Trinity Sunday. * These words (Holy Father) must be unto the Lord. Here shall follow the proper PrePriest.-Let us give thanks faces, according to the time, unto our Lord God. if there be any specially apAnswer. --It is meet and pointed ; or else immediately right so to do. shall follow, THEREFORE with Angels Then shall the Priest turn to the and Archangels, and with all Lord's table, and suy, the company of heaven, we IT is very meet, right, and laud and magnify thy glorious our bounden duty, that we name; evermore praising thee, should at all times, and in all and saying, Holy, holy, holy, places, give thanks unto thee, Lord God of hosts, heaven and PROPER PREFACES. US a earth are full of thy glory: 1 into heaven to prepare a place thy Glory be to thee, O Lord, for us; that where lie is, thi. most High. Amen. ther we might also ascend, Therefore with angels, &c. Upon Whit-Sunday, and Six BECAUSE thou didst give Days after. Jesus Christ thine only Son THROUGH Jesus Christ to be born as at this time for our Lord; according to whose S; who, by the operation of most true promise, the Holy the Holy Ghost, was made Ghost came down as at this very man of the substance of time from heaven with the Virgin Mary his mother; sudden great sound as it had and that without spot of sin, to been a mighty wind, in the make us clean from all sin. likeness of fiery tongues, lightTherefore with Angels, &c. ing upon the Apostles, to teach Upon Euster-Day, and Seven them, and to lead them to all Days after. truth; giving them both the BUT chiefly we are bound gift of divers languages, and also boldness with fervent zeal to praise thee for the glorious constantly to preach the Gospel Resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord: for he is the have been brought out of dark unto all nations; whereby we very Paschal Lamb, which was ness and error into the clear offered for 118, and hath taken away the sin of the world: thee, and of thy Son Jesus light and true knowledge of who by his death hath de- Christ. Therefore, with An, stroyed death, and by his rising gels, &c. to life again hath restored to us everlasting life. Therefore Upon the Feast of Trinity only. with Angels, &c. WHO art one God, one Lord; Upon Ascension-Duy, and Seven not one only Person, but three Days after, Persons in one. Substance. THROUGH thy most dearly For that which we believe of beloved Son Jesus Christ our the glory of the Father, the Lord; who after his most glo. same we believe of the Son, rious Resurrection, manifestly and of the Holy Ghost, without appeared to all his Apostles, any difference or inequality. and in their sight ascended up Therefore with Angels, &c. After these holy songs of praise, the minister offers up, in the name of the congregation, the following affecting prayer. we do not presume to come righteousness, but in thy, mani, to this thy table, 0 merciful fold and great mercies. We Lord, trusting in own) are not worthy so much as to L our gather up the crumbs under blood, that our sinful bodies thy table. But thou art the may be made clean by his body, same Lord, whose property is and onr souls washed through always to have mercy: Grant his most precious blood, and us therefore, gracious Lord, so that we may evermore dwell to eat the flesh of thy dear Son in him, and he in us. Amen. Jesus Christ, and to drink his In this prayer the Church adopts similar expressions to those of Daniel, of the humble and lowly feelings which most become us after our best preparations, and in our highest devotions, and most intimate communion with God, “ We do not presume to come, trusting in our own righteousness." There appears also an evident allusion to the history of the Canaanitish woman, only with a still more debasing expression: she said, The dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table ; (Matt. xv, 27.) but we are taught with our heart and mouth to confess ourselves not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs," &c. In stating our title to God's acceptance, all our works are to be utterly renounced as of no worth. The worthiness of Christ is all we have to plead. The Priest then says of consecration. ALMIGHTY God, our hea-bly beseech thee; and grant venly Father, who of thy tender that we receiving these thy mercy didst give thine only creatures of bread and wine, Son Jesus Christ to suffer according to thy Son our death upon the cross for our Saviour Jesus Christ's holy redemption; who made there institution, in remembrance of (by his own oblation of himself his death and passion, may be once offered) a full, perfect, partakers of his most blessed and sufficient sacrifice, obla- Body and Blood; who, in tion, and satisfaction, for the the same night that he was sins of the whole world; and betrayed, took Bread; and, did institute, and in his holy when he had given thanks, he Gospel command us to con- brake it, and gave it to his distinue, a perpetual memory of ciples, saying, Take, eat, this that his precious death, until is my body which is given for his coming again ; hear us, O you: do this in remembrane merciful Father, we most hum- of me. Likewise after Supper he took the cup; and, when shed for you and for many for he had given thanks, he gave the remission of sins : do this, it to them, saying, Drink ye all as oft as ye shall drink it, in of this ; for this is my Blood of remembrance of me. Amen. the New Testament, which is This prayer brings before us the affecting circumstances in which this ordinance was first instituted, and the very words of our Lord at its appointment. It assures us, according to the Scriptures, of the allimportant truth, that Christ gave himself to be a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world. A most encouraging and animating truth to the naturally anxious and desponding heart of the humbled sinner. Let us lift up our hearts in the use of this prayer, to our Saviour, to give his blessing to the institution which he has ordained, using the following or similiar ejaculations at the intervals which the things to be done by the minister, while he is reading this prayer, will afford. At the Minister's laying his hands on, and breaking the bread. May thy stripes, O Saviour! heal my soul; and do thou ever feed me with the bread of life. At the Minister's taking the cup. Wash me, O Lord Christ! in thy most precious blood, and cleanse me from all my sins. Before receiving the sacred elements. The good Lord pardon me, and every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. 2 Chron. XXX, 18, 19, The consecrated elements are to be given to the people kneeling.* There has been much said against this postare, but it appears to the author to be suitable and becoming. No posture If there are many communicants, you may find this a suitable opportunity for private prayer and meditation. See chapters iii, and v, in this part of the Treatise. When the Minister delivers the | And when he delivers the cup to Bread to any one, he says, any one, he says, THE body of our Lord Jesus THE blood of our Lord Christ, which was given for Jesus Christ which was shed thee, preserve thy body and for thee, preserve thy body soul unto everlasting life. and soul unto everlating life. Take and eat this in remem- Drink this in remembrance that brance that Christ died for Christ's blood was shed for thee, and feed on him in thy thee, and be thankful. heart by faith with thanksgiving. In both these addresses we bave a prayer and a direction. The prayer should lead us to commit our whole selves, body, soul, and spirit, unto God; and the being appointed in the Institution, and no Church feeling it convenient to conform to that which was probably the original posture, laying on couches, according to their customs at meals in that day, (John xiii, 23, 25.) each Church is at liberty to fix that which the heads of that Church think decent. If our hearts are in a right state, they will be full of prayer and praise; we may well then be in that posture which best becomes devotion. But in a matter of indifference, surely the Christian may cheerfully adopt the custom of the Church with which he communicates, or submit to any form appointed by those in authority over him in the place where he dwells. Ali adoration of the elements is expressly excluded by the following Note at the end of the Service : WHEREAS it is ordained in this office for the Administration of the Lord's Supper, that the Communicants should receive the same kneeling; (which Order is well meant, for a signification of our humble and grateful acknowledgment of the benefits of Christ thei ein given to all worthy Receivers, and for the avoiding of such profanation and disorder in the holy Commanion, as might otherwise ensue ;) yet, lest the same kneeling should by any persons, either out of ignorance and infirmity, or out of malice and obstinacy, be misconstrued and depraved ; it is hereby declared, That thereby no adoration is intended, or ooghi to be done, either unto the Sacramental Bread or Wine there bodily received, or unto any corporal presence of Christ's natural flesh and blood. |
