WHEN the sermon is ended, we should endeavour 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, before the communionoffice begins, that time 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 Celebration 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 necessary; 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 perform; grant that nothing during all the time of this holy action, may make me forfeit that reverence and respect which I owe unto Thy divine Majesty, or that attention which becomes the celebration of these holy mysteries. Touch me with such an awe of Thy presence as may fix my wandering thoughts, compose my tumultuous affections, stir up my 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 my Saviour's sufferings, as may fill my soul with love and gratitude 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 suggestions that may any ways oppose my holy purposes; I will never consent to them; my sincere design is to offer Thee a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; to love and adore Thee as the God of my life, as my portion, which I have chose in the land of the living, and which I humbly beg may be my happiness to all eternity, through the merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour. Amen.

The communion-service begins with some sentences collected out of the holy Scriptures proper 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 necessaries 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 support of the necessitous; not but that the distribution belongs to the minister, who may share in it himself, if his wants require it. The apostle advises, that these collections be made every Lord's day; and from his authority the Church invites us to give alms so often, whether there be a communion or no; but this apostolical custom of weekly collections is now generally omitted, and wholly laid aside. It would be well indeed, if a means could be found out to revive them, that such oblations might accompany all our solemn services upon the Lord's day.

1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2.

Till then we should be more liberal in the performance of our almsdeeds at the altar, to which the following sentences exhort us, both from command and example, by shewing us how reasonable it is in itself, how acceptable to God, and how profitable to us, both in this life and the next; by representing 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 ourselves, which is the glory of God. All these sentences are read by the minister during the collection, 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 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 treasures upon the earth, where the moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal. St. Matt. vi. 19, 20.