¶ Then 'shall the Priest say, Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith unto all that truly turn to him: COME unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will re you. Private ejaculation. Refresh, O Lord, thy servant wearied with the burden of sin. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. John iii. 16. Private ejaculation. Lord, I believe in thy Son Jesus Christ, and let this faith purify me from all iniquity. Hear also what St. Paul saith. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I Tim. i 15. Private ejaculation. I embrace with all thankfulness that salvation that Jesus has brought into the world. Hear also what St. John saith. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins. I John ii. 1, 2. Private ejaculation. Intercede for me, O blessed Jesu! that my sins may be pardoned, through the merits of thy death. ¶ Then shall the Priest, turning him to the altar, kneel down, and say, in the name of all them that shall communicate, this collect of humble access to the holy communion, as followeth. W WE do not presume to come to this thy holy table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great merCles. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy tabie: 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 our sinful bodies may be made clean by his most sacred body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen. Then shall the Bishop, if he be present, or else the Priest that celebrateth, first receive the communion in both kinds himself, and next deliver it to other Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons, (if there be any present,) and after to the people in due order, all humbly kneeling. And when he receiveth himself, or delivereth the sacrament of the body of Christ to others, he shall say HE body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, preserve Tiny soul and body unto everlasting life. ¶ Here the person receiving shall say, Amen. And when the Priest receiveth the cup himself, or delivereth it to others, he shall say, HE blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve Tthy soul and body unto everlasting life. ¶ Here Here the person receiving shall say, Amen. If the consecrated bread or wine be all spent before all have communicated, the Priest is to consecrate more, according to the form before prescribed, he ginning at the words, All glory be to thee, &c. and ending with the words, that they may become the body and blood of thy most dearly beloved Son. When all have communicated, he that celebrates shall go to the Lord's table, and cover with a fair linen cloth that which remaineth of the consecrated elements, and then say, Having now received the precious body and blood of Christ, let us give thanks to our Lord God, who hath graciously vouchsafed to admit us to the participation of his holy mysteries; and let us beg of him grace to perform our vows, and to persevere in our good resolutions; that being made holy, we may obtain everlasting life, through the merits of the allsufficient sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. A Then the Priest shall say this collect of thanksgiving as followeth LMIGHTY and everliving God, we most heartily thank thee, for that thou dost vouchsafe 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 doth assure us thereby of thy favour and goodness towards us, and that we are very members incorporate 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 his most precious death and passion. We now most humbly beseech thee, O heavenly Father, so to assist us with thy grace and Holy Spirit, that we may continue in that holy communion and fellowship, and do all such good works as thou hast commanded 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 or sung, Gloria in excelsis, as followeth. LORY be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men. G We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee, for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty; and to Thee, O God, the only begotten Son Jesus Christ; and to Thee, O God, the Holy Ghost. O Lord, the only begotten Son Jesu Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, who 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. ¶ Then the Priest, or Bishop, if he be present, shall let them depart, with this blessing. THE HE peace of God, which passeth all understanding, 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. Private Private Devotions for the Altar BLESSED Jesus! Saviour of the world! who hast called me to the participation of these thy holy mysteries, accept my humble approach to thy sacred table, increase my faith, settle my devotion, fix my contemplation on thy powerful mercy; and while with my mouth I receive the sacred symbols of thy body and blood, may they be the means of heavenly nourishment to prepare my body and soul for that everlasting life which thou hast purchased by thy merits, and promised to bestow on all who believe in and depend on thee. Amen. Prayer to God. Gracious and merciful God, Thou supreme Being, Father, Word and Holy Ghost, look down from heaven, the throne of thy essential glory, upon me thy unworthy creature, with the eyes of thy covenanted mercy and compassion: 0 Lord my God, I disclaim all merit, I renounce all righteousness of my own, either inherent in my nature, or acquired by my own industry: And I fly for refuge, for pardon and sanctification, to the righteousness of thy Christ: For his sake, for the sake of the blessed Jesus, the Son of thy covenanted love, whom Thou hast set forth to be a propitiation for fallen man, and in whom alone Thou art well pleased, have mercy upon me, receive my prayers, pardon my infirmities, strengthen my weak resolutions, guide my steps to thy holy altar, and there feed me with the meat which perisheth not, but endureth to everlasting life. Amen. After Receiving. LESSED Jesus! Thou hast now blest me with the food of thy own merciful institution, ceive the precious pledges of thy dying love; O may thy presence go with me from this happy participation of thy goodness, that when I return to the necessary labours and employments of this miserable world, I may be enabled by thy grace to obey thy commandments, and conducted by thy watchful care through all trials, till, according to thy divine wisdom, I have finished my course here with joy, that so I may depart out of this world in peace, and in a stedfast dependence on thy merits, O blessed Jesus, in whose prevailing words I shut up all my imperfect wishes, saying, Band, in humble faith of thy gracious promise, I have bowed myself at thy table, to re Our Father, &c. Amen. THE END. THE ALTERATIONS OF 1789. We have given in full the changes from the book of Common Prayer of the Church of England which were adopted in the "Proposed Book." We append with a view to give completeness to our record of the liturgical revision of the American Church the following official announcement of the "Alterations," as the heading of the rare pamphlet we copy styles it from the English Prayer Book, which constitute our present Prayer Book. The pamphlet is without title, and has neither place nor year of publication, but was evidently issued for temporary use while the first edition of the new Prayer Book was in press. It is reprinted verbatim et literatim. |