A Book for Beginners, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. The manner of Receiving.
THUS I have led you to the Holy Communion; and now you will expect I ſhould inſtruct your behaviour there. I know no plainer or more natural method, then to direct you what to doe in every part of that Divine Service.
When the Sermon therefore is done, and you are conveniently placed, that you may loſe no time, (while the Miniſter is making himſelf ready, and the Congregation that doth not receive is diſmiſſing) repeat the Prayer above written, or ſome part of it.
When you ſee the Miniſter going up to officiate, ſay,
Bleſſed be the Lord for his Miniſters, the Stewards of the Myſteries of God: eſpecially for thoſe faithfull and wiſe Stewards, whom the Lord hath made, Rulers over his houſhold, to give them meat in due ſeaſon. XXIV. Matth. 45. 1 Cor. IV. I.
When he begins the Offertory, ſay,
Let every one of our Prayers, together with our Alms and Oblations, come up for a memorial before the Lord: whoſe holy Angels I believe are preſent at theſe Solemnities.
A poor Servant may adde,
The Lord accept of my poor Mite, who have little to offer, but my ſelf, and all that I can doe; which I dedicate to his ſervice.
Then awaken your ſelf to accompany the Miniſter in the Prayer for the whole ſtate of Chriſt's Church, &c. and attend diligently to the following Exhortation, which begins with theſe words, Dearly beloved in the Lord: which the Miniſter ought to ſpeak, and you hear, with much affection.
Then joyn as heartily and earneſtly as you are able, in the General Confeſſion; and receive the Abſolution (with the comfortable words of Chriſt and his Apoſtles that follow after) as you would do the moſt joyfull news in the world; ſtirring up your ſelves (as the Miniſter exhorts you, when he ſaith, Lift up your hearts) to bleſs and praiſe the Lord, together with all the Heavenly hoſt, for ſuch everlaſting conſolation and good hope, as He hath given us, through his grace in Chriſt Jeſus.
For thoſe precious Promiſes ought to be ſweeter to you (as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks) then the honey and the honey-comb; far dearer then thouſands of gold and ſilver. And now you may be aſſured (though unworthy to gather the crums under his Table) that, receiving the Creatures of Bread and Wine, according to Chriſt's inſtitution, in remembrance of his Death and Paſſion, you ſhall be partakers of his moſt bleſſed Body and Bloud. Unto to which words, in the Prayer of Conſecration, ſay ſecretly to your ſelf, Amen, Amen.
When the Miniſter himſelf Communicates, ſay,
The Lord hear thee. The Lord remember all thy Offerings, and accept thy Sacrifice: Grant thee thy heart's deſire, and fulfill all thy mind. The Lord fulfill all thy Petitions, both for thy ſelf, and for us, and for all his people.
When you are going to approach to the Lord's Table,
Propound to your ſelf, by way of Queſtion, the Invitation which the Miniſter hath given you, ſaying, Do I truly and earneſtly repent me of my Sins? and am I in love and charity with my Neighbours? and intend to lead a new life, following the Commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways?
(And finding your ſelf able to return the Anſwer of a good Conſcience, reſolve, as it there follows,) Then I will draw near with Faith, and take this Holy Sacrament to my comfort.
When you are placed there, ſay,
Lord, what am I, that Thou ſhouldſt be thus gracious to me? What an honour is it, that I am invited hither to feaſt, at Thy Table, upon the Body and Bloud of my Bleſſed Saviour? To receive the pledges of his Love, and to engage my Love to Him? which I deſire may abound more and more towards Him, and towards my Chriſtian Brethren, and towards all men.
When the Miniſter hath delivered thee the Bread, concluding in theſe words, [—Feed on him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving,] ſay,
I do believe, O Lord, that Thou art the Bread of life, which came down from Heaven, by whom we are nouriſhed to eternal Life. And I thank Thee, with all my Soul, that Thou haſt both taught us the way of God in truth; and alſo died for our Sins, and roſe again to give us hope of that immortal Life. Bleſſed be thy Name, I have now, by thy own appointment, received the ſacred pledge and earned of it: Wherefore my Soul doth magnify the Lord, and my ſpirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour. Whoſe Grace I truſt will be with my ſpirit; that I may rejoyce in the Lord alway, and ever delight in all well-doing. Amen.
Or this,
I believe, O Bleſſed Jeſus, that Thou art the Lord of all; and give Thee moſt humble and hearty thanks, for calling me to the knowledge of thy Grace, and to Faith in Thee: beſeeching Thee, that, as I have now received this new token of thy Love, (bleſſed be thy Goodneſs,) ſo Thou wilt ever be my God, and by continuance in well-doing bring me to everlaſting Life. Amen.
A ſhorter after the Bread.
I thank Thee, O Lord, for calling me into this ſtate of Salvation, and for giving me this new pledge of thy continued Love. Aſſiſt me with thy Grace to doe my duty to Thee and to my Neighbour ſo faithfully, that I may abide in thy love for ever, through Jeſus Chriſt, &c.
After you have received the Cup, when the Miniſter concludes, with thoſe words, [— and be thankfull,] ſay,
I thank Thee, O Lord of Heaven and Earth, that Thou wouldſt condeſcend to take our Nature upon Thee, and therein ſuffer for our Sins; yea ſhed thy precious Bloud upon the Croſs for our Redemption. Glory, honour, bleſſing and praiſe be unto Thee, O Lord; to whom, in all reaſon, I ought henceforth to live, and not unto my ſelf. And therefore here I devote my ſelf to thy faithfull ſervice; and reſolve, if need be, even to take up my Croſs, and follow Thee. Aſſiſt me, good Lord, and make me partaker of all the Benefits of thy Death and Paſſion; according as Thou ſeeſt me ſincerely reſolved, in all things for ever to obey Thee. Amen.
Or this,
Bleſs the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me bleſs his holy Name. Bleſs the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all his Benefits. Who forgiveth all thy Sin, and hath now filled thy mouth with good things: and who giveth thee hope of better in eternal Life. Sanctify me wholly, O Lord, that I may not fall ſhort of it: but my whole, Spirit and Soul and Body, may be preſerved blameleſs unto the coming of our Lord Jeſus. Amen.
A ſhorter after the Cup.
I thank Thee again, O Lord, for thy wonderfull Love in ſending thy Son to lay down his Life, and in making me partaker of the Benefits of his precious Bloud ſhedding for us. Preſerve in me for ever a ſenſe of thy Love; and thereby preſerve me holy and without blemiſh to the ſecond coming of our Lord Jeſus. Amen.
After you are gone from the Lord's Table, to your ſeat, ſay,
Bleſſed be the Lord, for his exceeding great grace and mercy to us in Chriſt Jeſus. Bleſſed be the Lord, who hath called me into fellowſhip with Himſelf, and with his Son Chriſt Jeſus. Bleſſed be his Name, that I have now received the tokens of his endleſs Love: in which I ought to rejoyce without ceaſing, as more valuable then all the goods of this world.
It is my joy, O Lord, my higheſt ſatisfaction I have in this world, that I am beloved of Thee, who art able to make me more happy then I can conceive. O preſerve me for ever in thy Love; and for that end preſerve in me the ſame thoughts, reſolutions, and devout affections, which I now feel in my heart.
Keep them alive by the powerfull aſſiſtences of thy Holy Spirit; of which Thou haſt given me an aſſurance in thy precious Promiſes, and in theſe ſacred Pledges of thy Loving-kindneſs. For which I again moſt humbly thank Thee, and deſire I may never forget how much I am indebted to Thee; but be ſtill praiſing Thee, and ſaying,
I will extoll Thee, my God, O King of Heaven; and I will bleſs thy Name for ever and ever.
Every day will I bleſs Thee, and I will praiſe thy Name for ever and ever.
While I live, will I praiſe the Lord: I will ſing praiſes to my God, while I have any being.
My mouth ſhall ſpeak the praiſe of the Lord: and let all fleſh bleſs his holy Name for ever and ever. Amen.
While others are Communicating, you may ſay,
Preſerve us all, O Lord, pure and acceptable Sacrifices unto Thee; that we may be all preſented ſpotleſs before the preſence of thy glory with exceeding joy.
Or this,
As we, being many, are one bread and one body: (for we are all partakers of that one Bread, and have drunk of the ſame Cup:) ſo help us to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; and to love one another with a pure heart fervently.
Or this, Rom. 5, 6.
Now the God of patience and conſolation grant us to be like-minded one towards another, after the example of Chriſt Jeſus:
That we may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
This may be added.
Let all the people praiſe Thee, O God, let all the people praiſe Thee.
From the riſing of the Sun unto the going down of the ſame, let the Name of our Lord be praiſed.
Bleſſed be the Name of the Lord, from this time forth and for evermore.
Ʋpon Chriſtmas-day and ſeven days after you may adde this to your other Devotions.
More particularly I now remember, O Lord, thy ſtupendious Love, in ſending thy Son ſo unexpectedly to viſit us, when the World thought not of Thee, but were Strangers, or rather Enemies unto Thee. Bleſſed be the Lord, who hath ſo highly honoured our Nature, as to dwell among us, and to appear in the likeneſs of ſinfull Fleſh. Preſerve in me ſuch a remembrance of it, that I may never diſhonour Him nor my ſelf, by conſenting to any filthineſs either of the fleſh or ſpirit: but alway behave my ſelf ſutably to the relation I have unto Him, in righteouſneſs and holineſs before Him all the days of my life. Amen.
V;pon Eaſter-day and ſeven days after.
I bleſs Thee, O Lord, who haſt fulfilled thy promiſe unto our Saviour, that Thou wouldſt not leave his Soul in hell, nor ſuffer thy Holy one to ſee Corruption. Bleſſed be God, who hath thereby confirmed our Faith in the Promiſes He hath made to us. This is the day [or time] the Lord hath made; I will rejoyce and be glad in it. This is the day when my Saviour was begotten again from the dead; and thereby hath begotten us again unto a lively hope of immortal Life. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. The Lord hath ſhewed us light; even the light of Life. I will offer to Him therefore perpetually the Sacrifice of righteouſneſs, together with theſe Sacrifices of praiſe and thanksgiving, for his Mercy towards us; which, I ſee by this, endureth for ever.
Ʋpon Aſcention-day and ſeven days after.
Bleſſed be God, that I ſee Jeſus, who was humbled a while and made lower then the Angels, for the ſuffering of death, crowned now with glory and honour. Lift up my heart, O Bleſſed Jeſus, to that high and holy place, where Thou art exalted; and keep it fixed there. That ſetting my affections on things above, where Thou art at God's right hand, I may never doe any thing that is unworthy of my Chriſtian Profeſſion: but have my Converſation in Heaven; from whence I expect Thee, O Bleſſed Jeſus, who haſt told us, Thou art onelyonly gone before, to prepare a place for us.
Where Thou art, O Bleſſed Lord, there let me be alſo: And at laſt change this vile body, that it may be faſhioned like unto thy glorious Body, according to the working whereby Thou art able even to ſubdue all things unto thy ſelf.
Ʋpon Whitſunday and ſix days after.
I rejoyce in the comfort Thou haſt brought us, O Holy Spirit of Grace: I rejoyce to duplicate page duplicate page hear (as Thou haſt teſtified by the wonderfull Gifts beſtowed on the Apoſtles) that my Deareſt Saviour is alive; and that He lives for evermore; and will never ceaſe his Love to us, till we be there where He is. O inſpire me more and more with thy heavenly Grace, that being ſtedfaſt in this Faith, I may bring forth all the fruits of the Spirit; and not onelyonly reſiſt, but overcome all Temptations in my way to Heaven. Guide me by thy Counſel, ſtrengthen me with thy Might, ſupport me with thy Comforts in all neceſſities, ſtreights and dangers; that I may at laſt ſafely arrive at eternal glory. Amen.
Ʋpon the Feaſt of Trinity onelyonly.
Adored be the incomprehenſible Majeſty of the Eternal undivided Trinity, in whoſe Name I was baptized; and whom I humbly worſhip with praiſes and thanksgivings, ſaying,
Bleſſed be thy Name, O God the Father Almighty, the Creatour of Heaven and Earth; in whom we all live, and move, and have our being.
And bleſſed be the Eternal Son of the Father, our Saviour and Redeemer, the Prince of Peace, who hath purchaſed an eternal Redemption for us.
And bleſſed be the Holy Ghoſt, the Comforter, who inſpires me with good thoughts, pious deſires, and godly reſolutions; and will conduct me, I hope, unto everlaſting Life. Amen.