Whofo hath this worlds good, and feeth his brother have need, and fhutteth up his compaffion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 1 John iii. 17. Give alms of thy goods, and never turn thy face from any poor man, and then the face of the Lord fhall not be turned away from thee. Tob. iv. 7. } Be merciful after thy power. If thou haft much, give plenteously; if thou haft little, do thy diligence gladly to give of that little for fo gathereft thou thyfelf a good reward in the day of neceflity. Tob, iv, 8, 9. He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord; and look what he layeth out, it fhall be paid him again. Proverbs xix. 17. Bleffed be the man that provideth for the fick and needy: the Lord fhall deliver him in the time of trouble. Pf. xli. 1. Rubrick. Whilft thefe fentences are in reading, the deacons, churchwardens, or other fit perfon appointed for that purpose, shall receive the alms for the poor, and other devotions of the people in a decent bafon or plate, to be provided by the parish for that purpose; and reverently bring it to the priest, who shall humbly prefent and place it upon the holy table. A prayer at offering our alms. Thy prayers and thy alms are come up for a memorial before God. Acts x. 4. TH HY bounty, O Lord, is the fountain of all I poffefs; for it is from thee I have received all my worldly goods, and to thy holy name be the glory. Accept of this freewill offering of my hands, as an acknowledgment of thy right to all I enjoy, and as a teftimony of that piety, love and charity to my neceffitous brethren, which thou requireft, and art pleafed to take as done to thyself. Therefore I will dedicate a part of thofe good things which thou haft beftow'd upon me, to relieve the poor; becaufe thou haft made. it an evidence of my love to thee: And grant that all my alms-deeds may be performed with fuch purity of intention, and in fuch a proportion to what thou haft given me, that they may be acceptable in thy fight, through the merits of Jefus Chrift, my Lord and Saviour. Amen. Rubrick. ¶And when there is a communion, the priest shall then place upon the table as much bread and wine as he shall think fufficient. After which done, the pricft fall fay: The Minister. Let us pray for the whole Directions. ftate of Chrift's church, mi-the prayer for the whole ftate of litant here on earth. Chrift's church militant here on earth, &c. you must join with him Almighty and ever liv- in heart and fpirit in the fame, ing God, who by thy and with the congregation in their holy apostle hath taught us attention, and fay the Amen with to make prayers and fuppli-them, that you may reap the adcations, and to give thanks vantage of that common fervency for all men; we humbly be-with which thofe prayers fy up to seech thee most mercifully God. If there be no alms nor oblations, then fhall the words [of accepting our alms and oblations] be left out unfaid. our prayers, [to accept our alms and ablations, † and] holy holy name, may agree in the truth of thy holy word, and live in unity and godly love. We befeech thee alfo to fave and defend all chriftian kings, princes, and governors; and efpecially thy fervant GEORGE, our king, that under him we may be godly and quietly governed: and grant unto his whole council, and to all that are put in authority under him, that they may truly and indifferently minifter juftice, to the punishment of wickednefs and vice, and to the maintenance of thy true religion and virtue. Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all bifhops and curates, that they may, both by their life and doctrine, fet forth thy true and lively word, and rightly and duly adminifter thy holy facraments. And to all thy people give thy heavenly grace, and efpecially to this congregation here prefent, that with meek heart and due reverence, they may hear and receive thy holy word, truly ferving thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life. And we moft humbly befeech thee, of thy goodness, O Lord, to comfort and fuccour all them. who in this tranfitory life are in trouble, forrow, need, ficknefs, or any other adverfity; and we alfo blefs thy holy name for all thy fervants departed this life in thy faith and. fear, befeeching thee to give us grace, fo to follow their good examples, that with them we may be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom. Grant this, O'father, for Jefus Chrift's fake our only mediator and advocate. Amen. Rubrick. ¶At the time of the celebration of the communion, the communicants being conveniently placed for the receiving of the holy facrament, the priest fhall fay this EXHORTATION. Directions. The Minitter. Dearly beloved in the this exhortation, for it is full of You must feriously attend to Lord, ye that mind to come excellent information and inftructo the holy communion of tion; it fhews you the great benethe body and blood of our Sa-fit of coming worthily, that is, viour Chrift, must confider with a true penitent heart, and how! lively how St. Paul exhorteth all lively faith to this holy facrament. perfons diligently to try and and the great danger of coming examine themselves before unworthily, that is, without re they prefume to eat of that penting of your fins, and with bread, and drink of that cup. out trufting in God's mercy For as the benefit is great, if thro' Chrift. with a true penitent heart, and lively faith, we receive tha holy facrament (for then we spiritually eat the flesh o 'Chrift, and drink his blood; then we dwell in Chrift, and .Chrift in us; we are one with Chrift, and Chrift with us) fo is the danger great if we receive the fame unworthily for then we are guilty of the body and blood of Christ our -Saviour; we eat and drink our own damnation, not confidering the Lord's body; we kindle God's wrath againft us; we provoke him to plague us with divers diseases, and fundry kinds of death: judge therefore yourselves, brethren, that ye be not judged of the Lord; repent you truly for your fins paft; have a lively and ftedfaft faith in Chrift our Saviour; amend your lives, and be in perfect charity with all men, fo fhall ye be meet partakers of those holy myfteries; and above all things, ye must give most humble and hearty thanks to God the father, the fon, and the holy ghoft, for the redemption of the world by the death and parfion of our Saviour Chrift, both God and man, who did humble himself even unto the death upon the cross for as miferable finners, who lay in darknefs, and the fhadow of death, that he might make us the children of God, and exalt us to everlasting life. And to the end that we fhould always remember the exceeding great.love of our mafter, and only Saviour Jefus Chrift thus dying for us, and the innumerable benefits which by his precious blood fhedding he hath obtained to us; he hath inftituted 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, therefore, with the father, and the holy ghoft, let us give (as we are most bounden) continual thanks, fubmitting ourselves wholly wholly to his holy will and pleasure, and studying to serve him in true holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. Amen. Rubrick. Then fhall the priest fay to them that come to receive the holy communion, The Minister. Directions. Ye that do truly and earBeing thus called upon to neftly repent you of your fins make your humble confeffion to and are in love and charity almighty God, te fure to let your with your neighbours, and whole heart be lift up to the throne intend to lead a new life, fol- of divine grace, and humbly pray, lowing the commandments that you may have a fare in that of God, and walking from pardon, which is foon after to be henceforth in his holy ways:pronounced by the minifter. draw near with faith, and take this holy facrament to your comfort, and make your humble confeffion to almighty God, meekly kneeling upon your knees. Rubrick. ¶Then fhall this general CONFESSION be made in the name of all thofe that are minded to receive the holy communion, by one of the minifters, both he and all the people kneeling humbly upon their knees, and faying, The Miniller. Almighty God, father of Directions. In this confeffion of fins, our Lord Jefus Chrift, ma-join with the minifter both in ker of all things, judge of all heart and voice, with the greatmen; we acknowledge and eft humility, for you are equally bewail our manifold fins and therein concern'd with him. wickedness, which we from time to time moft grievously have committed, by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine majefty, provoking moft juftly thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earneftly repent, and are heartily forry for thefe our mifdoings: the remembrance of them is grievous unto us; the burden of them is intolerable; have F mercy |