CONCERNING

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION.

THE Church, for the comfort and advantage of such Christians as through any just impediment are hindered from receiving the Lord's Supper, in the manner which she has appointed, that is, from the hands of Christ's own Minister, has given us this instruction:

That if we do truly repent of our sins; have a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, with a thankful remembrance of His death, &c. we do eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ profitably to our soul's health, although we do not receive the Sacrament with our mouth.

They that composed this Rubric, had, it is very probable, an eye to the daily sacrifice, which, under the law of Moses, was offered for the whole people of Israel; at which all such pious persons who could not possibly be present, yet offered their daily prayers to God in union of

(1) See the third Rubric after the Office of the Communion of the Sick.

spirit, and in virtue of that sacrifice offered in the temple, and which, no doubt of it, were accepted of God.

Now, forasmuch as very many pious souls do labour under this sad impediment, especially in many country churches, where the Sacrament is but too seldom administered: to supply this defect, some such help as the following may be made use of on the Lord's Day, or on any other Holyday, in order to preserve in our minds the memorial of our redemption; to improve our grateful affections towards our Redeemer; to keep up a continual correspondence with Heaven; to preserve in us a spirit of piety, devotion and charity, that we may always be prepared to receive the Lord's Supper, whenever we shall have an opportunity of doing it in public, as a public and solemn acknowledgment of our being in communion with Christ, and with every member of the Church of Christ; and which no good Christian will neglect on any pretence of Spiritual Communion.1

(1) We do not want examples for recommending this SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. The learned and pious Bishop Taylor and others have proposed some such help as this, for the use and comfort of those souls, who are deprived of this holy Sacrament in the Church.

Luke xxii. 19. "Do this in remembrance of Me."

O GOOD SAVIOUR, I will, through Thy grace, "do this in remembrance of Thee," and in obedience to Thy command, as well as I am able.

I do, therefore, this good day join, in desire and spirit, with every Christian congregation in the world, which truly celebrates this holy mystery.

With them I join in giving my devoutest thanks to Thy Almighty Father and our gracious God, who did not overlook lost mankind, but sent Thee, His only Son, to redeem us.

With them I call to remembrance what Thou hast done and suffered for us; Thine incarnation, Thy laborious life, Thy bitter passion, Thy death and resurrection; the great deliverance Thou hast thereby wrought for all mankind; and the obligations Thou hast laid upon us.

I acknowledge and receive Thee, O Jesus, as our heavenly Teacher, as our Example and Pattern, as our only Mediator and Advocate with God, and as the Sovereign Judge of all mankind.

With Thy Church I join in pleading the merits

of Thy all-sufficient sacrifice with Thy eternal Father. I rely upon that sacrifice for the pardon of all my sins; for the assistance of the Divine grace; for deliverance from the corruption of my own nature, and from the malice and snares of the devil; for the fellowship of the Holy Ghost; and for a blessed resurrection; the Lord Almighty, for Thy sake, being reconciled unto me.

I devote my spirit, soul, and body, to Thee, and to Thy service, beseeching Thee to give me grace, never wilfully to depart from Thy laws.

I join with Thy Church, and plead the merits of Thy sacrifice, for all estates and conditions of men; that none may deprive themselves of that happiness which Thou hast purchased by Thy death: for all Christian Kings and Governors; for all Bishops and Pastors, that they may preserve the sacred rights committed to their trust; for all that strive to propagate Thy Gospel; for a primitive zeal in all that fear Thy Name; for all that sit in darkness, are in error, or are destitute of necessary means of instruction; for all that sincerely seek the truth; for all sinners, that they may have grace and strength to break their bonds; for all that are in adversity; for all that

suffer wrongfully, or that are deprived of their just rights; for all that are in pain of body, or anguish of mind and spirit; for all that are tempted, or in danger of falling into despair; for all that are in slavery, under persecution, in prison, or in poverty; for all persons and places in distress by the sword, pestilence, and famine; for all that are in their last sickness, that they may omit nothing that is necessary to make their peace with God; for all widows and fatherless children; for all that call upon God, and have none else to help them for this land, and this Church, that the Lord may avert the judgments which we justly deserve: for our friends, our relations, our benefactors, and for our enemies for all that have desired our prayers, and for the whole mystical body of Christ: Beseeching the Almighty God, the Creator and Redeemer of all, to have mercy upon all whom He has made and redeemed, and to give unto all grace and help, according to the necessities they labour under; for Thy sake, O Lord Jesus, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, dominion and power, for ever and ever. Amen.

: