CONTENTS.

PAGE

Short Introduction to the Lord's Supper, stating the

Nature of the Ordinance, and the necessary Preparation

for it

1
PAGE

THURSDAY MORNING. Meditation_Faith in Christ 82

The Prayer

94

THURSDAY EVENING. Meditation_Faith in Christ

as the eternal Son of God, and as a Prophet, a Priest,

and King

96

The Prayer

110

FRIDAY MORNING. Meditation Thankful Remem-

brance of Christ's Death

114

The Prayer

120

FRIDAY EVENING. Meditation, Thankful Remem-

brance of the Death of Christ_Charity with all Men 122

An Act of Thanksgiving for the Humiliation and Suffer-

ings of Christ

138

The Prayer

142

SATURDAY MORNING. Meditation, The Devout

Participation of the

Ordinances of the Church, the ap-

pointed Method of Salvation

144

The Prayer

154

Meditation–The Mode by which Authority to administer

the Sacraments is to be derived from Christ, the Divine

Head of the Church

156

The Prayer

169

SATURDAY EVENING. Meditation-On the Nature

and Benefits of the Lord's Supper

172

The Prayer

176

SUNDAY MORNING. Meditation—The dispositions

with which the Communicant should advance to the

Altar

178

The Prayer

187

THE ORDER OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LORD'S

SUPPER

190

Directions to Collects and Psalms, &c.

233

Note A, for page 163

237

.

SHORT INTRODUCTION

TO THE

Lord's Supper,

STATING

THE NATURE OF THE ORDINANCE, AND THE

NECESSARY PREPARATION FOR ITI

The Church in the Catechism informs us, that $* Christ has ordained only two sacraments, as gene

rally necessary to salvation ; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. Baptism was instituted by Christ, to be the rite of admission into his Church?, and is answerable to circumcision among the Jews: The Lord's Supper was ordained as a memorial of the sacrifice of the

1 See note at the end of the preface.

% Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them. Matt. xxviii. 19. Then they that gladly received the word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Acts ii. 41.

3 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ : Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. Col. ii. 11, 12.

B

death of Christ“, and appointed by Him instead of the Jewish passover 5. These sacraments are both necessary to salvation.

Baptism is necessary, being the ordinance whereby we are regenerated, that is, are translated from our natural state into a state of grace, and born again to a title to all the privileges of the Gospel covenanto. The Lord's Supper is necessary, because it conveys. that spiritual food by which we are nourished to everlasting life. The former is to be only once, the latter often received.

These ordinances the Church considers as only generally, and not absolutely necessary to salvation. She does not take upon her to exclude all hope of God's mercy in those extraordinary cases, where the want of opportunity or capacity, or the force of involuntary error prevents men from receiving the sacraments. But as the Jews were obliged, under the severest penalty, to be circumcised”,

and keep the passover & ; so our guilt and danger will be proportionably great in not observing, when it is in our power, these two more easy institutions, which are not only of a higher authority, but also the distinguishing badges of a more excellent profession'.

By the word SACRAMENT the Church informs us is meant an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ Himself as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof. In order, therefore, to constitute a sacrament there must be, first, something discernible and apparent to our senses ; secondly, this external sign must represent some spiritual grace and favour vouchsafed us by God ; thirdly, the outward symbol must be of Christ's own institution ; and, fourthly, it must be appointed by Him as a means of conveying to us the inward grace, and as a seal and pledge to assure it to us. The parts

of which a sacrament consists are two, viz.—the outward visible sign, and the inward spiritual grace. Outward sensible things can, by the institution of God, be means to convey, and pledges to assure to us, divine grace and favour.