For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand years; I had rather be a doorkeeper in the houfe of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

A prayer to be said before or after the prayers of the church, as time shall admit.

T is but too apparent, bleffed Lord, how apt we are to forget thy dear love to us, and thy bitter fufferings for us our continual tranfgreffions publish it, and our former ftupidity and indevotion do plainly declare it. Praised therefore be thy goodness for the lively emblems thou haft given us of thy moft meritorious cross and paffion.

O that the characters of thy love may be fo deeply imprinted upon my heart, that no time nor temptation may wear them out! may I now moft affectionately call to mind the humility of thine incarnation, the merits of thy death, the power of thy refurrection, and the glories of thine afcenfion.

O how much do we owe thee, moft bleffed Redeemer! how great is the price, which thou haft paid for the ranfom of us miferable finners! what shall I render unto thee for the incomprehenfible benefits thou haft beftowed upon me? Alas! I have no return to make but a broken and contrite heart, which thou wilt not defpife:

K 2

defpife; and this is yet a further instance of thy goodnefs, that thou expecteft no other teftimony of gratitude, but my fin cere affections in ferving thee, the only true God, through Jefus Chrift our Lord,

Amen.

A Prayer to be used as soon as sermon is ended.

O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men. Psalm cvii. 20, 21.

Eternal and almighty God, by whose bounty and goodness I have now an opportunity offered me of approaching thy table, and of pleading before thee the prevailing merits of the death and paffion of thy Son Jefus Chrift; Lam fenfible, O Lord, of my great unworthiness; but the pofitive command of my bleffed Saviour, when he was about to lay down his life for my fake, has made it abfolutely neceffary, and the many fpiritual wants I labour under, oblige me to apply to this fovereign remedy, for the repair of those breaches my finful follies have made in my foul.

Therefore aflift me, O Lord, with thy Holy Spirit, in the great duty and fervice I am about to perform; grant that nothing, during all the time of this holy action, may make me unmindful of that reverence and refpect which I owe unto thy Divine Majefty; or of that attention,

which

which becomes the celebration of these holy myfteries. Fill my heart with fuch an awe of thy prefence, as may fix my wandering thoughts, compote my diforderly affections, and ftir up my faint and cold defires, that I may feel the power, and tafte of the sweetness of this divine banquet.

O Lord, grant that I may have fuch a fense of my Saviour's fufferings as may fill my foul with love and gratitude towards him for thofe ineftimable benefits he has purchased for me, that I may have fuch a fight of my fins, which occafioned all his forrows, as heartily to bewail and deteft them; fuch a faith in that full perfect oblation and fatisfaction made upon the erofs for the fins of the world, that I may fo importunely plead the merit of it in this commemoration of that facrifice, as to render thee gracious and propitious to me a miferable finner; fuch a conviction

of

my own weakness and infufficiency, as may procure thy gracious aid and affiftance; fuch longing defires of being made. conformable to thy holy will and pleasure, as may transform me into thy divine image, and fix me to continue thy faithful fervant all the remaining days of my life; through the merits and mediation of thy Son, Jefus Christ our Lord and Saviour, Amen.

The COMPANION for the ALTAR.

Directions.

I would advise thee, my devout communicant, by all means to read over the following Companion for the Altar, with the directions and prayers, some time before you go to the sacrament, that you may with more readiness and devotion go along with, and bear your part in the communion service; which, with very little pains, you will be able to do, especially after your first communicating: when, if you should be at a loss, and under some disorder and confusion, do not be disturbed or troubled, but resolve to endeavour to amend what you have observed to be done amiss, as soon as you have another opportunity of receiving again. And though after your best endeavours, you should always find occasion to lament your defects and frailties, in the performance of this, as well as other duties of religion; yet never fear that any involuntary failings or infirmities, will ever rise up in judgment against you. Do your duty as well as you can, and though it may not be done so exactly as you could wish, my soul for yours, you are certainly safe; beginning your, devotions on this occasion with these following ejaculations:

MOST gracious God, I come to thy

altar to renew my baptifmal cove

nant, of which this facrament is a feal O heavenly Father, I come to testify my sense of thy love, in fo loving the world, as to give up thy only Son to die for me, O bleffed Saviour, I come to testify my faith in thee, and my love towards thee, and thankfully to commemorate thy wonderful love in dying for me.-O Lord, I come to teftify my steadfastness in the communion of thy church, and my cha rity to all the world.-O Lord, I come

to

to this thy table, out of the fense I have of the want of that fpiritual food, to which thou inviteft me in this holy facrament. I know there is no food can ftrengthen my foul but thy body, no cordial can revive my drooping obedience, but thy blood; O gracious Lord, grant that I, and all that communicate with me, may be fed, refreshed, and nourished in our fouls to life everlafting: Amen.

Directions.

Now, Jayanion service, and then to the sacrament; TOW, laying aside all fears and despondencies, proceed

to

with as much joy and satisfaction, as a guilty criminal would go to plead his pardon at an earthly tribunal.

**At your approach to the chancel, drop all thoughts of things on earth, and give up yourself wholly to the remembrance of the sufferings of our Saviour, lifting up your soul to him in these words:

Will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord, and fo will I compafs thy altar, that I may fhow the voice of thanksgiv ing, and tell of all thy wondrous works. Rubrick.

I Lord, and I

Then shall the priest return to the Lord's table, and begin the OFFERTORY, saying one or more of these sentences following, as he thinketh most convenient in his discretion.

The Minitter.

The OFFERTORY.

Directions.

When the Minister be gins to read the Offertory, Let your light fo fhine [which chiefly relates to the before men, that they duty of benefic nce to all men may fee your good work, by our alms and charitable and glorify your Father contributions, which are to be disposed of to pious and chari'which is in heaven. St. table uses, at the discretion of

Matt. v.

16.

Lay

the