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ledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the bless

ing of God Almighty be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.

MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS.

The following brief Meditations and Prayers may be used as Guides to Private Devotion before and after Communion.

MEDITATION BEFORE COM- cency, O Lord, and so will I compass thine altar.

MUNING.

ACCORDING to the exhortation of St Paul, let me examine myself, and so let me eat of that bread, and drink of that

cup.

Do I approach the table of my Lord as his humble disciple; seeking his spirit and grace; relying on his word; remembering his great sufferings, and his shameful death, and his surpassing love for me and for all men, for whose salvation he suffered and died? Do I hate and renounce my sins? Am I in charity with all my neighbours? Am I anxious to follow my Saviour in loving and serving God?-I will wash my hands in inno

PRAYER.

BEHOLD, gracious Lord, I come to thy table, as one who is sick, to the great Physician. Let me worthily receive these elements of bread and wine, and fill me, O Lord, with that spiritual food, the body and blood of Christ, of which these are the outward signs; that so evil affections may die in me, and all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in me, and I be preserved in body and soul, and saved from the second death, and nourished unto eternal life, through him who loved me and gave himself for me, thy dear Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

MEDITATION AFTER COM

MUNING.

NOW that I have commemorated my Master and Saviour according to his own gracious invitation, let me meditate on the meaning of these words of Jesus, when he said Whoso eateth flesh and drinkmy eth my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

I trust that in this commemoration of my Lord, I have partaken of his own life, which is spiritual, sacred and eternal. I trust that his doctrine and example are within me, and that neither things present nor things to come, will dissolve the divine fellowship between him the blessed Master and me his humble disciple.

PRAYER.

AND to thee, O God, my Father, do I give thanks for this holy communion.

Grant that it may never turn to my judgment and condemnation, but that it may be, together with my other spiritual privileges, health and recovery under all weaknesses and infirmities; safety and defence against all the attacks of my spiritual enemies; vigour and strength to all my good purposes and recomfort and solutions; support under all the afflictions and calamities of life; assistance and direction under all difficulties and doubts; courage and constancy under all dangers and persecutions, in times of sickness, and in the hour of death. And be thou, O God, my Father, alway

with me. Grant me pardon and peace in this life, mercy and favour at the day of judgment, and a never fading crown of glory in thy heavenly kingdom. These things, for myself and for others, I devoutly ask in the name of Jesus Christ, thy blessed Son our Lord. Amen.

AFTER THE SERVICE IS

ENDED.

LORD, now lettest thou thy servant depart in

peace; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Let me always hunger and thirst after righteousness; and

nourish thou my soul to eternal life, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

THE COMMUNION OF THE SICK. If any sick Person is desirous of receiving the Communion at his house, he shall give notice to the Minister; and all things necessary being prepared, the Minister shall there celebrate the Communion, beginning with the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel here following.

THE COLLECT.

ALMIGHTY, everliving God, maker of mankind, who dost correct those whom thou dost love, and chastise every one whom thou dost receive; we beseech thee to have mercy upon this thy servant visited with thine hand; and to grant that he may take his sickness patiently; and to restore his bodily health, if it be thy gracious will; and that whensoever his soul shall depart from the body, it may be without spot presented unto thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE EPISTLE.

Heb. xii. 5.

MY son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

THE GOSPEL.

John, v. 24. VERILY, verily, I say unto you, he who loveth my word, and believeth on him who sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

After which the Minister shall proceed according to the form before prescribed for the Holy Communion, beginning at the words, Ye who do truly, &c.

END OF THE COMMUNION.

THE BAPTISM OF INFANTS.

There should be for every Child two or three Sponsors; who may most properly be Parents or nearest Rela

tions.

Minister.

HEAR the words of our Saviour Christ to his Apostles.

Go ye, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Hear also what St Peter saith ;

The baptism which saveth us, is not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God. Dearly beloved,

Ye have brought this child here to be baptized; I demand therefore, Will ye faithfully and earnestly exhort this child to renounce the hurtful vanities of this world, with all covetous desires of the

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I BAPTIZE thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Min. Let us pray.

ALMIGHTY and ever blessed God, by whose providence the different generations of mankind are raised up to know thee, and to enjoy thy favour for ever; grant that this child, now dedicated to thee by our office and ministry, may be endued with heavenly virtues, and everlastingly saved through thy mercy, who dost live and govern all things, world without end. We beseech thee to enable thy servants who are entrusted with the care of this child, to perform their duty faithfully; give them wisdom to be his defence against the temptations incident to childhood and youth; and as he grows up in life, graciously assist them to enlarge his understanding and to open his heart to the impressions of religion and virtue. This our petition we humbly present in the name of Jesus Christ our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.

WE give thee humble thanks, O heavenly Father, that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace, and faith in thee; increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in us evermore, that we may be enabled to mortify all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily to proceed in all virtue and godliness of living, till we come to that eternal kingdom, which thou hast promised by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

NOW unto him who is able to keep us from falling, and to ing, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, through Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen.

EXHORTATION to Parents after Baptism, to be read or omitted, at the discretion of the Minister.

THE design of receiving infants by baptism into the church of Christ, is, to remind parents of their duty to them in their innocent

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