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THANKSGIVING

for the institution of the Lord's Supper :-and prayer for God's assistance and acceptance of our preparation for it.

BLESSED and Holy Lord God, our most gracious and merciful Father in Christ Jesus, I worship and praise Thy glorious Majesty, as for Thine infinite love in providing an all-sufficient Redeemer for us, so for the gracious terms of that new covenant which Thou hast been pleased to make with us in the blood of His cross, and for admitting me, Thy most unworthy creature, into the blessed privileges of it by baptism.

I bless Thee for the many happy opportunities Thou givest me of commemorating the sacrifice of His meritorious death, and of having that most blessed covenant renewed to me in the holy sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

O with what awful reverence and humility, with what diligent preparation ought we to approach this sacred ordinance, wherein the Prince of Life, and Lord of Glory is evidently set forth as crucified before our eyes; and a sure right and title to all the benefits of His passion are confirmed to every worthy receiver; but of which whosoever presumes to

partake unworthily eats and drinks judgment to himself.

O Lord God, in a just sense of my own weakness and unworthiness I cast myself down at the footstool of Thy Grace, beseeching Thee to assist and accept my endeavours to prepare myself for this blessed feast, and to work in me all those holy and heavenly dispositions, that are requisite to make me an acceptable guest at Thy table.

And grant, I most humbly pray Thee, that I may so devoutly and worthily eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, that I may spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink His blood; may dwell in Him, and He in me; be one with Him, and He with me; that so His body which was broken, and His blood which was shed for me, may preserve my body and soul unto everlasting life. Amen.

THE DUTIES

preparative to the receiving the Lord's Supper are 1. impartial examination into the state of our souls ; and serious consideration of the nature, end, and dignity of this holy sacrament;

* 1 Cor. xi. 29. St. Paul does not say, he that is unworthy eateth and drinketh damnation to himself;-for who is not unworthy? who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from sin?-but he that doeth so unworthily, i. e. in an unworthy manner.

2. true repentance for our former sins, and stedfast

purpose to lead a new life;

3. unfeigned love and charity towards all mankind;

4. lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, intending thereby not only that whatever God has promised to penitent sinners, through Christ, shall be effectually made good to them, but also an assured persuasion that if we come duly prepared to this holy sacrament, the general promises of God in scripture, concerning His pardoning mercy and grace, shall be immediately applied and made good to our persons in particular; and

5. a thankful remembrance of Christ's death, and of the innumerable blessings which He has thereby purchased for us, and a resolution to express our thankfulness in following the blessed steps of His most holy life.

1. Impartial examination into the state of our souls, and serious consideration of the nature, end, and dignity of this holy sacrament.

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

1 Cor. xi. 28.

Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this

cup of the Lord unworthily*, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

1 Cor. xi. 27.

He that eateth and drinketh unworthily*, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

1 Cor. xi. 29-32.

Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.

Lam. iii. 40.

Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God:

1 John iii. 21.

1 John iii. 20.

If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me: try my reins and my heart.

Psal. xxvi. 2.

I will wash my hands in innocency: so will I compass Thine altar, O Lord.

Psal. xxvi. 6.

PRAYER

for a faithful discharge of the duty of self-examination.

O most holy, and most glorious God, Who hast declared that Thou wilt be sanctified in all them that come nigh Thee; and hast commanded us to exa

* See note, p. 21.

mine ourselves before we presume to approach Thy table; grant me, I beseech Thee, so seriously to consider the transcendent dignity of this holy sacrament, and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof; and so to examine my conscience by the rule of Thy commandments, that I may never become obnoxious to the dreadful sentence which Thou hast denounced against those who eat and drink unworthily.

My heart, O Lord, is corrupt, and deceitful above all things; how can I know it? O Thou Who searchest the reins, and requirest truth in the inward parts, and dost also make us to understand wisdom secretly, discover to me all the evil and deceits of my own heart, and help me so impartially to judge and condemn myself, and so penitently to acknowledge and bewail my great sinfulness and wretchedness, that I may not be condemned in the last day, when I shall be summoned before Thine awful tribunal to give a strict account of all my thoughts, and words, and actions.

O let me not act partially or carelessly in a matter of such vast importance; but give me grace so diligently to search every secret of my heart, that I may leave no sin unrepented of; but may come holy and clean to this heavenly feast in the marriage garment required in Holy Scripture; and may be received by Thee as a worthy partaker of Thy holy table, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

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