Approach to the holy altar

FROM-THE- LIBRARY-OF
TWNITYCOLLEGETORQNTO

PRESENTED A.D.12KL

REV. CANON F. H. MASON

APPROACH

TO THE

HOLY ALTAR;

BY

BISHOP KEN.

From his

" Manual of Prayer," and " Pradice of
Divine Love."

LONDON
WILLIAM PICKERING

1852

3149

ADDRESS

TO YOUNG COMMUNICANTS.

OLY Bifhop Ken was an emi
nent teacher, by precept and
example, of Divine Love, —
of Love to God and man.
His heart feemed to be " lightened with
celeftial fire." He was ever breathing out
prayer and praife, and rejoicing in acts of
beneficence to all around him. A fhort
account of his life and character would
mow forth the power of heavenly Grace
on thofe who feek, and love the Lord
Jefus Chrift, and follow after righteouf-
nefs. But this is not the proper moment
to fpeak the praife of man. Let us rather
contemplate our adorable Saviour, Whofe
Death we are about to commemorate. —

IV

Addrefs to Young Communicants.

Whilft we make our " Approach to the
Holy Altar," all other thoughts fhould be
humed.

In an age, however, like the prefent,
when your Faith is aflailed on all fides by
new doctrines, not grounded on the war
ranty of Scripture, it may ftrengthen your
principles to be aflured that every word of
this book is from the pen of an orthodox
Bifhop, and ConfefTbr to the Truth.

Amidft many great changes in this
kingdom, at the facrifice of all his worldly
interefts, — even to the lofs of his Bifhop-
rick — in perfecution, — in imprifonment,
and not without danger of being driven
into exile, — Ken remained immoveably
fteadfaft to the Englim Church, which he
loved above all things on Earth. He
withstood two Kings in defence of her
primitive doctrines. Whatever he taught,
— all that he wrote, — he £f humbly fub-
mitted to her judgment, conformably to
whofe Articles he defired all good Chrif-
tians to interpret it." — He exhorted the
people ff to adhere to the written word,
and to perfevere in the Faith, taught in

Addrefs to Young Communicants.

the Church of England, whofe doctrine
for Catholic and foundnefs he preferred
to all the Communities, and Churches of
Chriftians in the world." — He prophefied
that, "whatever it fuffered, it fh,ould after
a Jhort trial emerge, to the confufion of her
adverfaries, and the Glory of God "

Learn from his example to be patient
and hopeful, meek and courageous, and
enduring under all difficult queftionings.
Take comfort from his laft declaration, " I
die in the Communion of the Church of
England, as it ftands diftinguimed from all
Papal and Puritan innovations, and as it
adheres to the Doctrine of the Crofs."

Join with him in the Thankfgiving,
which may be found in his excellent Book,
" An Expofition of the Church Ca-
techifm, or the Practice of Divine
Love ;"—" Glory be to Thee, O Lord
my God, who haft made me a member
of the particular Church of England,
whofe Faith, and Government, and
Worfhip, are Holy, and Catholic, and
Apoftolic, and free from the extremes of
Irreverence or Superftition, and which I

Evelyn's
Diary,
vol; i.
P. 637.

VI

i Sam. Hi. i,

Addrefs to Toung Communicants.

firmly believe to be a found part of Thy
Church Univerfal, and which teaches me
Charity to thofe who difTent from me ; and
therefore all Love, all Glory be to Thee.

fc O my God, give me grace to con
tinue ftedfaft in her bofom, to improve all
thofe helps to true Piety, all thofe means
of Grace, all thofe incentives of Thy Love,
Thou haft mercifully indulged me in her
Communion, that I may with primitive
affections and fervour praife and love
Thee."

That you may be led to delight yourfelf
in an early dedication of your heart to God,
I will conclude in the Bifhop's own words ;

fc Do but confider, how welcome a
young Convert is to God ; it was to
young Samuel that God revealed Himfelf,
and that at fuch a time, too, when the
Word of God was precious and very rare,
to mow how much God honoured a young
Prophet : and you know that St. John,
the youngeft of all the Difciples, is the
only perfon of all the Twelve, who was
permitted to lean on our Saviour's Bofom,
at the Laft Supper, as deareft to Him in

Addrefs to Young Communicants.

Affection, and who is emphatically called
the Difciple whom Jefus loved. And
this is fuitable to that gracious promife
which God hath made to encourage all
young Perfons to ferve Him ; I love them
that love me, and they that Jeek me early
fhall find me.

" Let this Heavenly promife excite in
you a great zeal to feek God, and to feek
Him early, for if you do feek, you are
fure to find Him ; — you are fure, when
you have found Him, He will love you ;
and you mail reap all the happy effects of
God's infinite Love, and of an Early Piety.

ff An Early Piety ! than which nothing
will make you a greater comfort to all
your friends ; nothing will make you
more univerfally efteemed, and beloved
by all men. And befides that peace of
Confcience, and the pleafures of well
doing, which you will at prefent feel,
think, if you can, how inconceivable a
joy it will be to you, when in your elder
years you can reflect on your well-fpent
time, and the innocence of your youth ; —
how great a confolation it will be to you

Vll

John xiii.
23.

Prov. viii.

via

Exodus xxix.
3*, 39-

I Kings
xviii. iz.

Addrefs to Young Communicants.

on your death bed, — how eafy it will
render your accounts at the great Day of
Judgment, — and how much a whole life
fpent in God's fervice will increafe your
glory in Heaven.

cc Remember that God, under the Law,
ordained a Lamb to be offered up to Him
every Morning and Evening. A Lamb !
which is a fit Emblem of Youth and In
nocence ; think then that you are to re-
femble this Lamb, and be fure every day
to offer up yourfelf a Morning and Even
ing Sacrifice to God.

tc God of His great mercy make thefe,
and the like, confiderations effectual to
create holy Refolutions in you, and give
you Grace to make good ufe of thefe fol
lowing Directions, which are defigned to
teach you to fear the Lord from your
Youth, and are fuited to your particular
age and condition, in hope they may the
more affect you. — God grant they may.
Amen''

Your affectionate well-wifher,

I. L. A.

Lent. 1852.

AN INTRODUCTION

TO

BISHOP KEN'S
APPROACH TO THE HOLY ALTAR.

Gathered out of his " Expofition on the Church

Catechifm," or " The Practice

of Divine Love."

HE Happinefs of a good Chrif-
tian is altogether unutterable ;
he is one who has Chrift for his
Head, God for his Father, and
Heaven with all its joys and glories, which
are all eternal, for his Inheritance. The
Mifery of a bad Chriftian is altogether in-
fupportable ; He has Chrift for his Ene
my, the Devil for his Father, and Hell,
with all its miferies and torments, and de-
fpair, which are all eternal, for his Doom.
I adore the goodnefs of God, Who has

Deut. xxx.
19.

Luke x. 2.7,

Bijhop Ken's Approach

Jet before me life and death, blejjing and
curfing ; and in great companion to my
Soul has bid me choofe life : and with all
my heart I choofe life, — even Life Eternal.
To obtain this, all I am to do is reduced
to one word only, and that is Love. This
is the firft and the great Command, which
comprehends all others, — the proper Evan
gelical Grace ; and Eternal Truth has af-
fured me, I'his doy and thou /halt live ; fo
that if I truly love God, I mail live be
loved by God to all eternity.

The Love of God is a Grace rather to
be felt than defined. — It is the general in
clination and tendency of the whole man,
— of all his heart, and foul, and ftrength,
of all his powers and affections, and of the
utmoft ftrength of them all, — to God, as
his chief and only, and perfect, and infinite
Good.

When Divine Love is once produced,
my next care is to put it in practice, and
that is by bringing forth the fruits, or ef
fects of Love. When the Love of God is
produced in my heart, and is fet on work,
my laft concern is to preferve, and enfure,

to the Holy Altar.

and quicken it. It is preferved by Prayer ;
—it is enfured to us by the Sacraments,
which are the Pledges of Love, — and
more particularly it is quickened by the
Holy Eucharift, which is the feaft of Love.

THE SACRAMENTS, PLEDGES OF LOVE.

'Their number*

LORY be to Thee, O Crucified
Love, out of Thy Wounded
Side flowed Water and Blood,
the Two Sacraments, which
Thou haft Ordained in Thy Church, —
Baptifm and the Supper of the Lord, the
one to initiate, the other to confirm us, in
our Chriftianity.

Glory be to Thee, O bountiful Love,
for Ordaining and Giving us the Holy
Sacraments ; Thou Thyfelf only art the
Author, and Fountain of Grace, and Thou
only haft the right of inftituting the con
veyances of Thy own Grace. All Love,
all Glory be to Thee.

John xix.
34-

Matt, xx vi.
27, z8.

Bifhop Ken's Approach

Their Nature.

GLORY be to Thee, O tendered Love,
who to ftoop to our weak and grofs
apprehenfion, haft in the Two Sacraments
made an Outward and vifible, and familiar
thing, to be the Sign, and memorial, and
reprefentation of an Inward and Invifible,
Myfterious and Spiritual Grace.

Glory be to Thee, O mighty Love,
who haft elevated thefe obvious and out
ward Signs to an efficacy far above their
Natures, — not only to fignify, but to be
happy Means, and Inftruments, to con
vey Thy Grace to us, — to be Seals, and
Pledges to confirm and aflure to us the
Communications of Thy Love, that our
fight may affift our Faith, that if with due
preparation we receive them, both parts
of the Sacrament will go together, — as
certainly as we receive the Outward and
Vifible Sign, fo certainly mall we receive
the Inward and Invifible Grace, for which
all Love, all Glory be to Thee.

to the Holy Altar.

THE SUPPER OF THE LORD.

Inftitution.

LORY be to Thee, O crucified
Love, who at Thy laft Supper
didft ordain the Holy Eucha-
rift, the Sacrament and Feaft of
Love.

It was for the continual remembrance
of the Sacrifice of thy death, O blefTed
Jefu, and of the benefits we receive there
by, that Thou waft pleafed to ordain this
facred and awful Rite ; all Love, all Glory
be to Thee.

Ah deareft Lord, how little fenfible is
he of Thy Love in dying for us, who can
ever forget Thee.

Ah woe is me, that ever a Sinner
mould forget his Saviour, and yet alas !
how prone are we to do it !

Glory be to Thee, O gracious Jefu, who,
to help our memories and to imprefs Thy
Love deep on our Souls, haft inftituted
the bleffed Sacrament, and commanded us,
" Do this in remembrance of me"

O Jefu, let the Propitiatory Sacrifice of

Bijhop Ken's Approach

Thy Death, which Thou didft offer upon
the Crofs for the Sins of the whole World,
and particularly for my fins, be ever freih
in my remembrance.

O bleffed Saviour, let that mighty Sal
vation Thy Love has wrought for us never
flip out of my mind, but efpecially let my
remembrance of Thee in the Holy Sacra
ment be always moft lively and affecting.

0 Jefu, if I love Thee truly, I mail be
fure to frequent Thy Altar, that I may
often remember all the wonderful Love
of my Crucified Redeemer.

1 know, O my Lord and my God, that
a bare remembrance of Thee is not enough ;
O do Thou, therefore, fix in me fuch a
remembrance of Thee as is fuitable to the
infinite Love I am to remember. Work
in me all thofe holy and heavenly affections
which become the remembrance of a Cru
cified Saviour.

Parts outward.

GLORY be to Thee, O adorable Jefus,
who under the outward and vifible
part, the Bread and Wine, things ob-

to the Holy Altar.

vious and eafily prepared, both which
Thou haft commanded to be received,
doft communicate to our Souls the myf-
tery of divine Love, the inward and invi-
fible Grace, Thy own moft blefled Body
and Blood, which are verily and indeed
taken and received by the faithful in Thy
Supper, for which all Love, all Glory be
to Thee.

Invijible.

OGOD Incarnate, how the Bread and
the Wine, unchanged in their Sub-
ftance, become Thy Body and Thy Blood ;
— After what extraordinary manner Thou,
who art in Heaven, art prefent throughout
the whole Sacramental Action to every
Devout Receiver; — How Thou canft give
us Thy Flejh to eat, and Thy Blood to drink ;
How Thy Flejh is Meat indeed, and 'Thy
Blood is Drink indeed ; How he that eat-
eth Thy Flejh, and drinketh Thy Blood
dwelleth in Thee, and Thou in him ; How
he /hall live by Thee, and be raijed up by
Thee to Life-Eternal; — I can by no means
comprehend ; but I firmly believe all Thou
haft faid, and I firmly rely on Thy Om-

Jobn vi. 54.

I Cor. x. 16.

Jobnxx.zz,

Bijhop Ken's Approach

nipotent Love to make good Thy word ;

for which all Love all Glory be to Thee.

Real Prefence.

I BELIEVE, O Crucified Lord, that
the Bread which we break in the Ce
lebration of the Holy Myfteries, is the
Communication of 'Thy Body, and the Cup
of BleJJing which we blejsy is the Commu
nication of Thy Blood, and that Thou
doft as effectually and really convey Thy
Body and Blood to our Souls by the Bread
and Wine, as Thou didft Thy Holy
Spirit by Thy breath to Thy Difciples;
for which all Love, all Glory be to Thee.

Lord, what need I labour in vain, to
fearch out the manner of Thy myfterious
Prefence in the Sacrament, when my Love
affures me Thou art there ? all the faithful
who approach Thee with prepared hearts,
they well know Thou art there, — they feel
the Virtue of Divine Love going out of
Thee, to heal their infirmities, and to en-
flame their affections ; for which all Love
all Glory be to Thee.

O holy Jefu, when at Thy Altar I fee
the Bread broken, and the Wine poured

to the Holy Altar.

out, O teach me to difcern 'Thy Body there ;

0 let thofe facred and fignificant Actions
create in me a moft lively remembrance of
Thy Sufferings ; — how Thy moft blefled
Body was fcourged, and wounded, and
bruifed, and tormented ; — how Thy moft
precious Blood was med for my fins ; and
fet all my powers on work to love Thee,
and to celebrate Thy Love in thus dying
for me.

Both Kinds.

GLORY be to Thee, O Jefu, who
didft inftitute the Holy Eucharift
in Both Kinds, and haft commanded Both
to be received, — both the Bread and the
Wine, — both Thy Body broken, and Thy
Blood med. Thy Love, O Lord, has
given me both, and both are equally fig-
nificative and productive of Thy Love :

1 do as much thirft after the one, as I
hunger after the other; — I equally want
Both, and it would be grievous to my
Love to be deprived of either.

Ah Lord, who is there that truly loves
Thee, when Thou giveft him two diftinct
Pledges of Thy Love, can be content with

I Co

r. XI. 29.

Matt. xxvi.

26,27.
John vi. 53.

IO

Bifhop Kens Approach

one only ? what Lover can endure to have
one half of Thy Love withheld from him ?
and therefore all Love, all Glory be to
Thee for giving both.

Benefits.

OMY Lord, and my God, do Thou
fo difpofe my heart, to be Thy
Gueft, at Thy Holy Table, that I may
feel all the fweet influences of Love Cru
cified, the ftrengthning and refreshing of
my Soul, as our Bodies are by the Bread
and Wine, for which I will ever adore
and love Thee.

O merciful Jefu, let that immortal food,
which in the Holy Eucharift Thou vouch-
fafeft me, inftil into my weak and lan-
guiming Soul, new fupplies of Grace, new
Life, new Love, new Vigour, and new
Refolution, that I may nevermore faint,
or droop, or tire in my duty.

O Crucified Love, raife in me frem
ardours of Love and Confolation, that it
may be henceforth the greateft torment I
can endure, ever to offend Thee, that it
may be my greateft delight to pleafe Thee.
O amiable Jefu, when I devoutly re-

to the Holy Altar.

ceive the outward Elements, as fure as I
receive them, I receive Thee, I receive
the Pledge of Thy Love, to quicken mine ;
O indulge me, though but for a moment,
one beatific foretafte of the delicioufnefs of
Thy Love, that in the ftrength of that de
licioufnefs I may perfeveringly love Thee.

Preparation.

GLORY be to Thee, my Lord and
my God, who haft now given me
an invitation to Thy Heavenly Feaft. All
Love, all Glory be to Thee.

Lord, give me Grace that I may ap
proach Thy awful Myftery, with Peni
tential preparation, and with a heart fully
difpofed to love Thee.

IT" is very advifable, that perfons before
they Communicate Jhould read over the
whole Communion-Office ', or at leaft the
Exhortations there , which they will find
to contain very proper, and plain, and ex
cellent InftruRions.

It were much to be wifhed, that people
would make more ufe of their Common-
Prayer-Books than they do, and apply the

II

Lukey\\. 17.

12

BiJJiop Kens ApproacJi

Prayers they meet with there to their own
particular conditions , for the Book is always
at handy and the Prayers are moft Jafe and
familiar, and devout, and the more they
affeEl us in the Clojet, the more they will
affeft us in the Congregation, and well-
meaning fouls will reap great Jpiritual ad
vantages from this pr a ft ice.

For example ; an humble poor Chriftian,
who it may be has no other Book but his
Common-Prayer-Booky and who intends to
come to the Holy Communion, may learn to
turn the Communion-Office to his own pri
vate ufe after this manner.

Prayer for the Holy Spirit.

A LMIGHTY God, unto whom all
./V. hearts be open, all defires known,
and from whom no fecrets are hid ; Cleanfe
the thoughts of my heart by the infpiration
of Thy Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly
love Thee and worthily magnify Thy Holy
Name, through Chrift our Lord. Amen.

Thank/giving for our Redemption.

I GIVE moft humble and hearty thanks
to Thee, O God the Father, the Son,

to the Holy Altar.

and the Holy Ghoft, for the Redemption
of the World by the Death and PafTion of
our Saviour Chrift, both God and Man,
who did humble Himfelf even to the death
upon the Crofs for us miferable finners,
who lay in darknefs and the fhadow of
death, that He might make us the Chil
dren of God, and exalt us to everlafting
life.

Glory be to Thee, O Jefus, our Matter
and only Saviour, who, to the end that
we mould always remember Thy exceed
ing great love in thus dying for us, and
the innumerable benefits which by Thy
precious blood-fhedding Thou haft ob
tained to us, haft instituted and ordained
holy myfteries as pledges of Thy love,
and for a continual remembrance of Thy
death, to our great and endlefs comfort.

To Thee, therefore, O blefled Saviour,
with the Father, and the Holy Ghoft,
I will give (as I am moft bounden) con
tinual thanks : I fubmit myfelf wholly to
Thy holy will and pleafure, and will ftudy
to ferve Thee in true holinefs, and righ-
teoufnefs, all the days of my life.

Bifliop Ken's Approach

ConfeJJlon.

A LMIGHTY God, Father of our
Jt\. Lord Jefus Chrift, Maker of all
things, Judge of all men ; I acknowledge
and bewail my manifold fins and wicked-
nefs, which I from time to time moft
grievoufly have committed — by thought
word and deed, againft Thy divine Ma-
jefty, provoking moft juftly Thy wrath
and indignation againft me. I do earneftly
repent, and am heartily forry for thefe
my mifdoings ; the remembrance of them
is grievous unto me ; the burden of them
is intolerable. Have mercy upon me, have
mercy upon me, moft merciful Father;
For Thy Son our Lord Jefus Chrift's fake,
forgive me all that is paft; And grant
that I may ever hereafter ferve and pleafe
Thee in newnefs of life, to the honour
and glory of Thy Name ; through Jefus
Chrift our Lord. Amen.
Praije.

I LIFT up my heart unto Thee, O
Lord, I give thanks unto Thee, O
Lord our God; it is meet and right fo
to do : it is very meet, right, and my

to the Holy Altar.

bounden duty, that I fhould at all times,
and in all places, give thanks unto Thee,
O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Ever-
lafting God.

But chiefly am I bound to praife Thee
for giving Thy only Son Jefus to die for
my fins, and to rife again for my Juftifi-
cation.

Therefore with Angels and Archangels,
and with all the Company of Heaven I
laud and magnify Thy glorious Name,
evermore praifing Thee, and faying HOLY,
HOLY, HOLY, Lord God of Hofts, Heaven
and Earth are full of Thy glory. Glory
be to Thee, O Lord moft HIGH. Amen.

Prayer for our Communicating
worthily.

I DO not prefume to come to Thy Ta
ble, O merciful Lord, trufting in my
own righteoufnefs, but in Thy manifold
and great mercies. I am not worthy fo
much as to gather up the crumbs under
Thy Table. But Thou art the fame Lord,
whofe property is always to have mercy ;
grant me therefore, gracious Lord, fo to

i6

Bijhop Ken's Approach

eat the flefli of Thy dear Son Jefus Chrift,
and to drink His Blood, that my finful
body may be made clean by His Body,
and my foul warned through His moft
precious blood, and that I may evermore
dwell in Him, and He in me. Amen.
Praije.

GLORY be to God on high, and in
earth peace, good will towards men.
I praife Thee, I blefs Thee, I worfhip
Thee, I glorify Thee, I give thanks to
Thee for Thy great glory, O Lord God,
heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.

O Lord, the only begotten Son Jefu
Chrift ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son
of the Father, that takeft away the fins of
the world, have mercy upon me. Thou
that takeft away the fins of the world
have mercy upon me. Thou that takeft
away the fins of the world, receive my
prayer. Thou that fitteft at the right hand
of God the Father, have mercy upon me.

For Thou only art holy, Thou only
art the Lord, Thou only O Chrift, with
the Holy Ghoft, art moft high in the glory
of God the Father. Amen.

to the Holy Altar.

To theje, as you fee occafion, you may add
many very good Prayers, flwrt and plain,
and -pertinent to your purpofe, which you
may collect out of the Common- Prayer, and
which will much further your devotion,
fuch as thefe.

For Fear and Love.

OLORD, Who never failed to help
and govern them whom Thou doft
bring up in Thy ftedfaft fear and love ;
Keep me, I befeech Thee, under the pro
tection of Thy good Providence, and make
me to have a perpetual fear and love of
Thy Holy Name, through Jefus Chrift
our Lord. Amen.

For Love.

OGOD, Who haft prepared for them
that love Thee, fuch good things as
pafs man's underftanding, Pour into my
heart fuch love towards Thee, that I lov
ing Thee above all things, may obtain
Thy promifes, which exceed all that I can
defire, through Jefus Chrift our Lord.
Amen.

LORD of all power and might, Who

i8

'Bifliop Ken's Approach

art the Author and Giver of all good
things ; graft in my heart the love of
Thy name, increafe in me true religion,
nourim me with all goodnefs, and of Thy
great mercy keep me in the fame, through
Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

For Charity.

OLORD, Who haft taught me that
all my doings without Charity are
nothing worth, fend Thy Holy Ghoft,
and pour into my heart that moft excellent
Gift of Charity, the very bond of Peace,
and of all virtues, without which whofo-
ever liveth is counted dead before Thee.
Grant this for Thine only Son Jefus
Chrift's fake. Amen.

For Imitation of Chrift.

A LMIGHTY God, Who haft given
jfjL Thine only Son to be unto us both
a Sacrifice for Sin, and alfo an example
of godly life ; Give me grace that I may
always moft thankfully receive that His
ineftimable benefit, and alfo daily endea
vour myfelf to follow the blefled fteps of

to the Holy Altar.

His moft holy life, through the fame Jefus
Chrifl our Lord. Amen.

'They that are ignorant, or that cannot
read, fliould go to their Parijh Prieft, or to
Jome other difcreet and learned Minifter of
God's Word, and defire him to teach them
their Duty in -private ; and they that thus
fencer elyjeek the Law at the Pr left's Mouth,
fliall find that the Prieft's Lips do prejerve
Knowledge, and /hall not go away without
a blejfling.

To God the Father, who firft loved us,
and made us accepted in the Beloved ; to
God the Son, who loved us, and warned
us from our fins in His own Blood ; to
God the Holy Ghoft, who fheds the Love
of God abroad in our hearts, be all Love
and all Glory, for time, and for eternity.
Amen.

20

INSTRUCTIONS AND PREPARATION

FOR A SERIOUS AND DEVOUT APPROACH

TO THE HOLY ALTAR

BY
BISHOP KEN.

Approach to the Holy Altar.

DIRECTIONS FOR RECEIVING THE
HOLT EUCHARIST.

HE Receiving of the Blefled
Sacrament is the moft Divine
and Solemn Act of all our Re
ligion, and it ought to be the
zealous endeavour of every true Chriftian,
by God's affiftance, to prepare his Soul with
the moft ferious, and moft devout difpofi-
tions he poflibly can, to approach the Holy
Altar. You are, therefore, to confider
what you are to do before Receiving,
what in the time of Receiving, and what
after Receiving.

Before Receiving.

THE Duties you are to perform before
Receiving are all comprehended in
that one Rule, which St. Paul gives us, Let
a man examine himjelf^ and Jo let him eat of
that Bread, and drink of that Cup, which

21

I Cor. xi. 28.

22

jfer. xvii. 9,

Bifliop Ken's Approach

are in a manner commented on by the
Church, in the Exhortation before the Sa
crament, which I advife you to read over
in your Common Prayer-Book.

To put this Rule in practice, 'tis your
beft way at fome convenient time to with
draw yourfelf into your Chamber, and
there to begin to commune with your own
Heart, and to call your Sins to remem
brance ; — but firft pray heartily to God
for His Grace to aflift you.

Prayer before Examination.

HEAR the voice of my humble Peti
tion, O Lord, now I cry unto Thee,
and lift up my Hands towards Thy Mercy-
Seat.

Behold, Lord, now I am about to fearch
into my own Heart : but alas, alas ! my
Heart is deceitful, and defperately wicked ;
how can I know it ? Thou therefore that
fearcheft the Heart, and trieft the Reins,
difcover to me all the evil and deceits of
my own Heart, that I may confefs, and
bewail, and forfake them, and obtain Mer
cy. Lord hear me, Lord help me, for the
Merits of Jefus my Saviour, Amen3 Amen.

to the Holy Altar.

Rules to be obferved in Examination.

HAVING prayed for God's afliftance,
doubt not but He will vouchfafe it
you : and to guide you in your Exami
nation the better, obferve thefe following
Directions.

When you examine yourfelf, either by
the following Catalogue, or by that in the
Whole Duty of Man, or by any other,
Paufe a while on every particular ; and if
you find yourfelf not guilty, then fay,
Glory be to Thee, O Lord, for preferving
me from this Sin : and fo go on.

When your Confcience anfwers guilty,
then it will be your beft way, having faid,
Lord have mercy upon me, and forgive
me this Sin, to write down that Sin in a
Paper, that you may have it ready to con-
fefs to God, when your Examination is
done.

You are to confider that there are feveral
degrees of Penitents, and fome are more,
fome lefs finful. For inftance ;

Some there are, who either through want
of confcientious Parents, or through often
ftifling good motions, or through incon-

23

Bijhop Kens Approach

ftancy, or heedleflhefs, or unadvifednefs, or
vicious company, or ill nature, or youthful
lufts, and the like, have been from their
infancy very negligent of learning, or at
leaft of practifing their Duty.

Again, Some there are amongft thefe,
whofe Sins are more heinous than ordi
nary, in regard they are accompanied with
feveral aggravations : For any fin is much
aggravated, if it be committed knowing
ly, or deliberately, or frequently : — more
than that, if it be committed obftinately,
or prefumptuoufly, or on flight, or no
temptations, or againft checks of Con-
fcience, or againft Reproofs, or Admoni
tions, or Chaftifements, or Vows to the
contrary ; — but moft of all, if it be com
mitted fo long, and fo often, till it becomes
habitual, till the Sinner does take delight
in it, or boaft of it, or makes a mock at
it, or tempt others alfo to commit it. All
thefe and the like circumftances do very
much heighten the guilt of any Sin.

You may eafily from hence guefs what
progrefs you have made in wickednefs,
and if you find yourfelf in the number of

to the Holy Altar.

any of thefe, by all means refolve to repent
immediately and to confefs your fins with
all their aggravations ; for be fure of this,
that every other ftep you run farther from
Heaven, — every other hour you continue
longer in a finful courfe, — makes your fins
the more hard to be maftered, and your
repentance the more difficult.

On the other fide,fome there are, though
I fear but few, who having been brought
up in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord, have been by the goodnefs of God,
fecured from violent Temptations, and en
ormous Sins ; who have like Jofiah, while
they were yet young, fought the Lord, and
have in a great meafure kept their Baptifmal
Vow, and preferved a fenfe of their Duty.

Such as thefe have fewer Sins to confefs,
and thofe Sins lefs aggravated, and there
fore have greater obligations to magnify
God's mercy than others ; but if you are
in this number, have a care of growing
carelefs in your examination, or of pre-
fuming on your own innocence : For if
we fay, or think, we have no Sin, we mi-
ferably deceive ourfelves.

Chron.
xxxiv. 3.

: John i.

26

I Cor. x. 12.

Pfalm xix.

12.

Bijhop Kens Approach

The beft of Men, God knows, have
very much evil in them to deteft and be
wail, and have infinite need of a Saviour,
and therefore let him that ftandeth, take
heed left he fall.

Whatever you do, then, be fure to keep
your heart with all diligence, and to pray
for conftant fupplies of God's grace, for
perhaps the Devil defers his tempting you
till you have not that tendernefs of offend
ing which you now have.

Be not over-fcrupulous, either to make
yourfelf guilty of more fins than really
you are, or to reckon up all your infirmi
ties or daily failings, or fins of omiflion,
which would render your examination end-
lefs and impoflible ; but examine yourfelf
chiefly about your wilful fins, or fins of
commiffion ; and know there be many fins,
even of commirTion, that you may doubt
whether you have committed or no, —
many that you have quite forgot ; but be
not dimeartened at it, for holy David hath
taught you, that a general Confeflion for
fuch Sins is enough, when he prays to
God to cleanfe him from his fecret faults.

to the Holy Altar.

That you may gain a true fenfe of your
Sins, by your Examination, labour to im
print on your mind awful apprehenfions
of the day of Judgment, and of God the
great Judge, in whofe prefence you now
are ; and to raife fuch apprehenfions, dwell
a while on fuch Meditations as thefe.

Motives to Examination.

MY foul, thou art now in the
prefence of the great Judge
of Heaven and Earth, before
whofe dreadful Tribunal thou
muft certainly appear at the day of Judg
ment, to give a ftrict account of all thy
actions, and of every idle word, of every
evil thought, and thy own Confcience will
then be thy Accufer.

Think, O my Soul, think if thou canft,
what unimaginable horrors will feize an
impenitent Sinner, when the lad trump
calls him out of his Grave, and the Devils
begin to drag him to God's Judgment
Seat ! What would fuch a wretch give to
purchafe one fuch opportunity of Repent-

27

28

Bifhop Kens Approach

ance, as God now in great mercy gives
thee ? If ever thou hopeft to efcape thofe
horrors, O my Soul, make thy peace with
God, judge thyfelf here, left thou be con
demned hereafter.

The Examination itfelf.
ADJURE thee, O my Soul, in
the prefence of the great Judge,
who knows all the fecrets of thy
heart, I adjure thee, as thou wilt
anfwer before God's Judgment-feat at the
laft day, to tell me.

Does not thy daily experience teach thee,

that thy whole Nature is corrupt, prone to

all that is evil, averfe to all that is good ?

How haft thou fpent thy time from thy

Childhood to this very moment ?

How haft thou kept the folemn Vow of
thy Baptifm ?

What good duties haft thou omitted ?
What fins haft thou committed ?
In particular, what fins art thou guilty
of, more immediately againft God ?
Art thou guilty of any Infidelity or

to the Holy Altar.

Atheifm, any diftruft in, or prefumption
on, or defpair of God's Mercy ?

Art thou guilty of any wilful Ignorance
of God, or of any Idolatry, in worfhipping
any Creature ? Haft thou loved anything
more than God, or feared any one above
him ?

Haft thou been guilty of hypocrify in
God's fervice, or of forfaking God, and of
reforting to the Devil, to witches, or
wizards ?

Art thou guilty of repining, or mur
muring at God's providence, or of being
impatient under his afflictions, or of be
ing unthankful for his mercies, or of be
ing difobedient to his Commands, or of
being incorrigible under his Judgements ?

When, and in what manner haft thou
been guilty of difhonouring God ?

By blafphemous or irreligious thoughts,
or difcourfes ; or by tamely hearing others
blafpheme ?

By taking God's moft holy Name in
vain, or by cuftomary or falfe fwearing,
or by the breach of any lawful oath, or
folemn vows ?

29

3°

Eifhop Ken's Approach

By any Sacrilege, or irreverent beha
viour in God's Houfe, or mifpending the
Lord's Day, or any neglect of, or inat
tention to God's Word, read or preach
ed ; or unprofitablenefs under the means
of Grace ?

Have I difhonoured God, by coldnefs,
and wanderings, and indevotion, or care-
lerThefs in my Prayers, or by any weari-
nefs in His Service, or by any total neg
lect of it, or by unworthy Communicating ?

By impenitence, or putting off the evil
day, or fuperficial and partial repentances,
or frequent relapfes, or refitting the good
motions of God's Spirit ?

By abetting any Schifm, or Herefy, or
Profanenefs ?

OMY Soul, what fins art thou guilty
of, more immediately againft thyfelf?
Art thou guilty of Pride, either of thy
clothes, or of thy eftate, or of thy credit,
or of thy parts, or of thy own holinefs, or
of boafting of thy own good deeds, or of
commending thyfelf, or of being greedy
of praife, or of performing good duties to

to the Holy Altar.

gain applaufe, or of committing fin to
avoid reproach of men ?

Haft thou been immoderately greedy
of riches, or of fenfual pleafures, or guilty
of peevimnefs, or of too violent, or too
lafting fits of anger, or of inconftancy, or
of inconfideration, or of difcontentednefs
with thy condition ?

Haft thou been guilty of mifpending
thy time, or of negligence in refifting
temptations, or of not improving thy op
portunities of Learning and Piety, or of
abufing thy natural parts to fin ?

Haft thou been guilty of any intemper
ance in eating, or in drinking, or in fleeping,
or in recreations, fpending too much time
on them, or being too greedy after them ?

Haft thou been guilty of idlenefs, or of
downright drunkennefs, or of laughing at
it in others ?

Haft thou been guilty of any unclean-
nefs of the eye, or of the hand, or of the
fancy, of any lafcivioufnefs, or Luft, or For
nication, or Adultery, or haft thou taken
delight in lewd company, or in vicious or
unchafte Songs, or Stories, or Expreflions ?

32 Bifhop Ken's Approach

OMY foul, what fins art thou guilty
of, more immediately, againft thy
Neighbour ?

How, when, where, againft whom haft
thou been guilty of any injury, or injuftice,
or oppreffion, or breach of truft, or promife,
or of any fraud, or theft, or flattery, or
difTimulation, or treachery, or lying, or of
giving any juft fcandal ?

How, when, where, againft whom haft
thou been guilty of any ill language or
detraction, or {lander, or tale-bearing, or
rafli-cenfuring, or back-biting, or of con
temning, or fcoffing at thy Neighbour,
either for his infirmities, or for his being
religious ?

How, when, where, againft whom haft
thou been guilty of any contentioufnefs,
or fpite, or revenge, or of delighting caufe-
lefsly to grieve thy Neighbour, or of
railing, or of actually hurting him, or of
murdering him in thy mind, by ill wifhes
or curfes ? Haft thou been guilty of bitter
imprecations, or bearing falfe witnefs, or
covetoufnefs of anything he pofTefles ?

to the Holy Altar.

Haft thou been guilty of unthankfulnefs
to thofe that have done thee good, or have
reproved thee, or of uncharitablenefs to
the poor, or to any Chriftian in diftrefs,
or of any unnaturalnefs to any of thy Re
lations, or of any evil fpeaking, or difre-
fpect, or ftubbornnefs againft any of thy
Governors, either Civil or Ecclefiaftical ;
or in particular againft thy Parents or Su
periors, or of any wilful difobedience to the
lawful commands of all, or either of them ?

Haft thou tempted any other to fin, by
connivance, or encouragement, or com
mand, or perfuafion, and mightily in-
creafed thy own guilt by furthering the
damnation of thy Brother ?

IN cafe you do find this Examination
too difficult for you, or are afraid you
ftiall not rightly perform it, or meet with
any fcruples, or troubles of Confcience, in
the practice of it, I then advife you, as the
Church does, to go to your Spiritual Guide,
and be not amamed to unburden your
foul freely to him, that befides his Ghoft-
ly Counfel, you may receive, the benefit

33

34

Bijhop Kens Approach

of Abfolution : For though Confeflion of

our fins to God is only matter of duty,

and abfolutely necefTary, yet Confeflion to

our Spiritual Guide alfo is by many de

vout Souls found to be very advanta

geous to true Repentance.

If upon your Examination you find you

have any way wronged your Neighbour,

refolve upon the firft opportunity to make

him fome fuitable fatisfadlion, and to afk

Matt, v.23-

his forgivenefs ; for you are firft to be re

conciled to your Brother, before you come

to the Altar to offer your Gift.

If you are guilty of tempting any other

to fin, afk God's pardon for him, as well

for yourfelf, and if you have any oppor

tunity to do it, exhort him to repentance.

But if any have wronged you, forgive

the injury prefently, for you beg forgive

nefs of God on this very condition, that

you yourfelf forgive your Brother.

This examination of yourfelf I fuppofe

will be tafk enough for you at one time ;

and therefore that you may not tire yourfelf,

you may conclude with this fhort Prayer ;

to the Holy Altar.

A Prayer after Examination.

LORD GOD, I have now by
Thy afliftance confidered my
own evil ways, O Thou who
only knoweft the heart, and

who only canft change it, Create in me
fuch a broken and contrite heart which
Thou haft promifed not to defpife, and fo
deep a fenfe of my own fin and mifery,
that my Repentance may bear fome pro
portion to my guilt. O my God, pardon
all my failings, and perfedl that good work
Thou haft begun in me, for the merits of
Jefus my Saviour, in whofe holy Words
I fum up all my wants.

OUR FATHER Which art in Heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy
Kingdom come. Thy will be done in
Earth, As it is in Heaven. Give us this
day our daily bread. And forgive us our
trefpafTes, As we forgive them, that tref-
pafs againft us. And lead us not into
temptation ; But deliver us from evil :
For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power,
and the Glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

35

Prov. xv. 8.

Bijhop Kens Approach

At the very next opportunity of re
tiring you can get, refolve, with the Pro
digal, to return to your Heavenly Father,
and humbly to beg forgivenefs ; and hav
ing brought your Catalogue of fins with
you, kneel down, and with the loweft
proftration of foul and body, make your
ConfefTion to God of your fins, and of
their aggravations.

A Form of ConfeJJlon.
THOU great Judge of Heaven
and Earth, before whofe glo
rious Majefty, even the good
Angels, who never finned, fall
proftrate and tremble,

With what debafement and dread ought
I to appear before Thy awful prefence,
who am but duft and afhes, and which is
infinitely worfe, a miferable wretched fin-
ner !

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty,
Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold
evil, with the leaft approbation ; the way
of the wicked, and the facrifice of the
wicked is an abomination to Thee !

to the Holy Altar.

Woe is me then, O Lord, woe is me,
for I have inclined unto wickednefs with
my heart, but for the fake of Thy well be
loved Son, caft not out my Prayer, nor
turn Thy mercy from me.

Miferable wretch that I am, *I have
gone aftray from the very womb, I was
fhapen in wickednefs, and in fin did my
mother conceive me ! Who can bring a
clean thing out of an unclean ? What is
man then, O God, that he mould be clean,
or he that is born of a Woman, that he
mould be righteous !

Thou Lord, putteft no truft in Thy
Saints, and the Heavens are not clean in
Thy fight, and the very Angels Thou
chargeft with folly !

How much more abominable then, and
filthy am I, who daily drink iniquity like
water !

Lord, pity, and cleanfe, and forgive,
and fave me, for Thy Mercies' fake.

I know, O God, that in my flem dwell-
eth no good thing ; for when I would do
good, evil is prefent with me, and I fee a
Law in my members warring againft the

37

Pfalm Ixvi.

Job iv.

Bijhop Ken's Approach

Law of my mind, and bringing me into
captivity to the law of fin.

Lord have mercy upon me, and deliver
me from this body of death, from this
tyranny of fin.

Alas? alas, my whole nature is corrupt,
infinitely prone to all evil, and averfe to
all that is good : my underftanding is full
of ignorance and error, my will is perverfe,
my memory tenacious of all things that
may pollute me, and forgetful of my duty ;
my paflions are inordinate, my fenfes the
inlets of all impurity, and I have abufed
all my faculties, I am unclean, unclean !

Lord, pity, and cleanfe, and forgive,
and fave me, for Thy mercies' fake.

O Lord God, how have I through my
whole life violated the folemn Vow I made
to Thee in my Baptifm, by eagerly pur-
fuing the vanities of this wicked world,
by eafily yielding to the temptations of
the Devil, by greedily indulging my own
carnal defires and lufts, by a fruitlefs and
dead faith, and by difobedience to thy holy
will and commands.

Father, I have finned againft Heaven,

to the Holy Altar. 39

and in Thy fight, and am no more worthy
to be called Thy Son.

I have finned, O Lord God, I have

finned againft Thee, by

Here confejs out of your Paper, the fins
which you have committed more imme
diately againft Gody with their aggra
vations that accompany them. For in-
ftance, Lord, I have committed this
fin, or thefe fins, frequently, againft
checks of Confcience, &c. and then
add,

Father, I have finned againft Heaven,
and in Thy fight, and am no more worthy
to be called Thy Son, O pity, and cleanfe,
and forgive, and fave me for Thy mercies'
fake.

I have finned, O Lord God, I have
finned again/I Thee, and againft my own
f elf ty

Here confejs the Jins you have committed
more immediately againft yourf elf, with
their aggravations, &c. and Jay as be
fore,

Father, I have finned againft Heaven,
and in Thy fight, and am no more worthy

4o

Bifliop Kens Approach

to be called Thy Son, O pity, and cleanfe,

and forgive, and fave me for Thy mercies'

fake.

I have finned, O Lord God, I have

finned, again/I Thee, and againft my Neigh-

/in«j4/i J-\tr

(/our, uy

Here confejs the Sins you have committed

more immediately againft your Neigh

bour, with their aggravations, &c.

and add as before.

Father, I have finned againft Heaven,

and in Thy fight, and am no more worthy

to be called Thy Son, O pity, and cleanfe,

and forgive, and fave me for Thy mercies'

fake.

O Lord God, my wickednefs is great

and my iniquities are infinite, they are

PJalm xl.

more in number than the hairs of my

12.

head, and my heart would fail me, but

that I well know Thy mercies are more

numberlefs than my fins.

Have mercy upon me therefore, O

Lord, according to Thy great goodnefs,

PJalm li. I.

according to the multitude of Thy mercies

do away my offences.

Who alas, can tell how oft he offend-

to the Holy Altar.

eth ! O cleanfe Thou me from my fecret
Faults, from all my fins of Ignorance, or
Infirmity, or Omiffion, which I have not
obferved, or which I have forgot ; Lord,
lay none of them to my charge ; Father
forgive me ; Lord Jefus have mercy upon
me.

O remember not the fins and offences
of my youth, but receive me, O Heavenly
Father, into the arms of Thy Fatherly
companion, as Thou didft the returning
prodigal, and forgive me all my tranfgref-
fions, for the merits of Jefus, Thy only
well-beloved Son, and my Saviour. Amen.
Amen.

WHEN you have thus confefTed your
fins, endeavour to be ftill more
fenfible of them, and to bewail them with
a true penitential hatred, and mame, and
forrow for them, then make fteady refolu-
tions of forfaking them, and cry earneftly
to God for pardon and grace, for you muft
as well put on the New Man, as put off
the Old. Of all which acts of repentance,

Efb. iv. 21.

Ezra ix. 6.

Btjhop Ken's Approach

I give you the following inftances, and
advife you to fay them over as devoutly
as poflibly you can.

ARs of Shame.

LORD God, I am amamed,
and blufh to lift up my face to
Thee, for my iniquities are in-
creafed over my head, and my
trefpafTes are grown up unto the Heavens !
O my Soul, what fruit have I reaped
from all the pleafures of fin which flattered
me, but vanity, and vexation of Spirit !

Lord, I am amamed of my own folly
and madnefs, and difingenuity when I call
to mind how greedily I have fucked in my
own pollution ; how treacheroufly I have
betrayed my own Soul to temptations, and
combined with the very Devils, to haften
and increafe my own damnation j how
obftinately I have fled from Thee, when
Thy mercy purfued me with promifes of
pardon; how unworthily I have abufed
Thy goodnefs and forbearance, and long-
fuffering, which mould have led me to
repentance.

to the Holy Altar. 43

Surely after I was turned I repented ;
and fince I have confidered my ways, I
am afhamed, yea even confounded, be- jer.
caufe I bear the reproach of my youth.

Atts of Abhorrence.

I HATE all evil ways, O Lord, but
Thy Law will I love. I3>

O Lord God, nothing is more abomi
nable in Thy fight, or more diabolical ;
nothing more defaces Thy Divine Image,
or makes me more odious in Thy pureft
eyes, than fin ; and therefore I hate and
abhor it !

O Lord God, I confefs I have nothing
good in me, nothing that can any way
move Thee, to compaflionate fo loathfome
a Sinner, but Thy own free and unde-
ferved, and infinite Mercy, and the Merits
of my Saviour !

O Lord God, I cannot but admire the
riches of Thy goodnefs, who haft fpared
me fo long and haft given me this oppor
tunity of repentance. O do Thou yet mag
nify Thy Mercy more in my forgivenefs ;
O cleanfe me from all that filth my foul

44

Bifliop Ken's Approach

hath contracted, which now renders me
odious to my own felf, as well as to Thee !

Afts of Contrition.

MISERABLE wretch that I am, that
I mould begin fo early to offend
my Creator, and fin fo much in fo fhort a
time!

Lord, I fear I never yet thoroughly con-
fidered how evil, and how bitter a thing
it is to depart from Thee ; O make me
every day more and more fenfible of the
error of my ways, and of my own infinite
vilenefs !

Miferable wretch that I am, that ever
I mould commit thofe Sins which expofe
me to all the vials of Thy wrath, to all
the curfes of Thy Law, to all Thy Judg
ments temporal or fpiritual in this life,
and to all the horrors and defpair, and tor
ments of the damned in the life to come !

Miferable wretch that I am, that ever I
mould tranfgrefs that Law of Thine, O
God, which is fo juft, and holy, and good,
and perfect, and fo condefcending to my
infirmities ; and in keeping of which there
are fo great, fo unconceivable Rewards !

to the Holy Altar.

O that with Mary Magdalene I could
weep much, and love much, having fo
much to be forgiven.

O gracious Lord, look on me, as Thou
didft on Peter , and let Thy compaflionate
look fo pierce my heart, that I may weep
bitterly for my fins !

O Lord God, break this hard heart, for
thou only canft do it, and melt it into tears
of Contrition ! Miferable wretch that I
am, that I mould fin fo much, and yet
grieve fo little !

Woe is me, miferable wretch, woe is
me, that ever I mould offend fo indulgent,
fo liberal, fo tender a Father !

Woe is me, that ever I mould repay the
infinite love, and the intolerable Sufferings
of my Saviour for me, with nothing but
thofe Sins which occafioned thofe very Suf
ferings !

Woe is me, that ever I mould grieve the
Holy Spirit, by rejecting fo many of His
good motions, from whom only I derive
grace and Confolation !

O Lord God, every flight worldly trou
ble is apt to draw back plenty of tears from

45

Luke vii. 38.

Luke xxii.
61.

Rom. viii.
26.

Ifalah xxvi.
13-

Bijhop Kens Approach

mine eyes, but when I would weep for my
fins which are the greateft Calamities that
can poflibly befall me, either my Eyes are
dry, or my Tears too few, to bewail fo
many provocations !

O blefled Spirit, inftil true penitent Sor
row into my Soul, make my head waters,
and my eyes fountains of tears, or do
Thou fupply the want of them with fighs
and groans unutterable !

But, alas, I know all the tears I can
poflibly fhed can never warn away the leaft
of my fins, it is Thy Blood only, Lord,
that can do it !

O blefled Saviour, how can I ever fuf-
ficiently lament the guilt of my fins, which
was fo great that nothing but Thy own
ineftimable Blood could expiate !

O Heavenly Father, in the defect of
my own tears, I offer Thee the Blood of
Thy own well-beloved Son, for His fake
have mercy upon me. Amen, Amen.
Refolution.

OLORD God, with fhame I confefs,
that other Lords befides Thee have
hitherto had Dominion over me.

to the Holy Altar.

47

I have been in the fnare of the Devil,
and have been led captive by him, and fin
hath reigned in my mortal Body, and I
have obeyed it in the lufts, thereof; but
henceforth I refolve to ferve none but
Thee, and from this very moment I ut
terly forfake all my fins, and turn to Thee !

O my God, I do from my heart renew
my Baptifmal Vow, which alas, I have
hitherto fo often violated ; I do for ever
renounce the Devil and all his Works, and
all his temptations, I do for ever renounce
all the Vanities of this wicked World,
which may pervert me from thy Service,
and all the finful Lufts of the Flem.

O my God, I do ftedfaftly believe all
the Articles of the Chriftian Faith, and I
will keep Thy holy Will and Command
ments, and walk in the fame all the days
of my life.

All this I am bound to do and believe,
and by Thy help fo I will, and I heartily
thank Thee, O Heavenly Father, who
haft called me to this ftate of Salvation,
through Jefus Chrift my Saviour, and I
humbly pray Thee for His fake, to give

2 Tim. ii. z6.
Rom. vi. iz

i Cor. vi.
9-

Ei/hop Ken's Approach

me grace, that I may continue in the fame
to my life's end.

Oblation.

BLESSED be Thy Name, O Lord
God, who haft fet before me life and
death, and haft bid me choofe life.

Behold, Lord, I do with all my heart
choofe life, I choofe Thee, O my God,
for Thou art my Life.

Save, Lord, and hear me, O King of
Heaven, and accept my Sacrifice, even the
Sacrifice of my whole Heart which I now
give Thee.

O my God, I offer Thee my Senfes and
Paffions, and all my faculties, I offer Thee
all my defires, all my defigns, all my ftu-
dies, alt my endeavours, all the remainder
of my Life, all that I have, or am, I offer
up all entirely to Thy fervice.

Lord, fanctify me wholly, that my whole
Spirit, Soul and Body, may become Thy
Temple. O do Thou dwell in me, and
be Thou my God, and I will be Thy fer-
vant. Amen, Amen.

to the Holy Altar.

Afts of Charity.

OLORD God, I do from henceforth
refolve to love my Neighbour as
myfelf, and to love him not in word only,
but in deed and in truth.

I do from my heart forgive all men
their Trefpafles, do Thou, Lord, forgive
them alfo.

Lord blefs them that hate me, and do
good to them that have any way defpite-
fully ufed me, O repay them good for evil.

O my God, blefs all thofe that I have
any way wronged, have mercy on all thofe
to whofe fins I have been any way accef-
fary, and give them all grace to forgive
me. Amen, Amen.

Petition for Pardon.

OTHOU Father of Mercies, and God
of all Confolation, be merciful to me
a miferable finner.

Lord, remember all Thy gracious calls
of finners to Repentance, all Thy protef-
tations that Thou delighted not in the
death of him that dies, and that Thou
wouldft have all to be faved.

49

I John iii.
18.

Ex. xviii.
32.

I Tim. ii. 4.

5°

Luke xv. 10.

John in. 1 6,

Rom. viii.
3Z.

Bifhop Ken's Approach

Lord, remember all the exceeding great
and precious promifes which Thou haft
made to penitent finners.

Lord, remember that Thy mercy is over
all Thy works, that in mercy Thou de-
lighteft, and that all the Holy Angels,
feeing Thee well pleafed in the exercife of
that Mercy, rejoice at the Converfion of a
finner, — that the greater my fins are, the
more will that mercy be magnified in my
forgivenefs.

Lord, remember that Thou didft fo love
the World, as to give Thy only beloved
Son a ranfom for it.

O Heavenly Father, Thou that fparedft
not Thy only Son, but deliveredft Him for
us, wiltThou not with Him alfo freely give
us all things ; — and if all things, wilt Thou
not alfo give us the pardon of our fins ?

O my God, I firmly believe Thou wilt j
on that ranfom my Saviour hath paid for
me, and on all Thy gracious promifes of
pardon, which for His fake Thou haft made
to me, I whollyrely ; — here only is the fure
and fteadfaft anchor of my Soul, to which
my Faith and Hope mall for ever adhere.

to the Holy Altar.

All this, Lord, do I plead, to implore
Thy Forgivenefs.

Behold, Lord, though my Failings are
many, yet to the utmoft of my power, I
have confefled, and bewailed, and forfaken
my Tranfgreflions : Behold, Lord, I come
at Thy call, and I come weary and heavy
laden with the burden of my Sins ; — be
it unto me according to Thy Word. O
Thou that art faithful and juft, forgive me
my fins, and cleanfe me from, all unrigh-
teoufnefs. Lord, do Thou in no wife caft
me from Thee, but heal my backflidings,
and love me freely, — eafe me of my bur
den, that I may find Reft in Thee, and fay
unto my Soul, Be of good cheer, thy fins
are forgiven thee.

O Heavenly Father, for Thine own
infinite mercies' fake, for Thy Truth and
promife' fake, for all the Merits and Suf
ferings of the Son of Thy Love, in whom
Thou art always well pleafed, pardon all
my fins and failings, and receive me into
Thy Favour. Ameny O Lord God. Amen,
Amen.

51

Matt. xi.
29.

I 'John i. 9.
HoJ. xiv. 4.

Matt. ix. 2.

52

PJ'alm cxix.
106.

Phil. iv. 13.

Luke xi. 13.

Bijhop Ken's Approach

A Petition for Grace in general.

LORD God, I have fworn, and
I will perform it, that I will
keep Thy righteous Judgments.
But alas ! I am able of my-
felf to do nothing that is good, not fo
much as to think one good thought, and
I no fooner mall rife from my knees, but
I fear I mall be tempted to thofe very fins
I have now fo folemnly renounced, and
thofe temptations will certainly overcome
me, unlefs Thou, Lord, doft feafonably
interpofe Thy Grace to withhold me.

But I can do all things through Thee
(lengthening me : Do Thou, then, O
blefTed Saviour, perfect Thy ftrength in
my weaknefs, for in Thee only is my Truft.
O my God, Thou haft promifed to give
Thy holy Spirit to thofe that afk it. Be
hold, Lord, I do humbly, I do earneftly
afk Thy Holy Spirit now of Thee. O
fulfil Thy gracious promife to me; — O
vouchfafe me that Holy Spirit I pray for,
to purify my corrupt Nature, to ftrengthen
my weaknefs, to comfort me in troubles,

to the Holy Altar.

to fupport me in difcouragements, to fuc-
cour me in temptations, and to aflift me
in all parts of my Duty, that I may ever
hereafter live in Thy fear, and in conftant,
fincere, and univerfal obedience to all Thy
righteous Laws.

Thou, O fearcher of Hearts, knoweft
the fin (or fins) I am moft inclined to,
[Here name it or them] and herein will lie
my greateft danger of back-fliding ; But,
O my God, I beg a double portion of Thy
invifible aid againft it, [or them]. Hold
Thou up my goings in Thy paths, that my
Foot-fteps flip not ; — O work in me that
victorious Faith, by which I may overcome
the World, the Devil, and my own corrupt
Nature.

True it is, O Lord God, that there are
many fins which upon examination I find,
through Thy Grace, I have not yet com
mitted, and therefore not unto me, Lord,
but to Thy Name be the Glory ; — but
alas ! there is in my corrupt nature fo great
a pronenefs to evil, fo great a curiofity to
try what fin is, that without Thy reftrain-
ing Grace, every temptation when I fhall

53

I John v. 4.

54

I Peter ':
19.

Pfalm cxix.
6.

Bijhop Ken's Approach

have more age and liberty, and opportu
nity to enforce it, will be apt to draw me
from my obedience, and to overthrow all
my prefent refolutions.

But my help ftandeth in Thee, O great
Creator, who haft made Heaven and Earth,
and I commit my Soul to Thy keeping.
O Thou that art Faithful, as well as Al
mighty, keep that fafe which is committed
to Thy truft ; — watch over me, that I may
not be beguiled by the deceitfulnefs of (in,
or betrayed by my own treacherous Heart,
or furprized by my ghoftly Enemies ; and
give me grace to watch and to pray incef-
fantly myfelf, left I enter into temptation.
Hear Lord from Heaven, and fuccour me,
for the alone Merits of Jefus my Saviour.
Amen, Amen.

Petition for -particular Graces.

OTHAT my ways, Lord, were made
fb direct, that I might keep Thy
Statutes, for then mall I not be confound
ed, when I have refpect unto all Thy
Commandments.

Vouchfafe me Thy Holy Spirit, there-

to the Holy Altar.

fore, O Lord God, to work in me what
ever is well-pleafing in Thy fight, that
for the time to come, I may bring forth
fruits meet for Repentance.

O let it be Thy good pleafure to create
in me a faving knowledge of Thee, and
of my duty, juftifying Faith, true fancti-
fying Grace, and a purifying Hope, an
ardent Love, and a filial Fear of Thee !
a conftant defire of pleafing Thee, and a
great tendernefs of offending Thee !

Lord, create in me a penitent Heart, a
refigned Will, and mortified Affections,
an habitual Mindfulnefs of Thy Prefence,
and a fteady Devotion in my Prayers, fin-
cere intentions, and zeal for Thy Glory,
perfeverance in all Holy purpofes, and
conftancy in all trials and temptations.

Lord, create in me a reverential awe of
Thy Name, a delight in Thy Service, a
fecret regard to Thy holy day and to Thy
houfe of Prayer, and a great attention to
Thy Word.

Lord, make me chafte and temperate,
humble and advifable, and patient of re
proof, and create in me a cheerful and

55

Bijbop Ken's Approach

meek, a contented and considerate, a quiet
and peaceful Spirit.

Lord, blefs me with health, and com
petency of living, with a good underftand-
ing, a retentive memory, and a ready ap-
prehenfion, and with fuch a meafure of
temporal good things, as Thou feeft fit
for me, and give me grace to make a right
ufe of all thofe Bleflings I have already
received.

Lord, purify my thoughts, bridle my
Tongue, guide all my Actions, guard all
my Senfes, flop my Ears, and turn away
my Eyes from Sin and vanity.

Lord, give me Grace to be juft in all
my dealing, to do to all Men as I would
they mould do to me, to be fubject to all
my fuperiors, to the Queen as Supreme,
to all Civil Magiftrates, and to the Paftors
of Thy Church : O grant that I may
render due honour and obedience to them
all in their feveral ftations.

Lord, make me willing to forgive in
juries, and unwilling to offer any ; — make
me grateful to my Benefactors, friendly
to my equals, condefcending to my Infe-

to the Holy Altar.

riors, compaffionate to the afflicted, chari
table to the Poor according to my ability,
a lover of good Men, and kind to my
Enemies ; — and give me grace to keep al
ways a Confcience void of offence towards
Thee, and towards Men, and to continue
in the Communion of Thy Church with
out wavering.

O merciful God, keep Thy Servant
from all wilful, deliberate or prefumptu-
ous fins, and Jet no wickednefs have do
minion over me.

From Stubbornnefs and Pride, Idlenefs
and Sloth, Intemperance and youthful
Lufts, Inconftancy and Lying, — good
Lord deliver me.

From irreligious Principles, and falfe
Teachers, unruly Paflions, and violent
Temptations, from contracting vicious
Habits, or taking pleafure in fin, from
profanenefs and ill company, envy and
malice, detraction and uncharitablenefs, —
good Lord, deliver me.

From the errors and vices of the Age,
and all remaining affections to fin, — from
the fin, (or fins) my corrupt Nature is

57

Bifhop Ken's Approach

moft inclined to [Here name it, or them.~\
from whatfoever is offenfive to Thee, or
deftruclive to my own Soul, — good Lord
deliver me.

Hear me, O Heavenly Father, and con
form my whole Life to the example of
my blefled Saviour, and that for His fake,
in whofe Holy Words I fum up all my
wants,

Our Father Which art in Heaven, Hal
lowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom
come. Thy will be done in Earth, As it
is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread. And forgive us our trefpafles, As
we forgive them that treipafs againft us.
And lead us not into temptation ; But
deliver us from evil : For Thine is the
Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, for
ever and ever. Amen.

to the Holy Altar.

MEDITATIONS ON THE HOLT EUCHARIST.

OU have now, by God's help,
gone over the hardeft part of
your preparation for the Holy
Sacrament ; the next thing you
are to do, is to examine yourfelf, whether
you do fufficiently underftand what the
Sacrament is, then to afk yourfelf with
what intentions you do approach it, and
to pray for God's Grace to difpofe you for
worthy Receiving ; — and all thefe parti
culars, together with all that you are to
know, and believe concerning the BlefTed
Sacrament, are contained in thefe follow
ing Meditations, which I advife you to
read over devoutly, at feveral times, till
you are in fome meafure affected with
them.

59

60 Bijhop Ken's Approach

On the outward Elements.

ADORE Thee,0 blefTed Jefus,
my Lord, and my God, when
I confider what that Sacrament
is, to which Thou now inviteft
me, and of what parts it confifts ; — of an
outward and vifible fign, and of an inward
and fpiritual Grace ! For Thou, Lord,
who knoweft our infirmities, and how
little able we are to conceive things Hea
venly and Spiritual, in pity to our dark
and feeble apprehensions, haft ordained
outward and obvious, and vifible Signs to
reprefent to our minds Thy Grace, which
is inward and invifible. Thou haft or
dained Bread and Wine, which is our
corporal Food, to pidlure out to our Faith
the Food of our Souls.

On the inward part, or thing fignified.

I KNOW, O my God, that I muft look
through the outward Elements, and
fix my Faith on that which they fignify, and
which is the inward and invifible Grace,
even Thy own BlefTed Body and Blood,
which is verily and indeed taken and re-

to the Holy Altar.

ceived by the faithful in the Lord's Supper.

But tell me, O Thou Whom my Soul
loveth, how canfl Thou give us Thy Flefh
to eat ?

Lord, Thou haft told me that Thy
Words, they are Spirit, and they are Life,
and are therefore not carnally to be un-
derftood ; Lord, I believe, help Thou my
unbelief!

I believe Thy Body and Blood to be
as really prefent in the Holy Sacrament
as Thy Divine Power can make it, though
the manner of Thy myfterious Prefence I
cannot comprehend.

Lord, I believe that the Bread that we
break, and the Cup that we drink, are
not bare Signs only, but the real Commu
nication of Thy Body and Thy Blood,
and Pledges to afTure me of it ; — and I ve
rily believe, that if with due Preparation
I come to Thy Altar, as certainly as I re
ceive the outward Signs, fo certainly mall
I receive the thing fignified, — even Thy
moft blefled Body and Blood, to receive
which ineftimable Blefling, O merciful
Lord, do Thou fit and prepare me. Amen.

61

John vi. 63.

I Cor. x. 1 6.

62

Bifhop Ken's Approach

Who injtituted it ?

I ADORE Thee, O blefTed Jefus, my
Lord, and my God, when I confider
that this Holy Sacrament was Thy own
Inftitution ; for it was Thou, Lord, who
in the night Thou waft betrayed didft
take Bread, and after that the Cup, and
didft blefs them, and give them to Thy
Difciples. O bleffed Saviour, let Thy
Divinity thus ftamped on it, ftrike into
my Soul an holy awe and reverence in
approaching it : O create in me Heavenly
Difpofitions to celebrate fo heavenly an
Inftitution ! Amen, Amen.

For what end ?

I ADORE Thee, O blefled Jefus, my
Lord, and my God, when I confider
for what end Thou didft inftitute Thy
Holy Sacrament, implied in Thy own
Command, Do this in remembrance of me.

But what need this Command, O gra
cious Lord ? — is it poflible for me, ever to
forget Thee my Saviour, who haft done
fo great things for me ?

Alas ! alas ! my own fad experience tells

to the Holy Altar.

me it is .Woe is me, every temptation,
every vanity is apt to make me forget
Thee, though Thy own dying words bid
me remember Thee !

But, O blefled Lord, for Thy infinite
Mercies' fake pardon all my ftupid for-
getfulnefs and ingratitude hitherto, and do
Thou now create in me fuch a thankful
and lively remembrance of Thy dying for
me, that may excite me to give up my-
felf entirely to Thee, as Thou didft give
up Thyfelf on the Crofs for me. Amen,
Amen.

A Thankfgiving for ChriJFs Sufferings.

OTHOU my Crucified Saviour, Glory
be to Thee, for caufing Thy Suf
ferings to be Regiftered in the Gofpel ;
there I have read and remember the won
ders and triumphs of Thy Almighty Love,
for which I will always adore and praife
Thee.

I remember, O gracious Lord, how
Thou who thoughteft it no robbery to be
equal with God, waft made in the famion
of frail Man, of the vileft and moft con-

Rev. xv. 12.

Luke xx. 44.

Bifhop Ken's Approach

temptible of Men : For Thou tookeft on
Thee the form of a very Servant ; I re
member how many reproaches and con
tradictions, and blafphemies and perfecu-
tions Thou didft endure from a wicked
and perverfe generation, and all this to
fave us finful Men.

O Lord Jejus, was ever Jorrow like unto
'Thyforrow ? Worthy art Thou, O Lamb,
that was Jlain, to receive Power and
Riches, and Wijdom, and Strength, and
Honour, and Glory and BleJJing*

I REMEMBER, O Gracious Lord,
how Thou didft endure a moft bitter
Agony, and didft fweat great drops of
Blood, falling to the ground ; how Thou
who art God above all, blefTed for ever,
waft treacheroufly betrayed, and appre
hended, and bound as a Malefactor ; how
Thou waft fet at nought by Herod, and
his Men of War, and forfaken of all Thy
Difciples, and denied by Peter, and all
this to fave us finful Men !

to the Holy Altar.

0 Lord JefuSy was ever for row like unto
Thy for row, &c.

I REMEMBER, how Thou, O God of
Truth, waft accufed by falfe Witnefles,
how Thou whom all the Angels adore,
waft blindfolded and buffetted, and mock
ed, and fpit upon, and ftript naked, and
fcourged, and all this that we might be
healed by Thy Stripes, and to fave us
fmful Men !

O Lord JefuSy was ever for row like unto
Thy for row, &c.

I REMEMBER, Lord, how Thou that
art the great Judge of Heaven and
Earth, waft Thyfelf dragged to the Judg
ment Seat, and condemned ; how Thou,
O King of Heaven, waft crowned with
Thorns, and opprefled with the weight of
Thy own Crofs, and all this to fave us
fmful Men !

O Lord JeJuSy was ever for row like unto
Thy for row y &c.

I REMEMBER, O blefTed Saviour,
how Thou who art the Lord of Glory,

66

Bifliop Ken's Approach

and the fole Author of life, waft put to a
moft ignominious death, how Thy hands
and Thy feet were nailed to a Crofs, how
Thou waft crucified between two thieves,
and numbered with the Tranfgreflbrs, how
Thou hadft a Potion given Thee to em
bitter Thy very laft Gafp, and all this to
fave us finful Men !

O Lord Jefus, was ever forrow like unto
1'hyforrow, &c.

I REMEMBER, O gracious Lord, how
when Thou wert hanging on the very
Crofs, Thou waft fcofFed at, and reviled,
how infinitely then Thou wert afflicted,
and bruifed, for our Tranfgreflions, when
the iniquities of us all were laid on Thy
Shoulders ; how Thou didft then exprefs
an anguifh greater than all the tortures of
Thy Crucifixion, when Thou didft cry
out, My God, My God, why haft Thou
forfaken me ? And how Thou didft at
the laft give up the Ghoft, and die Thy-
felf, that we might live ?

to the Holy Altar.

O Lord JefuSj was ever forrow like unto
Thy for row ) &c.

IUNFEIGNEDLY believe, O Gra
cious Lord, that Thou didft fuffer all
this for {infill Men, and in particular for
me, when we were all Thy utter Enemies,
and had nothing in us to move Thee to
pity us, but our extreme Mifery, — nothing
to move Thee to fave us, but our great
unworthinefs, and Thy greater Mercy.

O the depth of the Riches of Thy Love,
blefled Lord, how unutterable is Thy Mer
cy, and Thy Love paft finding out !

O all ye Holy Angels, behold and won
der, wretched Man hath finned againft
God, and God himfelf has fuffered the
Sinners' Punifhment !

Was there ever forrow like that which
my Lord and my God endured for me ?

Was there any love like to that love my
Lord and my God hath Jhowed me ?

68

Bifliop Kens Approach

YE blefTed hoft of Heaven, who
rejoice at the Converfion of one
fingle Sinner, Adore and Praife
my Crucified Saviour, who died for the
fins of the World ; Adore and Praife that
unknown Sorrow, that wonderful Love,
which you yourfelves rnuft needs admire !
O my gracious Lord, my heart is now
full of the fenfe of Thy Love, and what
have I to return to Thee, but Love again ?
It is all I have to offer Thee ; — accept it,
O merciful Lord, imperfect as it is, and
do Thou daily heighten my fenfe of Thy
Love to me, that I may daily heighten my
Love to Thee !

O Thou infinite Lover of Souls, with
all my heart I love, I praife, I adore Thy
Love to me ; — but alas, I can never do
it enough !

O do Thou at laft, gracious Lord, tranf-
late me to Thy Kingdom of Glory, that
there I may love Thee, to the utmoft ca
pacity of a Creature, and praife Thee to
all eternity, Amen, Lord Jefus. Amen,
Amen.

to the Holy Altar.

What Benefits we receive by it.

I ADORE Thee, O blefled Jefu, my
Lord, and my God, when I conflder
the Benefits which through Thy mercy
we receive by Thy Holy Sacrament !

Glory be to Thee, O Lord, who there
makeft Thy own Body and Blood to be
come our fpiritual food to ftrengthen and
refrefh our Souls !

Glory be to Thee, O Lord, who by
this Heavenly food doft myftically unite
us to Thyfelf : for nothing becomes one
with our bodies more, than the bodily food
we eat, which turns into our very fub-
ftance ; — and nothing makes us become
One with Thee more, than when Thou
vouchfafeft to become the very food of
our fouls !

Glory be to Thee, O Lord, who by
this immortal food doft nourifh our fouls
to live the life of Grace here, and doft
raife us up to life everlafting hereafter !
Lord, do Thou evermore give me this
Bread ! Amen, Amen.

John vi. 34.

7o

Bifliop Kens Approach

Motives of Receiving.

O BLESSED Saviour! What more
powerful Motives can I have to
perfuade me to Communicate, than Thy
Command, and the admirable effects of
the Holy Sacrament !

But alas ! my corrupt nature is apt to
fuggeft to me low and bafe inducements to
this duty, fuch as are, fear of my Superiors'
difpleafure, if I abftain, or mame of not
appearing as devout as my equals, or the
mere cuftom of the Place, or of the Seafon !

But, Lord, I do from my heart renounce
all thefe and the like carnal confiderations,
and I come to Thy Altar to renew my
Baptifmal Covenant with Thee, of which
Thy Sacrament is a Seal.

I come to teftify my fenfe of Thy Love,
O Heavenly Father, in fo loving the
World, as to give up Thy only Son to
die for me.

I come to teftify my Faith in Thee,
and my love toward Thee, O blefled Sa
viour, and thankfully to commemorate
Thy wonderful love in dying for me.

to the Holy Altar.

71

I come, Lord, to teftify my fteadfaft-
nefs in the Communion of Thy Church,
and my Charity to all the World.

I come to Thy Table, O Lord, out of
the fenfe I have of the want of that fpi-
ritual food, to which Thou there inviteft

me.

Alas, alas ! I am foon apt to grow weary
of well-doing; — a few prayers, every little
duty is apt to tire me, every flight temp
tation is apt to overcome me, and I know
there is no food can ftrengthen my foul
but Thy Body, no cordial can revive my
drooping obedience, but Thy Blood ; — and
it is Thy moft bleffed Body and Blood I
hunger and thirfl after : — O gracious Lord,
grant that I, and all that communicate
with me, may feel its faving efficacy. O
Feed, O Refrefh, O Nourifh our Souls
with it to life everlafting, and that for Thy
own infinite mercy's fake, which moved
Thee to offer up Thy Body and Blood
for us ! Amen, Amen.

i Cor. xi.

John vi. 13

Eljliop Kens Approach

Prayer for Preparation.

LESSED Lord Jefus ! I even trem
ble when I confider that he that eat-
eth and drinketh unworthily is guilty of
Thy Body and Blood, and eateth and
drinketh damnation to his own foul, and
this fevere Sentence on unworthy commu
nicants, makes me afraid to come to Thy
Altar.

But when I confider that Thy fentence
is as fevere againft thofe, who being invited
refufe to come, — for Thou haft faid, they
mall not tafte of Thy Supper, and unlefs
we eat Thy flem, and drink Thy blood,
we have no life in us, — I am then afraid
to keep away.

But blefled be Thy mercy, O Lord, for
in this ftrait my Soul is in, Thou art my
guide, Thou by giving me this opportu
nity of receiving, inviteft me to Thy Ta
ble, Thou calleft me to feek Thy face,
and my heart replies, Thy face, Lord,
will I feek !

If Thou, Lord, fhouldeft be extreme to
mark what is done amifs, Alas ! alas ! I

to the Holy Altar.

73

am then unfit, not only to Communicate,
but to fay even my daily Prayers.

I know, Lord, that if I mould flay till
I am worthy to come, I mould then never
come ; and therefore, though I am unwor
thy of fo unfpeakable a mercy, yet I come
to beg Thy Grace to make me worthy, or
at Jeaft fuch as Thou wilt accept !

O BlefTed Jefus, do Thou fo open my
eye of Faith to difcern Thy Body and
Blood in the Holy Sacrament, — do Thou
fo difpofe my Soul at this time to Com
municate, — that I may feel all the happy
effects of Thy own Divine Inftitution,—
that my Soul may receive fuch lading
impreflions of Thy goodnefs, and be fo
ravifhed with the love of Thee, and with
the incomparable delights of Thy Service,
and with fuch an early foretafte of Heaven,
— that all the pleafures of fin, which in my
growing years may tempt me, may appear
to me taftelefs and unwelcome.

O Heavenly Father, clothe me with the
Wedding-garment, even the Graces of my
blefled Saviour, for then am I fure to be
a welcome gueft to Thy Table, when I

74

Bifhop Ken's Approach

fliall come thither in the likenefs of Thy
only well-beloved Son, in whom Thou art
always well pleafed.

O Heavenly Father, fill me with a lively
Faith, profound Humility, filial Obedi-
inflamed Affections, and univerfal

ence,

Charity ; O raife in my Soul, all thofe
Heavenly tranfports of Zeal and Devotion,
of Love and Defire, of Joy and Delight,
of Praife and Thankfgiving, which become
the remembrance of a Crucified Saviour, —
which become one Redeemed by the Blood
of God, — and that for His fake only that
Redeemed me. Amen, Amen,

to the Holy Altar.

THE ORDER

FOR
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER,

OR
HOLY COMMUNION.

HE Table, at the Communion-time
having a fair white linen cloth
upon it, /hall ft and in the Body of
the Church, or in the Chancel,
where Morning and Evening Prayer are
appointed to be f aid. And the Prieft,ftand-
ing at the North Side of the Table, /hall Jay
the Lord's Prayer, with the Collect follow
ing, the People kneeling.

Communion.

;UR Father
which art
in Heaven:
Hallowed be Thy

Devotions.

LORY be to
Thee, O belov
ed Jefu, who
in teaching us
to call God our FATHER,

75

76

Biflwp Kens Approach '

Communion.

Devotions.

Name. Thy King

haft taught us to pray with

dom come. Thy

the affedlions of a Child,

Will be done in

with reverential Love, and

Earth, as it is in
Heaven. Give us

Reliance on the paternal
Care and Benignity, and
Love of our Heavenly

this Day our daily

Father.

Bread. And forgive

us our Trefpafles, as

we forgive them that

trefpafs againft us.

And lead us not into

Temptation ; but de

liver us from Evil.

Amen.

The Colleft.

Devotions.

ALMIGHTY
God, unto

O my Lord, let me live
ever watching or praying,

whom all Hearts be

or profitably employed, or

open, all Defires

bufied in Thy Love, that
I may leave no room, if

known, and from

poffible, for any unclean

whom no Secrets

Spirit to enter into my

are hid, cleanfe the

Soul, and tempt me.

Thoughts of our

Hearts by the Infpi-

ration of Thy Holy

to the Holy Altar.

Communion.
Spirit, that we may
perfectly love Thee
and worthily magni
fy Thy Holy Name,
through Jefus Chrift
our Lord. Amen.

Rubric.

Then Jhall the
Prieft, turning to the
People, rehearje dif-
tinttly all the 'Ten
Commandments; and
the People,ftill kneel
ing, /hall, after every
Commandment, ajk
God Mercy for their
TranfgreJ/ion thereof
for the Timepaft, and
Grace to keep the fame
for the Time to come,
as followeth :

Devotions.

Glory be to Thee, O
great Jehovah, who to
conftrain us to love and
obey Thee, art pleafed to
honour every faithful Soul
with a near and intimate
propriety in Thyfelf, and
gracioufly to declare, " /
am the Lord Thy God"
O my God, though I can
not love and obey Thee as
much as I defire, I will do
it as much as I am able ;
— I will to the utmoft of
my power keep all Thy
Commandments with my
whole heart, and to the
end ; O accept of my im
perfect duty, and fupply
all the defedls of it by the
merits, and love, and obe
dience of Jefus, Thy Be
loved.

77

Btfhop Kens Approach

Communion.

Minifter.

[OD fpake
thefe Words
and faid, I
am the Lord thy
God : Thou malt
h ave none other Gods
but me.

People.

Lord, have Mercy
upon us, and incline
our Hearts to keep
this Law.

Devotions.

MY God, O
my Love, in-
ftil into my
Soul fo entire
reverential a love of Thee,
that I may love nothing
but for Thy fake, or in
fubordination to Thy love.

Fill my heart with
Thankfgiving for theBleff-
ings, — Praife of the ex
cellence, — Adoration of
the Majefty, — Zeal for the
Glory of Thee my Be
loved.

I renounce, and deteft,
and bewail, as odious and
offenfive to Thee, as di-
redtly oppofite to Thy love
and to Thy glory, —

All felf-love, and inor
dinate love of things be
low ; —

All Atheifm, Herefy,
Apoftacy, and Infidelity ;
all prefumption and de-
fpair, diftruft and carnal
fecurity ; —

All voluntary humility

to the Holy Altar.

79

Communion.

Minifter.

Thou fhalt not
make to thyfelf any
graven Image, nor
the Likenefs of any
Thing that is in
Heaven above, or in
the Earth beneath,
or in the Water un
der the Earth. Thou
fhalt not bow down
to them, nor worfhip
them : For I the
Lord thy God am a
jealous God, and vifit
the Sins of the Fa
thers upon the Chil
dren, unto the third
and fourth Genera
tion of them that hate
me, and mew Mercy
unto Thoufands in
them that love me

Devotions.

and worjhipping of An
gels ; — Reliance on the
creature, or recourse to
evil fpirits.

O my God, O my Love,
imprint on my foul an
awful love ofThy majefty,
that I may worjhip Thee
in fpirit and in truth, and
in a manner worthy of
Thee ; — that with loweft
humiliation of foul and
body, whenever I appear
in the prefence of Infinite
Love, I may fall down and
adore Thee. O my God,
O my Love, I know the
true love of Thee is in
communicable to any but
Thee ; and therefore I re
nounce, and deteft, and
bewail, as odious and of-
fenfive to Thee, as direftly
oppofite to Thy Love, and
to Thy Glory, —

All making of Idols, or
falfe Gods, or of graven
Images, with intent of
worfhipping, and bowing
down before them; —

8o

Bifhop Ken's Approach

Communion.

Devotions.

and keep my Com

All Idolatry, and Reli

mandments.

gious Invocation of Crea

tures ;

T> 1

All facrilege, and pro

People.

fanations of Thy Houfe,

Lord, have Mercy

and of things facred.

upon us, and incline

May I ever frequent the

our Hearts to keep

publick prayers, and ap

this Law.

proach Thine Altar with

fervent and heavenly af-

feftions, — with holy im

patience for the bleffings

Minifter.

of Thy love.

Thou malt not

O my God, O my Love,

take the Name of

may I ever have awful

the Lord thy God

• * T* 1

thoughts of Thee ; may I
never mention Thy vene

in vain : ror the

rable Name, unlefs on fo-

Lord will not hold

lemn, and juft, and devout

him guiltlefs, that

occafions ; may I never

taketh His Name in

mention it on thofe occa

fions without afts of love

vain.

and adoration.

O my God, O my Love,

People.
Lord, have Mercy

to love and to glorify Thy
Name is the great end of

upon us, and incline

our Creation, which is ftill

our Hearts to keep

more enforced by our Re

this Law.

demption. O let it be the

greateft bufinefs of my life

to the Holy Altar.

81

Communion.

Minifter.

Remember that
thou keep holy the
Sabbath-Day. Six
Days malt thou la
bour, and do all that
thou haft to do ;
but the feventh Day
is the Sabbath of the
Lord thy God; in
it thou malt do no
Manner of Work,
thou, and thy Son,
and thy Daughter,

Devotions.

to love, and to glorify It
all the poflible ways I
can, by my mouth, by
my converfation, — by
my public confeffion of
Thee before men, even to
death, whenever Thou
art pleafed to call me to
it, by engaging all I can
to glorify and love Thee.
O happy life, O bleffed
death, which is fpent,
and expires in glorifying,
in loving Thee !

O my God, O my
Love, let me ever efteem
it my privilege, and my
happinefs, to have a day
of reft fet apart for Thy
fervice, and the concerns
of my own Soul ; — to
have a day free from dif-
tradlions, difengaged from
the World, — wherein I
have nothing to do, but
to praife, and to love
Thee.

Glory be to Thee, O
Bleffed Spirit, Who on
the firft day of the week

82

Eijhop Ken's Approach

Communion.
thy Man-fervant,
and thy Maid-fer-
vant, thy Cattle, and
the Stranger that is
within thy Gates.
For in fix Days the
Lord made Heaven
and Earth, the Sea,
and all that in them
is ; and refted the fe-
venth Day : Where
fore the Lord bleff-
ed the feventh Day,
and hallowed it.

People.

Lord, have Mercy
upon us, and incline
our Hearts to keep
this Law.

Devotions.

didft defcend in miracu
lous gifts and graces on
the Apoftles; — O de
fcend upon me, that I
may be always in the
Spirit on the Lord1 s Day.
O my God, O my
Love, give me grace on
Thy day to worfliip
Thee in my Clofet, and
in the Congregation, to
fpend it in doing good,
in works of neceflity, de
votion, and charity, — in
prayer and praife, and
meditation; O let it ever
be to me a day facred to
Divine Love, — a day of
heavenly reft and refrefh-
ment.

O my God, O my
Love, for the like pur-
pofes of Piety, and of
Thy Glory, give me grace
to fanftify the Feafts and
Fafts of Thy Church, as
in the number of thofe
happy days, fet apart for
the remembrance of Thy
Love.

to the Holy Altar.

Communion.

Minifter.

Honour thy Fa
ther and thy Mo
ther, that thy Days
may be long in the
Land which the
Lord thy God giv-
eth thee.

People.

Lord, have Mercy
upon usy and incline
our Hearts to keep
this Law.

Minifter.

Thou fhalt do no
Murder.

People.
Lord, have Mercy

Devotions.

Let Thy reverential
Love, O my God, teach
and incline me to mow
refpedlful love to all my
fuperiors, in my inward
efteem, — in my outward
fpeech and behaviour.

O my God, give me
grace, for the fake of Thy
Love, to honour my Fa
ther and Mother, — to
render them all love and
reverence, and thankful-
nefs, and all that regard
which is due from a
child ; — that I may pay
obedience to their com
mands, fubmiffion to their
corrections, attention to
their inftruftions, and
fuccour to their neceffi-
ties, — and may daily pray
for their welfare.

O my God, O my
Love, let Thy unwearied
and tender love to me
make my love unwearied
and tender to my neigh
bour, and zealous to pro-

84

Bifhop Ken's Approach

Communion.

Devotions.

upon us. and incline

cure, promote, and pre-

X •*

our Hearts to keep
this Law.

ferve his health, and fafe-
ty,. and happinefs, and
life, that he may be the

better able to ferve and

to love Thee. Make me

like Thy own felf, all

meeknefs and benignity,

— all goodnefs and fweet-

nefs, — all gentlenefs and

Minijfer.

long-fuffering.

Thou fhalt not

O my God, My Love,

commit Adultery.

let Thy pureft love, who

art purity itfelf, create in

People.

me a perfect abhorrence

f

Lord, have Mercy
upon us, and incline

of all impurity, that I
may purify myfelf as
Thou art pure.

our Hearts to keep

O my God, let my

this Law.

love be chafte to Thee,

chafle to myfelf, chafte

to my neighbour.

May Thy love iet a

ftrift guard on my fenfes ;

— turn away mine eyes,

ftop mine ears, bridle my

tongue, and reftrain my

hand from all unclean-

nefs.

L

Lord, give me grace

to the Holy Altar.

Communion.

Minifler.

Thou fhalt not
fteal.

People.

Lord, have Mercy
upon us, and incline
our Hearts to keep
this Law.

Minifter.

Thou fhalt not
bear falfe Witnefs
againft thy Neigh
bour.

Devotions.

to fly all incitements, or
opportunities, or inftru-
ments of defiling, either
my neighbour or myfelf,
— to beat down my bo
dy, and to bring it into
fubjeftion.

O my God, O my
Love, let the love of Thy
eternal and amiable juf-
tice teach me a fteady
juftice in giving all men
their due, fince I cannot
love my neighbour, if I
am unjuft to him.

O my God, O my
Love, deliver me, and all
faithful people, from all
kinds of dealing, extor
tion, fraud in trade and
contrails, — all making
hafte to be rich, or tak
ing advantage of the ig
norance or neceffity of
the perfons we deal with.

O my God, O my Love,
deliver me and all faithful
people from all manner
of bearing falfe witnefs
againft my neighbour ; —

86

Eifliop Kens Approach

Communion.

Devotions.

all things prejudicial or

People.

deftruftive to my neigh

Lord, have Mercy

bour's good name; — all
cenforioufnefs and flan-

upon usy and incline

der, detraction and calum

our Hearts to keep

ny, forced confequences,

this Law.

or invidious reflections ;

— all fcoffing, or expof-

ing the infirmities of

others ; — all whifpering

and tale-bearing, or raif-

ing of evil reports, fuf-

picions or jealoufies, and

all evil fpeaking ; — all

equivocations anddiffem-

bling, flattery and lying.

O my God, give me

grace to be tender of my

neighbour's good name,

fince I cannot love him,

if I take that from him,

which I know to be moft

Minifter.

dear to him.

Thou fhalt not

Lord, make me con

covet thy Neigh

tented, and thankful, and

bour's Houfe ; thou

well-pleafed with that

fhalt not covet thy
Neighbour's Wife ;

portion Thy providential
love has allotted me, and
to acquiefce in Thy

nor his Servant, nor

choice as beft for me.

to the Holy Altar.

Communion.
his Maid, nor his
Ox, nor his Afs, nor
any thing that is his.

People.

Lord, have Mercy
upon us, and write
all theje Thy Laws
in our Hearts, we
befeech Thee.

Devotions.

O my God, O my
Love, let Thy all-power
ful love abound in my
heart, and in the hearts
of all that profefs Thy
Name, that in all thefe,
and in all other poffible
inftances of duty, our
lives may be continually
employed to love Thee,
and for Thy fake to love
our neighbour, and to
excite our neighbour to
love Thee. Amen.

Then /hall follow one of theje two ColleRs
for the Queen, the Prieftftanding as before,
and Jay ing,

Let us
Communion.
LMIGH-
TY God,
whofe

Kingdom is ever-
lafting, and Power
infinite, have Mercy

Pray.

Devotions.

Multiply, O Lord God,
the bleffings of Thy Love
on our moft gracious
Queen Victoria. Give her
grace to exceed others,
as much in Goodnefs as
in Greatnefs, and make

88

Eijhop Kens Approach

Communion.

Devotions.

upon the whole

her a lignal inftrument of

Church ; and fo rule

Thy Glory, and example

the Heart of Thy
chofen Servant VIC

of Thy Love. — Defend
her from all her Enemies ;
let her be ever beloved by

TORIA, our Queen

Thee, and let her ever

and Governor, that

love Thee and ever pro

fhe (knowing whofe

mote Thy Love.

Minifter fhe is) may

above all Things

feek Thy Honour

and Glory; and that

we and all her Sub

jects (duly confider-

ing whofe Authority

fhe hath) may faith

fully ferve, honour,

and humbly obey

her, in Thee, and for

Thee, according to

Thy blefTed Word

and Ordinance,

through Jefus Chrift

our Lord ; who with

Thee and the Holy

Ghoft, liveth and

to the Holy Altar.

89

Communion.

reigneth ever one

God, World with

out End. Amen.

-

Or,

tt|WLMIGHTY and everlaftingGod,

*

lyi||^^ we are taught by Thy holy Word,

^^^^ that the Hearts of Kings are in

Thy Rule and Governance, and that Thou

doft difpofe and turn them as it feemeth

beft to Thy godly Wifdom ; we humbly

befeech Thee fo to

difpofe and govern

the Heart of VICTORIA Thy Servant,

our Queen and Governor, that in all her

Thoughts, Words, and Works, me may

ever feek Thy Honour and Glory, and

ftudy to preferve Thy People committed

to her Charge, in Wealth, Peace, and

Godlinefs. Grant this, O merciful Father,

for Thy dear Son's Sake, Jefus Chrift our

Lord. Amen.

Communion.

Devotions.

Then /hall be f aid

To make your reading

the Colleft of the

the more profitable, be-

9°

Bi/hop Ken's Approach

Communion.
Day. And immedi
ately after the Col-
left the Prieft jhall
read the Epiftle.
Then Jhall be read
the Gofpel, the Peo
ple all flanding up.
And the Gofpel end-
ed} Jhall be Jung or
faid the Creed fol
lowing^ the people
Jlill ftandingj as be
fore.

Devotions.

gin with one or more of
thefe

Ejaculations.

Lord, make Thy Word
my delight and my coun-
fellor ; open mine eyes
that I may fee the won
derful things of Thy Law.

O Heavenly Father !
I humbly beg Thy Holy
Spirit fo to help me at
this time to read, learn,
and underftand, and re
member, and praftife
Thy Word, that it may
make me wife to Salva
tion.

BELIEVE in One God, the
Father Almighty, Maker of
Heaven and Earth, and of all
Things vifible and inviiible :

And in One Lord Jefus Chrift, the only
begotten Son of God, Begotten of his
Father before all Worlds, God of God,
Light of Light, Very God of very God,
Begotten not made, Being of one Subftance
with the Father, By Whom all Things

to the Holy Altar.

were made : Who for us Men, and for our
Salvation, came down from Heaven, And
was incarnate by the Holy Ghoft of the
Virgin Mary, And was made Man, And
was crucified alfo for us under Pontius
Pilate. He fuffered and was buried, And
the Third Day he rofe again according to
the Scriptures, And afcended into Heaven,
And fitteth on the Right-hand of the Fa
ther. And he mail come again with Glory
to judge both the Quick and the Dead :
Whofe Kingdom mail have no End.

And I believe in the Holy Ghoft, the
Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth
from the Father and the Son, Who with
the Father and the Son together is wor-
fhipped and glorified, Who {pake by the
Prophets. And I believe one Catholic
and Apoftolic Church. I acknowledge one
Baptifm for the Remiflion of Sins, And I
look for the Refurrection of the Dead, And
the Life of the World to come. Amen.

Meditation.

My Lord and my God, with a full, free and firm
aflent, I believe all the Articles of my Creed, be-

91

92

Bifhop Ken's Approach

caufe Thou haft revealed them ; I know Thou art
infallible Truth, and canft not, — Thou art infinite
Love, and wilt not, — deceive me : Glory be to
Thee.

With all my heart, O my God, do I love and
praife Thee, Who art fo infinitely amiable in Thy-
felf, and fo full of love to us, that all I can know, or
believe of Thee, excites me to love Thee.

Lord, daily increafe my Faith; — make it active
and fruitful, that I may believe and love Thee as
entirely, as becomes one entirely devoted to Thee.

Then the Curate Jhall declare unto the
People what Holidays or Fafting Days are
in the Week following to be obferved, &c.

Then Jhall follow the Sermon, &c.

Then Jhall the Prieft return to the Lord's
Table, and begin the Offertory, faying one
or more of thefe Sentences following, as he
thinketh moft convenient in his Difcretion.

If you are rich, or have wherewithal to
relieve others, then be fure, too, to
be rich in good works, and according
to your ability give Alms.

to the Holy Altar.

93

Communion.

Devotions.

M^fb|| E T your

O Lord God, may

Matt. v. 16.

^|||P5 light fb

Thy infinite Goodnefs

mine be

and Greatnefs be for ever

fore men, that they

by all men and all angels
confefled and admired,

may fee your good

and adored, and magni

works, and glorify

fied, both in private and

your Father which

public, in our hearts, our

is in Heaven.

mouths, and our lives.

Lay not up for

O my God, my Love,

Matt. vi. 19,

yourfelves treafures

what can a foul ena

20.

upon the earth,
where the ruft and

moured of Thee ever de-
fire but Thee ? O let the
world never more have

moth doth corrupt,

place in my heart ; —

and where thieves

all my affeftions I with

Matt, vi.ai.

break through and
fteal : but lay up

draw from that to fix
them on Thee.

for yourfelves trea

fures in Heaven,

where neither ruft

nor moth doth cor

rupt, and where

thieves do not

break through and

fteal.

94

Bifhop Ken's Approach

Communion.

Devotions.

Matt. vii.

Whatfoever ye

O great Lord of hearts,

12.

would that men

lodge my neighbour in

mould do unto you,

my heart next to myfelf ;

J *

even fo do unto
them ; for this is the

let all my defires be for
his good, and let it be the
fubjedl of my joy, and

law and the Pro

praife and love, to fee

phets.

Thy love liberal to him,

and to fee him abound

ing in Thy bleffings.

Matt. vii.

Not every one

O my God, Thy will

21.

that faith unto me,

and Thy commands are

Lord, Lord, mail
enter into the King

moft Holy, Juft and Good,
and condefcending to our
weaknefs, and by no

dom of Heaven, but

means grievous; — O give

he that doeth the

me Grace confcientioufly

will of my Father

to obferve them.

which is in Heaven.

Z.u£e xix. 8.

Zaccheus flood

All glory be to Thee,

forth, and faid unto

O Lord God, for that

the Lord, Behold,

portion of the good things

Luke xix. 9.

Lord, the half of
my goods I give

of this life Thou haft
been pleafed to vouchfafe
me j Thou, Lord, haft

to the poor ; and

made me Thy fteward

if I have done any

of them, and at the Great

to the Holy Altar.

95

Communion.

Devotions.

wrong to any man,
I reftore fourfold.

Day, / muft give an ac
count to Thee of my Stew-
ardjhip : O make me a

faithful ft eward of them,

that / may give an ac

count to Thee with joy,

and not with grief.

O my God, if I have

wronged or injured my

neighbour, O give me

Grace to beg his pardon,

and, as I have opportu

nity, to make him fatif-

faclion and reilitution.

Who goeth a

Blefled be Thou, O

I Cor. ix. 7.

warfare at any

Lord, for all things come

J

time of his own

of Thee, and of Thy

coft ? Who plant-

own I now give Thee.
Lord, blefs and de

eth a vineyard, and

fend all Orders of men

eateth not of the

amongft us, ecclefiaftical

fruit thereof ? Or

or civil ; Lord, give them

who feedeth a flock,

all grace, in their focial
ftations, to be inftru-

and eateth not of the

mental to Thy Glory,

milk of the flock?

and the public good.

If we have fown
unto you fpiritual

O let this Alms be an
odour of a fweet fmell, ac
ceptable and well-pleaf-

I Cor. ix. 1 1 .

things, is it a great

ing unto Thee.

96

Bijhop Ken's Approach

I Cor. ix. 13,
14.

a Cor. ix. 6,

7-

Communion.
matter, if we fhall
reap your worldly
things ?

Do ye not know,
that they who mi-
nifter about holy
things, live of the
facrifice ? and they
who wait at the Al
tar, are partakers
with the Altar ?
Even fb hath the
Lord alfb ordained,
thatthey who preach
the Gofpel, fhould
live of the Gofpel.

He that foweth
little, fhall reap lit
tle; and he that
foweth plenteoufly,
fhall reap plenteouf
ly. Let every Man
do according as he

Devotions.

O my God, for Thy
Love's fake, let me ever
honour and love the Mi-
nifters of Thy love, the
Ambafladors Thou doft
fend in Thy ftead, to
befeech us tinners to be
reconciled to Thee ; to
offer Thy enemies con
ditions of love, of love
eternal. O may I ever
hear them attentively,
praftife their heavenly
doftrine, imitate their
holy examples, pay them
their dues, and revere
their cenfures.

O my God, fill me full
of good wifhes and com-
paflion, of liberality in
Alms-giving according to
my abilities, and of rea-
dinefs to fuccour, and re
lieve, and comfort, and
refcue, and pray for all,

to the Holy Altar.

97

Communion.

Devotions.

is difpofed in his

whom Thy love, or their

heart, not grudg
ingly, or of necef-

own neceffities, or mife-
ries, or dangers, recom
mend to my charity.

-

fity; forGodloveth

a cheerful giver.

Let him that is

Glory be to Thee, O

Gal. vi. 6, 7.

taught in the Word,

Lord, who haft ordained

minifter unto him

Paftors, and haft given

that teacheth, in all
good things. Be

them the Power of the
Keys ; — to be our Ec-
clefiaftical Parents ', — to

not deceived, God

watch over our fouls ; —

is not mocked ; for

to inftruft us in faving

whatfoever a man

knowledge j — to guide us

foweth, that mail he

by their Examples ; — to
pray for and to blefs us ;

reap.

— to adminifter fpiritual

difcipline in Thy Church,

and to manage all the

conveyances of Thy Di

vine Love.

While we have

O my God, O my

Gal. vi. 10.

time, let us do

Love, let Thy all-pow

good unto all men;
and especially unto
them that are of the

erful love abound in my
heart, and in the hearts
of all that profefs Thy
Name, that in all poffible

houfehold of faith.

inftances of our duty, our

H

98

Bifhop Ken's Approach

Communion.

Devotions.

lives may be continually

employed to love Thee,

and for Thy fake to love

our neighbour, and to

excite our neighbour to

love Thee. Give me

Catholic Charity to all

that are baptized in Thy

name, and Catholic Com

•

munion with all Chrif-

tians in defire.

i Tim. vi.

Godlinefs is great

Lord, make me con

6,7.

riches, if a man be

tented, and thankful, and

content with that he

well-pleafed with that

hath; for we brought
nothing into the
world, neither may

portion Thy providential
Love has allotted me,
and to acquiefce in Thy
choice, which is beft for

we carry any thing

me.

out.

I Tim.v'i.ij,

. y T n

Charge them who

O unconceivable hap-

18, 19.

are rich in this

pinefs of Heaven, where

world, that they be

my Ambition fhall reft

ready to give, and
glad to distribute,
laying up in ftore for

on a Throne, where my
covetoufnefs mail be fill
ed with the Beatific Vi-
fion, and where I fhall

themfelves a good

be continually fatisfied

foundation againft

with Love !

to the Holy Altar.

99

Communion.

Devotions,

the time to come,

that they may attain

eternal life.

God is not un

I believe, O Thou God

Heb. vi. 10.

righteous, that He

of Love, that all the

will forget your
works, and labour

Saints on Earth, by pro-
feffion, ought to commu
nicate one with another,

that proceedeth of

in evangelical Worfhip,

love ; which love ye

and the fame Holy Sa

have mewed for His

craments, — in the fame

Name's fake, who

Divine and Apoftolical
Faith, — in all offices of

have miniftered un

corporal and fpiritual

to the Saints, and

Charity, — in reciprocal

yet do minifter.

delight in each other's

Salvation, and in tender

fympathy, as members of

one and the fame Body.

To do good, and

Teach me, O my God,

Heb.xYii. 1 6.

to diftribute, forget

to ufe this world fo as

not; for with fuch
facrifices God is well

not to abufe it ; — to re
ceive and manage all my
temporal bleffings with

pleafed.

thankfulnefs to Thee, fb-

briety to myfelf, and cha

rity to all befides.

Whofo hath this

Glory be to Thee, O

I John iii.
I?-

IOO

Eijhop Ken's Approach

Communion.

Devotions.

world's good, and

Lord, who in teaching

Teeth his brother

me to call God Our Fa

have need, and

ther, haft taught me not
to confine my charity to

mutteth up his com-

myfelf, but to pray alfo

paflion from him,

with the affections of a

how dwelleth the

Brother, and to enlarge

love of God in him ?

it to all mankind, who
are Children by creation,

to all Chriftians, who are

Children by adoption, of

the fame heavenly Fa

ther. Ogive me fuch bro

therly kindnefs to them

all, that I may beg the

.

fame bleffings for them as

for myfelf.

Tab. iv. 7.

Give alms of thy

O Crucified Love,

goods, and never

whenever I fee Thee in

turn thy face from

•

any of Thy poor mem
bers hungry, or naked,

any poor man ; and

or in diftrefs, O let the

then the face of the

remembrance of Thy

Lord mail not be

love in dying for me en

turned away from

gage me to contribute all

thee.

I can to Thy relief; — O

may I ever be liberal in

my Alms to Thee, who

wert fo liberal of Thy

.

ineftimable Blood for me.

to the Holy Altar.

IOI

Communion.

Devotions.

Be merciful after

O Lord, who didft

Tab. iv. 8, 9.

thy power. If thou
haft much, give

not defpife the widow's
Mite, accept this little I
now give to relieve Thy

plenteoufly: If thou

C /

poor members.

haft little, do thy

O gracious Lord, Thou

diligence gladly to

that haft done fo much

give of that little;
for fo gathereft thou

for me, how can I ever
fufficiently praife and love
Thee!

thyfelf a good re

ward in the day of

neceflity.

Make me compaf-
fionate to the afflifted,

He that hath pity
upon the poor, lend-
eth unto the Lord :

charitable to the poor,
according to my ability,
and give me grace to keep
always a Confcience void

Prev. xix.
17-

And look, what he

of offence towards Thee,

layeth out, it mail

and towards men.

be paid him again.

O make me ever mer

Blefled be the

ciful, as Thou, O Father
in Heaven art merciful ;

Pfalm xli. J.

man that provideth

indulge me a mare in

for the fick and

that mercy, with which

needy : The Lord

Thou haft promifed to

/
mall deliver him in

blefs the merciful, and
fend me deliverance in

the time of trouble.

the time of trouble.

Amen, Amen.

102

Bifhop Kens Approach

Communion.

Exhortation.

Whiljt the Sen

tences are in reading.

the Deacons, Church

wardens, or other fit

per/on appointed for

that purpofe, /hall
receive the Alms for
the poor, and other

Learn of our moft
compaffionate Saviour to
fhow mercy to the fick,

devotions of the peo

and the lame, and to

ple, in a decent ba-

contribute all you can to

fin, to be provided
by theParijhfor that

their healing ; — lay afide
money for that very ufe,
and pray to God to di-

purpofe ; and rever

re£l your Charity to thofe

ently bring it to the

who moft want it, and

Prieft, who /hall

who are moft worthy to

humbly prejent and
place it upon the holy

be relieved : — by this
means you will be able
confcientioufly to fay with

Table.

Job, " I was eyes to the

blind, and feet was I to

the lame."

to the Holy Altar.

103

Communion.

Devotions.

And when there

Holy, Holy, Holy,

is a Communion, the

Lord God Almighty, I

Prieft /hall then
'place upon the 'Table
Jo much Bread and

a miferable finner, hum
bly acknowledge that I
am altogether unworthy
to pray for myielf; but

Wine, as he Jhall

fince Thou haft com

think Jufficient. Af
ter which done, the
Prieft /hall Jay,

manded us to make Pray
ers and Interceffions for
all men, in obedience to
Thy command, and in

confidence of Thy unli

mited goodnefs, I com

mend to Thy Mercy, and

Divine Providence, the

wants and neceffities of

all mankind.

104

Bijhop Kens Approach

Let us pray for the whole State of Chrift's
Church militant here on Earth.

LMIGHTY and everliving God,
who by Thy holy Apoftle haft
taught us to make prayers and
fupplications, and to give thanks for all
men; We humbly befeech Thee moft
mercifully \to accent our alms and obla
tions, and~\ to receive thefe our prayers,
which we offer unto Thy Divine Majefty ;
befeeching Thee to infpire continually
the univerfal Church with the Spirit of
truth, unity, and concord : And grant
that all they that do confefs Thy holy
Name, may agree in the truth of Thy
holy Word, and live in unity and godly
love. We befeech Thee alfo to fave and
defend all Chriftian Kings, Princes, and
Governours ; and efpecially Thy Servant
VICTORIA, our Queen, that under her
we may be godly and quietly governed :
And grant unto her whole Council, and to
all that are put in authority under her, that
they may truly and indifferently minifter
juftice, to the punimment of wickednefs

to the Holy Altar.

and vice, and to the maintenance of Thy
true religion and virtue. Give grace,
O heavenly Father, to all Bimops and
Curates, that they may both by their
life and doclrine fet forth Thy true and
lively Word, and rightly and duly admi-
nifter Thy holy Sacraments : And to all
Thy people give Thy heavenly grace ;
and efpecially to this congregation here
prefent, that with meek heart and due
reverence they may hear and receive Thy
holy Word, truly ferving Thee in holinefs
and righteoufnefs all the days of their life.
And we moft humbly befeech Thee of
Thy goodnefs O Lord, to comfort and
fuccour all them, who in this tranfitory life
are in trouble, forrow, need, fkknefs, or
any other adverfity. And we alfo blefs
Thy holy Name, for all Thy fervants de
parted this life in Thy faith and fear;
befeeching Thee to give us grace, fo to
follow their good examples, that with them
we may be partakers of Thy heavenly
kingdom. Grant this, O Father, for Jefus
Chrift's fake, our only Mediator and Ad
vocate. Amen.

105

io6

Bifhop Kens Approach

At the Time of the Celebration of the
Communion^ the Communicants being conve
niently -placed for the Receiving of the Holy
Sacrament, the Prieft fhalljay this Exhor
tation :

Communion.
EARLY
beloved in
the Lord,
ye that mind to
come to the holy
Communion of the
Body and Blood of
our Saviour Chrift,
muft confider how
St. Paul exhorteth
all perfons diligent
ly to try and exa
mine themfelveSjbe-
fore they prefume
to eat of that Bread,
and drink of that
Cup. For as the
benefit is great, if
with a true peni-

Devotions.

I adore Thee, O bleff-
ed Jefu, my Lord, and
my God, when I con
fider the Benefits which
through Thy mercy we
receive by Thy Holy
Sacrament.

Glory be to Thee, O
Lord, who there makeft
Thy own Body and Blood
to become our fpiritual
food to ftrengthen and
refrefh our Souls.

to the Holy Altar.

107

Communion.

Devotions.

tent heart and live

Glory be to Thee, O

ly faith we receive

Lord, who by this Hea

j

that holy Sacra
ment (for then we

venly food doft myftically
unite us to Thyfelf ; for
nothing becomes one

fpiritually eat the

with our bodies more,

flefh of Chrift, and

than the bodily food we

drink His blood;

eat, which turns to our

then we dwell in

very fubftance ; and no
thing makes us become

Chrift, and Chrift in

O

one with Thee more,

us ; we are one with

than when Thou vouch-

Chrift, and Chrift

fafeft to become the very

with us) fo is the

food of our Souls.

danger great, if we
receive the fame un

BlefTed Lord Jefus ! I
even tremble when I

worthily. For then

confider that he that eat-

we are guilty of the

eth and drinketh unwor

Body and Blood of

thily is guilty of Thy

J

Chrift our Saviour ;

Body and Blood, and
eateth and drinketh dam

we eat and drink

nation to his own foul ;

our own damna

and this fevere Sentence

tion, not confidering

on unworthy Communi

the Lord's Body ;

cants makes one afraid to

we kindle God's

come to Thy Altar.
But when I confider

wrath againft us ;

that Thy fentence is as

we provoke him to

levere againft thole, who

io8

Eifhop Ken's Approach

Communion.

Devotions.

plague us with di

being invited refufe to

vers difeafes, and

come, for Thou haft faid,

fundry kinds of
Death. Judge there

they mall not tafte of Thy
Supper, — and unlefs we
eat Thy Flefti, and drink

fore yourfelves, bre

Thy Blood, we have no

thren, that ye be

life in us, — I am then

not judged of the

afraid to keep away.

Lord ; repent you
truly for your fins

But bleffed be Thy
mercy, O Lord, for in
this ftrait my Soul is in,

pad ; have a lively

Thou art my guide ;

and fledfaft faith in

— Thou by giving me

Chrift our Saviour ;

this opportunity of re

amend your lives,
and be in perfect

ceiving inviteft me to
Thy Table ; Thou calleft
me to feek Thy face, —

,,

charity with all

and my heart replies,

men ; fo mall ye be

Thy face, Lord, will I

meet partakers of

feek.

j.

thofe holy myfte-

If Thou, Lord, fhould-
eft be extreme to mark

ries. — And above

what is done amifs, alas !

all things ye muft

alas ! I am then unfit,

give moft humble

not only to Communi

and hearty thanks

cate but, to fay even my

/

to God, the Father,

Daily Prayers.
I know, Lord, that if

the Son, and the

I mould ftay till I am

Holy Ghoft, for the

worthy to come, I mould

to the Holy Altar.

lOQ

Communion.

Devotions.

redemption of the

then never come ; and

world by the death

therefore, though I am

and paflion of our
Saviour Chrift, both

unworthy of fo unfpeak-
able a mercy, yet I come
to beg Thy Grace to

God and Man; Who

make me worthy, or at

did humble Himfelf,

leaft fucb as Tbou wilt

even to the death

accept.

upon the Crofs, for
us miferable tinners,

My Lord, and my
God, inftil penitential
Love into my foul, that

Who lay in dark-

I may grieve for my fins,

nefs and the fhadow

which grieved Thee, —

of death, that He

that I may love Thee

might make us the

for fuffering for us fin
ners, who occafibned all

children of God,

Thy griefs ; — O may I

and exalt us to ever-

always love Thee, may I

lafting life. And to

never grieve Thee more.

the End that we

Was ever any forrow,

mould always re
member the exceed

O Crucified Lord, like
that forrow my fins cre
ated Thee !

ing great love of our

O Jefu, if I love Thee

Mafter, and only

truly I fhall be fure to

Saviour, Jefus Chrift,
thus dying for us,

frequent Thy Altar, that
I may remember all the
wonderful love of my

and the innumerable

Crucified Redeemer.

benefits, which by

Glory be to Thee, O

no

Bijhop Kens Approach

Communion.

Devotions.

His precious blood-

Lord, who by this im

•

medding He hath
obtained to us ; He

mortal food doft nourifh
our Souls to live the life
of Grace here, and doft

hath inftituted and

raife us up to life ever-

ordained holy myf-

lafting hereafter. Lord,

teries, as pledges of

do Thou evermore give

His love, and for a

me this Bread ! Amen,

continual remem

Amen.

brance of His death,

I believe, I admire, I

to our great and

love, I praife, I adore
Thee, O moft blefled and

endlefs comfort. To

glorious Trinity, God the

Him therefore with

Father, God the Son,

the Father, and the

God the Holy Ghoft, for

Holy Ghoft, let us
give (as we are moft

being the joint Authors
of our Salvation : all
Glory be to Thee.

bounden) continual

thanks, fubmitting
ourfelves wholly to
His holy will and

O facred and dreadful,
and myfterious Trinity,
though I cannot conceive
Thee, yet let me daily

pleafure, and ftudy-

experiment Thy good-

ing to ferve Him in

nefs ; Let Thy Grace, O

true holinefs and

Lord Jefus; let Thy

righteoufnefs all the

Love, O God the Father;
let Thy Communica

days of our life.

tions, O Holy Spirit, be

Amen.

ever with me.

to the Holy Altar.

Then /hall the Prieft Jay to them that
come to receive the Holy Communion :

Communion. Devotions.

E that do

truly and

earneftly

repent you of your
fins, and are in love
and charity with
your neighbours,
and intend to lead a
new life, following
the commandments
of God, and walk
ing from henceforth
in His holy ways;
draw near with
Faith, and take this
holy Sacrament to
your comfort ; and
make your humble
confeflion to Al
mighty God, meek
ly kneeling upon
your knees.

It is Thy moft blefled
Body and Blood I hunger
and thirft after, O gra
cious Lord ; — grant that
I, and all that communi
cate with me may feel
its faving efficacy. O
feed, O refrefh, O nourifh
our Souls with it to Life
Everlafting, and that for
Thy own infinite mercy'
fake, which moved Thee
to offer up Body and
Blood for us ! Amen,
Amen.

Ill

I 12

Bifliop Kens Approach

Then /hall this general ConfeJJion be made
in the name of all thofe that are minded to
receive the holy Communion, by one of the
Minifters, both he and all the people kneel
ing humbly upon their knees, and faying,

LMIGHTY God, Father of our
Lord Jefus Chrift, Maker of all
things, Judge of all men ; We
acknowledge and bewail our manifold Sins
and wickednefs, Which we from time to
time moft grievoufly have committed, By
thought, word, and deed, Againft Thy Di
vine Majefty, Provoking moft juftly Thy
wrath and indignation againft us. We do
earneftly repent, And are heartily forry for
thefe our mifdoings ; The remembrance
of them is grievous unto us ; the burden
of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon
us, Have mercy upon us, moft merciful
Father ; For Thy Son our Lord Jefus
Chrift's Sake, forgive us all that is paft ;
And grant that we may ever hereafter Serve
and pleafe Thee In newnefs of life, To the
honour and glory of Thy Name, Through
Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

to the Holy Altar.

Then /hall the Prieft (or the Bifhop
being prefent) ft and up, and turning himfelf
to the people, pronounce this Abfolution :

Communion.

TY God,
our hea
venly Father, Who
of His great mercy
hath promifed for-
givenefs of fins to
all them that with
hearty repentance
and true faith turn
unto Him ; Have
mercy upon you ;
pardon and deliver
you from all your
fins ; confirm and
ftrengthen you in
all goodnefs ; and
bring you to ever-
lafting life, through
Jefus Chrift our
Lord. Amen.

Devotions.

Glory be to Thee, O
moft adorable Trinity,
for Thy infinite love in
our forgivenefs.

Matt. xi. 28.

John iii. 16

Eijhop Kens Approach

Thenfliall the Priejtjay,

Hear what comfortable Words our Sa
viour Chrift faith unto all that truly
turn to Him.

Communion.

OMEunto

me all that

travail and
are heavy laden, and
I will refrefh you.

So God loved the
world, that He
gave His only-be
gotten Son, to the
end that all that be
lieve in Him mould
not perim, but have
everlafting Life.

Devotions.

Thou art my hope,
my help, and my falva-
tion ; — Thou only canft
teach and enable me to
know and to love Thy
own goodnefs.

I believe, O Lord Jefus,
that Thou didft make, and
doft fuftain all things by
Thy power, and that
Thou art to be honoured
by men and by angels as
Thy Father is honoured :
All love all Glory be to
Thee.

to the Holy Altar.

IJ5

Communion.

Devotions.

Hear alfo what St.

Paul faith.

This is a true

For whom, O unut

i Tim. \. 15.

faying, and worthy
of all men to be re
ceived, That Chrift

terable Goodnefs, didft
Thou fuffer the extreme
bitternefs of forrow, but
for the vileft of all Thy

Jefus came into the

creatures, finful man, and

world to fave fin-

for me, one of the worft

ners.

of Sinners ? and therefore

I praife and love Thee.

Hear alfo what St.

John faith.

If any man fin,

I believe, O trium

I John ii. I.

we have an Advo

phant Love, that Thou

cate with the Father,
Jefus Chrift the

now fitteft in full and
peaceful pofleffion of
blifs, and at the right

righteous ; and He is

hand of God, — that Thy

the propitiation for

human Nature is exalted

our fins.

to the moft honourable

place in Heaven, where

Thou fitteft on Thy

Throne of Glory, adored

by angels, and interced

ing for finners ; and

therefore all Love all

Glory be to Thee.

n6

Ttefe words)
[Holy Fa
ther] muft be
omitted on
Trinity Sun
day.

Bijhop Kens Approach

After 'which the Prieft fhall proceed,
faying,

Lift up your Hearts.
Anfw. We lift them up unto the Lord.
Prieft. Let us give thanks unto our
Lord God.

Anfw. // ts meet and right fo to do.

Then /hall the Prieft turn to the Lord's
'Table, and Jay,

T is very meet, right, and our
bounden duty, that we fhould at
all times, and in all places, give

thanks unto Thee, O Lord, Holy Father,

Almighty, Everlafting God.

to the Holy Altar.

Here Jhall follow the Proper Preface, ac
cording to the Time, if there be any Jpe-
cially appointed : or elje immediately Jhall
follow,

Communion.

fore with
Angels,
and Archangels, and
with all the com
pany of heaven, we
laud and magnify
Thy gloriousName,
evermore praifing
Thee, and faying,
Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God of hofts,
heaven and earth
are full of Thy glo
ry : glory be to Thee,
O Lord mod High.
Amen.

Devotions.

I believe, O gracious
Redeemer, that Thy
Saints here on Earth have
Communion with the
Holy Angels above ; that
they are miniftering Spi
rits fcnt forth to minifter
for them who Jhall be
heirs of Salvation, and
watch over us ; and we
give thanks to Thee for
their protection, and emu
late their inceflant praifes,
and ready obedience ; for
which all Love all Glory
be to Thee.

n8

Bijhop Ken's Approach

Communion.

Devotions.

Proper Prefaces.

Upon Chriftmas-

day, and feven

days after.

ft^^^W *eliju^% T"7 f~* A T T C T^*

Tit* ' rf"V rt J

|L rcsJyjXpJ.tLU A U o H,

•MX i-tf-or^P^y ' ¥ M 1 " 1/1

w fl^^ Thou didft

I believe, O molt adora
ble Humility, that Thou

waft born into the World ;

\&J V2?LXOi|» riri XT"^ 1 ^| i IP

— that Thou having only
God for Thy Father, and

Chrift Thine only

Son to be born as

Mary, a pure Virgin, for

at this time for us ;

Thy mother, whom all

-

Who, by the opera
tion of the Holy

Generations do call BlefT-
ed, both Thy Conception
and Birth were perfectly

Ghoft, was made

immaculate ; — that, be

very man of the fub-

ing without fin Thyfelf,

ftance of the Virgin
Mary His mother ;
and that without

Thou mighteft be a fit
Sacrifice to atone for us
finners, who being born
of unclean Parents, were

fpot of fin, to make

all by nature unclean ;—

us clean from all fin.

and therefore all Love,

Therefore with An

all Glory be to Thee, O

gels, &c.

immaculate Lamb of God
who takeft away the Jins

of the World.

to the Holy Altar.

Communion.

Upon Eafter - day,
and Jeven days
after.

are we
bound to
praife Thee for the
glorious Refurrec-
tion of Thy Son
Jefus Chrift our
Lord : for he is the
very Pafchal Lamb
Which was offered
for us, and hath
taken away the fin
of the world ; Who
by His death, hath
deftroyed death, and
by His rifing to
life again hath re-
ftored to us ever-
lafting life. There
fore with Angels,

Devotions.

I believe, O Almighty
Love, that according to
Types and Prophecies
which went before of
Thee, and according to
Thy own infallible pre
dictions, Thou didtl by
Thy own power, rife
from the dead the third
day : all Love all Glory
be to Thee.

I2O

Eijhop Kens Approach

Communion.

Upon Afcenfion-day,
and Jeven days
after.

HROUGH
Thy moft
dearly be
loved Son Jefus
Chrift our Lord ;
Who after His moft
glorious Refurrec-
tion manifestly ap
peared to all His
Apoftles, and in
their fight afcended
up into heaven to
prepare a place for
us ; that where He
is, thither we might
alfo afcend, and
reign with Him in
Glory. Therefore
with Angels, &V.

Devotions.

I believe, O victorious
Love, that Thou, after
Thy conqueft over Death
and Hell, didft afcend in
triumph to Heaven, that
Thou mighteft prepare
manfions for us, and from
thence as Conqueror be-
ftow the gifts of Thy
conqueft on us, and above
all the gift of Thy Ho
ly Spirit ; — that Thou
mighteft enter into the
Holy of Holies, as our
great High Prieft, to
prefent to Thy Father
the fweet fmelling Sacri
fice of His crucified Son,
the fole propitiation for
tinners ; — and therefore
all Love, all Glory be to
Thee.

to the Holy Altar.

121

Communion.

Devotions.

Upon Whitfunday,

and fix Days after.

IKnlirtT'o iti HPVioo C\

|| p|jefusChrift

oeiieve in i nee, \J
Thou Spirit of God, the

i^S*: 5»fcS our Lord ;

Third Perfon in the moft

according to Whofe

adorable Trinity ; — I be
lieve, O blefled Spirit,

moft true promife,

' i *

that Thou art the Lord,

the Holy Ghoft

that Thou art God Eter

came down as at

nal, and Omnifcient, a

this time from hea

Perfon diftindl from both
the Father and the Son,

ven with a fudden

eternally proceeding from

great found, as it

both, and equally fent by

had been a mighty

both, and joint Author

wind, in the likenefs

with both of our Salva

tion ; — and therefore all

of fiery tongues,

Love all Glory be to

lighting upon the

Thee.

Apoftles, to teach

them, and to lead

them to all truth j

giving them both

the gift of divers

languages, and alfo

boldnefs with fer

vent zeal, conftantly

122

Bijhop Kens Approach

Communion.

Devotions.

to preach theGofpel

unto all nations ;

whereby we have
been brought out of

Glory be to Thee, O
Love Incarnate, for fend

darknefs and error

ing the Spirit in Thy

into the clear light

ftead, and for promifing

and true knowledge
of Thee, and of Thy

It to our prayers; — all
Love, all Glory be to
Thee.

Son Jefus Chrift.

Therefore with An

gels, &c.

Upon the Feafl of

Trinity only.

fjAtAt&i^astf-ff^ ,->.

I believe, O my God,

|£ (si U$r9/:»*"*O *^ One

M^Wi God, One

that in the Unity of Thy

Godhead there is a Tri

iiyiyil! Lord; not

nity of Perfons ; — I be

One only Perfon,

lieve in Thee, O Father,

but Three Perfons in

Son, and Holy Ghoft, in

One Subftance. For

whofe Name I was bap

that which we be
lieve of the glory of

tized, to whofe Service I
am religioufly devoted :
all Glory be to Thee.

the Father, the fame

we believe of the

Son, and of the Ho-

9

to the Holy Altar.

123

Communion.
ly Ghoft, without
any difference or in
equality. Therefore
with Angels,

Devotions.

I believe, I admire, I
love, I praife, I adore
Thee, O mott BlefTed and
Glorious Trinity, God
the Father, God the Son,
and God the Holy Ghoft,
for being the joint Au
thors of our Salvation :
all Glory be to Thee.

After each of which Prefaces ft all immedi
ately befung3 orjaidy

THEREFORE with Angels and
Archangels, and with all the
company of heaven, we laud and
magnify Thy glorious Name ; evermore
praifing Thee, and faying, Holy, holy,
holy, Lord God of hofts, heaven and earth
are full of Thy glory : Glory be to Thee,
O Lord moft High. Amen.

124

Bijhop Kens Approach

Communion.
Then /hall the
Prieft, kneeling down
at the Lord's Table,
Jay in the name of
all them that Jhall
receive the Commu
nion, this Prayer fol
lowing.

Devotions,

O bleffed Saviour, I
know that there is no
food can ftrengthen my
Soul, but Thy Body, no
cordial can revive my
drooping obedience, but
Thy Blood; — and it is
Thy moft bleffed Body
and Blood I hunger and
thirft after; — O gracious
Lord, grant that I, and
all that communicate with
me, may feel It's faving
efficacy. O feed, O re-
frefh, O nourifh our Souls
with It to life everlafting,
and that for Thy own
infinite mercy fake, which
moved Thee to offer up
Thy Body and Blood for
us ! Amen, Amen.

E do not prefume to come to this
Thy Table, O merciful Lord,
trufting in our own righteouf-
nefs, but in Thy manifold and great mer
cies. We are not worthy fo much as to
gather up the crumbs under Thy Table.

to the Holy Altar.

But Thou art the fame Lord, whofe pro
perty is always to have mercy : Grant us
therefore, gracious Lord, fo to eat the
Flefh of Thy dear Son Jefus Chrift, and
to drink His Blood, that our finful bodies
may be made clean by His Body, and our
fouls warned through His moft precious
Blood, and that we may evermore dwell
in Him, and He in us. Amen.

Devotions.

O gracious Lord, pardon all my failings, accept all
my prayers, and praifes, and fupply all my wants.
Lord, give me grace, in imitation of the blefled
Spirits above, to fet Thee always before me ; — O fix
my ferious contemplation on Thee. Thy Will and
Thy Commands are moft holy, juft and good, and
condefcending to our weaknefs, and by no means
grievous : O give me Grace confcientioufly to ob-
ferve them.

O Father Almighty, though Thou filleft all places,
yet Thy Glory is moft manifefted in Heaven, and
there Thy Majefty does moft illuftrioufly dwell, and
to Thy Throne there we are to lift up our hearts,
when we pray. O let my foul fly up to Thee,
when I pray, in heavenly thoughts, and defires, and
love.

I25

126

Bijhop Ken's Approach

Communion.
When the Prieft,
flanding before the
Table , hathjo ordered
the Bread and Wine,
that he may with the
more readinefs and
decency break the
Bread before the peo
ple, and take the Cup
into his hands, he
fliall Jay the Prayer
ofConJecratlon asfol-
loweth.

Devotions.

O Thou Bleffed Spirit,
the Comforter, purify my
Soul, and infufe Thy Love
into it, and confecrate it
to be Thy Temple, and
fix Thy Throne im-
moveably there, and fet
all my affeftions on fire,
that my heart may be
a continual Sacrifice of
Love offered up to Thee,
and the flame may be ever
afpiring towards Thee.

ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly
Father, who of Thy tender mer
cy didfl give Thine only Son
Jefus Chrift to fuffer death upon the Crofs
for our redemption ; Who made there (by
His one oblation of Himfelf once offered)
a full, perfect, and fufficient facrifice, ob
lation, and fatisfaction, for the fins of the
whole world, and did inftitute, and in His
holy Gofpel command us to continue, a
perpetual memory of that His precious

to the Holy Altar.

127

death, until His coming again ; Hear us,

O merciful Father, we moft humbly be-

feech Thee ; and grant that we receiving

thefe Thy creatures of bread and wine,

according to Thy Son our Saviour Jefus

Chrift's holy infti-

Devotions

tution, in remem

At Consecration.

brance of His death

O Blefled Jefu, in the

and paffion, may be

Bread broken, I call to

partakers of His

mind Thy Body torn

moft blefled Body

with Whips, and Thorns,
and Nails ; and in the

and Blood : Who,

Wine poured out, I call

in the fame Night

to mind Thy precious

that He was betray

Blood, med for my Sins.

ed, (d\ took Bread;

Glory be to Thee, O

•* \ /

and when He had
given thanks,(£) He

Lamb of God, that didft
offer Thyfelf a Sacrifice
to take away the fins of

(a) Here
the Priefl is
to take the
Paten Into

brake it, and gave it

the whole World. Lord

his hands :

to His difciples, fay

have mercy on me, and

(b) And
here to break

ing, Take, eat, (c )

take away mine alfo.

the Bread :

this is my Body

(c) And

which is given for

here to lay
bis band up

you : Do this in Re^

on all the
Bread:

membrance of me.

(d) Here

Likewife after Sup

Glory be to Thee, O

be is to take
tbe Cup into

per He (d) took the

Jefu, who didft inftitute

bis hand :

128

(e) And
here to lay his
hand upon
every "vejjel,
(be it Chalice
or Flagon)
in "which
there is any
ffine to be
confecrated.

BiJJwp Kens Approach

Devotions
At Confecration.
the Holy Eucharift in
both Kinds, and haft
commanded Both to be
received, both the Bread
and Wine, both Thy
Body broken, and Thy
Blood (bed.

Communion.
Cup ; and, when He
had given thanks,
He gave it to them,
faying, Drink ye all
of this ; for this(<?) is
my Blood of the New
Teftament, which is
med for you and for
many for the remif-
fion of fins: Do this,
as oft as ye mall
drink it, in remem
brance of me. Amen.

Then fliall the Minifter firft receive the
Communion in both kinds himjelf, and then
proceed to deliver the fame to the Bijhops,
Priefts, and Deacons, in like manner, (if
any be prefent,) and after that to the People
alfo in order, into their Hands, all meekly
kneeling.

to the Holy Altar.

Devotions
Whilft others are Communicating.

MY God, whom have I in Hea
ven but Thee ? and there is none
on earth I defire, in companion
of Thee.

As the Hart panteth after the Water-
brooks, fo panteth my Soul after Thee, O
God.

My Soul is a-thirft for Thee, O God,
my God.

Blefled Saviour, I am Thine, I am
wholly Thine, for Thou haft bought me
with a price, with the ineftimable price of
Thy own blood !

Lord, fuffer not the price of Thy own
Blood to perim, and I will always glorify
Thee in my Body, and in my Spirit, which
are Thine.

If there be many Communicants, and thou haft
much vacant time, and doft want devout matter
to employ thy thoughts till all have communi
cated, thou mayeft then repeat the Thankfgiv-
ing for Chrift's fufferings, p.p. 63 to the end of
page 68, or the Prayer,/./. 72 to 74, either in
whole or in part, as thou feeft it needful.

129

PJalm Ixxiii.

Pfalm xlii.

I Cor. vi.

130

Heb. viii.
12.

Bijhop Kens Approach

Devotions
At going to the Altar.

N the multitude of Thy mercies, O Lord
God, do I now Approach Thy Altar : —
O pardon my fins, and receive me gra-
cioufly. Amen, Amen.

Devotions
When the Prieft cotneth towards yeu.

LORD God, I now defire to renew my
Covenant with Thee, and to feal it in
this Sacrament !

Lord, put Thy Laws into my mind,
and write them in my heart, and for the Paffion of
Thy Son, which I now commemorate, be merciful
to my unrighteoufnefs j — my fin and my iniquities
remember no more ; — and be Thou my God, and I
will be Thy Servant.

Glory be to Thee, O Crucified Love, who at
Thy laft fupper didft ordain the Holy Eucharift,the
Sacrament and Feaft of Love. Amen, Amen.

to the Holy Altar.

'31

Communion.

When the Minifter

Devotions

delivereth the Bread

After receiving the

to any one, he Jhall
fay,

Bread.

Glory be to Thee, O

te||| of our

Lord, who feedeft me

with the Bread of Life.

S^Vr TiS^m -*"*t"fi IPiIlQ

O Lord God, who

'^^^•^is^* «*

Chrift, which was

didft fandlify us by the

given for thee, pre-

offering of the Body of

ferve thy body and

Jefus once for all, fan&ify

foul unto everlafting
life. Take and eat

me, — even me, O Hea
venly Father ! Amen.

this in remembrance

that Chrift died for

thee, and feed on

Him in thy heart by

faith with thankf-

giving.

132

Eijhop Kens Approach

Communion.

And the Minifter
that delivereth the
Cup to any one3 /hall

Chrift, which was
fhed for thee, pre-
ferve thy body and
foul unto everlafting
life. Drink this in
remembrance that
Chrift's Blood was
fhed for thee, and
be thankful.

Devotions
After receiving the Cup.

Glory be to Thee, O
Lord Jefus, who permit-
teft me to drink of the
Fountain of Life freely !

My Beloved is mine,
and I am His.

Bleffed Saviour, Thou
haft loved us, and warned
us from our fins in Thy
own Blood, and there
fore to Thee be Glory
and Dominion, for ever
and ever. Amen, Amen.

to the Holy Altar.

Devotions and Tbankf giving after Receiving.

|LORY be to Thee, O Jefus, my Lord
and my God, for thus feeding my Soul
with Thy moft Bleffed Body and Blood.
O let Thy Heavenly Food transfufe new
life, and new vigour into my Soul, and into the
Souls of all that communicate with me, that our
Faith may daily increafe, — that we may all grow
more humble, and contrite for our Sins, — that we
may all love Thee, and ferve Thee, and delight in
Thee, and praife Thee more fervently, more incef-
fantly than ever we have done heretofore. Amen,
Amen.

O how plentiful is Thy goodnefs, my Lord, and
my God, which Thou haft laid up for thofe that
fear Thee, which Thou haft laid up for thofe that
put their truft in Thy mercy !

Was it not love infinite enough, deareft Lord, to
give Thyfelf for me on the Crofs ? Was not that
Sacrifice of Thyfelf fufEcient to expiate the fins of
the whole World ? What, Lord, couldft Thou then
do more for me ?

All the mighty Hoft of Heaven ftood amazed to
fee the Blood of God ftied, to fee their King of
Glory, to Whom from the firft moment of their
Being they had fung their Hallelujahs, nailed to a
Crofs ; and all this to fave finners !

Sure, Lord, none of all thofe bleffed Spirits, with
all the glorious Illuminations they had, could ever

'33

Pfalm xxxi.
19.

I Peter i.
12.

Epb. Hi. 10.

Bijhop Ken's Approach

have imagined, how Thou couldft give Thyfelf more
to us than Thou haft done.

And yet for all this, Thou haft wrought new
miracles of love for us, and as if it had not been love
enough to have given Thyfelf for us on the Crofs,
Thou haft found out a way to give Thyfelf to us in
the Holy Sacrament, to unite Thyfelf to us with the
moft intimate Union that 'tis poffible to conceive,
to become the very food, the life, the ftrength, the
fupport of my foul, to become one with me, to be
come the very foul of my foul !

O Lord God, this is fo unconceivable a Blefling,
this is fo Divine an Union, that the very Angels,
who fo much defire to look into the great Myftery
of our Redemption, who learn Thy manifold Wif-
dom from Thy Church, and frequent the places of
Thy publick Worfhip, do crowd about our Altars,
and with awful admiration contemplate the Holy
Sacrament !

What thanks, then, gracious Lord, can I return to
Thee for thofe wonders of love Thou haft mowed
to me wretched linner, which the very Angels, who
never finned, fo much admire !

O deareft Lord, raife Thou my devotion to the
higheft pitch it can poffibly reach, to praife Thee ;
enlarge my Soul to its utmoft extent to love Thee !

How can I ever more offend fuch riches of Mercy,
as are in Thee, O Crucified Saviour ! and yet, whilft
I carry this body of fin about me, I fear I fhall ;
but, Lord, I do from my heart renounce and abhor
all things that difpleafe Thee, I refolve to the utmoft

to the Holy Altar.

of my power to refift all temptations, and to become
as totally Thine, as my frail nature will permit me.

0 Gracious Lord, Who haft fo infinitely loved us,
and given us everlafting Confolation, and good Hope
through Grace, comfort my heart, and for ever efta-
blifh it in every good Word and Work !

Blefllng, and Honour, and Glory, and Power, be
unto Him that fitteth on the Throne, and unto the
Lamb for ever !

Rejoice in the Lord Jefus, O my Soul, for of
Him cometh my Salvation.

1 will love Thee, O Lord my King, and I will
praife Thy Name for ever and ever !

Glory be to Thee, O Lord God, for giving me
this blefTed opportunity of coming to Thy Altar !
O grant I may never more pollute my Soul, which
Thou haft now made Thy Temple to refide in, Who
art the God of Purity !

Praife the Lord, O my Soul ; while I live, will I
praife the Lord ; as long as I have any Being, I will
fing praifes unto Thee, O blefled Saviour, my King
and my God.

O gracious Lord, pardon all my failings, accept
all my prayers and praifes, and fupply all my wants.
Amen, Amen.

136

Bifhop Kens Approach

Then Jhall the Prieft Jay the Lord's
Prayer^ the People repeating after him eve
ry Petition.

UR Father, which art in heaven.
Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be
done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread. And forgive
us our trefpafles, As we forgive them that
trefpafs againft us. And lead us not into
temptation ; But deliver us from evil :
For Thine is the Kingdom, The power,
and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

After Jhall be J "aid as follow eth :

LORD and heavenly Father,
we Thy humble fervants entire
ly defire Thy fatherly goodnefs
mercifully to accept this our facrifice of
praife and thankfgiving ; moft humbly
befeeching Thee to grant, that by the
merits and death of Thy Son Jefus Chrift,
and through faith in His blood, we and
all Thy whole Church may obtain remif-
fion of our fins, and all other benefits of

to the Holy Altar. 137

His paflion. And here we offer and pre-
fent unto Thee, O Lord, ourfelves, our
fouls and bodies, to be a reafonable, holy,
and lively facrifice unto Thee ; humbly
befeeching Thee, that all we, who are
partakers of this holy Communion, may
be fulfilled with Thy grace and heavenly
benediction. And although we be un
worthy, through our manifold fins, to
offer unto Thee any facrifice, yet we be-
feech Thee to accept this our bounden
duty and fervice ; not weighing our merits,
but pardoning our offences, through Jefus
Chrift our Lord ; by whom, and with
whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghoft, all
honour and glory be unto Thee, O Father
Almighty, world without end. Amen.

Or this.

'LMIGHTY and everliving God,
we mod heartily thank Thee,
for that Thou doft vouchfafe to
feed us, who have duly received thefe
holy myfteries, with the fpiritual food of
the moft precious Body and Blood of Thy
Son our Saviour Jefus Chrift ; and doft

'38

Bifhop Kens Approach

afTure us thereby of Thy favour and good-
nefs towards us ; and that we are very
members incorporate in the myftical body
of Thy Son, which is the blefled company
of all faithful people ; and are alfo heirs
through hope of Thy everlafting king
dom, by the merits of the moft precious
death and paflion of Thy dear Son. And
we moft humbly befeech Thee, O heavenly
Father, fo to affift us with Thy grace,
that we may continue in that holy fellow-
Ihip, and do all fuch good works as Thou
haft prepared for us to walk in j through
Jefus Chrift our Lord, to whom, with
Thee and the Holy Ghoft, be all honour
and glory, world without end. Amen.

'Then Jhall befaid or Jung.

LORY be to God on high, and
in earth peace, good will towards
men. We praife Thee, we blefs
Thee, we worfhip Thee, we glorify Thee,
we give thanks to Thee for Thy great
glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God
the Father Almighty.

to the Holy Altar.

O Lord, the only-begotten Son Jefu
Chrift ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son
of the Father, that takeft away the fins of
the world, have mercy upon us. Thou
that takeft away the fins of the world,
have mercy upon us. Thou that takeft
away the fins of the world, receive our
prayer. Thou that fitteft at the right
hand of God the Father, have mercy upon
us.

For Thou only art holy ; Thou only
art the Lord ; Thou only, O Chrift, with
the Holy Ghoft, art moft high in the glory
of God the Father. Amen.

140

Bijlwp Ken's Approach

Communion.

Then the Prieft (or Bi/hop if he be pre-
Jent) Jhall let them depart with this BleJJ-
ing.

Communion.

peace
of God,
which pafT-
eth all underftand-
ing,keep your hearts
and minds in the
knowledge and love
of God, and of His
Son Jefus Chrift our
Lord : and the
blefling of God
Almighty, the Fa
ther, the Son, and
the Holy Ghoft, be
amongft you, and
remain with you
always. Amen.

Devotions.

To God the Father,
Who firft loved us, and
made us accepted in the
Beloved; — to God the
Son, Who loved us, and
wafti'd us from our Sins
in His own Blood ; — to
God the Holy Ghoft,
Who fheds the Love of
God abroad in our hearts,
be all Love, and all Glory,
for time, and for eterni
ty. Amen.

to the Holy Altar.

Colletts to bejald after the Offertory,
when there is no Communion.

COLLECTS.

ASSIST us mercifully, O Lord,
in thefe our fupplications and
prayers, and difpofe the way of
Thy fervants towards the attainment of
everlafting falvation ; that among all the
changes and chances of this mortal life,
they may ever be defended by Thy moft
gracious and ready help ; through Jefus
Chrift our Lord. Amen.

O Almighty Lord, and everlafting
God, vouchfafe, we befeech Thee, to di
rect, fanctify, and govern both our hearts
and bodies in the ways of Thy laws, and
in the works of Thy Commandments ;
that through Thy moft mighty protection,
both here and ever, we may be preferved
in body and foul ; through our Lord and
Saviour Jefus Chrift. Amen.

Grant, we befeech Thee, Almighty
God, that the words, which we have heard
this day with our outward ears, may

141

142

Bijhop Kens Approach

through Thy grace be fo grafted inwardly
in our hearts, that they may bring forth
in us the fruit of good living, to the
honour and praife of Thy Name ; through
Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings
with Thy moft gracious favour, and fur
ther us with Thy continual help, that in
all our works begun, continued, and ended
in Thee, we may glorify Thy holy Name,
and finally by Thy mercy obtain ever-
lafting life ; through Jefus Chrift our
Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, the Fountain of all wif-
dom, Who knoweft our neceflities before
we afk, and our ignorance in afking ; We
befeech Thee to have compaflion upon our
infirmities ; and thofe things, which for
our unworthinefs we dare not, and for our
blindnefs we cannot afk, vouchfafe to give
us, for the worthinefs of Thy Son Jefus
Chrift our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, Who haft promifed to
hear the petitions of them that afk in Thy
Son's Name ; We befeech Thee mercifully
to incline Thine ears to us that have made

to the Holy Altar.

now our prayers and fupplications unto
Thee ; and grant, that thofe things, which
we have faithfully afked according to Thy
will, may effectually be obtained, to the
relief of our neceffity, and to the fetting
forth of Thy glory ; through Jefus Chrift
our Lord. Amen.

Upon the Sundays, and other holy days
(if there be no Communion] /hall be Jaid
all that is appointed at the Communion,
until the end of the general Prayer (For the
whole State of Chrift's Church militant
here in earth) together with one or more of
theje Collecls laft before rehearjed, conclud
ing with the BleJ/ing.

If any of the Bread and Wine remain of
that which was confecrated, it Jhall not be
carried out of the Church, but the Priejl,
and Juch other of the Communicants as he
Jhall then call unto him, Jhall immediately
after the Blejfing, reverently eat and drink
the fame.

FTER the congregation is dif-
mifTed, I advife you at the firft
opportunity to go into the pri
vacy of your own chamber, and
there to give God thanks for that great
blefling, of which He has now made you
a partaken

A Form of general Thank/giving.

10RTHY art Thou, O Lord of
Heaven and Earth, to receive
Glory>and Honour, and Power,
for Thou haft created all things, and for
Thy pleafure they are, and were created !
Thou haft made Heaven, the Heaven
of Heavens, with all their Hoft, the Earth
and all things that are therein ; — Thou
preferveft them all, and the Hoft of Hea
ven praifeth Thee !

Glory be to Thee, O Heavenly Father,
for giving Thy Only Son to die for my .

Rev. iv. 8.

Nehem, ix.
6.

146

Bifhop Ken's Approach

fins, and for all the Spiritual bleflings He \
has purchafed for me, — for my Baptifm, !
and all the opportunities Thou giveft me '
of ferving Thee, or of receiving the Holy j
Eucharift ; for whatever fin I have efcaped, j
for whatever good I have done, or thought,
for all my helps of Grace, and hopes of
Heaven, Glory be to Thee !

Pra'ife the Lord, O my Soul, and all that
is within mey praife His Holy Name.

Glory be to Thee, O Lord Jefus, for
Thy inexpreflible Love to Loft man :
Glory be to Thee, O Lord, for conde-
fcending to take our frail nature on Thee :
Glory be to Thee, for all Thy Heavenly
Doctrine to inftruct us, Thy great Mira
cles to convince us, and Thy unblameable
Example to guide us !

Glory be to Thee, O blefled Jefus, for
Thy Agony and Bloody Sweat, for all the
torments and anguifh of Thy bitter Paf-
fion !

Glory be to Thee, O blefled Jefus, for
Thy Glorious Refurredlion, and Afcenfion
to Heaven, and Interceffion for us at the
right hand of Thy Father !

to the Holy Altar.

O Gracious Lord, Thou that haft done
fo much for me, how can I ever fufficiently
praife and love Thee !

Praife the Lord Jefus, O my Soul, and
all that is within me, fraife His Holy Name !

Glory be to Thee, O bleffed Spirit,
Glory be to Thee, for all the miraculous
gifts and graces Thou didft beftow on the
Apoftles, to fit them to convert the World,
and for infpiring the Sacred Penmen of
Holy Scripture !

Glory be to Thee for inftilling holy
thoughts into my Soul, for all the ghoftly
ftrength, and fupport, and comfort, and
illumination we receive from Thee ; for
all Thy preventing, and reftraining, and
fanctifying Grace, glory be to Thee !

Blefled Spirit ! let me never more by
my fins grieve Thee who art the Author
of Life, and Joy to me !

Praife the Lord, O my Soul, and all that
is within me, praife His Holy Name.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Ghoft. As it was in the
beginning, is now, and ever mall be, world
without end. Amen.

148

Approach to the Holy Altar.

EMEMBER that when you

%ls!fc^

IgUftj

have received the holy Sacra

ment your greateft work is then

but beginning, which is, to ob-

ferve all

the promifes you have made to

God of future Obedience, and therefore 'tis

good for

you to read over now and then,

and to renew, your refolutions, and to ex

amine yourfelf how you have kept them,

that you

may preferve in your foul a fe-

rious fenfe of your duty, and a confcien-

tious care to perform it.

FINIS.

C. WHITTINGHAM, TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE.

Lately publijhed In om Volume
The Life of Bijhop Ken,
by a Layman.

DATE DUE

CAT. NO. 1137

78413

514?
,C5K4