Page images
PDF
EPUB

ANTE-COMMUNION.

OR

OFFICE OF THE COMMANDMENTS.

To be said on the Sundays immediately preceding those on which the Lord's Supper is to be administered.

COLLECT FOR PURITY.

ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Minister.

GOD spake these words and said, I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt have no other gods but me.

People. Lord, have

mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Min. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, and show mercy unto thousands of those

who love me and keep my commandments.

Peo. Lord have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Min. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who taketh his name in vain.

Peo. Lord have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Min. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all that thou hast to do; but the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt do no manner of work, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, thy cattle, and the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.

Peo. Lord have mercy

upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Min. Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Peo. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Min. Thou shalt do no murder.

Peo. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Min. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Peo. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Min. Thou shalt not

steal.

Peo. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Min. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Peo. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Min. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his

ass, nor any thing that is his.

Peo. Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all these thy laws in our hearts we beseech thee.

The Minister shall then announce the Communion in the following words;

On Sunday next will be administered unto all

Then shall the Minister who are religiously and

say;

HEAR what our Saviour Christ saith:

The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord

thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.

This is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

There is none other commandment greater than these.

devoutly disposed, and who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, the holy ordinance of the Lord's Supper.

Other notices may also be given at this time, and then the Hymn and Sermon shall follow as usual.

The foregoing Office may be performed after the Morning or Evening Prayer, or introduced in the course of either, at such place as shall seem most proper and convenient.

END OF THE OFFICE OF THE COMMANDMENTS.

THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER,

OR

HOLY COMMUNION.

While the Minister is reading the following Sentences, or such a portion of them as may be convenient, the Wardens shall collect the usual Alms for the Poor.

LET your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matt. v. 16.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust do corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for your selves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. Matt. vi. 19, 20.

Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto

you, even so do unto them; for this is the law and the prophets. Matt. vii. 12.

Not every one who saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he who doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matt. vii. 21.

He who soweth little shall reap little; and he who soweth plenteously, shall reap plenteously. Let every man do according as he is disposed in his heart; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Cor. ix. 6, 7.

While we have time let us do good unto all men, and especially unto those who are of the household of faith. Gal. vi. 10.

Godliness is great riches, if a man be content with that he hath; for we brought nothing into the world, neither may we carry any thing out. 1 Tim. vi. 6, 7.

Charge those who are rich in this world, that they be ready to give, and glad to distribute; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may attain eternal life. 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18, 19.

God is not unrighteous, that he will forget your works and labor that proceedeth of love, which ye have showed for his name's sake, who have ministered unto the saints, and yet do minister. Heb. vi. 10.

To do good, and to distribute, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Heb. xiii. 16.

Whoso hath this world's

good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 1 John, iii. 17.

Give alms of thy goods, and never turn thy face from any poor man; and then the face of the Lord shall not be turned away from thee. Tob. iv. 7.

Be merciful after thy power; if thou hast much, give plenteously; if thou hast little, do thy diligence gladly to give of that little; for so gatherest thou thyself a good reward in the day of necessity. Tob. iv. 8, 9.

He who hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and look, what he layeth out, it shall be paid him again. Prov. xix. 17.

Blessed is the man who provideth for the sick and needy; the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble. Psal. xli. 1.

I have shown you how that ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus how he said, It is

« PreviousContinue »