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and specially unto them that are of the houshold of faith. Gal. vi. 10.

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

13. Charge them who are rich in this world, that they be ready to give, and glad to diftribute, 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.

14. God is not unrighteous, that he will forget your works, and labour that proceedeth of love; which love ye have fhewed for his Name's fake, who have ministered unto the faints, and yet do minifter. Hebr. vi. 10.

15. To do good, and to diftribute forget not; for with fuch facrifices God is well pleafed. Hebr. xiii. 16.

16. Whoso hath this world's good, and feeth his brother have need, and fhutteth up his compaffion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 1 S. John ii. 17.

PARAPHRASE.

were practice of our holy religion, ought to recommend them more strongly to our esteem and regard.

12. If we are in all things refigned to the will of God, and fatisfied with the fituation in which Providence hath placed us, we are then fuf ficiently rich for fince we brought nothing with us into the world, and can take nothing with us beyond the grave, what availeth it, to be overanxious about the perishing concerns of this life?

13. Admonish thofe to whom the providence of God hath been liberal, that they be always ready to affift thofe to whom the bleffings and comforts of life have been dealt out with a more fparing hand: which is the most effectual method of laying up for themselves treasures in heaven, and making a good foundation against the time to come.

14. The God of mercy and benevolence will never forget the charitable works of thofe whofe love for him induces them to affist their poor brethren, God eftecms what is done unto them as done unto himself.

15. Be conftant and uniform in the practice of generofity, confidering not only the pleasure that must always arife in the benevolent mind, from the indulgence of this noble difpofition, but alfo, that with fuch facrifices God is well pleased.

16. As benevolence is the teft of fincerity in religion, whatever perfon in affluent circumstances fhutteth up his compaffion to the distreffes of his fellow creatures, and denies that affiftance which his circumstances will permit, we may fairly pronounce that man deftitute of all true religion.

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

18. Be merciful after thy power. If thou haft much, give plenteously. If thou haft little, do thy ciligence gladly to give of that little for fo gathereft thou thyfelf a good reward in the day of neceffity. Ver. 8, 9.

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

20. Bleffed be the man that provideth for the fick and needy the Lord fhall deliver him in the time of trouble. Pfal. xli. .

Whilft thefe Sentences are in reading, the Deacons, Church-wardens, or other fit perjon appointed for that purpose, shall receive the Alms for the Poor, and other devotions of the People, in a decent Bafon, to be provided by the Parifh for that purpose; and reverently bring it to the Priest, who shall bumbly prefent and place it upon the holy Table.

And when there is a Communion, the Priest shall then place upon the Table fo much Bread and Wine, as he shall think fufficient. After which done, the Prieft fball fay,

Let us pray for the whole ftate of Christ's Church militant here in earth.

PARAPHRASE.

fince the love of God (which implies alfo the love of man) dwelleth not in him. Jobn iii. 17.

17. Give generously of thy poffeffionis to the poor and needy; never turn away thy face from the poor, but affist him to the utmott of thy power, and beftow thy kindness in fuch a manner, as to give the receiver as little pain as posible; then the Lord will remember, and amply requite thy generofity.

18. Let thy gifts be proportioned to thy circumstances; if thou en oyeft a great abundance of the bleffings of life, let thy abundant liberality tellify thy gratitude; if on the contrary thou poffeffet but little, ftill, out of that little do as much as thou cant, to affitt thofe who are still poorer than thyfelf; fo fhalt thou lay up for thyfelf treafures in heaven where pain and grief and poverty fhall have an end.

19. He who taketh compaffion on the poor and affifteth him, lendeth his money to the Lord, who will amply repay him again in riches more durable than any this world can afford, (Prov. xix. 17.)

20. The man who charitably affifteth the fick and the poor, f all be delivered in the time of trouble by the God of all grace, mercy, and ompaffion, (Pfal. xli. )

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PARA

I.

"Amighty and everlating God, who by thy holy Apof

tle haft taught us to make prayers and fupplications, and to give thanks for all men; We humbly befeech thee •If there be no moft mercifully [to accept our Alms and Alms or Oblations, Oblations, and] to receive thefe our prayers, then shall the words which we offer unto thy Divine Majefty, [of accepting our Alms and Obla- befeeching thee to infpire continually the tions] be left out univerfal Church with the spirit of truth, unfaid. 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 Governors; and efpecially thy fervant GEORGE our King, that under him we may be godly and quietly governed and grant unto his whole Council, and

PARAPHRASE.

On the Prayer for the State of Chrift's Church.

2.

1. O omnipotent and everlasting God, who, by thy apoftle St Paul, haft exhorted us to make fupplications, prayers, interceffions, and giving of thanks for all men, (1 Tim. ii. 1) We therefore in conformity to this thy divine command do most humbly offer up our petitions to thee, O God, in behalf of thy holy church, which is compofed of all the faithful believers in our Lord Jefus Chrift, wherever they are difperfed throughout the world, and however diftinguifhed by various appellations among men ; most humbly intreating thee to infpire them with the fpirit of truth, (John xiv. 17.) which may be their protection and defence against all errors and mistakes in important articles of belief; give them grace to live quiet and fober lives, that the peace of the church may not be difturbed, by unwarrantable feparations, and grant that those who continue members of thy true charch, may be uniform in their worship and communion one with another, and that they may live in unity and the bond of peace, rendering mutually to each other every service in their power.

2. In the next place, we offer up our hamble prayers for Kings, and all that are in authority over us, but more particularly for thy faithful fervant GEORGE our only rightful king and fovereign: Grant, O Lord, that under his care, and through his conduct, we may live quiet and peaceable lives: we pray likewife for thy bleffing upon all his councellors, and upon all who execute juftice throughout the kingdom; grant, O Lord, that they may adminifter juftice with an impartial hand, and to be no refpecters of perfons, may they be in all refpects punishers of vice and encouragers of virtue, always preferving and maintaining thy holy religion established amongst us.

to all that are put in authority under him, that they may truly and indifferently minifter juftice, to the punishment of wickedness and vice, and to the maintenance of thy true Religion and Virtue. 3. Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all Bishops and Curates, that they may both by their life and doctrine fet forth thy true and lively Word, and rightly and duly adminifter 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 holiness and righteoufnefs all the days of their life. 4. And we most humbly beseech thee of thy goodness, O Lord,' to comfort and fuccour all them who in this tranfitory life are in trouble, forrow, need, ficknefs, or any other adverfity. 5. And we alfo blefs thy holy Name, for all thy fervants departed 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 Advocate. Amen.

PARAPHRASE.

3. We pray likewife, O Lord, that thou wouldeft extend thy grace to all the minifters of thy holy gofpel, whether they are bishops or inferior minifters, that by the conformity of their lives and doctrines, they may at once explain thy holy will, and enforce the obfervance of it. Rightly and duly adminiftering thy holy facraments; and give grace, O Lord, to all thy people, efpecially to all thofe who are prefent at this time, that with all proper reverence and humility, they may hear and receive thy holy word, and improving daily in all fpiritual knowledge and virtue, may ferve thee in fincerity and truth all the days of their life.

4. Furthermore we extend our prayers in behalf of all the fons of affiction, humbly befeeching thee, who art the God of all comfort, to give them confolation under all their misfortunes, and, finally, to deliver them out of all their troubles and adversities.

5. We also offer up our most hearty thanksgivings to thy heavenly majefty, for the multitude of good examples which thou haft fet before us, in the lives of the holy martyrs and confeffors, and other perfons eminent for piety and godliness, befeeching thee to grant us thy grace, that by treading in their fteps, we may hereafter enjoy, together with them, a crown of glory which fadeth not away; and this, O moft gracious God, we beg for the fake of thy Son, our Saviour, Mediator, and Advocate. Amen.

When

When the Minifter giveth warning for the celebration of the boly Communion (which he shall always do upon the Sunday, or fome boly-day immeniately preceeding) after the Sermon or Homily ended, he shall read this Exhortation following.

DE

Early beloved, on- -day next, I purpose, through God's affiftance, to adminifter to all fuch as fhall be religiously and devoutly difpofed, the moft comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Chrift, to be by them received in remembrance of his meritorious Crofs and Paffion, whereby alone we obtain remiffion of our fins, and are made partakers of the kingdom of heaven. Wherefore it is our duty to render moft humble and hearty thanks to Almighty God our heavenly Father, for that he hath given his Son our Saviour Jefus Chrift, not only to die for us, but also to be our fpiritual food and fuftenance in that holy Sacrament. Which being fo divine and comfortable a thing to them who receive it worthily, and fo'dangerous to them that will prefume to receive it unworthily; my duty is to exhort you, in the mean feason, to confider the dignity of that holy mystery, and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof, and fo to fearch and examine your own confciences (and that not lightly, and after the manner of diffemblers with God; but fo) that ye may come holy and clean to fuch a heavenly Feaft, in the marriage-garment required by God in holy Scripture, and be received as worthy partakers that holy Table.

of

The way and means thereto is: First, to examine your lives and converfations by the rule of God's commandments; and whereinfoever ye fhall perceive yourfelves to have offended, either by will, word, or deed, there to bewail your own finfulness, and to confefs yourselves to Almighty God, with full purpofe of amendment of life. And if ye fhall perceive your offences to be fuch as are not only against God, but also against your neighbours, then ye fhall reconcile yourselves unto them, being ready to make resti tution and fatisfaction according to the uttermost of your powers, for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other; and being likewife ready to forgive others that have offended you, as ye would have forgiveness of your offences

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