yet there shall be no Communion, except four, or three at the least, communicate with the Prieft. And in Cathedral and Collegiate-Churches and Colleges, where there are many Priests and Deacons, they shall receive the Communion with the Prieft every Sunday at the leaft c, except they have a reasonable cause to the contrary. 1 L d And the most rePure red wine. Gen. 4.4. F T And to take away all occasion of diffenfion, and fuperfreshing (not heady) ftition, which any person hath, or might have concerning the Bread and Wine d; it shall fuffice that the Bread be such as is usual to be eaten, but the Best and Purest wheat bread that conveniently may be gotten. e But with a special care of fober and reverent use. No impenitent Person should tast of it; because it has been upon the holy Table. f Exod. 12. 10, 46. g Not now after the Blessing, as the Sacrament, but on ly as that to which a Reverence is due. For the Bread and Wine are confecrated only for the use of the pre And if any of the Bread and ter the Bleffing, reverently eat fent Communion. Therefore what remains of them is no more a However the remainder of the confecrated Bread and Wine should N 3 Acts 2. 42, 46. Ch 20.7. should be eaten and drank with thankful remembring Chrift's Body broken, and his Blood shed for us. L But immediately after the Blessing, or immediately before it, it would be well done to have fome imitation of the ancient Apoftolical Feasts of Charity, mention'd Acts 2. 46, and Jude 12; which, together with the Sacrament, are call'd the Lord's Supper 1 Cor. 11. 20. St. Paul would not have those Feasts laid aside, because they were abus'd; but he would have the abuse of them reform'd. Therefore a Sober diftribution of the fame Bread and Wine, of which part was confecrated, would help us to think of The strengthning and refreshing of our souls by the Body and Blood of Christ, as our bodies are by the Bread and Wine; and fo stir us up to bless God for the fame. The bread and wine for the Communion, shall be provided by the Curate and the Churchwardens, at the Charges of the Parish. 1 Cor. 5. 7. But we may not content our selves with communicating only at Eafter: as the Remembrance of the Sacrifice of Chrift's Death, and of : And note that every Parishioner shall communicate at the least three times in every year, of which Easter to be one h. And yearly at Easter every Parishioner shall reckon with the Parfon, Vicar or Curate, or his or their deputy or deputies, and pay to them or him all Ecclesiastical duties accustomably due then, and at that time to be paid. the Benefits which we receive thereby, is not to be only at that time. By what is said Acts 2. 42, 46. Ch. 20. 7, and 1 Cor. 11. 20, we cannot well think that the Apostles and first Christians did partake of this Sacrament seldomer than every Lord's day, day, and other holy Feast-day. And that they and we should do fo, is intimated by our Saviour's confecrating the Gracecup after supper, us'd in all the Jews Feasts. See the Lord's Supper, 17 26 Therefore we ought to endeavour after such holiness of life, as that we may be fit to partake of it as often as they did; when by our so often coming to it, we do not lessen, but increase Four Reverend Esteem of it. In the mean time they must be without excuse, who neglect to partake of it as often as the Church requires. i Care ought to be taken that holy alms be Christians as are fit to have them. After the Divine Service ended, the money given at the given to fuch good Offertory shall be disposed of to such pious and charitable uses i, as the Minister and Churchwardens shall think fit: wherein if they disagree, it shall be disposed of as the Ordinary shall appoint. And in giving these and other alms, the good of Souls is first to Confider'd. Nothing can be better done than to put poor children to school. And except in great necessity, no alms should be given to any, but those that endeavour to live as Christians ought. By this means how much good might a rich man do among his neighbours! k Thank Whereas it is ordain'd in this Office for the Administration of the Lord's Supper, that the Communicants should receive the same kneeling; which Order is well meant, for a fignification of our humble and grateful k acknowledgment of the Be-ful. nefits of Chrift therein given to all worthy recei-/Who then vers 1, and for the avoiding of such profanation pray, and as might otherwise ensue: Yet least the same kneel- therefore ought to ing should, by any persons, either out of igno-praykneelrance and infirmity, or out of malice and obsti-ing, nacy, be misconstrued and depraved m; it is here the fame declared, That thereby no adoration n is intended, Benefits. or ought to be done, either unto the Sacramental n Worship. Bread and Wine there bodily received, or unto N 4. any for mSlander'd. Wor • Bodily. any corporal o prefence of Christ's natural Flesh and Blood. For the Sacramental Bread and Wine remain in their very natural substances, and therefore may not be adored p: for that were idolatry, shipped. to be abhorred of all faithful Chriftians. And the natural Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ are in heaven, and not here; it being against the truth of Christ's natural Body, to be at one time in more places than one. Matth. 28. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the 19. Holy Ghost. THE DIVINE INSTITUTION OF CONFIRMATION, AND The HONOUR due to it; Very plainly shewing what Confirmation was in the Days of the Apostles: That the fame, notwithstanding the Ceasing of Miraculous Gifts, is Ordain'd of God for the Means of a Plenteous Increase of Grace to all Christians: And what Preparation and Reverence it requires, both of Those who are to be Confirm'd, and of Parents, Masters, Ministers, &c. Also the Deplorable Decay of True Chriftianity through the Contempt of Confirmation. Heb. xii. 28.. Let us have grace, whereby we may ferve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. 2 |