which love ye have shewed for His Name's sake, who have ministered unto the saints, and yet do minister. Heb. vi. 10. There is no merit in our best works, O Lord; but we hope for a reward from Thy goodness, which hath promised, and from Thy truth, which will perform it. Let but love animate our offerings, and we are assured Thou wilt cast a favourable eye towards them. 15. To do good and to distribute forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Heb. xiii. 16. Do I know sacrifices, O my God, that will please Thee, and shall I not offer them? O how happy dost Thou make Thy poor creatures in putting it into their power to do any thing that is acceptable to Thee! I will readily catch at every opportunity of doing good to the souls and bodies of men; for therein is Thy delight. 16. Whoso hath this world's goods, 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. In vain I pretend to love Thee, O my God, if my necessitous brother finds not the effect of it. Thy providence has made him the object of my charity, and Thou hast thereby consulted my greater good, in giving me thereby an occasion to testify the truth of my love towards Thee. 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. Tobit iv. 7. I am undone, O Lord, except Thou lookest upon me with an eye of mercy; therefore I will regard the cry of the poor, because the merciful shall obtain mercy. 18. 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. It is fit, O Lord, that Thou, who givest me all, shouldst be acknowledged with a proportionable share; and yet so great is Thy goodness, that Thou rewardest the small returns we are able to make with comfort and support in the day of necessity, and in the hour of death. 19. He that hath pity on the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and, look, what he layeth out it shall be paid him again. Prov. xix. 17. What hast Thou not done, O Lord, to pro voke me to good works? Thou condescendest to be a debtor to Thine own creatures; and I should be justly counted worse than a brute, could I refuse to lend upon such advantageous terms. 20. Blessed is the man that provideth for the sick and needy: the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble. Ps. xli. 1. It is Thy blessing, O Lord, alone, that can make us happy; let me never be so much wanting to myself, as to neglect those means Thou hast prescribed in order to attain it. While the minister reads these exhortations to charity, the communicants make their offerings, which ought to be done with a short prayer for God's acceptance. A Prayer When we offer our Alms. I ACKNOWLEDGE, O Lord, that all I possess is the effect of Thy bounty: it is from Thee I have received it, and to Thy holy name be the glory. Accept of this free-will offering from my hands, as a testimony of Thy right to all I enjoy, and as an exercise of that love and charity to my necessitous brethren which Thou requirest, and art pleased to take as done to Thyself. O my God, I am resolved to prefer my duty before any temporal satisfaction, because Thy favour is better than life. I will dedicate a part of those good things Thou hast bestowed upon me to relieve the poor, because Thou hast made it an evidence of my love to Thee. And grant that all my almsdeeds may be performed with such purity and intention of mind, and with such a proportion to what Thou hast given me, that they may be acceptable in Thy sight, through the merits of Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. Amen. When the offertory is finished, the priest desires God to accept of our alms, and of those oblations of bread and wine which he is now about to consecrate, whereby they may become to us the body and blood of Christ; in which we are to join with the greater fervour, because we are so particularly concerned in the acceptance of the holy gifts. And at this time it is that we exercise another sort of charity, by offering up our intercessions for the Church militant, for all estates and conditions of men, that God would be pleased to hear us for them, by virtue of the sacrifice of His Son, which we are about to commemorate. And we now thank God for all His servants departed this life in His faith and fear, because it is by virtue of the same sacrifice they will obtain their perfect consummation and bliss. How conformable this is to the practice of the ancient Church, is well known to those who are skilled in ecclesiastical history. Let us pray for the whole state of Christ's Church militant here on earth. Almighty and ever-living God, who by Thy holy apostle hast taught us to make prayers and supplications, and to give thanks for all men; If there be no alms we humbly beseech Thee most or oblations, then mercifully [to accept our alms accepting our alms and oblations, and] to receive and oblations" be these our prayers, which we shall the words "of left out unsaid. offer unto Thy divine Majesty, beseeching Thee to inspire continually the universal Church with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord. And grant that all they that do confess Thy holy Name may agree in the truth of Thy holy word, and live in unity and godly love. We beseech Thee also to save and defend all Christian kings, princes, and governors; and specially 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 |