EORGE the Second, by the Grace of God, King of Great-Britain, beloved Edward Wicksteed, of our City of London, Bookfeller, hath humbly reprefented unto us, That he is now Printing a New Edition (with Improvements) of a Work, Entitled, The NEW Week's Preparation for a Worthy Receiving of the LORD'S SUPPER, as recommended and appointed by the Church of England, &c. In Two Parts. AND whereas the faid Edward Wickfeed has informed us, that the faid Work has been perfected with great Labour, Study, and Expence, He has therefore humbly pray'd us to grant to him the faid Edward Wickfeed, Our Royal Privilege, Licence, and AUTHORITY, for the SOLE Printing, Publishing, and Vending the faid Work, in as ample Manner and Form as has ever been done in Cafes of the like Nature. WE being graciously inclined to give all due Encouragement to Works that may be Of Publick Ufe and Benefit, and efpecially to thofe of this Kind, which fo greatly tend to the Advancement of Religion, and the general Good and Benefit of Mankind, AR E pleafed to condefcend to his Request, and DO by thefe Prefents (as far as may be agreeable to the Statute in that Cafe made and provided) give and grant to the faid Edward Wicksteed, his Executors, Adminiftrators, and Affigns, full Power, Licence, Privilege, and fole AUTHORITY, for the SOLE Printing, Publishing, and Vending the faid Work, together with all and all manner of Amendments, Corrections, Alterations, and Additions of or to the fame, during the Term of Fourteen Years, to be computed from the Date hereof; and our exprefs Will and Pleasure is, and we do hereby ftrictly charge, command and prohibit all and every Perfon and Perfons whatsoever, within our Kingdoms and Dominions, that they, nor any or either of them, prefume in any manner of wife to reprint, abridge, or extract the fame, or any Part or Parts thereof, either in the like, or in any other Form or Forms, Volume or Volumes whatfoever; OR to import, buy, vend, utter, or diftribute, any Copies thereof, or of any Part or Parts thereof, that are or fhall be printed or reprinted beyond the Seas, during the aforefaid Term of Fourteen Years, without the AUTHORITY, Confent, or Approbation of the faid Edward Wicksteed, his Executors, Adminiftrators, or Affigns, by Writing under his or their Hands and Seals firft had and obtained, as they and every of them offending herein will incur our Royal Indignation and Difpleasure, and fuch other Pains and Penalties as by the Laws and Statutes of our Realms may be inflicted. WHEREOF the Commiffioners and other Officers of our Cuftoms, the Mafter, Wardens, and Company of Stationers of London, and all other Officers, Minifters, and others, whom it may concern, are to take Notice, that a ftrict Obedience be given to our Pleasure herein fignified. Given at our Court at St. James's the Tenth Day of May, 1744, in the Seventeenth Year of our Reign. By his Majefty's Command, BRITISH HOLLES NEWCASTLE, RY The PREFACE. ii needs no Apology for publishing A few Inftances of the many lead Such Language fitter for a fenfual Lower than a Worshipper of the all-pure and all-knowing God. iii Bishop Stilling fleet's Teftimony a- gainst the Way of Worfhip made ufe of in Keble's Week's Prepa- The Way of Worship made use of in Keble's Week's Preparation has greatly contributed towards the It has ferved to bring Religion into barden the wicked and unthink- 7 ing Part of Mankind against the Keble's Week's Preparation, ve- ry different from that taught us Bihop Fleetwood's Teftimony a- The Prayers and Meditations in this A Prayer for the Evening. Page 691 A Prayer before Receiving, For THURSDAY. A Meditation for the Morning. 72 A Meditation for the Evening. 78 A Prayer for the Evening. For FRIDAY. - -- OCCASIONAL PRAYERS. REASONS for publishing this BOOK. THO' I may poffibly incur the Difpleasure of those whofe fecular Views may be fruftrated or difap T pointed by the Publication of this New Week's Preparation; yet I have the Confolation of being fully affured, that this prefent Undertaking will want no Apology to thofe, who have Religion truly at Heart, if they will be at Leifure, with a little Attention, to compare this Performance with the Old Week's Preparation, formerly printed for SAMUEL KEBLE. Nor am I under any Apprehenfion of being condemned for adding one more to the Number of Devotional Books, already extant upon the Subject of the holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper; becaufe the Tempers and Talents of Men are so different, that what does not affect one, may poffibly touch another; and, provided that fubftantial Piety and Devotion are improving, too many Inftruments cannot be employed for that Purpose. I am also perfuaded that the Bookfellers, who are the prefent Proprietors of KEBLE's Old Week's Preparation, cannot, as Chriftians, be fo deftitute of Principle and Good-Will to the Publick Caufe of the Chriftian Religion, as to endeavour, or even defire the Continuance of a Book, which has already been found fo injurious to Chriflianity, and has brought fo great and many Scandals upon the reasonable Service of Almighty God, as it will appear, that Book has already done: And therefore it is certainly most unfit to be put into the Hands of devout and well-meaning, but otherwife undifcerning Chriftians. To demonftrate that thefe Complaints are juft and fairly grounded; I have transcribed a few Paffages from the two laft Editions of KEBLE's Week's Preparation, and defire the impartial Reader, after he has confidered the Tendency of thofe Rapturous and Wanton Expreffions, to judge whether that Book deferves to bè blamed and fet afide, or not. A 2 [The Pages before the Lines refer to the small Edition printed 1742, and the Pages after the Lines to the pompous Edition printed 1738.] Page. 129 Art thou afraid of being too much enamoured with 137 this Jefus. O my Love, my Joy, my Jefus, my Lord, be thou prefent with me in the Sacrament, prefent more than by Inspiration, and make me prefent with thee, and that more than by Meditation-in a fpiritual, real, 67 and eternal Communion. O my Love, be thou nigh in my Mind, nigh in my Heart, and nigh to aid: me, for I 117 languish thro' Love, O what fhall I do, to have my Soul wholly poffeft with, and inebriated by thee, fo to enjoy 142 the perpetual Embraces of thee! When fhall I enjoy 95 thee? O my Life take my Soul; my Joy draw my Heart 142 unto thee. When fhall I fully pleafe thee? I will not let thee go till thou haft blessed me, my Life, my Love, 67 my Defire, my Delight, Ŏ that I may faint in myself 67,114 and depend on thee. Satisfy me with thy Blood. He Page. 142 152 74 129 157 105 157 74 bowed down his Head to Kifs me, He ftretched forth 74,126 80 his Arm to Embrace me. From his interior Love burft 81 forth fuch exterior Sins and Demonftrations as were 89 184 106 159 158 fufficient to mollify a Heart more frozen than Ice itself, 166 and more hard than any Marble. Such are thy Gifts, O 96 fweet Saviour, fuch are the Works and Delights of thy 143 Love. O that I was so faftened unto thee that I might 142 never depart. Thou wert within me. Thou only pleafeft me, and thee only I defire, &c. &c. &c. Thefe, without Difpute, are thy wanton Exercises of a warm Imagination, and a lufcious Fancy; where warmth of Conftitution, not Reason, much less Religion, has the chief and fovereign Influence. By what Means true Devotions is destroy'd. Here the true Spirit of Devotion, which is in its own Nature a liberal and reasonable Service, is made wholly to evaporate in unnatural Heats, and extatic Fervours, fuch as are a Difgrace and Reproach to the Dignity of a Rational Nature. And, inftead of speaking the Language of a ferious, rational, unaffected Piety, they abound wholly with rapturous Flights of unhallowed Love, |