PREFACES. THIS I. 'HIS Manual is published in the hope that by means of illustration, division, etc., the Church of England Order of Holy Communion may be made more attractive, instructive, and devotional, and especially to the young and the less educated. A simple commentary is furnished side by side with the text. The Illustrations are as follows: I. A GENERAL ILLUSTRATION, SHOWING THE WHOLE SERVICE AT A GLANCE; IDEA TAKEN FROM THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION. II. THE FIRST OBLATION, ILLUSTRATED BY THE JEWISH WAVE OFFERING. III. THE SANCTUS, ILLUSTRATED BY ISAIAH'S VISION of the Seraphim. The explanation of the "Illustrations" will be found on pages 82 to 90, and should be carefully read before using the Manual. R. S. H. II. An Enstruction on the Holy Communion. "THE Holy Communion," like the ancient Passover, is a great mystery, consisting both of Sacrament and Sacrifice."-DEAN BREVINT. (a) Regarded as a Sacrament, it is the divinelyordained means whereby, "if thou art a worthy Communicant, thou dost as verily receive Christ's Body and Blood to all effects and purposes of the Spirit, as thou dost receive the blessed Elements into thy mouth."-BISHOP J. TAYLOR. "What the Elements are in themselves it skilleth not; it is enough that to me which take them they are the Body and Blood of Christ; His promise in witness hereof sufficeth. His Word He knoweth which way to accomplish. O my God, Thou are true: O my soul, thou art happy.”—HOOKER. (b) Regarded as a Sacrifice, "whatsoever Christ did at the institution, the same He commanded the Church to do in remembrance and repeated rites; and Himself also does the same thing in Heaven for us, making perpetual intercession for His Church, the body of His redeemed ones, by representing to the High Priest continually, and offers still the same one perfect Sacrifice; that is, still represents it as having been once finished and consummate, in order to perpetual and never-failing events. And this also His ministers do on earth; they offer up the same sacrifice to God, the Sacrifice of the Cross, by prayers, and in commemorating rite and representation, according to His holy Institution. . . The people are sacrificers too in their manner, for by saying Amen they join in the act of him that ministers, and make it to be their own," etc.- BISHOP J. TAYLOR. "This Sacrament is a Communion, as with Christ the Head, so with all the members of His mystical Body. This is the true love feast of God our Saviour, wherein we profess ourselves inseparably united both to Him and to His; if there be more hearts than one at God's table, He will not own them. These holy emblems give us an emblem of ourselves. This bread is made up of many grains incorporated into one mass; and this wine is the confluent juice of many clusters."-BISHOP HALL. III. Suggestions to Communicants. 1. Make a rule of receiving the Blessed Sacrament at an early Celebration. "Do this honour to It, that It be the first food we eat, and the first beverage we drink that day, unless it be in case of sickness, or other great necessity."-BISHOP TAYLOR, Holy Living, iv. 10, §9. "Come to early Communion, as giving the first of the day, the freshness of the Spirit, the unbrokenness of the heart, to that great service."-BISHOP S. WILBERFORCE. 2. Spend (if possible) a quiet Saturday evening; go to bed early, that you may be able to rise early, to be in your place some time before the service commences, to join quietly and calmly in the Holy Eucharist. 3. It is well to decide beforehand what offering of money you can make to the Lord. "I will not offer unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing." 4. When in Church, remember that you are engaged in a great act of Congregational worship and Intercession, the full efficiency of which must depend |