B

Private Devotions for the Altar

LESSED Jesus! Saviour of the world! who hast called me to the participation of these thy holy mysteries, accept my humble approach to thy sacred table, increase my faith, settle my devotion, fix my contemplation on thy powerful mercy; and while with my mouth I receive the sacred symbols of thy body and blood, may they be the means of heavenly nourishment to prepare my body and soul for that everlasting life which thou hast purchased by thy merits, and promised to bestow on all who believe in and depend on thee. Amen.

Prayer to God.

Gracious and merciful God, Thou supreme Being, Father, Word and Holy Ghost, look down from heaven, the throne of thy essential glory, upon me thy unworthy creature, with the eyes of thy covenanted mercy and compassion: O Lord my God, I disclaim all merit, I renounce all righteousness of my own, either inherent in my nature, or acquired by my own industry: And I fly for refuge, for pardon and sanctification, to the righteousness of thy Christ For his sake, for the sake of the blessed Jesus, the Son of thy covenanted love, whom Thou hast set forth to be a propitiation for fallen man, and in whom alone Thou art well pleased, have mercy upon me, receive my prayers, pardon my infirmities, strengthen my weak resolutions, guide my steps to thy holy altar, and there feed me with the meat which perisheth not, but endureth to everlasting life. Amen.

B

After Receiving.

LESSED Jesus! Thou hast now blest me with the food of thy own merciful institution, and, in humble faith of thy gracious promise, I have bowed myself at thy table, to receive the precious pledges of thy dying love; O may thy presence go with me from this happy participation of thy goodness, that when I return to the necessary labours and employments of this miserable world, I may be enabled by thy grace to obey thy commandments, and conducted by thy watchful care through all trials, till, according to thy divine wisdom, I have finished my course here with joy, that so I may depart out of this world in peace, and in a stedfast dependence on thy merits, O blessed Jesus, in whose prevailing words I shut up all my imperfect wishes, saying, '

Our Father, &c. Amen.

THE END.

THE ALTERATIONS OF 1789.

We have given in full the changes from the book of Common Prayer of the Church of England which were adopted in the "Proposed Book." We append with a view to give completeness to our record of the liturgical revision of the American Church the following official announcement of the "Alterations," as the heading of the rare pamphlet we copy styles it from the English Prayer Book, which constitute our present Prayer Book. The pamphlet is without title, and has neither place nor year of publication, but was evidently issued for temporary use while the first edition of the new Prayer Book was in press. It is reprinted verbatim et literatim.

TABLES of LESSONS of Holy Scripture,

to be read at Morning and Evening Prayer, throughout the Year.

A

TABLE of Lessons for

of Lessons for Holy-Days.

In the Order for daily Morning and Evening Prayer.

The three following Texts are added to Church; and at the end of every Psalm, the sentences, with which the Minis- and likewise at the end of the Venite, ter is to begin Morning and Eve- and other Hymns. may be said the ning Prayer. Gloria Patri, or Gloria in Excelsis, as in the Communion service.

Tlet all the earth keep silence
HE Lord is in his holy temple;

before him. Hab. ii. 20.

From the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering; for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of Hosts. Mal. i, 11.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be al way acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Psal. xix. 14.

In the Exhortation, dele the word most before, chiefly, and the words, after me, at the close.

In the general Confession, the Lord's Prayer, and in all other places for them that, read those who.

The Absolution in the Communion service may be used instead of that following the general confession.

The suffrage after the Lord's prayer, O God make speed to save us, Ans. O Lord make haste to help us, are omitted.

Instead of the four last verses in the Venite, exultemus, the two following are adopted.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth stand in awe of him.

For he cometh, for he cometh, to judge the earth; and with righteousness to judge the world, and the people with his truth.

In the Te Deum, instead of thine honourable, read, thine adorable, true and only Son.

the Virgin's womb, read thou didst Instead of, thou didst not abhor humble thyself to be born of a Virgin.

For, let thy mercy lighten upon us, read. let thy mercy be upon us.

The Hymns after the first lesson at evening prayer are the Cantate Domino, or 98th Psalm, and instead of the Magnificat, the four first verses of

Psalm 92.

Psalm xcii. 1, 2, 3, 4.

unto the Lord, and to sing praise It is a good thing to give thanks unto thy Name, O most Highest ;

To tell of thy loving kindness early in the morning, and of thy truth in the night season;

Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the lute; upon a loud instrument, and upon the harp.

For thou, Lord, hast made me glad joice in giving praise for the operathrough thy works; and I will retions of thy hands.

After the second lesson at morning prayer, the Jubilate Deo, or 100 Psalm; or the four first verses only of the Benedictus is to be used.

At evening prayer the Deus misereatur, or 67 Psalm, or Benedic, Anima mea, part of 103 Psalm.

Praise the Lord, O my soul; and

Then a portion of the Psalms as formerly appointed, or one of the all that is within me, praise his holy selection of Psalms set forth by this name.

(451)

Praise