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WHICH ART IN HEAVEN:

The seat of thy Majestie,
The inheritance of thy children,
The Kingdome of Blisse.

HALLOWED BE THY NAME:

By the thoughts of our hearts,
By the words of our mouthes,
By the works of our hands.

THY KINGDOM COME:

Of Grace to inspire us,
Of Power to defend us,

Of Glory to crown us.

THY WILL BE DONE,

In weale and woe,

In fulnesse and want,

In life and death.

IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN:

In us as it is in thy Angels,
Willingly, readily, faithfully,
Without murmure, let, deceit.

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD:

For the nourishing of our bodies,

For the feeding of our soules,
For the relief of our necessities.

AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS,
Whereby thou art dishonoured,

Our neighbours [are] wronged
Ourselves [are] endangered.

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AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTERS:

That have hurt us in our bodies,

Hindred us in our goods,

Wronged us in our good name.

AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION:

Of the wicked world,

The enticing flesh, or

The envious devill.

BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL:

Forgive that is past,

Remove that is present,

Prevent what is to come.

FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM:

To rule and governe all,
To command and doe all,
In all, by all, All in all.

NOW AND FOR EVER.

At this present,

In this world,

In the world to come.

AMEN.

As thou sayest, so is it;

As thou promisest, so it shall be;
As we pray, So be it, Lord."

V. THE COMMUNION-TABLE NOT AN ALTAR.

"Tendimus in Latium."-VIRGIL.

THE tendency of man is too often to one or other of the extremes: thus, in avoiding the language, air, and spirit, of the Conventicle, we are too apt to approximate to Semi-Popery. That this is not a libel, the following observations will shew.

On the Communion-table of most of our new churches and chapels may be seen a thin quarto book, with the following title; which, it is maintained, is unwarranted, unorthodox, and unprotestant: "The Altar-Services, according to the Use of the United Church of England and Ireland."

Underneath this apparently-authorised, but veryimproper, title, (one, printed at Cambridge, is now alluded to,) are the University-Arms; and, below them, the following words: "Cambridge: printed by J. Smith, printer to the University," and, "tell it not in Gath!" "cum privilegio"!! Without further comment on the astounding fact, that the "privileged" printer of a Protestant University, in England, has either ventured, or has been authorised, (who could have done it ?*) to print so Judaical, so Papistical, a title to any portion of our Protestant Book of Common Prayer; we submit a few remarks on this abuse of the term "Altar," as applied to any part of the Worship and Services of our Christian, Scriptural, Apostolical, Protestant, Church;

It were well if the Patent of the Office of Printer to the King, or to the Two Universities, both gave, to some proper persons, a power, and rendered it their duty, to see that nothing be added to, taken from, or altered in, either the Bible, or the Book of Common Prayer, or bound up therewith; except by especial License, had, for that purpose, of the King in Council. 'Till then, we may look, in vain, for "Uniformity."

for whose continuance, increase, and perpetuity, maugre all her foes, "within and without," every devout churchman's prayer is, (Psalm, cxxii. 7-9:) "Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee! Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good."

1. The sacrament of the Lord's Supper is a commemorative Feast, and not a propitiatory Sacrifice: therefore, there being no victim, there can be no "altar.”

2. A supper is partaken of at a table by guests, and not at an "altar" by immolators; who stood around it, while the victim was slain and burnt.

3. The original institution of the holy communion took place at a table, (around which the Apostles sat, or rather reclined,) and not at an "altar." Matt. xxvi. 20. Mark, xiv. 18. Luke, xxii. 14. John, xiii. 23.

4. The Sacred Scriptures (whatever that semipapistical tract, "Directions for a Devout and Decent Behaviour,"&c. [too often, alas! bound up in our PrayerBooks,] may call it,) nowhere call the place, where the elements are administered, an "altar;" but, expressly use the words "the table of the Lord." 1 Cor. x. 21.

5. The word "altar" either carries our ideas back to the Mosaic sacrifices, and the Levitical institutions ; or reminds us of what has been called, by Roman Catholic writers, the "unbloody," and even the "vicarious, sacrifice of the mass."

6. The use of this term "altar," and the language employed in those other most erroneous books, “The Companion to the Altar," "The Week's Preparation," (et id genus omne,) has, it is feared, an almost irre

sistible tendency, to say the least, to lead men away from the one offering or sacrifice for sin, "once made,” on the altar of the cross, (so to speak,) for our redemption, by the only Saviour; and to cause them to attempt to substitute, in its place, an imaginary and self-righteous sacrifice; as if that were equally acceptable to God; and "perfective" (such is the blasphemous word used,) of the one, only, true, "full, perfect, and sufficient, Sacrifice, Oblation, and Satisfaction," of Christ.

7. The sacrifices of "praise," of "a broken spirit," and "a contrite heart;" (expressions, proper and natural enough in the mouths of Old Testament-Saints, and of converted Jews, as St. Paul;) as well as the offering of "ourselves, our souls and bodies," to God; are not even propitiatory, much less expiatory, as if brought to an "altar;" but, a eucharistic tribute, "a living sacrifice," and a "spiritual" surrender or dedication of the soul to God, at the throne of Grace;" "holy and acceptable unto God, when done in the exercise of Christian graces and duties; and are both our "reasonable service," "and our bounden duty." In this sense, alms, when given from love to Christ, and from love to man for Christ's sake, are "a sacrifice acceptable and wellpleasing to God," by Jesus Christ. Phil. iv. 18. Heb. xiii. 16. 1 Pet. ii. 5. They, like "the prayers of all saints," are first washed in his blood, and then perfumed with the "incense" of his merit. Rev. viii. 3. Then, not before, do they "come up with acceptance" before God: then only are they "had in remembrance" in his sight; and, being pardoned and accepted, they shall be owned and rewarded.

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