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THE 
 
 CATECHUMEN'S AND COMMUNICANT'S 
 
 COMPANION, 
 
 FOR THE USE OF YOUNG PERSONS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LUTHERAN CHURCH, 
 
 RECEIVING INSTRUCTION PREPARATORY TO 
 
 CONFIRMATION AND THE LORD'S SUPPER. 
 
 BY JOHN a. MORRIS, D. D. 
 
 pastor of JFiwt HSnglfsfj Hutfitran Cfmrcfj, Baltimore. 
 
 Third Edition, Revised and Corrected. 
 
 BALTIMORE: 
 
 PUBLISHED AND SOLD BY T. NEWTON KURTZ, 
 
 No. 151 West Pratt Street. 
 
 1854. 
 

 E^* , l , EEED, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand 
 eight hundred and fif y-four, by T. Newton Kurtz, in the Clerks 
 Office of the District Court of the United States for the District of 
 Majryland. 
 
 &S5BWOOD & Co. PRINTERS. 
 
PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION. 
 
 This little Manual, which was first prepared ill 
 my ministerial boyhood, and of which two editions 
 were printed in the short space of two years, has 
 been frequently called for since, but not a copy 
 could be procured. Twenty years ago it was 
 highly recommended to the churches by some of 
 our most valued ministers in a printed address, and 
 the presumption is that those of them still living, 
 yet retain the same opinion of its merits. The 
 best evidence, however, of the esteem in which it 
 has been held, is the sale of two large editions and 
 the regular demand for it ever since. I have often 
 been solicited to republish it, but have never coifc- 
 sented until now. 
 
 Though the title of the book declares it to be de- 
 signed for the young, yet those far advanced hi 
 years have also been profited by its use. It will 
 serve to prepare them also for the Sacred Com- 
 
IV PREFACE. ^ 
 
 munion, and excite a spirit of devotion which 
 perhaps might not be so intense without such 
 a help. 
 
 No essential alteration has been made in this 
 edition, and it is now sent forth into the church 
 with the hope that it will do much good. 
 
 JOHN G. MORRIS. 
 
 Baltimore, Juno, 1S54. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER. PAGE. 
 
 I. General Reflections on Confirmation 9 
 
 II. Meditation before- the Instructions begin. ... 15 
 
 III. Meditation before every hour of Instruction 21 
 
 IV. Meditation after the hour of Instruction... . 24 
 V. Meditation ^ at the end of the Instruction. 
 
 (Recapitulation. 27 
 
 VI. Confessions of sins, and resolutions of obe- 
 dience to God - e . . 40 
 
 VII. The day of Confirmation 45 
 
 VIII. Morning Prayer on the day of Confirmation. 49 
 
 IX. Prayer for my fellow Cabechumens. 51 
 
 X. '^Meditations before going to be Confirmed. . 54 
 
 XI. Return from Confirmation .57 
 
 XII. Evening Prayer on the day of Confirmation, 60 
 
 XIII. Baptism. 62 
 
 XIV. When the notice of the Communion is pub- 
 
 licly given 67 
 
 XV. The founder of the Holy Supper 70 
 
 XVI. Institution of the Lord's Supper 78 
 
 XVII. Preparatory Reflections. Jesus in Gethse- • 
 
 mane •. 85 
 
 XVIII. Jesus on Calvary 95 
 
VI CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER. PAGE. 
 
 XIX. Design of the Lord's Supper .....103 
 
 XX. Doctrine of the Lord's Supper Ill 
 
 XXL Blessing of the Lord in the Holy Supper 120 
 XXII. What must the Christion do when he 
 desires to partake of the blessings 
 of the Holy Supper 124 
 
 XXIII. Upon the excuses for not going to the 
 
 Lord's Supper. . ••• .135 
 
 XXIV. Helps for Self-Exarnination 146 
 
 XXV. Confession of Sins preparatory to receiv- 
 ing the Holy Sacrament 157 
 
 XXVI. Prayer before the Sacrament of the 
 
 Lord's Supper 161 
 
 Meditation of a young Christian upon going to the 
 
 table for the first time ♦ . . . .166 
 
 fXXVIl.|For a communicant in spiritual distress 169 
 
 XXVIII. Morning prayer on Communion Day.. . . .174 
 
 Prayer before receiving the Holy Sacrament. ..... .178 
 
 Communion. • .173 
 
 Thanksgiving and Prayer after the Sacrament of 
 
 the Lord's Supper 179 
 
 Ejaculations after Communion 182 
 
 Meditation for Sunday evening, after receiving the 
 
 Lord's Supper 187 
 
 Morning and evening Prayers for every day in the 
 
 Week. . . . . 194 
 
CONTENTS. VII 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 A Prayer under grievous Pains. .241 
 
 A Prayer under dangerous sickness . . . . '. 243 
 
 A Prayer under lingering sickness 247 
 
 Thanksgiving and Prayer after recovery out of a 
 
 dangerous sickness • . .249 
 
 Prayer for Preparation to die* 253 
 
 Prayer under Fears and Doubts of our spiritual Con- 
 dition , 275 
 
 The convinced Sinner's Prayer 215 
 
 A Prayer for the enlargement and prosperity of the 
 Church ,265 
 
COMPANION 
 
 FOE CATECHUMENS AND COMMUNICANTS. 
 
 CHAPTEK I. 
 General Reflections on Confirmation. 
 
 The eventful period is fast approaching 
 when I am to renew my baptismal vow in 
 the solemn rite of Confirmation. It is an 
 important period, which I anticipate with 
 much pleasure, and yet not without a se- 
 cret holy dread. I will now devoutly med- 
 itate upon the object of this sacred rite, 
 and study to understand its nature clearly, 
 that I may ascertain what benefit it can 
 afford me, and the obligations it imposes 
 upon me. 
 
 When I was an infant, I was baptized 
 in the name of the Father, Son and Holy 
 Ghost I was then bound to have myself 
 instructed as soon as I arrived at a proper 
 age — to dedicate myself to Jesus Christ, 
 my Saviour, and to devote myself to the 
 2 
 
10 catechumen's and 
 
 service of God. I then also received a 
 promise from my merciful Father, that he 
 would acknowledge meas his child, gra- 
 ciously provide for my body and soul, grant 
 me all the privileges of a Christian, and 
 finally crown me with everlasting life. 
 
 When I took these obligations upon 
 myself I was yet a child. The faculties of 
 my soul were not yet cultivated, and I did 
 not comprehend the nature of these things, 
 But I grew- up, and the joowers of my 
 body and soul began to develop and to 
 strengthen. I became capable of instruc- 
 tion, and was taught that I had been bap- 
 tized in my infancy — that solemn obliga- 
 tions had been laid upon me, and that I 
 had received a promise from my heavenly 
 Father. 
 
 In the progress of my instruction, I 
 learned to know the God to whom I had 
 been dedicated in my earliest childhood, 
 and who always manifested his loving 
 kindness to me. By degrees, I learned 
 more and more of this benevolent Being, 
 and was instructed in the knowledge of 
 
communicant's companion. 11 
 
 his Son Jesus Christ, who died to ransom 
 us from eternal ruin. And now (blessed 
 be a kind providence, which has hitherto 
 preserved me !) I have arrived at an age, 
 when it would be my own fault, and ren- 
 der me highly culpable, if I did not pos- 
 sess a complete knowledge of every thing 
 the Holy Bible teaches us respecting Gocl 
 and divine things. 
 
 From this I can easily perceive the ob- 
 ject of my Confirmation. What I have 
 learned and believed, I must now profess. 
 It is true that an omniscient God does not 
 need a profession from me ; he knows al- 
 ready what I believe, and sees the thoughts 
 of my inmost soul ; but my fellow Chris- 
 tians, amongst whom I was baptized and 
 educated, have a right to demand that I, 
 who have enjoyed so many Christian pri- 
 vileges amongst them, should profess my 
 Christian faith, embrace the gospel of 
 Christ as the rule of my conduct, acknowl- 
 edge my conviction that Jesus came from 
 heaven, as the only begotten Son of God, 
 to redeem us from the curse and condemna- 
 
12 catechumen's and 
 
 tion of the law; that his doctrine is the only 
 certain way to eternal happiness; that I am 
 determined to practice the precepts of 
 Jesus and conform my life, as far as I can, 
 by divine assistance, to his spotless exam- 
 ple. Besides all this, does not the grati- 
 tude I owe to Gi-od for his past mercies de- 
 mand, that I publicly make this profession 
 to his honor and glory ? 
 
 But there is another consideration which 
 I must not overlook. In my baptism I was 
 dedicated to Christ as his property, and 
 thus solemnly obligated to serve him and 
 the Father who sent him into the world. 
 True, this occurred when I was unconscious 
 of it, but in the progress of years, my ob- 
 ligations, their import and immense im- 
 portance were impressed upon me. Is it 
 not reasonable that I should now, after 
 having learned these things, openly ac- 
 knowledge the whole extent of my obliga- 
 tions, and solemnly renew them before the 
 omniscient Gi-od? that I should sincerely 
 promise before him, who has always 
 evinced so much love towards me, that I 
 
communicant's companion. 13 
 
 will never, by his gracious help, indulge 
 any sinful inclination, or desire, but that I 
 will spend the remainder of my days in his 
 service, and yield implicit obedience to his 
 laws and precepts ? 
 
 If I enter into this engagement with 
 God with a sincere heart, and an unwav- 
 ering determination to perform all my du- 
 ties, then the gracious promise that he 
 gave me at my baptism will be renewed ; 
 he will be my Grod, and will provide for 
 my body and soul ; conduct and guard me 
 through the journey of my life — grant 
 me strength in my struggle against sin, 
 and if I continue to be faithful he will 
 finally introduce me into that happy king- 
 dom which he has prepared for them that 
 love him. 
 
 It is this that fills my heart with joy at 
 th.e prospect of my approaching Confirma- 
 tion; and yet the thought of the solemn 
 promise which I am about to make, and of 
 the vast importance of the sacred rite, 
 creates a holy dread in my soul. 
 2* 
 
14 catechumen's and 
 
 I stand in need of thy assistance., mer- 
 ciful God, from whom cometh every good 
 and perfect gift. Prepare me for this holy 
 work ; impress upon my heart most deeply 
 the importance of Confirmation, and of 
 that valuable Messing which it is calcu- 
 lated to bring upon me. Until the import- 
 ant day arrives may I be diligently en- 
 gaged in studying the sanctifying doc- 
 trines of thy Son; increase my faith in 
 their saving efficacy; may I experience 
 their blessed operations on my heart and 
 life more and more every day, that at last 
 I may acknowledge them as thine own 
 word, and as the fountain of all my hap- 
 piness in time and eternity. May I daily 
 experience more and more the value of re- 
 ligion and of the happiness of a life spent 
 in thy service. May I hate sin more and 
 more, because it displeases thee — may my 
 love for thy Son, my Saviour, increase as 
 I grow in years, that at last I may dwell 
 with thee in thy heavenly kingdom. Amen, 
 
communicant's companion. 15 
 
 CHAPTEK II. 
 
 Meditation before the instructions preparatory to 
 Confirmation begin. 
 
 The time has now arrived when I am to 
 be more particularly prepared for Confirm- 
 ation. I will now receive instruction in 
 those sacred truths which constitute the 
 holy religion which Jesus the Son of God 
 brought down from heaven. I will now be 
 taught the full meaning of this sacred rite, 
 and the high responsibilities it imposes 
 upon me. I feel that this particular pre- 
 paratory instruction is highly necessary- 
 for although the doctrines and duties of 
 religion have been inculcated upon me 
 by my parents or in the Sunday school, 
 yet I discover that much more is wanting 
 than I have ever learned, if I desire to 
 make a conscientious profession of my faith, 
 and my wavering heart daily demands 
 some new incentive to confirm me in my 
 hatred to sin and love to God. I feel that 
 I cannot too frequently hear the word ex- 
 
16 catechumen's and 
 
 plained; and my duties to God, my neigh- 
 bor and myself, cannot be too frequently 
 impressed upon me. What was taught me 
 in my childhood I did not altogether com- 
 prehend, and now I will have an opportu- 
 nity of hearing a plain and practical ex- 
 planation of these sacred doctrines. My 
 beloved pastor will accommodate his in- 
 structions to my youthful capacity, and by 
 the help of the divine Spirit I will learn 
 more of Jesus Christ, while his precepts 
 will exercise their gracious influence upon 
 my heart. 
 
 The holy man to whom this important 
 trust is committed, will instruct me in the 
 faith of the gospel, and will affectionately, 
 yet forcibly exhort me to devote myself a 
 living sacrifice to God. He will represent 
 to me the evil of sin, its tendency to 
 separate me from my heavenly Father, and 
 to provoke his holy displeasure against 
 me. He will illustrate the holy nature of 
 God and the sanctity of his law, which I 
 have broken, and thus make it clear to me 
 that I am under condemnation, and how 
 
communicant's companion. 17 
 
 can I make atonement for my own guilt to 
 render satisfaction to divine justice? I 
 plainly see the necessity of a Kedeemer to 
 pay the ransom for my soul, and to deliver 
 me from everlasting punishment; and when 
 I consider the magnitude of the work, and 
 the immense value of the immortal soul. I 
 also perceive that no other Being, but the 
 only begotten Son of Grod, is fully adequate 
 to its accomplishment. In this fundamen- 
 tal doctrine I will be more extensively in- 
 structed, and Jesus, my adorable Saviour, 
 will be more dear to me, the more I learn 
 of his wonderful character. By the grace 
 of God I will be inclined to believe in his 
 name with an unwavering faith, for as yet 
 I feel my heart too much divided between 
 the things of heaven and earth. My gay 
 companions and the allurements of the 
 world draw away my attention from Christ, 
 so that I often feel, as the apostle expresses 
 it, " that in me dwelleth no good thing, 
 for to will is present with me, but how to 
 perform that which is good I find not ; for 
 the good that I would, I do not, but the 
 
18 catechumen's and 
 
 evil which I would not, that I do." Bom. 
 vi, 18, 19. My will is on the side of God 
 and of truth , but my passions oppose it. I 
 must therefore receive strength from on 
 high to overcome this principle of rebellion, 
 and to submit myself to the government 
 of God. My pastor will then instruct me 
 in the means, evidences and consequences 
 of regeneration, and my own experience, 
 corresponding with the declarations of 
 God's word, will enable me to decide on my 
 own case. 
 
 But the duties of Christianity will also 
 claim a large share of his attention during 
 the course of preparation. Alas ! how far 
 short do I fall in this respect! I forget 
 those I owe to God, and my fellow men and 
 myself. How great my responsibility, and 
 yet how indifferent my heart ! What plea 
 shall I mate when I stand at the judgment 
 seat of God ? Can I plead ignorance, when 
 I have so many opportunities of learning 
 my duty ? I will then go in company with 
 my young friends and learn what I am to 
 believe and practice. The exhortations, 
 
communicant's companion. 19 
 
 instructions and warnings of my pastor 
 shall not be uttered in vain, but my heart 
 shall be open and ready to receive the 
 word of truth, 
 
 Prepare me for this, merciful Father in 
 heaven ! May no vain thought distract my 
 mind, and no unworthy subject occupy my 
 attention, but may the word of exhorta- 
 tion, which I am about to hear, sink deep 
 in my heart, and may I so highly value 
 the instruction I am to receive, that I may 
 hereafter, by thy grace, bring forth the 
 fruits of righteousness in my life, May I 
 be able to appreciate it as the gospel of the 
 living God, brought down from heaven by 
 thy Son for the salvation of mankind. May 
 I listen to it with undivided attention, and 
 with an ardent desire of receiving spiritual 
 benefit. Strengthen the faculties of my 
 mind, and grant me the assistance of thy 
 Spirit, that I may make a profitable appli- 
 cation of thy word. Grant that nothing 
 may ever prevent me from being present 
 at these instructions, and during the whole 
 
20 catechumen's and 
 
 course of this preparation, may I always 
 have the great object in view. May I aban- 
 don the follies and sins of youth, and walk 
 before thee and the world in righteousness 
 and holiness, that I may appear at the ta- 
 ble of the Lord a worthy communicant, 
 and receive all the benefits of that blessed 
 ordinance. These things I ask for the sake 
 of my Redeemer, whom I sincerely desire 
 to serve and love, and to whom with thee, 
 and the Holy Grhost, be all honor and 
 glory, world without end. Amen. 
 
communicant's companion. 21 
 
 CHAPTEE III. 
 Meditation before every hour of Instruction. 
 
 The hour lias arrived when I am again 
 to go and receive instruction from the 
 minister of the Lord in the holy truths of 
 religion, by which I am to be prepared for 
 Confirmation. I go with a holy joy and 
 earnest desire for the " sincere milk of the 
 word," and my determination is to learn 
 much respecting this heavenly doctrine. 
 It will require all my attention and my 
 most ardent prayers; and I would remem- 
 ber that it is none other than the word of 
 the living God I am about to hear, which 
 will be proclaimed by his servant, my 
 pastor. I am now going to the school of 
 Christ to be taught in his truth, and with 
 what holy emotions and pious thoughts 
 should I enter that sacred place! I am 
 there to be trained up for eternity,™ to be 
 educated for heaven ! and while I receive 
 the instruction, my whole soul must be 
 3 
 
22 catechumen's and 
 
 intently fixed upon it. If I permit my 
 thoughts to wander I will remain igno- 
 rant of the truth, my heart will not be 
 affected, and at the great day of trial, my 
 condemnation will be the more severe, for 
 having enjoyed, and yet not appreciated 
 the means of grace. Then, my soul, at- 
 tend to the dictates of thy G-od, — resolve 
 by his aid to learn and practice the truths 
 of his word. 
 
 Strengthen thou this pious resolution^ 
 Father in heaven, open my heart and 
 understanding, that I may rightly com- 
 prehend thy word. May I fix my thoughts 
 exclusively on the instruction which I 
 now go to receive. May I not regard this 
 sacred exercise as a common thing, or suf- 
 fer my mind to be drawn away from the 
 subject which will be presented to me. 
 Enlighten my understanding more and 
 more by thy truth, but especially may my 
 heart daily experience more of its quick- 
 ening and sanctifying power. May I copy 
 the great and sublime example of thy Son 
 
communicant's companion. 23 
 
 Jesus Christ in my whole life. May I in- 
 crease every clay not only in wisdom and 
 understanding, but especially in piety and 
 virtue, in holiness and sobriety, that I 
 may please thee more, be more conformed 
 to the holy character of thy Son, and bet- 
 ter prepared to enjoy eternal life, to which 
 thou hast called me. And, Lord, do 
 thou assist my instructor in his arduous 
 duties, — may he be able to illustrate thy 
 word with plainness and enforce it with 
 energy. Help thy servant to do his duty, 
 and may all his youthful pupils receive 
 the word with readiness and practice it in 
 their lives. Hear my prayer for Jesus' 
 sake. Amen. 
 
2i catechumen's and 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 After the hour of Instruction, 
 
 I have now received a part of that in- 
 struction by which I am to be taught the 
 sanctifying doctrines of the gospel, and 
 happy am I, if I have indeed made any 
 progress in a knowledge of the truth. But 
 I will not be satisfied with merely hearing 
 it, I will frequently repeat what I have 
 learned, and impress it indelibly upon my 
 memory. I will meditate upon the sacred 
 truths, which were presented to my mind, 
 and examine them more thoroughly, that 
 my conviction may be confirmed. I will go 
 to the throne of grace, and fervently be- 
 seech G-od to grant me the aid of his Spirit 
 in the prosecution of my undertaking. I 
 will study to perform all the duties which 
 were taught me, and daily become more 
 perfect in them. I will be careful to avoid 
 all those faults against which I have been 
 so affectionately warned, and arm myself 
 
communicant's companion. 25 
 
 more strongly for my contest against the 
 world, the flesh and the devil. The more 
 faithful I am in respect to that which has 
 been entrusted to me, the more light and 
 strength will my heavenly Father con- 
 stantly afford me. I will endeavor by the 
 grace of God to live a pious, sober and 
 godly life, for death and judgment are fast 
 approaching. 
 
 For the communication of that grace, I 
 pray thee, thou faithful God and Father, 
 for thou only canst bestow it. I thank thee 
 that thou hast permitted me to learn more 
 of thy sacred truth. Inspire within me a 
 more ardent desire to hear these instruc- 
 tions, and more zeal in examining thy holy 
 word to ascertain the truth ; grant me a 
 deeper conviction of its divine origin, and 
 greater perseverance in practicing the 
 wholesome precepts which it inculcates ; 
 and thus may I daily become more consid- 
 erate and wise, more pious and virtuous, 
 more contented and happy ; that as I walk 
 in the way of thy commandments, I may 
 3* 
 
26 catechumen's and 
 
 with a good conscience and joyful hope, 
 appropriate to myself the precious prom- 
 ises, which thou hast given to all thy faith- 
 ful and obedient children. These things 
 I ask for my Kedeemer's sake. Amen. 
 
communicant's companion. 27 
 
 CHAPTEK V. 
 
 Meditation at the end of the Instruction. 
 
 RECAPITULATION. 
 
 Now the whole course of that instruc- 
 tion, on the truths of our holy religion, 
 which I have hitherto attended, is finished. 
 Have I been attentive, have I endeavored 
 rightly to comprehend and to apply what 
 has been presented to me ; have I seriously 
 and industriously reflected upon it ; has it 
 affected my heart and exerted an influence 
 upon my conduct ; do I know from de- 
 lightful experience the truth and divine 
 origin of these doctrines ? Am I able to 
 say, I know in whom and in what I be- 
 lieve ? 
 
 how much depends upon the fact of 
 my ability to answer these questions in 
 the affirmative ! For only then will the re- 
 ligion in which I have been instructed be a 
 safe guide on my way through life, a firm 
 
28 catechumen's and 
 
 support in time of need ; a comfort in the 
 day of adversity, and a refuge in the hour 
 of death ! for this only is eternal life ; to 
 know God and Jesus Christ, whom he has 
 sent. 
 
 What pains my faithful instructor took 
 to represent the sacred truths clearly and 
 forcibly! He was not satisfied until I 
 rightly comprehended them, and earnestly 
 endeavored to impress them not only on 
 my memory, but especially on my heart 
 and conscience. How affectionately he en- 
 treated me to continue faithful to what I 
 had heard, to practice the lessons which had 
 been inculcated, to persevere steadfastly 
 in godliness, and to shun the path of vice ! 
 I will ever hold in grateful remembrance 
 his zeal and labors, and ever entertain for 
 him the most sincere affection and esteem. 
 
 But that his instructions may be more 
 deeply engraven upon my heart, I will 
 now endeavor to go over the principal sub- 
 jects from the beginning, and this should 
 be a frequent exercise, that the sacred 
 truth may become more and more familiar. 
 
communicant's companion. 29 
 
 The course commenced with that great 
 truth, which is the foundation of all re- 
 ligion, that there is one God, an almighty, 
 all-wise, and all-knowing being, a right- 
 eous., holy, but good and merciful Father. 
 An attentive consideration of the natural 
 world and of myself, taught me that this 
 God is the Maker and Preserver of all 
 things. I learned from his own revelation, 
 the Bible, that this Creator made spirits 
 superior to me, and that man was origi- 
 nally formed in the moral image and like- 
 ness of God ; that man did not continue 
 in this holy state, but sinned against his 
 heavenly Father, and thus lost his divine 
 favor ; that in consequence of this, the pos- 
 terity of our first parents show evil incli- 
 nations as soon as they are capable of 
 moral action. Led astray by this natural 
 tendency to sin, men often against better 
 knowledge do that which they know is dis- 
 pleasing to God, and thus render them- 
 selves unworthy of his divine approbation ; 
 they draw down upon themselves his dis- 
 pleasure, and that merited punishment 
 
30 
 
 which the justice and holiness of God de- 
 mand, and make themselves miserable for 
 ever, unless they repent of their sins, be- 
 lieve in Jesus Christ, and live a godly right- 
 eous andsoberlife. Everlasting banishment 
 from the presence of God would have been 
 the unhappy portion of all men, had he not 
 mercifully wrought out a plan of redemp- 
 tion which man of himself never would have 
 discovered, and a way of reconciliation 
 which no human mind could conceive. 
 This plan was the sending of his only 
 Son into the world in the form of a 
 man, who by his divine doctrines taught 
 men "the way, the truth and the life/ 
 gave us an example of holiness in his pure 
 and spotless life, and died a guiltless death 
 to satisfy for us the demands of divine 
 justice. Now, for the sake of his dear Son, 
 God is willing to accept us, and grant us 
 the forgiveness of our sins and future sal- 
 vation, if we believe in his Son, repent of 
 our transgressions, and obey his laws and 
 precepts, to accomplish which God has 
 promised us the assistance of his Holy Spirit, 
 
communicant's companion. 31 
 
 What renders this satisfaction so com- 
 plete, and the gracious Eedeemer so pecu- 
 liarly valuable to me, is the glorious fact 
 that he was not a mere human being like 
 myself, nor yet an exalted angel, but the 
 true and eternal God in the form of a man. 
 Every where in my Bible I see divine at- 
 tributes, and works, and powers, and 
 names imputed to him, so that I conclude, 
 he was God and man in the same person, 
 and only such an one was capable of mak- 
 ing the great atonement for the sins of 
 the world* 
 
 The precepts of Jesus, or his incompar- 
 able system of morals, for the rule of our 
 conduct in life, forms the second principal 
 part of the instruction which I have re- 
 ceived. The will of God is the foundation, 
 of the system, and I am required to do all 
 that is good, merely because it is the will 
 and command of God, without any regard 
 to reward and honor. And hence it is 
 that of the three-fold duties which it pre- 
 scribes, viz : towards God, myself, and my 
 fellow men, that love to God is the great- 
 
82 catechumen's and 
 
 est, and it demands us to love G-od above 
 all things, with all our heart, and soul, 
 and strength, and continually to manifest 
 this love by filial confidence in him, by 
 submission to the ways of his providence, 
 by reverence for his authority and holi- 
 ness, and by profound humility. 
 
 But this system^ of morality also teaches 
 me to ascertain a reasonable love for my- 
 self; that is, it demands an earnest solici- 
 tude for the welfare of my soul, and its 
 improvement in virtue and wisdom. I 
 must be anxious about my own preserva- 
 tion, and study to maintain a respectable 
 character in society. By industry and 
 frugality I must lay up a sufficient portion 
 of the goods of this world to support me 
 decently in life, but I must, at the same 
 time, most studiously guard against parsi- 
 mony and avarice. 
 
 Finally, I am taught to conduct myself 
 towards my fellow men as brethren, with- 
 out distinction. The law is, "love thy 
 neighbor," that is, thy fellow man, as 
 "thyself." I am instructed also to be 
 
commuotcant's companion. 33 
 
 solicitous about their salvation ; to exhort 
 them to do good^ and to warn them against 
 evil, and to set them an example of piety 
 and holiness. I must moreover be anxious 
 for the preservation of their honor, by the 
 duties of honesty, veracity and fidelity, by 
 forbearance and love of my enemies ; and 
 finally, for their property, by justice^ 
 mercy, and liberality. 
 
 This is a brief summary of that instruc- 
 tion which I have received in the doctrines 
 and duties of the religion of Jesus. Happy 
 am I that it has been impressed upon my 
 understanding and heart ! By the help of 
 the Holy Spirit, it shall not soon be erased. 
 Thus prepared with this knowledge and 
 faith, I will profess it before God and the 
 congregation, with a joyful conviction of 
 its divine origin, and fervently beseech 
 my heavenly Father that he would grant 
 me grace to practice it in my life. 
 
 Here let me call to mind again what 
 my pastor has taught me about the nature 
 of Confirmation. He stated that we do 
 
 not regard Confirmation as a Sacrament, 
 
 4 
 
34 catechumen's am> 
 
 as the church of Eome does, or even 
 as an indispensable divine ordinance, but 
 we insist upon its being a most useful 
 and edifying custom, well calculated to 
 impress the heart of our youth with a 
 sense of their obligations. As soon as 
 they arrive at a proper age, they attend 
 upon the instructions of the pastor for 
 some months, and then solemnly renew 
 and ratify their baptismal vows in the 
 presence of God and the congregation, by 
 prayer and laying on of the hands of the 
 minister. This course of instruction has 
 proved eminently useful, and the solem- 
 nity of the occasion has been the means 
 of spiritual blessing in thousands of in- 
 stances. 
 
 Nothing is more reasonable, since our 
 parents and sponsors in baptism made that 
 solemn covenant for us, than that as soon as 
 we arrive at years of discretion, we should 
 ratify and confirm it. For if we neglect 
 confirmation, or some such public and sol- 
 emn act of acknowledgment, we show by 
 our conduct that we refuse our consent to 
 
communicant's companion. 35 
 
 their promises in our name ; that we will 
 not devote ourselves to Christ, and will 
 not be members of his church. Jesus says 3 
 Matt x, 32, 33, "Whosoever therefore 
 shall confess me before men, him will I 
 confess also before my heavenly Father ; 
 but whosoever shall deny me before men ? 
 him will I also deny before my Father and 
 his angels. 7 ' Confirmation affords an op- 
 portunity for such confession or denial. 
 
 1. By this solemn rite, we renew that 
 sacred covenant which our parents and 
 sponsors made for us with God at our bap- 
 tism ; we thereby give our assent to the 
 promises which they made in our name 3 
 and take all the responsibility upon our- 
 selves. 
 
 2. By Confirmation we are solemnly in- 
 itiated into the religious society of Chris- 
 tians, and upon our own voluntary pro- 
 fessions and promises, are received as adult 
 members of the Christian congregation 
 with which we connect ourselves by this 
 solemn act. This may prove of infinite 
 advantage to us in time and eternity. We 
 
36 catechumen's and 
 
 participate in all the means of improving 
 our mind in the knowledge of our Saviour, 
 and of forming our hearts to vital godli- 
 ness and genuine virtue. 
 
 3. In Confirmation we appropriate and 
 apply Jesus Christ and his righteousness, 
 and all the fruits of his redemption anew, 
 and personally to ourselves. For since we 
 there devote ourselves to Christ, and prom- 
 ise henceforth to form our minds and ac- 
 tions according to his doctrine, Christ can 
 impart to us all those blessings and ben- 
 efits which flow from his gospel. We 
 may therefore confidently expect that the 
 Father of all mercies will ever multiply 
 unto us his grace and peace ; that Jesus 
 Christ will preserve and keep us as par- 
 ticular objects of his providential care and 
 affection, and defend us in every time of 
 danger ; and that the Holy Spirit will 
 enable us to become true followers of Je- 
 sus, and preserve us faithfully unto eter- 
 nal life. 
 
 4. By this solemn act, connected with 
 the sanctifying influence of the word of 
 
communicant's companion. 37 
 
 G-od, we will obtain new powers and in- 
 citements to true virtue and godliness. 
 The solemnity of tlie occasion on which 
 we come forward, calling upon G-od in the 
 presence of a whole congregation, profess- 
 ing our faith and promising to lead a 
 Christian life, must impress our minds with 
 reverence and holy awe ; and who can tell 
 what blessings God will not bestow upon 
 them who serve and love him sincerely 
 unto the end ? 
 
 5. Much is expected from us, as in the 
 right of Confirmation we are received as 
 an adult member of the church of Christ. 
 As an equivalent for these benefits which 
 the church bestows upon us, she expects 
 that we will approve ourselves upon all 
 occasions, as worthy members, and by the 
 divine blessing, faithfully discharge our 
 duties as members of society, of our fam- 
 ilies, and of the church ; that we will ob- 
 serve the rules and regulations of our 
 church, esteem her rulers as such, and 
 love her members with a becoming good 
 will and affection ; that we will have the 
 4* 
 
38 cathechumen's and 
 
 welfare of the church of Christ at heart, 
 and pray for her prosperity and the hap- 
 piness of her members ; that we will re- 
 ceive instruction and advice, attend divine 
 service, the administration of the sacra- 
 ments, and every lawful institution for 
 edification regularly, and with a becoming 
 disposition and behaviour. 
 
 Blessed be thou, Lord God Almighty, 
 that thou hast brought me thus far : that 
 thou hast permitted me to be instructed 
 in the sacred religion of thy Son ; that 
 thou hast given it to me as a guide through 
 the moral darkness of this world, to a 
 happy eternity in the world that is to 
 come ! may I continually meditate upon 
 its holy doctrines, and daily make rapid 
 advances in a knowedge of thee and thy 
 Son,' Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour. 
 May I daily experience more of their sanc- 
 tifying power in my heart, and by a con- 
 stant obedience to thy will, as there re- 
 vealed, may I still be more deeply con- 
 vinced that it all proceeds from thee. 
 
communicant's companion. 39 
 
 Mercifully forbid that in the future years 
 of my life, the lusts of the flesh, or the 
 temptations of the world, should rob me 
 of that living conviction which I now feel, 
 or make me indifferent to thy holy reli- 
 gion. Preserve me, G-od, from all sin — 
 increase my faith in thy dear Son — let the 
 light of thy countenance shine upon me ; 
 and now, as I am about to profess thy 
 name before the world, and take upon 
 myself my solemn baptismal vows, with- 
 hold not the influence of thy Spirit; 
 strengthen my resolutions of serving and 
 loving thee ; guide me into all necessary 
 truth, and finally save my soul for Jesus' 
 sake. — Amen. 
 
40 cathechumen's and 
 
 CHAPTEK VI. 
 
 Confession of Sins and Resolutions of Obedi- 
 ence to God. 
 
 Lord! I call my ways to remembrance 
 with a troubled heart ; my evil doings are 
 before my eyes ; they are a sore burden, 
 too heavy to be borne. But now, my 
 God, with a heart truly sorrowful and 
 penitent, I turn from my evil ways, re- 
 solving by thy grace to become a new 
 creature : from this day I am determined 
 to lead a truly religious life. preserve 
 me from all iniquity ! 
 
 Lord, I am not worthy so much as 
 to lift up mine eyes unto thee ; but whither 
 should a sinner, such as I, look, but unto 
 thee, the fountain of all mercy ; whither 
 but to thee, whose mercy is greater than 
 my sins ; and who had much rather be 
 reconciled than to take vengeance upon 
 me. Thou showest mercy to the unworthy, 
 
communicant's companion. 41 
 
 and invitest me with all the tenderness of 
 a compassionate Father to turn from my 
 evil ways, that my soul may live and he 
 for ever happy in thy eternal kingdom. 
 
 Therefore., encouraged hy thy goodness, 
 Lord, I address myself unto thee, for I 
 am ready to sink under my load of guilt ; 
 and yet I make no plea but for thy mercy; 
 nor have I any pretence to claim it, (for 
 with shame I acknowledge I have very 
 much abused it,) but through thy un- 
 bounded love ; I know I have a most mer- 
 ciful Saviour, who died to purchase salva- 
 tion for me; and who now powerfully 
 intercedes with thee for the pardon of all 
 true penitents. For the sake of his blessed 
 name, receive me graciously to thy mercy, 
 and be not angry with me for ever ! 
 
 Forgive me, merciful Father, for I 
 am heartily sorry for all the evils which I 
 have done. I have been disobedient to 
 thy law ; I have made a mock at sin and 
 would not hearken to reproof. I have 
 cherished evil dispositions, carnal desires 
 and inordinate affections. I have long re- 
 
42 catechumen's akd 
 
 jectecl the offers of mercy and preferred a 
 life of folly and sin! I have not spent my 
 days in thy service, but in the service of 
 the Evil One ; I have profaned thy Sab- 
 baths, abused thy sacred name, disre- 
 garded thy holy word, and turned a deaf 
 ear to the warnings, instructions and in- 
 vitations of thy ministers. I have been 
 proud, and envious, passionate and angry, 
 full of hatred, malice and revenge. My 
 thoughts have been unholy, and my cou- 
 versation impure. — Father, I have sinned 
 against heaven and in thy sight, and am 
 no more wo.rthy to be called thy son ; O 
 pity, cleanse, forgive and save me, for thy 
 mercy's sake. Forgive all my sins, for I 
 am fully resolved by thy grace to love 
 and serve thee ; though my transgressions 
 are numerous, yet thy mercies are greater 
 still; do not punish according to the 
 enormity of my sins, but extend thy 
 mercy and pardon to me for my dear Be- 
 deemer's sake. 
 
 Turn thee, Lord, and deliver my souL 
 save me for thy mercy's sake. Ps. vi, 4, 
 
CCHMOTICAHT^S COMPANION. 43 
 
 Hear me, gracious God and Father, 
 and breathe into my heart that spirit 
 which renews us after thine own image, 
 in righteousness and true holiness, 
 
 Lord Jesus who seekest out sinners 
 to turn them from their evil ways, do not 
 neglect me now, when I seek thee. I am 
 poor and naked, Oh I clothe me with thy 
 righteousness! 
 
 My good thoughts are changeable and 
 inconstant, but do thou establish and fix 
 them by thy grace : set up thy kingdom 
 in my heart, for I sincerely desire to be- 
 come thy servant and disciple. 
 
 Saviour of the world, save me ; who by 
 thy cross and suffering hast redeemed me^ 
 help and save me, I beseech thee, my 
 God. 
 
 Give me, Lord 5 spiritual wisdom, that 
 I may discern what is pleasing to thee, 
 and follow what belongs unto my peace; 
 and let the knowledge and peace of God, 
 awl of Jesu3 Christ our Lord, be my guide 
 and my portion all the days of my life. 
 
 To the Kimr eternal, immortal and in- 
 
44 catechumen's am? 
 
 visible, the only wise God, who is the ever 
 blessed and adorable Trinity, be all honor 
 and glory, thanksgiving and praise, now 
 and evermore. Amen. 
 
communicant's companion. 45 
 
 CHAPTER VII, 
 
 The day of Confirmation. 
 
 Let this day be sacred to me on which. 
 I am to take upon myself most solemn 
 obligations, and which opens before me 
 the most delightful prospect! How sacred 
 are the relations upon which I enter this 
 day ! what serious recollections and feel- 
 ings are awakened in my soul! what solemn 
 professions and vows must I make ! and 
 what unspeakable benefits have I reason 
 to expect, if I continue faithful to the end ! 
 
 Yes, I rejoice before thee, gracious G-od, 
 that by thy merciful protection, I have 
 been permitted to see this day. I rejoice 
 with thanksgiving at the prospect of the 
 blessings which this day will bestow upon 
 me, and of the advantages which it per- 
 mits me to expect. When I was yet a 
 child thou didst receive me into the cove- 
 nant of thy grace by baptism, and I was 
 5 
 
46 catechumen's and 
 
 thus endowed with greater claims to the 
 "benefits and privileges which are peculiar 
 to those who embrace and profess thy holy 
 religion. True, I, a weak and simple 
 child, could not appreciate the importance 
 of those advantages. I could not feel the 
 obligations of those high and holy duties 
 which were then laid upon me, nor did I 
 know the happiness that was so closely 
 associated with them. But now I know 
 these things at least in part, since I have 
 been instructed by my faithful pastor in 
 a knowledge of thee, thy will and my 
 own destiny, as thy Son Jesus Christ, has 
 revealed it to us. Now I know that it is 
 a good and happy thing to be a christian 
 in deed and in truth. Now I know what 
 thou my God demandest of me, and what 
 is pleasing to thee. Now I know the high 
 and holy duties I owe to thee, my fellow 
 men and myself. For all these things, I 
 thank thee, Father of mercies. I promise 
 fidelity to thee, and would renew the sol- 
 emn vow, in my own person, which others 
 made for me. when I was a child. Before 
 
communicant's companion. 47 
 
 thee, the Omniscient, I now make the 
 solemn profession, that the religion of thy 
 Son is truth divine, undeniable, and indis- 
 pensable for life and salvation. I now 
 promise thee, as others once promised for 
 me, that by thy grace, I will walk accord- 
 ing to the precepts of thy holy word, that 
 I will fulfil all its demands, and that I 
 will hold the faith and a good conscience 
 until the end. Before thee, I most sol- 
 emnly profess that all thy gracious prom- 
 ises are most consoling to me and worthy 
 of all belief, and that in all the circum- 
 stances of my life, in the day of rejoicing, 
 in the hour of affliction, in life and in 
 death, I will most steadily adhere to them, 
 and found upon them only my peace and 
 rest and hope. May, then, this profession 
 be sincere and true. I cannot deceive 
 thee, for thou searchest the heart, and I 
 cannot expect that my profession and vow 
 will be agreeable to thee, if my heart does 
 not feel the obligation. preserve me 
 from all inconsiderateness, from inatten- 
 tion and disregard of the solemn transac- 
 
48 catechumen's and 
 
 tion before me. May what I this day 
 profess and promise continue to be sacred 
 to me until my end. May it direct my 
 steps, govern all the inclinations of my 
 heart, that I may be thine not only by 
 profession, but really thy child, friend and 
 follower, so that I may be happy with 
 thee for ever, through Jesus Christ. 
 
communicant's companion. 49 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 JYIorning Prayer on the day of Confirmation* 
 
 Merciful and gracious God, I desire 
 most sincerely to thank tliee that thou 
 hast preserved my unworthy life to see 
 the light of this day, so solemn and event- 
 ful to me. Thou hast protected me during 
 the night that is past, and granted me 
 refreshing sleep,- — thine arms of mercy en- 
 circled me, and shielded me from all dan- 
 ger and accident, which might have pre- 
 vented me from engaging in the solemni- 
 ties of this day. Thou hast permitted me 
 to awake in health, and now I am ready 
 to go to thy house and there profess thy 
 name. To-day thou wilt publicly and 
 solemnly acknowledge me as thy child, 
 and I will partake of the unspeakable 
 blessings of thy grace. To-clay I will 
 publicly profess my faith, and thou wilt 
 bestow upon me the right of partak- 
 ing of all its privileges, especially of the 
 5* 
 
50 catechumen's and 
 
 holy sacrament of the supper, which, thy 
 Son,jmy Lord and Saviour, instituted as 
 a memorial of his dying love. 
 
 May all the sacred exercises of this day 
 he ever present to my mind — may the 
 contemplation of them fill my heart with 
 holy joy and yet with devout seriousness — 
 may the remembrance of them ever in- 
 spire renewed determinations to serve thee 
 and walk in the way which thou hast 
 marked out. 
 
 Now, gracious Father, go with me to 
 thy house, and fix my devout attention 
 upon the solemn scene before me. May 
 nothing distract my mind from the seri- 
 ous meditation of my duties — may my 
 whole heart be exclusively fixed on thee, 
 and the solemn engagements upon which 
 I am about to enter. Preserve me in thy 
 fear and love, and may it ever be my de- 
 light to do thy will. Hear and bless me 
 for Jesus' sake. Amen. 
 
communicant's conp anion. 51 
 
 CHAPTEE IX. 
 Prayer for my fellow Catechumens. 
 
 Not for myself only would I pray, mer- 
 ciful Father, but also for my dear young 
 friends who, with me, intend this day to 
 profess thy name in thy holy house. With 
 me they will promise to render faithful 
 obedience to thee, during all their life — 
 with me they have received instruction in 
 thy holy word ; we went to the house of 
 God in company, and we have been asso- 
 ciated in all our preparatory lessons and 
 prayers, and how could I forget them in 
 my supplication to a throne of grace? 
 
 I therefore beseech thee, heavenly Fa- 
 ther, that thou would st also take my com- 
 panions into thy special care and keep- 
 ing ; — may thy Holy Spirit rest upon 
 them, — create within them a holy zeal for 
 thy cause, and enable them to come for- 
 ward with joy, and take upon themselves 
 the vows which the solemn rite enjoins, 
 
52 catechumen's and 
 
 with unshaken confidence in thee. May 
 the solemnity of the occasion impress 
 their minds most deeply. May their hearts 
 feel all those emotions of gratitude and 
 pious joy which the occurrences of this day 
 are calculated to inspire ; and ! that the 
 salvation purchased by Jesus Christ may 
 become more precious to them every day. 
 May their own insufficiency and the great 
 need of a Saviour appear more and more 
 clear to them, and enable them to resign 
 themselves altogether to the direction of 
 their God. 
 
 Forbid, Father of mercies, that their 
 minds should be fixed on other subjects, 
 than that which is before them this day; — 
 let not their hearts wander, but may all 
 the affections of their souls be engaged in 
 the solemn service. Forbid that hereaf- 
 ter any should deny thy Son, whom they 
 now profess to love; — let not one stray 
 from the fold of Christ, but preserve them, 
 gracious Saviour, from falling into sin 
 and provoking thy displeasure. Send thy 
 Spirit to their assistance, that they may be 
 
COMMUNICANTS COMPANION. fiS 
 
 able to persevere in the ways of holiness 
 and truth unto the end. Eemember not. 
 Lord, the follies of their childhood, nor 
 the sins of their riper years, but ! ac- 
 cept them, as they now declare it to be 
 the sincere desire of their hearts to serve 
 and love thee. Hear my prayer, and thine 
 shall be the glory, world without end,™ 
 Amm. 
 
54 catechumen's and 
 
 CHAPTEE X. 
 Before going to be Confirmed. 
 
 The hour has arrived, — that most im- 
 portant and solemn hour ! I am now 
 going to the house of the Lord, to the 
 place where his honor dwelleth, to make 
 the profession of my faith ; and to renew 
 my baptismal vows before Him, and the 
 assembled congregation. that the house 
 of G-od may be to me this day the very 
 gate of heaven ! My heart beats strongly 
 within me ? as I am about to take this, the 
 most important step of my whole life. 
 With reverential awe do I tread the holy 
 place which is this day to witness my 
 confession and solemn vow. The congre- 
 gation is already beginning to assemble — 
 a sacred seriousness pervades the whole 
 church — the people seem to feel as though 
 indeed a peculiar solemnity was about to 
 take place. The aged are reminded of 
 the promises of their youth ; — those who 
 
communicant's companion. 55 
 
 have been confirmed within a few years 
 remember their rows, — their former feel- 
 ings are aroused, and even the gay and 
 thoughtless are serious and reflecting. 
 
 The altar is before me — I see my be- 
 loved pastor standing there with a coun- 
 tenance brightened by hope, and yet full 
 of anxiety about us his catechumens ; be- 
 fore that altar I must kneel, and by the 
 laying on of his hands I will be conse- 
 crated to the service of the Lord. 
 
 Lord Jesus, thou adorable Saviour, do 
 thou accompany me to thy house. Pre- 
 pare my heart for this solemn transaction, 
 and may I tread thine earthly courts with 
 reverence and humility. I would come 
 to thee for assistance, for thou only canst 
 help me. I pray for grace and the effu- 
 sion of the Holy Ghost. Without thee I 
 can do nothing good ; and ! then help 
 me to go forward confiding in thee and 
 relying upon thy gracious aid. May I pro- 
 fess thy name, and take upon myself the 
 solemn vow with pious determination to 
 
56 catechumen's and 
 
 persevere to the end, May the word of 
 instruction, exhortation, and warning, 
 which ray pastor will address to me, make 
 a deep and abiding impression on my 
 heart. May sincere devotion humble me 
 in the dust before thee, and may I expe- 
 rience, more and more, that thou art in- 
 deed a loving Saviour. May I not be 
 deceived in the profession I am about to 
 make, but, Lord, convince me more deep- 
 ly of the truth of thy holy doctrine, and of 
 the great importance of those promises 
 which I am about to make. I would not 
 dissemble before thee, for thou art well 
 acquainted with my heart, and thou wilt 
 be my future judge. Bless* me in what- 
 ever I undertake this day, and may I 
 return from thy house with renewed reso- 
 lutions to serve thee better, and love thee 
 more. Gracious Saviour, I now give my- 
 self up to thee; I am prepared to go; 0, 
 go with me, and may all result to thy 
 glory, and my own good, for thy sake. — 
 Amen. 
 
communicant's companion. 57 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 Return from Confirmation* 
 
 It is done ! — the solemn deed has been 
 performed, and I hare taken upon myself 
 my baptismal vows ! I have made a pro- 
 fession of my most holy faith, and have 
 been dedicated anew to the service of Al- 
 mighty God ! The hands of my pastor 
 have been laid upon me, — the blessing 
 has been pronounced, and I have received 
 new assurances of the grace of God, if I 
 remain constantly faithful to him ! Grat- 
 itude and holy joy fill my soul, for I have 
 been acknowledged a child of my heaven- 
 ly Father, and all the earthly privileges 
 of his children have been granted to me. 
 I will now repeat my vow, and I declare 
 in the presence of God, that I will keep it 
 to the end. Never, never will I forget the 
 occurrences of this day. The divine reli- 
 gion of Jesus, which he brought down 
 from heaven for the salvation of the world, 
 6 
 
58 CATECHUMENS AND 
 
 shall always be clear to my soul,— I hare 
 adopted it as the rule of my conduct, and 
 the guide of my life. I will continue dil- 
 igently to study its sacred doctrines and 
 precepts. Their tendency is to sanctify 
 my soul, and they will fortify me against 
 all the assaults of my spiritual enemies. 
 They will afford, me consolation in the 
 day of sorrow and trouble ; they will sus- 
 tain my fainting spirit in the hour of 
 death, and conduct me safely to another 
 and a better world. 
 
 I will steadfastly walk in the ways of 
 religion and virtue, and continue faithful 
 in the service of my God and Saviour, to 
 whom I have obligated myself anew. No 
 corrupt desires, no lusts of the flesh, no 
 flattering temptations of the world, no 
 sufferings and dangers, no unhallowed 
 levity, no violent passions, no anger, mal- 
 ice, or revenge, no vanity or negligence, 
 no inordinate affections, or whatever is 
 sinful, shall, by the help of God, make 
 me unfaithful or unbelieving:. 
 
communicant's companion. 59 
 
 thou, who liast already done so much 
 for me, who hast safely conducted me 
 through the years of my childhood, and 
 permitted me to live until this day, on 
 which I have been so greatly blessed, — 
 heavenly Father ! grant me thy divine as- 
 sistance, that I may constantly adhere to 
 these pious resolutions ; awaken within 
 me most earnest desires to glorify thy 
 name ; may I grow; in knowledge, virtue, 
 and' righteousness, as my days increase. 
 May I become more conformed to thy holy 
 will, and more assimilated to the divine 
 and spotless character of my Saviour, Je- 
 sus Christ. Lead me and guide me through 
 this world, and afterwards receive me to 
 glory, and the praise shall be thine, Fath- 
 er, Son, and Spirit, world without end.— 
 Amen. 
 
60 catechumen's and 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 Evening Prayer on the day of Confirmation. 
 
 At the close of this day so interesting 
 to me, would I once more draw near to 
 thee, Father Almighty, and render unto 
 thee my most unfeigned and hearty thanks 
 for that paternal love which thou hast 
 manifested towards me this day — for all 
 those unspeakable mercies which I have 
 received at thy hands ; for that gracious 
 assistance which thou hast vouchsafed to 
 me in the work which I have undertaken; 
 for all the pious feelings which thou hast 
 awakened in my soul ; for the sacred prin- 
 ciples which thou hast implanted within 
 me, and for all the rich, hut unmerited 
 blessings, which I have enjoyed. Bless the 
 Lord, my soul, and all that is within 
 me, bless his holy name; bless the Lo^d, 
 my soul, and forget not all his benefits ; 
 who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who 
 healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth 
 
communicant's companion. 61 
 
 thy life from destruction, who crowneth 
 thee with loving kindness and tender 
 mercies, bless thou the Lord, my soul. 
 Let me never forget the mercies received 
 from thee, the promises which thou hast 
 renewed to me, and the vows I have taken 
 upon myself. Let the blessings of this, 
 day follow me through my whole life, and 
 in the hour of death may they not be far 
 from thee. 
 
 I now commend myself to thy guardian 
 protection during this night ; preserve me 
 from all danger; grant me refreshing 
 sleep ; may no accident befal me, and no 
 plague come nigh my dwelling ; may I 
 awake in the morning in perfect health, 
 and may my first thoughts be directed to 
 thee. Be my God and benefactor through 
 life, and finally save me, for Jesus' sake. 
 Amen, 
 
 6* 
 
62 catechumen's and 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 My Baptism. 
 
 Soon after my birth the holy Sacrament 
 of Baptism was administered to me, and 
 the name of the Father, Son and Holy 
 Ghost, was solemnly pronounced and in- 
 voked. The consideration of this privi- 
 lege was among the first things impressed 
 upon my mind, in the course of the in- 
 struction I have received preparatory to 
 confirmation. My pastor represented it as 
 a very important thing, and whilst he la- 
 mented that so many disregarded the ob- 
 ligations of their baptism, he expressed his 
 fervent hope that we, his catechumens, 
 would properly appreciate them ; and on 
 this account, he several times explained 
 their nature, and earnestly exhorted us to 
 consider the immense responsibility that 
 rested upon us. 
 
 By this ordinance, I was solemnly ini- 
 tiated into the society of Christians, and 
 
communicant's companion. 63 
 
 was made a partaker of all the privileges 
 of the church which I was then capable 
 of enjoying ; with the promise that, when 
 I arrived at a proper age, I would be in- 
 structed in the truth as it is in Jesus. 
 That time has arrived, and now only can 
 I estimate the great advantages which my 
 baptism confers upon me ; and, at the same 
 time, I am more sensible of the obligations 
 I have taken upon myself. Since all these 
 things have been taught me, I will prize 
 them the more dearly, and will endeavor 
 to exhibit the character of one who feels 
 his accountability to Grod for all the bene- 
 fits he enjoys. When I was baptized, I 
 knew nothing of my earthly Father, but I 
 received a thousand favors from him, with- 
 out knowing the benevolent parent who 
 bestowed them upon me ; but now it is my 
 most sacred duty to love, honor and obey 
 him. Thus I will also conduct myself to- 
 wards my heavenly Father, whom I have 
 since learned to know, and I will, by his 
 grace glorify his name in all my ways. To 
 be baptized in the name of God, surely 
 
64 catechumen's and 
 
 signifies to be consecrated as a child of 
 God, as the purchase of Jesus Christ, and 
 as a temple of the Holy Ghost. As, then, 
 I have been baptized in the name of God, 
 the obligation rests upon me of honoring 
 and loving that name, and that not pro- 
 fessedly, but in spirit and in truth. Would 
 it be an honor to a child of poor parentage, 
 to be permitted by some great and good 
 man to bear his name, and to have the 
 privilege of calling him father and friend ? 
 Precisely such an honor does baptism con- 
 fer on me. God is my great benefactor, 
 and he permits me to call him both father 
 and friend. He will purify my heart and 
 conscience, and for this end has he given 
 me his Holy Spirit. 
 
 To be baptized in the name of the Father, 
 Son and Holy Ghost, leads me to the con- 
 templation of the three unspeakably great 
 benefits, creation, redemption and sancti- 
 fication ; and how deeply should these be 
 engraved on my heart ! I am astonished 
 at the wonderful love of God, which has 
 been manifested towards me ! I am over- 
 
communicant's companion. 65 
 
 whelmed with surprise when I think of his 
 condescension to me, a sinful creature ! My 
 baptism assures me that, for the sake of 
 his Son, he will regard me with compas- 
 sion; that he will mercifully hear my 
 prayer, and elevate me from the lowest 
 condition of a sinner, to the happiness and 
 dignity of his own children. Lord, what 
 is man that thou art mindful of him, or 
 the son of man, that thou visitest him ? 
 Ps. viii. 
 
 I have been baptized into the death of 
 Jesus, (Bom. vi, 3,) and have, therefore, 
 been assured of the forgiveness of my sins 
 by repentance and faith. In the power of 
 faith, hope and love, I can walk in new- 
 ness of life; for Christ sends his Holy 
 Spirit, who encourages and invites me to 
 that which is good. Happy am I in the 
 possession of such promises and hopes; 
 God is my G-od, my benefactor in this life, 
 and the life to come. 
 
 That soul reviving declaration : " I am 
 thy G-od," is an assurance of my happy im- 
 mortality. I have been solemnly acknow- 
 
66 catechumen's and 
 
 ledged a child of G-od, and I will daily re- 
 flect upon the duties which a child should 
 perform towards such a merciful heavenly 
 Father. 
 
 How shall I praise thee, most gracious 
 God, that in my infancy thou didst vouch- 
 safe such favor to nie, and didst introduce 
 me into the holy and happy society of thy 
 dear Son ? I was baptized in thy name. ! 
 may I daily become more sensible of the 
 privilege of being called thy child ; and 
 under all circumstances, and at all times, 
 may I look up to thee as a dear and benev- 
 olent Father; and finally participate in 
 that glory which thou hast given to thy 
 beloved Son, my Saviour. May my heart 
 expand with love; may my lips continually 
 praise thee, and may my whole life mani- 
 fest my gratitude to thee, the giver of all 
 good. Forgive all the sins and follies of 
 my childhood, and may my future life be 
 more fruitful in the gifts and graces of the 
 Holy Spirit. Hear me, Father, for the 
 Redeemer's sak§. Amen, 
 
communicant's companion. 67 
 
 CHAP TEE XIV. 
 
 When the noiice of the Administration of the 
 Holy Supper is publicly given. 
 
 The period lias now arrived, when I 
 am for the first time to enjoy the blessed 
 privileges which my Confirmation bestows 
 upon me : for the first time to avail myself 
 of the right which it gives to all the ben- 
 efits and institutions of Christianity. My 
 youth and unenlightened understanding 
 hitherto debarred me from these, but now 
 I am placed on an equality with all Chris- 
 tians, and I can participate in all the ad- 
 vantages of our holy religion. I am now 
 privileged to partake of the Holy Supper, 
 which my Eedeemer, Jesus Christ, insti- 
 tuted as a memorial of his sufferings 
 and death, This I desire to regard as 
 the most solemn transaction of my life, 
 and I will, therefore, most devoutly med- 
 itate upon the nature of the sacred ordi- 
 nance, and thus prepare myself to appear 
 
CATECHUMEN S AKD 
 
 as a worthy communicant at the Table 
 of the Lord. I will practically examine 
 the subject, and by prayer and by close 
 self-examination, will endeavor to ascer- 
 tain whether I am really qualified to 
 partake of the broken body and shed 
 blood of my beloved Saviour. I sincere- 
 ly desire to entertain correct ideas on 
 this subject, that I may not be deceived 
 respecting my own condition, and that 
 the awful judgment denounced against 
 unworthy communicants, may not fall on 
 me. I will then be able to appear at the 
 communion of the Lord, with holy joy ; 
 I will then be a worthy guest ; the bless- 
 ing will descend upon me, and my faith 
 in Christ will be increased. 
 
 Blessed be thou, gracious Saviour, that 
 thou hast delivered up thy life to redeem me 
 from my sin, and that I am now permitted 
 to partake of the fruits of thy death ; that 
 in the Sacrament of the Supper, which 
 thou hast instituted as a memorial of thy 
 sufferings, thou wilt give me the gracious 
 
COMMtJKlCAK^S' COMPANION. 69 
 
 assurance, " Son, thy sins are forgiven/' 
 let thy Spirit descend and do his work 
 in my heart, that I may be a worthy guest 
 at thy table ; that the blessing may be ex- 
 perienced by me ; and that I may grow in 
 grace. Now, Lord, as I am about to med- 
 itate upon this holy Sacrament, preserve 
 me from levity of mind, and from the de- 
 lusion of my spiritual enemy, but grant 
 me clear conceptions of thy truth, and 
 may my silent meditation be sanctified to 
 my soul. Fill my heart with love to thee, 
 and may thy name be glorified in all my 
 actions. Amen. 
 
TO catechumen's and 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 The Founder of the Holy Supper. 
 
 Now, my soul ! elevate thy affections 
 above the perishable things of earth, and 
 employ thyself in meditating upon that 
 adorable Being who instituted the Sacra- 
 ment of the Holy Supper ! May venera- 
 tion and gratitude occupy my heart, and 
 a holy awe fill my soul, when I come into 
 the presence of God ! "With the eye of 
 faith would I look upon Him, who is 
 adorable and worthy of all praise, the 
 founder of this most sacred ordinance. 
 Of him the Scriptures testify : " In the 
 beginning was the Word ; and the Word 
 was with God; and the Word was God : 
 all things were made by him, and without 
 him was nothing made that is made ; and 
 the Word was made flesh, and dwelt 
 amongst us; and we beheld his glory, the 
 glory as of the only begotten of the Fath- 
 er, full of grace and truth. He is the im- 
 
communicant's companion. 71 
 
 age of the invisible God : in him dwelleth 
 the fulness of the Godhead, bodily ; he is 
 God over all, blessed for evermore ; let all 
 the angels worship him ; all power is 
 given him in heaven and earth ; he knows 
 all things ; he will be the judge of the liv- 
 ing and the dead/' What glory ! What 
 majesty ! Jesus Christ, the founder of the 
 Holy Supper, was not merely a wise and 
 highly enlightened teacher of his day; 
 not merely an extraordinary prophet sent 
 of God. No, he came from the Father's 
 bosom; he is the only begotten Son of 
 God ; truly " great is the mystery of god- 
 liness ; God manifest in the flesh." The 
 Almighty, the Eternal, the Creator and 
 Lord of heaven and earth, took upon him- 
 self our nature, and in the person of Jesus 
 dwelt in our world. He is God himself. 
 But I can contemplate him, also, as the 
 greatest Benefactor, the Redeemer and 
 Saviour of mankind. He is also my Bene- 
 factor, Redeemer, and Saviour. As such 
 the only begotten of the Father was pro- 
 claimed by the heavenly host to the shep- 
 
72 catechumen's and 
 
 herds, immediately after his birth. He 
 came to bring peace on earth, and good 
 will to men. His own gracious declaration 
 is : "I am come to seek and to save that 
 which was lost." Never, since the founda- 
 tion of the world, has so much been accom- 
 plished for the good of mankind as by him; 
 no such benefactor ever before appeared on 
 earth. Although, during the first thirty 
 years of his life, he lived secluded from the 
 world, yet when he entered upon his min- 
 istry, and commenced the work he was sent 
 to perform, it was emphatically said of him 
 that he went about doing good. Every 
 day he was employed in the performance 
 of benevolent deeds; he dispensed blessings 
 wherever he went. He wandered from 
 place to place, with multitudes around him, 
 and administered to them what above all 
 things is needful, the bread of life; nour- 
 ishment for their immortal souls; treasures 
 for heaven. He exhorted, entreated, warn- 
 ed, threatened and consoled his numerous 
 hearers ; he instructed them in the way of 
 God, and preached the gospel to the poor. 
 
 
communicant's companion. 73 
 
 He introduced a new system of morals, and 
 revealed the will of God respecting his re- 
 bellious creature, man. He brought clown 
 from heaven, and bestowed upon man the 
 purest and most excellent religion that the 
 world ever saw. He also healed the dis- 
 eases of their bodies, and multitudes re- 
 sorted to him to be restored to health. 
 The lame walked, the blind saw, evil spir- 
 its were cast out, and the dead were raised 
 to life. He passed whole nights in the 
 open air, upon Mount Olivet, holding com- 
 munion with his heavenly • Father, and 
 praying for a world of sinners. He had not 
 where to lay his head ; no home of his own; 
 he denied himself even allowed indulgence; 
 he lived only for others, and overlooked 
 himself in the consideration of the welfare 
 and eternal benefit of man. 
 
 But, ah ! the work which he came down 
 from heaven to accomplish, was not finish- 
 ed. Much more painful and difficult was 
 the completion of that plan which was de- 
 vised from eternity for the salvation of 
 mankind. True, he was already despised, 
 
74 cathechumen's and 
 
 persecuted and defamed, although he was 
 perfectly innocent, and by those particu- 
 larly who pretended to be the spiritual 
 leaders of the people : but he was to die ; 
 the holy and spotless Lamb of God was to 
 die ; the vengeance of his enemies was to 
 be cooled in the blood of the unoffend- 
 ing Jesus. He voluntarily submitted to 
 death, that by his sacrifice sinful man 
 might be reconciled to an offended God; 
 that the demands of divine justice might 
 be satisfied by the offering of himself. 
 This was the plan and merciful counsel of 
 his heavenly Father. "Wonderful coun- 
 sel ! The enemies of God and Christ 
 exerted all their malignant power to an- 
 nihilate the word of the Lord, and be- 
 hold ! they themselves complete the plan 
 that was devised from everlasting. The 
 bloody and ignominious death to which 
 the injustice of the enemies of the guiltless 
 Jesus condemned him, was destined by the 
 counsel of God, to redeem our race from 
 eternal misery. The prophet Isaiah long 
 before declared : 
 
COMMUNICANTS COMPANION. lo 
 
 46 Surely our infirmities he hath borne *, 
 And our sorrows he hath carried them ; 
 Yet we thought him judicially stricken, 
 Smitten of God and afflicted. 
 But he was wounded for our transgressions, 
 Was smitten for our iniquities ; 
 The chastisement by which our peace is ef- 
 fected, was laid upon him ; 
 And by his bruises we are healed.* — Lowth. 
 
 John the Baptist also testifies of him, 
 Behold the Lamb of Grod that taketh away 
 the sin of the world. Jesus also prophe- 
 sied of himself, The Son of man shall be 
 betrayed into the hands of men, and they 
 shall kill him ; but at the same time he 
 taught " that he should lay down his life 
 for the redemption of many/' 
 
 Happy are we ! he brought the offering, 
 the offering of atonement, — he who knew 
 no sin, was made a sin offering for us, that 
 we might have redemption through his. 
 blood, even the forgiveness of sins^ Won- 
 derful love and mercy! a dying mortal can- 
 not sufficiently praise thee, Lord Jesus ! 
 
 * Read the 53d chapter of Isaiah. 
 
76 catechumen's and 
 
 Thou Kedeemer of the world! who can 
 measure thy blessings, who count the ben- 
 efits which thou hast bestowed upon us ; 
 who can number the hosts of believers who 
 in future generations will rejoice in thy 
 service and appreciate thy glorious merits! 
 How many in every quarter of the globe, 
 will find in thee consolation, rest, re- 
 freshment and peace for their souls ! Thou 
 didst not suffer and die merely for one peo- 
 ple or generation. Thy divine plan em- 
 braced all nations, people and kindred. It 
 is thy will that all should be saved and 
 come to a knowledge of the truth. 
 
 I, a poor sinner, a perishing mortal, bless 
 thee, the divine benefactor. I am also in- 
 cluded in the number of the redeemed. 
 Without thee I have no secure ground of 
 faith, no steadfast support for my weak- 
 ness,— no sure anchor of hope. 
 
 But the founder of the Holy Supper is 
 also my king, and will be my future judge. 
 Though he has left the world, yet he is 
 deeply interested in its welfare. He has 
 not left it for ever, but he will come again. 
 We are informed in the Scriptures that 
 
COMMUNICANTS COMPANION. 7T 
 
 forty clays after his resurrection he ascend- 
 ed into heaven, where he sitteth at the 
 right hand of the majesty of God, far above 
 all principality, and power, and might 
 and dominion. He will come again in ail 
 his glory, and with all his holy angels, 
 and before him shall be assembled all the 
 nations of the earth, to be judged in right- 
 eousness. Every one shall receive accord- 
 ing to the deeds done in the body. He is 
 appointed Lord of creation, and before him 
 every knee shall bow and every heart do 
 homage. He governs the world, and will 
 judge men at the latter day of trial. Then 
 my eternal doom will be fixed, and oh ! 
 that I may be found among those at thy 
 right hand, rejoicing in the prospect of the 
 heavenly crown. 
 
 This, then, is he who instituted the Holy 
 Supper. Thus I must always represent 
 him to my mind. I must contemplate him 
 in the majesty of the Son of Grod, — look 
 constantly to the benefits and glorious ad- 
 vantages he bestowed upon mankind, — 
 and ever acknowledge his might and au- 
 thority, as the Lord and judge of the world! 
 
78 catechumen's and 
 
 CHAPTEE XYII. 
 Institution of the LoroVs Supper, 
 
 Truly it is only necessary to reflect upon 
 tlie character of the founder of this Sacra- 
 ment, to he persuaded of the profound ven- 
 eration in which it should be held. He is 
 God himself manifested in the flesh, and 
 is it possible that we could regard this 
 ordinance with indifference ? He is our 
 Bedeemer, and could we be so ungrateful 
 as to undervalue this monument of his dy- 
 ing love? He is our Lord and Judge, and 
 could we be so regardless of our dearest 
 interests, and so thoughtless of futurity as 
 willingly to disobey his commandment? 
 
 But the Holy Supper will appear still 
 more important and worthy of reverence, 
 when we consider the time and circum- 
 stances of its institution. 
 
 After three years of untiring and most 
 successful exertion to do good among men, 
 the time arrived when the work of his mis- 
 
communicant's companion. T9 
 
 sion was to be accomplished, and his life 
 laid down for the redemption of the world. 
 For the last time he traveled to Jerusalem 
 with his disciples, to celebrate the Jewish 
 feast of the Passover. He plainly foretold 
 his death. He might easily have avoided 
 this melancholy end ; but he willingly and 
 boldly goes forth to meet a severe and cer- 
 tain death. Yet his soul was employed 
 with thoughts about the sufferings he was 
 shortly to endure. His discourses evidently 
 evinced that fact. The day approaches; 
 the day of the Redemption of man, but 
 alas ! the dying day of the immaculate Son 
 of God! He celebrated the feast of the 
 Passover with his disciples. It was night. 
 Judas was also present. Jesus knew the 
 infamous deed the traitor was meditating. 
 His end drew nigh. The morning of his 
 dying day soon broke upon the world. But 
 the night ! ah ! what did the preceding 
 night witness ! His murderers are ready 
 for the onset. Disorder and commotion 
 reign among the enemies of Christ. As- 
 semblies convened, and measures for his 
 
80 cathechumen's and 
 
 apprehension were devised. A fiendish joy 
 thrills through their vengeful hearts. The 
 friends of Jesus yet surround him, but how 
 long ? From them whom his soul loved, he 
 was to be separated ; they who were by far 
 not yet prepared to perform the duties of 
 their high vocation, — who were yet weak 
 and not confirmed in the faith, were to lose 
 their friend and greatest support. He was 
 buoyant with health and life, but at the 
 end of another day he was to be pale in the 
 cold embrace of death ! Every circumstance 
 that could embitter the death of a man, 
 was to be experienced by him. But yet he 
 would finish the work he had undertaken ; 
 his resolution did not waver, he did not 
 shrink from his determination. Oh ! my 
 Saviour! what were thy feelings on that 
 doleful night I Thou knewest well that the 
 hour of thy death was nigh. Thou sawest 
 thyself already in the hands of thy infuri- 
 ate enemies, abandoned by thy friends and 
 all the world. Already didst thou feel the 
 crown of thorns wounding thy innocent 
 head, and bear the cruel indignities heaped 
 
communicant's companion. 81 
 
 upon thee ! Already didst thou hear the 
 sentence of a bloody death, and the shouts 
 of the murderous mob,— already sawest 
 thou thy cross erected on Golgotha, — and 
 pains and agonies that cannot be uttered, 
 already tormented thee. What a night 
 was that! In spirit I translate myself to the 
 " upper chamber" in which thou wert pre- 
 sent with thy disciples for the last time. 
 I see the twelve around thee, and among 
 them Judas, the son of perdition. I see 
 thee, blessed Eedeemer — I see in thy pallid 
 countenance the very image of innocence, 
 of deep sincerity and resignation to the 
 divine will — I see thy bosom heave with 
 emotion, but it is not fear. 
 
 The feast is ended : with certain death 
 before thee, and pierced with the pain of 
 separating from thy friends, thou takest 
 the bread, and casting an eye of gratitude 
 toward heaven, thou breakest it and givest 
 it to thy disciples, uttering words ever to 
 be held in profound veneration. " Take 
 andr eat, this is my body, which is given 
 for you ; do this in remembrance of me ;" 
 8 
 
82 catechumen's and 
 
 and then the cup; "this cup is the New 
 Testament in my blood, which is shed for 
 you and for many ; for the remission of 
 sins." 
 
 Thus the Supper of the New Testament 
 is instituted. It was done the night in 
 which the Lord was betrayed, and sur- 
 rounded by the terrors of death. "We know 
 the occurrences of that dreadful night. 
 Judas left the company. Christ opens his 
 heart yet more freely to his friends ; the 
 tone of his discourse is more tender and 
 confidential. We hear the last words of a 
 loving friend, the admonition of a faithful 
 teacher ; the consolation of the adorable 
 Son of God, and the solemn prayer of the 
 dying Redeemer for his disconsolate disci- 
 ples, and for all who through their word 
 should believe on him. But now the dread- 
 ful hour had arrived. They leave the 
 chamber dejected ; they walk toward Greth- 
 semane. The soul of Jesus is sorrowful 
 even unto death. Sweat, like drops of 
 blood, fall upon the ground. He resigns 
 himself to the will of his heavenly Father. 
 
communicant's companion. 83 
 
 The mob is already there with swords and 
 lanthorns ; the Son of God is delivered into 
 the hands of sinners, bound and hurried 
 away to the judgment seat. Thus ended 
 the night in which the Supper was insti- 
 tuted. He did not survive the next night. 
 Mocked^ insulted, crowned with thorns, 
 and condemned, the holy and innocent Je- 
 sus bled before night on Calvary. 
 
 I also am guilty of the death of the Lord ; 
 for my sake did he submit to be ranked 
 among sinners, — for my sins he endured 
 the pains of the cross. By his gracious 
 sufferings and death, he purchased for me 
 a hope of reconciliation with God, consola- 
 tion in this life, and the happiness of hea- 
 ven in that which is to come. Think of 
 this, oh my soul ! that thy most gracious 
 friend, greatest benefactor, thy Eedeemer 
 from eternal misery, instituted the last Sup- 
 per, just as he was about to shed his blood 
 for thy sake, with the agony and terror of 
 a bitter death before him. He addresses 
 thee also in those memorable words : " This 
 do in remembrance of me." It is his last 
 
84 catechumen's anx> 
 
 request — his last exhortation, uttered in 
 that terrible hour when he contended with 
 all the powers of hell, that I might be re- 
 deemed from eternal perdition. The last 
 Supper is the dying bequest of my Saviour: 
 Can I be so ungrateful as to forget, despise, 
 or undervalue this sacred institution of my 
 magnanimous deliverer and most faithful 
 friend? Let it be regarded by me as most 
 sacred! It was established while agony 
 and terror harrowed up his inmost soul ; 
 while the dreadful hour approached in 
 which for me and my sins he willingly 
 walked to Calvary, to his cross. I will 
 celebrate this blessed feast, and have my 
 soul refreshed with his heavenly grace. 
 This is a most solemn duty I owe to my 
 Lord and master, and may I perform it 
 with all humility and reverence ! 
 
communicant's companion. 85 
 
 CHAPTEK XVII. 
 
 Reflections preparatory to receiving the Supper, 
 
 JESUS IN GETHSEMANE. 
 
 In the preceding meditation, my chris- 
 tian reader, we saw the Saviour in the 
 midst of his disciples, at the feast of the 
 passover. We remember with what deep 
 emotion he spake to them, and how much 
 more solemn he rendered the hour by the 
 institution of a sacred ordinance. When 
 the feast was concluded, Jesus left the city 
 with his disciples as he was accustomed to 
 do, towards evening. Not far from Jeru- 
 salem there was a garden called Gethsem- 
 ane, where Jesus had often been before, 
 and where quite alone he had spent many 
 a melancholy hour. Thither he directed 
 his way, and the whole company crossed 
 the brook of Kedron, which was near Geth- 
 semane. Here Christ chose three of his 
 disciples, Peter, James and John, and went 
 with them into the garden. 
 8* 
 
86 catechumen's and 
 
 It was night, — profound silence reigned 
 throughout all nature. The cool breezes 
 and solemn silence of the evening refresh 
 many a wanderer, but this was a night of 
 agony to Jesus. "My soul/' said he, "is 
 exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." 
 With these words he left his disciples, and 
 at a short distance from them, he threw 
 himself upon the ground, and prayed : — 
 " Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass 
 from me ; yet not mine, but thy will be 
 done." Thus much the disciples under- 
 stood, but they were wearied, fell asleep, 
 and thus Jesus found them upon his re- 
 turn. Alas! alas! he had none to condole 
 with him ; none to sympathize with the 
 sorrows and anguish of his soul. 
 
 Oh! my christian brother, if you suffer in 
 silence, and are tormented with secret sor- 
 rows, look upon Jesus, and see how he 
 mourned alone in Gethsemane ! You have, 
 perhaps, one friend to whom you can un- 
 bosom your heart, and tell your tale of 
 woe; oh! if your heavy laden soul can be 
 alleviated — if you can relate your sorrows 
 
communicant's companion. 87 
 
 to another — if the tears of your friends and 
 their condolence are balsam to your pain- 
 ful heart, look to the Eedeemer and feel 
 how much better your condition is, than 
 his was on that melancholy night. What 
 words of lonely sorrow did he not utter : 
 " Could ye not watch with me one hour ?" 
 He here felt the bitterness of solitary suf- 
 fering, and yet he looks upon his disciples, 
 and pities their forlorn condition, and says, 
 "Watch and pray, lest ye enter into tempt- 
 ation/' 
 
 Consider, my dear reader, what the Sa- 
 viour spoke to his heedless disciples. You 
 also are often careless, and surrounded by 
 many temptations, and yet you live as 
 though no danger were to be apprehended. 
 How often has not your want of caution 
 nearly brought you into gross transgres- 
 sion ? How often have you not done and 
 spoken that which you cannot answer to 
 Gi-od and your conscience ? Let me tell you, 
 christian brother, no day of your life passes 
 without many temptations ; you are living 
 in the enemy's country, where every ad- 
 
88 catechumen's and 
 
 vantage of your own imagined security is 
 taken, and every means employed to betray 
 you into sin. Therefore, hear what the 
 Saviour says : u Watch and pray, lest you 
 enter into temptation." 
 
 The disciples but too soon forgot their 
 Master's warning. Their infirmity over- 
 came them the second time. They must 
 have observed something unusual in the 
 conduct of Jesus, for he went again and 
 prostrated himself and prayed : " My Fa- 
 ther, if it be possible, let this cup pass from 
 me." But when he returned, he found 
 them asleep again. He did not reprove 
 them — he pitied their weakness, and so let 
 them remain; and went again, that he 
 might mourn before Him who alone did 
 not forsake him, and pray to Him who alone 
 could mitigate his sorrows, and strengthen 
 him for the terrible conflict. He prayed 
 ardently; his venerable face was bedewed 
 with sweat, and it fell like drops of blood to 
 the ground: but the Father heard him, and 
 fortified his fainting soul. 
 
 What are your feelings, my reader, when 
 
communicant's companion. 89 
 
 you see Jesus lying on the ground, and 
 praying for the help of his Father, while 
 he endured that awful struggle ! In the 
 deepest agony he looked towards God; and 
 it was in deepest sorrow, though in perfect 
 resignation to the will of God, that he 
 prays — " Not my will, but thine be done." 
 What an example for you, my christian 
 friend ! Why do you go about with anguish 
 corroding your heart, and despair in your 
 countenance ? Oh ! go into your chamber 
 and prostrate yourself before God ; pour 
 out your heart in secret before your heav- 
 enly Father, who sees in secret and hears 
 your cries. But pray, also, as Christ did : 
 " Not my will, but thine be done/' Ah ! 
 the spirit of Christ dwells not in you, if 
 sorrow and anguish estrange youfrom God, 
 instead of bringing you nearer to him ; 
 and you cannot be altogether a christian, 
 if, in the severest affliction you cannot 
 pray, " Not my will, but thine be done/' 
 But if you can thus sincerely pray, how 
 much heavenly consolation and strength, 
 will not your prayer bring down from 
 above ! 
 
90 catechumen's and 
 
 After Jesus had thus ardently supplica- 
 ted his Father, he returned to his disciples, 
 strengthened in his soul. His hour, that 
 terrible hour had arrived. The Saviour 
 encouraged them: "Now sleep on, and 
 take your rest ; behold the hour is at hand, 
 and the Son of man is betrayed into the 
 hands of sinners/' An armed mob ap- 
 proaches, and it is evident their object is 
 to apprehend the Lord. Jesus is prepared, 
 and resolutely goes to meet them, and 
 asks, " whom seek ye ?" They answered, 
 Jesus of Nazareth — and Jesus said, "lam 
 he." This word had a wonderful, an un- 
 expected effect. Scarcely had he uttered 
 them, when they fell back upon the ground ! 
 Let the despisers of Jesus, and mockers of 
 his name, contemplate him while in Geth- 
 semane. Let them see these unfeeling, 
 rash and presumptuous men, lying at the 
 feet of the Lord. A fearful shuddering 
 seizes them, and for the moment, they can- 
 not endure the sight of Jesus. Thus will 
 all his enemies fall down at his feet in the 
 dust before him, when he shall come in all 
 
communicant's companion. 91 
 
 his glory to judge the world. Truly, it is 
 a most uncommon and unexpected thing to 
 see this ruthless mob lying at the feet of 
 him whom they came to apprehend. Jesus 
 must again tell them that he was the man 
 whom they were commissioned to seek, for 
 they w^ere perfectly astounded and over- 
 come. Now Judas the traitor steps for- 
 ward. A kiss, with which he salutes his 
 master, was to designate to the mob whom 
 they should seize. Jesus knew what this 
 kiss meant; sorrowfully he spoke to his 
 betrayer, " Friend, wherefore art thou 
 come ?" Ye who mourn over treacherous 
 friends, contemplate often this action of the 
 Saviour. It may pain you when your love 
 and favors are bestowed upon the ungrate- 
 ful. It may wound you deeply when those 
 whom you treated with kindness, betray 
 your confidence; yet reflect that Jesus 
 suffered infinitely more than you can, and 
 how does he treat his betrayer ? Not with 
 impetuous vehemence, not with embittered 
 rancor, not with passionate reproof. He 
 looks upon him sorrowfully, and utters 
 
92 catechumen's and 
 
 only these words, " Friend, wherefore art 
 thou come ?" Now the savage soldiery fall 
 upon Jesus. The disciples look upon it, 
 with bleeding hearts. The fiery Peter 
 could no longer restrain himself. He rushes 
 on and smites one of the servants with his 
 sword, but fortunately cut off only .an ear. 
 Jesus turned and with the mildest earnest- 
 ness said, "Put up thy sword ; thinkest 
 thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, 
 and he shall presently give me more than 
 twelve legions of angels ; — the cup which 
 my Father hath given me, shall I not 
 drink it ?" What words ! and how worthy 
 of being remembered by you, my friend, 
 who are in danger of being tempted to re- 
 lieve yourself of a burden, or deliver your- 
 self from care in a rash and unlawful man- 
 ner. See, how Jesus, your master, con- 
 ducted himself in the hour of the greatest 
 danger. He does not exert himself to be 
 delivered from his sufferings against his 
 Father's will, and he does not permit 
 others to deliver him. 
 
 Jesus now resigned himself into the 
 
communicant's companion. 93 
 
 hands of his enemies, and the disciples 
 saw that all was over. They became 
 alarmed and betook themselves to flight, 
 careful only of their own safety. They 
 were not pursued, the soldiers being satis- 
 fied with having apprehended Jesus. He 
 is now bound, and under the guard of an 
 armed company, he is led away as a mal- 
 efactor. 
 
 Now, christian reader, let all these 
 things which we have contemplated be 
 vividly presented to your mind. Here 
 lies Jesus in the dust, praying and con- 
 tending with the agonies of death. All 
 around is silent, — the disciples themselves 
 are asleep. He only is deprived of rest. 
 While the poorest are reposing, the most 
 terrible anguish racks the soul of Jesus ; 
 sweat like blood covers his face, and, lying 
 on the ground, he prays, " Father, if it be 
 possible, let this cup pass from me/' 
 
 "What a dreadful place was the garden 
 
 of Gethsemane in that memorable night ! 
 
 The Son of God lay panting, groaning, 
 
 praying on the ground ! What angony, 
 
 9 
 
94 catechumen's and 
 
 Saviour, didst tliou not endure ! No 
 dying man ever suffered so before ! I 
 shudder at the sight, — my heart almost 
 breaks when I hear thee crying to the 
 Father, — and all this thou didst volun- 
 tarily suffer I It might have been pre- 
 vented, but thou wouldst not. Love for 
 man inclined thee to suffer without resist- 
 ance. love beyond degree, and I, also 
 a poor sinful being, am interested therein. 
 While I see thee, Son of G-od, in Greth- 
 semane, full of the terrors of death — see 
 thee bound by sinners, and led away like 
 a common criminal, I at the same time see 
 thee as my loving friend and suffering Ee- 
 deemer. Thou didst endure the horrors 
 of that night for my sake. Incomprehen- 
 sible love! how could I forget it! My 
 whole heart shall be dedicated to thee, 
 my whole life shall be consecrated to thee, 
 and when at last I lie down to die, I will 
 think of thee, and with my latest breath, 
 will call upon and praise thy name. 
 
communicant's companion. 95 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Jesus on Calvary. 
 
 You have already seen enough of Jesus, 
 christian reader, to excite within you 
 sentiments of reverence for his majesty 
 and glory; and with emotions of love and 
 gratitude for his unexampled goodness. 
 Whoever distinguished himself as he did 
 by so much disinterested benevolence, and 
 who ever like Jesus exerted himself with 
 such untiring diligence solely for the good 
 of others ? His love was not confined to 
 the people of his own generation and coun- 
 try, but it embraced the whole human 
 family without exception. Let us enter 
 upon the contemplation of his death, and 
 it may awaken within us feelings of sacred 
 veneration and most devout gratitude. 
 
 Direct your attention towards Calvary, 
 and what do you behold ? A crowd of 
 savage men, and in the midst of them the 
 innocent Jesus, in a condition of suffering 
 
yb CATECHUMEN S AND 
 
 calculated to rouse all the sympathies of 
 the soul — beside him is the cross, upon 
 which, already lacerated with stripes, he 
 is to endure the last agony of death, — he 
 is stripped, his hands and feet nailed to 
 the cross, and in a few minutes he is sus- 
 pended between two malefactors, for whom 
 a more severe and shameful punishment 
 than crucifixion could not be devised. 
 What a sight we have before us ! Jesus, 
 in whom no sin was found, whose only 
 employment it was to go about and do 
 good, who in the prosecution of this over- 
 looked his own convenience, and freely 
 chose a life of trouble and pain. Jesus^ 
 for whom no honor would have been too 
 great, no love too ardent, and no gratitude 
 too warm, must endure^ a death which the 
 heart of sensibility would deem too horri- 
 ble for the most abandoned criminal. Do 
 you know, dear reader, what it is to suffer 
 innocently ; then look upon Jesus and be 
 still. No man so guiltless as he, and yet 
 no man more cruelly treated, more bar- 
 barously put to death, — and yet he utters 
 
communicant's companion. 9*T 
 
 no imprecation against his enemies — not 
 the least exasperation is evident. He suf- 
 fers submissively ; and yet one expression 
 falls from his lips, but it is not that of 
 murmuring, ah, no! but "Father, forgive 
 them, for they know not what they do/' 
 He prays for his murderers, when the 
 pains, which they occasion, are most se- 
 verely felt. What surpassing majesty 
 and greatness does not Jesus exhibit in 
 the hour of his deepest humiliation ! Ad- 
 mire, my reader, admire the majesty of 
 Jesus, which was never more gloriously 
 displayed than in this prayer for his ene- 
 mies ; how humble and ashamed should 
 you be, when you have forgotten the 
 words of the Saviour : " Love your ene- 
 mies, bless them that curse you, do good 
 to them that hate you, and pray for them 
 which despitefully use you and persecute 
 you." Matt, v, 44. Jesus had enemies 
 such as you never can have. It was not 
 enough that he permitted himself to be 
 condemned to the cross, but from the cross 
 he must witness their diabolical joy at his 
 9* 
 
98 catechumen's and 
 
 sufferings, and hear their language of in- 
 sult and mockery. Even one of the male- 
 factors crucified with him, reviled him, so 
 determined did they appear to render him 
 miserable even in his last hours. And yet 
 Jesus, when he " was reviled, reviled not 
 again ; when he suffered, he threatened 
 not." But when he heard the other male- 
 factor praying, " Lord, remember me 
 when thou comest in thy kingdom," in 
 the midst of all his suffering, his sym- 
 pathy and love for the man were so pow- 
 erfully excited, that with joyous feelings 
 he spake these words of consolation to the 
 unhappy sufferer: " Verily I say unto 
 thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in par- 
 adise." Thus Jesus blessed and did good 
 even while hanging and bleeding on the 
 cross,, and contending with death in its 
 most horrible form ; and with what emo- 
 tion did he not look upon his mother, who 
 stood at the foot of the cross, in company 
 with the disciple whom Jesus loved^ the 
 amiable John. Woman, said he, behold 
 thy son ! and to the disciple he said, be- 
 
communicant's companion. 99 
 
 hold thy mother ! What an example of 
 tender solicitude did not the suffering, 
 dying Saviour exhibit for his own rela- 
 tives ! Surely his benevolent heart was 
 no stranger to sorrow when he looked 
 upon his mourning mother and weeping 
 disciple ! 
 
 The agonies of Jesus must have been 
 truly keen, when he cried out, " My God, 
 my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" 
 christian, however intense your sufferings 
 may be, still they are nothing to what Je- 
 sus endured in that awful moment when he 
 uttered these melancholy words. If Jesus 
 could thus lament, we should all be silent ; 
 our sufferings can never equal those which 
 he endured. " I thirst/' thus in his sor- 
 rows did the Saviour cry from the cross. 
 When burning thirst torments him, he 
 must call upon the sympathies of men for 
 refreshment, and nothing is given him but 
 vinegar and gall. Cruel people, that could 
 mock him in his agony ! 
 
 The moment of death draws near. Jesus 
 feels it, and as a wearied man after the 
 
100 catechumen's and 
 
 labors of the day sees the evening approach 
 with joy, so he looked for the moment of 
 his dissolution. That great and arduous 
 work which was given him of the Father 
 to do, was near its completion. The dying 
 Saviour cried, " It is finished ; Father, into 
 thy hands I commend my spirit/' — he 
 bowed his head — closed his eyes, his spirit 
 fled, and he died. 
 
 Dear christian reader, you must also die. 
 Your hours are counted, and who knows 
 how far distant the last may be ! Be care- 
 ful that in your last hour the retrospect 
 upon your past life may comfort and 
 strengthen you. If you have faithfully 
 performed all your duties, and fought the 
 good fight, you may go to your grave con- 
 soled, and in your dying moment say, 
 " Father, into thy hands I commend my 
 spirit/' 
 
 Again look at Jesus upon the cross. — 
 What a severe struggle he had to encoun- 
 ter, and yet with what patience and resig- 
 nation to his Father's will, does he not suf- 
 fer ! He might have avoided it, but he 
 
communicant's companion. 101 
 
 would not, because his bloody death was 
 essential to the work which his Father 
 gave him to do. Thus he was obedient 
 unto death, even the death of the cross. 
 
 Know, christian, that all this shame 
 and agony are endured for your sake. The 
 faithful Shepherd lays down his life for the 
 sheep. He shed his blood, which cleanses 
 from all sin. The dying Son of God is 
 your friend, such an one as you have not 
 on earth. He is your Saviour, who to re- 
 deem and make you happy, spared not his 
 own life. Who can love as Jesus loved ? 
 How can you remunerate his love ? Even 
 if you could die for him, how little would 
 be done ? Let then the duty be still more 
 sacred to you of dedicating your life to him. 
 You are no longer your own, for Jesus has 
 bought you with his blood ; then you must 
 no longer live for yourself, but for him 
 who died for you. You must not refuse for 
 the sake of your crucified Lord, u to crucify 
 your flesh, together with the lusts and de- 
 sires/' Hear what the Saviour declares, 
 " If any man will come after me, let him 
 
102 
 
 CATECHUMENS AND 
 
 deny himself, and take up his cross, and 
 follow me. Matt. xvi, 24. Yea, Lord, I 
 will follow thee — to whom I shall go, for 
 thou hast the words of eternal life ? Who 
 else could give me what thou dost promise? 
 I will not forsake thee, but cleave to thee 
 in life and in death. Amen. 
 
communicant's companion. 103 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 Design of the Lord's Sujiper. 
 
 " This do in remembrance of me" These 
 v/ords of our Saviour already exhibit the 
 object he had in view when he instituted 
 this ordinance, and commanded it to be 
 celebrated by his followers. It is intend- 
 ed that they should by this means be re- 
 minded of his sufferings and death in the 
 most impressive manner. In this sacra- 
 ment he is represented before us in the 
 most interesting aspect, and devout chris- 
 tians of every age bear testimony to the 
 immense spiritual benefits arising from a 
 frequent and worthy celebration of the 
 dying love of Jesus in this solemn rite. 
 
 With great wisdom did the Lord choose 
 the night before his sufferings, and the last 
 of his presence with his disciples, as the 
 time for instituting this sacrament. It was 
 indeed a terrible night ! Who can think 
 
104 catechumen's and 
 
 of it without strong emotions ? I see thee, 
 blessed Saviour, in that solemn hour, sur- 
 rounded by thy disciples. Sorrowfully dost 
 thou still sit among them, but the thrilling 
 earnestness of thy conversation, the inex- 
 pressible solemnity of all thy actions, thy 
 look of tender sadness, the deep anxiety of 
 soul so visible in thy countenance, all ex- 
 hibit thee as the lamb of G-ocl, which in a few 
 more hours is to be led to the slaughter. 
 Thou didst foretaste the bitter agonies of 
 death, and didst already suffer the cruel- 
 ties of those who thirsted for thy blood. 
 
 I understand, my Saviour, why thou hast 
 commanded me to celebrate this feast. It 
 is necessary for me frequently to look upon 
 thee, and no where dost thou represent 
 thyself, so wonderfully as in the Supper. 
 My soul is awed into reverence. I see thee 
 near thy glorious martyrdom, — on the way 
 to the cross. My spirit follows thee to 
 Calvary, — there thou art, Lamb of God! 
 bleeding and struggling in the agonies of 
 death. What a view! it penetrates my in- 
 most soul ! How forcible do thy words now 
 
communicant's companion. 105 
 
 appear : " This is my body— this is my 
 "blood." Thou givest me thyself, that my 
 soul may be refreshed by this life-giving 
 food. 
 
 You also, my christian friend, must con- 
 template Christ in no other light, when 
 you go to the holy Supper. " This he did 
 also for me." This should excite you to love 
 him with the whole heart, for he first loved 
 you and sacrificed his life in love for you. 
 He speaks to you as it were in language 
 like this : See, my son, my daughter, how 
 much suffering thou hast occasioned me. 
 This I have done for thee, out of pure love. 
 My design was to rescue thee from eternal 
 misery. Thus I love thee now,- — my son, 
 my daughter, shouldst thou love the world 
 more than me? Canst thou deny me thy 
 heart, after I delivered my life for thee at 
 the cross ? 
 
 Thus, christian, the Lord speaks to you 
 in the supper, not indeed in audible words, 
 but in a language which the heart under- 
 stands, as soon as it sets its affections on 
 him, — and this will be the answer of a feel- 
 10 
 
106 catechumen's and 
 
 ing heart, " No, Lord, I will not leave thee* 
 My heart sliall be for ever devoted to thee. 
 I love thee above all things, — and I aban- 
 don all sinful enjoyments of the world for 
 thy sake/' When you can speak this lan- 
 guage with unfeigned sincerity, then chris- 
 tian friend, one object of the Lord in the 
 institution of the supper is accomplished in 
 you. 
 
 But the design extended still further. — 
 This sacrament was instituted at a social 
 festival, so that we should enjoy the supper 
 in communion with each other. How for- 
 cible does this object appear in this ordi- 
 nance! Jesus knew well how to speak to the 
 heart and to impress upon men the law o£ 
 love, the chief law of his doctrine. Look 
 then, christian, upon those who surround the 
 table with you. They also are dear to Jesus, 
 and they also have received the pledges of 
 his love. As they enjoy in common with you 
 the holy supper, so they have in common 
 with you the fruits of redemption. With 
 what fraternal love should you then regard 
 your fellow communicants. You have the 
 same Saviour, and the bonds of christian af- 
 
communicant's companion. 107 
 
 fection should unite you closely together. 
 "This is my commandment, says Christ, that 
 ye love one another, as I have loved you/' 
 and "By this shall all men know that ye are 
 my disciples, if ye have love one to another/' 
 To excite us to the practice of these du- 
 ties, and to impress the command of our 
 Saviour, "to take up the cross and follow 
 him/' more deeply on our hearts, is mani- 
 festly one object of the Holy Supper. Of 
 whom is it, christian friend, that we are re- 
 minded in this sacrament? It is not only 
 of the crucified Jesus — hut also of the risen 
 Eedeemer, — of him who has ascended to 
 heaven, and who in his present state of ex- 
 altation possesses all power in heaven and 
 earth, and who has promised that he would 
 he with, us until the end of the world. — 
 Then, my soul, be thou exalted to heaven, 
 for there thou hast thy most faithful, best, 
 and most worthy friend. In heaven shalt 
 thou be united with him as he has promised. 
 "Father/' thus he spake while jet on earth, 
 " Father, I will that where I am, these 
 may also be." This should wean our souls 
 
108 catechumen's and 
 
 from the world, for how mean and grovel- 
 ing are not its best enjoyments, in com- 
 parison with the fellowship of Jesus. 
 
 Consider again, how full of meaning are 
 the words of the blessed Lord : " Do this 
 in remembrance of me." You are to think 
 of the love of Christ for you, that your 
 affection for him may become more intense; 
 of his love for all mankind, that you may 
 be excited to love your brethren, — of his 
 self-denial, that you may be inclined to 
 deny yourself, — of his death, that you may 
 be humble, — and finally, of his exaltation, 
 that you may become more heavenly- 
 minded. 
 
 It is, moreover, plain that the Saviour 
 had still another object in view. When he 
 says, "He that confesseth me before men, 
 him will I confess before my heavenly 
 Father/' we learn that it is his will that 
 we openly profess his name before the 
 world, and manifest by some external sign 
 our devotedness to his cause. This is made 
 manifest when we partake of the Holy 
 Supper, so that we can regard it as a rite 
 
communicant's companion. 109 
 
 by which we solemnly profess Christ before 
 all the world. As the partaking of the 
 passoverwas an open profession of Judaism, 
 so is the partaking of the supper the sign 
 whereby christians are distinguished. Now 
 we comprehend this declaration, " as often 
 as ye eat of this bread and drink of this 
 cup, ye do show forth the Lord's death till 
 he come/' The meaning of these words is, 
 that you shall in this ordinance give evi- 
 dence to the painful death of Jesus, hereby 
 acknowledging that you expect deliver- 
 ance only from him who was crucified, and 
 ground your hope of salvation only on him, 
 according to the words, "No other name is 
 given under heaven, whereby we can be 
 saved/' 
 
 Eegarded in this light, the holy supper 
 receives particular importance. When 
 you, my christian friend, partake of it, you 
 swear allegiance to Jesus Christ, and call 
 upon the whole congregation to witness 
 your acknowledgment of him as your Lord, 
 and you obligate yourself to follow him in 
 all things. You then also disclaim the 
 10* 
 
110 catechumen's and 
 
 world and sin ; and declare an eternal hos- 
 tility against that which brought the 
 Saviour to the cross. One thing is espe- 
 cially to be observed; should you forget 
 your solemn vow of fidelity. — should you 
 live in habitual sin, this ordinance will at 
 the day of judgment be your accuser, and 
 you will be regarded as a covenant-breaker, 
 and rebel against Jesus. 
 
 Brethren, reflect how important a thing 
 it is to approach the table of the Lord, — 
 think of the design which he had in view 
 when he instituted the ordinance, — pray 
 that his will may be done in you, and that 
 you may receive all the blessings which 
 this sacrament is intended to bestow. 
 
 Here at thy table, Lord, we meet, 
 
 To feed on food divine; 
 Thy body is the bread we eat, 
 
 Thy precious blood the wine. 
 
communicant's companion. Ill 
 
 CHAPTEK XX . 
 
 Doctrine of the Lor dPs Supper. 
 
 The sacrament of the Holy Supper is one 
 of the most solemn and important institu- 
 tions about which our minds can be em- 
 ployed. Jesus, the Eedeemer of men, can 
 command nothing to be done which does 
 not advance our happiness, and which is 
 not of supreme excellence. If we contem- 
 plate the ordinance itself, we see exhib- 
 ited the greatness of his love to us, for in it 
 he most intimately unites himself with us, 
 and appropriates that salvation purchased 
 by his sufferings and death. This sacra- 
 ment was instituted under circumstances 
 the most remarkable. He had just fin- 
 ished the celebration of a solemn Jewish fes- 
 tival, and eaten the passover, when he com- 
 manded his disciples, in future, instead of 
 the Passover, to celebrate the ordinance he 
 was about to establish, in commemoration 
 of him. 
 
112 catechumen's and 
 
 The Jewish ceremonial law, to which the 
 Passover belonged, was now fulfilled, and 
 Jesus relieved his followers of that bur- 
 densome yoke. This feast was held to com- 
 memorate the deliverance of the Jews from 
 Egyptian bondage, which was a type of 
 the future deliverance of the whole human 
 family by the Eedeemer. This redemption 
 was now to be accomplished, and hence 
 Jesus founded this ordinance the very night 
 on which he entered upon his atoning suf- 
 ferings, as the Passover was eaten for the 
 first time the night before the departure 
 out of Egypt. The Hefty Supper is also an 
 eternal monument of his bitter sufferings 
 and glorious atoning death. Upon that 
 Passover which preceded the deliverance 
 from Egyptian slavery, was grounded the 
 covenant which God afterwards made with 
 the Jews, and according to which they be- 
 came his perpetual people. Exod. xix, 4, 
 5, 6. Hence every subsequent celebration 
 of the Passover was a solemn renewal of 
 the covenant. In his ordinance, Jesus made 
 a new covenant with men, in which are in- 
 
communicant's companion. 113 
 
 eluded the heathen as well as the Jews. 
 Hence he says, " This cup is the New Tes- 
 tament in my blood/' that is, f through my 
 blood a new covenant is made with men. 
 I will offer myself a sacrifice for them, to 
 procure for them the forgiveness of their 
 sins and purchase them for mine own." As 
 often then as we partake of the supper, so 
 often do we renew this covenant. 
 
 It is easy to perceive the object the Sa- 
 viour had in view, when he appointed the 
 Supper, if we properly observe his words. 
 He commands us to do this in remembrance 
 of him. He requires us to have him, his 
 sufferings, and whole redemption, continu- 
 ally in mind, and for that purpose this feast 
 has been instituted. He desires to make us 
 partakers of the fruits of all his redemption, 
 and he bestows these upon us in this solemn 
 ordinance. It becomes us to consider this 
 two-fold object a little more extensively. 
 
 Our Saviour twice makes this declaration, 
 " This do in remembrance of me," which 
 Paul thus explains, " as often as ye eat of 
 this bread and drink of this cup, ye do 
 
114 CATECHOIEX'S A^D 
 
 show forth the Lord's death till he come." 
 Now all this does not merely signify to be 
 reminded of his death, or to confess that he 
 died for ns. That would indeed he too lit- 
 tle. What christian could well forget it? 
 T \Then a subject is mentioned, we are often 
 required to think of its causes, operations 
 and results. And this, doubtless, Paul 
 would hare us to do. 
 
 The christian must think : 1st. Of the 
 causes of Christ's death, and he will find 
 them in the sins of the world, yea, in his 
 own sins, for which Christ sacrificed him- 
 self. This is the only sacrifice for sin which 
 can be made, and hence Christ says: "This 
 is my body which is given for you, and my 
 Mood which is shed for you. 
 
 2. He is reminded of the operations and 
 results of the death of Christ, which are the 
 greatest benefits that men enjoy. This 
 death is the occasion of our justification, 
 for the blood of Christ was shed for forgive- 
 ness of sins. By it the new covenant with 
 men was made, which delivered them from 
 the burdensome ordinances of the Jewish 
 
COMMUNICANTS COMPANION. 115 
 
 dispensation. Hence the Saviour could 
 say, " this cup is the New Testament in my 
 blood," 
 
 3. He is reminded of the duties which the 
 death of Christ imposes upon him. They 
 are faith and love. Faith, in a joyful ac- 
 ceptance of the benefits of salvation, and 
 love, in obedience to the commandments., 
 and in a resolute effort, for the Lord's sake, 
 to love his neighbor as himself Of all 
 this must the christian think, when he 
 meditates upon the death of Christ But 
 he must also shore forth his death, when he 
 partakes of the Supper, and by this he is 
 to understand that he is to represent these 
 things to himself continually, that his faith 
 may become strong, his love ardent, and 
 that he may properly praise and magnify 
 the Lord for his abundant grace bestowed 
 upon us. He must come to the table with 
 the deepest devotion and attention, and 
 have his mind intently fixed en the solem- 
 nity before him. The other object of Christ 
 in the appointment of this ordinance is, that 
 we may become partakers of the fruits of 
 his redemption. 
 
116 catechumen's and 
 
 1. The first advantage is, the increase 
 and strengthening of our faith ; as we are 
 justified by faith alone, we must be most 
 ardently solicitous about its preservation. 
 Our faith may become weak, but partaking 
 of the Lord's Supper with a proper spirit 
 is a most efficient means of strengthening 
 it. Our faith is necessarily weak, when 
 we are not well acquainted with the doc- 
 trines of salvation, or when we entertain 
 many errors. Hence, it is demanded of us 
 to grow in the knowledge of Jesus. But 
 as men are commonly tardy in the per- 
 formance of their duties, those observances 
 which rouse us to a sense of our duty, are 
 of great utility. Our faith is strengthened, 
 when we are preparing for a worthy cele- 
 bration of the Supper, for we are led to the 
 contemplation of many truths, by which 
 our errors will be corrected, and our souls 
 enlightened by the Spirit of God. We often 
 fail, too, in the appropriation of these ben- 
 efits to ourselves. They are much too 
 great for us to hazard this; but Christ 
 does for us, what we dare not do for our- 
 
€0MMTMICANt's COMPANION. II 1 ? 
 
 selves, " This is my body given for youP 
 When we hear such, and similar language, 
 can we any longer doubt whether \Ve are 
 to regard the whole merits of Christ as our 
 own? What more consolatory and en- 
 couraging words could be spoken! How 
 should not Christ work mightily in us,, 
 after he has given us his body and 
 blood in the sacrament ? How should not 
 he who is so solicitous about our salva- 
 tion, be also anxious about preserving, 
 •strengthening, and confirming our faith, 
 Should he not in this respect be the finisher, 
 as well as the author of our faith ? 
 
 2. The assurance of the forgiveness of 
 sin is the second advantage which the Holy 
 Supper bestows. There can be no doubt 
 about this, for Christ says in the words of 
 the institution, "This is my blood which 
 is shed for you, for the forgiveness of sin." 
 This is great consolation for souls continu- 
 ally tormented with doubt respecting the 
 forgiveness of their sins. The whole ordi- 
 nance preaches the remission of sins most 
 plainly. Every believer may be assured of 
 11 
 
118 cathechumen's and 
 
 complete pardon, for what else can tile 
 words signify? We partake of Christ's 
 body, "in which he bore our sins on the 
 tree." We partake of his blood ; " which 
 cleanses from all sin." 
 
 3. The worthy celebration of this ordi- 
 nance creates an intimate union between 
 ns and Christ ; he gives us his body and 
 blood. We will be regarded by God as one 
 person with Christ. He takes our sins 
 upon himself, and we will be looked upon 
 as though we had not sinned. He clothes 
 us with his own righteousness, and we will 
 be considered as having kept the whole law 
 and done every thing to our own justifica- 
 tion. What he has, will also be ours ; and 
 through him are we made children of God 
 and heirs of salvation. 
 
 4. The certain hope of eternal life fol- 
 lows from the preceding. After we have 
 been closely united to Christ, our Kedeemer, 
 we cannot be separated from him through- 
 out eternity, if we continue faithful here/ 
 He binds himself to us not only tempora- 
 rily, but eternally. We then may be cer- 
 
communicant's companion. 119 
 
 tain tliat as long as we do not interrupt 
 this union by presumptuous sins, we will 
 be with the Lord always to see the glory 
 which the Father has given him ; amd to 
 receive from him the crown of immortal 
 life* 
 
 * As the writer intended this work to be altogether 
 practical, he thought it best to say nothing respecting the 
 controverted point of the nature of Christ's presence in 
 the sacrament 
 
120 CATECHUMENS AKD 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Blessing of the Lord in the Holy Supper. 
 
 How unworthy and sinful a "being do I 
 appear in my own view, when I stand be- 
 fore Jesus my Lord at his table, and it well 
 becomes me to feel sentiments of profound 
 reverence. Jesus, the Lord, before whom 
 whole hosts of angels bow, and I a poor 
 mortal, a worm in the dust, before him t 
 Jesus, the holy and righteous, and I a sin- 
 ful man ! and yet for this would I praise 
 my Lord and Saviour, for it is an evidence 
 of his nearness and mercy, that he opens 
 my eyes, and permits me to see my true 
 condition. This is the first of the blessings 
 which I receive in the holy sacrament. I 
 thank the Lord that he humbles me, — that 
 he wounds me but to heal, according to his 
 tender mercy. How humble should I be 
 when I reflect upon him who is so highly 
 exalted. He assures me, however, that I 
 am not too wretched^ though I may be pol- 
 
communicant's companion 121 
 
 luted by sin ; Jesus, the holy one, declares 
 that I shall not he cast off on account of 
 my sins, if I sincerely repent and believe. 
 He regards me worthy, — he desires to see 
 me at his table, and there to enter into 
 covenant with him. What an honor ! 
 What happiness for such a sinner as L 
 Now I dare say with the apostle, Bom. viii, 
 34. "Who is he that condemneth ? it is 
 Christ that died." He invites me to his 
 table ; he declares himself to be my friend. 
 that I may feel the full consolation of 
 his words, " Go my son, my daughter, thy 
 sins are forgiven thee." Now I experience 
 the blessing of him who once said to sin- 
 ners, " Come unto me, all ye that labor, and 
 are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." 
 Matt xi, 28. 
 
 The terrible curse of the law shall no 
 longer thrill through my soul. I see the 
 hands of Jesus full of blessings de- 
 scending upon my head. Immanuel is 
 here ! and the curse has been removed. I 
 am now in Christ. The condemnation has 
 been changed into blessing. The blood of 
 11* 
 
122 catechumen's Amy 
 
 Jesus in the sacrament cleanses from all 
 sin. Why should I any longer fear? 
 Christ is my righteousness and strength. He 
 is my righteousness, Jer. xxiii, 6, and the 
 thunders of the law no longer alarm me. 
 The heavens are clear above me, and the 
 clouds of wrath which concealed the face 
 of the crucified Eedeemer have been dis- 
 persed. I can look upon my God without 
 the trembling of a slave. I see in him now 
 the placid countenance and approving 
 smile of a Father. Through the righteous- 
 ness of Christ, I am well pleasing to the 
 Father. Christ is my wisdom to justify 
 me, my sanctification to make me holy, and 
 my redemption to make me completely 
 happy in worlds of unutterable joy. 
 
 I am a pilgrim. The journey toward my 
 heavenly home is far, and I am weak, but, 
 blessed be Grod, Christ is my strength. I 
 dare not tarry or complain. I will look to 
 Jesus and receive renewed strength and 
 courage. My enemies are great and nu- 
 merous, but the Eedeemer will overcome 
 them all. Lead thou me through every 
 
communicant's companion. 123 
 
 difficulty, and in death may I cry with my 
 whole heart, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, 
 My soul ; dost thou believe ? Yea, Lord, 
 I believe, help thou my unbelief. I be- 
 lieve that thou art my righteousness and 
 strength. Thy holy sacrament convinces 
 me. That is the strength of the weak, a 
 balsam for the afflicted in soul, medicine 
 for the spiritual sick, and salvation for 
 sinners. It is thy work, gracious Redeem- 
 er ; and thine shall be the praise, for ever 
 and ever. Amen. 
 
124 catechumen's and 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 What must a Christian do when he desires to par- 
 take of the blessings of the Holy Supper ? 
 
 It will not be denied that we have right 
 to expect peculiar blessings from a wor- 
 thy celebration of the Lord's Supper. 
 But have you nothing to do on your part, 
 to secure to yourself these great advanta- 
 ges? Permit me. my christian friend, to 
 give you some fraternal advice on this sub- 
 ject ; aod may it find its way to your heart, 
 
 1. Above all things, be careful you come 
 not to the table from any improper motive. 
 Thus, when you come merely from habit, 
 or to maintain an appearance of piety be- 
 fore the world, or to please your relations, 
 or under the vain hope of atoning for your 
 guilt, and settling your account with God, 
 or to promote your temporal advantage, or 
 presuming that it will render christian 
 duties unnecessary, all these prove that 
 your motives are not pure, and your par- 
 
communicant's companion. 125 
 
 taking of the elements would "be sinful. On 
 the other hand, you are influenced by 
 proper motives, when you come to the table 
 of the Lord in obedience to his will, since 
 he, your God and Saviour, demands it of 
 you ; when you design thereby to honor 
 him publicly, to strengthen your faith and 
 love to him, to inflame your zeal in his 
 service, to receive consolation for your 
 heart, and to elevate your affections from 
 earth to heaven, in communion with your 
 God and Redeemer. 
 
 2. But do not believe, my dear friend, 
 that you have nothing more to do, before 
 you come to the Lord's table. Let a man 
 examine himself ; this the Scriptures de- 
 mand. You must examine how you stand 
 in relation to God, and call up your con- 
 science for strict trial. I would advise you 
 to engage in this examination many days 
 before the celebration of the Supper, that 
 you may become intimately acquainted 
 with the secrets of your heart. It is proper 
 that you should know your real character : 
 you should conceal nothing that is evil 3 nor 
 
126 catechumen's and 
 
 attempt to justify an act which, is manifest- 
 ly improper. What advantage will it be 
 to you, if you blind your conscience, and 
 hide or seek to mitigate your faults ? You 
 have to do with Grod, and He tries the reins 
 and searches the heart. 
 
 The public exercises, preparatory to the 
 Supper, will be of great advantage to you, 
 if you properly appreciate them. At such 
 times,, much will be said that will lead 
 you to a strict examination of your heart. 
 Apply all the faithful exhortations of your 
 pastor to yourself, and be not discouraged 
 if you find self-examination rather a diffi- 
 cult duty. The heart, proud and selfish, 
 will not easily submit to a rigid scrutiny. 
 Therefore, be on your guard, and be not 
 satisfied with merely examining whether 
 you avoid every thing that is evil, but also 
 whether you do every thing that is good. 
 
 You must reflect not only upon your ex- 
 ternal conduct, but your thoughts, desires 
 and passions, must be particularly exam- 
 ined. In another part of this book you 
 have a form of self-examination, which is 
 
communicant's companion. 127 
 
 recommended to your frequent and diligent 
 perusal. Use it conscientiously, with earn- 
 est prayer to Grod for his gracious assist- 
 ance. 
 
 3. Meditate devoutly upon the Saviour 
 whose sufferings and death you commemo- 
 rate in the Supper. Kepresent his whole 
 life before you, as devoted to the welfare of 
 men. Contemplate with deep emotion his 
 last agony and death ; read seriously those 
 portions of this volume which relate to his 
 sufferings. Then will your whole soul be 
 fixed on him who died for you. Tou will 
 learn, on the one hand, his merciful love 
 for you, and on the other, your unfaithful- 
 ness and disobedience to him. 
 
 4. Prepare yourself for a worthy celebra- 
 tion, by sincerely mourning and confessing 
 your unfaithfulness and disobedience. Ap- 
 proach the altar with a penitent heart, but 
 also with faith and full confidence in him 
 who died for you. Let not the magnitude 
 or number of your transgressions create 
 despair ; only fly to your Kedeemer ; he 
 seeks you, he calls you, he beseeches you 
 
128 catechumen's and 
 
 to come) and he will also deliver you, if 
 with confidence, faith and hope, you turn 
 to him 5 and throw yourself into his arms. 
 You must sincerely resolve and ardently 
 desire to break off the fetters of sin : " be 
 renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put 
 on the new man, which after Grod is created 
 in righteousness a,nd true holiness/' 
 
 5. Approach the table with an humble 
 sense of your own unworthiness, When 
 David sat before the Lord, he said, "Who 
 am I, Lord Q-od^ and what is my (father's) 
 house, that thou hast brought me hith- 
 erto ?" 2 Sam. viii, 18. In such an humble 
 frame of mind, go to the Holy Supper, 
 The more unworthy you feel yourself to be, 
 the better you are prepared to come for- 
 ward; " though you must not cherish such 
 suspicions of your state as will damp your 
 joy in God, and discourage your hope in 
 Christ, and fill you with amazement ; yet 
 you must maintain such a holy jealousy of 
 yourself as will keep you humble, and take 
 you off from all self-confidence; such a 
 jealousy, as will keep you watchful, and 
 save you from sinking into carnal security/' 
 
COMMUNICANTS COMPANION. 129 
 
 6. Come to the ordinance with a filial 
 confidence in Glod as your father; a slavish 
 fear is displeasing to him^ trembling^ 
 astonishment, and confusion will be a hin- 
 drance to the exercise of faith, hope, and 
 love ; remember that it is the Lord's ta* 
 ble, who is willing to overlook your de* 
 fects, and who deals with you not in strict 
 justice, but in tender mercy ; draw near, 
 then, with a true heart and full assurance 
 of faith. Heb.x, 22. 
 
 7. Come in charity with all men and 
 with a sincere affection to all good chris* 
 tians ; come with a spirit of forgiveness 
 of all the injuries that have been done to 
 you ; be careful not to cherish the least de- 
 gree of enmity to any person. You cannot 
 expect that God will be reconciled to you, 
 if you bring not with you a disposition to 
 be reconciled to your brethren. 
 
 Now, my dear friend, you know how you 
 may worthily celebrate the Sacrament of 
 the Supper. Fear and trembling form no 
 part of the state of mind in which the Sup- 
 per is to be enjoyed; gratitude and holy 
 12 
 
130 catechumen's and 
 
 joy should fill your soul, for it is a monu- 
 ment of the tender love of Jesus. 
 
 Ahove all this, guard against a careless 
 wandering of your thoughts. Strive after 
 a holy solemnity of feeling, and fix your 
 mind exclusively on the subject before you. 
 This you will attain, if this truth is deeply 
 impressed on your mind, " Jesus Christ, 
 my Mediator, exalted at the right hand of 
 God, is near me,— he knows my thoughts, 
 he hears my vows/' Approach the altar 
 with thoughts like these : he sees me, ex- 
 amines me, knows me, and is near me. — 
 Let your whole soul be surrendered to 
 Christ — let him stand before you. In spirit 
 see how he walked on earth, dispensing 
 blessings all around, and how full of love, 
 he instituted the last Supper. See in spirit, 
 how for your salvation he suffered in Geth- 
 semane and on Calvary. Let him be to 
 you all and in all ; let feelings of love and 
 gratitude be mightily awakened within 
 you, then will you acknowledge all your 
 unworthiness and obligation to him, but 
 then, also, will you feel yourself elevated 
 
communicant's companion. 131 
 
 to him in faith. Then, finally, will the 
 irrevocable determination be made, " I will 
 no longer be the slave of sin ; I will live 
 entirely for him who died for my soul." — 
 You will then be in a state fit to receive 
 the divine blessing. With gratitude, with 
 supplication and solemn vows, you will 
 partake of the Supper worthily. 
 i But I entreat you not to delude your 
 soul with the vain belief that your obliga- 
 tion ceases when the communion is over. 
 ISOy beloved friend, fruits of the heart and 
 life should be made manifest from your 
 partaking of the Supper. Your faith should 
 become stronger, your love more ardent^ 
 and your affections more holy. You must 
 ever remember the solemn vows of allegi- 
 ance and love to your Eedeemer which you 
 then made. Your pious resolutions must 
 be executed, and your protestations of fidel- 
 ity conscientiously observed. But perhaps, 
 you are alarmed at the prospect before you 
 and apprehensive that you cannot fulfil 
 your promises. Consider the following 
 advice. 
 
132 catechumen's and 
 
 Begin the work with God. Pray, pray 
 without ceasing, for strength and grace to 
 overcome the influence of sin. Avoid the 
 company of the ungodly, and fly from every 
 temptation. Be cautious in your conversa- 
 tion, and be watchful over your thoughts 
 and desires. Bead the Scriptures and other 
 religious hooks prayerfully. Wean your 
 heart from undue attachment to earthly 
 things, — endeavor to lay aside the sin that 
 most easily besets you, and become not dis- 
 couraged if you fail to eradicate it entirely. 
 Meditate upon the example of your Saviour 
 let nothing in your power prevent you from 
 hearing the word of God. Consider your- 
 self under all circumstances as in the hands 
 and under the eye of G od. Think of death, 
 it may come soon, — think of the judgment 
 day, — look upon yourself as a candidate for 
 heaven and a glorious immortality, — and 
 thus partake frequently of the Lord's Sup- 
 per. Thus continue, faithful disciple of 
 Jesus ! to pray, contend with sin and serve 
 your God until your end. With how 
 much profit will you then celebrate the 
 
communicant's companion. 133 
 
 communion, — then yon will have fought 
 the good fight, and kept the faith, and the 
 crown of righteousness will be given you 
 by the Lord. 
 
 When, during the administration of the 
 ordinance, the minister approaches you, 
 lift up your heart full of thoughts like the 
 following : — 
 
 On taking the Bread. 
 
 I desire to remember Jesus Christ dying 
 on the cross. 
 
 I believe that he gave himself for us an 
 offering and a sacrifice to God. 
 
 Let me now receive out of his fulness all 
 I need. 
 
 I trust in him alone for eternal life. 
 
 I take Christ for my only Saviour and 
 Lord. 
 
 I give myself to his service. 
 
 I look forward to his coming again. 
 
 At drinking the Wine. 
 
 I desire to remember that his blood was 
 shed for me. 
 12* 
 
134 catechumen's akd 
 
 I believe that his blood cleanseth from 
 all sin. 
 
 I mourn for my many sins that pierced 
 him. 
 
 I humbly lay claim to the New Covenant 
 blessings. 
 
 I freely and heartily forgive all my ene- 
 mies. 
 
 I desire ardently to love all the people 
 of Christ. 
 
 All praise be to God for his unspeakable 
 gift. 
 
communicant's companion. 135 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 Upon the excuses for not going to the Lortfs 
 Supper. 
 
 The declaration of Scripture, " he that 
 eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and 
 drinketh damnation to himself/' 1 Cor. xi, 
 29, has sometimes deterred many good 
 people from the table of the Lord, but this 
 has arisen from a misapprehension of the 
 words. This language was addressed to 
 the Corinthians, who disregarded the sol- 
 emn ordinance which showed forth the 
 Lord's death, and did not distinguish be- 
 tween it and a common meal ; " they did 
 not discern the Lord's body;" and be- 
 came actually intoxicated during the 
 celebration of the Supper. The word 
 translated " damnation," properly means 
 judgment; and does not refer to punish- 
 ment hereafter. The apostle means that, 
 for their guilty excesses, Glod would visit 
 
136 catechumen's and 
 
 tliem with temporal chastisements, and 
 hence he says,, in the succeeding verse, 
 " For this cause many are weak and sickly 
 among you, and many sleep." The Corin- 
 thians, perhaps, might attribute their 
 sickness, and deaths happening among 
 them, to various natural causes ; but an 
 inspired apostle tells them that these were 
 gent upon them for their profanation of the 
 Lord's Supper/' There is nothing, then, 
 in this text, which is alarming, as it is 
 usually understood by many, but still we 
 may in temper and in spirit be unworthy 
 communicants, against which we must 
 especially guard, and similar judgments 
 (not damnation on that account) may come 
 upon us, as they did upon the irreverent 
 Corinthians. 
 
 Men are always ready to make apologies 
 for not attending upon the ordinances, and 
 say, " pray have us excused ;" and it is not 
 only those who are avowed enemies of the 
 cross, but many who profess and call them- 
 selves christians. But who is it that com- 
 mands us to do this in remembrance of 
 
communicant's companion. 137 
 
 trim ? It is the command of an Almighty 
 Sovereign ; of a Eedeemer ; of a dying Me- 
 diator. It is a command full of love and 
 mercy. It has the same authority, and we 
 are under the same obligations to obey it, 
 as cc Thou shalt not kill." But let us con- 
 sider the excuses commonly made. 
 
 1. The first is founded upon the aivful im- 
 portance and nature of the Supper. This is 
 an affected compliment to Christ, which he 
 will not accept. Men lull their consciences 
 to sleep by saying that the honor is too 
 great, and the ordinance too solemn for 
 them to enjoy. This is true, but it should 
 only awaken in us a solicitude to prepare 
 ourselves properly for it, and is, by no 
 means, an excuse for staying away. If an 
 earthly monarch were to command us to 
 appear at his court, and we would boldly 
 answer that the honor is too great for us, 
 would it not be a violation of his command, 
 an insult to his honor, and a contempt of 
 his favor ? Consider well that the rever- 
 ence for this sacrament which your Ee- 
 deemer demands of you, is a reverence 
 
138 catechumen's and 
 
 united with obedience ; but this latter you 
 deny him. He only has a proper idea of 
 the majesty of this sacrament, who is soli- 
 citous with all humility and sense of his 
 unworthiness to approach the table. That 
 false reverence which makes us negligent 
 about the performance of duties, dishonors 
 God, and injures man. 
 
 2. Others do not celebrate the Lord's 
 Supper, because, as they say, they are un- 
 worthy. That is very certain ; and if the 
 question turns upon our merit, then the 
 holiest saints on earth are unworthy. We 
 only make ourselves acceptable guests, 
 when we come with such a preparation as 
 the gospel demands, namely, in faith in 
 the merits of the Redeemer. Would not 
 a beggar be more proud than humble, if 
 he were to refuse the alms you were ready 
 to bestow upon him, on the ground of his 
 unworthiness to receive them? An humble 
 sense of our unworthiness, or as the Saviour 
 expresses it, " poorness of spirit/' is in the 
 sight of God, the best preparation for the 
 enjoyment of his offered blessings; for Jesus 
 
communicant's companion. 139 
 
 says, " Blessed are the poor in spirit, for 
 theirs is the kingdom of God." 
 
 3. Others apologize for this neglect by 
 declaring that they fear a relapse into sin. 
 It must be acknowledged that it is a ter- 
 rible thing to trample the blood of the Son 
 of God under foot, and to fall back into 
 gross sin, after having communed. But 
 whose fault is this, and whose duty is it to 
 observe the directions of the Scriptures ? 
 You might as well argue that you will not 
 read the word of God, attend the preaching 
 of the gospel, or perform any other religious 
 duty, lest you might not be benefited, and 
 thus enhance your responsibility ! 
 
 But suppose that you do fall into sin 
 after communion, (which should, however, 
 be especially guarded against,) would that 
 shut you out of all hope of heaven ? If you 
 sincerely repented of your sins, would not 
 God grant you grace unto conversion ? He 
 demands of the guests of his table a holy 
 life, and a fulfilment of the vows which 
 they have taken upon themselves, but not 
 the innocence of angels. The holy sacra- 
 
140 CATECHUMENS AND 
 
 inent is a means of fortifying tis in our con- 
 test against sin, and should consequently 
 be celebrated by all who desire to overcome 
 the influence of the adversary. 
 
 But another says, I cannot appear there 
 because I am in doubt about my spiritual 
 condition. If this doubt arises from the 
 weakness of your faith, then we can tell 
 you that for such as you was the Supper 
 instituted, and is one of the means which 
 you ought to employ to remove your doubts* 
 The longer you absent yourself on that 
 account, the stronger will your doubts and 
 fears become. 
 
 4. Others excuse themselves by declaring 
 that no benefit can arise from the Lord's 
 Supper, for many who partake of it, are not 
 better than many who do not It is not to 
 be denied that this is a melancholy truth, 
 which among professed christians, is but 
 too often realized. But how can you draw 
 the unwarrantable conclusion that, after 
 all, there is no benefit ? Ton might as well 
 conclude not to eat, because some by care- 
 lessness have been strangled by their food! 
 
communicant's companion. 141 
 
 We grant that some eat and drink unwor- 
 thily, and dishonor their Kedeemer, but is 
 that a reason why you should dishonor 
 him and bring judgment upon yourself? 
 You are not directed to follow the bad ex- 
 amples of others, but to observe the pre- 
 cepts and commands of God. You are not 
 to look upon the abuse of this means of 
 grace, but upon the proper use, as estab- 
 lished by Christ and his apostles. If you 
 adopt the example of the wicked as your 
 rule of conduct and opinion, you a$e 
 undone. 
 
 5. My neighbor has injured me, says an- 
 other ; I live at enmity with him, and white 
 this continues I cannot go to the Lord's table 
 But, dear friend, even if your neighbor has 
 offended you, will you on that account 
 offend G-od and your own soul ? He has 
 injured you, but will you act so unwisely 
 and increase the injury? But examine 
 whether your disaffection towards your 
 neighbor is justifiable ? If he persists in 
 his insults, your displeasure cannot be 
 avoided; but still endeavor to keep it within 
 13 
 
142 catechumen's and 
 
 proper bounds, and cherish, no feelings of 
 vengeance. You can be dissatisfied with 
 the conduct of your fellow men toward you 
 without being thereby rendered unfit for 
 the Supper. But if you are determined to 
 cherish enmity against thein, then trem- 
 ble when you appear at the table; tremble 
 every time you use the Lord's prayer, " for- 
 give us our trespasses, as we forgive those 
 who trespass against us," for you are pray- 
 ing yourself into perdition. Be careful to 
 attain that preparation of soul by which 
 you will forgive the faults and insults of 
 your neighbors ; strive after union and 
 harmony, and pray that the love of your 
 fellow man may continually grow in your 
 heart. 
 
 6. Oar business is of such a nature, that 
 we have no time to prepare for the Lords 
 Supper, Bay others. What ! should we find 
 no time to serve God, who as the Lord 
 of time grants it to us ? or perhaps we find 
 time enough to attend to our worldly con- 
 cerns, only not to the immortal soul ! The 
 man who wishes to excuse himself from 
 
communicant's companion. 143 
 
 attendance on the Supper, on account of 
 the extent of his business, gives God plainly 
 to understand that he will think of his 
 service when the world allows him per- 
 mission. The most industrious man on 
 earth has time enough to attend to his re- 
 ligious duties ; yea, they will enable him 
 to transact his business much more com- 
 fortably to himself. He utterly deceives 
 himself who makes this apology ; God will 
 not accept it, while the interests of his own 
 soul are suffering prodigiously. 
 
 7. Another excuse we hear from some, 
 is the unworthiness of others. But does not 
 true humility teach us to think and judge 
 more severely of ourselves than of others ; 
 and suppose it to be true that others are 
 unworthy, can their sins deprive us of the 
 benefits and consolations of the ordinance ? 
 The presence of an impenitent man cannot 
 pollute the institution, and we have no part 
 in his sins. It is only a spirit of the gross- 
 est self-righteousness that can induce a 
 man to make this excuse ; and he should 
 be more solicitous about the good of his 
 
144 catechumen's and 
 
 own soul, than about the faults of his 
 neighbors. 
 
 Hear the animating language of Bishop 
 Patrick : " Let no man plead this, or that, 
 in excuse for his not coming to the Lord's 
 table ; but resolve hereafter carefully to 
 perform so necessary a duty. Let the sin- 
 ner quit his state of sin and death, and so 
 come and eat of the bread of life. Let the 
 ignorant come into the school of Christ, 
 and proceed until they come to the highest 
 form, to the upper room, where the feast 
 is celebrated. Let those that are at enmity 
 with their neighbors also come ; let them 
 only first go and be reconciled to their 
 brethren, and so let them offer their gift. 
 Let those that have a multitude of worldly 
 employments come; only let them leave 
 them, as Abraham did his asses at the 
 bottom of the mount, and so let them ascend 
 to heaven in their thoughts, and converse 
 with God. Let the weak come, that they 
 may grow in strength ; and let the strong 
 come, that they may not grow weak. Let 
 them who have fears come, that their hearts 
 
commukicant's companion. 145 
 
 may be settled by the acts of a more lively 
 faith ; and let them come who have hopes, 
 that they may rise to greater degrees of an 
 humble confidence Let those who have 
 leisure accept of this invitation, because 
 they have no excuse ; and let those who 
 have but little leisure entertain it also, that 
 they may the more sanctify their business 
 and their employments. Let the sad and 
 the sorrowful approach, that their hearts 
 may be filled with the joys of the Lord, and 
 let them who rejoice in the Lord always 
 approach, that their joy may be full/' 
 
 13 s1 
 
146 catechumen's and 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 He Ips for Se If -Examination . 
 
 Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, 
 who art of purer eyes than to behold in- 
 iquity, who searchest the heart, and triest 
 the innermost thoughts, I beseech thee now 
 to assist me in looking into my own heart 
 and my own life. Feeling and acknow- 
 ledging that my heart is deceitful above 
 all things, and desperately wicked, I be- 
 seech thee to show me to myself. Enable 
 me to try myself by the standard of thy 
 holy word, that I may discover the true 
 state of my soul ; give me repentance for 
 all my past sins ; lively faith in Jesus 
 Christ, the only Saviour from sin ; deep 
 humility before thee, and such tempers 
 and dispositions as are meet for those who 
 assemble round the table of our gracious 
 Eedeemer. All which I ask for his name's 
 sake. Amen. 
 
communicant's companion. 147 
 
 THE HOLY LAW OF GOD. — Mark xi, 30, 31. 
 
 Do I love the Lord my God with all my 
 heart, with all my mind, with all my soul, 
 and all my strength ? 
 
 Do I know any thing of his glorious per- 
 fections, and the blessings which he has 
 bestowed ? 
 
 Do I desire his favor, and fear his dis- 
 pleasure above every thing ? 
 
 With what feelings do I regard his word, 
 his house, his day, his ordinances, his peo- 
 pie? 
 
 Is my mind in general alienated from 
 God and forgetful of him ? 
 
 Do I think much and frequently of him, 
 and am I zealous for his glory ? 
 
 Do I enjoy communion with him when I 
 pray to him or desire this ? 
 
 Do I strive to become like him? 
 
 Are the faculties of my soul engaged to 
 render him affectionate, intelligent, sincere 
 and resolute service ? 
 
 Do Hove my neighbor as myself? 
 
 Do I know that all mankind are entitled 
 to my benevolence and love ? 
 
148 catechumen's and 
 
 Am I free from all malice, ill-will and 
 enmity to every human being ? 
 
 t>o I forbear doing to them what I should 
 dislike to have done to me, whether it be 
 fraud, evil speaking, contempt or the like? 
 
 Am I actively desiring, and seeking the 
 good of all around me, even as I desire and 
 seek my own ? 
 
 Is my love to others like that of Christ 
 to me? 
 
 Do I love not in word only, but in deed, 
 and in truth ? 
 
 What do I do for the relief of the needy 
 and the destitute ? 
 
 Am I seeking the salvation of my fellow 
 creatures ? 
 
 Has the law taught me my sinfulness, 
 and as a school-master led me to Christ ? 
 
 the gospel. — Bom. i, 16, 17. 
 
 Have I deeply felt my guilt and corrup- 
 tion before God? 
 
 Have I seen my own helplessness as tD 
 salvation ? 
 
 Do I know and believe that the gospel is 
 
communicant's companion. 149 
 
 the appointed, and only, and complete way 
 of salvation ? 
 
 Am I so believing in Jesus as to rely 
 upon him as my Saviour ? 
 
 Do I know that God accounts men right- 
 eous through faith in him ? 
 
 Am I seeking righteousness in this way ? 
 
 REPENTANCE AND FAITH. — Acts XX, 21. 
 
 Do I repent of my iniquities ? 
 
 Have I any knowledge of the divine pu- 
 rity, justice and goodness ? 
 
 Have I in consequence, felt grieved for 
 sin? 
 
 Have I determined to forsake all sin, 
 however dear to me ? 
 
 Have I acknowledged my sinfulness he- 
 fore God ? 
 
 Have I actually turned from my sins? 
 
 Do I believe in Jesus Christ as my only 
 Saviour ? 
 
 Have I seen my danger on account of 
 sin? 
 
 Do I know what the Scriptures say of 
 Christ as able to save ? 
 
150 catechumen's and 
 
 Have I seen that he is full of grace and 
 truth? 
 
 Do I rely on him for pardon ; and for 
 strength to serve him ? 
 
 Do I make use of him in all his offices, 
 as Prophet, Priest, and King ? 
 
 THE BEATITUDES. — Matt V, 3-10. 
 
 Am I poor in spirit? 
 
 Am I sensible of my lost and undone 
 condition? 
 
 Do I feel that I am unable to help myself? 
 
 Am I acquainted with the workings of 
 my own evil heart ? 
 
 Am I humble and lowly in mind, affec- 
 tion, and conversation? 
 
 Do I mourn for sin ? 
 
 Do I see what dreadful evil sin has pro- 
 duced ? 
 
 Do I know that the wrath of God is de- 
 nounced against all sin ? 
 
 Does the suffering Saviour, crucified for 
 sin, affect my heart with godly sorrow ? 
 
 Am I grieved for my repeated transgres- 
 sion? 
 
communicant's companion. 151 
 
 Have I Christian meekness ? 
 
 Do I contend with my proud and unholy 
 tempers ? 
 
 Am I patient under crosses, trials, and 
 injuries, and willing to suffer reproach for 
 Christ's sake? 
 
 Do I quietly submit to God's painful dis- 
 pensations ? 
 
 Do I endeavor to unite ardent zeal with 
 patient meekness? 
 
 Do I hunger and thirst after righteous- 
 ness ? 
 
 Am I deeply sensible of my want of 
 righteousness ? 
 
 Do I earnestly desire to obtain that 
 righteousness which is through the faith 
 of Christ ? 
 
 Do I supremely desire to be wholly free 
 from the dominion, pollution and power, 
 as well as from the guilt of sin ? 
 
 Am I merciful? 
 
 Have the miseries of others called forth 
 compassion and efforts to relieve them ? 
 
 Have I sought to find out the poor and 
 afflicted? 
 
152 catechumen's and 
 
 Have I manifested a merciful disposition 
 to all under me ? 
 
 Am I pare in heart ? 
 
 Do tlie sins of my heart grieve me ? 
 
 Do I avoid all those occasions which I 
 have found to he temptations to impurity ? 
 
 Is my eye single, and my heart one for 
 God? 
 
 Are all carnal, sensual, and sinful de- 
 sires mortified ? 
 
 Am I a peace-maker ? 
 
 Is my own conduct such as not to excite 
 contention and disputes, hut to diffuse har- 
 mony and love ? 
 
 Have I, as much as I could ; promoted 
 brotherly affection and union in my family ? 
 
 Do I seek to unite together those that 
 have quarreled ? 
 
 Am I laboring to spread the gospel of 
 peace ? 
 
 Do I suffer persecution for righteousness' 
 sake ? 
 
 Is my religion contrary to the course of 
 this world ? 
 
 Is all the occasion of the offence I give, 
 my holy and righteous conduct ? 
 
communicant's companion. 153 
 
 Do the ungodly laugh at, revile, or op- 
 pose my religion ? 
 
 Have I ever suffered any loss for con- 
 science' sake? 
 
 The above may serve as specimens for 
 self-examination, and the devout reader is 
 left to pursue it more extensively. It is a 
 most salutary exercise, and the individual 
 who sincerely seeks after holiness, will not 
 shrink from frequent and prayerful inspec- 
 tion. 
 
 The following confession and prayers 
 may close our self-examination. 
 
 Confession of Sins after self-examination. 
 
 Lord Grod Almighty, the Judge of all 
 the earth, keeping covenant and mercy to 
 them that love him, and to them that keep 
 his commandments, have mercy upon me, 
 a miserable sinner, coming back to thee in 
 the name of Jesus Christ. My conscience 
 accuses me of many transgressions, and 
 much disobedience. If in any thing I have 
 not greatly sinned, or have in a measure 
 fulfilled thy will, this was thy work, and to 
 14 
 
154 catechumen's ahb 
 
 tliee alone be praise. But how unfaith- 
 ful have I been to rny engagements, and 
 how often have I transgressed thy law, 
 and been disobedient to thy holy will ! 
 
 I desire especially to confess and bewail 
 those sins for which my own heart partic- 
 ularly condemns me. {Here enumerate those 
 sins and omitted duties which have been 
 brought to your mind by self-examination?) 
 And how much of my sinfulness is un- 
 known to myself! But thou art acquainted 
 with all my ways. cleanse thou me 
 from my secret faults and from all my 
 known transgressions ; wash me through 
 that precious blood which cleanses from all 
 sin. Give me grace to look upon him who 
 was pierced for my sins, and to mourn for 
 them with that godly sorrow which works 
 repentance unto salvation. vouchsafe 
 unto me a holy compunction of heart, a 
 lively faith in Christ, and a sure hope of 
 thy mercy through him, that I may with 
 a pacified conscience, a believing and pen- 
 itent heart, and a grateful and thankful 
 
communicant's companion. 155 
 
 spirit^ commemorate his death at his table. 
 Hear me for his name's sake. Amen. 
 
 Prayer for Repentance. 
 
 Thou who, by the right hand of the 
 Father, art exalted to be a prince and a 
 Saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness 
 of sins ; now, in this accepted time, I come 
 to thee for those great blessings. My heart 
 is hard and impenitent, and little affected 
 by my many sins, and thy great goodness. 
 I beseech thee to take away the stony heart, 
 and give me a heart of flesh. Vouchsafe 
 unto me that broken and contrite spirit 
 which the high and holy God will not de- 
 spise. May thy sufferings, gracious Re- 
 deemer, touch and melt my soul. Let the 
 goodness of Gi-od lead me to repentance. 
 Never leave me to myself and my own per- 
 verse, w r ayward, and wandering heart. 
 now bring me back, by thy Holy Spirit, to 
 my heavenly Father ; and, returning to 
 him, may I obtain his mercy, and find that 
 he does abundantly pardon. 
 
156 catechumen's and 
 
 Prayer for Faith. 
 
 Almighty G-od, Father of mercies, from 
 whom cometh every good and perfect gift, 
 give unto me, I beseech thee, grace to be- 
 lieve on the name of Christ. I believe, 
 Lord, help thou my unbelief; let me be 
 strong in faith, giving glory to thee, and 
 having a full persuasion that thou wilt 
 perform all that thou hast promised. 
 help me to count all things but loss for the 
 excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus 
 my Lord. Enable me so to believe, that 
 Christ may dwell in my heart ; and I may 
 supremely love thee, my God, and unfeign- 
 edly love all my fellow-creatures. Hear 
 me for Christ's sake. 
 
communicant's companion. 157 
 
 CHAPTER XXY. 
 
 Confession of sins, preparatory to receiving the 
 Holy Sacrament. 
 
 cc If we say that we have no sin, we de- 
 ceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 
 But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and 
 just to forgive us, and to cleanse us from 
 all unrighteousness/' 1 John i, 8, 9. 
 
 most mighty God! how shall I, a poor 
 miserable sinner, who am all over sin and 
 pollution, dare to speak unto thee? 
 Lord ! when I look back on my past life, I 
 am astonished at thy mercy and long suf- 
 fering towards me; and am sensible, if I 
 had been rewarded according to my mis- 
 deeds, that I had long before this been ban- 
 ished from thy presence for ever. But I 
 now fly unto thee, and cry, Lord, be merci- 
 ful unto me , a sinner ! 
 
 1 have been a disobedient sinner, a con- 
 temner of thy laws. I have made a mock 
 at sin, and would not hearken to reproof- 
 
 14* 
 
158 catechumen's and 
 
 my mind has been overspread with blind- 
 ness, ignorance and folly, but now, as thou 
 hast vouchsafed me the light of thy Spirit, 
 to see my infirmities, I fly unto thee, the 
 author of my comfort, and say, Lord, he 
 merciful unto me, a sinner ! 
 
 I have preferred a life of folly, of extrav- 
 agance and disorder, a life that has yielded 
 me shame, remorse, sorrow and affliction, 
 before the peace, and pleasure, and serenity 
 of a sober, virtuous and religious behaviour. 
 I have preferred the pleasures and profits 
 of this world, to the ways of virtue and re- 
 ligion, but now I repent, and say, Lord, he 
 merciful to me a sinner ! 
 
 Lord! I dare not plead that I have 
 spent any one day of my life solely to thy 
 honor and glory : but how many days, nay, 
 years, have I spent in the service of sin ! 
 How many are my unlawful desires and 
 inordinate affections ! How often have I 
 profaned thy sabbaths, abused thy sacred 
 name, lightly esteemed thy holy word, de- 
 spised thy ministers, and regarded with in- 
 difference all that is serious I But now I 
 
communicant's companion. 159 
 
 fly unto thee, by this holy Sacrament, and 
 cry, Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner ! 
 
 I have been proud and envious, passion- 
 ate and angry; I have indulged hatred, 
 malice and revenge ; I have spoken disre- 
 spectfully of my neighbor ; I have been 
 guilty of indecent actions and unholy dis- 
 courses ; of profane and sinful jests, of fre- 
 quent irreverent use of thy name, and 
 of swerving from the truth ; but now I 
 come and pray, Lord, be merciful to me, 
 a sinner t 
 
 I heartily confess all my secret and pre- 
 sumptuous faults, and beseech thee that 
 they may be no more remembered against 
 me for ever. I have no hope but in that 
 mercy which thou hast manifested in the 
 redemption of the world, by thy Son, Jesus 
 Christ ; that alone is the support of my 
 soul under all my sorrows and anguish. 
 
 Lord ! pardon and forgive, I most earn- 
 estly beseech thee, all the sins and trans- 
 gressions of my past life, and cleanse me 
 from all secret and unknown sins ; give me, 
 I most heartily beseech thee, such an un- 
 
160 catechumen's and 
 
 feigned repentance of all my sins, such a 
 hatred and abhorrence of my former evil 
 ways, that I may from this moment, aban- 
 don for ever all my sinful enjoyments. — 
 Give me that humble and contrite spirit, 
 whose longings thou never wilt despise ; 
 that faith which overcometh the world, 
 and which will enable me to conquer my 
 most inveterate habits ; and that love 
 which will make me afraid to offend thee ; 
 and inspire me with resolutions, active and 
 vigorous, honest and sincere ; such as, by 
 the assistance of thy grace and Holy Spirit, 
 may carry me through all difficulties, and 
 be proof against all the temptations of the 
 world, the flesh, and the devil. 
 
 © Lord ! hear me : Lord ! help me, and 
 have mercy upon me; grant me the blessing 
 of thy Spirit and grace, that I may go duly 
 prepared to thy holy table. Lord ! pity 
 and save my soul for thy truth and mercies' 
 sake, in Jesus Christ. Amen. 
 
communicant's companion. 161 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 Prayer before the Sacrament of the LoroVs 
 Swpyer* 
 
 what am I, a poor, unworthy , sinful 
 being, that I should go to the table of the 
 Lord, and presume to claim the portion 
 of his saints ! Great God ! my guilt, and 
 shame, and fear draw me back, and make 
 me ready to conclude it presumptuous and 
 vain for me ever to expect such high honor 
 and favor from thee, after I have so wick- 
 edly behaved towards myself. I durst not 
 think of making so near approaches to thy 
 Holy Majesty, but that thou art pleased 
 to invite and command us so to do. In- 
 stead of stretching forth a sceptre of mercy 
 to invite me to thy table^ thou mightest, 
 w r ith the rod of thy wrath, dash me in 
 pieces as a potter's vessel ; and instead of 
 entertaining me with thy own body and 
 blood, thou mightest give me the bread 
 and water of affliction, and cast me down 
 
162 catechumen's and 
 
 where I should in vain cry out for a drop 
 to cool my parched tongue. 
 
 But seeing thou art pleased to call even 
 sinners, who have undone themselves, to 
 come unto thee for help, and hast ap- 
 pointed this sacrament as a means of con- 
 veyance to help them to pardon and grace 
 who stand in need of them; therefore, 
 seeing I do extremely need thy pardoning 
 mercy and thy sanctifying grace, I come, 
 Lord, though polluted and unfit to appear 
 before thee; and I dare not but come, 
 knowing that I shall be undone by keep- 
 ing away from thee. I come not, Lord, 
 because I am worthy, but because thou art 
 rich in mercy. I come as hungry, to be 
 fed ; as sick, to be healed, and maimed, to 
 be recovered ; that I may wash in the blood 
 of thy Son and be cleansed; that I may 
 receive of thy-infinite fullness, all that is 
 wanting in my wretched self; and that I 
 may so touch my Saviour, as to perceive 
 virtue from him ; and to heal my sinful 
 sores, and to make me able for thy faithful 
 service. 
 
communicant's companion. 163 
 
 that I may come in an humble man- 
 ner, with all reverence and godly fear ; 
 and with the most earnest longings after 
 Christ Jesus, and the most hearty resolu- 
 tions to live unto him who was pleased to 
 die for me ! And do thou instruct me ; 
 Lord, and assist me in the examination, 
 the humiliation and preparation of my- 
 self; in order to my safe and comfortable 
 participation of this holy ordinance. Be- 
 fore I approach thy altar, wilt thou purify 
 my heart by repentance and faith in the 
 blood of our great Eedeemer. let me 
 receive a broken and bleeding Saviour 
 with a broken and contrite heart; and 
 make me so Avilling and obedient, that I 
 may eat the good of the ordinance ; that I 
 may find communion with thee, and may 
 have not only a representation, but a par- 
 ticipation of Christ crucified. turn in, 
 my Lord, and be not as a stranger to the 
 soul that is the purchase of thy own blood. 
 Enrich thy ordinance with thy presence, 
 that I may find him whom my soul desires 
 to love^ and whose love is better than rich- 
 
164 catechumen's and 
 
 es ; that Christ may appear and be known 
 to my soul, in this breaking of bread : that 
 I may receive such life from thee, as may 
 enable me to live unto thee, and make me 
 know that thou abidest in me by the Spirit 
 which thou hast given me. 
 
 Blessed Saviour, weigh not mine, but 
 thy own merits ; for I have not deserved 
 thee, but thou hast redeemed me. I can 
 never be worthy of thee ; but give me, I 
 beseech thee, such agreeable dispositions, 
 apprehensions, affections, and resolutions 
 in my coming to thee, that I may eat and 
 drink worthily of what I am to receive 
 from thee ; that I may partake of thy sa- 
 cred body crucified, and thy precious blood 
 shed for us, with such discerning, and rev- 
 erence, and penitence, and faith, and love, 
 and thankfulness, as I ought to do. And 
 what I am not in myself, do thou make 
 me, out of thine own infinite fullness. 
 
 make thy ordinance healing, and the 
 savour of life to my soul. And make it 
 also a sealing ordinance, to clear up to me 
 the pardon of my sins and the assurance 
 
communicant's companion. 165 
 
 of thy love. And, as thou sealest the cov- 
 enant of grace, let me seal the covenant 
 of obedience ; and in such a devout and 
 acceptable manner come unto thy table, 
 that I may return from it with my con- 
 science quieted, my corruption subdued, 
 my graces increased, and my soul en- 
 _ couraged to run the ways of thy com- 
 mands, 
 
 And as thou art pleased still to continue 
 to us the liberty and advantage of this or- 
 dinance to nourish and revive our souls, 
 work in our hearts a higher esteem for 
 it, and a greater love to it. And in our 
 preparations before we eat and drink at 
 thy table, in our communicating there, 
 and in our behaviour after, teach and 
 help us to conduct ourselves in a manner 
 becoming the holy, heavenly feasts, and 
 the redeemed of the Lord. 
 
 Hear me, Lord, my God, and forgive 
 me ; bless and direct me, quicken and as- 
 sist me in the work now lying before me ; 
 deal graciously with me, that I may dis- 
 charge my duties with good acceptance in 
 15 
 
166 catechumen's and 
 
 the sight of G-od, through the beloved of 
 thy soulj the only Saviour of man. Amen. 
 
 Meditation of a young Christian, especially on 
 
 going to the table for the first time. 
 
 (Jesus speaks.) 
 
 My child! how unspeakably dear art 
 thou to me ! Yes, I have loved thee long ? 
 and even before thou wert born my heart 
 was warm with affection for thee. Then 
 already I was solicitous about thy salva- 
 tion, and I did not think it too much to 
 sacrifice my life for thee upon the cross. 
 See, my child ! what agonies thou hast 
 cost me, and on that account I love thee 
 the more, and desire to make thee eternal- 
 ly happy ; 0, then, come unto me. Where 
 canst thou find such love as in me ? And 
 who can help thee, a poor child, who de- 
 liver thee from destruction, if thou comest 
 not unto me ? Yes, it is I alone who can 
 afford thee strength in life, consolation in 
 affliction, hope in death, and eternal sal- 
 vation in heaven. Do not neglect so great 
 salvation. Give me now thy heart ; if 
 postponed, perhaps thou wilt not be able, 
 then whence wouldst thou receive salva- 
 
communicant's companion. 167 
 
 tion ? Thou livest in an evil world, in 
 which thou art encompassed by many ene- 
 mies, who would destroy thy soul. But 
 observe, I have overcome the world, and 
 with me thou canst also overcome it. Be- 
 cognize in every temptation to do contra- 
 ry to my word, in every attempt of the 
 scoffer to seduce thee from the ways of ho- 
 liness, the enemy who would separate thee 
 from me, thy only helper and deliverer, 
 and ruin thee eternally. Flee, flee all 
 youthful lusts, and every sin; avoid the 
 wicked practices of the world ; remember 
 constantly thy heavenly friend, who once 
 laid down his life for thee ; watch and 
 pray, and look to me for strength against 
 the world ; for my strength is powerful to 
 the weak. Thus will my blessing accom- 
 pany thee, and thou wilt finally be happy 
 with me in heaven. 
 
 (The young Christian.) 
 
 Lord Jesus ! how lovely is thy voice ! 
 how it moves my inmost soul ! Thou art 
 the holy and righteous one, the Lord of 
 heaven and earth ; and yet thou art solic- 
 
168 CATECHUMENS AND 
 
 itous about me, a poor mortal, and lionor- 
 est me with such wonderful love. Alas ! 
 I am a great sinner. I never experienced 
 that so intensely as at this moment. I 
 am ashamed to look to thee, thou holy 
 one, and I am alarmed, when I think that 
 thou, the Omniscient, knowest all that I 
 have thought, spoke and done, during all 
 my wicked life. And yet I am called to 
 come to thee, and to expect all from thee, 
 which thou givest to thy beloved ! What 
 wondrous mercy ! I cannot comprehend 
 its immeasurable extent ! Now I come, 
 Lord, as thou callest me. I would be 
 wholly thine, with all that I have and 
 am ; and oh ! that I may never abandon 
 thee, but be always faithful to follow thee, 
 wherever thou leadest. Look mercifully 
 upon my weakness; enlighten my mind 
 from above ; work in me both to will and 
 to do ; strengthen my faith and fortify me 
 in my conflict against sin. Lord Jesus, 
 thou hast begun the good work in me ; do 
 thou bring it to perfection, to the glory of 
 thy holy name, and' my own eternal salva- 
 tion. Amen. 
 
communicant's companion. 169 
 
 CHAPTEE XXVII. 
 For a Communicant in Spiritual Distress, 
 
 Most Holy God, thou art the fountain 
 of life and happiness. I thank thee that 
 thou didst ever permit me to experience 
 thy mercy, and that the light of thy coun- 
 tenance ever shone upon my soul. But, 
 alas ! that time has gone, and I am now 
 sorrowing and afflicted. My heart is sad, 
 and what shall I do ? I cry out, with thy 
 servant of old, " that I were as in 
 months past, as in the days when God 
 preserved me ; when his candle shined 
 upon my head, and when by his light I 
 walked through darkness." Job xxix, 2, 
 3. I would come and call thee, with the 
 same holy boldness, my Father and my 
 God, but I know not how it is possible. 
 Guilt and dread oppress me, and I dare 
 no longer call thee by that endearing 
 name. I seek thee, Lord, but I seek thee 
 in vain. I would pray unto thee, but my 
 15* 
 
170 catechumen's and 
 
 lips are sealed ; and my heart is closed. 
 I would read thy word, but all its gra- 
 cious promises afford no consolation to me. 
 Thy holy ordinances, which were formerly 
 nourishing to my soul, now communicate 
 no spiritual enjoyment or relkf. Their 
 spirit has departed. The mere shadow 
 remains, and my comfort has gone. 
 
 But, Lord, wilt thou cast me off for 
 ever? wilt thou no more show me thy fa- 
 vor? hast .thou determined, in thy terrible 
 judgment, that my soul shall ever be dis- 
 quieted ? Truly, all this I have deserved. 
 I acknowledge, Lord God, that I have de- 
 served to be banished from thy presence, 
 but hast thou not again accepted many 
 who have merited thy displeasure as well 
 as I ? be thus gracious unto me. If 
 thou hast withdrawn thy favor on account 
 of my sins, may it please thee, according 
 to thy gracious promise, to hide thy face 
 from my sins, and to blot out mine iniqui- 
 ties. Gladden my heart, by bestowing thy 
 favor upon me, and say unto my wounded 
 soul, I am thy deliverer. 
 
communicant's companion. 171 
 
 Lord, my God, did not Jesus, thy be- 
 loved Son, endure all that my sins de- 
 served ? did he not render an equivalent 
 to thee for my transgressions ? did he 
 not suffer all this, that a penitent sinner 
 might, through him, he brought to thee, 
 and be allowed the privilege of regard- 
 ing thee as his Father and God ? 
 
 Glorious Eedeemer, art thou not ap- 
 pointed to give unto them that mourn in 
 Zion, beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for 
 mourning, and the garment of praise for 
 the spirit of heaviness ? wipe away 
 my tears. Anoint my head with the oil 
 of joy, and clothe me with the garments 
 of salvation. 
 
 that I knew why thou hast withdrawn 
 thyself from me ! I think on and examine 
 my ways. Lord, do thou search and try 
 me, and see whether there be any wicked 
 way in me, and lead me in the w^ay that 
 is everlasting. Guide me in the way 
 where I can find rest for my soul, and 
 where I can recognize the revelations of 
 thy love in Christ. 
 
172 catechumen's and 
 
 My God, tliou who seest light shining 
 out of darkness, only speak the word, and 
 there will be light in my soul. Open my 
 lips, that my month may speak forth thy 
 praise. Then I will praise thee in songs 
 of joy, which shall show the happy condi- 
 tion of the righteous. But, Lord, I sub- 
 mit to thy will. If thou hast determined 
 that my faith shall be tried, I resign my- 
 self to thy sovereign will. I will yet 
 thank thee, as the God of Israel, the Ee- 
 deemer, though thou art hidden from me. 
 I will yet hope in the name of the Lord, 
 and confide in my God. My soul shall 
 wait upon the Lord in the morning, and 
 who knows but that the light may shine 
 upon me in the evening ? I know that 
 thou hast often showed thy mercy towards 
 thy servants in their death ; as their na- 
 tural strength decayed, thou hast sup- 
 ported them by thy Spirit, and hast made 
 darkness light unto them. If it be accord- 
 ing to thy holy will, grant that the light 
 of thy countenance may shine upon me, 
 when I walk through the dark valley and 
 
COMMUNICANTS COMPANION. 17o 
 
 shadow of death. May thy rod and thy 
 staff then sustain me, and may I finally 
 be admitted into that rest which remain- 
 eth for the people of God. 
 
 This, Lord, this is the salvation after 
 which I long, but perhaps I will be com- 
 forted sooner, perhaps when I go to thy 
 table. Thy body and blood are the seals 
 of my union with thee. By thy holy sac- 
 rament thou wilt strengthen the weakness 
 of my faith ; wilt dispel my fears and con- 
 sole my afflicted spirit. Thou wilt do it, 
 for thou hast so promised. My longings 
 shall never tire, my hope never become 
 faint. Nourish and strengthen this faith 
 in me, and grant that it may finally be 
 fulfilled, through the riches of thy mercy, 
 in Christ Jesus. Amen, 
 
174 catechumen's and 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 Morning Prayer on Communion Day, 
 
 Almighty God and Merciful Father, 
 who hast given thy only Son, Jesus Christ, 
 to die for us ; who didst institute a holy 
 feast in commemoration of that his most 
 precious death, whereby to preserve in our 
 minds a constant remembrance of his great 
 love, in laying down his life for our sakes ; 
 I, thy unworthy servant, who am now in- 
 vited to thy holy table, do humbly adore 
 thy divine majesty, acknowledging that I 
 am not worthy of my daily bread, much 
 less of that which came down from heaven, 
 and which thou hast given to be the food 
 and nourishment of our souls. 
 
 1 confess, Lord, my sins may justly 
 cause me to tremble when I appear before 
 thee ; but, most merciful Father, encour- 
 aged by thy wonderful goodness and love, 
 in giving thy Son to die for all penitent 
 sinners, I present myself before thee at 
 
communicant's companion. 175 
 
 tliis time, beseeching thee, in great hu- 
 mility, to continue to rne that love, and 
 admit me to thy holy table, that I may 
 taste and see how gracious thou art, and 
 how wonderful in thy doings towards the 
 sons of men. 
 
 make my longings after, and desires 
 for, this divine food, some way answera- 
 ble to my great need of it ; that my soul, 
 being sensible of all its wants, may no 
 longer seek for relief from the unsatisfying 
 objects of this world, but by coming to 
 thy holy table, with a true spiritual hun- 
 ger and thirst, may there find a supply of 
 all those graces and blessings, of which it 
 stands so much in need. 
 
 And to this end, Lord, prepare my 
 heart to partake of so great a mercy, by 
 giving me a just abhorrence of my own 
 unworthiness, and an unfeigned repent- 
 ance of all my sins. Eoot out of my heart 
 all sinful and corrupt affections, all pre- 
 judice, hatred and ill will, and plant all 
 those devout, and pious, and charitable, 
 and humble dispositions that become the 
 
176 catechumen's and 
 
 worshipers of our dear Eecleemer ; that 
 when I presume to appear before thee, I 
 may bring with me a heart raised above 
 all the corruptions of this world ; and full 
 of the strongest desires and resolutions of 
 loving and serving thee. 
 
 Deliver me, my G-od, from all cold- 
 ness and formality, when I attend upon 
 thee in holy and religious duties, and 
 grant that, by going to this holy feast, I 
 may have my pardon sealed, my weakness 
 repaired, all my evil inclinations subdued, 
 my faith strengthened, my hopes enlarged, 
 my charity increased, and my soul so en- 
 tirely and inseparably united to thee, that 
 nothing may ever be able to dissolve the 
 union ; but that being begun here in grace, 
 it may hereafter be consummated in glory, 
 through the merits of him who died for 
 me, even the Son of thy eternal love, Je- 
 sus Christ, the righteous, to whom, with 
 thee, Father, and the Holy Spirit, be 
 ascribed, as is most due, all honor, glory, 
 power, thanksgiving and praise, both now 
 and evermore. Amen. 
 
communicant's companion. 177 
 
 Lord Jesus Christ, eternal Son of God, 
 who, in thy humanity, didst suffer death 
 for us, and hast redeemed us from sin and 
 eternal condemnation, and that we might 
 not forget this exhibition of thy love, didst 
 institute the holy Supper as a memorial, 
 and didst establish a new covenant, by 
 which the sins of believers may not be 
 brought against them for ever ; I, a poor 
 sinner, come to thee, the fountain of all 
 grace and mercy, and pray thee that thou 
 wouldst wash away all my sins, cleanse 
 and quicken my soul, that with true peni- 
 tence and godly sorrow, with strong faith 
 and confidence, with holy reverence and 
 awe, I may be prepared to partake of thy 
 body and blood ; grant that through this 
 sacrament my faith may be increased, my 
 hope strengthened, my love inflamed, my 
 weak conscience consoled, all temptations 
 overcome, and the eternal salvation of my 
 soul secured and sealed. gracious God! 
 enlighten my understanding, that I may 
 duly appreciate the incalculable worth of 
 this sacrament, and that I may experience 
 16 
 
178 catechumen's and 
 
 all its saving benefits. May I appropriate 
 these to myself, namely, forgiveness of 
 sins, true righteousness and eternal life. 
 Grant that I may always have a strong 
 desire and longing for the sacrament, and 
 that in it I may always find comfort, 
 peace, joy and forgiveness. Eemove from 
 me every thing that is displeasing to thee, 
 and bestow upon me the grace of thy Holy 
 Spirit, that I may be truly converted to 
 thee, that my hungering and thirsting 
 soul may be nourished here, and in heaven 
 enjoy the bread of life with thee for ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 Prayer before receiving the Holy Sacrament. 
 
 Behold, gracious Lord, I come to this 
 table, as a sick man to the great physician 
 of life; I beseech thee, Lord, to heal my 
 infirmities, and let me not only receive the 
 outward and visible sign, but the inward 
 and spiritual grace, purchased by my bless- 
 ed Redeemer in the sacrifice of himself, so 
 that all carnal affections may die in me, 
 and all things belonging to the Spirit may 
 
communicant's companion. 179 
 
 live and grow in me, that I may have 
 power, strength and victory, to triumph 
 against the world, the flesh, and the devil; 
 and may be endued with such heavenly 
 virtues as are pleasing to thee, and which 
 thou wilt eternally reward, for the merit 
 of thy Son's death, to whom, with the 
 Father and the Holy Grhost, be all honor 
 and glory, world without end. Amen. 
 
 Thanksgiving and Prayer after the Sacrament of 
 the LoroVs Supper. 
 
 I desire, with all my soul, to adore and 
 magnify thy blessed name, Lord God, 
 my heavenly Father, for all the expressions 
 of thy love and bounty to me, a poor un- 
 worthy sinner. Particularly for thy pre- 
 cious favors and the renewed pledges of thy 
 love in Christ Jesus, which I have received 
 from thee this day ; that thou hast admit- 
 ted me, not only into thy house, but to thy 
 table, and used me as thy friend, and the 
 child of thy family, who deserve to be cast 
 out as an enemy, and banished from thy 
 presence. what manner of love is this, 
 that I should fare so well, who deserves so 
 
180 catechumen's and 
 
 ill at thy hands ! that it should be so 
 done to wretched, sinful men! that the 
 God so greatly offended by us, should not 
 only forgive us, but entertain and feast us 
 with all good which our blessed Saviour 
 has merited and prepared for us! Lord, 
 what is man that thou art so mindful of 
 him, and the son of man that thfou so vis- 
 itest him ! And what am I, a sinful man, 
 that the great Lord, so ill used by me, 
 should deal so exceedingly gracious with 
 me ! make me to know the things that 
 are freely given me of God, and how much 
 I do owe unto the Lord, for all thy kind- 
 ness to my soul, which thou hast redeemed, 
 and eternally obligated to thyself. give 
 me a heart deeply sensible of thy mercy, 
 and steadfastly purposing to live to thy 
 glory ; that I may show my thankfulness 
 for thy benefits, by my obedience to thy 
 precepts. Keep me mindful of the vows of 
 God upon me, and help me to live, as hav- 
 ing my holy Eedeemer now dwelling in me. 
 ,And as I have received Christ Jesus the 
 Lord, so enable me to walk in him ; to walk 
 
communicant's companion. 181 
 
 more worthy of the Lord unto all well- 
 pleasing ; to walk in love as Christ loved 
 us ; and to go on in the strength of what 
 I have received from thee, to live unto thee, 
 following after holiness, as being not only 
 brought nigh to, but ultimately conjoined 
 with the holy one of God. As I have eaten 
 and drunk the sacramental bread and 
 wine, to the nourishment and refreshment 
 of my frail body, so let the crucified body 
 and shed blood of God my Saviour, nourish 
 and sustain my immortal soul into life 
 eternal ; and revive me with the sense of 
 thy pardon and peace and love. 
 
 And that the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, 
 that sacrifice of himself which he offered 
 up on the cross, and which I have this day 
 been commemorating at thy table, may 
 atone for all the failings in my prepara- 
 tions and performances ! That upon the 
 account of that great propitiation for the 
 sins of the whole world, I may be spared 
 and accepted with thee, my God, here to 
 thy blessed love, and hereafter to thy heav- 
 enly glory ; through him that gave him- 
 16* 
 
182 catechumen's and 
 
 self for us, and has also given liimself to us, 
 even the Son of thy love, and the great 
 lover of our souls, for whom, and to whom, 
 with thy eternal self and Holy Spirit, be all 
 thanks, and praise, and honor, and glory 
 ascribed by me, and of all thy church, now 
 and for evermore. Amen. 
 
 All honor, glorv, and power, might, 
 majesty, and dominion be unto him that 
 sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb 
 that was slain, for ever and ever. 
 
 I give thee most humble and hearty 
 thanks, Lord, that thou hast been pleased 
 to admit me to renew my baptismal cove- 
 nant with thee in this holy sacrament ; 
 that thou hast vouchsafed to feed me with 
 the body and blood of thy Son Jesus Christ: 
 and this not for any merits of my own, but 
 for the sake of thy infinite mercy and 
 goodness. 
 
 Unworthy though I am, yet thy bounty, 
 Lord, never fails ; the love of my Saviour 
 is not diminished, and the virtue of his 
 propitiation is never exhausted; grant, 
 therefore, I beseech thee, that this holy 
 
communicant's companion. 183 
 
 sacrament may never turn to my judgment 
 and condemnation. But that It may be 
 health and recovery under all my weakness 
 and infirmities : safety and defence against 
 all the attacks of my spiritual enemies ; 
 vigor and strength to all my holy purposes 
 and resolutions; comfort and support under 
 all the afflictions and calamities of life ; 
 assistance and direction under all difficul- 
 ties and doubts, courage and constancy 
 under all dangers and persecutions, espe- 
 cially in times of sickness, and at the hour 
 of death. Finally, let It procure for me 
 pardon and forgiveness in thus life, mercy 
 and favor at the day of judgment, and a 
 never-fadln g crown of glory in th y heaven! y 
 kingdom, where, with thy Son Jesus Christ 
 and the Blessed Spirit, thou livest and 
 reigncst, one God, world without end. — 
 Amen. 
 
 Ejaculations after Communion. 
 
 Glory be to thee, Lord our God, that, 
 in our extreme need of a Bedeemer, thou 
 hast made such gracious provision for our 
 souLs, and sent thy Son to die for our 
 
184 catechumen's and 
 
 sins, and to save us, who had destroyed our- 
 selves, and that he who offered himself 
 upon the cross for us, is pleased to offer 
 himself at his table unto us ; where I have 
 heen tasting the fruits of his love, and re- 
 ceiving my share among the redeemed of 
 the Lord. 
 
 I. I sat down under his shadow, and his 
 fruit was sweet to my taste. I have been 
 entertained at the table of the Lord, and 
 there his banner over me was love. It was 
 love that gave me the Saviour whom I have 
 been receiving, and the opportunity now 
 to come, and rest, and feast my soul upon 
 him. 
 
 II. Eeturn to thy rest, my soul, for the 
 Lord has dealt bountifully with thee. Thy 
 life is given thee at his hands, who forgiv- 
 eth all thy sins, and healeth all thy dis- 
 eases ; and not only redeems thee from 
 destruction, but crowns thee with loving 
 kindness and tender mercies, and satisfies 
 thy mouth with good things, even his par- 
 don and peace,- his Son and his Spirit, the 
 riches of his grace, and the pledges of his 
 glory. 
 
communicant's companion. 185 
 
 III. Blessed be my God for that bread 
 which came down from heaven to give life 
 unto the world. And blessed be thy name, 
 gracious Lord, for my share in this high- 
 est expression of thy wonderful love and 
 bounty. 
 
 IV. Thou hast loved us, and redeemed 
 us ; and washed us from our sins in thine 
 own blood. And Oh! how infinitely in- 
 debted I am to thy mercy, that thou callest 
 me to this heavenly entertainment, which 
 cost thee so dear to purchase and provide 
 for us. 
 
 V. make me more sensible of thy love, 
 and more thankful for all its blessed effects; 
 and let me now find the happy fruits of 
 strength and refreshment to my soul, even 
 strength against all the temptations that 
 would entice me from thee, and such re- 
 freshments as may wean my heart from all 
 the pleasures of sin, and make it my meat 
 and drink to do the will of my heavenly 
 Father. 
 
 VI. After I have tasted the pleasures of 
 my Father's house, let me not go to feed 
 
186 catechumen's and 
 
 upon husks ! And let nothing wear out the 
 savor that I have of things heavenly, nor 
 let tljie world part me and the blessed 
 Kedeemer. 
 
 VIL Whither shall I go from thee, 
 blessed Jesus, who hast the words and the 
 gift of eternal life ! All is in thy hands, 
 and thou art the best of all Lords, who dost 
 not rule us, but to bless us. 
 
 VIII. I will admire, and love, and praise 
 my Lord ; I will believe and trust in his 
 tried mercy; I will rejoice and glory in 
 his great salvation. And who shall pluck 
 me out of his hands ! What shall sepa- 
 rate me from his love? My beloved is 
 mine, and I am his. Thine I am, Lord, 
 and thine I will be, while I have my being* 
 
 IX. Yet, Lord of all power and love, I 
 beseech thee to keep thy servant from fall- 
 ing ; and preserve me in every time of 
 danger. do not suifer me to ruin myself, 
 but pity my frailty and relieve my infirm- 
 ity; and in thy hands let me be safe and 
 never perish, but attain to everlasting 
 life, through Jesus Christ, my Kedeemer 
 and only Saviour. Amen. 
 
communicant's companion, 187 
 
 Meditation for Sunday evening, after receiving 
 the Lord^s Supper, 
 
 Having now, my soul ! received the 
 holy sacrament of the Lord's Supper, it is 
 necessary that we should carefully con- 
 sider, and seriously renew our reflections 
 upon the nature and end of this sacred in- 
 stitution : what is meant by it ; to what 
 purpose it was ordained; and what bene- 
 fits and advantages are to be expected from 
 it. For we know that if any one goes to 
 the communion without considering the 
 reason of that ordinance, and the very 
 great concern he has in it; or without un- 
 derstanding the necessity and advantages 
 of a Redeemer, he will certainly go with 
 indifference, and of course return without 
 the benefit that he might otherwise hope 
 for and expect. 
 
 Therefore, that this, my soul ! may 
 not be our case, let us well consider what 
 account the holy Scriptures have given us 
 of the condition we are in, not only with 
 respect to this life, but to that which is to 
 come. We are there assured that we are sin- 
 
188 catechumen's and 
 
 ners; that as such, God cannot take pleas- 
 ure in us; and that should we happen to die 
 before we are restored to his favor, we shall 
 be separated from him, and be unchange- 
 ably miserable for ever. This considera- 
 tion necessarily leads us to inquire how 
 the nature of man came to be thus disor- 
 dered, and prone to evil; for we must not 
 imagine that the infinitely good God ever 
 created man in such a state of corruption 
 as we now see him to be in; but that he 
 must have fallen into this deplorable con- 
 dition since he came out of the hands of 
 his Creator, of which we have the follow- 
 ing account : 
 
 Our first parents, Adam and Eve, from 
 whom all mankind descended, were created 
 in the image of God, that is, holy and in- 
 nocent,having a perfect knowledge of their 
 duty, a command over their will and af- 
 fections, and a power inherent, through 
 God's appointment, to do what they saw 
 fit to be done in this, their happy condi- 
 tion : they were placed in Paradise,, as in 
 a state of trial, with a promise of happi- 
 
communicant's companion. 189 
 
 ness and immortal life, if they would con- 
 tinue to love, fear, honor and obey their 
 Creator; and they had also an express 
 warning of the dreadful consequences of 
 any future disobedience, and departing 
 from their duty. 
 
 Yet for all this warning, through the 
 temptation of the devil, they transgressed 
 the commands of God, and by so doing, 
 they did not only forfeit their right to the 
 promise of eternal life and happiness, but 
 also contracted such a blindness of the un- 
 derstanding, such a disorder in their will 
 and affections, that all their posterity feel 
 it to their sorrow, being made thereby sub- 
 ject to sin, the punishment of which is 
 death and eternal misery, 
 
 Nevertheless, the greatness of this pun- 
 ishment, inflicted upon our first parents, 
 enables us to judge of the nature and ag- 
 gravation of their sin ; for God, infinitely 
 just and holy, could not inflict any punish- 
 ment greater than their sin deserved ; nay, 
 after all this, God, of his great goodness, 
 provided such a remedy, as that neither 
 17 
 
190 catechumen's and 
 
 they nor any of their posterity need be 
 eternally miserable on account of their 
 fall, except through their own fault by 
 neglecting the way of rescue. 
 
 God promised a Redeemer, who should 
 make full satisfaction to the divine justice 
 for their transgression, and who should 
 bruise the head or break the power of the 
 serpent (the devil) who tempted them to 
 sin. He promised that, upon condition 
 of their hearty repentance and sincere 
 obedience hereafter, they should be re- 
 stored to the favor of Grod, and after death, 
 to that life and happiness, which in their 
 state of innocence was promised to them 
 without ever tasting death: which privi- 
 lege they had forfeited by their disobedi- 
 ence. 
 
 And now, my soul, that we may be 
 fully convinced of the necessity and bless- 
 ing of a Eedeemer, we ought to know and 
 consider that our Saviour and Redeemer 
 did not come until after mankind had been 
 tried in all conditions ; in a state of inno- 
 cence under his own reason, and under the 
 
communicant's companion. 191 
 
 law given by Moses, all which, methods of 
 Providence, through the perverse will of 
 man, had been rendered ineffectual for the 
 amendment of the world. And because 
 God decreed that without shedding of 
 blood there could be no remission of sins, 
 Heb. ii, 22 ; and it being impossible that 
 the blood of any creature, or any mortal 
 man, could atone for, or take away, the 
 guilt and punishment due to sin, our 
 gracious God, both to give to mankind 
 the greatest token of his love, and at the 
 same time to show how great his hatred 
 to sin is, by the greatness of the punish- 
 ment it required, sent his own Son to be 
 a propitiation for our sins, that is, to make 
 satisfaction to his justice, and to remove 
 the just displeasure which he had de- 
 clared against sinners. Upon this, Jesus 
 Christ his Son, (blessed for ever be his 
 goodness,) knowing how miserable the con- 
 dition of all would be who should live and 
 die under the displeasure of God, and of 
 what inconceivable happiness they would 
 deprive themselves, moved with compas- 
 
192 catechumen's and 
 
 sion for so great a calamity, undertook to 
 obtain their pardon ; and in order to this, 
 he took upon himself human nature, that, 
 as man, he might make a full and suit- 
 able satisfaction to the divine justice, of- 
 fering himself a sacrifice for the sins of 
 the whole world, and for the joy of deliver- 
 ing so many millions of souls from misery, 
 he endured the death of the cross, and all 
 the sufferings leading to it, which we find 
 recorded in the holy Gospels. And it is 
 by this meritorious sacrifice, that all man- 
 kind are restored to the favor of God, and 
 put in a way of salvation ; God having, 
 for his Son's sake, promised to pardon all 
 who shall repent of and forsake their sins, 
 and bring forth fruits meet for repent- 
 ance ; and also to give his Holy Spirit to 
 all who shall sincerely desire him ; and 
 lastly to make them eternally happy after 
 death, if during this short state of trial, 
 which is designed to amend our corrupt 
 nature, they observe those rules which 
 he has given them, and which are abso- 
 lutely necessary to make them capable of 
 heaven and happiness. 
 
communicant's companion. 193 
 
 Let us now, O my soul, rest here, and 
 adore that infinite goodness of God, who 
 did not overlook lost mankind, but sent 
 his only begotten Son to redeem us, when 
 he might, in strict justice, have required 
 us to live up to the law of nature and rea- 
 son, on pain of being for ever separated 
 from his presence ; but instead of that, has 
 been graciously pleased to accept of our 
 sincere, though imperfect obedience, and of 
 our hearty repentance, when we have done 
 amiss and have returned to our duty. 
 
 17* 
 

 194 catechumen's and 
 
 MORNING AND EVENING PRAYERS 
 
 FOR 
 
 ETEBY DAY IN THE WEEK. 
 
 Sabbath Morning. 
 
 thou Lord of the Sabbath ! enable usr, 
 on this morning of thy holy day, to wor- 
 ship thee in spirit and in truth. May we 
 find it good to draw near to thee m prayer; 
 We thank thee for the consecration of one 
 day in seven to thine immediate service* 
 This is the day which the Lord hath made ; 
 Ave will rejoice and be glad in it. Grant 
 us thy gracious presence and blessing. 
 Take oif our thoughts from the vanities 
 of time and sense, and place them upon 
 divine and heavenly things. We would 
 cease from our own works, as God on the 
 seventh day did from his, and call the 
 Sabbath a delight,, the holy of the Lord 
 honorable. We confess before thee, O 
 God ! our manifold transgressions. With 
 
communicant's companion. 195 
 
 the leper under the law, we cry, unclean, 
 unclean ; and with the humble publican, 
 God ! be merciful to us, sinners. Like 
 penitent Job, we would abhor ourselves^ 
 and repent in dust and ashes. thou 
 God of salvation ! have mercy on us. We 
 bless thee, God ! for our creation and 
 preservation ; for the kind care thou hast 
 taken of us, from the commencement of 
 oui existence to the present moment. We 
 thank thee especially for the gift of thy 
 Son to a lost world, and for the method of 
 salvation by him. What shall we render 
 unto the Lord for all his benefits towards 
 us ? We will offer to thee the sacrifice of 
 thanksgiving, and call upon the name of 
 the Lord. We would present our bodies 
 a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable un- 
 to God, which is our reasonable service, 
 When permitted to wait upon thee in 
 thine earthly courts, grant us thy bless- 
 ing. Help us to "keep our feet, when we 
 go to the house of God, and to be more 
 ready to hear, than to offer the sacrifice 
 of fools/' Be with all thy worshiping as- 
 
196 catechumen's and 
 
 semblies every where this day. G-ive tliem 
 fellowship with thee in thine ordinances, 
 and. while in thy banqueting-house, may 
 thy banner over them be love. Let none 
 be disposed unnecessarily to forsake the 
 assembling of themselves together, as the 
 manner of some is. Impart unto the min- 
 isters of the Gospel a double portion of 
 thy Spirit. May they show themselves 
 approved unto G-od, workmen that need not 
 to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word 
 of truth. Bless the Minister whom thou 
 hast placed over us. Make him wise to 
 win souls unto Christ May this Sabbath 
 be a spiritual birth-day to thousands. 
 Open thou blind eyes, unstop deaf ears, 
 and soften hard hearts. Instruct the ig- 
 norant, reclaim the wandering and edify 
 thy people. We thank thee, gracious 
 Father ! for the mercies of the past night, 
 and for the light and blessings of this holy 
 morning. Let thy good providence pre- 
 serve and defend us this day, and thy Holjr 
 Spirit guide and comfort us. Prepare us 
 for all the duties and events of subsequent 
 
communicant's companion. 197 
 
 life, and, especially, for death, judgment 
 and a happy eternity. And now, thou 
 prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God! 
 hear our supplications, and grant us an 
 answer in peace through Jesus Christ; to 
 whom, as the Lamb that was slain to re- 
 deem us to God by his blood, be blessing, 
 and honor, and glory, and power for ever 
 and ever. Amen. 
 
 Sahhath Evening. 
 
 Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, 
 which art, and wast, and art to come ! thy 
 name endureth for ever, and thy memorial 
 unto all generations. Help us at the close 
 of this thy holy day, to bow before thee 
 with profound veneration. We thank thee 
 for the Sabbath and its sacred privileges. 
 Accept, through the mediation of the heav- 
 enly Advocate, our praises and thanks- 
 givings; hear our supplications, and sanc- 
 tify to us the instructions of thy word. 
 May what we have this day heard, read 
 and meditated upon, of a religious nature, 
 deeply impress our minds and do us good, 
 
198 catechumen's and 
 
 If we have misspent or profaued in any 
 degree thy holy day, pardon us, we be- 
 seech thee. May the services of thy peo- 
 ple, in all parts of Christendom, come up 
 in acceptable remembrance before thee. 
 Let what they have this day learned of 
 God and his law, their depravity and ruin, 
 Christ and his gospel, powerfully impress 
 their hearts and influence their prac- 
 tice. May thy word, this day dispensed, 
 be quick and powerful, and sharper than 
 any two-edged sword, piercing even to the 
 dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and 
 of the joints and marrow. Bless all thy 
 churches. Build them up in the faith, 
 order and purity of the gospel. May all 
 who minister at thy holy altar be richly 
 furnished for the services of the sanctuary, 
 and be inspired with an ardent love for 
 the souls of men. Bless thy servant who 
 ministers in spiritual things unto us. May 
 he be instant in season and out of season, 
 laboring abundantly in word and doc- 
 trine, not teaching for doctrines, the com- 
 mandments of men, but the pure word of 
 
communicant's companion. 199 
 
 G-od. Grant success to all attempts to 
 spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, 
 and to save a perishing world. Lord ! 
 graciously regard us, who are now wor- 
 shiping before thee. Behold ! we are vile, 
 what shall we answer thee ? Our sins are 
 more numerous than the hairs of our 
 heads, and testify against us. But, Lord ! 
 enter not into judgment with us, for in 
 thy sight shall no man living be justified. 
 With the disciples of Christ, we pray, 
 Lord ! save us ; we perish. thou who 
 art exalted to give repentance to Israel, 
 and remission of sins, give us godly sor- 
 row, which worketh repentance to salva- 
 tion not to be repented of. Pardon us, we 
 beseech thee, God ! and accept us in the 
 Beloved. We thank thee, heavenly Father, 
 that thou hast so tenderly loved us, as to 
 give thine only begotten Son to die for us. 
 Praised be thy name, that eternal redemp- 
 tion may be obtained through the blood of 
 sprinkling. We give thee thanks, God ! 
 for the blessings of life, and of the past 
 day in particular. We commit ourselves 
 
200 catechumen's and 
 
 Into thy hands for keeping this night 
 thou Shepherd of Israel, who never slum- 
 berest nor sleepest ! May we lie down to 
 rest in peace and safety, and in favor with 
 God and man. Having been refreshed with 
 sleep, bring us to behold the morning, re- 
 joicing in its light, and in thy loving kind- 
 ness. Ever may we act in thy fear, and 
 live to thy glory. When the evening of 
 life shall arrive, and we are called to close 
 the day of toil and trouble, may we fall 
 asleep in Jesus, and, in the morning of 
 the resurrection, awake to a glorious and 
 blissful immortality. Hear our prayer, 
 Lord ! give ear to our supplications ; in thy 
 faithfulness answer us, and in thy right- 
 eousness. Now unto the King eternal, im- 
 mortal, invisible, the only wise God, be 
 honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen, 
 
 Monday Morning. 
 
 Our voice shalt thou hear in the morn- 
 ing, Lord ; in the morning will we di- 
 rect our prayer unto thee, and will look 
 up. Lord ! teach us to pray in faith, for 
 
communicant's companion. 201 
 
 he that eometh to God must believe that 
 he is, and that he is a rewarder of them 
 who diligently seek him. thou eternal 
 Father ! we have sinned against heaven 
 and before thee, and are no more worthy 
 to be called thy children. We have acted 
 the part of prodigals. We have strayed 
 far from our heavenly Father's house, and 
 wantonly rioted in the vanities and follies 
 of the world. We would repent and re- 
 turn ; and, ! have compassion upon us. 
 Hide thy face from our sins, and blot out 
 all our iniquities. Enable us to lay aside 
 every weight, and the sin which doth so 
 easily beset us, and to run with patience 
 the race that is set before us, looking un- 
 to Jesus, the author and finisher of our 
 faith. Fulfil in us all the good pleasure 
 of thy goodness, and the work of faith 
 with power. Help us to set our affections 
 on things above, and to withdraw them 
 from things on the earth ; and to lay up 
 for ourselves treasures in heaven, where 
 neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and 
 where thieves do not break through, nor 
 18 
 
202 catechumen's ahd 
 
 steal. Ever may we live mindful of the 
 day of judgment, when the Lord Jesus 
 shall be revealed from heaven with his 
 mighty angels in flaming fire, taking ven- 
 geance on them that know not God, and 
 that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ ; and when he shall come to be glo- 
 rified in his saints, and to be admired in 
 all them that believe in that day. Bless 
 all our dear absent friends and connections 
 with the same favors we ask for ourselves. 
 Forgive our enemies, and reward our ben- 
 efactors. Do good in thy good pleasure 
 unto Zion ; build thou the walls of Jeru- 
 salem. Eectify every thing which is amiss 
 in the Christian church, in doctrine, prac- 
 tice, and discipline. Give unto them who 
 mourn in Zion, beauty for ashes, the oil 
 of joy for mourning, and the garment of 
 praise for the spirit of heaviness. Have 
 compassion, God ! upon impenitent sin- 
 ners. Show them that they stand on 
 slippery places, and turn their feet unto 
 thy testimonies, before they are beyond 
 the reach of mercy, where no place for re- 
 
_ ^communicant's companion. 203 
 
 pentance can be found, though they seek 
 it carefully with tears. ! pluck them, 
 we beseech thee, as brands out of the burn- 
 ing, and save them from everlasting de- 
 struction. Bless our highly favored coun- 
 try. May it ever be the residence of free- 
 dom, peace, and happiness, and a safe re- 
 treat for the persecuted and oppressed. 
 Make all who are in places of public trust 
 faithful to the public interest. Bless, we 
 pray thee, the whole family of man with 
 knowledge, righteousness, and salvation. 
 thou G-od of mercies ! we thank thee for 
 the blessings we have enjoyed. Thou hast 
 been to us a bountiful benefactor. We 
 have been fed, and clothed, and sustained 
 bj thee. And we are under ten thousand 
 obligations of gratitude to the Father of 
 mercies. We praise thee, that thou didst 
 keep us during the silent watches of the 
 night, and hast lifted upon us the light of 
 this new day in circumstances of comfort. 
 Be with us during this day, and all our 
 earthly existence. Guide us in the path 
 of duty and salvation. As our Lord has 
 
204 catechumen's and 
 
 taught us, so we pray, Our Father, who 
 art in heaven ! &c. Amen. 
 
 Monday Evening. 
 
 Almighty God and most merciful Fath- 
 er ! we adore thee as a being possessed of 
 all possible perfections, excellence, and 
 glory. Who is like unto thee, Lord! 
 glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, do- 
 ing wonders ? We approach thee through 
 Jesus Christ, who is Mediator between God 
 and man. In the name of our great High 
 Priest, who is passed into the heavens, 
 we would come boldly unto the throne of 
 grace, that we may obtain mercy and find 
 grace to help in time of need. We thank 
 thee, Lord! thafc thou didst make man 
 with such noble powers of body and mind. 
 But, we have to acknowledge the apostacy 
 of the human race. The crown is fallen 
 from our head : woe unto us that we have 
 sinned. Our hearts by nature are deceitful 
 above all things, and desperately wicked. 
 0, wretched are we ! who shall deliver us 
 from the body of this death ! Our flesh 
 
communicant's companion. 205 
 
 trembleth for fear of thee, and we are 
 afraid of thy judgments. Praised be thy 
 name ; that thou hast not cut us down as 
 cumberers of the ground, but that we 
 have still a standing in thy vineyard. 
 Thou art waiting to be gracious, and call- 
 ing by the voice of providence and the 
 glorious gospel, saying, Turn ye, turn 
 ye, for why will ye die. that we might 
 obey thy calls, turn and live ! Give us re- 
 pentance towards God, and faith towards 
 our Lord Jesus Christ. May we have the 
 blessedness of that man whose iniquities 
 are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 
 Enable us so to exercise ourselves as to 
 have always a conscience void of offence 
 towards God and towards man. Lord ! 
 graciously regard those who are in a state 
 of impenitence. Teach transgressors thy 
 ways, and let sinners be converted unto 
 thee. Quicken those who are dead in tres- 
 passes and sins. Bless the aged. Support 
 them in the decline of life, and let the 
 evening of their days be tranquil and 
 happy. Command thy blessing upon the 
 18* 
 
206 catechumen's and 
 
 middle aged and the rising generation. 
 May parents command their children and 
 their households after them, that they 
 may keep the way of the Lord, to do jus- 
 t-ice and judgment. Comfort Zion, make 
 her wilderness like Eden, and her desert 
 like the garden of the Lord, that joy and 
 gladness may be found therein, thanksgiv- 
 ing, and the voice of melody. Great Au- 
 thor of our being and blessings t we thank 
 thee for the favors which thou hast been 
 pleased to bestow upon us. From thine 
 inexhaustible fullness, our daily wants 
 have been supplied. We bless thee for 
 the wonders of redeeming love, for the 
 overtures of mercy, and for the day and 
 means of grace. Make us wise unto eter- 
 nal life. Help us to choose that good part, 
 which shall never be taken away from us. 
 We thank thee, Lord! for the protection 
 and blessings of another day and evening. 
 We now commit ourselves, soul and body, 
 into thy keeping for this night. May thy 
 holy angels encamp around our habitation, 
 and defend us. Bring us in safety to see 
 
communicant's companion. 207 
 
 another day, prepared for its duties and 
 events. Guide, guard, and bless us in this 
 state of trial, and at death receive us to 
 mansions of glory, through the atonement 
 and intercession of Jesus Christ. Now 
 unto him that is able to keep us from fall- 
 ing, and to present us faultless before the 
 presence of his glory with exceeding joy ; 
 to the only wise God our Saviour, be glo- 
 ry and majesty, dominion and power, both 
 now and ever. Amen. 
 
 Tuesday Morning. 
 
 thou high and lofty One that inhab- 
 itest eternity, whose name is Holy! praised 
 be thy name, though thou art exalted as 
 God over all, blessed for evermore; yet 
 thou dost condescend to dwell with those, 
 who are of a contrite and humble spirit, to 
 revive the spirit of the humble, and the 
 heart of the contrite. OLord! in thine 
 infinite condescension look down upon us, 
 now prostrate before thee. We humbly 
 confess all our iniquities and guilt. We 
 have erred and strayed like lost sheep. 
 
208 catechumen's and 
 
 When we have known our Master's will, 
 we have not been careful to perform it, and 
 therefore deserve to be beaten with many 
 stripes. Lord ! have mercy upon us 
 miserable sinners. Spare thou us, who con- 
 fess our faults. Let us know the plague 
 of our hearts, and see what evil dwells 
 within us. Grive us the deepest penitence 
 for sin ; for a broken heart, Grod ! thou 
 wilt not despise. May we think on our 
 ways, and turn unto the Lord, from whom 
 we have so ungratefully revolted. for 
 an interest in Christ, whose blood cle#nseth 
 from all sin. We would go unto the glo- 
 rious Saviour, who hath said, Come unto 
 me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, 
 and I will give you rest. Enable us at all 
 times to possess the temper of christians, 
 that we may manifest ourselves to be the 
 disciples of the meek and lowly Jesus. O 
 thou compassionate Father in heaven ! be 
 pleased to extend thy grace to the whole 
 family of man. Grive thy Son the heathen 
 for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts 
 of the earth for his possession. Let the 
 
communicant's companion. 209 
 
 gospel be preached to every creature under 
 heaven, and be effectual to their conver- 
 sion and salvation. Give to the ministers 
 of the Gospel, ardent zeal in their Divine 
 Master's service, and eminent success in 
 their high calling. We give thee thanks 
 for thy manifold goodness in redemption. 
 We praise thee, Lord, for the news of 
 eternal life, published in the gospel ; that 
 we are come not unto mount Sinai, that 
 burns with fire, and threatens death ; "but 
 unto mount Zion, which proclaims mercy 
 to every penitent. We bless thee, too, for 
 the bounties of thy daily providence. — 
 Surely goodness and mercy have followed 
 us all our days. We render thee thanks 
 for the mercies of the night past. We laid 
 us down and slept ; we awaked, for thou, 
 Lord ! hast sustained us. Go forth with us, 
 we beseech thee, in the concerns of this 
 day. Prosper us in our lawful undertak- 
 ings. Guide us by thine unerring wisdom, 
 all the days of our pilgrimage, and enable 
 us at death to depart this life in the tri- 
 umphs of a christian hope. And when 
 
210 catechumen's and 
 
 absent from the body may we be present 
 with the Lord, and be permitted to cele- 
 brate for ever the praises of redeeming love. 
 All which we ask in the name, and through 
 the mediation of Jesus Christ; to whom, 
 with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, be 
 equal and everlasting honors. Amen, 
 
 Tuesday Evening. 
 
 Supremely great and ever glorious Lord 
 our, G-od ! before thee angels, veiling their 
 faces, bow and worship. Permit us, who 
 dwell on thy foot-stool, unworthy as we 
 are, to approach thy sacred Majesty's pres- 
 ence, at this time, through the atoning 
 blood of Jesus. It is a good thing to give 
 thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises 
 unto thy name, Most High ! to show forth 
 thy loving kindness in the morning, and 
 thy faithfulness every night. Blessed be 
 G-od, who hath preserved us in our going 
 out and coming in, the day past, and who 
 daily loads us with benefits. We have 
 been the recipients of the Divine bounty 
 continually, and we would gratefully ac- 
 
communicant's companion. 211 
 
 knowledge the hand that has supplied us. 
 Take care of us, Lord ! this night. Keep 
 us as the apple of thine eye. Hide us un- 
 der the shadow of thy wings. May we 
 commune with our own hearts upon our 
 beds, and meditate upon thee in the night 
 watches. Bring us to behold the light of 
 another day, better prepared to serve thee 
 than ever yet we have been. Be with us 
 in all subsequent life. As thou hast 
 guarded and blessed us in infancy, in youth, 
 and in riper years ; so do thou continue to 
 be our Guardian and Benefactor. While 
 we rejoice that thou hast given us birth 
 and education in a land of gospel light 
 and liberty, may we not abuse our exalted 
 privileges and blessings. Lord ! we con- 
 fess that we have ill-requited thee for thy 
 goodness. We have been disobedient chil- 
 dren. We have violated thy precepts, and 
 despised thy mercy. Our trespasses have 
 reached unto the clouds, and cry aloud for 
 vengeance to be executed upon our guilty 
 heads. It is thine amazing, thine infinite 
 forbearance that keeps us out of hell. Look 
 
212 catechumen's and 
 
 in mercy upon us, God of mercy ! Turn 
 us, and we shall be turned; draw us with 
 the cords of thy love, and we shall run after 
 thee ; mould us into thine image, and we 
 shall be holy. Lord ! lift thou up the light 
 of thy countenance upon us, and put glad- 
 ness into our hearts. Ever may we act as 
 accountable creatures, and faithfully dis- 
 charge the duties of our several stations 
 and relations in life. May we be dead to 
 this world, and alive to God and divine 
 things, and always live prepared for death 5 
 judgment, and eternity. Bless the whole 
 christian church, of whatever denomina- 
 tion. Purge it from corruptions, heal its 
 divisions, and increase its numbers. Pour 
 out thy Holy Spirit, and revive pure reli- 
 gion, and undefiled before God and the 
 Father, in this place. Let converts to 
 Jesus be multiplied, and let many be added 
 to the church, who shall finally be saved. 
 Bless thy servant, who labors among us in 
 word and doctrine. Make him faithful 
 and successful, as an ambassador of Christ. 
 Have compassion, Lord ! .upon the whole 
 
communicant's companion. 213 
 
 family of man. By thy all-conquering 
 grace suppress all vice, error, and delusion. 
 Plant Immanuers standard in every land. 
 Let thy word have free course and be glo- 
 rified ; and let the earth be full of the 
 knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover 
 the sea, and let all flesh see thy salvation, 
 And glory be to the Father, and to the Son, 
 and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the 
 beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world 
 without end. Amen. 
 
 Wednesday Morning 
 
 thou God of the morning, as well as 
 of the evening ! help us to worship and bow 
 down, to kneel before the Lord our maker,, 
 and to offer unto thee a sacrifice of praise 
 and prayer. Thou hast prepared thy 
 throne in the heavens, and thy kingdom 
 ruleth over all. We rejoice that thou hast 
 proclaimed thyself the Lord God, merciful 
 and gracious, long-suffering and abundant 
 in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for 
 thousands, forgiving iniquity, and trans- 
 gression and sin, and that will by no means 
 19 
 
214 catechumen's and 
 
 clear the guilty. Lord! what is man 5 
 that thou art mindful of him ? and the son 
 of man, that thou visitest him ? We con- 
 fess we are but sinful dust and ashes. We 
 have gone away from our Maker, and 
 practically said, depart from us, for we de- 
 sire not a knowledge of thy ways. If thou, 
 Lord! shouldst mark iniquities, Lord! 
 who shall stand ? But there is forgiveness 
 with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 
 Eemit unto us all our sins, and be at peace 
 with us in the blood of Christ. Dwell in 
 us by thy Spirit, and cause the sacred fire 
 of holy affection to flame in our hearts. 
 Work in us, Gk>d ! both to will and to do 
 of thy good pleasure, that we may work 
 out our salvation with fear &nd trembling. 
 Ever may it be as our meat and drink to 
 do the will of our Father in heaven ; and 
 ever may we resemble those blessed spirits 
 above, whose love is most ardent, and 
 whose obedience is most perfect. In all 
 that we do, may we aim to promote the 
 glory of God, and to diffuse happiness 
 around us. And may our path be as the 
 
communicant's companion. 215 
 
 shilling light, which shineth more and 
 more unto the perfect day. Lord ! as 
 thou hast directed us, so we would make 
 intercessions for all men. Cause thy* 
 churches to revive, and shoot forth as the 
 branches of Lebanon, and kings to become 
 nursing fathers, and queens nursing moth- 
 ers to the whole Israel of God. Eoll on 
 the golden age of light and love, when the 
 holy and happy kingdom of Christ shall 
 embrace the great family of man. Bless 
 the ministers of religion. Give them the 
 heart of the pious, the tongue of the learn- 
 ed, and the zeal of the faithful, and let 
 their labors not be in vain in the Lord. 
 thou sovereign Euler among the kingdoms 
 of the earth ! we pray thee to bless all na- 
 tions, especially the land in which we live. 
 Endue the President of these United States 
 with patriotic principles. Ever may he 
 know what the American Israel ought to 
 do, and have an invincible desire to pro- 
 mote the highest prosperity and happiness 
 of this great nation. Make all^our officers 
 peace, and our exactors righteousness. — 
 
218 catechumen's and 
 
 May our judges honor justice in our courts 
 of judgment. Accept, Lord ! our ac- 
 knowledgments for all favors bestowed 
 upon us. We tliank thee for the capaci- 
 ties, intellectual and moral, with which 
 thou hast endued us. We rejoice in the 
 overtures of mercy, made us in the gospel, 
 and in the weighty motives to persuade 
 men to embrace the Saviour and live. We 
 bless thee for the guardian care thou didst 
 exercise over us the last night. thou 
 Shepherd of Israel ! praised be thy name, 
 that we were preserved, while others slept 
 the sleep of death, that no distressing acci- 
 dent befel us, and that thou hast opened 
 upon us the eye-lids of the morning in cir- 
 cumstances so favorable. We commit our- 
 selves into thy hands for keeping this day, 
 as unto a faithful Creator. To thee belong 
 the issues of life and death. Give us grace 
 to do all the work of the day in its day. 
 May we persevere in well doing unto the 
 end of life, and receive a crown of glory 
 that fadeth not away. All which we ask 
 in the name of our ascended and glorified 
 
communicant's companion. 217 
 
 Mediator. Now unto the Three that bear 
 
 record in heaven, the Father, the "Word, 
 
 and the Holy Ghost, be glory for ever. — 
 
 Amen. 
 
 Wednesday Evening. 
 
 Eternal and unchangeable God ! we adore 
 thee as the supreme Majesty of heaven and 
 earth. All nations before thee are as 
 nothing ; and they are counted to thee less 
 than nothing and vanity. Hearken unto 
 the voice of Our cry, our King and our God ! 
 for unto thee we will pray. We acknow- 
 ledge, God! the depravity of our natures; 
 our sins have risen, as mountains, to sepa- 
 rate between thee and us. We are polluted 
 from the crown of the head to the sole of 
 the foot; there is no soundness in us. 
 Whither, Lord! shall we go for cleans- 
 ing ? Wash us from sin and uncleanness 
 in that fountain, opened to the house of 
 David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 
 Though our sins be as scarlet, may they 
 be white as snow ; though they be red like 
 crimson, may they be as wool. May we 
 abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that 
 19* 
 
218 catechumen's and 
 
 which is good. May we be fervent in spirit, 
 serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, pa- 
 tient in tribulation, continuing instant 
 in prayer. Divest us of pride, and clothe 
 us with humility, and make us partakers of 
 the inheritance of the saints in light. We 
 thank thee for thy written word, and that 
 the law of the Lord is perfect, converting 
 the soul ; that the testimony of the Lord 
 is sure, making wise the simple, more to 
 be desired than gold, yea, than much 
 fine gold ; sweeter than honey, and the 
 honey comb. We bless thee for a preached 
 gospel, and that it is the wisdom of God 
 and the power of God unto salvation, to 
 every one that believeth. May grace be 
 with all them that love our Lord Jesus 
 Christ in sincerity and truth. May thy 
 professing people be much in prayer, that 
 they may obtain a blessing for themselves 
 and a sinful, deluded world. Bless the 
 ministers of religion. Make them burning 
 and shining lights in thy golden candle- 
 sticks. Endue them with wisdom, pru- 
 dence, and holy zeal. Bless the great 
 
communicant's companion. 219 
 
 council of our nation. Eule in the hearts 
 of our rulers. May all who take part in 
 civil affairs, be just, ruling in thy fear. 
 Mercifully regard ail the interests of our 
 country, domestic and foreign. Exercise 
 compassion towards all people that dwell 
 upon the face of the earth. Oh ! let the 
 wickedness of the wicked come to an end; 
 but establish the just. Comfort all that 
 are in trouble and affliction. Believe the 
 wants of the poor and needy, sustain those 
 who are languishing on beds of sickness 
 and sorrow, convert the unconverted, save 
 the perishing, and fill the earth with thy 
 glory. Bless our family with all needed 
 temporal and spiritual favors. Let our 
 lives, health, and happiness, be precious in 
 thy sight. May the return of night re- 
 mind us of the night of death, and that 
 soon we must close our eyes upon all things 
 here below. We praise thee for the pro- 
 tection, the supplies and comforts of another 
 day. To thy merciful care we commend 
 ourselves this night. Defend our persons, 
 dwelling, and possessions. May we awake 
 
220 catechumen's and 
 
 in the morning, and be still with God. Be 
 pleased, Lord ! to accept this our evening 
 service in the name of the blessed Jesus : 
 to whom be praises everlasting. Amen. 
 
 Thursday Morning. 
 
 thou who hearest prayer, and unto 
 whom all flesh should come ! graciously 
 assist us to call upon thy great and holy 
 name this morning. Lord ! thou art- 
 incomprehensible in thy nature, infinite in 
 thy perfections, and unwearied in thy 
 goodness. Thy providential care extends 
 to all thy creatures. The Lord is good to 
 all, and his tender mercies are over all his 
 works. "We acknowledge the purity, equi- 
 ty, and fitness of thy laws, and the clem- 
 ency of thy government. We acknowledge 
 the grace and glory of thy gospel, and 
 the freeness, and the richness of thy sal- 
 vation. that men would praise the Lord 
 for his goodness, and for his wonderful 
 w T orks to the children of men. But, alas ! 
 we have forsaken God who made us, and 
 lightly esteemed the Bock of our salvation. 
 
communicant's companion. 221 
 
 We have been wise to do evil, but to do 
 good, we have bad no knowledge. 
 Lord ! righteousness belongeth unto thee, 
 but unto us confusion of face. We humbly 
 pray thee, lay not judgment to the line, 
 nor righteousness to the plummet ; for in 
 thy sight shall no man living be justified. 
 Forgive us, we beseech thee. Impress 
 thine image upon us, and make us the mon- 
 uments of thy mercy, and the trophies of 
 thy victorious grace. Break the fatal en- 
 chantment of sin, that holds down our 
 affections to this world. Enkindle within 
 us a flame of divine love, that shall never 
 be extinguished. for more love, faith 
 and hope. Extend thy compassions to all 
 men. Enlighten the Grentile world with 
 a knowledge of the truth. May the Son 
 of righteousness arise upon them with 
 healing in his wings. Let the wilderness 
 and the solitary place be glad for them, 
 and the desert rejoice and blossom as the 
 rose. Let Zion share in the blessings of 
 her Lord and Saviour. We rejoice that 
 the church lies near thy heart, and that 
 
222 catechumen's and 
 
 her name is engraven on the palms of thy 
 hands. Furnish all the churches with 
 suitable guides. Give unto all destitute 
 flocks, pastors after thine own heart — men 
 of understanding and piety. May the 
 ministers of the Gospel cry aloud and 
 spare not, lift up their voice like a trum- 
 pet, and show thy people their transgres- 
 sions, and the house of Jacob their sins, 
 and thus clear their own skirts from the 
 blood of souls. thou great Fountain of 
 love ! compassionate all those who are per- 
 secuted, enslaved, or in prison. Pity the 
 sick and the afflicted, the poor and the 
 needy, the tempted and the disconsolate, 
 the widow and the fatherless. May thy 
 blessings, Lord ! rest upon our family, 
 as it did upon the house of Obed-edom, 
 v/here the ark of the Lord dwelt ; and 
 may all who appertain to it belong to the 
 household of faith, and be numbered with 
 thy jewels, when thou shalt make them 
 up. We thank thee for the mercies of our 
 lives, which demand our unfeigned grati- 
 tude. Thou hast soothed our sorrows, 
 
communicant's companion. 225 
 
 healed our diseases, and richly supplied 
 our wants. Praised by thy name for the 
 blessings of the night, that our repose was 
 quiet and undisturbed, and that thou hast 
 caused the day-spring to know his place. 
 This day grant us thy presence, shield us 
 from all dangers, and administer to our 
 temporal and spiritual necessities. Be 
 with us and bless us all the days we are 
 permitted to live upon the earth : and 
 when we drop this veil of flesh, may our 
 souls rise to regions of eternal blessedness 
 and glory. This our morning sacrifice 
 we offer in the name of thy beloved Son, 
 our great High Priest above, to whom be 
 rendered unceasing praises. Amen. 
 
 Thursday Evening. 
 
 Most merciful Father in heaven ! thee 
 we adore as the Grod of nature, providence 
 and grace. Thou makest the outgoings 
 of the morning and evening to rejoice. 
 We would this evening approach thee 
 with reverence and godly fear. And, ! 
 let not our hearts be far from thee while 
 
224 catechumen's and 
 
 we draw nigh unto thee with our mouths, 
 and honor thee with our lips. We have 
 reason, Lord ! with shame, remorse, and 
 the deepest contrition, to confess our sins. 
 We have forsaken thee, the fountain of 
 living waters, and hewed out to ourselves 
 cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no 
 water. We have abused thy gifts, despised 
 thy goodness, and disobeyed thy com- 
 mandments. Like Ephraim, we would 
 bemoan ourselves with penitential grief 
 and sorrow. Ever may we exhibit the 
 humility which becomes offenders, for God 
 resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto 
 the humble. Let us not be conformed to 
 this world, but may we be transformed by 
 the renewing of our minds, that we may 
 prove what is that good^ and acceptable, 
 and perfect will of God. thou beneficent 
 Parent ! write laws of gratitude upon our 
 hearts for thy varied goodness. Thou 
 hast daily loaded us with benefits. Thy 
 munificence hath spread our tables, sup- 
 plied our wants, and given us all things 
 richly to eDjoy. Goodness and mercy have 
 
communicant's companion. 225 
 
 followed us during all our pilgrimage. 
 We tliank thee for the riches of thy grace 
 in Christ, and for that crown of glory 
 which waits all true "believers. Have com- 
 passion, Lord ! upon the careless and 
 secure. May the transcendent excellen- 
 cies and glories of the Son of God, and of 
 the mediatorial kingdom, attract their at- 
 tention, and lead them to embrace Christ 
 as their Kecleemer and Saviour. Comfort 
 the afflicted, confirm the doubting, cheer 
 the disconsolate, and sustain the aged 
 under their infirmities. Arise, G-ocl ! 
 and have mercy upon Zion. Lengthen her 
 cords, and strengthen her stakes. Pour 
 out thy Spirit, and cause that there may 
 be a genera] revival of religion. We thank 
 thee that thou hast revived thy work in so 
 many places, and that such multitudes 
 have been born into the kingdom of thy 
 dear Son. let there be a revival of reli- 
 gion in this place. May thy ministering 
 servant among us be greatly blessed as an 
 ambassador of Christ. Touch his heart 
 as with alive coal from off thine altar, and 
 20 
 
226 catechumen's and 
 
 enable him to dispense the oracles of God 
 with faithfulness and success. And may 
 many persons who are now dead in tres- 
 passes and sins, be quickened, and made 
 spiritually alive. Lord ! we humbly 
 thank thee for the favors of the past day. 
 Afford us protection this night. May no 
 evil come nigh our persons or habitation. 
 Let us lie down upon our beds pardoned 
 and accepted. Grant us sweet communion 
 with thee in the watches of the night. 
 May our sleep be refreshing, and not that 
 of death. In the morning may we arise 
 in health and activity. Cause that the 
 voice of rejoicing and salvation may ever 
 be heard in our tabernacle. thou glori- 
 ous God ! deliver our souls from death, and 
 our eyes from tears, and our feet from fail- 
 ing. And when our days shall be num- 
 bered and finished, like good old Simeon, 
 let us depart in peace, our eyes having 
 seen thy salvation. ISTow, to him who 
 loved us and washed us from our sins in 
 his own blood, to him be glory and domin- 
 ion for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
communicant's companion. 227 
 
 Friday Morning. 
 
 thou, who art the Most High over all 
 the earth ! before thee all holy creatures 
 prostrate themselves and worship. And 
 thou art worthy, Lord ! to receive glory 
 and honor and power ; for thou hast cre- 
 ated all things, and for thy pleasure they 
 are and were created. We come this morn- 
 ing to pay thee homage as our Creator, 
 Preserver, and Benefactor. We rejoice 
 that Christ has come into the world to 
 save sinners, and that his doctrines are 
 pure and spiritual, his example amiable 
 and godlike, and his sufferings and death 
 an expiatory sacrifice for sin. When we 
 consider the excellence of thy nature, the 
 holiness of thy law, and the riches of thy 
 grace, we have reason to be overwhelmed 
 with confusion at the remembrance of our 
 ingratitude, our transgressions of thy law, 
 and our disregard of thy glorious charac- 
 ter. By our sins we have become obnox- 
 ious to thy justice. But thou hast not 
 forgotten to be gracious. Turn us, God ! 
 
228 catechumen's ake> 
 
 and cause thy face to shine, and we shall 
 be saved. Set us as seals upon thine heart; 
 as seals upon thine arm. We would aspire 
 after a perfect likeness to the moral image 
 of God, and he followers of them who, 
 through faith and patience, inherit the 
 promises. Show favor, blessed G-od ! to 
 all ranks and descriptions of persons. We 
 plead for Zion. Cause a glorious accession 
 to be made to thy churches. Let all who 
 have named the name of Christ, depart 
 from iniquity. While in this wilderness, 
 direct them by the fiery,, cloudy pillar, and 
 give them the manna from heaven, and 
 the streams of the smitten rock. May 
 their holy purposes and resolutions, their 
 works of faith, and labors of love, and pa- 
 tience of hope, in our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 be recorded in thy book of remembrance 
 as a memorial in their behalf. Extend the 
 golden sceptre of mercy to a world lying 
 in wickedness. Enlarge the kingdom of 
 the Prince of peace, and diffuse christian 
 knowledge and happiness to the utmost 
 bounds of the earth. Smile upon this 
 
communicant's companion. 229 
 
 nation. Preserve us from war, pestilence, 
 famine, and every evil thing. Bless our 
 family in particular. And may we all 
 belong to the household of faith, and to 
 the family of heaven. We thank thee, 
 Lord ! for all social favors, and domestic 
 enjoyments. We bless thee that thou hast 
 kept us during the night ; that we were 
 preserved from devouring flames, from the 
 pestilence that walketh in darkness, and 
 from the sleep of death. We praise thee 
 that we see the light, and enjoy the com- 
 forts of another day. Compass us about 
 as with a shield, and preserve 4is in our 
 going out and coming in, at all times, and 
 in all places. Prosper us in the lawful 
 work of our hands, and provide for our 
 returning wants. May we persevere in 
 well-doing till we arrive at the celestial 
 Zion, and are permitted to serve God clay 
 and night in his temple above. Now to 
 him that is of power to establish us ac- 
 cording to his gospel, and the preaching 
 of Jesus Christ, to Grod only wise, be glory, 
 through Jesus Christ, for ever. Amen. 
 20* 
 
230 catechumen's ani> 
 
 Friday Evening. 
 
 Lord our God ! help up us this even- 
 ing to worship thee in the beauty of holi- 
 ness. Thou hast never said to the seed of 
 Jacob ; Seek ye my face in vain. We would, 
 therefore, call upon thy great and holy 
 name, believing that thou art, and that 
 thou art a rewarder of them who diligently 
 seek thee. Lord I we confess our sins of 
 omission and commission. We have pur- 
 sued too much the pleasures, honors, and 
 splendors of the world. How often have 
 we offended in thought, word, and action! 
 How stubborn have been our wills, how 
 vain our thoughts, and how earthly our 
 affections ! Our hearts cleave to the dust. 
 We would feel that we have offended, and 
 that there is no help in ourselves. We 
 would hope in the Lord, for with the Lord 
 there is mercy, and with him is plenteous 
 redemption. Eemember not the sins of 
 our youth and riper years ; but blot out 
 all transgressions, and give us the peace 
 of God, which passeth all understanding, 
 
communicant's companion. 231 
 
 thou Physician of souls! heal our spir- 
 itual maladies; restore us to health and 
 soundness, and to the joy of thy salvation. 
 Teach transgressors thy ways, and turn 
 the disobedient to the wisdom of the just. 
 Suffer not those who are rich in this world, 
 to be high-minded, and to trust in uncer- 
 tain riches, but in the living God, who 
 giveth them all things richly to enjoy. 
 May they do good, and be rich in good 
 works, ready to distribute, willing to com- 
 municate^ laying up in store for themselves 
 a good foundation against the time to come, 
 that they may lay hold on eternal life. 
 Make all the poor in this world rich in 
 faith, and heirs of the kingdom. May 
 every christian society flourish in know- 
 ledge, holiness, and peace. Build thou the 
 waste places of Zion. Give unto all desti- 
 tute flocks pastors after thine own heart. 
 Let thy priests be clothed with righteous- 
 ness; and let thy saints shout for joy. 
 Send forth heralds of salvation, to plant 
 churches in the region of darkness and the 
 shadow of death. Guide in the public 
 
232 catechumen's and 
 
 councils of our nation ; over-rule all our 
 civil affairs for thy glory. Make all our 
 colleges nurseries of piety, as well as of 
 useful knowledge. Cast into them the salt 
 of grace, that from these fountains may 
 issue streams which shall make glad the 
 city of our God. Thanks to thy name, all 
 gracious Father ! for the blessings of thy 
 good providence ; that thou hast watched 
 over us with paternal care, preserved us in 
 existence, and afforded us a competence of 
 the good things of this life. We would 
 rejoice that Christ has died to redeem us, 
 and that thou hast accepted his atoning 
 sacrifice. We thank thee for the blessings 
 of another day, that thou hast preserved us 
 amidst dangers, that we are still in the, 
 land of the living, and in the enjoyment 
 of health, liberty, and safety. thou 
 Guardian of men ! take our family under 
 thy protection this night. May our dwell- 
 ing place be a safe and quiet habitation. 
 May the shadows of the evening remind us 
 of the night of death, and the importance 
 of preparing for it. Bring us to see the 
 
communicant's companion. 233 
 
 light of a new day, rejoicing in the loving 
 kindness and tender mercy of our heavenly 
 Father. May our days on earth be happy, 
 and our eternity joyous. And glory be to 
 God the Father, and to the Son, and to the 
 Holy Ghost. Amen. 
 
 Saturday Morning. 
 
 God ! thou art our God, early will we 
 seek thee ; our fathers' God, and we will 
 exalt thee. We would rejoice that in 
 every thing, by prayer and supplication, 
 with thanksgiving, we are to make known 
 our request unto God. "We acknowledge, 
 Lord ! that we have sinned against the 
 light of nature, and against thy written 
 law and gospel. We have been vain in our 
 imaginations, and our foolish hearts have 
 been darkened. We have been lovers of 
 pleasure more than lovers of God. And, 
 by our iniquities, we have exposed our- 
 selves to thine everlasting displeasure. 
 But, behold, God, our Shield ! and look 
 upon the face of thine Anointed, and have 
 mercy on us. May the blood of Christ, who 
 
234 catechumen's and 
 
 through the eternal Spirit offered himself 
 without spot to God, purge our consciences 
 from dead works, to serve the living God. 
 Search us, God ! and know our hearts ; 
 try us, and know our thoughts, and see if 
 there he any wicked way in us, and lead 
 us in the way everlasting. Permit us not 
 to spend the golden hours of time in the 
 pursuit of vanity, but excite us to live as 
 citizens of the spiritual Jerusalem, and to 
 form our hearts and lives to the temper and 
 manners of the heavenly world. Jesus, 
 thou son of David! have mercy upon all 
 men. Graciously regard those who are 
 dead in trespasses and sins. Come, 
 Breath ! and breathe upon these slain, that 
 they may live. Teach the moralist the 
 necessity of vital godliness, and the hypo- 
 crite the deceitfulness of his heart, that he 
 may stand amazed. Accomplish all thy 
 predictions relative to the latter day glory 
 of the church. May a way be opened for 
 the introduction of the gospel into all lands. 
 Let the pagans, who know nothing of God, 
 Christ, and the Bible, renounce their idol- 
 
communicant's • COMPANION. 235 
 
 atry, and embrace the religion of the gos- 
 pel. Let the Mohammedans, who now take 
 the Koran for their guide, cease to follow 
 their delusions, and may they receive the 
 Sacred Scriptures as heavenly oracles, and 
 as the standard of their faith and prac- 
 tice. May the Jews, who now reject the 
 Saviour, ere long believe in him as the 
 Messiah of the Scriptures, to their everlast- 
 ing joy and salvation. May all the Papists 
 give up their varied superstitions, and wor- 
 ship God in the purity and simplicity of 
 the gospel. And may all errors and false 
 religion be done away. "We rejoice that 
 thy immutable promise and attributes are 
 pledged for the accomplishment of thy pre- 
 dictions in reference to Zion. To this end 
 bless all exertions that are making for the 
 advancement of thy glory, and the salva- 
 tion of men. that christians would arise 
 and obey the command of their ascended 
 Saviour, Go ye into all the world, and 
 preach the gospel to every creature. We 
 bless God for the religious instructions 
 afforded us. We thank thee, that thou 
 
236 catechumen's and 
 
 didst ; at sundry times, and in divers man- 
 ners, speak in time past unto the Fathers, 
 by the prophets, and in these last days 
 hast spoken unto us by thy Son Jesus Christ, 
 and his apostles. Ever may we take thy 
 word as a lamp unto our feet, and alight un- 
 to our path. Glory to God in the highest, for 
 a plan of redemption, and the overtures of 
 grace in the gospel. ! let us not despise 
 the proffers of salvation, and reject a cru- 
 cified Saviour. We praise thee for the 
 mercies of the night; that while many 
 were full of tossings to and fro unto the 
 dawning of the day, we enjoyed quiet re- 
 pose. Cause us to hear thy loving kind- 
 ness in the morning, for in thee do we 
 trust; cause us to know the way wherein 
 we should walk, for we lift up our souls 
 unto thee. Establish thou thy covenant 
 with this family, for an everlasting cove- 
 nant, even the sure mercies of David. Pre- 
 pare us for the vicissitudes of this mortal 
 state, and when we come to die, may we 
 die in the Lord, and be blessed for ever. 
 Be pleased, gracious God ! to accept our 
 
communicant's companion. 237 
 
 persons and services in the Beloved. Now 
 blessing and honor, and glory and power, 
 be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, 
 and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 Saturday Evening. 
 
 Infinitely powerful and glorious God! in 
 the name of our great High Priest, who is 
 passed into the heavens, we draw near un- 
 to thee this evening. May we come unto 
 thee, as children unto a father, who is able 
 and ready to assist them. Indite our pe- 
 titions for us, and enable us to present 
 them before thee in faith. Thy throne, 
 Grod ! is for ever and ever ; the sceptre of 
 thy kingdom is a right sceptre. We adore 
 the wisdom of thy purposes, the holiness 
 of thy ways, and the riches of thy grace. 
 We rejoice that in Christ Jesus mercy 
 and truth are met together, righteousness 
 and peace have embraced each other. 
 Where sin hath abounded, grace can now 
 much more abound. Deal with us accord- 
 ing to the tenor of thine everlasting cove- 
 nant of grace. Wash away our sins in the 
 21 
 
238 catechumen's and 
 
 blood of tlie immaculate Son of God, that 
 we may be presented spotless before thy 
 throne in glory. Subdue our vile passions, 
 and make us willing captives of the Prince 
 of peace. May the same mind be in us, 
 which was also in Christ Jesus. Let us 
 die daily unto sin, and live unto God. 
 May we walk circumspectly, not as fools, 
 but as wise, redeeming the time, because 
 the clays are evil; and may we not be weary 
 in well doing, for in due season we shall 
 reap, if we faint not. Graciously regard, 
 God ! all the sons and daughters,, of 
 affliction. Be thou a Father to the father- 
 less, and a Judge of the widows in thy 
 holy habitation. Give redemption to cap- 
 tives, loose the bands of wickedness, undo 
 heavy burdens, and let the oppressed go 
 free. Pity the sick, and heal their diseases. 
 Furnish the destitute with food and rai- 
 ment. Be a guide to them who travel by 
 sea or land. Give to all, repentance, par- 
 don, and salvation. Bless our American 
 republic. We thank thee for our constitu- 
 tions of government : that our rulers are 
 
communicant's companion. 239 
 
 of ourselves, and our governors proceed 
 from the midst of us. We thank thee for 
 all our civil, religious, and literary privi- 
 leges ; and that thou hast given us a good 
 land, and crowned it with many blessings. 
 Thou hast not dealt so with any nation. 
 May our country continue to be under the 
 care of thy watchful providence. May we 
 be a holy, that we may be a happy people. 
 May all our friends and relatives be the 
 objects of thy favorable regard. Let them 
 be enriched with the blessings of thy heav- 
 enly grace. May Zion awake and put on 
 her strength ; arise, shake herself from the 
 dust, and put on her beautiful garments. 
 Preserve the church from all dangers 
 within and without. Extend her bounda- 
 ries from sea to sea, and from the river to 
 the ends of the earth. Make all the min- 
 isters of religion faithful and zealous. 
 Give them the tongue of the learned, that 
 they may know how to speak a word in 
 season to them that are weary. Let the 
 heathen, now shrouded in the gloom of 
 moral death, be irradiated with the light 
 
240 catechumen's and 
 
 of tlie gospel. Lord ! how long shall 
 darkness, ignorance, and superstition, so 
 awfully reign? Arise, thou most mighty ! 
 in thy strength, and convert, and save a 
 perishing world. Now, Lord ! what wait 
 we for ? Our hope is in thee. We thank 
 thee, thou Guardian of man ! for the salva- 
 tion and blessings of another day and week. 
 Watch over us for good this night. Let 
 thy holy angels pitch their tents around 
 our habitation, and may we dwell in secu- 
 rity. Prepare us for the duties and ser- 
 vices of thy holy day. May it be a season 
 of refreshing from the presence of the 
 Lord. Dispose all our changes in mercy, 
 and when time with us shall be no longer, 
 receive us to mansions of eternal blessed- 
 ness. "Now to the Lamb that was slain to 
 redeem us to Grod by his blood, be power, 
 and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and 
 honor, and glory, and blessing for ever. — 
 Amen. 
 
communicant's companion. 241 
 
 A Prayer under grievous Pains. 
 
 Lord, thou art a merciful God, and 
 dost not afflict willingly, nor grieve tlie 
 children of men ; when the necessity of our 
 case calls for sharp applications, thou chas- 
 tisest us for our profit, that we may be 
 partakers of thy holiness. Blessed is the 
 man whom thou chastenest, Lord, and 
 teachest him out of thy law ! that it 
 may be in much mercy to the soul of thy 
 servant, that thy hand is so hard upon 
 him at present ! Now that thou hast cast 
 him into the furnace, that it may be a 
 means to purge out his dross, and to fit 
 him for thy acceptable use and service. 
 that he may learn such things in the 
 school of affliction, as may stand him in 
 stead, and do him good for ever. 
 
 But thou, Grod of consolation, who 
 knowest our frame, and how little it is that 
 we can endure, though it be so much that 
 we deserve, be pleased to remember him in 
 mercy ; and make his sufferings less, or 
 thy grace in him, and his patience and 
 21* 
 
242 catechumen's and 
 
 spiritual strength, greater than all his suf- 
 ferings. take the load off him, or lighten 
 it to him, or enable him to bear what thou 
 art pleased to lay upon him. Lord, all his 
 desire is before thee, and his groaning is 
 not hid from thee. Regard his affliction 
 when thou hearest his cry ; and enter not 
 into judgment with him according to the 
 desert of his sins ; but according to thy 
 mercy remember thou him, for thy good- 
 ness' sake in Jesus Christ. Gracious 
 Father, sanctify to him what thou hast 
 laid upon him, that the present sore evil 
 may have a comfortable issue, and work 
 for his spiritual and eternal good; and 
 the Lord support, and bear him up under 
 it, and bring him safe and happy out of it, 
 to the rejoicing of thy servant, and the 
 glory of thy name ; and however thou 
 shalt deal with him, good Lord, sup- 
 press all his rejunings at thy dealings, that 
 he may not so sin as to charge God fool- 
 ishly, who never does the thing but what 
 is most righteous and fit to be done; yet 
 nothing but what thy servant shall once 
 
communicant's companion. 243 
 
 have cause to bless and praise tliee for 
 doing ; but teach and help him to glorify 
 God in the time of his visitation, by his 
 humble submission to thy will, his patient 
 abiding to thy hand, and his faithful re- 
 formation under it, that thou mayest re- 
 turn with the visitations of thy love, and 
 restore ease and comfort to him, and 
 show him the joy of thy salvation, for thy 
 own mercy's sake in Jesus Christ. — Amen. 
 
 A Prayer under dangerous Sickness. 
 Lord G-od Almighty, and ever blessed, 
 in whom we all ever live, and move, and 
 are ; we acknowledge it is of thy mercies 
 we are not consumed, because thy compas- 
 sions fail not. If thou hadst, long before 
 this time, cut us off in our sins, and shut 
 us up under final despair of thy mercy, yet 
 righteous hadst thou been, Lord ; and 
 how justly mightest thou now refuse to 
 hear us calling upon thee in our prayers, 
 as w^e so often have refused to hear thee 
 calling upon us by the motions of thy Holy 
 Spirit ; but thou art Grod, and not man ; 
 
244 catechumen's and 
 
 and thy thoughts are not as our thoughts, 
 nor thy ways as our ways ; but as the 
 heavens are higher than the earth, so are 
 thy thoughts and thy ways above ours. 
 Thou art our refuge and strength, and pre- 
 sent help in time of need and trouble ; in 
 which times thou hast commanded us to 
 call upon thee, and hast promised to hear 
 us, and to give us cause to praise and glo- 
 rify thee for thy goodness and mercy to us. 
 And now we come to thee, Lord our 
 God, in behalf of this thy servant, who lies 
 here in a low and distressed state, under 
 thy afflicting hand. Look down, Ave be- 
 seech thee, mercifully upon him ; and be 
 thou gracious and favorable to him, accord- 
 ing to the multitude of thy tender mercies 
 in Christ Jesus ; though in great danger, 
 yet if thou wilt, Lord, thou canst set 
 him up, and make him whole ; if thou but 
 speak the word, the thing will be done. 
 And in submission to thy most wise dis- 
 posal of all things, we would beg this 
 mercy at thy hands, that thou wouldst be 
 pleased to rebuke his disease, to remove 
 
communicant's companion. 245 
 
 thy stroke, and cause the bitter cup which 
 thou hast given him to pass away from 
 him, and make him a way to escape out 
 of the affliction that is upon him; and to 
 this end, that thou wouldst direct to the 
 means proper for his help, and command 
 a blessing upon them to promote his re- 
 covery. Spare him, good Lord, and restore 
 him, if it be thy will, that he may have a 
 long time to work out his salvation, and 
 be more useful in his place, and do more 
 good in his generation; or however thou 
 shalt be pleased to deal with him as to the 
 concerns of his body, which we pray may 
 be in a way of gentleness and tender mercy; 
 yet Lord, let his soul be precious in thy 
 sight; and may this sickness of his body 
 be for the health of that immortal better 
 part, to promote his everlasting salvation. 
 give him a right discernment of the 
 things belonging to his peace, before they 
 be hid from his eyes ; show him what he is 
 to do ; enable him for the doing of it, that 
 he may have sound peace with God, through 
 Jesus Christ; give him true repentance 
 
246 catechumen's and 
 
 towards G-od, and right faith in the only 
 Saviour of the world ; wash and cleanse 
 his soul with the blood of thy Son, and the 
 graces of thy Spirit, that it may be deliv- 
 ered from all defilements it has contracted 
 in this present evil world, and be found 
 safe and happy in the hour of death, and 
 in the great day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 Fit him, Lord, for living or dying, what- 
 ever in thy wise and righteous providence 
 thou hast designed for him, that it may be 
 unto him, Christ to live, and gain to die ; 
 that in all, he may find cause to glorify 
 thy name, still experiencing thy gracious 
 goodness to him in the Son of thy love; if 
 thou shalt please yet to release him from 
 his bed of languishing, to live longer upon 
 earth, that he may live to thee in thy 
 fear, and to thy praise, and do thee better 
 service, and bring thee greater glory ; or, 
 if thou hast determined that this sickness 
 shall be a sickness unto death, and this 
 visitation his last visitation, prepare him, 
 merciful God, by thy grace, for thy 
 blessed self; and grant him a safe and 
 
communicant's companion. 247 
 
 comfortable passage out of this wretched 
 life, to an infinitely better, through the 
 merits and mediation of thy beloved Son, 
 our only Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. 
 
 A Prayer under lingering Sickness. 
 
 Merciful God, thou hast long kept thy 
 servant under thy chastening hand ; thou 
 hast made him acquainted with grief, and 
 his sickness is become even his own familiar 
 companion ; yet blessed Lord, grant that 
 we may not think it long to wait thy leis- 
 ure, who art pleased to wait so long for the 
 return of a sinner ; and who art very piti- 
 ful and of tender mercy, having kind in- 
 tentions, even in thy bitter dispensations ; 
 yea, thou chastenest whom thou lovest, and 
 scourgest every son whom thou receivest. 
 Teach him, gracious Father, to see love in 
 thy rod, as well as justice in all thy deal- 
 ings, that he may humble himself under 
 thy mighty hand, and also think it good 
 for him to be afflicted ; and patiently wait 
 for the Lord, in hope of good out of this 
 
248 catechumen's and 
 
 evil; and at last a happy conclusion of the 
 long visitation. Blessed be thy name, 
 Father of mercies, that thou dost not pour 
 out all thy wrath; but in judgment re- 
 memberest mercy, to make the affliction 
 supportable, giving some ease and relaxa- 
 tion from torturing pains, and mingling 
 many sweet ingredients with this bitter 
 cup. make him so sensible of thy kind- 
 ness and love, that he may be not only 
 contented, but thankful under thy hand. 
 Yet, that his faith may not fail, nor his 
 patience be wearied out, return, Lord of 
 love, at the last, and give thy servant a 
 discharge from this warfare ; and say to 
 the affliction, it is enough. Make him 
 glad, according to the time wherein thou 
 hast afflicted, and wherein he has seen 
 so much adversity ; and till thou hast been 
 pleased to remember him in such mercj r , 
 grant that he may neither despise thy 
 chastening, nor faint under thy rebukes ; 
 but take all as he ought, and employ the 
 time which thou lendest, and improve the 
 affliction which thou continuest, as a gra- 
 
communicant's companion. 249 
 
 cious opportunity for his soul's advantage ; 
 that under the decays of the outer man. 
 the inner may be renewed day by clay; and 
 all that is wanting in his spiritual con- 
 cerns may be filled up, and whatever per- 
 tains to his everlasting salvation promoted 
 and perfected, through the riches of thy 
 grace, and the multitude of thy mercies in 
 Jesus Christ. Amen. 
 
 Thanksgiving and Prayer after Recovery out 
 of a dangerous Sickness. 
 
 God of my life ! in whose hand my 
 breath is, and by whom all men do live, and 
 have their days here prolonged or shorten- 
 ed, I was brought low and ready to think 
 that thou wouldst now determine, and 
 make an end of my days upon earth ; and 
 counted myself so nigh unto death, that I 
 expected every day, when the last enemy 
 which lay in wait for me, would come and 
 seize upon me. 
 
 But thou, Lord, hast graciously disap- 
 pointed my fears, and rescued me from his 
 22 
 
250 catechumen's and 
 
 hands; and raised me up to walk again 
 before thee in the land of the living. 
 Though thou hroughtest me even to the 
 mouth of the grave, yet hast thou brought 
 me back, that the pit of corruption should 
 not swallow me up. And thou that gavest 
 me life at first, hast now given it to me 
 afresh. And to thee, my God, I desire 
 therefore, with all my soul, to give all 
 the praise. blessed be my great Pre- 
 server, the dear and only Saviour of my 
 body, as well as soul; the God of my health, 
 my heavenly Physician, my life, and the 
 length of my days. that I may live to 
 declare the works of the Lord, and set 
 forth the honor of his name ! that I may 
 not look upon my extended life as an oc- 
 casion to the flesh ; to enjoy my liberty 
 and pleasure upon earth ; but as an en- 
 gagement on my heart, to abound in grati- 
 tude, and love and praise, and all faithful 
 duty, and cheerful obedience to my gracious 
 God. 
 
 For in mercy to my soul, the Lord has 
 given me a further allowance of time in 
 
communicant's companion. 251 
 
 the world, to fill up wliat was wanting in 
 ray spiritual estate, and to make a better 
 preparation for the heavenly kingdom. 
 And upon this account alone it is that our 
 life is so valuable, and our time so precious 
 here upon earth; that we may have space 
 to repent ; and the opportunity to correct 
 the errors of our past life, and to secure 
 the greatest of all our effects ; to serve our 
 Lord with more fidelity ; and to dress up 
 ourselves into a greater fitness to meet the 
 eternal glorious Bridegroom. that the 
 life now renewed to myself, may also be a 
 new life to the Lord. That I may not only 
 say, I thought I should have died; but 
 may conduct myself henceforth as one re- 
 stored even from the dead ; and live with 
 such dying thoughts, that when at last I 
 come to die, I may depart with lively hopes 
 of eternal blessedness. 
 
 For it is no total escape, but only a re- 
 prieve, that is now granted to me ; and my 
 death is a debt to nature, that must be 
 paid ; nor is there any avoiding it ; but the 
 hands of death, that have been catching at 
 
252 catechumen's and 
 
 me, will yet certainly take hold of me ; 
 and I know not how soon I may be down 
 again; and not only threatened, but en- 
 closed by the grave ; for that is my house, 
 where, after all, I must take up my abode, 
 and return to dust. And when I least 
 think of it, how suddenly may I be cut 
 off, and take my last leave of this world ! 
 let me not live then as if I should 
 never see death ; nor put it far from me, 
 as if it should never be upon me ; nor 
 reckon upon any sure standing, or long 
 abiding, in such a changeable, transitory 
 world,, that is but the house of our pilgrim- 
 age, and not of our home nor the place 
 of our rest. But when dust I am, and to 
 dust I must return, help me, Lord, so to 
 remember and consider my death, that I 
 may be the better fitted for it, in ail the 
 course and conduct of my life ; with such 
 wise and holy circumspection, conducting 
 myself and ordering all my conversation 
 in the world, that when I must close my 
 eyes upon this present scene of things, I 
 may depart hence, full of peace and hope, 
 
commitmcaot's companion. 253 
 
 to enjoy far better and more durable goods 
 than are here to be found. And for my 
 rpcovery, and such health as I enjoy at 
 present, let me pay my vows to the Lord: 
 and from the ground of the heart, ascribe 
 to the God of my salvation all glory, 
 thanks, love, and service, throughout the 
 whole remainder of my life, and for ever- 
 more. Amen. 
 
 Prayer for Preparation to Die. 
 
 Lord, what is our life but a vapor that 
 appears for a little time, and then vanish- 
 eth away ! even at the longest, how short ; 
 and at the strongest, how frail ! and when 
 we think ourselves most secure, yet we 
 know not what a day may bring forth, nor 
 how soon thou mayest come, before we are 
 aware, fco call us to our last account. — 
 Quickly shall w<? be as water spilt on the 
 ground, that cannot be gathered up again; 
 quickly snatched away from hence, and our 
 place here shall know us no more for ever ; 
 our days one after another, are declining, 
 22* 
 
254 catechumen's and 
 
 and we know not how near to us is our 
 last day, when our bodies shall be laid in 
 the grave, and our souls called to appear 
 at the tribunal of God, to receive our stand- 
 ing doom, for bliss or woe eternal. Yet, 
 good God, how have I lived in this world, 
 as if I should never leave it ! how unmind- 
 ful of my latter end ! how improvident of 
 my time ! how careless of my soul ! how 
 negligent in my preparation for my ever- 
 lasting condition ! so that thou mayest 
 justly bring my last hour as a snare upon 
 me, to surprise me in my sins, and my un- 
 preparedness to appear before thee. But, 
 
 dear Father of mercies, remember not 
 my sins against me ; but remember thy 
 own tender mercies, and thy loving kind- 
 ness which have been ever of old. re- 
 member how short my time is, and spare 
 me, that I may recover my strength before 
 
 1 go hence, and be no more seen ; make me 
 so wise as to understand and consider my 
 latter end, and to remember also myself, 
 the shortness of my time ; and teach me so 
 to number my days, that I may apply my 
 
communicant's companion. 255 
 
 heart to true wisdom. Lord, what have I 
 to do in this world, but to make ready for 
 the world to come. that I may be mind- 
 ful of it, and intent upon it, to finish my 
 work before I finish my course ! 
 
 In the days of my health, and peace, 
 and prosperity, that I may remember, 
 and provide for the time of trouble and 
 sickness, and death, when the world's en- 
 joyment shall shrink away from me, and 
 prove utterly unable to support and help 
 me. Let me never allow myself in any 
 course of living w r herein I would be loth 
 or afraid to die ; but let me see my sins 
 die before me, that they may never rise up 
 in judgment against me, and enable me so 
 to die unto them daily that I may not die 
 for sin eternally. Instruct me, good Lord, 
 and assist me in my great work of prepara- 
 tion for a dying hour, that I may not then 
 be dreadfully surprised, but meet it with 
 courage and comfort. gracious God, 
 show me how to do it : quicken me into a 
 serious concern about it, and help me with 
 good success to perform it, that I may be 
 
256 CATECHUMENS AN© 
 
 fitted for heaven ere I leave this earth, and 
 may have sound peace with God, through 
 Jesus Christ, before I depart hence into the 
 state, where I must abide for ever. my 
 Lord, make me so ready to meet thee at 
 thy coming, that thy coming may be the 
 matter of my hopes and desires, and joyful 
 expectations, that I may love the appear- 
 ance of Christ, who is my life, and long 
 for that blessed time, when thou wilt put 
 an everlasting period to all my sins and 
 troubles, and temptations here, and ex- 
 change my present being in the body, to 
 be ever with the Lord. my God, help 
 me so to live, as, at the hour of death, I 
 shall wish that I had lived, and so to make 
 ready for death all my days, that at my 
 last day I may have nothing to do but to 
 die, and cheerfully resign my spirit into 
 thy gracious hands, my Father, and find 
 a merciful admission to thy favor and to 
 thy kingdom, for the sake of my only , 
 Saviour, Jesus Christ. — Amen. 
 
communicant's companion. 257 
 
 Prayer under Fears and Doubts of our Spiritual 
 Condition. 
 
 Lord, my God, I hope thou hast, of 
 thy rich mercy, changed and renewed me 
 in some measure, and wrought a good work 
 upon me. Bring me out of my natural con- 
 dition, into the state of grace and salva- 
 tion ; for yet the carnal nature is so pre- 
 dominant over me, and many sins so lively 
 and strong in me, and still I find the good 
 things of the Spirit in so much weakness 
 and imperfection upon me, that the sor- 
 rows of my heart are enlarged, and my 
 soul is disquieted within me. I see too 
 frequent cause to question whether I 
 really belong to thy children ; whether 
 I have known the grace of God in truth, 
 and whether I do not deceive myself in 
 reckoning upon that which I neither am 
 nor have. 
 
 Mine eyes are to thee, God the Lord, 
 leave not my soul destitute. From the 
 ends of the earth will I cry to thee ; when 
 my heart is overwhelmed within me, lead 
 
258 catechumen's and 
 
 me to the rock that is higher than I. 
 Lord ; rebuke me not in thine anger, nei- 
 ther chasten me in thy sore displeasure. 
 Forsake me not, my God ; be not far 
 from me ; make haste to help me, Lord, 
 my salvation. Attend to my cry, for I am 
 brought very low ; hear me speedily, my 
 spirit fails. Save me, God, for the 
 waters are come into my soul ; I sink in 
 the deep mire, where there is no standing. 
 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may 
 praise thy name. 
 
 Show me the true state of my soul, 
 and make me to know the things that are 
 freely given me of God ; and deliver me, 
 gracious Lord, from all those offensive 
 things that provoke thee to hide thy face 
 from me, and that wrap up my soul in 
 clouds and darkness, and make me so 
 much a stranger to peace and comfort. 
 Grant me a clear discovery of the evidences 
 of my calling; and seal a comfortable assu- 
 rance of thy blessed love in Christ Jesus to 
 my soul. thou that didst bid the winds 
 and waves, peace, be still, and they obeyed 
 
communicant's companion. 259 
 
 thee ; settle my discomposed mind, and 
 quiet my troubled breast, and bring me to 
 see the light of thy countenance, and the 
 joy of thy salvation. thou that hast 
 power to establish us, be pleased to es- 
 tablish my heart with grace, and let rtfe 
 be rooted and grounded in the faith, that 
 I may not stagger through unbelief, but 
 hold the beginning of my confidence stead- 
 fast to the end. Eejoice the soul of thy 
 servant ; for unto thee, Lord, do I lift 
 up my soul ; and let the joy of the Lord 
 be my strength, to make me victorious 
 over my sins, and always to abound in 
 thy work ; never pleased so much with 
 any thing as to do the thing pleasing to 
 my God, through Jesus Christ. Amen. 
 
 The convinced Sinner's Prayer. 
 
 Hearken to the voice of my cry, my 
 King, and my God ; for unto thee will I 
 pray; but wherewithal shall I pray before 
 the Lord, and bow myself to the most 
 high God, whose holy laws I have broken. 
 
260 catechumen's and 
 
 and whose just displeasure I liaye incur- 
 red ! I acknowledge ray transgression, 
 .Lord, and my sin is ever "before me. My 
 iniquities are gone over my head, as a sore 
 "burden ; they are too heavy for me to bear. 
 When thou with rebukes dost chasten 
 man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty 
 to consume away like a moth. My sin 
 now has found me out ; and that which 
 once I thought too little to be repented, 
 seems now too great to be pardoned. I 
 flattered myself in my own eyes, till my 
 iniquity is found to be hateful. I thought 
 I was rich and increased with goods, and 
 had need of nothing ; but now I find that 
 I am miserable, and wretched, and poor, 
 and blind, and naked, so that there is 
 nothing but disorder and ruin in my soul. 
 I have undone myself: but to work my 
 own recovery I have no sufficiency. 
 how wicked have I been to allow myself 
 in the way and mind which is enmity 
 against God ! How ignorant, yet how 
 ♦confident ! How vile, yet how arrogant ! 
 In what need of mercy, yet how unmerci- 
 

 communicant's companion. 261 
 
 ful ; how sinful, yet how impenitent ; how 
 bold in the sins where conscience reproves 
 me, but how cold in the cause where thy 
 Spirit encouraged me ! Oh the spoils, and 
 ruins, and desolations which my sins have 
 made in my soul ; how have they darken- 
 ed my mind, perverted my will, defaced 
 my affections, disordered my passions, har- 
 dened my heart, and seduced it away from 
 my most good and ever-blessed God, to 
 cleave unto the things displeasing in thy 
 sight, and destructive to my soul ! 
 
 There is no hiding any thing from thee, 
 the infinite God, who fillest heaven and 
 earth. What shall I say unto thee, Lord ? 
 wo is me that I have done so foolishly 
 and wickedly! whither shall I betake my- 
 self when against thee, Lord, I have so 
 sinned, and done such evil in thy sight ! 
 Thou art the offended Majesty, out of 
 whose reach I cannot escape, and under 
 whose judgments I can never be able to 
 bear up. A guilty conscience should make 
 me afraid to come unto thee ; yet I know 
 there is nothing but certain destruction to 
 23 
 
282 catechumen's and 
 
 keep away from thee ; and though there 
 i$ no peace to the wicked so continuing, 
 yet if the wicked forsake his way, and the 
 unrighteous man his thoughts, and return 
 to the Lord, thy promise, then, God, is 
 to have mercy upon him, and abundantly 
 to pardon. I have none to seek to for a 
 remedy against my sins, but unto the just 
 and holy God, against whom I have griev- 
 ously sinned ; and how shall I stand in 
 thy sight, Lord, who hatest and con- 
 demnest the works of darkness, and the 
 workers of iniquity, whose wrath against 
 gin burns as deep as hell, and as long as 
 ^ernity. 
 
 I submit, great Lord, to thy offended 
 Majesty ! and I have no hopeful prospect, 
 looking any way, but to thy Almighty 
 power, thy superabounding grace, and thy 
 ever-enduring mercy, who, at the lowest, 
 can raise, and, at the worst art able to 
 relieve us. Nothing is too hard for thee 
 to effect ; the most wretched case is not past 
 thy cure ; though our sins be as scarlet, 
 thou canst make them as white as snow ; 
 
communicant's companion. 2 S3 
 
 though they be red like crimson, thou 
 canst make them as wool ; yea, thou hast 
 found a ransom, and laid help upon one 
 that is mighty, and able to save to the 
 uttermost all that come to God through 
 Mm. If I had not sinned, j had no need 
 of such a Kedeemer; but they were sin- 
 ners whom he came to save ; and, therefore, 
 to the Lord Jesus I look, with the desire 
 of my soul, to find a healing for this sin- 
 ful soul of mine, in the precious blood of 
 his cross. good God ! when my sins cry 
 to thee for vengeance, be thou pleased to 
 hear his blood and merits pleading and 
 interceding for my soul ; and speaking 
 better things in my behalf than I am able 
 to do for myself, in all my prayers. 
 
 Behold, merciful God, a miserable 
 object on which to glorify thy power and 
 compassion, thy wonderful work, and great 
 salvation ! look upon me in my blood, 
 and bid me live. Speak death to my sins, 
 that my soul may live, and for ever bless 
 my name. Turn away thy face from my 
 sin,s, and blot out all my iniquities. For 
 
264 catechumen's and 
 
 thy name's sake, Lord, pardon my sin, 
 for it is great ; too great for any but the 
 God of infinite goodness and love ever to 
 discharge me from. magnify thy all- 
 sufficiency to "help me out in this my wo- 
 ful misery. Mate the happy experiment 
 upon my poor soul, how great things 
 worthy of God thou canst do ; that -where 
 sin hath abounded, thy grace may much 
 more abound. Eeturn, Lord, deliver 
 my soul ; save me for thy mercy's sake ; 
 . save me from the guilt and filth, from the 
 power and curse of all my sins. And 
 thou, Lord, that knowest how to deliver, 
 make me some way to escape out of the 
 desperate straits and perplexities into 
 which my sins have cast me, that my ini- 
 quities may not hang upon me to be my 
 ruin ; but that they be taken away and 
 forgiven, and washed out with the blood 
 of Jesus Christ. turn thou me, Lord 
 God of my salvation, and I shall be turned 
 from my sins, and from this present evil 
 world, more effectually and fully to thy 
 blessed self. sive me such conviction 
 
communicant's companion. 265 
 
 as may end in sound conversion ; and let 
 me experience in myself that grace of God 
 which bringeth salvation. I want thy 
 grace, Lord ; and want it I shall for 
 ever, if thou be not pleased to look gra- 
 ciously upon me in my blessed Eedeemer. 
 God of all grace, that keepest mercy for 
 thousands, hast thou not a blessing for 
 me ? a spiritual, heavenly blessing ! For 
 thy dear Son, my only Saviour's sake, let 
 me find such grace in thy sight. And 
 whatever I want, deny me not that 
 saving grace, which, though a precious 
 treasure that I am bold to ask, yet it is 
 not too great or good for the God infinite- 
 ly great and good to give. do that 
 work of thy grace thoroughly upon my 
 heart, for which I may have cause to glo- 
 rify thy name for evermore. Amen. 
 
 •3 Prayer for the Enlargement and Prosperity 
 of the Church. 
 God of all grace, who hast called out 
 of this present evil world a chosen genera- 
 tion to know thy will, to seek thy face, to 
 23* 
 
266 catechumen's and 
 
 follow thy ways, and to inherit thy glory ; 
 bless all tliy people every where, and cause 
 tliy face to sliine upon tliem ; and so add 
 to their number, that all the ends of the 
 earth may remember themselves and turn 
 to the Lord, and see the salvation of our 
 God. Call home to thee again thy ancient 
 people the Jews ; and take the veil off their 
 hearts, that they may see and own their 
 Messiah ; and let that blood of Christ, 
 which they imprecated upon their heads, 
 to their confusion, light on their hearts, 
 to their conversion. Bring in the fullness 
 df the Gentiles, and give thy Son the hea- 
 then for his inheritance, and the utmost 
 parts of the earth for his possession. 
 give thy gospel a free and effectual passage 
 throughout the world, that it may be fur- 
 ther propagated where it has not yet reach- 
 ed, and the joyful sound may be heard 
 even where Christ is not yet named ; and 
 give such good success to it, where it shines 
 already, that all who have received it may 
 sincerely obey it ; and every one who names 
 the name of Christ, may depart from ini- 
 
communicant's companion. 267 
 
 quity ; and let their Hglit shine "before men, 
 to the glory of our heavenly Father, and to 
 the adorning of thy doctrine, and advan- 
 cing the religion of God our Saviour. 
 
 Convince and convert both the professed 
 enemies of Christ, and also the enemies of 
 his own house. show unto them all the 
 light of thy truth, that they may know it, 
 as it is in Jesus, and expel their prejudi- 
 ces, together with their darkness ; and so 
 bring them to receive thy truth in the love 
 of it, that they may he saved. O that the 
 true religion of our Lord Jesus may pre- 
 vail powerfully, and gain more converts 
 daily throughout the world ; that Jerusa- 
 lem may be the joy and praise of the whole 
 earth ; and that we may see the good of it 
 all the days of our life ! and O that all 
 the errors, both in judgment and practice, 
 the heresies of doctrine, and the ungod- 
 liness of life, may be more and more ex- 
 posed and confounded, and suppressed, till 
 they be utterly abolished ! that the wick- 
 edness of the wicked, being under rebuke 
 and disgrace, may come to an end : and 
 
268 
 
 CATECHUMENS GUIDE. 
 
 that truth, and peace, and holiness, may 
 have still more credit and authority, and 
 reign and flourish to the ends of the earth, 
 through the abundant grace of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ. Amen. 
 
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 GERMAN LUTHERAN CATECHISM. 
 
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 LUTHERAN PRAYER BOOK— For the use of Fam- 
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 B." Kurtz, D. D. 
 
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 Introduction — Prayer in all its Forms. 
 
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Prayers before and after meals. 
 
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 WHY ARE YOU A LUTHERAN? or a Series of Dis- 
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 dices, in the case of many candid and serious persons of 
 other denominations, who are willing to investigate be- 
 fore they censure and condemn." 
 
 The above is an extract from a Recommendation signed 
 by many of our most eminent ministers, such as Dr. S. 
 S. Schmucker, Dr. Reynolds, Dr Krauth, Dr. Bach- 
 man, Dr. Morris, Dr. H. N. Pohlman, Dr. S. W. Harkey 
 the late Dr. E. Keller, Revs. P. Rizer, W. A. Passa- 
 vant, J. Z. Senderling, S. R. Boyer, F. R. Anspach, 
 John Heck, A. Babb, J. C. Hope, A. H. Lochman, &c, 
 &.c. It is bound in various styles, and sold at reduced 
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 TREATISE ON PRAYER IN ALL ITS FORMS— 
 Secret, Social, Ejaculatory, in Public and in the 
 Family ; and the Training of Children. The former 
 arranged in Catechetical order, and the latter based 
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 ELEMENTS OF POPULAR THEOLOGY — With 
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6 
 
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 a The writer of this work believes that the greatest 
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 of remembrance,' and to come to the help of my brethren 
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 master's vineyard. * * * # 
 
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 Extract from the Author's Preface. 
 
 LECTURES ON THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE 
 
 APOSTLE TO THE HEBREWS,— By Rev. J. 
 
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 LIFE OF MARTIN LUTHER— Being a comprehen- 
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8 
 
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10 
 
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11 
 
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12 
 
 To Superintendents and Teachers of 
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 The undersigned respectfully announces 
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 MASSACHUSETTS SABBATH SCHOOL SOCIETY, 
 
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13 
 
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