THE OFFICE FOR The Holp Communion. PRAISE thou the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name! Praise thou the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who redeemeth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercy! As for man, his days are as grass, as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth; but the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him; and his righteousness unto children's children, to such as keep his covenant, and remember his commandments to do them. Behold, God is my salvation: I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he is become my salvation. He himself, by the one oblation of himself, once offered, has made a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, and has commanded us to keep a perpetual memorial thereof in the Holy Sacrament, whereby we declare our belief in his word, our hope in his mercy, and our trust in his atonement for us; and by the Communion of his Body and Blood, we receive a confirmation of our faith, and are assured of the favour and goodness of God towards us, in the pardon of all our sins, and are admitted members of Christ's mystical body, and heirs, through hope, of that everlasting kingdom which he has purchased with his own blood. What shall I render unto the Lord for these his inestimable benefits? I will offer and present myself, my soul and body, to be a reasonable, holy and lively sacrifice unto him; I will believe in him, trust in him, love and honour him with all my heart and mind; I will spend the rest of my days wholly in his service, and to his glory; I will order all my conversation as becometh his gospel; I will crucify the flesh, and keep myself unspotted from the world; I will abstain from all appearance of evil, and do all such good works as he has commanded me to perform. His grace shall be sufficient for me; his power shall rest upon me; his holy spirit shall abide continually with me, to direct, sanctify and govern both my heart and mind in the ways of his laws, and the works of his commandments, trusting that, through his most mighty protection, I shall be preserved both in body and soul to everlasting life. PRAYER. Before going to the Altar. Most gracious God, our heavenly Father, who hast given thine only Son to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification, that we might become the sons of God and heirs of eternal life, look upon me I beseech Thee, and grant, that having this hope I may serve Thee always in pureness and truth, and daily endeavour to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life. It is from thy mercy only that I can do unto Thee any true and laudable service; I pray, therefore, that thy Holy Spirit may govern all my thoughts during the sacred duty I am now about to perform; help me to approach these holy mysteries with fear and reverence, deep humility, and fervent devotion, with a heart full of faith in Thee, and the most grateful sense of thy infinite goodness in sending thy Son upon earth, and of his inexpressible love to mankind in undertaking and accomplishing the work of our redemption. I would dedicate myself entirely to thy service, and I beseech Thee to accept my contrition for all the faults and errors I have in any way committed, that, though of myself I am an unworthy guest, I may by thy infinite mercy be received at thy Table; and, assisted by thy grace in serving Thee sincerely and acceptably all the days of this mortal life, may in thy due time attain thy everlasting kingdom, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, my blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. The Offertory. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify |