Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

PART III.

AN

OFFICE

FOR THE

HOLY COMMUNION.

A Prayer that may frequently be used the Week preceding the Sacrament, and which may be added to our Devotions the Morning we receive.

Almighty God and merciful Father, who haft given thy only Son Jefus. Chrift to die for us, who didst institute a Holy Feaft in Commemoration of that his moft precious Death, thereby to preserve in our Minds a conftant Remembrance of his great Love in laying down his Life for our Sakes; I thy unworthy Servant, who am now invited to thy Holy Table, do humbly adore thy divine Majefty, ac

know

knowledging that I am not worthy of my daily Bread, much less of that which came down from Heaven, and which thou haft given to be the Food and Nourishment of our Souls.

I confefs, O Lord, my Sins may juftly cause me to tremble, when I appear before thee; but, O moft merciful Father, encou raged by thy wonderful Goodness, in giv ing thy Son to die for all penitent and returning Sinners, I prefent may felf before thee at this Time; befeeching thee in great Humility, to admit me to thy Holy Table, that I may taste and fee how gracious thou art, and how wonderful in thy Doings towards the Sons of Men.

O make my Longings and Defires after this Divine Food fome Way anfwerable to my great Need of it: that my Soul being fenfible of all its Wants, may no longer feek for Relief from the unfatisfying Objects of this World; but coming to thy Holy Table with a true fpiritual Hunger and Thirst, may there find a full Supply of all those Graces and Bleffings that it ftands in fo much Need of.

And to this End, O Lord, fit and prepare my Heart to partake of fo great a Mercy, by giving me a juft Abhorrence of

my

my own Unworthinefs, and an unfeigned Repentance of all my Sins. Root out of my Heart all finful and corrupt Affections, all Prejudice, Hatred, and Ill-will; and plant all thofe devout and pious, charitable, and humble Difpofitions, that become the Worshippers of the Holy Jefus ; that when I prefume to appear before thee, I may bring with me a Heart raised above the Corruptions that are in the World, and full of the strongest Defires and Refolutions of loving and ferving thee.

Deliver me, O my God, from all Coldnefs and Formality, when I attend upon thee in holy and religious Duties; and grant that by going to this Holy Feaft, I may have my Pardon fealed, my Weakneffes repaired, all my evil Inclinations fubdued, my Faith ftrengthened, my Hopes enlarged, my Charity increased, and my Soul fo entirely and infeparably united unto thee, that nothing may be ever able to diffolve the Union; but that being begun here in Grace, it may hereafter be confummated in Glory, through the Merits of him that died for me, even the Son of thy eternal Love, Jefus Chrift the Righteous; to whom with thee, O Father, and the Holy Spirit, be ascribed, as is most due, all Honour, Glory,

Power,

Power, Thanksgiving, and Praise, both now and for evermore.

Amen.

Some Motives, Directions and Affiftance for Examination, may be found in the Office of Humiliation, in the Second Part; allo a General Confeffion, and other Prayers, which may be used in our Preparations for the Sacrament.

PRAYERS in the Church, fome or all of which may be used as there is Opportunity; that is, as there are more or fewer to receive.

A Prayer to prepare our Minds for the Devout Celebration of the Lord's Supper; that may be ufed, if the Time will permit, before Divine Service begins, or otherwife, as foon as the Sermon is ended.

Almighty God, by whofe Bounty and

Goodness I have now an Opportunity offered me of approaching thy Table, and of pleading before thee the prevailing Merits of the Death and Paffion of thy Son Jefus Chrift: I am fenfible, O Lord, of my great Unworthiness; but the positive Command of my bleffed Saviour, when he was

about

about to lay down his Life for my Sake, has made it abfolutely neceffary; and the many fpiritual Wants I labour under, oblige me to apply to this fovereign Remedy, for the Repair of those Breaches my finful Follies have made in my Soul.

Affift me, therefore, O Lord, with thy Holy Spirit, in the great Duty and Service I am about to perform; grant that nothing during all the Time of this holy Action, may make me unmindful of that Reverence and Refpect which I owe unto thy Divine Majefty, or that Attention which becomes the Celebration of these holy Mysteries. Fill my Heart with fuch an Awe of thy Prefence, as may fix my wandering Thoughts, compofe my diforderly Affections, and ftir up my faint and cold Defires, that I may feel the Power, and taste the Sweetness of this Divine Banquet.

Grant that I may have fuch a Senfe of my Saviour's Sufferings, as may fill my Soul with Love and Gratitude towards him, for those inestimable Benefits he has purchased for me; that I may have fuch a Sight of my Sins, which occafioned all his Sorrows, as heartily to bewail and deteft them; fuch a Faith in that full perfect Oblation and Satisfaction

P

« AnteriorContinuar »