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3 Approach ye then with faithful hearts

sincere.

And take the pledges of salvation here.
O Judge of all, our only Savior Thou,
In this Thy feast of love be with us now.

428

L. M.

O JESUS, bruised and wounded more Than bursted grape, or bread of wheat,

The Life of life within our souls,

The Cup of our salvation sweet!

We come to show Thy dying hour,
Thy streaming vein, Thy broken flesh;
And still the blood, is warm to save.
And still the fragrant wounds are
fresh.

3 O Heart! that with a double tide
Of blood and water maketh pure,
O Flesh! once offered on the cross,
The gift that makes our pardon sure;

4 Let never more our sinful souls

The anguish of Thy cross renew; Nor forge again the cruel nails

That pierced Thy victim body through.

5 Come, Bread of heaven, to feed our souls. And with Thee, Jesus enter in!

Come, Wine or God! and as we drink, His precious blood wash out our sin!

429

MY God, and is Thy table spread?

L. M.

And does Thy cup with love o'erflow? Thither be all Thy children led,

And let them all its sweetness know.

2 Hail, sacred feast, which Jesus makes, Rich banquet of His flesh and blood! Thrice happy he who here partakes That sacred stream, that heavenly food!

3 Why are its blessings all in vain Before unwilling hearts displayed? Was not for us the Victim slain?

Are we forbid the children's bread?

4 0 let Thy table honored be,

And furnished well with joyful guests; And may each soul salvation see, That here its sacred pledges tastes.

430

THY table I approach,

Dear Savior, hear my prayer,

O let no unrepented sin

Prove hurtful to me there.

2 Lo, I confess my sins,

And mourn their wretched bands;
A contrite heart is ever wont
To find grace at Thy hands.

3 Thy body and Thy blood,

Once slain and shed for me, Are taken at Thy table hereA wondrous mystery!

4 Here I with mouth and soul, Incomprehensibly,

8 M.

Shall eat the precious flesh of Christ
In blest reality.

5 Search not how this takes place,
Nor whether it can be;

God can accomplish vastly more
Than seemeth plain to thee.

6 Vouchsafe, O blessed Lord,
That earth and hell combined,
May ne'er about this Sacrament
A doubt raise in my mind.

7 And may I never fail

To thank Thee day and night For Thy true body and true blood, O God, my Peace and Light!

431

11,8,11,8,5,9,9,6,7,5

MAY God be praised henceforth and blest forever,

Who, Himself both gift and giver,

With His own flesh and blood our souls doth nourish;

May they grow thereby and flourish!

O Lord, have mercy!

By Thy holy body, the selfsame

Which from Thine own mother Mary

came,

By the drops Thou didst bleed,

Help us in the hour of need.

O Lord, have mercy!

2 Thou hast to death Thy holy body given, Life to win for us in heaven;

By stronger love, dear Lord, Thou couldst not bind us,

Whereof this should well remind us.

O Lord, have mercy!

Lord, Thy love constrained Thee for our

good

Mighty things to do by Thy dear blood;

Thou hast paid all we owed,

Thou hast made our peace with God.
O Lord, have mercy!

3 May God bestow on us His grace and

blessing,

That, His holy footsteps tracing,

We walk as brethren dear in love and

union,

Nor repent this sweet communion.

O Lord, have mercy!

Let not Thy good Spirit forsake us,

Grant that heavenly minded He make us,
That Thy poor Church may see

Days of peace and unity.

432

O Lord, have mercy!

L. M. 81

DECK thyself, my soul, with gladness,
Leave the gloomy haunts of sadness,
Come into the daylight's splendor,
There with joy thy praises render
Unto Him whose grace unbounded
Hath this wondrous banquet founded;
High o'er all the heavens He reigneth,
Yet to dwell with thee He deigneth.

2 Hasten as a bride to meet Him,
And with loving reverence greet Him,
For with words of life immortal
Now He knocketh at thy portal;
Haste to ope the gates before Him,
Saying, while thou dost adore Him,
"Suffer, Lord, that I receive Thee,
And I nevermore will leave Thee."

3 He who costly goods desireth
To obtain, much gold requireth;

But to freely give the treasure
Of Thy love is Thy good pleasure,
For on earth there is no coffer
Which as payment we might offer
For this cup Thy blood containing,
And this manna, on us raining.

4 Ah, how hungers all my spirit
For the love I do not merit!

Oft have I, with sighs fast thronging,
Thought upon this food with longing,.
In the battle well-nigh worsted,
For this cup of life have thirsted,
For the Friend, who here invites us,
And to God Himself unites us.

5 Now I sink before Thee lowly,
Filled with joy most deep and holy,
As with trembling awe and wonder
On Thy mighty works I ponder,
How, by mystery surrounded,
Depths no man hath ever sounded,
None may dare to pierce unbidden,
Secrets that with Thee are hidden.

6 Nay, though reason here doth ponder,. It can never reach this wonder,

That this bread is never lessened,
Though it nourish thousands present,.
And that Christ His blood is giving
With the wine we are receiving.
O, these mysteries unsounded
Are by God alone expounded!

7 Sun, who all my life doth brighten,
Light, who dost my soul enlighten,
Joy, the sweetest man e'er knoweth,
Fount, whence all my being floweth,-

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