Jesus Christ was punished for me?" 4. Every day in the week, before coming to Holy Communion, say the two prayers which are given in page 58, and say also the following prayer. HEAVENLY Father, grant that every time I come to Holy Communion I may be drawn nearer to Thee, and may give up myself more entirely to Thee and to Thy service, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. I add a beautiful little hymn, which you can say at the same time, or in church at the time of the Sacrament. O GOD, unseen yet ever near, Thy Presence may we feel; Before Thine Altar kneel. Here may Thy faithful people know The blessings of Thy love, The Streams that through the desert flow, We come, obedient to Thy word, Thus may we all Thy words obey, To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Be glory; as it was, is now, Amen. If you use these means carefully, faithfully, with an earnest desire to be benefitted, I think you will certainly find yourself in a better state of mind to come to Holy Communion, and consequently will be the more benefitted by coming. III. I will now try to offer a few suggestions for your behaviour at the time of receiving this Sacrament. It is well to be particular on a Communion Day not to be late in getting up, so that you may not be hurried in anything. It is well, also, to be particular to be in church that day quite in time, and to make a rule not to look about you at all, as other persons are coming in. Pay very great attention to the whole of the Morning Service, the Prayers, Lessons, Singing, and Sermon. While the rest of the congregation are going out of church, try to collect your thoughts, and fix them upon the very solemn service that is about to follow. Think especially of your blessed Saviour hanging on the cross for you, and loving you as He hung there. Think of your own sins, and how unworthy you are to come near to Him. If there is time before the service begins, kneel down and say the following prayer: GRACIOUS Lord Jesus Christ, I, mercy, with fear and trembling approach Thy most sweet feast. For my heart and body are defiled with many sins, my mind and tongue have not been faithfully guarded. Look down on me with the eyes of Thy mercy, O Lord Jesus Christ, God and Man, crucified for man! Hear me, who hope in Thee; have pity on me, who am full of miseries and sins. Remember Thy creature, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious blood. Come down to sanctify us who kneel before Thee. Make Thyself known to our souls in this Sacrament. By Thine Own self take from me all mine iniquities and sins, that I may worthily taste Thy Sacred Body and Blood, and be Thou to me the food of my soul, and make me hunger and thirst for Thee more and more, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, One God, world without end. Amen. When the collection is made, give what you are able, what you think you ought to give to God for the He poor, whom He cares for, in return for the great things He gives you. But if you really have nothing to give, come all the same. God knows how poor you are. accepts your good will instead of money. As you put your money into the plate, say, "Lord, all Things come of Thee; I give this back to Thee out of that which Thou hast given me." After the collection has been placed on the Lord's table, and the bread and wine, which is to be consecrated, has also been placed there in readiness, the clergyman says, Let us pray for the whole state of Christ's Church militant here on earth. LMIGHTY and everlasting God, who by prayers, and supplications, and to give thanks, |