MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS. The following brief Meditations and Prayers may be used as Guides to Private Devotion before and after Communion. MEDITATION BEFORE COMMU. NING. renounce my sins? Am I in charity with all my neighbours? Am I anx ACCORDING to the ious to follow my Saviour exhortation of St. in loving and serving God? Paul, let me examine my--I will wash my hands self, and so let me eat of in innocency, O Lord, and that bread, and drink of so will I compass thine altar. that cup. Do I approach the table of my Lord as his humble disciple; seeking his spirit and grace; relying on his word; remembering his great sufferings, and his shameful death, and his surpassing love for me and for all men, for whose salvation he suffered and died? Do I hate and PRAYER. BEHOLD, gracious Lord, I come to thy table, as one who is sick, to the great Physician. Let me worthily receive these elements of bread and wine, and fill me, O Lord, with that spiritual food, the body and blood of Christ, of which these are the outward signs; that so evil affections may die in me, and all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in me, and I be preserved in body and soul, and saved from the second death, and nourished unto eternal life, through him who loved me and gave I trust that his doctrine and example are within me, and that neither things present nor things to come, will dissolve the divine fellowship between him the blessed Master and me his humble disciple. PRAYER. himself for me, thy dear AND to thee, O God, Son Jesus Christ. Amen. MEDITATION AFTER COMMUNING. NOW that I have commemorated my Master and Saviour according to his own gracious invitation, let me meditate on the meaning of these words of Jesus, when he said, Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. I trust that in this commemoration of my Lord, I have partaken of his own life, which is spiritual, sacred, and eternal. my Father, do I give thanks for this holy communion. Grant that it may never turn to my judgment and condemnation, but that it may be, together with my other spiritual privileges, health and recovery under all weakness and infirmities; safety and defence against all the attacks of my spiritual enemies; vigor and strength to all my good purposes and resolutions; comfort and support under all the afflictions and calamities of life; assistance and direction under all difficulties and doubts; courage and constancy under all dangers and persecutions, in times of sickness, and in the hour of death. And be thou, O God, my Father, alway with me. never Grant me pardon and peace in this life, mercy and favour at the day of judgment, and a fading crown of glory in thy heavenly kingdom. These things, for myself and for others, I devoutly ask in the name of Jesus Christ thy blessed Son our Lord. Amen. AFTER THE SERVICE IS ENDED. LORD, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Let me always hunger and thirst after righteousness; and nourish thou my soul to eternal life through Jesus Christ. Amen. 22 THE COMMUNION OF THE SICK. If any sick Person is desirous of receiving the Communion at his house, he shall give notice to the Minister; and all things necessary being prepared, the Minister shall there celebrate the Communion, beginning with the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel here following. THE COLLECT. ALMIGHTY, everlast ing God, maker of mankind, who dost correct those whom thou dost love, and chastise every one whom thou dost receive; we beseech thee to have mercy upon this thy servant visited with thine hand; and to grant that he may take his sickness patiently; and to restore his bodily health, if it be thy gracious will; and that whensoever his soul shall depart from the body, it may be without spot presented unto thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. THE EPISTLE. Heb. xii. 5. MY son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. THE GOSPEL. St. John, v. 24. passed from death unto life. VERILY, verily, I say After which the Minister unto you, he who loveth my word, and believeth on him who sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is shall proceed according to the form before prescribed for the Holy Communion, beginning at the words, Ye who do truly, &c. END OF THE COMMUNION. |