A Prayer

TO BE USED

WHEN ONE CANNOT PUBLICLY COMMUNICATE.

*

H

LMIGHTY and most merciful Father, who art everywhere, and more especially nigh unto all them that call upon thee, to all that call upon thee in truth; I prostrate myself before thy majesty, in the deepest humility of soul and body, to beseech thy grace and favour towards me, in the pardon of all my sins, that they may not hinder the powerful presence of thy Holy Spirit with me at this time, to enable me to perform an acceptable service to thee through Christ Jesus.

It is a great comfort to me to think, that unto thee all hearts be open, all desires known, and from thee no secrets are

* From Bishop Patrick.

hid. For thou seest the desires that are in my soul to go with my Christian brethren to wait upon thee at thy altar, as well as in thy house; there to commemorate the dying love of my blessed Saviour towards me; to give him thanks and praise for giving himself to be a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world; to represent unto thee that sacrifice as a full satisfaction for them; humbly hop ing thereby for all the benefits of his death and passion; and together herewith to devote myself with unfeigned love, in renewed resolutions of faithful obedience unto thee; to unite my heart also in brotherly affection to all the faithful servants of the Lord Jesus; and to rejoice in the holy communion of him, and of all his saints: that so I might receive increase of power and strength to walk worthy of this holy fellowship, and to continue therein to my life's end.

And blessed be thy name, O Lord, that I feel such desires; blessed be thy name that I find myself thus piously disposed. Which being the effect of thy singular grace, I hope it is an earnest that thou wilt supply the want of the outward means, by the inward operation of thy Holy Spirit; representing to me in so lively a manner the death and passion of our

Lord for my sake; cleansing the thoughts of my heart, and filling me with such faith in him, such love to him, and holy resolutions to be perfectly devoted to him, that though I have not opportunity to receive thy creatures of bread and wine, according to our Saviour's holy institution, yet having a "remembrance of his death and passion, I may be partaker of his most blessed body and blood :

"Who, in the night when he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat; this is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me. Likewise, after supper, he took the cup; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of this; for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins. Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.'

Behold, O Lord my God, I now do this which thou hast commanded, in my mind and heart; in remembrance of that wonderful love, which made him not only die, but be broken and crucified for me; desiring it may be most thankfully and joyfully commemorated every where, till his second coming; unto the great in

crease of true devotion and sincere obedience to him in all things.

And therefore I beseech thee, that "the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for me, may preserve my body and soul unto everlasting life."

For he is my Lord and only Saviour; unto whose will I heartily submit; unto whose service I entirely devote myself; and upon whose meritorious death alone I depend for remission of sins: and therefore let " the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for me, preserve my body and soul to everlasting life."

I am not worthy, I acknowledge, so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table; not worthy so much as to be admitted to appear within the doors of thy house.

But since it is thy property always to have mercy, and thou not only invitest those unto thee, who are sensible of their unworthiness, and who hunger and thirst after righteousness, but hast promised to satisfy their souls; I most humbly beseech thee, O gracious Lord, to fill me with such a high esteem of thy love in Christ Jesus, and with such strong and vehement love to thee and to all goodness; with such fervent charity towards my brethren, and towards all men; with such

joy in remembering what our blessed Lord and Saviour hath done and suffered for me, and with such delight in doing whatsoever he would have me-that I may have this great satisfaction of believing, and sensibly perceiving, that I dwell in Christ, and Christ in me; and that I am one with Christ, and Christ with me.

Thou dost assure us by thy ministers,* that if any man, "by reason of some just impediment, do not receive the sacrament of Christ's body and blood; yet if he do truly repent him of his sins, and stedfastly believe that Jesus Christ hath suffered death upon the cross for him, and shed his blood for his redemption, earnestly remembering the benefits he hath thereby, and giving him hearty thanks therefore, he doth eat and drink the body and blood of our Saviour Christ profitably to his soul's health, although he do not receive the sacrament with his mouth."

O most gracious God, make me now to feel the truth of all this, who am deprived of the comfort of the holy sacrament, but do truly repent me of all my sins, and stedfastly believe on Christ crucified, and from his blood, which was shed for my

* Third rubric after the communion of the sick.