Service, commonly called the Post-Communion; which is a thanksgiving to GOD for the great blessings we have received through the Sacrament. This part of the Service, which represents to us the Resurrection of our LORD, commences with the LORD's Prayer; for we are now united with GOD the SON, and He is not ashamed to call us brethren; therefore we speak to His FATHER, as our FATHER. (S. John xx. 17.) Thus the two first words, Our Father, ought to excite our faith, and to make us feel how we are united with all Christians, as children of the same FATHER; and the words following, Which art in heaven, remind us that we should set our affections on things above, where our inheritance is, which GOD has promised us.

1. Then we say, desiring fervently the glory of GOD, Hallowed be Thy Name.

2. We desire that the power of sin, the world, and the devil, may be destroyed; and that GOD alone may reign in us, and unite us with the number of His elect, as we say, Thy kingdom come.

3. Submitting our souls entirely to that which pleases GOD; and fully persuaded that nothing can go right, except it be according to His will. We desire that that will may be fulfilled in us, and in all men, as it is fulfilled among the blessed, saying, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

4. Then making known our wants to GOD, we

¶ After shall be said as followeth.

O LORD and heavenly FATHER, we Thy humble servants entirely desire Thy Fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; most humbly beseeching Thee to grant, that by the merits and death of Thy SON JESUS CHRIST, and through faith in His Blood, we and all Thy whole Church may

obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of His Passion. And here we offer and present unto Thee, O LORD, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable,

ask for those things, whether spiritual or temporal, which may be for the good of our souls; and we desire above all to be often fed with the Blessed Sacrament, for that is the Bread of life, which must be our continual strength and support. We should think of this as we say, Give us this day our daily bread.

5. Then we should feel a lively repentance for our own sins, joined with a sincere love of our brethren, which leads us to pardon all injuries we have received; so that we say from our hearts, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.

6. And then, considering our own weakness, which would plunge us into all kinds of sin if GOD should abandon us, we say to Him, lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil, -that is, from all which may hurt the soul.1

Then follows a Prayer, in which we declare the several objects for which we have united with CHRIST in offering His Sacrifice before GOD; and we pray that this Sacrifice may be effectual to us in obtaining what we have desired. The four objects for which the Sacrifice was offered, as we have already considered (see page 42), were, 1st, for the glory of GOD, therefore we call it "a Sacrifice of praise;" 2ndly, to render thanks to GOD, therefore we call it "a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving" 3rdly, for the obtaining remission of sins, therefore

The above comment on the LORD's Prayer is taken from Lebrun, but is not a literal translation.

holy, and lively sacrifice unto Thee; humbly beseeching Thee, that all we, who are partakers of this Holy Communion, may be fulfilled with Thy Grace and heavenly benediction. And although we be unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto Thee any sacrifice, yet we beseech Thee to accept this our bounden duty and service; not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offences, through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD; by Whom, and with Whom, in the unity of the HOLY GHOST, all honour and glory be unto Thee, O FATHER Almighty, world without end.

Amen.

Or this,

Almighty and everliving GOD, we most heartily thank Thee, for that Thou dost vouchsafe to feed us, who have duly received these Holy Mysteries, with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of Thy SON our SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST; and dost assure us thereby of Thy favour and goodness towards us; and that we are very members incorporate in the mystical Body of Thy Son, which is the blessed company of all faithful people; and are also heirs through hope of Thy

we pray that "we and all the whole Church may obtain remission of our sins;" 4thly, for the obtaining what we desire for ourselves. and others, through CHRIST; therefore we here pray that we and the whole Church may obtain all the benefits of CHRIST'S Passion. While this is said, we should think of the dead as well as the living, for we must remember that they are still members of His Holy Church, although separated from us for a

season.

Having thus prayed to GOD that He will accept our Sacrifice which we have offered in CHRIST, and make it effectual to us for these four purposes, we go on to offer ourselves to His service, and ask for grace to enable us to carry out what we have resolved, and we pray that He will accept us in all that we do, not for the merit of the action, but for the sake of JESUS CHRIST, now present with us and in us. During this prayer desire earnestly in your mind that you may give yourself up entirely to the will of GOD: at the end of it say, "I will go forth in the strength of the LORD GOD, and will make mention of Thy Righteousness only."

The other prayer, which may be said instead, is not often used: it refers rather to the Communion, than the Sacrifice which we have offered in CHRIST. If this prayer should happen to be said, lift up your heart with thankfulness for the great gift you have received, and desire that you may never turn aside from