When you go up to the altar, say :—

O Lord our God, the Bread that came down from heaven is the Life of the world. I have sinned against heaven, and before Thee, and am not worthy to partake of the immaculate mysteries: But, O merciful God, forgive Thou mine offences, and make me worthy by Thy grace, that I may receive Thy holy Body and precious Blood, not to my condemnation, but for the remission of my sins and eternal life.

And grant, O Lord, that I may boldly and without blame presume to call upon Thee our God and heavenly Father, saying:

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil; for Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

When the priest approaches with the holy Bread :

tory prayer could not intervene. It is on this account also that words commemorative of Christ's death and passion have been added to the form of distributing the sacred elements.

Thou hast said, He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my Blood, hath eternal life : Be it unto the servant of the Lord according to Thy word.-S. John vi, 34.

Receive it "into your hand", that is, into

the palm of your right hand, supported by your left, and in that manner convey it into your mouth, lest any portion of that divine nourishment should fall to the ground; for, as St. Cyril observes, "whosoever loses any part of it, had better lose part of himself".

After receiving the holy Bread :—

This hath touched my lips, and shall take away mine iniquities, and shall purge me from my sins.1—Is. vi, 34.

1 "And what marvel, if thou standest with the seraphim, since these things which the seraphim dared not touch, these God hath given thee with all confidence. For He saith, 'There was sent to me one of the seraphim, having a coal of fire, which he took with the tongs from the altar'. That altar is an image and likeness of the altar; that fire, of the spiritual fire; but the seraphim dared not touch it with the hand, but with the tongs; but thou receivest it in the hand. Were you indeed to regard the dignity of what is there placed, it is far too great for the touch of the seraphim."-St. Chrys. Hom. v, sec. iii, t. vi, p. 141.

"Wherefore also, when ye approach, think not that ye receive the Divine Body, as from man, but, as from the seraphim themselves with the tongs of fire which Isaias

I have sworn, and am steadfastly purposed to keep Thy righteous judgments.Ps. cxix, 106.

When the minister approaches with the Cup of blessing, say :—

What reward shall I give unto the Lord, for all the benefits that He hath done unto me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.-Ps. cxvi, 11, 12.

After receiving the Cup :

Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of Thy people Israel.— S. Luke ii, 29-32.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

saw, think that ye receive the Divine Body; and as touching with the lips the Divine and unpolluted side, so let us receive the saving Blood."-De Pan. Hom. ix, t. ii, p. 350, ed. Ben.

"The Lord bless us, and make us worthy to take with the pure tongs of our hands the fiery coal and to place it on the mouths of the faithful, for the cleansing and purifying of their souls and bodies, now and ever."-Liturgy of St. Chrysostom.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

On returning to your usual place in the church, say privately :—

Almighty and ever living God, we give unto Thee most high praise, and hearty thanks for the wonderful grace and virtue, declared in all Thy saints from the beginning of the world, our forefathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, preachers, evangelists, martyrs, confessors, teachers, and every soul departed in the faith; especially the glorious and most blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Thy Son, Jesu Christ, our Lord and God.

Grant that we, and all who are partakers of this one Bread and one Cup, may be eternally united with them in the communion of One Holy Spirit.

We beseech Thee, also, that it may please Thee of Thy gracious goodness, shortly to accomplish the number of Thine elect, and to hasten Thy kingdom; that we, with all those that are departed in the true faith of Thy holy Name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in Thy eternal and everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

If the consecrated Bread or Wine be all spent before all have communicated, the Priest is to consecrate more, according to the form before prescribed; beginning at [Our Saviour Christ in the same night, &c.] for the blessing of the Bread and at [Likewise after Supper, &c.] for the blessing of the Cup.

When all have communicated, the Minister shall return to the Lord's Table, and reverently place upon it what remaineth of the consecrated Elements, covering the same with a fair linen cloth.1

Here say privately :

As Thy crucified Body, O Christ, was wrapped in pure linen, so may I, having died to sin, be arrayed in fine linen, clean, and white, which is the righteousness of saints. O my Saviour, grant that I may have now received Thy Body into a new and clean heart, and enable me by Thy

1 This covering is called Palla corporis, and was first ordered to be used by Eusebius, Bishop of Rome, A.D. 300. "There be three kinds of veils which be hung in churches; that which concealeth the mysteries; that which divideth the sanctuary from the clergy; that which divideth the clergy from the laity."-Rationale Durandi, i, cap. iii, sec. 35.