Matt vii. more importance. Success here is success everywhere. But do not be discouraged by defeat. Never give in. In private or with others, ever aim earnestly at reality in prayer. Without prayer you cannot live a Christian God commands us to pray. "Ask," seek," "knock." He promises to hear. "Ye shall receive;" "ye shall find;" "it shall be opened unto you." life. COLLECT. Bow down Thine ear, O LORD, hear me ; for I am poor and needy: Be merciful unto me, () Lord; for I cry unto Thee daily. Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer, and attend to the voice of my supplications. Amen. X. Faith at the King's Table. I COR. xi. 23-28. CONFIRMATION admits you to sit down with "the blessed company of all faithful people" at the Table of the Lord. If you are really meaning what you say in the Confirmation Vow, and are steadfastly purposed to walk in the spirit of faith, repentance, and obedience, then you are invited to come and you ought to come, to the Lord's Supper. If one had to choose between two evils, it were better not to have been confirmed than after Confirmation to relapse into a neglect of the Lord's Table. This holy Feast is in one sense the chief means of grace: viz., because, while all are invited to prayer, and to read and hear the See 12th Answer on Word; only penitent, believing, and loving I. The primary object of the Lord's the Sacra- Supper is stated in the Catechism to be "for Catechism. the continual remembrance of [two things, ments in the first] the sacrifice of the death of Christ, and [secondly] of the benefits which we receive 8th Answer thereby." It is designed that we may ourselves have in remembrance, and "show 1 Cor. xi. 26 forth" (i.e., hand down, or hand on to others, the remembrance of) the One Sacrifice once offered by Christ on Mount Calvary. It is not itself a sacrifice. The Lord's Table is not in any sense an altar, and there is no offering of Christ in the Lord's Supper: but those who RECEIVE the bread and wine are to "do THIS" in remembrance (1) of the One Sacrifice of the Cross, and (2) of the innumerable "benefits which we receive thereby." Hence we pray that "we, receiving these creatures of Bread and Wine in remembrance of His Death and Passion, may be Communion partakers of His most blessed Body and Prayer of Blood;" and hence too it is said, "Take and eat this [bread] in remembrance that Christ died for thee," etc. The Lord's Supper is Office. thus "a perpetual memory [reminding us, Office - the Consecra tion." Communion |