The Lord's Supper

The following is taken from "The Valley of Vision" a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett, Published by the Banner of Truth Trust.

The burden of the valley of vision

Isaiah 22:1



God of all Good,

I bless thee for the means of grace;

  Teach me to see in them thy loving purposes

   and the joy and strength of my soul.

Thou hast prepared for me a feast;

   and though I am unworthy to sit down as guest,

   I wholy rest on the merits of Jesus,

   and hide myself beneath his righteousness;

When I hear his tender invitation

  and see his wondrous grace,

I cannot hesitate, but must come to thee in love.

By the Spirit enliven my faith rightly to discern

  and spiritually to apprehend the Saviour.

While I gaze upon the emblems of

  my Saviour's death,

 may I ponder why he died, and hear him say,

 "I gave my life to purchase yours

presented myself an offering to expiate your sin,

shed my blood to blot out your guilt,

opened my side to make you clean,

endured your curses to set you free,

bore your condemnation to satisfy

divine justice."

O may I rightly grasp the breadth and length

 of this design,

 draw near, obey, extend the hand,

 take the bread, receive the cup,

 eat and drink, testify before all men

  that I do for myself, gladly, in faith,

reverence and love, receive my Lord,

to be my life, strength, nourishment,

joy, delight,

In the supper I remember his eternal love,

boundless grace, infinite compassion,

agony, cross, redemption,

and receive assurance of pardon, adoption,

life, glory

As the outward elements nourish my body,

 so may the indwelling Spirit invigorate

  my soul,

 until that day when I hunger and thrist

 no more,

and sit with jesus at his heavenly feast.