which Thou hast prepared for us by Thy servants the prophets and apostles and other teachers.
5. Thanks be unto Thee, O Thou Creator and Redeemer of mankind, Who to manifest Thy love to the whole world, hast prepared a great supper, wherein Thou hast set before us to be eaten, not the typical lamb, but Thine own most sacred body and blood, rejoicing all the faithful with this holy banquet, and replenishing them to the full with the cup of salvation.
6. O how great and honourable is the office of God's priests, to whom it is given with sacred words to consecrate this sacrament of the Lord of glory; with their lips to bless, with their hands to hold, with their own mouth to receive, and also to administer to others!
O how clean ought those hands to be, how pure that mouth, how holy that body, how unspotted that heart, where the Author of purity so often entereth!
Nothing but what is holy, no word but what is good and profitable, ought to proceed from the mouth of him who so often receiveth this sacrament of Christ.
7. Simple and chaste ought to be the eyes that are wont to behold the body of Christ; the hands should be pure and lifted up to heaven, that use to touch these emblems of the Creator of heaven and earth.
Unto the priests especially it is said in the law; "Be ye holy, for that I the Lord your God, am holy."
8. O Almighty God, do Thou assist us with Thy grace, that we who have undertaken the office of the
