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THE ORDER OF

THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER,

OR

HOLY COMMUNION.

So many as intend to be partakers of the holy Communion shall signify their names to the Curate, at least some time the day before.

And if any of those be an open and notorious evil liver, or have done any wrong to his neighbours by word or deed, so that the Congregation be thereby offended; the Curate, having knowledge thereof, shall call him and advertise him, that in any wise he presume not to come to the Lord's Table, until he hath openly declared himself to have truly repented and amended his former naughty life, that the Congregation may thereby be satisfied, which before were offended; and that he hath recompensed the parties, to whom he hath done wrong: or at least declare himself to be in full purpose so to do, as soon as he conveniently may.

The same order shall the Curate use with those betwixt whom he perceiveth malice and hatred to reign; not suffering them to be partakers of the Lord's Table, until he know them to be reconciled. And if one of the parties

* Observe the simplicity of all the directions given for this service. "The Table" is never called "the Altar." Christ having been "once offered," the altar is for ever done away with. The Table of the Lord is spread for the Feast of remembrance.

so at variance be content to forgive from the bottom of his heart all that the other hath trespassed against him. and to make amends for that he himself hath offended; and the other party will not be persuaded to a godly unity, but remain still in his frowardness and malice: the Minister in that case ought to admit the penitent person to the holy Communion, and not him that is obstinate. Provided that every Minister so repelling any, as is specified in this, or the next precedent Paragraph of this Rubrick, shall be obliged to give an account of the same to the Ordinary within fourteen days after at the farthest. And the Ordinary shall proceed against the offending person according to the Canon.

The Table, at the Communion-time having a fair white linen cloth upon it, shall stand in the Body of the Church, or in the Chancel, where Morning and Evening Prayer are appointed to be said. And the Priest* standing at the North-side of the Table shall say the Lord's Prayer, with the Collect following, the people kneeling.

OUR Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in 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. Amen.

The Collect.t

ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts be open, all de

sires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The word Priest, as used in our Church of England ritual, is employed in a sense entirely distinct from that of the ancient Jewish sacrificing Priest. It appears as an abbreviation of the word Presbyter, or Elder, which, by a gradual contraction, came to be thus called and written. The sacrificial office was swept away when the one great Sacrifice was offered.

+ Most fitly and beautifully does this opening Collect commence the service. No acceptable worship can ascend to God without the operation on our hearts of the Holy Spirit. It was promised at the first Communion, " He shall teach you all things whatsoever I have said unto you.'

Then shall the Priest, turning to the people, rehearse distinctly all the TEN COMMANDMENTS; and the people still kneeling shall, after every Commandment, ask God mercy for their transgression thereof for the time past, and grace to keep the same for the time to come, as followeth.

GOD

Minister.

*

OD spake these words, and said; I am the Lord thy God: Thou shalt have none other gods but me. People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law. Minister. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and shew mercy unto thousands in them that love me, and keep my commandments. People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his Name in vain.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbathday. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all that thou hast to do; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy

*The repetition in our ears of the Holy Law of God is well calculated to humble us to the dust. At every clause we are brought in guilty before God, and with shame and confusion of face have to acknowledge that in us there dwelleth no good thing. This deep conviction of our guilt will render peculiarly precious to our souls the coming representation of the love of Christ who hath redeemed us from the curse of the law; having not only borne in our stead the penalty of its transgression, but having for us fulfilled all righteousness, and offered His perfect merits as the ground of our admission into the favour of the Father.

When we remember His teaching concerning the far-reaching spirituality of each commandment of God, we shall the more be constrained to cry for pardon for the past and help for the future: "Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law!"

God. In it thou shalt do no manner of work, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, thy cattle, and the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Honour thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Thou shalt do no murder.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Thou shalt not steal.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is his. People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all these thy laws in our hearts, we beseech thee.

Then shall follow one of these two Collects for the Queen, the Priest standing as before, and saying,

Let us pray.

ALMIGHTY God, whose kingdom is everlasting, and power infinite; Have mercy upon the whole Church; and so rule the heart of thy chosen Servant VICTORIA, our Queen and Governor, that she (knowing whose minister she is) may above all things seek thy honour and glory; and that we, and all her subjects (duly considering whose authority she hath) may faithfully serve, honour, and humbly obey her, in thee, and for thee, according to thy blessed Word and ordinance; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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