The Book of Common Prayer Part 39

_which may be said immediately before the Blessing_.

_Advent_.

Grant, O almighty G.o.d, that as thy blessed Son Jesus Christ at his first advent came to seek and to save that which was lost, so at his second and glorious appearing he may find in us the fruits of the redemption which he wrought, who liveth and reigneth, with thee and the Holy Spirit, one G.o.d, world without end. _Amen_.

_Christmas-day, and seven days after_.

O G.o.d, who hast given us grace at this time to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ: We laud and magnify thy glorious Name for the countless blessings which he hath brought unto us; and we beseech thee to grant that we may ever set forth thy praise in joyful obedience to thy will; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.

_Epiphany, and seven days after_.

Almighty G.o.d, who at the baptism of thy blessed Son Jesus Christ in the river Jordan didst manifest his glorious G.o.dhead: Grant, we beseech thee, that the brightness of his presence may shine in our hearts, and his glory be set forth in our lives; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.

_Easter-day, and seven days after_.

O Lord G.o.d Almighty, whose blessed Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ, did on the third day rise triumphant over death: Raise us, we beseech thee, from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness, that we may seek those things which are above, where he sitteth on thy right hand in glory; and this we beg for the sake of the same, thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.

_Ascension-day, and seven days after_.

Almighty G.o.d, whose blessed Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ, ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that according to his promise he abideth with his Church on earth, even unto the end of the world; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.

_Whitsunday, and six days after_.

O almighty G.o.d, who on the day of Pentecost didst send the Holy Ghost the Comforter to abide in thy Church unto the end: Bestow upon us and upon all thy faithful people his manifold gifts of grace, that with minds enlightened by his truth, and hearts purified by his presence, we may day by day be strengthened with power in the inward man; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the same Spirit liveth and reigneth, one G.o.d, world without end. _Amen_.

_Trinity Sunday_.

O Lord G.o.d Almighty, Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the mysteries of whose being are unsearchable: Accept, we beseech thee, our praises for the revelation which thou hast made of thyself, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three Persons, and one G.o.d; and mercifully grant, that ever holding fast this faith, we may magnify thy glorious Name; who livest and reignest, one G.o.d, world without end. _Amen_.

EXHORTATIONS BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION.

Dearly beloved, on------day next I purpose, through G.o.d's a.s.sistance, to administer to all such as shall be religiously and devoutly disposed the most comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ; to be by them received in remembrance of his meritorious cross and pa.s.sion; whereby alone we obtain remission of our sins, and are made partakers of the kingdom of heaven.

Wherefore it is our duty to render most humble and hearty thanks to Almighty G.o.d our heavenly Father, for that he hath given his Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, not only to die for us, but also to be our spiritual food and sustenance in that holy Sacrament. Which being so divine and comfortable a thing to them who receive it worthily, and so dangerous to them that will presume to receive it unworthily; my duty is to exhort you in the mean season to consider the dignity of that holy mystery, and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof; and so to search and examine your own consciences, (and that not lightly, and after the manner of dissemblers with G.o.d; but so) that ye may come holy and clean to such a heavenly Feast, in the marriage-garment required by G.o.d in holy Scripture, and be received as worthy partakers of that holy Table.

The way and means thereto is; First, to examine your lives and conversations by the rule of G.o.d's commandments; and whereinsoever ye shall perceive yourselves to have offended, either by will, word, or deed, there to bewail your own sinfulness, and to confess yourselves to Almighty G.o.d, with full purpose of amendment of life. And if ye shall perceive your offences to be such as are not only against G.o.d, but also against your neighbours; then ye shall reconcile yourselves unto them; being ready to make rest.i.tution and satisfaction, according to the uttermost of your powers, for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other; and being likewise ready to forgive others that have offended you, as ye would have forgiveness of your offences at G.o.d's hand; for otherwise the receiving of the holy Communion doth nothing else but increase your guilt. Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of G.o.d, an hinderer or slanderer of his Word, an adulterer, or be in malice, or envy, or in any other grievous crime, repent you of your sins, or else come not to that holy Table; lest, after the taking of that holy Sacrament, the devil enter into you, as he entered into Judas, and fill you full of all iniquities, and bring you to destruction both of body and soul.

And because it is requisite, that no man should come to the holy Communion, but with a full trust in G.o.d's mercy, and with a quiet conscience; therefore if there be any of you, who by this means cannot quiet his own conscience herein, but requireth further comfort or counsel, let him come to me, or to some other discreet and learned Minister of G.o.d's Word, and open his grief; that by the ministry of G.o.d's holy Word he may receive the benefit of absolution, together with ghostly counsel and advice, to the quieting of his conscience, and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness.

_The following may be said, instead of the former, in case the Presbyter shall see the people negligent to come to the Holy Communion_.

Dearly beloved brethren, on------I intend, by G.o.d's grace, to celebrate the Lord's Supper: unto which, in G.o.d's behalf, I bid you all that are here present; and beseech you, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, that ye will not refuse to come thereto, being so lovingly called and bidden by G.o.d himself. Ye know how grievous and unkind a thing it is, when a man hath prepared a rich feast, decked his table with all kind of provision, so that there lacketh nothing but the guests to sit down; and yet they who are called (without any cause) most unthankfully refuse to come. Which of you in such a case would not be moved? Who would not think a great injury and wrong done unto him? Wherefore, most dearly beloved in Christ, take ye good heed, lest ye, withdrawing yourselves from this holy supper, provoke G.o.d's indignation against you. It is an easy matter for a man to say, I will not communicate, because I am otherwise hindered with worldly business. But such excuses are not so easily accepted and allowed before G.o.d. If any man say, I am a grievous sinner, and therefore am afraid to come: wherefore then do ye not repent and amend? When G.o.d calleth you, are ye not ashamed to say ye will not come? When ye should return to G.o.d, will ye excuse yourselves, and say ye are not ready? Consider earnestly with yourselves how little such feigned excuses will avail before G.o.d. They that refused the feast in the Gospel, because they had bought a farm, or would try their yokes of oxen, or because they were married, were not so excused, but counted unworthy of the heavenly feast. I, for my part, shall be ready; and according to mine Office, I bid you in the Name of G.o.d, I call you in Christ's behalf, I exhort you, as ye love your own salvation, that ye will be partakers of this holy Communion. And as the Son of G.o.d did vouchsafe to yield up his soul by death upon the Cross for your salvation; so it is your duty to receive the Communion in remembrance of the sacrifice of his death, as he himself hath commanded: which if ye shall neglect to do, consider with yourselves how great injury ye do unto G.o.d, and how sore punishment hangeth over your heads for the same; when ye wilfully abstain from the Lord's Table, and separate from your brethren, who come to feed on the banquet of that most heavenly food. These things if ye earnestly consider, ye will by G.o.d's grace return to a better mind: for the obtaining whereof we shall not cease to make our humble pet.i.tions unto Almighty G.o.d our heavenly Father.

EXHORTATION AT THE HOLY COMMUNION.

Dearly beloved in the Lord, ye that mind to come to the holy Communion of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ, must consider what St Paul writeth to the Corinthians; how he exhorteth all persons diligently to try and examine themselves, before they presume to eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For as the benefit is great, if with a true penitent heart and living faith we receive that holy Sacrament, (for then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood; then we dwell in Christ, and Christ in us; we are one with Christ, and Christ with us); so is the danger great, if we receive the same unworthily; for then we are guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour; we eat and drink judgement to ourselves, not discerning the Lord's body; we kindle G.o.d's wrath against us; we provoke him to plague us with divers diseases, and sundry kinds of death. Judge therefore yourselves, brethren, that ye be not judged of the Lord; repent you truly for your sins past; have a living and stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour; amend your lives, and be in perfect charity with all men: so shall ye be meet partakers of those holy mysteries.

And, above all things, ye must give humble and hearty thanks to G.o.d the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for the redemption of the world, by the death and pa.s.sion of our Saviour Christ, both G.o.d and man, who did humble himself even to the death upon the Cross for us miserable sinners, who lay in darkness and the shadow of death, that he might make us the children of G.o.d, and exalt us to everlasting life. And to the end that we should always remember the exceeding great love of our Master and only Saviour Jesus Christ thus dying for us, and the innumerable benefits which by his precious blood-shedding he hath obtained to us, he hath inst.i.tuted and ordained holy mysteries, as pledges of his love, and for a continual remembrance of his death, to our great and endless comfort. To him therefore, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, let us give (as we are most bounden) continual thanks, submitting ourselves wholly to his holy will and pleasure, and studying to serve him in true holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. _Amen_.

THE ORDER FOR 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 have 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 have 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 so at variance be content to forgive from the bottom of his heart all that the other hath trespa.s.sed against him, and to make amends for that he himself hath offended; and the other party will not be persuaded to a G.o.dly 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 Rubric, 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 trespa.s.ses, As we forgive them that trespa.s.s against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

_The Collect_.

Almighty G.o.d, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires 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_.

_Then shall the Priest, turning to the people, rehea.r.s.e distinctly all the TEN COMMANDMENTS: and the people still kneeling shall after every Commandment ask G.o.d mercy for their transgression thereof for the time past, and grace to keep the same for the time to come, as followeth_.

_Minister_.

G.o.d spake these words, and said; I am the Lord thy G.o.d: Thou shalt have none other G.o.ds 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 G.o.d am a jealous G.o.d, 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 G.o.d 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 Sabbath day. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all that thou hast to do; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy G.o.d. 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 G.o.d 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.