Entroduction TO THE ORDER FOR ADMINISTRATION OF The Lord's Supper devotions. HAT you may profit | mind intent upon your by the following assistance,be advised to read the Communion Service with the Directions and Meditations, some time before you go to the Sacrament, that you may attend to every part of the Public Service without distraction. Whenever you have time for your private devotions, let them be so secret that nobody may be disturbed by you. And learn what parts of the Service are to be said by yourself as well as by the Minister, that you may say them all, and especially the AMEN, at the end of every petition. You will find this the very best way to keep your If any person, who is ordained to administer this Sacrament, shall think fit to cast his eye upon this Book, I would beseech him to consider seriously, how many Communicants there are, who have no ordinary way of coming to the knowledge of this great duty, or other help to their devotion, besides what the Church has provided for them in this Office: that, therefore, in compassion to such, this Service ought to be performed with the greatest deliberation as well as devotion, that the unlearned, who are generally the greatest number, may be edified, as well as instructed. 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. T The same order shall the Curate use with those Observations. It is with great reason that the Church has given this order; wherefore do not neglect it. You will have the comfort of knowing, either that your Pastor hath nothing to say If you are conscious to yourself (though your Pastor should not know it) that your life has been such as hath given offence or scandal to your Christian profession, do not go to the Sacrament until you have given some plain proof of your repentance The Lord's Supper being | a sacrament and token of 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 transgressed 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 Northside of the Table shall say the Lord's Prayer, with the Collect following, the people kneeling. |