The 1552 Book of Common Prayer: Holy Communion · The 1552 Book of Common Prayer: Preface & Of Ceremonies

The Book of Common Prayer

	The Book of Common Prayer - 1552

THE
ORDER FOR THE ADMINISTRACION
OF THE
LORDES SUPPER,
OR
HOLYE COMMUNION.
SO
many as entend to be partakers of the holye Communion, shall sygnifye
theyr names to the Curate over nyghte, or els in the morning, afore
the begynninge of mornynge prayer, or immediatly after.
And yf any of
those be an open and notorious evyll lyver, so that the congregacion
by hym is offended, or have done anye wronge to his neyghbours, by woord
or deede: The Curate havinge knowledge thereof, shall call hym, and
advertyse him, in anye wyse not to presume to the Lordes Table, untyll
he have openly declared hymselfe to have truely repented, and amended
hys former naughtye lyfe, that the congregacion maye thereby be satisfyed,
whyche afore were offended: and that he have recompensed the parties,
whome he hathe done wronge unto, or at the least declare hym selfe to
be in full purpose so to doe, as soone as he conveniently maye.
¶ The same ordre shall
the Curate use with those, betwyxte whome he perceyveth malyce and hatred
to rayne, not sufferinge them to be partakers of the LORDES table, untyll
he know them to be reconcyled. And yf one of the parties so at variaunce
be content to forgeve, from the bottome of hys hearte, all that the
other hathe trespassed agaynst hym, and to make amendes for that he
hym selfe hath oflended: and the other partie wyll not be persuaded
to a godly unitie, but remayne styll in hys frowardnesse and malyce:
The Minister in that case, ought to admytte the penitent person to the
holy Communion, and not hym that is obstinate.
¶ The Table havyng
at the Communion tyme a fayre white lynnen clothe upon it, shall stande
in the body of the Churche, or in the chauncell, where Morning prayer
and Evening prayer be appoynted to bee sayde. And the Priest standing
at the north syde of the Table, shall saye the Lordes prayer, with thys
Collecte folowinge.
ALMIGHTIE
God, unto whom all heartes be open, all desyres knowen, and from whom
no secretes are hyd: clense the thoughtes of our heartes by the inspiracion
of thy holy spirit, that we maye perfectlye love thee, and worthely
magnify thy holy name: through Christ our Lorde. Amen.
¶
Then shal the Priest rehearse distinctly all the Ten Commaundments:
and the people knelyng, shal after every Commaundment aske Gods mercy
for theyr transgression of the same, after thys sorte.
Ministre. God spake these wordes, and sayd: I am the Lord thy God.
Thou shalt have none other Goddes but me.
People. Lord, have mercye upon us, and encline
our heartes to kepe this lawe.
Ministre. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe
any graven ymage nor the likeness of any thyng that is in heaven above,
or in the yearthe beneath, nor in the water under the yearth. Thou shalte
not bowe downe to them, nor worshyppe them: for I the lord thy God am
a gelous God, and visite the sinne of the fathers upon the children,
unto the thyrde and fourth generacion of them that hate me, and shewe
mercye unto thousandes in them that love me and kepe my commaundments.
People. Lord, have mercye upon us, and encline
our heartes to kepe thys lawe.
Ministre. Thou shalte not take the name of
the lord thy God in vayne: for the lord wil not holde him gilteles that
taketh his name in vayne.
People. Lord, have mercye upon us, and encline our.
&c.
Ministre. Remembre that thou kepe holy the
Sabboth day. Vi dayes shalt thou laboure and doe all that thou haste
to doe, but the seventh day is the sabboth of the lorde thy god. In
it thou shalte doe no maner of woork, thou and thy sonne and thy daughter,
thy man servaunt, and thy maidservant, thy Catel, and the straunger
that is within thy gates: for in vi days the lord made heaven and earth,
the Sea, and al that in them is, and rested the seventh daye. Wherefore
the Lorde blessed the seventh day, and halowed it.
People. Lorde, have mercye upon us, and encline
our. &c.
Ministre. Honoure thy father and thy mother,
that thy day may be long in the land which the lord thy god geveth thee.
People. Lorde, have mercye upon us, and encline
our. &c.
Minister. Thou shalt doe no murther.
People. Lorde, have mercye upon us, and encline
our. &c.
Minister. Thou shalt not commit adulterie.
People. Lorde, have mercye upon us, and encline
our. &c.
Minister. Thou shalt not steale.
People. Lorde, have mercye upon us, and encline
our. &c.
Ministre. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse
agaynste th neighboure.
People. Lorde, have mercye upon us, and encline
our heart to kepe thys lawe.
Ministre. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours
house. Tho shalt not covet thy neighbours wife, nor his servaunt, nor
maid, nor his oxe, nor his asse, nor any thing that is his.
People. Lorde, have mercye upon us, and write
al these thy lawes in our heartes we beseche thee.
¶
Then shall folowe the Collecte of the doye with one of these two
Collectes folowynge for the king: the Priest standing up and saying.
¶
Let us praye.
Priest.
ALMIGHTIE
God, whose kingdome is everlasting, and power infinite: have mercye
upon the whole congregacion, and so rule the heart of thy chosen servaunt
Edwarde the sixth, our king and governoure, that he (knowing whose minister
he is) may above al thynges seek thy honoure and glory: and that we
his subjectes (duely considering whose aucthoritie he hath) may faythfully
serve, honour, and humbly obey him, in thee, and for thee, accordyng
to thy blessed worde and ordinaunce: Throughe Jesus Christ our lord,
who with thee, and the holy ghost, liveth, and reigneth ever one god,
world without end. Amen.
ALMIGHTIE
and everlastyng god, we be taughte by thy holy word, that the heartes
of kinges are in thy rule and governaunce, and that thou dooeste dispose,
and turne them as it semeth best to thy godly wysedome: we humbly beeseche
thee, so to dispose and governe the heart of Edwarde the sixth, thy
servaunt, our king and governoure that in al his thoughts, wordes, and
workes, he may ever seke thy honor and glory, and study to preserve
thy people committed to his charge, in wealth, peace, and godlynes.
Graunt this, O mercifull father, for thy deare sonnes sake Jesus Christ
our Lorde. Amen.
¶
Immediatly after the Collectes, the Priest shal reade the Epistle,
begynnyng thus.
¶
The Epistle written in the.
Chapter of.
And
the Epistle ended, he shal saye the Gospel, beginning thus.
The
Gospell wrytten in the.
Chapter of.
And
the Epistle and Gospel beyng ended, shal be sayd the Crede.
I BELEVE
in one God, the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of
al things visible, and invisible: And in one lorde Jesu Christ, the	* God of God in several printings.
only begotten sonne of God, begotten of his father before al worldes:
God of goddes*, light of lyght, very God of very God: begotten, not
made, beeyng of one substaunce with the father, by whom al thynges
were made: who for us men and for our salvacion, came downe from
heaven, and was incarnate by the holy gost, of the virgyn Mary, and
was made man: and was crucified also for us, under Poncius Pilate.
He suffred and was buried, and the thyrd day he rose againe accordyng
to the scriptures: and ascended into heaven, and sytteth at the ryght
hand of the father. And he shal come agayne with glory, to judge
both the quicke and the dead: Whose kyngdome shal have none ende.
And I beleve in the holy gost, the Lord and gever of lyfe, who procedeth
from the father and the sonne, who with the father and the sonne
together, is worshipped and glorifyed, who spake by the Prophetes.
And I beleve one Catholike and Apostolike churche. I acknowledge
one Baptisme for the remission of synnes. And I loke for the resurreccion
of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
After the Crede, if there be no sermon, shal follow one of the homelies
already set forth, or hereafter to be set forth by commune
aucthoritie.
¶ After
suche sermon, homelie, or exhortacion, the Curate shal declare
unto the people whether there be any holye doyes or fasting dayes
the weke folowing: and earnestly exhort them to remember the poore,
saying one or moe of these Sentences folowing, as he thinketh most
convenient by his discrecion.
LET
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good workes,
and glorifie your father whiche is in heaven. Math.
v.
Laye not up for your selves treasure upon the earth,
where the rust and moth doeth corrupt, and where theves break through
and steal: But laye up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither
rust nor mothe doth corrupte, and where theves do not break through
and steale. Math. vi.
Whatsoever you woulde that men shoulde doe unto you,
even so do unto them: for thys is the lawe and the Prophetes. Math.
vii.
Not every one that sayth unto me, lord, lord, shal
entre into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the wil of my father
which is in heaven. Math. vii.
Zache [Zaccheus]
stode forth, and said unto the lord, Behold, lord, the half of my goodes
I geve to the poore, and if I have done any wrong to any man, I restore
fourefolde. Luke xix.
Who goeth a warre fare at any tyme at his owne coste?
Who planteth a vineyarde, and eateth not of the fruite thereof? Or who
fedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milke of the flocke? 1
Cor. ix.
If we have sowen unto you spiritual thinges, is it
a great matter yf we shal reape your worldly thynges? 1
Cor. ix.
Do ye not know, that they which minister about holy
thynges, live of the sacrifice? They which waite of the altare are partakers
with the altare? Even so hath the lord also ordained: that they whiche
preache the gospel, should lyve of the gospel. 1 Cor.
ix.
He which soweth little, shal reape little, and he
that soweth plenteously, shal reape plenteously. Let every man do according
as he is disposed in his hearte; not grudgeing, or of necessitie; for
God loveth a cherefull gever. 2 Cor. ix.
Let him that is taught in the word, minister unto
him that teacheth, in all good thinges. Be not deceived; God is not
mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reape. Gal.
vi.
Whyle we have time, let us doe good unto al men,
and specially unto them, which are of the household of faith. Gal.
vi.
Godliness is greate riches, yf a man be contented with that he hath:
For we brought nothing into the world, neither may we cary any thyng
out. 1 Tim. vi.
Charge them which are riche in this world, that they
be ready to geve, and glad to distribute, laying up in store for themselves
a good foundacion, againste the time to come, that they may attayne
etemall lyfe. 1 Tim. vi.
God is not unrighteous, that he wyll forgette youre
workes and labour, that procedeth of love, which love ye have shewed
for his names sake, which have ministred unto saincts, and yet doe ministre.
[Heb.
6:10]
To doe good, and to distribute, forgeat not, for
with such sacrifices god is pleased. Heb. xiii.
Whoso hath this worldes good, and seeth his brother
have nede, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the
love of god in him? 1 John iii.
Geve almose [alms]
of thy goods, and turne never thy face from any poore man, and then
the face of the lorde shall not be turned away from thee. Job
iiii. [actually
Tobit 4:7]
Be merciful after thy power. If thou hast much, geve
plenteously: Yf thou hast litle, do thy dylygence gladly to geve of
that litle: for so gatherest thou thy selfe a good rewarde in the day
of necessitie. Job iiii.
[actually Tobit 4:8-9]
He that hath pietie upon the poore lendeth unto the
lord; and loke, what he laieth out, it shall be paied him again. Pro.
xix.
Blessed be the man that provideth for the sicke and
nedy; the lord shal deliver him, in the tyme of trouble. Psal.
xli.
¶ Then shal the Churche wardens, or some other by them appointed,
gather the devocion of the people, and put the same into the poremens
boxe: and upon the offering daies appointed, every man and woman shall
paye to the curate the due and accustomed offeringes: after whiche done
the priest shal saye.
Let us pray for the whole state of Christes Church militant here in earth.
ALMIGHTIE and
everliving God, which by the holye Apostle hast taught us to make prayers	Yf there
and supplicacions, and to geve thankes for all menne. We humbly beseche	be none almosen geven unto the poore, then shal the wordes of acceptyng
thee most mercifullye to accepte our almose [alms]	our almes be lefte out unsayde.
and to receive these our prayers, which we offer unto thy divine Majestie,
beseching thee to inspire continually the universall churche with the
spirite of trueth, unitie, and concorde: And graunt that all they that
dooe confesse thy holye name, may agree in the trueth of thy holy woord,
and live in unitie and godlye love. We beseche thee also to save and
defende all Christian Kynges, Princes, and Governoures, and speciallye
thy servaunt, Edward our Kyng, that under hym we maye bee godlye and
quietly governed: and graunt unto hys whole counsayle, and to all that
bee putte in aucthoritie under hym, that they may truely and indifferently
minister justice, to the punishement of wickednes and vice, and to the
mayntenaunce of God's true religion and vertue. Geve grace (O heavenly
father) to all Bisshops, Pastours, and Curates, that they maye bothe
by their lyfe and doctrine sette foorth thy true and lyvely woord, and
rightly and duely administer thy holye Sacramentes: and to all thy people
geve thy heavenly grace, and especiallye to thys congregacion here present,
that with meke hearte and due reverence they may heare and receive thy
holy woord, truely serving thee in holynesse and ryghteousnesse all
the dayes of theyr lyfe. And we most humbly beseche thee of thy goodnesse
(O Lord) to coumfort and succour all them, whiche in this transitory
lyfe bee in trouble, sorowe, nede, sickenes, or anye other adversitie:
Graunt this, O father, for Jesus Christes sake, oure onely mediatour
and advocate. Amen.
¶ Then shal folowe
this exhortacion at certaine tymes when the Curate shal see the people
negligent to come to the holy Communion.
WE be come together
at this time, derely beloved brethren, to fede at the Lord's supper,
unto the whiche in Goddes behalf I bydde you all that be here present,
and beseche you for the Lord Jesus Christes sake, that ye will not refuse
to come thereto, being so lovingly called and bidden of god hymselfe.
Ye knowe how grevouse and unkynde a thing it is, when a man hath prepared
a riche feaste, decked his table with al kinde of provision, so that
there lacketh nothing but the geastes to sit down: and yet they which
be called, without any cause most unthankefully refuse to come. Which
of you, in such a case, would not be moved? Who would not thynke a great
injury and wrong done unto him? Wherfore, most derely beloved in Christ,
take ye good hede, lest ye with drawyng yourselves from this holy supper,
provoke god's indignacion against you. It is an easy matter for a man
to saye, I wyll not communicate, because I am otherwyse letted [=hindered]
with worldly busines: but suche excuses be not so easily accepted and
allowed beefore god. If any man saye, I am a grevous sinner, and therefore
am afraied to come: wherefore then doe you not repent and amend? When
god calleth you, be you not ashamed to saye you will not come? When
you shoulde retume to god, wyll you excuse your selfe, and saye that
you be not ready? Consydre earnestly with youreselves howe lytle such
feyned excuses shall avayl before God. They that refused the feaste
in the gospell, because they had boughte a farme, or would trie theyr
yokes of oxen, or because they were maried, were not so excused, but
counted unworthy of the heavenly feast. I for my part am here present,
and according to mine office, I bidde you in the name of God, I call
you in Christ's behalf, I exhort you, as you love your owne salvacion,
that ye wilbe partakers of thys holy Communion. And as the sonne of
God did vouchesafe to yelde up hys soule by death upon the Crosse for
youre health: even so it is youre duetie to receyve the Communion together
in the remembraunce of hys death, as he himself commaunded. Nowe if
you wyll in nowyse thus doe, considre with youreselves howe greate injurye
you do unto God, and howe sore punishmente hangeth over your heades
for the same. And whereas ye offend god so sore in refusing this holy
Banquet, I admonishe, exhort, and beseche you, that unto this unkindnes
ye wyll not adde any more. Which thing ye shah doe, if ye stande by
as gazers and lokers on them that doe communicate, and be no partakers
of the same yourselves. For what thing can this be accoumpted els, then
a further contempt and unkindness unto god. Truely it is a great unthankfuhnes
to saye naye when ye be called: but the faulte is muche greater when
men stand by, and yet wyll neither eate nor drynke this holy Communion
with other. I pray you what can this be els, but even to have the mysteries
of Christ in derision? It is said unto all: Take ye and eate. Take and
drinke ye all of thys: doe this in remembraunce of me. With what face
then, or with what countenaunce shal ye hear these words? What wil this
be els but a neglecting, a despysing, and mocking of the Testament of
Christ? Wherefore, rather then you should so doe, depart you hence and
geve place to them that be godly disposed. But when you depart, I beseche
you, pondre with yourselves from whom you depart: ye depart from the
lordes table, ye depart from your brethren, and from the banquete of
moste heavenly fode. These thynges if ye earnestly considre, ye shal
by gods grace returne to a better mynd, for the obteyning whereof, we
shal make our humble peticions while we shall receive the holy Communion.
¶ And some tyme shal be sayd this
also, at the discrecion of the Curate.
DERELY beloved,
forasmuche as our duetie is to rendre to Almightie god our heavenly
father most harty thankes, for that he hath geven his sonne our savioure
Jesus Christ, not only to die for us, but also to be our spiritual fode
and sustenaunce, as it is declared unto us, as wel by goddes word as
by the holy Sacramentes of his blessed body and bloud, the whiche being
so comfortable a thyng to them whiche receive it worthely, and so daungerous
to them that wyl presume to receive it unworthely:
My duetie is to exhort you to consider the dignitie of the holy mistery,
and the greate perel of the unworthy receiving thereof, and so to searche
and examine your own consciences, as you should come holy and cleane
to a moste Godly and heanenly feaste: so that in no wise you come but
in the mariage garment, required of god in holy scripture; and so come
and be received, as worthy partakers of suche a heavenly table. The
way and meanes thereto is: First to examine your lives and conversacion
by the rule of goddes commaundements, and whereinsoever ye shall perceive
your selves to have offended, either by wil, word, or dede, there beewaile
your owne sinful lives, confess your selfes to almightie god with ful
purpose of amendment of life. And yf ye shah perceive your offences
to be such, as be not only against god, but also againste your neighbours:
then ye shal reconcile your selves unto them, ready to make restitucion
and satisfaccion, accordyng to the uttermost of your powers, for all
injuries and wronges done by you to any other: and likewise beeyng ready
to forgeve other that have offended you; as you would have forgevenesse
of your offences at gods hande: for otherwyse the receiving of the holy
Communion doth nothyng els, but encrease your damnacion. And because
it is requisite that no man shoulde come to the holy Communion but with
a full truste in God's mercy, and with a quiet conscience: therefore
if there be any of you which by the meanes afore said cannot quiet his
own conscience, but requireth further comfort or counsel; then let him
come to me, or some other discreet and learned minister of god's word,
and open his griefe, that he may receive such gostlye [=spiritual]
counsail, advise, and coumfort, as his conscience maye be relieved;
and that by the ministery of god's word he may receive coumfort and
the benefite of absolucion, to the quietting of his conscience, and
avoiding of al Scruple and doubtfulnes.
¶
Then shal the Priest say thys exhortacion.
DERELY
beloved in the Lord: ye that mynde to come to the holy Communion of
the body and bloud of our saviour Christ, muste considre what St. Paul
writeth to the Corinthians, how he exhorteth all persons diligently
to trye and examine themselves, before they presume to eate of that
bread, and drinke of that cup: for as the benefite is great, if with
a truly penitent heart and lively fayth, we receive that holy Sacrament
(for then we spirituallye eate the fleshe of Christ, and drynke hys
bloud, then we dwel in Christ and Christ in us, we be one with Christ,
and Christ with us;) so is the daunger great, if we receive the same
unworthely. For then we be giltie of the bodye and bloud of Christ our
saviour. We eate and drynke our own damnacion, not consideryng the Lordes
body. We kindle Goddes wrath againste us, we provoke hym to plague us
with divers diseases, and sundry kynds of death. Therfore, yf any of
you be a blasphemer of God, an hynderer or slaunderer of his worde,
an adulturer, or be in malice or envie, or in any other grevous cryme,
bewayle your sinnes, and come not to thys holy Table; lest after the
takyng of that holy Sacrament, the Devill entre into you, as he entred
into Judas, and fyll you ful of al iniquities, and bryng you to destruccion,
both of bodye and soule. Judge therefore your selves (brethren) that
ye bee not judged of the Lorde. Repent you truely for your sinnes paste
have a lively and stedfaste fayth in Christe our savioure. Amende youre
lyves, and be in perfecte charitie with al men, so shall ye be meete
partakers of those holy misteries. And above all thynges, ye muste geve
most humble and hartie thankes to God the father, the sonne, and the
holy ghost, for the redempcyon of the worlde by the death and passyon
of our Saviour Chryst, both God and man, who did humble hymself, even
to the death upon the Crosse for us miserable synners, which laye in
darkenesse and shadowe of death, that he myght make us the chyldren
of God, and exalte us to everlastinge lyfe. And to thend that we shoulde
alway remembre the exceding great love of our Maister, and onely Savioure
Jesu Christ, thus dying for us, and the innumerable benefites, (whiche
by his precyous bloud sheding) he hath obteined to us, he hath instituted
and ordayned holy misteries, as pledges of his love, and continual remembraunce
of hys death, to our great and endles comforte. To hym therefore, with
the father and the holy ghost, let us geve (as we are most bounden)
continuall thankes: submitting our selves wholy to hys holy wil and
pleasure, and studying to serve him in true holyness and righteousnesse,
all the dayes of oure lyfe. Amen.
¶ Then shal the Priest saye to them
that come to receive the holy Communion.
You that doe truly and earnestly
repente you of youre synnes, and bee in love and charitie with your
neighbours, and entende to heade a newe lyfe, folowyng the commaundments
of god, and walking from henceforth in his holy waies: Drawe nere and
take this holy Sacramente to youre comfort: make your humble confession
to almightie god, before this congregacion here gathered together in
his holy name, mekely knelyng upon your knees.
¶ Then shal this general
confession be made, in the name of al those that are mynded to receive
the holy Communion, eyther by one of them, or els by one of the ministers,
or by the Priest himself, al kneling humbly upon theyr knees.
ALMIGHTIE God,
father of our Lorde Jesus Christe, maker of all thyngs, Judge of all
men, we knowledge and bewayle oure manyfolde synnes and wyckednes, whiche
we from tyme to tyme moste grevously have committed, by thoughte, woord
and dede, agaynst thy devine Majestie: provokyng most justely thy wrath
and indignacion agaynste us: we doe earnestlye repente, and be hartely
sory for these our misdoynges: the remembraunce of them is grievouse
unto us, the burthen of them is intollerable: have mercye upon us, have
mercye upon us, moste mercifull father, for thy sonne oure Lorde Jesus
Chrystes sake: forgeve us all that is past, and graunt that we maye
ever here after serve and please thee, in newnesse of lyfe, to the honoure
and glory of thy name: Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
¶ Then shal the Priest or the Bisshop
(being present) stand up, and turning himselfe to the people, say thus,
ALMIGHTIE god,
our heavenly father, who of his great mercy, hath promised forgeveness
of synnes to all them, whiche with hartie repentaunce and true fayth
turne unto hym: have mercye upon you, pardon and deliver you from all
your synnes, confirme and strength you in all goodnesse and bring you
to everlasting life: through Jesus Christe our Lorde. Amen.
¶ Then shal the Priest also saye,
Heare what comfortable woords
our savioure Christe sayeth, to al that truly turne to hym.
Come unto me all that travaile, and be heavye laden,
and I shal refreshe you. So god loved the world, that he gave his onely
begotten sonne to thend that al that beleve in him, should not perishe,
but have life everlasting.
Heare also what Sainct Paul sayeth.
This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be
received, that Jesus Christe came into the world to save synners.
Heare also what Sainct John sayeth.
If any man sinne, we have an advocate with the father,
Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propiciacion for our synnes.
¶ After the whiche the Priest shall
procede, saying,
Lyfte up your heartes.
Answer. We lyfte them up unto the Lorde.
Priest. Let us geve thankes unto our Lorde
God.
Answer. It is mete and right so to doe.
Priest. It is very mete, ryght, and oure bounden
duetie, that we should at al times, and in al places, geve thankes unto
thee, O lord holy father, almightie everlastyng God.
¶ Here shal folowe
the proper Preface accordinge to the tyme (yf there be any specially
appointed,) or els immediatly shal folowe. Therefore with Angelles,
&c.
PROPRE PREFACES.
¶
Upon Christmas daye, and seven dayes after.
BECAUSE
thou diddest geve Jesus Christ, thine onely sonne, to be borne as this
daye for us, who by the operacion of the holy goste, was made very man,
of the substaunce of the Virgin Mary his mother, and that without spot
of synne, to make us cleane from al synne. Therefore, &c.
¶ Upon Easter daye, and seven dayes after.
BUT
chiefly are we bounde to prayse thee, for the glorious resurreccion
of Thy sonne Jesus Christ our Lorde; for he is the very Paschall lambe
which was offered for us, and hath taken away the sinne of the worlde,
who by his death hath destroyed death, and by his rysing to lyfe agayne
hath restored to us ever lasting lyfe. Therefore, &c.
¶ Upon the Ascencion daye, and seven dayes after.
THROUGHE
thy moste dere beloved sonne, Jesus Christ our lorde, who after his
moste glorious resurreccion manifestlye appeared to all hys Apostles,
and in their sighte ascended up into heaven, to prepare a place for
us, that where he is, thether might we also ascend, and reigne with
him in glorye. There fore, &c.
¶
Upon Whitsondaye, and six dayes after.
THROUGH
Jesus Christ our Lorde, accordyng to whose most true promise, the holye
ghoste came downe thys daye from heaven, with a sodayne great sound,
as it had been a myghty wynde, in the lykenesse of fyery tongues, lyghting
upon the Apostles, to teache them, and to leade them to all trueth,
geving them both the gyft of diverse languages, and also boldnes with
fervent zeale, constantly to preache the gospell unto all nacions, whereby
we are brought out of darknesse and errour, into the cleare lyghte and
true knowledge of thee, and of thy sonne Jesus Christ. Therefore with.
&c.
¶ Upon the feast of Trinitie onely.
IT
is very mete, ryght, and our bounden duetie, that we shoulde at all
tymes, and in all places, geve thanks to thee, O Lord, almightie and
everlasting God, whiche art one God, one Lorde, not one onely person,
but three persons in one substaunce: For that which we beleve of the
glorye of the father, the same we beleve of the sonne, and of the holye
ghoste without anye dyfference, or inequalitie. Therefore with. &c.
¶
After whiche preface, shal folowe immediatly,
Therefore with Angelles and Archangelles, and with al the companye of
heaven, we laude and magnifye thy glorious name, evermore praysing thee,
and saying:
Holye, holye, holye, Lorde God of hostes: heaven
and yearthe are full of thy glory: glory be to thee, O lord, most high.
¶
Then shal the Priest, kneling down at Goddes borde, say in the
name of all them that shal receive the Communion, this praier folowyng.
WE
doe not presume to come to this thy table (O mercyfull Lorde) trustinge
in our owne righteousnesse, but in thy manifolde and greate mercies:
we bee not worthye, so much as to gather up the crommes under thy
table: but thou art the same Lorde whose propertie is alwayes to have
mercye: graunt us therfore (gracious lord) so to eate the fleshe of
thy dere sonne Jesus Christe, and to drinke his bloud, that our synfulle
bodyes maye be made cleane by his body, and our soules wasched through
his most precious bloud, and that we may evermore dwel in him, and
he in us. Amen.
¶ Then the Priest standing up shal saye, as foloweth.
ALMIGHTY
God oure heavenly father, whiche of thy tender mercye dyddest geve thine
onely sonne Jesus Christ, to suffre death upon the crosse for our redempcion,
who made there (by hys one oblacion of hymselfe once offered) a full,
perfecte and sufficiente sacrifice, oblacion, and satisfaccion, for
the synnes of the whole worlde, and dyd institute, and in hys holye
Gospell commaund us to continue, a perpetuall memorye of that his precious
death, untyll hys comynge agayne: Heare us O mercyefull father wee beeseche
thee; and graunt that wee, receyving these thy creatures of bread and
wyne, accordinge to thy sonne our Savioure Jesus Christ's holy institucion,
in remembraunce of his death and passion, maye be partakers of his most
blessed body and bloud: who, in the same night that he was betrayed,
tooke bread, and when he had geven thanks, he brake it, and gave it
to his Disciples, sayinge: Take, eate, this is my bodye which is geven
for you. Doe this in remembraunce of me. Lykewyse after supper he tooke
the cup, and when he had geven thankes, he gave it to them, sayinge:
Drink ye all of this, for this is my bloud of the new Testament, whiche
is shed for you and for many, for remission of synnes: do this as oft
as ye shah drinke it in remembraunce of me.
¶ Then shal the minister first receyve the Communion
in both kyndes hymselfe, and next deliver it to other ministers, yf
any be there present (that they may help the chief minister,) and after
to the people in their handes kneling.
¶
And when he delyvereth the bread, he shall saye.
Take and eate this, in remembraunce that Christ dyed for thee, and
feede on him in thy hearte by faythe, with thankesgeving.
And
the Minister that delyvereth the cup, shal saye,
Drinke
this in remembraunce that Christ's bloude was shed for thee, and be
thankefull.
¶ Then shall the Priest saye the
Lordes prayer, the people repeating after him every peticion.
¶ After shalbe sayde as foloweth.
O LORDE and heavenly
father, we thy humble servaunts entierly desire thy fatherly goodnes,
mercifully to accept this our Sacrifice of prayse and thanksgeving:
most humbly beseching thee to graunt, that by the merites and death
of thy sonne Jesus Christe, and through fayth in his bloud, we and al
thy whole church may obtayne remission of oure synnes, and all other
benefytes of his Passion. And here we offre and presente unto thee,
O lord, our selfes, our soules, and bodies, to be a reasonable holy,
and lively Sacrifice unto thee: humbly beseching thee that al we which
be partakers of this holy Communion, maye bee fulfylled with thy grace
and heavenhy benediccion. And although we bee unworthy throughe oure
manifolde sinnes to offre unto thee any Sacrifice: yet we beseche thee
to accept this our bounden duetie and service, not weighing our merites,
but pardoning our offences, through Jesus Christ our Lord; by whom and
with whom, in the unitie of the holy ghost, all honour and glory bee
unto thee, O father almightie, world without ende. Amen.
¶ Or this.
ALMIGHTIE and
everliving God, we most hartely thank thee, for that thou dooest vouchsafe
to fede us, whiche have duely receyved these holye misteries, with the
spirituall foode of the most precious body and bloud of thy sonne our
saviour Jesus Christ, and doest assure us thereby of thy favoure and
goodnes towarde us, and that we bee verye membres incorporate in thy
mistical body, which is the blessed companie of all faythfull people,
and be also heyrs, through hope, of thy everlasting kingdom, by the
merites of the most precious death and Passion of thy deare sonne. We
now most humbly beseche thee, O heavenly father, so to assiste us with
thy grace, that we may continue in that holy felowship, and do al such
good workes, as thou hast prepared for us to walk in: through Jesus
Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the holy ghost, be all honour
and glorye, world without ende. Amen.
¶ Then shalbe sayd or song.
GLORYE bee to
God on hyghe. And in yearth peace, good wyll towardes men. We prayse
thee, we blesse thee, we worshippe thee, we glorifye thee, we geve thanks
to thee for thy greate glorye, O Lorde God heavenly kyng, God the father
almightie. O lord the onely begotten sonne Jesu Christ: O lord God,
Lambe of god, sonne of the father, that takest away the sinnes of the
worlde, have mercye upon us: Thou that takest away the sines of the
world, have mercye upon us. Thou that takest awaye the sinnes of the
world, receyve oure prayer. Thou that syttest at the ryght hande of
God the father, have mercye upon us: For thou only art holy, Thou only
arte the Lord. Thou only, (O Christ,) with the holy ghost, art most
high in the glory of god the father. Amen.
¶ Then the Priest or the Bishop,
if he be present, shal let them depart with thys blessyng:
THE peace of GOD
which passeth al understanding kepe youre heartes and mynds in the knowledge
and love of GOD, and of his sonne Jesus Christ our Lord: And the blessing
of god almightye, the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost, be amongest
you and remayne with you always. Amen.
¶ Collectes to be
saide after the Offertorie, when there is no Communyon, every suche
daye one. And the same maye be sayd also as often as occasion shal serve,
after the Collectes, eyther of Morning and Evening prayer, Communion
or Letany, by the discrecion of the minister.
ASSIST us mercyfully,
O lord, in these our supplicacions and prayers, and dispose the waye
of thy servaunts toward the attaynment of everlasting salvacion: that
among al the chaunges and chaunces of this mortall lyfe, they may ever
be defended by thy most gracious and ready helpe; throughe Christ our
Lorde. Amen.
O ALMIGHTIE Lord
and everliving god, vouchsafe, we beseche thee, to directe, sanctifye,
and governe, both oure heartes and bodies, in the wayes of thy lawes,
and in the woorks of thy commaundments: that through thy most mightie
proteccion, both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soule:
through our lorde and savioure Jesus Christ. Amen.
GRAUNT, we beseche
thee, Almightie God, that the wordes which we have heard this daye,
with our outward eares, may through thy grace be so grafted inwardly
in oure heartes, that they may bring forth in us the fruite of good
living, to the honour and prayse of thy name: through Jesus Christ our
Lorde. Amen.
PREVENT [=Guide]
us, O Lord, in al our doinges, with thy most gracious favoure, and further
us with thy continual helpe, that in all our works begon, continued,
and ended in thee, we may glorifye thy holy name, and finallye by thy
mercie obtayne everlasting lyfe: through Jesus Christ our Lorde. Amen.
ALMIGHTY God,
the fountayn of al wisdom, which knowest our necessities before we ask,
and oure ignoraunce in asking: we beseche thee to have compassion upon
our infirmities, and those things, whiche for our unworthinesse we dare
not, and for oure blindnesse we cannot aske, vouchsafe to geve us for
the worthines of thy sonne Jesus Christe our Lord. Amen.
ALMIGHTYE God,
whiche haste promysed to heare the peticions of them that aske in thy
sonnes name: we beseche thee mercyfully to enclyne thyne eares to us
that have made nowe oure prayers and supplicacions unto thee: and graunt
that those things which we faythfully asked according to thy wyll, may
effectually be obteyned to the reliefe of our necessitie, and to the
setting foorth of thy glory: Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
¶ Upon the holy
dayes, yf there be no Communion, shalbe said at that is appoynted
at the Communion, until the ende of the Homelie, concluding with the
general prayer, ' for the whole state of Christ's churche militante
here in earth: ' and one or moe of these Collectes before rehearsed,
as occasyon shal serve.
¶ And there shal
be no celebracion of the lordes Supper, except there be a good noumbre
to communicate wyth the Priest, accordynge to hys discrecion.
¶ And yf there
be not above twentie persons in the Parishe of discretion to receive
the Communion: yet there shalbe no Communion, excepte foure, or three
at the least communicate wyth the Prieste. And in Cathedrall and Collegiate
churches, where be many Priestes and Deacons, they shall at receyve
the Communion wyth the minister every Sonday at the least, excepte they
have a reasonable cause to the contrary.
¶ And to take away
the supersticion, whiche any person hothe, or myghte have in the bread
and wyne, it shall suffyse that the bread bee such, as is usuall to
bee eaten at the Table wyth other meates, but the best and purest wheate
bread, that conveniently maye be gotten. And yf any of the bread or
wine remayne, the Curate shal have it to hys owne use.
¶ The bread and
wyne for the Communion shall be provyded by the Curate, and the churchwardens,
at the charges of the Parishe, and the Parishe shalbe discharged of
such summes of money, or other dueties, which hetherto they have payde
for the same, by order of theyr houses every Sondaye.
¶
And note, that every Parishioner shalt communicate, at the least
thre tymes in the yere: of which, Easter to be one: and shal also receyve
the Sacramentes, and other rytes, according to the order in this boke
appointed. And verely at Easter, every Parishioner shal reken with his
Person, [parson] Vicare, or Curate,
or his, or their deputie or deputies, and paye to them or hym all Ecclesiasticall
dueties, accustomabty due, then and at that tyme to be payde.
Although no ordre can be so perfectlye devised, but
it may be of some, eyther for theyr ignoraunce and infermitie, or els
of malice and obstinacie, misconstrued, depraved, and interpreted in
a wrong part: And yet because brotherly charitie willeth, that so much
as conveniently may be, offences shoulde be taken awaye: therefore we
willing to doe the same. Whereas it is ordeyned in the booke of common
prayer, in the administracion of the Lord's Supper, that the Communicants
knelyng shoulde receyve the holye Communion. whiche thynge beyng well
mente, for a sygnificacion of the humble and gratefull acknowledgyng
of the benefites of Chryst, geven unto the woorthye receyver, and to
avoyde the prophanacion and dysordre, which about the holy Communion
myght els ensue: Leste yet the same kneelyng myght be thought or taken
otherwyse, we dooe declare that it is not ment thereby, that any adoracion
is doone, or oughte to bee doone, eyther unto the Sacramentall bread
or wyne there bodily receyved, or unto anye reall and essencial presence
there beeyng of Christ's naturall fleshe and bloude. For as concernynge
the Sacramentall bread and wyne, they remayne styll in theyr verye naturall
substaunces, and therefore may not be adored, for that were Idolatrye
to be abhorred of all faythfull christians. And as concernynge the naturall
body and blood of our saviour Christ, they are in heaven and not here.
For it is agaynst the trueth of Christes true natural bodye, to be in
moe places then in one, at one tyme.
The
paragraph directly above is commonly called the "Black Rubric",
or the Declaration on Kneeling. It was inserted into the 1552 Book
at the last minute, and, as a result, its occurrence varies among
different printings. Typically it was inserted as a separate leaf.
Below at left is an earlier printing, which entirely omits it (the
top part of this image is actually a 'print-though' from the back
of the page which has been reversed and enhanced to make it at least
somewhat readable). In the center is the Black Rubric printed on
a separate page, to be inserted into the Book. At the right is a
later printing with the Black Rubric placed fourth among those at
the end of the Communion Service (rather than last as it is in the
text above). Clicking on one of these images will bring up a larger
(~100K in size) readable version.

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