87. At Morning Prayer, instead of the Psalm, _O come let us sing_,
&c. these Anthems shall be sung or said. Christ our passover, &c.
See note on rubric 25, p. 16.
THE TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
88. If there be any more Sundays before Advent-Sunday, the Service
of some of those Sundays that were omitted after the Epiphany shall
be taken in to supply so many as are here wanting. And if there be
fewer, the overplus may be omitted: Provided that this last Collect,
Epistle, and Gospel shall always be used upon the Sunday next
before Advent.
If there be twenty-six Sundays after Trinity, the Collect, Epistle,
and Gospel for the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany, should be used on
the twenty-fifth Sunday. If there be twenty-seven Sundays, the
Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
should be used on the twenty-fifth Sunday, and the Collect, Epistle,
and Gospel for the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany, on the Twenty-sixth
Sunday.
THE ORDER OF THE
ADMINISTRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER,
OR
HOLY COMMUNION.
89. 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.
90. 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.
91. 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 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 object of this rubric, when introduced in 1549, was to provide
some corrective of the lax practice of the un-reformed Church in
admission of unworthy persons to Communion. In this view, the
Curate should be informed of the names of intending Communicants,
in order that he may deal with the cases of scandal referred to
in the second paragraph, and with the cases of enmity referred to
in the third. The main reason of the Church's action herein is
the danger of profanation of the Lord's Table by the presence of
unworthy Communicants. A second reason is the danger of injury to
the consciences of the congregation by wounding their sense of
corporate responsibility for individual wrong-doing. A third is
the spiritual interest of the offenders themselves, viz., in the
words quoted with approval by Hooker (Eccl. Pol. vi. 4-15), "not
to strike them with the mortal wound of excommunication, but to
stay them rather from running desperately headlong into their
own harm, and not to sever from Holy Communion any but such as
are either found culpable by their own confession, or have been
convicted in some public Court." The mode of the Curate's action
was intended by the rubric to be admonition previous and private.
The first paragraph indicates the duty of the people, not of the
Curate, giving him the opportunity of admonition, but throwing
upon them the responsibility of the decision whether or no to
present themselves.
The rubric does not empower or entitle the Curate to repel any
at the time of Communion, on the _mere_ ground of their not having
previously signified their names to him. For there is no means
provided for receiving their names, or for making any due enquiry;
nor is any penalty imposed upon the Curate for communicating people
who have not signified their names, nor on the persons who present
themselves without having done so. The reference to the Ordinary
was added in 1662. The object is to set him in motion as the proper
person to take legal proceedings against an offender, and effectually
repel one who cannot be repelled by the Curate's weapons of
persuasion and admonition.
The precautions of this rubric against communicating unworthily are
not very effective, and it must be observed that the 26th, 27th,
and 28th Canons extend the Curate's duty in this respect much
farther than the rubric, but without giving him any power, which
would be recognised by a _secular_ Court, of conscientiously
performing his duty therein.
92. 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.
The word 'fair,' applied to the white linen cloth in the fourth
paragraph of this rubric, means 'beautiful,' and does not exclude
adornment with embroidery.
The words 'upon it' require the cloth to lie upon the Mensa, or
upper surface of the Table, but do not require the whole Table to
be covered or enveloped therewith. The linen cloth is to be laid
upon the covering described in Canon 82 as 'a carpet of silk or
other decent stuff.'
Bishop Cosin states that "among the Ornaments of the Church that
were then (i.e. in the second year of Edward VI.) in use, the
setting of two lights upon the Communion Table or Altar was one
appointed by the King's Injunctions, set forth about that time,
and mentioned or ratified by the Act of Parliament here named
(2 & 3 Edw. VI. cap. I)." If it be contended that Bishop Cosin is
wrong in his opinion that the Injunctions were obligatory, we are
thrown back upon the universal custom of the Catholic Church,
which undoubtedly required lights to be used on the Altar for the
office of Holy Communion.
93. And the Priest standing at the North-side of the Table shall
say the Lord's Prayer, with the Collect following, the people
kneeling.
One Priest only is here spoken of as celebrating: there is no
authority for a change of the celebrant in the course of the
Service; and only extraordinary contingencies of the gravest kind
were anciently regarded as sufficient cause for such a change.
Special provision is made for exceptions to this principle, in the
pronouncing the Absolution by the Bishop, if officially present,
and for the making the General Confession 'by one of the Ministers.'
The Epistle and Gospel are also permitted to be read by Assistant
Ministers, in accordance with customary usage recognised in the
24th Canon. The assistance of other Clergy may also be required
for administration of the Elements.
Lay Assistants are not mentioned in this rubric, but the principle
of assistance to the 'principal Minister' being recognized in the
twenty-fourth Canon, there can be no objection to the ancient
practice of employing clerks or choristers for other purposes than
singing.
The term 'north side,' whatever was its origin (possibly the
re-arrangements consequent on the transposition of the Gloria in
Excelsis), acquired a meaning during the changes made in the
substitution of Moveable Tables for fixed Altars about the year
1552, which determines its interpretation to exclude the north
end. In those churches where the Table was placed with its long
sides north and south, the Priest moved with the table, and stood
at the same part of it as he had stood in the use of it as an altar,
that is, at the centre of one of the long sides, though he no longer
faced the same part of the Church, and now looked to the south
instead of the east. But when Archbishop Laud pressed the restoration
of the table to its ancient position,--a restoration which has
become universal,--the question at once arose as to the position of
the celebrant, and some of the High Church clergy placed themselves
at the north end of the table placed 'altarwise,' alleging that
they were in this manner conforming to the rubric. They were at
once met with the reply that 'side' and 'end' were not convertible
terms, and it was urged that the rubric could not be complied with
at all, unless the table were set with its long sides north and
south. It is thus clear that the use of the end was disputed from
the first, and treated as an untenable innovation. Now that the
altars are universally placed so that only one of the long sides
is accessible, the rubric can only be literally complied with by
the celebrant standing at the northern portion of that side.
It seems, however, absurd that when the altar is restored to its
place, the Priest should not be restored to his. It is further to
be noted that the regarding the word 'north' rather than the word
'side,' and the placing the Priest at the north end of the altar,
has the disadvantage of making the practice of the English Church
unlike that of all the rest of Christendom. For all the ancient
historical Churches place the celebrant in front of the altar,
while the Protestant sects, even those that seat the communicants
round the table, place the Minister at the centre of a side, and
not at one end.
There is no direction for the Celebrant to kneel on reaching the
altar, and it is contrary to general Catholic usage to do so. Any
private prayers he may use then, he should say standing.
It should be remembered that the service is for the congregation,
not for the Priest alone, and therefore they ought not to be
detained for his personal convenience. He has not the same liberty
of private devotion as the individual members of the congregation,
and should carefully restrain his private devotions so as to be
as short as is consistent with reverence.
It is the clear intention of the Prayer-Book that the Lord's Prayer
and the whole office should be said deliberately, and sufficiently
loud for the congregation to hear distinctly, so as to follow it
readily. Moreover, the words of the Liturgy form an integral part
of the whole sacrificial action. They are included in the oblation
of praise and thanksgiving; and, consequently, to hurry, or mutter
them is, so far, to bring a blemished offering to God.
There is no direction for loudness of voice, but the words of the
office should be, as was anciently ordered, "roundly and distinctly
pronounced."[d]
94. 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.
The Commandments were first introduced in 1552, and no rubric can
be more express than this against their omission. Such omission
involves also the loss of the _Kyrie_, an ancient and valuable
feature of the Liturgy.
The Commandments are to be rehearsed 'turning to the people,'
implying that the Priest was not standing so before.
95. Then shall follow one of these two Collects for the Queen, the
Priest standing as before, and saying, Let us pray, &c. The words
'standing as before' mean standing in the position in which the
Priest was before he turned to the people to rehearse the
Commandments, viz. facing eastward.
96. Then shall be said the Collect of the Day.
97. And immediately after the Collect the Priest shall read
the Epistle, saying, _The Epistle_ [or, _The portion of Scripture
appointed for the Epistle_] _is written in the------Chapter
of------beginning at the------Verse_. And the Epistle ended, he
shall say, _Here endeth the Epistle_. Then shall he read the
Gospel, (the people all standing up) saying, _The holy Gospel
is written in the------Chapter of------beginning at the------Verse_.
98. And the Gospel ended, shall be sung or said the Creed following,
the people still standing, as before.
If more collects than the collect or collects of the day be used,
they must be taken from the six collects at the end of the Communion
Office. If a collect be used in commemoration besides the collect
of the day at Morning and Evening Prayer, it should also be used
in the Communion Service.
The practice of the people sitting during the reading of the
Epistle, though not prescribed in the rubric, may be justified
by ancient English custom.
The custom of singing or saying, 'Glory be to Thee, O Lord,' before
the Gospel, has been continued from ancient times, and was specially
ordered in the First Prayer-Book of Edward VI. Bishop Cosin thinks
that it was afterwards left out by the printers' negligence. It
seems very doubtful whether ancient authority will support the
saying 'Thanks be to Thee, O Lord,' or equivalent words, at the
end of the Gospel, though these words were inserted in the Scottish
Office.
No directions are given as to the place where the Epistle and
Gospel are to be read, but one very ancient usage is, that the
former is to be read at the south, the latter at the north, of the
sanctuary.
From whatever part of Scripture the Epistle is taken, the words
'here endeth the Epistle' are always to be said at the end of it.
In singing or saying the Creed, it is advisable, when there are
clerks, to follow the direction of the Prayer-Book of 1549, and
that the Priest should sing or say alone the words 'I believe in
one God,' the clerks and congregation taking up the Creed with him
after those words. On bowing at the Holy Name of JESUS, the same
remark may be made as on the occurrence of the Name in the Apostles'
Creed.
The clergy and congregation sometimes incline the head and body at
the words 'And was Incarnate.' According to ancient English custom,
the inclination should be maintained until the words 'for us.' But
such custom furnishes no precedent for prostration, or such
exaggerated marks of reverence.
99. Then the Curate shall declare unto the people what Holy-days,
or Fasting-days, are in the Week following to be observed.
This direction refers to the table of moveable and immoveable
feasts together with days of fasting and abstinence, in the
calendar.
And then also (if occasion be) shall notice be given of the
Communion; and the Banns of Matrimony published; and Briefs,
Citations, and Excommunications read. And nothing shall be
proclaimed or published in the Church, during the time of Divine
Service, but by the Minister: nor by him any thing, but what is
prescribed in the Rules of this Book, or enjoined by the Queen,
or by the Ordinary of the place.
This rubric fixes the place in the service at which notice should
be given of Holy Communion, when the occasion requires. It does not
authorize the use in this place of the exhortations which are
directed to be used 'after the sermon or homily ended.'
The object of the Church in the publication of Banns being publicity,
it was directed to be made at a time when most people were likely
to be in church, such as shortly before the Sermon. There is some
divergence between this rubric and that at the beginning of the
Service for the Solemnization of Matrimony, where the Banns are
directed to be published 'immediately before the sentences for the
Offertory,' i.e. after the sermon, instead of before it; and the
time of publication of Banns is extended, by Stat. IV. George IV.,
c. 76, to the time of evening service, immediately after the 2nd
lesson, if there shall be no morning service.[e] It may be doubted
whether a publication of Banns on Holy-days would now suffice for
a legal publication, as this last-mentioned act names Sundays only.
The order for reading briefs, &c., indicates this to be the proper
time for reading notices from the Bishop of intended confirmations,
&c., and may perhaps be extended to cover and protect from the
prohibition which follows, the announcement of dedication, harvest,
and other local festivals.
The whole paragraph is connected with the Sermon, with the object
of grouping together all such additions to, and interruptions of,
the Office of Holy Communion.
100. Then shall follow the Sermon, or one of the Homilies already
set forth, or hereafter to be set forth, by authority.
If the sermon be preached from the pulpit (for which there is no
rubrical direction), and by the priest who is celebrating Holy
Communion, the Chasuble should be laid aside for the function of
preaching. If the sermon be preached from the altar-steps by the
celebrant the chasuble should be retained. If the preacher be not
the celebrant, it seems to be in accordance with the Prayer-Book
of 1549, and with old custom, that he should wear a Surplice, as
having previously taken his place in the choir, and also a hood,
if a graduate.
Although the 55th Canon enjoins the use of some form of bidding
the prayers before all sermons, lectures, and homilies, yet the
custom may be regarded as fairly established, of beginning the
sermon without any introductory form, or with a collect from the
Prayer-Book, or with an invocation of the Holy Trinity, in testimony
of the preacher's commission to proclaim the Gospel. The last
should be announced to the people, turning the face towards them.
Custom has also established, from the days at least of St.
Chrysostom, the practice of ending the sermon with an ascription
of praise, which may properly be pronounced turning to the East.
101. Then shall the Priest return to the Lord's Table, and begin
the Offertory, saying one or more of these Sentences following, as
he thinketh most convenient in his discretion.
The words 'Return to the Lord's Table' point to the Priest having
left the table, either for the purpose of preaching, or to take
his seat in the sedilia.
In the impoverished condition of the churches at the time of the
last revision, it was well to be content that one or more of the
sentences should be said by the Priest, not sung by a choir. But
now that clerks and choirs have been restored to many churches, it
seems reasonable that the sentences may be sung as of old, and as
was prescribed in the Prayer-Book of 1549: "Where there be clerks,
they shall sing one or many of the sentences above written,
according to the length and shortness of the time that the people
be offering."
102. Whilst these Sentences are in reading, the Deacons,
Church-wardens, or other fit person appointed for that purpose,
shall receive the Alms for the Poor, and other devotions of the
people, in a decent bason to be provided by the Parish for that
purpose; and reverently bring it to the Priest, who shall humbly
present and place it upon the holy Table.
The rubric mentions but one bason, to which originally the people
brought their alms, instead of putting them into the poor man's
box. This one bason is wholly inefficient for making a collection
by several persons, and from a large congregation; and therefore
is to be used for receiving alms collected in other receptacles.
It is seemly that these should be formally given out to the persons
by whom the collection is to be made, and afterwards received from
them in the 'decent bason' by the 'deacon, churchwarden, or other
fit person appointed for that purpose, who 'shall reverently bring
it to the Priest.'
The words 'humbly present' obviously indicate some action beyond
the mere placing on the Table, but do not mean a kneeling posture;
for neither here nor in any other part of the Service should the
Priest kneel, unless when ordered to do so.
103. And when there is a Communion, the Priest shall then place
upon the Table so much Bread and Wine, as he shall think sufficient.
After which done, the Priest shall say, Let us pray, &c.
The small fair linen cloth, commonly called the Veil, which is to
be used after the Communion, should not be spread upon the fair
white linen cloth which covers the Table, nor used to cover the
Elements before the Communion.
In order to place the Bread and Wine on the Table, which must
be done at this time, and not before, the Priest should have them at
hand in another place. This is usually the Credence-table, or some
shelf near to the altar. He places them as he did the alms, humbly,
as an offering, and so much of each as he judges approximately
sufficient for the communion of himself and the people. But if
he should afterwards find his computation excessive--as the offering
the alms and elements together is not directly connected with
consecration--he is not under obligation to consecrate all that
he has offered. He may, therefore, if he should think the entire
contents of the Flagon likely to be required for Communion, offer
the Wine in that vessel. The usage, however, of pouring a portion
of the Wine into the chalice (as was directed in the Prayer-Book
of 1549), and placing the chalice on the table without the flagon,
has been generally maintained, though this pouring forms no part
of the rubrical directions of our Liturgy, either here or at any
other period of the service.
This usage is properly associated also with the primitive custom
(prescribed to be used in 1549) of 'putting thereto a little pure
and clean water.'
The preparatory action of mixing water with the wine (besides being
connected with the original Act of Institution), was undoubtedly
the custom of the time when this Church and Realm received the
order of ministering the Sacrament, and it has never been prohibited
in the Prayer-Book. The practice is, therefore, a performance of
the Ordination vow of the English Priesthood, "so to minister the
Sacraments as the Lord hath commanded, and as this Church and Realm
hath received the same, according to the Commandments of God." A
few drops of water are sufficient for compliance with the usage,
and in no case should the quantity of water exceed one third of
the whole.
If the chalice is not fitted with a cover, some substitute for a
cover should be placed upon it; a small, square piece of linen,
stiffened with cardboard, is sometimes used for this purpose.
It is desirable that the Priest should, as a general rule,
consecrate all the Bread and Wine that he offers. And in judging
the quantity, it is to be remembered that on the one hand the
consecration of an excessive amount of the elements involves a
serious risk of irreverence in the consumption of what remains
after Communion; so on the other hand, the error of consecrating too
little is to be deprecated, as necessitating a second consecration,
and thereby breaking the continuity of the service.
Many such points in the service are left without direction, or with
inconsistent directions, in consequence of the old Liturgical order
having been so broken and distorted in the revision of 1552, that
subsequent revision has been, and probably will be, unsuccessful
in removing the inconsistencies.
104. If there be no alms or oblations, then shall the words [_of
accepting our alms and oblations_] be left out unsaid.
105. When the Minister giveth warning for the celebration of the
holy Communion, (which he shall always do upon the Sunday, or some
Holy-day, immediately preceding), after the Sermon or Homily ended,
he shall read this Exhortation following, Dearly beloved, on, &c.
106. Or, in case he shall see the people negligent to come to the
holy Communion, instead of the former, he shall use this Exhortation,
Dearly beloved brethren, on, &c.