CHAPTER VI.

OF THE COMMUNION.

I. OF THE COMMUNION OF THE PRIEST.

HE Prieft and his Affiftants ought always to Communicate ftanding. With the Prieft this is obligatory, fince the Priest reprefents in his own perfon that of our Lord Jefus Chrift, Who certainly did not kneel, but, according to all probability, ftood during the Original Inftitution. Such is the univerfal cuftom of the Church. This is expreffly enjoined alfo in all the English and Scotch Confuetudinaries, that the Clergy should stand during the whole of the Office, unless directed to do otherwife (e.g., to kneel at the "Prayers in proftration" after the Lord's Prayer, and before "Pax Domini" in Ferials). The people should either kneel or ftand with their heads bowed.

Previous Prayers.

Before the Celebrant communicated, according to all the English Ufes, he repeated one or more prayers (equivalent to the Anglican one of "Humble Accefs," if that were in its proper place). Thefe, however, were not obligatory, nor were they always the fame in different places and countries. As Micrologus (A.D. 1080, c. xviii.) remarks, "The Prayers which we bowing down fay before we Communicate we use not after any order, but after the tradition of religious perfons, namely, that beginning O Lord Jefus Chrift, Who at the will of the Father,' &c., and that, The Body and Blood of our Lord Jefus Chrift,' &c., which we say when we diftribute the Eucharift to others. There are many other fuch prayers which fome perfons use privately at the Peace and at the Communion, but those who diligently obferve ancient tradition have taught us to ftudy brevity in these private devotions, and wifh us to occupy ourselves rather with the public prayers."

The following are three of those most usual in England, in the MSS. of

the eleventh to the fourteenth centuries, and in the Bangor Pontifical and MSS. and printed Miffalia :

"O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty Eternal God," [as above, p. 383].

"O Lord Jefus Chrift, Son of the living God, Who by the will of the Father, and by the co-operation of the Holy Spirit, haft through Thy Death quickened the world, deliver me, I befeech Thee, by this Thy Sacred Body and Blood from all mine iniquities, and from every evil, and make me ever to obey Thy precepts, and permit me never for evermore to be separated from Thee, O Saviour of the world, Who with God the Father and the Same Holy Ghost, livest and reignest God for ever and ever. Amen."

[This was fometimes faid after Communion.]

Early in the thirteenth century is found the following:

"O God the Father, Fountain and Origin of all Goodness, Who, moved by Thy mercy, haft willed Thine only begotten Son to defcend for us to the lower parts of the world and to affume our flesh, which I an unworthy finner hold in my hands; I adore Thee, I glorify Thee, and praise Thee with the entire intention of my heart; and I befeech Thee that Thou desert not us Thy fervants, but forgive our fins, that we may be able to ferve Thee, the only living God, with pure heart and chafte body, Through The Same Thy Son, our Lord Jefus Chrift, Who with Thee," &c.

[The following is found in the Darbye book and Hereford twelfth century Pontifical, and elsewhere.]

May the Reception of Thy Body and Blood, O Lord Jesus Christ, which I, unworthy and a finner, prefume to take, conduce not, I entreat Thee, to my judgement or condemnation, but of Thy compaffion help me to attain eternal Life, and be a preparation for my falvation, Thou being the Giver, Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveft and reignest God, world without end. Amen."

After one or more of thefe Prayers, let the Priest, humbly inclining over the Chalice, with great devoutnefs receive from his right hand the Body, [viz. that Portion of the Hoftia which remains after putting one into the Chalice, and the third on the Paten or Corporal] Saying "The Body of our Lord Jefus Chrift profit me [my foul] unto eternal life. Amen."

Then let him with like devoutnefs take the Chalice into his left hand and receive the Blood saying, "The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my foul unto eternal life. Amen."

These are the forms given in the MS. (Harl. 1229) of the early thirteenth century.

The Forms of these ejaculations varied somewhat. In the Pontifical of Anianus, A.D. 1268, and the printed Sarum, the first runs thus: "The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ be unto me a finner the way and the life. Amen.'

So the second in both on receiving the Chalice runs thus, "The Body and Blood of our Lord Jefus Chrift profit to me a finner for an everlasting remedy unto life eternal. Amen."

And in the printed Sarum only after each is added, "In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghoft. Amen."

The firft-mentioned formularies are the more ancient. In the most ancient MSS. no particular formula is prescribed. In the Darbye Book is prescribed the following_fingle fentence over both Elements: "The Body and Blood of our Lord Jefus Chrift guard my Body and Soul unto eternal life. Amen," and this is given as an alternative form in the York Miffale.

In the Pontifical of Anianus, the later Sarum, and in some MSS, of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries in the North of Europe, is found this addition before Reception of the Body :

"Hail for evermore! moft Holy Flesh of Chrift, to me before all things and above all things chiefeft (summa) sweetness.”

Before the Chalice :—

"Hail for evermore! Heavenly Drink, to me before all things and above all things chiefeft sweetness."

II. COMMUNION OF THE OTHER PRESBYTERS, THE ASSISTANTS,
AND PEOPLE.

In the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth centuries it was the rule that in order to make a good and perfect Sacrament, other perfons, and especially the Affiftants, if any, ought to communicate with the Priest. Although this is not mentioned in the English Miffalia or Confuetudinaries, yet it is abundantly manifeft from contemporary and subsequent authorities.

Hernulphus, Bishop of Rochester, writes, A.D. 1125, to Lambert (Georgius iii. 184): "It is the cuftom of the Church from of old that if a Bishop or Presbyter facrifice, and a Deacon and Subdeacon co-operate, no one or very rarely any one should be excepted from partaking of the Holy Communion." That the Deacon and Subdeacon fhould partake of the Priest's Oblation is infifted on by Innocent III. (Lib. vi. c. vii.) and Durandus (Lib. iv. c. 54). So Martene (De Antiq. Monach. Rit. Lib. 11. c. iv.). Micrologus (c. 51) fays, "That cannot properly be called Communion unless feveral (plures) participate in the fame Sacrifice," and quotes the custom of the Greeks and SS. Ambrofe and Auguftine. Bona to the fame effect at length (De Reb. Lit. 11. xvii.) and Martene (De Antiq. Rit. 1. c. iv.).

The Prieft fhould communicate the Affiftants with the third Portion of his Hoftia, or with the other Hoftia which he had broken off and placed in the Paten or Corporal, or if this was wanted for the fick, with part of his own Portion, or from the reft. John of Avranches fays, "Let him communicate

himself” (i.e., after having placed one in the Chalice) "with one Portion, with the other the Deacon and Subdeacon. From this, which included all the other Hoftiæ, a part should be, if neceffary, referved for the fick or dying." But if not wanted for that, the Prieft himself, if there were no Affiftants, or the Ministers or people should receive it.

De Moleon (Voyages Lit. 290) writes as to the ancient Roman Rite, in the twelfth century, "It was by these chafte and holy kiffes (i.e., at giving the Pax) that they prepared for the Communion. The Priest, breaking the Hoftia into three, put the least portion into the Chalice, the other two on the Paten. With one of these two larger Portions he communicated himself, the Deacon and Subdeacon; the third might be reserved for the fick or dying. If not wanted for that, the Prieft or his Affiftants confumed it, and not only fo, but the people partook of it also. The Priest made no difficulty of imparting fome of his Hoftia to the people."

The Deacon and Subdeacon fhould each kifs the hand of the Priest as he presents to them the Hoftia. After thus firft Communicating himself with the Hoftia the Priest should Communicate himself with the Chalice, and then the Deacon and Subdeacon. If, however, a Bishop be present he should be communicated in both kinds before the Deacon or Subdeacon. Also if there be any Prefbyters helping the Priest in the Office they should be communicated firft before the two Affiftants.

III. TIME AND PLACE FOR COMMUNICATING.

The proper time for administering the Eucharift to the Choir and people is after the Communion of the Prieft and Affiftants and before the Ablutions. If any of the Choir or people are to be communicated, the proper moment is after the Prieft has received the Cup. "Si qui fint communicandi in Miffa, Sacerdos poft Sumptionem Sanguinis, antequam fe purificet, facta genuflexione, ponat Particulas," &c. (Ritus celebrandi Miffam, Tit. x. 6). "Post quam omnes communicaverunt dicit Sacerdos hanc orationem fub filentio : Quod ore fumpfimus.' Qua finita fequitur oratio five orationes poft Communionem dicende" (Micrologus, c. xix.)

In fome inftances at this epoch, as is remarked by Le Brun (1. 311), it was permitted to defer the general Communion till after the Office completed, if there were a very large number of Communicants; but this was quite exceptional.

Walafrid Strabo writes in the ninth century (c. 22): "The proper time of communicating is before the laft prayer, called Ad complendum' (viz. Poft Communion) for that is for thofe who Communicate; and in the whole Office the prayers are mostly for those who Offer and Communicate. Others (who do not then communicate) who persevere in the faith and devotion of those who do Offer and Communicate, may be faid also to be partakers of

the fame Oblation and Communion." He proceeds: "Although when Priests celebrate Maffes alone, thofe may be understood to co-operate in the fame Action for whom the Office is celebrated and whofe names may be therein mentioned, yet it must be confeffed that that alone is a lawful Mafs where, befides the Priest, is present an Offerer and Communicant, as the very prayers themselves demonftrate;" and with him agree the other Ritual writers.

Order of Communion. Place in Church.

The Order of Communicating fhould be, firft the Prieft fhould Communicate himself in both kinds; then the Bishop, if prefent; then the Prefbyters prefent; then the Deacons, Subdeacons, and Clerks, Monks, Deaconeffes, and Sacred Virgins; laftly the people-firft the men, afterwards the women. The fame order fhould be obferved in the Distribution of the Chalice, except that the Prefbyters might communicate themfelves, and the Deacons receive from the Prefbyters: the remainder was diftributed by the Deacons and Subdeacons. (See the authorities cited, Bona de Reb. Liturg. 11. xvii.)

As to the Place in the Church.

The Celebrant fhould receive in the middle of the Altar, the other Prefbyters round about it; the Deacons behind or at the fide, Subdeacons and other Clerks at the margin or entrance of the Sanctuary or in the Choir; the remainder and laity without the Chancel rails. The Fourth Council of Toledo (A.D. 581) c. 17, ordered that the Priest and Deacon fhould communicate before the Altar, the Clerks in the Choir, the people without the Choir. The First Council of Braga (A.D. 563) forbade laic men or women to go to communicate within the Sanctuary of the Altar, but only Clerks, according to the ancient Canons. A contemporary Synod of Tours forbade laics to ftand within the Chancel during the Office, but permitted both men and women to enter into the "Sancta Sanctorum" for the purpose of Communion.

IV. OF THE DISTRIBUTION.

The mode of Distribution and Communion fhould be that related by Juftin Martyr (Apolog. I. 65): "We falute one another with a Kifs; when we have concluded the prayers there is brought to the President of the brethren Bread and a Cup of Water and Wine, which he receives, and Offers up Praise and Glory to the Father of all things, through the Name of His Son and of the Holy Ghoft" [In Nomine Patris, &c., of the Sarum Ufe] "and when the Prefident has celebrated the Eucharift, and all the people have affented" [i.e. by Amen] "the Deacons give to each of those who are prefent a portion of the Euchariftic Bread" [implying a previous Fraction into fmaller pieces] "and Wine and Water, and carry them to those who are abfent," c. 67. "There