Ancient Liturgies, however much they may vary in other details.

(b) The one indispensable part of the Rite; the heart of the "Liturgia," without which it would be as "sounding brass," &c.; the three essentials of a Sacrament, viz., Priest, Matter, Words, being here brought together to induce the Realis Presentia, which is the life-blood of the whole. (2 Cor. V. 20; Vid. Notes on Art. xxv.)

(c) In our genuine English Book of 1549, there was an Invocation of the Holy Ghost, in accordance with the Apostolic Liturgies: "Hear us, O merciful Father, we beseech Thee and with Thy Holy Spirit vouchsafe to Bless and Sanctify these Thy gifts and creatures of bread and wine, that they may be unto us the Body and Blood of Thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ." (S. Luke i. 35; Christmas Day Preface.)

(a) The Signing the elements with the Cross at Bless and Sanctify, was one of the "Manual Acts" struck out by the Foreign Intruders in 1552, together with the Invocation itself, Prayers for the Holy Dead, and the "Grace before Meat" which now occupies its anomalous position in the PostCommunion Office.

(e) The Manual Acts now are seven: viz., (1) Take the Paten, (2) Break the Bread, (3) Lay hand upon it, (4) "Do This," i.e. Offer This, (5) Take the Cup, (6) Lay Hand on it, (7) "Do This." (Bishop Salisbury's Charge, 1867.)

(f) Like Trisagion, wrongly printed. The Consecration is quite distinct from the Preamble, and should be separated from it by an interval.

THE CELEBRANT AND HIS POSITION. "BEFORE THE TABLE;" "BEFORE THE PEOPLE."

(a) The Holy Table now becomes essentially an "Altar" (Heb. xiii. 10), and the Priest is to stand "before" it, i.e. in the middle of the West Side; not at the North End, as if ashamed of his Priesthood and the act in which he is engaged, or an unbeliever in his Priestly character.

(b) The Priest, like the spokesman for a deputation, stands at the head of his congregation, facing Eastwards with them and addressing Divine Majesty on His throne.

=

(c) "Ordered" Arranged; on the "Corporas" which covers the Medium Altaris.

(d) "Decency" = Seemliness; befitting the solemn rite of Offering upon the Altar to God.

(e) The Celebrant, having "ordered," &c., is evidently intended to stay in his natural and normal position before the Holy Table;" as

there is no direction to move either himself or the Elements anywhere else.

(f) By universal tradition, use, and custom, the Elements are at first placed in Medio Altaris; and it is unrubrical to place them at the North End afterwards.

most

(g) Moreover, the "midst of the Altar" is the 66 decent" as well as orderly" and convenient, or suitable and "ready" position, for the act of Breaking and Pouring, &c.

BEFORE THE PEOPLE.

(a) "Coram populo"; i.e., not in the Vestry, &c., but in the People's presence.

(b) Not, "facing the people;" as though the

validity of the Consecration in any way depended upon their seeing it done; since the whole act of Breaking, &c., is an offering to God, in accordance with the command of Christ, "Do This."

(c) If "Breaking" be important for the people to see, "Pouring must be equally so yet there is no direction to Pour "before the people." (Heb. ix. 22.)

66

(d) The People, "Kneeling humbly upon their knees," are not expected to be "gazing" (Art. 25): and those persons who profess a desire to gaze, are usually found to attend Churches choked up with high Pews and central Pulpit, &c, where the very Altar itself is invisible. (S. Luke xviii. 13.)

PRAYER OF CONSECRATION.

Preamble.

I. Invocation.

SUBJECT MATTER.

(a) Father and Son joint participants. (b) Father; Giver; Only Son; Crucifixion; Redemption.

(c) Son; Given; Voluntary Self-Sacrifice; once for all; full, &c; whole world; perpetual Commemoration.

(2) Petition.

"Partaker of Christ's Most Blessed Body and Blood.

Consecration.

(a) Took Bread; Blessed; Brake; "Hoc est Corpus Meum."

50; 1 Cor. xi. 24.)

(S. Luke xxil. 19; xxiv.

(b) Took the Cup; Blessed; Hic est Sanguis

Meus." (S. Matt. xxvi. 27-9; 1 Cor. x. 16; xi. 23-8; Heb. ix. 11—22; X. 10-14.)

(c) The People's "Amen" is their acknowledgment of, assent to, and participation in, the Priest's Consecration. (1 Cor. xiv. 16.)

THE COMMUNION.

1. Communicatio Corporis, &c. (Vid. Notes on Art. xxviii.)

2. A Feast upon a Sacrifice. (I Cor. ix. 13; X. 18-21.)

3. Accordingly, "Altar" now becomes "Table." (Ezek. xli. 22; Mal. i. 7-12.)

DELIVERY.

1. Music.

In 1549, 66

DISTRIBUTION.

RECEPTION.

Agnus Dei" was ordered to be sung. The same, or other Sacramental Hymn, may be sung now; or soft music played, until the "Communicatio" is ended. (Palmer's Orig. Lit. ii. p. 153. S. Luke i. 13.)

2. Ordo Communicationis. (a) Celebrant; (b) Bishops; (c) Priests; (d) Deacons Clerical; (e) Deacons Lay, Choristers; (f) Men; (g) Women. (Rom. xiii. 7; 1 Tim. ii. 13.) The Clergy also may assist the Celebrant afterwards.

3. Attitude.

I

Celebrant, in his official character, "Standing"; the rest, Meekly Kneeling," in reverential

awe.

4. Reception,

"Into their hands"; Crossed, Left under Right, (a) to commemorate Crucifixion; (8) prevent particles dropping. N.B. No "Thumb and Finger.” (S. John vi. 50; 1 Cor. x. 16; xi. 29.) "Come not with thy fingers open, but make thy Left hand as if a throne for thy Right, which is on the eve of receiving the King. So receive the Body of Christ, and say Amen. And give heed lest thou lose any of IT. For tell me, if any one gave thee gold dust, would'st thou not use all precaution against suffering loss? How much more cautiously then wilt thou observe that not a crumb falls from thee, of what is more precious than gold or precious stones."! (S. Cyril of Jerusalem, A.D. 350; Catech. Lectures, p. 279; Libr. Patr.)

5. Words of Delivery or Donation.

(a) To be said to each one severally; not to two or three at a time; much less to "a whole railful at once," as if in doubt or disbelief that Christ tasted death for every man." (Heb. ii. 9; Cardwell's Conferences, p. 354.)

&c.,

life;

(6) In the First Book of our own English Reformers, the words were simply, "The Body, "The Blood, &c., life." In 1552, the Misbelieving Foreigners. cut these out, and substituted "Take, &c., thanksgiving"; Drink, &c., thankkful"; to suit their "Friendly cake and wine" theory, as their Dissenting progeny have it now, in the Scotch Kirk and elsewhere. In 1559, the two Sentences were combined, as

now.

(c) When Communicants are many, and minutes