Warning To Non-Communing Believers

The actual source of this strong admonition (previous blog entry) is the Scottish Book of Common Prayer of 1667, or as it was known “Laud’s Liturgy”.  It was the reading of this book that produced a riot in St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh.

The book had been written by the Scottish bishops, supervised by Laud and by the King.  The General Assembly or presbyterian ministers were not consulted in its production.  They objected to much of its content, (which appeared too Roman Catholic), to the inclusion of readings from the Apocrypha, and to its imposition by a foreign power and English archbishop. They also objected to a fixed rather than a free liturgy.  It was not the reading of prayers as such that they objected to – after all the prayers from Knox’s Book of Common Order had actually been read in St Giles, as was the normal practice, on the morning of the riot before the attempt to enforce the new liturgical order!

There are aspects of Laud’s Liturgy that are interesting. Beside the admonition to non-communing believers it strongly fenced the table.  My thanks to Prof Donald MacLeod who pointed this out at a recent seminar in Bishopbriggs Free Church.  We imagine that the fencing of the table was a Presbyterian idiosyncrasy.  It was not; the Episcopalians were even stronger in fencing the table. It can be argued that such fencing was overdone, but it was not unusual for the age. 

Again, I have not attempted to modernise the text:

The order of the Administration of the Lords Supper, or holy Communion

So many as intend to bee partakers of the holy Communion, shall signifie their names to the Presbyter or curate over night, or else in the morning afore the beginning of Morning prayer, or immediatly after.

And if any of those bee an open and notorious evil liver, so that the Church by him is offended, or have done any wrong to his neighbours by word or deed: the Presbyter or Curate having knowledge thereof, shall call him, and advertise him, in any wise not to presume to come to the Lords Table, untill he have openly declared himself to have truely repented and amended his former naughty life, that the Church may thereby bee satisfied, which afore was offended, and that he have recompensed the parties whom he hath done wrong unto, or at the least declare himself to be in full purpose so to do, as soone as he conveniently may.

The same order shall the Presbyter or Curate use with those betwixt whom he preceiveth malice and hatred to reigne, not suffering them to be partakers of the Lords Table untill he know them to be reconciled. And if one of the parties so at variance, be content to forgive from the bottome 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 perswaded to a godly unity, but remaine still in his frowardnesse and malice : the Presbyter or Minister in that case ought to admit the penitent person to the holy Communion, and not him that is obstinate.

Dearly beloved, forasmuch as our duty is to render to almighty God our heavenly Father most hearty thanks, for that he hath given his Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, not only to die for us, but also to be our spirituall food and sustenance, as it is declared unto us, as well by Gods word, as by the holy sacrament of his blessed body and bloud, the which being so comfortable a thing to them which receive it worthily, and so dangerous to them that will presume to receive it unworthily : my duty is to exhort you to consider the dignitie of the holy mysterie, and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof, and so to search and examine your owne consciences, as you should come holy and clean to a most godly and heavenly feast, so that in no wise you come but in the marriage garment, required of God in holy Scripture, and so come and be received as worthy partakers of such a heavenly Table. 

The way and the means thereto is : First to examine your lives and conversation by the rule of Gods commandments, and wherein soever ye shall perceive your selves to have offended, either by will, word, or deed, there bewaile your own sinfull lives, confesse your selves to Almighty God with full purpose of amendment of life. And if yee shall perceive your offenses to be such as be not only against God but also against your neighbours : then ye shall reconcile your selves unto them, ready to make restitution and satisfaction according to the uttermost of your powers, for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other, and likewise being ready to forgive other that have offended you, as you would have forgivenesse of your offenses at Gods hand : for otherwise the receiving of the holy Communion doth nothing else but increase your damnation. 

And because it is requisite that no man should come to the holy Communion but with a full trust in Gods mercy, and with a quiet conscience : therefore if there be any of you which by the means aforesaid, cannot quiet his own conscience, but requireth further comfort or counsell, then let him come to mee, or some other discreet and learned Presbyter or Minister of Gods Word, and open his griefe that he may receive such ghostly counsel, advice, and comfort as his conscience may be relieved, and that by the ministry of Gods word he may receive comfort and the benefit of absolution, to the quieting of his conscience, and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulnesse.

¶ Then shall thePresbyter say this exhortation.

Dearly beloved in the Lord, ye that mind to come to the holy Communion of the Body and Bloud of our Saviour Christ, must consider what S. Paul writeth to the Corinthians, how he exhorteth all persons diligently to trie and examine themselves, before they presume to eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup. For as the benefit is great, if with a truly penitent heart and lively faith wee receive that holy Sacrament : (for then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drinke his bloud; then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us; wee be one with Christ, and Christ with us) So is the danger great, if we receive the same unworthily : for then we be guilty of the body and bloud of Christ our Saviour; we eat and drink our own damnation, not considering the Lords body : we kindle Gods wrath against us: we provoke him to plague us with divers diseases, and sundry kindes of death. Therefore, if any of you be a blasphemer of God, an hinderer or slanderer of his Word, an adulterer, or be in malice or envy, or in any other grievous crime, bewaile your sinnes, and come not to this holy table; lest after the taking of that holy sacrament, the devil enter into you, as he entred into Judas, and fill you full of all iniquities, and bring you to destruction, both of body and soul. Judge therefore your selves (brethren) that yee be not judged of the Lord. Repent you truely for your sins past : have a lively and stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour. Amend your lives, and be in perfect charitie with all men, so shall yee be meet partakers of those holy mysteries. 

And above all things ye must give most humble and hearty thanks to God the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, for the redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ both God and man; who did humble himself, even to the death upon the crosse for us miserable sinners, which lay in darknesse and shadow of death, that he might make us the children of God, and exalt us to everlasting life. And to the end that we should alway remember the exceeding great love of our Master and only Saviour Jesus Christ, thus dying for us, and the innumerable benefits which by his precious bloud-shedding hee hath obtained to us : he hath instituted and ordained holy mysteries, as pledges of his love, and continuall remembrance of his death, to our great and endlesse comfort. To him therefore, with the Father and the holy Ghost, let us give (as we are most bounden) continuall thanks, submitting our selves wholly to his holy will and pleasure, and studying to serve him in true holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life. Amen.