A Preparation For The Holy Communion Poem by Rees Prichard

Let ev'ry Christian, who wou'd chuse to know
How he shou'd to God's blessed table go,
These precepts learn, and in his mem'ry bear,
Ere rashly he presumes to venture there.

Ere to the altar you abruptly go,
Consider well, what you're about to do,
And meditate on that mysterious cheer,
Which you are soon to be refresh'd with, there.

It is not at the feast of some great lord,
Or at an emperor's tyrannic board,
That you are speedily about to eat
A food, which is than manna much more sweet.

More sweet than manna, if with faith sincere,
You at Christ's sacred table shall appear,
But worse than poison far, if void of grace,
You, Judas-like, approach that holy place.

Receive it then, as it deserves, be sure,
With Christian decency and morals pure,
With faith, with hope, with sanctity of mind,
With perfect Charity for all mankind.

Take heed lest, full of sin, you madly run
To Christ's bless'd table - such a rashness shun;
Lest you damnation for your pains obtain,
Where others mercy and salvation gain.

Remember well, what purity of mind!
What care! what preparation! God enjoin'd,
Ere Israel was permitted erst to taste
The paschal lamb, or touch that blest repast.

Remember too, how at that aweful scene
Our blessed Saviour wash'd his servants clean,
And wip'd with his own hands each happy guest,
Ere he shou'd taste of that celestial feast.

O come not near the table of the Lord,
Defil'd by lust, or any crime abhorr'd,
Ere you are fully cleans'd from ev'ry fault
And filthy stain, wherewith your souls were fraught!

Cast out all sin, and ev'ry foul deceit -
Cast out wrath, envy, drunkenness and hate -
Cast pride, and each fallacious art, away ;
For Christ will never with such inmates stay.

Remember how the Devil, fatal guest!
Erst enter'd Judas's unhallow'd breast,
When he receiv'd the sop, and rashly eat,
Though plung'd in sin, the consecrated meat.

Do thou beware, lest this befal to thee,
(What once has been, thou know'st, again may be!)
If, to the Eucharist, thou shou'dst presume
Laden with sins, and unprepar'd, to come.

Keep the Corinthians ever in thy mind,
Who erst with several diseases pin'd,
Because they unprepar'd and rashly went,
Without due thought, unto the sacrament.

Take heed, lest thou thyself shou'dst e'er draw near
To that blest board, without a pious fear :
Reflect what aweful viands on it lie;
Lest thou for thy temerity shou'dst die.

Examine well thyself - be fully sure
Thy heart is perfectly sincere, and pure -
That thou hast quite repented of each fault,
And art with faith, hope, charity, well fraught.

Condemn thyself without the least deceit,
Lest God thy condemnation shou'd complete,
And, if thou dost in ought deficient live,
Beg thou of God to grant it, or forgive.

Four things are absolutely requisite,
For ev'ry one that wou'd receive aright -
True Christian faith - Repentance unconfin'd -
Love universal - and a thankful mind.

No one can safely be without the least
Of those, who goes to that celestial feast :
Whoe'er, without them, eats that hallow'd food,
From his presumption can expect no good.

A proper faith is necessary, first,
To own that Christ, upon the cross accurst,
Himself a sacrifice for sinners gave,
That by his suff'rings he the world might save.

Faith does that pardon, with its fruits, obtain,
Which Christ for us did by his passion gain;
And, in the supper he so freely gives,
Faith, Christ with all his righteousness receives.

Christ is not food, to glut the paunch design'd,
Or for the stomach and the teeth to grind,
But the soul's hunger fully to allay,
Thro' ardent faith, in a mysterious way.

None in the spirit can enjoy the Lord,
Nor eat his body at the blessed board,
Unless he's of that lively faith possest,
Which issues from the contrite sinner's breast.

It, from the Gospel, is exceeding plain,
That Christ does in the realms above remain,
And that no mortal can his body eat,
But as a mystic, immaterial meat.

Faith therefore all, to gain their Saviour, need,
Faith all must have, their famish'd souls to feed,
Faith all must have, to elevate their heart ;
If, in their Saviour, they wou'd have a part.

Christ is a food, for hungry souls design'd,
Christ is a food, to feed each faithful mind,
Christ is a food, that must thro' faith be eat,
Christ is a spiritual and mental treat!

Whene'er thou eastest this celestial bread,
In sad remembrance of thy master dead,
Lift up, above this wicked world thy heart,
That thou, thro' faith, in Christ may'st have a part.

Repentance, next to faith, must be obtain'd
From ev'ry sin wherewith thy soul is stain'd,
With resolution to amend each day,
And from thy former faults to turn away.

Repent thou truly, with a heart sincere,
And for thy sins shed many a briny tear,
Nor dare the table of the Lord attend,
Ere thou repentest, lest thou shoud'st offend.

Cast out the dregs, and keep thy body pure,
Nor in a cask unsweet thy wine secure,
Lest it shou'd fret, and force a passage out,
And from the riven vessel fly about.

Nor Father, Lamb, or Dove, will e'er remain,
Where hate, and gloomy-minded malice reign:
Then make thy vessel clean, if thou wou'dst taste
Thy Saviour's flesh, and share the sweet repast.

Disgorge thy fulsome load, conceal thy shame,
All trifling talk, and vain pursuits disclaim,
Suppress thy wanton heat, thy temper rein,
Amend thy life, from idleness refrain.

Wash thou thy hands in innocence, thy soul
In righteousness, in charity, thy whole:
So shall the man entire, from head to heel,
Receive his Saviour, and his influence feel.

Love justice, and sobriety pursue,
Use purity and holiness, indue
The robe of perfect love, and let no stain,
However slight, defile thy soul again.

Let not things holy e'er be hurl'd to dogs,
Nor precious pearls be flung to filthy hogs,
Nor manna to a dirty dish consign'd,
Nor the communion to an impious mind:

But, in a golden pot, thy manna place,
Christ's body with the finest linen grace,
In a clean cask thy gen'rous wines secure,
And the communion in a heart that's pure.

The third thing requisite, which thou must get,
Ere thou dost eat, is charity complete:
Ill-will, or spite, to no man thou may'st bear,
Whether, thy friend or foe, from far, or near,

Love is the banner of Christ's servants shown,
Whereby they are from any other's known;
And 'tis by love (as men by liv'ry coats)
That Christ distinguishes his sheep, from goats :

For Christ will not permit that any guest
Shou'd e'er partake of his celestial feast,
Who has not a sincere and guiltless mind,
That is in charity with all mankind.

Though of a thousand gifts thou wert possest.
Thou shalt not be to Christ a welcome guest ;
But all those gifts will be of no avail,
If thou in perfect charity shou'dst fail.

In love unfeign'd with all thy neighbours live,
With all thy heart thine enemies forgive,
And if a wrong to any thou hast done,
Be reconcil'd, or let thy work alone.

Take heed, and come not to the feast of Christ,
Unless from spite and malice you desist ;
Lest Satan with the bread shou'd enter in,
And fill you full of ev'ry filthy sin.

Learn of the adder, though a worm, to cast
Each pois'nous passion from thy breast in haste,
Ere to approach God's altar thou dost dare;
Lest those fierce passions shou'd destroy thee, there:

For as some say, who have the action seen,
The adder lays her poison on the green,
Before she quenches at the stream her thirst ;
Lest she shou'd by th' envenom'd potion burst.

So cast all anger from thy bosom quite,
All envy, rage, malevolence, and spite,
Or else, like wild and furious beasts, they will
Without distinction their own Keepers kill.

If these three virtues, 'faith, repentance, love,'
Adorn thy soul, thou shalt most welcome prove;
Thou then may'st go, and be thy master's guest ;
For Christ himself invites thee to his feast.

Think, when thou see'st the Priest divide the bread,
And view'st the wine into the chalice shed,
Think, how the spear transfix'd thy Saviour's side,
And how his heart, pour'd out its crimson tide!

When bread and wine, just hallow'd at the board,
Thou dost receive, receive in thought the Lord,
Receive him in thy heart with mind sincere,
And fully feast thy soul upon him, there.

We masticate him not, (when Christ we eat)
Nor turn him down our throats, like common meat ;
But 'tis by faith, and by a thankful heart
Alone, that we in Christ can have a part.

Lift up thy mind, and soar above the skies,
And look at Christ with supplicating eyes,
Reflect what then he did and felt for thee,
Whilst for thy sins he hung upon the tree.

Believe that Christ, when nail'd unto the tree,
For thee was sacrific'd, and di'd for thee!
Believe that he, to buy the soul, did bleed:
'Tis then! 'tis thus, thou eatest Christ indeed!

But shou'dst thou ask, what good can thence arise,
Or in the sacrament, what profit lies,
Shou'dst thou receive it with a Christian mind,
True faith, and charity for all mankind?

Why! Christ to thee, there, absolution gives,
And freely all thy sumless sins forgives,
An absolution, by thy God made good---
An absolution, seal'd with Christ's best blood!

Pardon and life, are thence, to thee supply'd,
With comfort, health, and ev'ry gift beside,
He gives his spirit, with each grace divine,
And he himself, with all his gifts, is thine.

He makes thee all his mighty blessings share,
Such blessings, as no language can declare!
He will, in spirit, in thy heart remain,
And, if thou'rt grateful, there will ever reign.

He feeds thy fainty soul with fat'ning food,
With his own body, and his precious blood,
And gives thee his blest Spirit from on high,
As a sure pledge of immortality!

How art thou bound such goodness to applaud,
And sing the praises of thy Saviour-God,
Who made thee of his glorious supper eat,
An entertainment with each good replete?

O, what returns canst thou to Him e'er make,
For all He did or suffer'd for thy sake -
To Him - who fed thy soul with heavenly food -
With His own body, and most precious blood?

Then be not such a brute, the church to leave,
Where thou so lately didst such food receive,
Ere thou thy thanks hast to thy Saviour paid
With grateful mind, for his celestial aid.

Christ, even barley bread wou'd never eat,
Much less more delicate and sav'ry meat,
Before He thank'd his Sire - nor wou'd forget,
Where-e'er he was, to pay that bounden debt.

How can'st thou then presume the Lord to eat,
And feed on Christ, the very first of meat!
Yet never for the boon thy thanks impart,
Thy bounden thanks - e'en from thy very heart?

Nor yet invite heav'n, earth, and man to join
The Seraphim, and all the hosts divine,
To celebrate with thee the Lord above
For his immense benevolence and love?