The canons and decrees of the Council of Trent celebrated under Paul III, Julius III, and Pius IV, Bishops of Rome / faithfully translated into English.

CHAP. VII. Of the Preparation which is to be made, that a Man may wor∣thily receive the Holy Eucharist.

IF it does not befit any one to come unto any Sacred Function, unless holily, surely the more the Holiness and Divinity of this heavenly Sacrament is in any Christian man, the more diligently he ought to take heed that he do not ap∣proach to partake thereof, but with great Reverence and Holiness, especially seeing we read such terrible words in the Apostle; He that eateth and drinketh un∣worthily, eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself, not discerning the Lords Body. Wherefore he that has a mind to communicate must call to mind that Command or Precept; Let a man examine himself. And the Custom of the Church doth declare such Examination to be necessary, that none ought to come unto the holy Eucharist that are guilty of Mortal Sin, although he may seem humbled therefore, unless admitted by Sacramental Confession: Which this holy Synod hath decreed perpetually to be observed by all Christians, and by such Priests also whose office it is to celebrate, if so be a Confessor be not wanting. But if, upon urgent necessity, the Priest shall celebrate without previous Confession, let him do it with the first opportunity.