And sometime shall be said this also, at the discretion of the Curate.

DE

3

EARLY 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 spiritual food and sustenance, as it is declared unto us, as well by God's word, as by the holy Sacraments of his blessed body and blood; 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 dignity of the holy mystery, and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof, and so to search and examine your own 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 Scrip

2 Presbyter or Curate [S. L.]

else, but even to have the mysteries of Christ in derision? It is said unto all, Take ye and eat, Take and drink ye all of this, Do this in remembrance of me. With what face then, or with what countenance shall ye hear these words? What will this be else, but a neglecting, a despising, and mocking of the Testament of Christ? Wherefore rather than 'ye should so do, depart you hence, and give place to them that be godly disposed. But when you depart, I beseech you ponder with yourselves from whom 'ye depart; Ye depart from the Lord's Table; Ye depart from your brethren, and from the banquet of most heavenly food. These things (if ye earnestly consider,) ye shall by God's grace return to a better mind: for the obtaining whereof we shall make our humble petitions, while we shall receive the holy Communion.

DE

And sometime shall be said this also, at the discretion of the Curate. EARLY 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 spiritual food and sustenance, as it is declared unto us, as well by God's word, as by the holy Sacraments of his blessed body and blood; 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 dignity of the holy mystery, and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof, and so to search, and examine your own 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 Scrip

Sacrament [S. L.]

Presbyter or Minister [S. L.]

ture; and so come and be received
as worthy partakers of such a hea-
venly Table. The way and means
thereto is; First, to examine your
lives and conversation by the rule of
God's commandments, and where-
insoever ye shall perceive yourselves
to have offended, either by will,
word, or deed, there bewail your
own sinful lives, confess yourselves
to Almighty God, with full purpose
of amendment of life. And if ye
shall perceive your offences to be
such, as be not only against God,
but also against your neighbours ;
then ye shall reconcile yourselves
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 forgiveness
of your offences at God's 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 Commu-
nion, but with a full trust in God's
mercy, and with a quiet conscience;
therefore if there be any of you,
which by the means aforesaid can-
not quiet his own conscience, but
requireth further comfort, or coun-
sel; then let him come to me, or
some other discreet and learned
Minister of God's word, and open
his grief, that he may receive such
ghostly counsel, advice, and com-
fort, as his conscience may be re-
lieved; and that by the ministry of
God's word he may receive comfort,
and the benefit of absolution, to the
quieting of his conscience, and avoid-
ing of all scruple and doubtfulness.

1549

1662

veniently placed for the receiving of the holy Sacrament, the Priest shall say this Exhortation.

D

EARLY beloved in the Lord, ye that mind to come to the holy Communion of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ, must consider how Saint Paul exhorteth all persons diligently to try 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 true penitent heart, and lively faith we receive that holy Sacrament; (for then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood; then we dwell in Christ, and Christ in us; we are one with Christ, and Christ with us;) So is the danger great, if we receive the same unworthily. For then we are guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ our Saviour; we eat and drink our own damnation, not considering the Lord's body; we kindle God's wrath against us; we provoke him to plague us with divers diseases, and sundry kinds of death.

Therefore if any of you
be a blas-
phemer of God, an hinderer or
slanderer of his word, an adulterer,
or be in malice, or envy, or in any
other grievous crime, bewail our
sins, and come not to this holy
Table; lest, after the taking of that
holy Sacrament, the devil enter
into you, as he entered into Judas,
and fill you full of all iniquities, and
bring you to destruction both of
body and soul.

Judge therefore yourselves, brethren, that ye be not judged of the Lord; repent you truly for your sins past; have a lively and stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour; amend your lives, and be in perfect charity with all men; so shall ye be meet partakers of those holy mysteries. And above all things ye must give most humble and hearty thanks to God, the Father, the Son, 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 Cross, for us miserable sinners, who lay in darkness and the 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 blood-shedding he hath obtained to us; he hath instituted and ordained holy mysteries, as pledges of his love, and for a continual remembrance of his death, to our great and endless comfort. To him therefore, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, let us give (as we are most bounden) continual thanks; submitting ourselves wholly to his holy will and pleasure, and studying to serve him in true holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. Amen.

1 what S. Paul writeth to the Corinthians, how he exhorteth, &c. [1604]

[S. L.]

2 be [1604] [S. L.]