of GOD and regard to your owne soules and the life that is to come apply your selves chiefly above all things to read and heare GODS Word Marke diligently therein what his will is you shall doe and withall endevour apply your selves to follow the same Blessed is he that readeth Revel 1.3 and they that heare the words of this Prophecie and keepe those things which are written therein 3. Hearing the Word preached EArly in the morning Jesus came into the Temple Ioh. 8.2 and all the people came unto him and he sate downe and taught them In the day time Jesus was teaching in the Temple Luk. 21.37 and at night he went out and aboad in the Mount that is called the Mount of Olives 38. And all the people came early in the morning to him in the Temple to heare him Acts 13.44 The next Sabbath day came almost the whole City of Antiochia together to heare the word of God preached by Paul and Bâ—rnabas Acts 8.5 Then came Philip into the City of Samaria preached Christ unto them 6. And the people gave heed unto those things which Philip spake with one accord Acts 17.11 The Jewes of Berea were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Wickliff That the hearing of the Word and Law of GOD is commmanded to the people it is evident both by the old and new Law Take opportunity to heare preaching and to prove Grashop by the Scriptures that which is taught The first Bayne and principall meanes to uphold a Christian life in godlinesse is the Word of GOD read preached and heard as the Lord prescribeth Where there is a good order of teaching Idem with diligence skill love and plainnesse we must be attentive and reverent in hearing As drinke is pleasant to them that be dry Hom. de leg Scriptur and meat to them that be hungry so is the reading hearing searching and studying of the holy Scriptures to them that bee desirous to know God or themselves and to doe his will Bayne The ordinarie preaching of the Word is a singular meanes provided for the perfecting of GODS elect and for their growing in a Christian life 4. Sacraments Eccles Ang. CHrist hath ordained in his Church two Sacraments onely as generally necessary to Salvation that is to say Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Cosler A Sacrament is an outward and visible signe of a divine invisible grace instituted by Christ by vertue whereof the receiver obtaineth grace and sanctification In Sacraments Bellar. both the matter and words must bee instituted by GOD and are not alterable by man either by addition or diminution They are therefore called Sacraments August because one thing is seene in them and another thing understood That which is seene hath a bodily kinde forme and shew but that which is understood hath spirituall fruit Wee must not consider Idem what they be but what they signifie It is a dangerous matter Idem to take the signe in stead of the thing that is signified The holy Eucharist or Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of our Lord. Mat. 26. AS they were eating Jesus tooke bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to his disciples and said Take eat this is my body Ibidem And he tooke the cup and gave thankes and gave it to them saying Drinke yee all of it Ibid. For this is my Blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins In stead of the Flesh Beda and Blood of the Lambe Christ hath ordained the Sacrament of his Body and Bloud in the figure of bread and wine Neither doe wee receive them as common bread Iust Mart. nor as common drinke The bread which is of the earth Iren. receiving the invocation of God is not now common bread but the Eucharist consisting of two things earthly and heavenly Christ taking bread Tertul. and distributing it to his disciples made it his body saying this is my Body that is to say this is a figure of my body It is evident Bertram that the bread and wine are figuratively the body and bloud of Christ By the commandement and Isidor authority of Christ we call it the Body and Bloud of Christ because that though it bee made of the fruits of the earth it is yet notwithstanding sanctified and so become a Sacrament GODS Spirit working invisibly therein Bertram That body wherein Christ suffered was his proper and true body having no mysticall or figurative matter in it But this latter is a mysticall body shewing one thing outwardly in figure and inwardly representing another thing through the understanding and apprehension of faith Eccle. Angl. The body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the Supper onely after an heavenly manner And the meane whereby the body of Christ is received in the Supper is Faith To beleeve in Christ Aug. is the eating of the Bread of Life prepare not your mouths prepare your hearts This is to eat that living bread to beleeve in Christ Clem. Alex. that is to say with love to cleave fast unto him This is to drinke the bloud of Jesus Idem to be made partaker of his immortality This is therefore Aug. to eat that meat and drinke that drinke To dwell in Christ and to have Christ dwelling in us A remembrance of the death and passion of our Saviour Christ. 1 Cor. 11. THe LORD JESUS the same night in which he was betrayed tooke bread Ibid. And when hee had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my body which is broken for you this doe in remembrance of me Ibid. After the same manner also hee tooke the cup when hee had supped saying This cup is the new Testament in my bloud this doe as oft as yee drinke it in remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11. For as often as yee eat this bread and drink this cup yee doe shew the Lords death till he come The Sacrament of the Lords Supper was ordained for the continuall remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ Eccles Ang. and the benefits which we receive thereby This bread and this cup Bertram which is called the body and blood of CHRIST doe lively represent or set out the remembrance of the Lords passion or dâ—ath even as himselfe hath said in the Gospell Luke 22. Do this in remembrance of me which the Apostle Paul expoundeth saying 1 Cor. 11. As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew the Lords death till hee come Our Lord gave unto his disciples Walfrid Strab. the SacrameÌ„t of his body and Bloud in the substance of bread and wine
and therin taught them to celebrate the memory of his most blessed Passion Ammon Having taken the bread then afterwards the cup of wine and testified it to bee his Body and Bloud he commanded them to eat and drinke thereof forasmuch as it was the memoriall of his future passion and death Worthy Receivers 1 Cor. 11. BUt let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. Ibid. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe not discerning the LORDS body They which are of a cleane conscience upright in heart Chrysost moral and of an unreprovable life may alwaies come to this Table but they which are not so may not once approach unto it S. Augustine thus speaketh Alcinnus I like well of your humility that you presume not to approach to the Body and Bloud of Christ But it were better you would depart from your iniquities and being made cleane by repentance would take the Body and Bloud of Christ Hee is a worthy receiver Cyprian that remembring the benefit of Christ his passion lifteth up his heart unto the living God with his heart unto the living God with comfort abhorreth all bitter drinks of sinne and all savour of carnall pleasures is to him as sharp and soure vineger And the sinner being converted receiving the holy mysteries of the Lords Supper giveth thankes unto GOD and boweth down his head knowing that his sinnes be forgiven and that he is made cleane and perfect and his soule which GOD hath sanctified he rendreth to God againe as a faithfull pledge and glorieth with S. Paul saying Now is it not I that live but it is Christ that liveth in me Cyprian The worthy eating is our dwelling in him and our drinking is as it were our incorporating in him being subject to him in obedience joyned to him in our wils and united in our affections Foure things most requisite Eccle. Angl. to make us meet partakers of the holy mysteries To repent us truly for our sinnes past To have a lively and stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour To amend our lives and be in charity with all men To give most humble and hearty thankes 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 Vnworthy Receivers Eccl. Ang. THe wicked and such as be void of a lively faith although they doe carnally and visibly presse with their teeth as S. Augustine saith the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation doe eat and drink the signe or Sacrament of so great a thing Aug. Outwardly they have the Sacrament of Christs body but the thing it selfe inwardly in their hearts they have not And therefore they eat and drink their owne judgement Idem Neither Heretike nor such as professe a true faith in their mouths and in their living shew the contrary are to bee accompted among the members of Christ Therefore it may not be said that any of them doe eat the body of Christ As corporall meat Chrysost finding the belly possessed with evill humours doth more offend and hurt and helpe nothing at all So also this spirituall food finding a man polluted with sinne will rather destroy him not by its owne nature but by the Receivers corruption For he that hath yet a will to sinne August I account him rather more burthened by receiving the Eucharist than cleansed Therefore albeit a man doe moderate sinne purposing not to sinne hereafter yet let him make satisfaction by teares and prayers when hee intendeth to communicate trusting in the mercy of God who upon godly confession of his iniquity useth to pardon Then let him approach unto the Eucharist safely and without feare Transubstantiation Eccl. Ang. TRansubstantiation or the change of the substance of bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord cannot be proved by holy writ but it is repugnant to the plaine words of Scripture overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament and hath given occasion to many superstitions The mysticall signes Theodoret. after consecration depart not from their owne nature for they abide still in their former substance figure and forme and may bee seene and touched as before Touching the substance of the creatures Bertram they abide the same after consecration as they were before Before the bread be sanctified wee call it bread Chrysost but when GODS grace hath sanctified it by meanes of the Priest it is delivered from the name of bread and is reputed worthy the name of the LORDS body although the nature of bread remaine still Hee honoured the visible Theodoret. signes with the name of his body and bloud not changing the nature but adding grace to nature Idem For he would have the partakers of the divine mysteries not to respect the nature of those things which are seene but to beleeve the change which is done by grace Scot. We cannot be brought to determine transubstantiation either by any plaine place of Scripture or sentence of Ancient father Cyril For like as when hee was conversant here in earth as man yet then he filled heaven and did not leave the company of Angels Even so being now in heaven with his flesh yet he filleth the earth and is in them that love him by the power of his divinity Although Christ be corporally in heaven Gre. Valen. Ies yet he is received of the faithfull communicants in this Sacrament truly both spiritually by the mouth of the mind through a most neere conjunction of Christ with the soule of the Receiver by faith And also sacramentally with the bodily mouth receiving not Christ according to his locall presence but bread and wine as seales and signes of the promise of redemption in his body and blood According to his body Greg. Naz. hee is within the limitation of place according to his Spirit and Godhead he is without the limitation of any place To be received in both kinds Eccl. Ang. THe cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the lay people for both the parts of the Lords Sacrament by Christs ordinance and commandement ought to be administred to all Christian men alike Vasques Ies Each kind in this Sacrament as it is a part of the Sacrament hath a divers signification by it selfe And each kind in this Sacrament doth worke its owne effect by it selfe Durand The bread signifieth the body and not the bloud and the wine signifieth the bloud and not the body Alex. Hales Whole Christ is not contained under each kind by way of Sacrament but the flesh onely under the forme of bread and the bloud under the forme of wine In the Primitive Church Durand all present at the Communion did participate of the
cup because all the Apostles did so our Lord saying unto them Drink ye all of this Wee have understood Gelas Pap. that some having onely received a portion of Christs body doe abstaine from the cup of his sacred bloud But sith they are moved by a fond superstition which I know not thus to abstaine either let them receive the whole Sacrament or bee put from all together for there can bee no division of this Sacrament and high mystery without great sacriledge Ignat. I exhort you to imbrace one faith one manner of preaching and use of the Sacrament of the LORDS Supper for the flesh of the LORD JESUS is one and his bloud one that was shed for us There is one bread also broken for all and one cup distributed unto all The Prayer before receiving the Communion ALmighty GOD Eccle. Angl. Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Maker of of all things Judge of all men we acknowledge and bewaile our manifold sinnes and wickednesse which wee from time to time most grievously have committed by thought word and deed against thy divine Majesty provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us We doe earnestly repent and be hartily sory for these our misdoings the remembrance of them is grievous unto us the burthen of them is intolerable Have mercy upon us have mercy upon us most mercifull Father for thy Sonne our Lord Jesus Christs sake forgive us all that is past And grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newnesse of life to the honour and glory of thy holy name through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The Prayer after receiving the Communion O Lord Eccl. Angl. our heavenly father wee thy humble servants intirely desire thy fatherly goodnesse mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving most humbly beseeching thee to grant that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ and through faith in his bloud wee and all thy whole Church may obtaine remission of our sinnes and all other benefits of his passion And here we offer and present unto thee O Lord our selves our soules and bodies to be a reasonable holy and lively sacrifice unto thee Humbly beseeching thee that all we which bee partakers of this holy Communion may bee fulfilled with thy grace and heavenly benediction And although wee bee unworthy through our manifold sins to offer unto thee any sacrifice yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service not weighing our merits but pardoning our offences through Jesus Christ our Lord by whom and with whom in the unity of the holy Ghost all honor and glory be unto thee O father Almighty world without end Amen A Prayer before reading the holy Scriptures O Gracious GOD Grashop and most mercifull father which hast vouchsafed us the rich and pretious jewell of thy holy word Assist us with thy spirit that it may be written in our hearts to our everlasting comfort to reforme us to renew us according to thine owne image to build us up and edifie us into the perfect building of thy sonne Christ Jesus sanctifying and increasing in us all heavenly vertues Grant this O heavenly Father for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for faith MOst mercifull and loving Father I beseech thee for Christ Jesus sake to strengthen and increase my faith that I may goe forward in all godlinesse And grant O Lord that my faith may bee builded upon the rock Christ Jesus that I be not carried away with every blast of vain doctrine but through faith in thee I may be as an invincible fortresse to my enemy the Devill so that he may never prevaile against me Also Lord I pray thee let not my faith bee an idle faith but a working faith that daily proceedeth from one good work to another and in the end to life everlasting there to reigne with thee world without end Amen For Repentance MAke cleane my heart O most gracious God with the water of thy heavenly grace from all the staines and corruptions of sin wherby it appeareth most vile and loathsome in thy sight Sprinkle it with the hysop of unfained repentance and compunction that being washed in the most cleare fountaine of thy grace I may become whiter than snow and evermore serve thee in holinesse and purenesse of life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A short and effectuall Prayer I Most humbly beseech thee O most gracious God and loving Father to take from me the sway of mine owne affections Incline mine heart wholly to the obedience of thy heavenly will Suppresse and quench in me all desires whatsoever that may alienate and withdraw me to wander from the way of thy testimonies Grant unto mee evermore the assistance of thy holy Spirit to conduct and bring me to the inheritance of thy everlasting kingdome for the love of thy onely Son our Saviour Jesus CHRIST Amen The generall Confession ALmighty Eccl. Angl. in liturg and most mercifull Father I have erred and strayed from thy waies like a lost sheep I have followed too much the devices and desires of my owne heart I have offended against thy holy Lawes I have left undone those things which I ought to have done and have done those things which I ought not to have done And there is no health in me but thou O LORD have mercie upon me miserable offender Spare thou mee O GOD which confesse my faults restore thou mee that am penitent according to thy promises declared unto man-kind in Christ Jesu our Lord And grant O most mercifull father for his sake that I may hereafter live a godly righteous and a sober life to the glory of thy holy name Amen A Prayer for the Morning O Lord Eccles Ang. in Liturg. our heavenly father Almighty and everlasting GOD I most humbly thanke thee for thy great mercy and goodnesse in keeping and preserving me from all perils and dangers this night past and bringing me safely to the beginning of this day Defend me O Lord in the same with thy mighty power And grant that this day I fall into no sinne neither run into any kind of danger but that all my doings may bee ordered by thy governance to doe alwaies that which is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Our father which art in heaven hallowed c. A Prayer for all times O Almightie Lord Eccles Ang. Ibid. and everliving God vouchsafe I beseech thee to direct sanctifie and governe both my heart and body in the waies of thy Laws and in the works of thy commandements That through thy most mighty protection both here and ever I may be preserved in body and soule through our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen A Prayer before going to bed O Eternall and ever-living GOD I render unto thy divine Majestie most humble and hearty thankes for thy mercifull preservation of mee this day from the hands of mine