let him come to this holy Table let him eate the Bread and drinke the Bloud of that Lambe that taketh away his sinnes and will present him pure vnto the Lord. The Lords eye is pure and can abide no wickednesse The Sacrament is holy touch it not rashly If thou haue not on the wedding Garment of sincerity come not the Lord will finde thee out and thrust thee forth of his presence among the vnbeleeuers whose portion shall be with the Diuell and his Angels Let vs therefore search and examine our wayes let vs lift vp our hands with our hearts vnto God in the Heauens and feede on this holy mysterie the life of our soules in remembrance of Christs death vntill his second comming O Lord increase my Faith A Prayer to be said at the receiuing of the holy Communion OH most gracious Lord God mercifull and louing Father in Jesus Christ my Redéemer in whom thou art also my Father by Adoption in and by thy Sonne my soule O Lord which was lost in Adam bought and redéemed by the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ doth earnestly long and entirely desire to be more and more assured that I am fully and really vnited vnto thée againe in him and therefore I doe hunger and thirst to partake of those meanes whereby that sweete and precious vnion may be confirmed in mée Increase my knowledge more and more of thy sauing truth reuealed vnto vs in thy word and increase my faith to beléeue what thou hast taught for our saluation let me take perfect and assured hold of my regeneration wrought in me by Baptisme the seale of thy promise set vpon mée when I knew not thy Law wherein as I promised to forsake sinne and cleaue vnto righteousnesse so Lord let the operation of thy holy Spirit then promised worke in my soule a true detestation of the workes of darknesse and loue vnfained to thy celestiall and diuine light And for that thou in Christ hast left vnto vs a second seale of thy loue and our adoption the Sacrament of the body and bloud of that immaculate Lambe who for a remembrance of his death our frée adoption by him instituted the same at his last supper with his Disciples and commanded thy Saints dispersed through the world through all generations to this day and for euer to the end of the world to communicate of this holy Sacrament in commemoration of that high and most preuailing sacrifice the offering of thy Son vpon the Crosse for our redemption and attonement with thée And therefore most louing Father I come in the name of him thy Son not of my selfe presuming but in all humblenes through his merits vnto this holy Table to partake with the rest of thy Saints by adoption here at this time gathered together of this holy and heauenly banquet humbly begging at thy hands for his sake that it may please thée to prepare my heart which of it selfe is not onely dull but prophane teach me being of my selfe not onely ignorant of this sacred mystery but too much knowing sinne Sanctifie me by thy holy Spirit who of my selfe am not onely corrupt but wholly prone to euill euermore consequently vnworthy to eat at this holy Table to partake of thy loue so vnspeakable Oh forgiue me Father in thy Christ here represented vnto vs ingraft in me a liuely assurance that my sinnes are done away by his bloud giue me faith to beléeue in him who by faith is made ours and we in him thine by adoption elected euen of thy frée mercy and made heires with Christ Jesus of eternall glory whereof this holy mystery is the most assured pledge Oh make me a worthy partaker of so precious a benefit And for that sinners Lord are not admitted to this sacred banquet of sauing foode where shall I appeare whose sinnes drew downe from heauen him whom thou most dearely louedst and betraid him to the Crosse how then shall I presume to appeare in this holy assembly appointed for thy Saints onely a Table of sanctitie whereof none partake but such as are frée from sinne Who then Lord dare presume to eate of this bread or to drinke of this Cup onely those whom thou hast called who though sinners by nature yet are they thy children by grace and so their sinnes are not imputed vnto them for whom Christ by his death hath satisfied apprehended by faith shewed forth in newnesse of life and wrought in vs by his righteousnesse in whose name accept me good Father and let the garment of his innocency couer my sinnes and so let me come to this holy Table And as a new man shaped in holinesse and righteousnesse let mée euermore henceforth walk before thée and more delight in thy Commandements then in any or in all worldly things let me by thy power be powerfull ouer Satan let his instigations neuer preuaile in me and let all corrupt affections die in me and let mee wholly die to sinne and liue to righteousnesse and true holinesse And for that I liue among men of diuers dispositions giue me grace to loue all but to couet to conuerse onely with such as are thine as néere as I may to reuenge me of none but to forgiue all wrongs and iniuries and so farre to forget them as I may studie and endeuour to doe good vnto all especially to such as are of the communion of Saints And enlighten mine vnderstanding more and more that I may seé and consider alwayes mine owne weakenesse wants and imperfections that I may so much the more beare with others by how much I cannot but confesie I come farre short of my duty to theé who so offendeth mee most I offend thée much more And therefore good Father frame in my heart loue vnfained true patience and liuely obedience Leaue me not either to the dulnesse peruersenesse or pride of mine owne nature or to mine owne corrupt will make mée little and lowly in mine owne eyes and giue me humblenesse of spirit and indue me with all heauenly vertues that I may rrsemble my first estate of innocency and let my present estate of grace come neere to resemble thy dearest children yea thy selfe who as thou forgauest vs in him that was Lord of all and for vs became as a seruant by his bloud washed away our sins offering his most innocent body a sacrifice for our sinnes whose rent body and spilt bloud being here represented vnto vs by bread and wine I doe most humbly pray theé that wée may be accepted worthy receiuers of his true body and bloud signified thereby and that we may féele euen instantly a renewing of our mindes our hearts to be changed from all corrupt affections and our soules swallowed vp with the due contemplation of this most sacred mystery wherein thou giuest vs not onely thy visible creatures of bread and wine to refresh our weake bodies but thine owne Sonne to saue our soules and bodies Oh who is worthy to open the
made to be due to me but that my chiefe vexation may be to thinke how I haue abused thy mercy and requited thy excéeding loue with so foule a trespesse Withall most mercifull God séeing there is mercy with thée and that thou desirest not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turne from his wickednesse and liue giue me leaue to become a suter vnto thy grace not in mine owne name but in the name of thy dearest Sonne the onely Mediator Intercessor of his chosen I most humbly beséech thée for his sake to haue mercy on me O Lord one drop of his most precious bloud shall be a soueraigne Medicine to cure my running â—ore his stripes and wounds are of an healing nature O then I pray thée purgeme cleane from mine intquitie and according to the multitude of thy mercy wipe away all my vncleannesse let the apprehension of my sinne be tempered with a comfortable application of thy mercy that I may hold an euen course betwixt fearlesse security and faithlesse despaire beholding at once both my vilenesse to humble me and the riches of thy grace to reuiue me And Lord permit me not I humbly pray thee to thinke it sufficient that I haue once made some shew of humiliation and sorrow for my falâ— but grant I may endeuor my selfe in the performance of these dueties and may euery day renew and increase my repentance with a déepe detestation of my sinnes and with a feruent desire more and more earnestly striue to be renewed in the spirit of my minde that being so cleansed from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit I may attaine vnto perfect holinesse in thy feare through our Lord Jesus in whose name I commend vnto thée my Petitions and for whose sake thou hast promised to deny nothing to thy Seruant So be it Amen Lord increase my Faith A preparation to the Receiuing of the holy Communion of the Body and Bloud of IESVS CHRIST ADAM the first man was forbidden to eate of one fruit which was fore-shewed to be mortall and hee did hasten to eate thereof Wee the Children of the second Adam are commanded to eate of the liuely and sauing fruit the Body and Bloud of Christ to our saluation yet how slacke are we to prepare vs thereunto and to partake thereof The first step therefore of true preparation thereunto is to search the Scriptures who teach the Mysterie of this holy Communion and the institution of the same as also the signification of the outward signes which are Bread and Wine the things signified the Body and Bloud of Christ shed for all beleeuers the end of the receiuing whereof is to retayne the remembrance of the Death Passion of Christ which he suffered for our sins By the true receiuing of this Sacrament we are vnited vnto the loue of God in and by the death of Christ the second Adam being separated from him by the fall of the first We are made heires by adoption of eternall saluation in by and with Christ which we lost in by Adam The true receiuing of this blessed Sacrament must be in sincerity with a repentant heart and faith vnfained And because it is not prouided for sinners who comming thereunto vnworthily receiue their owne damnation wee must before we repaire thereunto cleanse our soules from all sinne which cannot be done without diuing into our own soules with an impartiall search to finde out our owne corruption and truely to repent our sinnes Therefore saith the Apostle Let a man try and examine himselfe before he presume to come to this holy Table c. It is not fit that wee should come to this holy Banquet abruptly â—s men doe to their ordinary feasts where they Pharisaically and ceremoniously will wash their hands before they eate but to this most holy Supper we are not to come without inward washing of the soule from sinne for if vnwashed hands prophane the meat for the belly how much more an vnwasht heart this sacred Sacrament the foode of the Soule Inward examination impartiall accusation and an absolute condemnation of our selues for sinne is the best preparation to this holy Table For hee that looketh into and examineth the hidden prophanenesse lurking in the heart cannot but vpon due view of the same accuse himselfe of deepe disobedience to God which deserueth death Finding this he cannot but iudge himselfe worthy to be reiected from this communion of Saints and so condemne himselfe that he be not condemned of the Lord for he that confesseth his sinnes to God couereth them and he that coueteth to hide them increaseth them Therefore the Apostle willeth all men to trye and examine themselues which importeth repentance and so to eate This caueat is no inhibition but a terrifying of the soule not to presume to come to this holy Table without purification and sanctification Herein doth the Lord Iesus discouer his wonderfull loue towards vs who before hee inuite vs to come to this Table to eate doth instruct vs how wee should come and how we should feede He layes not this Table to snare vs as Absalom did Amnon and yet forewarnes vs that there is danger in receiuing it namely with polluted hands with hands full of bribery and extortion to take it with lips defiled with blasphemy cursing and lying to put it into a stomacke gorged with drunkennesse and gluttony and with a heart making no difference of the Lords body We must therefore lay aside all our old sinnes and put on the new man a Righteous a Holy and Christian conuersation and disposition Wee must be holy and heauenly minded towards God we must be louing to our Neighbours slow in taking aduantages or reuenging wrongs wee must be lowly and little in our owne eyes meeke and sober in all our actions And because things of so wonderfull value are herein exhibited and offered to the worthy Receiuers wee must consider who wee are how wee are cleansed of our spirituall Leprosie before we presume into the company of the Saints to communicate Wee must consider well whether vpon tryall made as afore is said wee can assure our selues that we are of the number of those to whom these holy things doe appertaine For who so is prophane in his person and an vnsanctified Creature let him forbeare to come to this holy Table and let him first vse the meanes of better assurance namely repentance for his sinnes amendment of his corrupt and sinfull life let him vse often zealous prayer to God for remission of his omissions and transgressions let him craue the assistance of his holy Spirit to assist him in the beating downe and mortifying sinne in him and that his Heart and Conscience may be sanctified And when he is cleansed let him shew himselfe to the Priest his Pastor and let him take knowledge by his outward Confession of his inward Contrition not by particularising of his sinnes but by manifesting his repentance and then in all reuerence
request if it be according to his will reuealed in his word and for all that he giueth requireth onely true thankfulnesse for requitall not that thankfulnesse which some carnally minded rich men would séeme to afford him a cap vailed with both the hands with words onely I thanke God This may be counterfeit and lip-thankefulnesse which God respecteth as the offring of hypocrites The organs of the tongue lips are necessary instruments to declare the meaning of the heart if they moue by the power of a féeling spirit but if the mouth speake in these diuine offices what the heart inforceth not it shall not onely not profit but witnes against the heart conscience that déepe dissimulation before men hypocrisie before God that shall worke their own iust condemnation But wée must fall downe vpon the knées not onely of the outward body but of a liuely féeling heart acknowledge that all we haue receiued to be his blessing and especial gift which if we can rightly performe it will follow that of the same faith wil procéede with words of thankfulnesse workes of obedience which God accepteth aboue all sacrifices whatsoeuer But who so still asketh and receiueth blessings and onely saith They are the gifts of God and disposeth of them contrary to the rule which God hath prescribed in his Word that thankfulnes will returne into his bosome as sin and he be imputed a plaine vsurper of his blessings For as when a man by faire and flattering meanes obtaineth any thing of his friends and hauing obtained it reiecteth the kindnesse of the giuer and becommeth ingratefull and vnkinde what is it but méere extorting of the thing obtained Although the all-séeing eye of God fore-séeth the heart and knoweth how and to what end wée aske whether for our owne gaine or his glory and hée often bestoweth great benefits vpon men neuer desiring them in open spéech The very groanes of the heart ascend vnto God and God is moued euen with the méere desires and that oftentimes when they procéede not of faith yea hée granteth the very things that the wicked long for but not for their comfort onely to fulfill their carnall appetites to make them so much the more beholden to him for their worldly and corporall prosperity and makes their condemnation so much the more iust by how much they are inexcusable for not seruing God in true obedience which is the summe of most acceptable thankefulnesse for all blessings It is the nature of al men to couet earthly things which wée sée God giueth to the euill as well and in greater measure then to the godly yet are the godly farre more thankfull for their smallest then the wicked for their greatest portions which last doe hunger and thirst continually to adde more and more corporall meanes vnto what they haue and no abundance can make a stay to their coueting neither can there be satisfaction to the couetous And howsoeuer it increase all their thankfulnesse is swallowed vp in their Chests or cast vpon their fields giuen to their wits to their Art or drowned in their vanities the backe and belly haue their condigne gratifications of the most and they are most beholding to some who rest as much indebted vnto these two in answering their necessities as vnto God in a sort to whom they owe many and will neuer pay any thankes And yet the prophanest of these will say that all the things they inioy are the gifts of God But as for the cordiall and true thankefulnesse it is a language vnknowne vnto them The blessings of God to many may be compared to swéet showres and our hearts to dry ground receiuing them to refresh it when it is weary but returning no drops backe againe no more doe vnthankefull men returne condigne thankes for Gods greatest benefits but as the Sun by his force and exhalations draweth vp the moistures of the ingratefull earth by force so when men can kéepe their vsurped and extorted earthly blessings no longer then they bestow them and yet oftentimes not at all consulting with the true owner God the lender but bestow them to some such ends as are displeasing vnto him as was their former abusing them They dispose of them by their wils as it were against their wils their Testaments are as testimonies of their vnwillingnesse to leaue what they so dearely loued which proueth their grosse ingratitude euen in their last conflict with death who commonly is not so cruell an Enemy but he telleth a man by one token or another that he must prepare himselfe to endure his encounter sometimes many dayes many moneths and often many yéeres before hee shew his vttermost force in all which time the most forgetfull and most vnthankefull man might call himselfe to minde and consult and consider wherefore and by whom the things he enioyeth were bestowed vpon him if by his owne deserts or by his owne méere industry let him then kisse his owne hand as the author of his happinesse but if it came of the frée gift and méere beneuolence of God let him rather cut off his hands then rest vnthankefull to God who can turne as we sée wealth into wretchednesse mirth into mourning health into sicknesse strength into weakenesse and all whatsoeuer a man in this world delighteth in into bitternesse and wormwood all which may be assured to turne to their good whosoeuer rest patient and thankfull Who then will not affoord so small a recompence for so great blessings And all thankefulnesse is comprehended vnder this one word Obedience Sacrifices were acceptable duties done in their time vnto God but obedience is more acceptable then all other kindes of sacrifices This obedience consisieth not in the outward ceremonies of performing onely the outward duties required at our hands as to liue in this World without doing hurt to others in paying that wée owe in doing good to such as doe vs seruice and to loue them that loue vs but in doing good to them that doe vs hurt in giuing them that take from vs in forgiuing them that offend vs in louing them that hate vs in feeding them that wee sée hunger-starued in cloathing them that we see want their corporall couering in comforting the sad and â—rowfull in visiting such both with counsell and aide that haue not their wished liberty of Body or Minde and in performing such other offices of Christian commiseration and piety as are commanded vs in the Word of God to be done towards our Brethren and Neighbours These are outward workes which being performed by a féeling heart touched with the Spirit of God are swéet sacrifices to God and are accepted of God as that true thankfulnesse which God requireth in recompence of our abundance which God so fréely and louingly bestoweth vpon vs aboue others in this life and for his spirituall gifts and blessings as the blessing of the inward peace of conscience the blessing of the knowledgâ— of his Word and Testimonies the benefit of