I meane not onely a generall beliefe of all the Canonicall books of the old and new Testament or a grounded knowledge alone of the poyntes and principles of Christian religion but an assured perswasion that whatsoeuer the Lord hath reuealed in his Word as hee hath done the same for others so he hath done it particularly for mee So that this Fayth is necessarie to him that shall communicate both because that otherwise hee being on the earth cannot take hold of Christ in heauen for faith is it by which he may apply vnto himselfe particularly Christ Iesus and all his merites to the assured feeling of the free pardone and full forgiuenesse of all his sinnes of the one side and the imputation of Christes righteousnesse on the other side and also that thereby he may be assured that that which hee doeth either in the administration or participation of that holy action is acceptable before God for without Fayth it is impossible to please him Which properties indeed or effectes rather if a man onely haue them shall make his Fayth to differ from all the vaine imaginations of Diuels and wicked men whatsoeuer By Repentance I vnderstand a syncere hatred of all our former sinnes and iniquities whatsoeuer and a sound loue of all righteousnesse and well doing proceeding from the right reuerence and louing feare of the maiestie of God in our heartes which holy affection doth euery day by little and little worke in vs the forsaking of our selues and the subduing of the sinfull lustes and affections of our owne flesh to the end that wee may wholly resigne our selues to be guided and gouerned by the spirit of God in the syncere seruice worship of his Maiestie So that hee which feeleth himselfe truely and vnfeignedly sorrowfull for his former iniquities not onely loathing his sinnes but euen himselfe for his sinnes sake and caryeth with him this holy purpose neuer through Gods assistaunce to commit the same or any such like may not onely be assured of his vnfeined repentaunce and so by consequent of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes but also with boldnesse yet not withstanding with reuerence in respect of God and with humblenesse of minde in respect of himselfe draw neere to the partaking of these holy mysteries By Loue which is the thing that concerneth men I doe not onely vnderstand the vnfeigned pardoning and forgiuing of others that haue any maner of way trespassed against vs which is a sure seale and earnest pennie as it were that our sinnes are forgiuen vs before God but also sound reconciliation after offences committed one of vs towardes another which is a certaine pledge that our prayers and all other good thinges that come from vs are in Christes obedience accepted before God yea I meane further by Loue which is an inward affection of the heart the sincere and outwarde testifying of the same by wordes deeds countenaunces and other meanes as the Lord shall giue occasion and our abilitie will serue to expresse the same and that not to our friendes onely or to our enimies also which is somewhat more but generally to all men though to some in greater measure as to the Household of fayth our Wiues Children and Parentes c. and to some in lesse measure as to those that be yet without and be somwhat further off by nature and kindred Meditation which is the second thing and is to be vsed specially in the time of the celebration of the Lords Supper consisteth chiefely in these poyntes In regarding the outward elements and the rites vsed in the same as the breaking of the Bread c. by which is set foorth vnto our soules the crucifying of Christs body the shedding of his bloud c. and all for our transgressions And then because wee must not stay below but must by Fayth rise vp to Heauen as it were we are deeply to consider what great graces the Lord offereth vnto vs in that holy and spirituall Banquet which in my minde may be brought into these few pointes 1 God setteth before the eyes of our Faith in that holy action first Christes death and passion togeather with the benefites and effectes which wee reape thereby and namely the remission and forgiuenesse of our sinnes 2 Secondly the full and spirituall nourishment that thorow Christ wee haue both in the outward and inwarde man euen to the hope of eternall life 3 Thirdly the mysticall vnion that is betwixt Christ and his Church hee dwelling in our heartes by faith and we thereby being made members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones 4 Fourthly and lastly the holy vnitie and agreement that is ought to be continued amongst all the members of his Church whatsoeuer or wheresoeuer they be The third and last thing which I call Action and is to be performed after the receiuing of the Lords Supper consisteth 1 First in earnest Prayer vnto God not onely for the liuely feeling of these graces exhibited but also for the fructifying of the word of God and his Sacraments in our heartes and that not for the time present alone but euen for the whole rase and course of our life Secondly in humble thankes-giuing for the vnestimable riches and treasures of grace and of goodnesse which it pleaseth him in his Church and namely by the vse of his Worde and Sacramentes not onely to offer but also to bestow vpon his people the particulars whereof are before recited And hereunto wee may be prouoked by consideration of this that the Lord freely and of his owne goodnesse giueth vs those merites not onely when we had not deserued the least of them but euen then when euerie one of vs had deserued eternall death and condemnation to be powred foorth vpon vs and ours 3 And lastly in care and conscience of a holy conuersation that seeing Christ dwelleth in our heartes by fayth and we haue our spirituall life and beeing from him that therefore wee should so liue as wee may not onely glorifie him in this life but that when the dayes of our wearisome pilgrimage shall be ended we may be glorified with him in eternall blessednesse which thing the Lord graunt vs euen for his crucified Christes sake to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one eternall God be giuen all honour prayse power and glorie both of vs and of all people euen now and at all times for euer and euer So be it A Prayer to be said before a man repaire to the partaking of the Lords Supper O Eternall GOD and most mercifull Father I thy poore vnworthy seruant doe must humbly beseech thee in Iesus Christ thy deare Sonnes name and for his sake gratiously in his death and obedience to pardone and forgiue mee all my sinnes what so euer which at any time or by any manner of meane I haue committed against thy Maiestie or any other Seale vp in my heart O Lord this great benefite of the free pardon
time extending this exercise at the least to some part of the night When notwithstanding it is to be noted that as wel in the former abstinence from meate as in this withdrawing of some part of sleepe that neither is so streightly required of the Lord but that those whose either disease or other infirmitie will not beare this abstinence without hazard of their health may vse so much libertie as shall serue for the preseruation of their health so they take heed they vse not this gentle dealing of the Lord as a cloake to hide the lustes of their flesh withall A third kind of abstinence is in the apparel that albeit they put not on Sackcloth and Ashes as the holy Fathers did in times past yet that they content thē selues with a common kind of attire auoyding all such costlinesse curiositie whereby in tricking trimming vp them selues the flesh may take occasion of being proud Thus the Lord whē he would haue the children of Israel to humble them selues before him spake to Moses saying Exod. 33.5 Speake vnto the children of Israel that for the present time they lay aside their Iewels and Ornamentes that I may know what I shall doe with them And thus farre hath it been spoken of the outward Exercises which are generall and to be done of al which make this solemne profession of repentaunce There is one yet which is more speciall belonging vnto married persons alone which is that they for the time 1. Cor. 7.5 should with consent abstaine from the mutuall felowship one of an other which is so straitly required Ioel. 2.16 that euen the Bridegrome the Bride which of all other ought to haue the greatest priuiledge in that poynt are bidden at such times to come out of their chambers Rom. 14.17 But for as much as the kingdome of heauen standeth not in these thinges and the Lord being a Spirit will be worshipped in spirite and trueth either these exercises must lead vs to some farther thing or else the same accusation will lie against vs wherewith the Prophet charged the Israelites who contenting them selues with the outward ceremonie of abstinence Esay 58.3 were sent home as emptie as they came And indeed vnlesse we bring more with vs then this our abstinencie our Fastes may be matched with the Beasts Fast of Niniuie Ionas 3.7 for they also both eate nothing and were couered with Sackcloth yea the Beastes Fast may be so much better then ours as there be some kinds of Beastes that can longer endure without meate and sleepe then we Where the Papistes fast which was shewed before to be childish may heere be prooued to be beastly and brutish For if they did onely abstaine from Meate they iudged them selues to haue holden a good Fast vnto the Lord. There follow the inwarde vertues helped forward by the bodily exercise which in the number * Ezdra 6.21 two The one is the humbling and casting downe of our selues before the high Maiestie of God with sorrow for our sinnes The other is the assuraunce that we haue that with forgiuenesse of them we shall obtaine the thing that we stande in need of and make suite for Here therefore first commeth to be considered our hūbling casting downe which is a vile esteeming of our selues answering to the outward exercise For therfore doe we abstaine for a time that we might thereby haue a quicker feeling of our owne vnworthines Therefore we bring downe the body that the minde may be likewise brought downe Therefore we crucifie the flesh that the deserued death of the spirite may be the better knowen Therfore we abstaine from our pleasures and commodities Mark 2.20 Luk. 5.35 Math. 9.15 that through conscience of sinne and feeling of the wrath of God either present or to come for the same we might draw our selues to a greater sorrow In which respect the exercise which the other Euangelistes call Fasting Saint Mathew calleth Mourning Herevpon it commeth Ioel. 2 17. 1. Sam. 7.6 that weeping which is a witnesse of our sorrow is annexed vnto the Fast which the children of God haue done so plentifully in this exercise 2. Sam. 7.6 that they haue bin sayd to haue drawne whole Buckets of Water which the deapth of the sorrow for their sinnes and the anger of God against them hath ministred And as these outward exercises are commaunded to draw vs to a feeling of our vnworthines so in the feeling thereof by them wee make a solemne confession of the same For the children of God in time past by their abstinence from meate drinke confessed them selues vnworthy so much as of a crumme of bread or drop of water by putting on Sackcloth vnworthy of the worst rag to couer their shame with So that if common honestie and health would haue suffered they wold haue stripped them selues starke naked The same is to be vnderstanded of the benefite of Sleepe and company of Mariage as also of all other the commodities of this life whereof they did not onely confesse them selues vnworthy but in that they put Dust and Ashes vpon their heades they gaue to vnderstande that they were vnworthie of the life it selfe and that they deserued to bee as farre vnderneath the ground as they were aboue it yea if there had been any thing apter to haue set forth their euerlasting condemnation in Hell of that also would they haue borne the marke thereby to declare their guilt desert of the same So that hereby they do iustifie the Lord in that vengeance against thē whereof by this humbling of thē selues they seeke redresse If then we keepe a holy Fast vnto the Lord wee must thereby be humbled in our selues before the Lord but if vpō confidence of our fasting Luk. 5.33 Luk. 18.11 wee waxe bolder to sinne in a perswasion that through obedience giuen vnto him in this one poynt we may be bolder to be disobedient in others or if the vse hereof do make vs swell against our brethren and after the example of the Pharisees despise thē which doe not Fast as wee doe then is the Fast appoynted of the Lord for our medicine become our bane and poyson And therefore here now we giue a new charge vpon the Popish Fast a great deale more hotte then the former For seeing that they with the proude Pharisee boast of the merite of their fastes setting these fastes as other workes in the place of the Blood of Christ It is manifest that their Fastes are so farre from humbling them that through the opinion of them they rise vp against the Lord and doe their best to set them selues euen in the throne of God so that vnto the childishnesse and brutishnesse of their Fast abouementioned heere they haue added an horrible and blasphemous sacriledge To the compassing of this true humbling of our sinnes is annexed necessarily an information and meditation of the filthinesse of our sinnes and of the iust
was instituted to wit before his death and suffering by which it is plaine that the bread in the supper cannot be the same naturall body that was borne of the Virgin Marie crucified on the Crosse c. 3 Thirdly wherefore it was ordeined to witt for the strengthening of our faith in the trueth of Gods promises and to put vs in remembrāce of Iesus Christ absent now a remembrance of a thing it could not bee if the thing it selfe were present And all these three pointes are prooued out of 1. Corinth 11. vers 23.24 2 In the second place the consideration of these three circumstaunces following will serue much for the clearing of the question also 1 First which be the signes in the Sacrament to wit Bread and Wine which haue that nature and force in them not of themselues for then all Bread and Wine should haue the like but in respect of the Lordes institution who alone hath power to ordeine signes or Sacramentes and to giue them that effect and propertie 2 Secondly what be the things signified thereby to witt the blessed body of Christ crucified and his precious bloud shed for the benefite and good of all those that by a liuely and stedfast faith do apprehend and take hold of him and all his merites 3 Thirdly the analogie proportion and agreement which is between the signes and the things signified the Lord no doubt choosing such elements as might most aptly and fitly expresse the thinges signified and sealed by the same Which likewise may be brought into three especiall heades or pointes 1 First that as verily as that Bread is broken and the wine defused or spread abroade because many bee partakers of it so verily was Christ wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities as Isaiah saith Cap. 53.5 and his body crucified and his blood shed vpon the crosse for many for the remission of sinnes Math. 26.26.22.28 1. Corinth 11.24.25.26 2 Secondly that as Bread hath his propertie through Gods blessing giuen it to feede and strengthen our naturall bodies in this life so his body being represented effectually vnto vs by that bread hath the self-same propertie touching our soules to strengthen and to nourish them spiritually And euen as the Wine comfort and make mans heart glad as appeareth by sundry Scriptures so our full ioy and spirituall comfort is to be found in him alone And to ioyne these two togeather of which we haue spoken seuerally this wee must know and beleeue further that as our diet is then full whole and perfect as it were when it consisteth of these two thinges Bread and Wine or Drinke so wee might know that the fulnesse and prefection of all spirituall nourishment is to be found in Christ alone no where else whilest that hee is become as well the Drincke as the Meate of our soule not onely in this double signe helping our infirmitie as it were but also teaching vs to seeke the heauenly refection and nourishment of our soules fully and wholly in him and no where else Wherevnto also he him selfe in some sort alludeth Math. 11. vers 28. c. Ioh. 6 35. Ioh. 7. 37.38 3 Thirdly that as the Bread is made of many Graines and the Wine of sundry seuerall Grapes and yet all make but one Bread and one Wine so all the faythfull should be instructed thereby that though they be seuerall and distinct persons one of thē from an other as the members in the body are yet they all compacted togeather make but one body as the Apostle Paul plainely prooueth Rom. 12.4 5. but specially 1. Corinth 10.16 17. These three things then out of all that hitherto hath been spoken I would haue to be obserued and noted 1 First that though it be true that euen by the ministerie of the Gospell wee receiue Christ with all his benefites of which Saint Paul speaketh Galat. 3 1. that Christ was described in their sight and crucified among them yet that wee haue this more plainely and plentifully set foorth vnto vs in the vse of the Supper whilest that we by fayth feeding on him that is the Bread of life which came downe from heauen John 6.51 are by that means become bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh Ephes 5.30 and made one in him euen as the Father and hee are one John 17.21.22 2 Secondly that this holy Sacrament doeth not onely direct vs to the death and passion of our Sauiour Christ which was performed many hundred yeares agoe as the one the onely Sacrifice for sinne neuer to be reiterated because that thereby he being the onely High priest and eternall Sacrificer hath consecrated for euer all them that are sanctified Hebr. 9.28 Heb. 10.14 but also yea chiefly and especially to the gracious fruites and effectes that we receaue thereby as the forgiuenesse of sinnes the assured pledge of eternall life and such like which are liuely set foorth and preached vnto vs in the same to the ende that wee may bee made partakers thereof 3 Thirdly that we must know and beleeue that though this Sacrament doe specially and chiefly direct vs to Christ his death merites obedience and the fruites thereof yet notwithstanding also it doeth instruct vs of the speciall dueties of Loue that in Christ and for Christ wee as the members of that bodie whereof he is the onely head ought vnfeignedly to performe one of vs towards an other not onely as profitable and necessarie for the partes to whom such duties are performed but comfortable also to our selues whilest by that as by a badge or cognizaunce we are knowne to be Christes Disciples Iohn 13.35 and haue sealed vp in our hearts the free pardon and full forgiuenesse of all our sinnes an assured pledge of our translation out of darkenesse into light see Luke 7.47 Also 1. John 3.14 In the third place for the clearing of this controuersie we must haue a watchfull eye to Sathans subtletie who laboureth in this poynt as in all other points of Christian religion by extreamities to draw vs into all corruption Now the extreamenesses that in time hertofore haue burst foorth and are yet in many places stoutly and stiffely maintained are specially three 1 First that of the Sacramentaries who holde and defende that there is nothing in the Supper left vs saue the bare and naked signes of Christes death and passion But the trueth is so farre off frō allowing this that we feare not to affirme that besides the signes wee haue the thinges them selues signified truly and effectually exhibited vnto vs because it is most certaine that our Sauiour Christ who is the trueth it selfe and can not lye doeth indeed and assuredly accomplish vnto vs all the promises which he made vnto vs and sealed vnto vs by the vse of the signes in the Sacrament making vs partakers euen of his very substaunce that we might also grow vp into one life with him And though this can not be comprehended by
and full forgiuenesse of all my sinnes by the assured testimonie of thy blessed spirit bearing record vnto my spirit that I am thy Child by vnfeigned pardoning forgiuing of others which any maner of way haue offended against mee Make the death resurrectiō of thy Sonne so effectuall in mee that I may not onely feele and finde in the same the forgiuenesse of my sinnes and the hope of eternall saluation but that I may be instructed thereby all the dayes of my life more and more to die vnto sinne and daily more and more to liue vnto righteousnes of life holie conuersation And for as much as through thy goodnesse I haue purposed this day to communicate in the vse of thy Word and Sacramentes I beseech thee good Father to prepare my heart and to open the eares of my vnderstanding that I may not onely reuerently and profitably hearken to thy voyce speaking vnto mee out of thy word labouring all the dayes of my life to conforme my selfe in practise to the obedience thereof but also that I may fruitfully bee partaker of the fruites and effectes of the death and passion of thy deare Sonne which it pleased thee in this Sacrament to offer vnto me To this end and purpose I beseech thee to graunt that I be not carried away in the contemplation and consideration of the earthly and corruptible thinges obiected therein to my senses but that my Fayth may be set vp and raised to the beholding and assured feeling of those Graces which it pleaseth thee by the same to offer vnto mee Giue me grace good Lord to bring with me a steadfast Fayth in the trueth of thy promises that by it as by an eye I may behold by the same as by a hand I may apprehend Iesus Christ thy Sonne sitting at thy right hand to be my onely and continuall iustifier sanctifier and redeemer Graunt me grace also to bring with me as an earnest hatred of all my former euilles whatsoeuer so a syncere loue of all righteousnesse and wel-doing that I by the power of thy spirite crucifying the Old man with the lustes and concupiscences therof specially such as beare the greatest sway in mee may be strengthened in the new man dayly to thinke speake doe those things which may be acceptable and well pleasing in thy godly presence And I beseech thee further to giue me grace to bring with me sound and syncere loue towardes all yea euen towardes mine enimies that I may not onely forget and forgiue all the iniuries and wronges that they haue deuised sayd or done against mee but also pray earnestly vnto thy Maiestie for them and purchase and procure their welfare and good by all the meanes I can Graunt O deare Father that I being purged from the filth of sinne may be made a fitte receptacle and dwelling place for thee and thy Sonne to come and dwell in so that spending my dayes in reuerence of thy Maiestie in the benefiting of my breathren and procuring mine own good I may finish my course in thy fayth and so be made partaker of eternall glorie through Iesus Christ thy Sonne my Lord and onely Sauiour So be it A prayer to be priuately vsed after the publike exercises of the Church as the preaching of the word the administration of the Lordes Supper shall be ended I Doe vnfaignedly confesse good Father that the graces are very great yea most excellent which thou hast vouchsafed this day to bestowe vppon mee wretched sinner that I am by the vse and partaking of thy holy Word and Sacramentes and namely for that it hath pleased thee thereby to increase my knowledge to confirme my Fayth to assure me that Iesus Christ thy deare Sonne hath not onely died for me but also giuen him selfe to be my spirituall nourishment to eternall life and saluation with innumerable such other benefites and blessinges For these and whatsoeuer other mercies which thy Maiestie hath freely bestowed vpon me I doe yeelde thee the humblest thankes and heartiest prayse that possibly I can beseeching thee to accept mee and this my Sacrifice of prayse thanksgiuing according to the measure that thou mercifully hast bestowed vpon me And because I feele my selfe thorough the cursed corruptiō of mine owne nature woonderfully inclined to the forgetfulnesse of thy goodnesse I beseech thee to graue these thinges in my heart with a claw of Adamant and to imprint them there that by the sight thereof and meditation therein I may bee prouoked daily more and more to magnifie the multitude of thy mercies which doest not onely bestow vpon me these great and wonderfull graces but euen then when by the meanes of my sinnes I had deserued eternall condemnation hast gratiously giuen mee the same And I pray thee further to giue me grace good Lord to expresse this my thankfulnesse towardes thee not in wordes onely but also in the deedes of a holy conuersation that I daily increasing and growing in a sound Fayth which worketh by loue and bringeth foorth all good workes may order and direct my whole life to the aduauncement of thy glorie the edification of my breathren and mine owne eternall comfort at the last through Iesus Christ thy Sonne my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen FINIS
that question sufficiently discussed for the instruction and comfort of all Christian readers Necessarie to be read at all times but especially before the administration and receiuing of the sayd Supper 2. Cor. 13.5 Prooue your selues whether yee are in the fayth examine your selues Know yee not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Imprinted at London for T. Man and I. Harison Anno. 1610. To the right worshipfull and my verie good friendes sir William Peliam Knight her Maiesties Lieuetenant of the Ordinance and the Ladie Dorothie his wife T.VV. wisheth in this life all sound knowledge of Gods trueth with an assured fayth in the trueth of his promises and after the wearisome dayes of this pilgrimage shall be ended eternall bl ssednesse in the life to come through Christ AMongest many reasons needlesse nowe to rehearse inducing mee to offer this smal Treatise vnto your Worshippes this was not the least to weet that thereby I might testifie as my vnfeigned good will towardes you in the Lord so the care that I haue in all holy loue to buyld you vp in the sincere iudgement of the pointes and principles of Christian religion For though I doubt not but that you are in some good measure endued with sundry good giftes and graces form God which should be continuall spurres and prouocations vnto you to imploy your selues to the vttermost of your powers in the seruice of his Maiestie and the obedience of his will yet in respect of the corruption of mans nature and the stumbling blockes which Sathan our common aduersarie casteth in our way to hinder vs in the rase and course of godlinesse I know that all Gods children and therefore you amongest the rest haue neede of continuall remembrancers not onely to put you in minde but also to prouoke you to passe the dayes of your pilgrimage in the reuerent feare of Gods great Maiestie and being sound in zeale sincere in knowledge and carefull in practise to finish your course in his fayth that so at the last you may be made thorough Christ partakers of eterrall saluation which is the end of our hope a d fayth yea the verie ende of our life in this life and therefore good reason that wee should imploy our whole life thereto and to the continuall vse practise of all the meanes that God hath ordeined for our better attayning thereof and namely that we should be often and earnest with him in prayer that we should delight in and labour to profite by the daily hearing reading meditating and conference of in his holy word and that wee should frequent the reuerent and ordinarie vse of his Sacramentes appoynted for the strengthening of our fayth in the trueth of his promises growing euen to this narrownesse and streightnesse of onscience that we should thinke euery day and euerie hower of a day ill spent wherein we haue not profited somewhat towardes godlinesse and honestie True is it that here is handled but onely one poynt of our Religion yet notwithstanding I beseech your Worshippes by this to gather the readie good will that is and shall bee in mee through Gods goodnesse further to write or speake in this or any other ground whereby your knowledge may be increased and your fayth strengthened in the trueth of Gods eternall Word and Promises yea I doe further request you and in you all those that shall read this little Discourse to consider not the smalnesse of the Treatie but the waightinesse of the matter propounded in the same which is one of the principles of our Religion wherein wee cannot be ignoraunt without our great hurt and to which wee can not vnworthily repaire a fault ouer common in these our dayes without iudgement and condemnation against our owne soules which hath made mee to annex at the ende thereof sundry short meditations for the better direction of the ignoraunt and vnskilfull in this behalfe In all this that I write whatsoeuer it bee I deale with them I hope that be both charitable and wise inough to conceaue my meaning and therfore shall not neede to vse many words to perswade that wherevnto you your selues bee in some measure thorough Gods goodnesse inclined and to the perfourmaunce whereof you are bound by the great grace and excellent calling that the same God in mercie hath bestowed vpon you This onely I wish and will pray or all the dayes of my life that this my poore labour and whatsoeuer other thing else it shall please him by me or any other to publish either for your good or the good of his Saintes wheresoeuer may be profitable not vnto you onely for your saluation but vnto all his elect and chosen children that the number of his faythfull being accomplished and the dayes of sinne vtterly cut off wee may be gathered to those eternall and heauenly Tabernacles which Christ our sauiour hath purchased and prepared for vs and that wee might be the better assured thereof is entred before hand there into to take possession thereof in our name there to raigne with him for euer and euer So be it Your Worships alwayes readie and humble in Christ T. VV. the Lords most vnworthy seruant To the Reader AT the motion and request of sundrie my deare friendes in the Lord I haue thought good to putte dovvne tvvo Prayers at the latter ende of this Treatise not thereby minding either to tie any person to the vse of them onely for they may according to their seuerall necessi ies conceiue some other of their ovvne or practise some better forme already set dovvne by men of greater giftes and feeling nor yet so to busie their mindes and to occupie their heades as that they should be imployed in these vvhen the publike Prayers and exercises of the Church performed by the Ministers are in hand for be it farre frō vs vvhen the Minister Gods mouth speaketh from the Lord to vs or vvhen he as our mouth speaketh to the Lord for vs to haue either our heartes or our mouthes occupied about any other thing than the reuerent hearing and consenting vnto of such thinges as he vttereth but that ayding the infirmitie of our breathren such as haue not the gifte to conceiue Prayer might haue a forme to exercise themselues in both before they repaire to the publike exercises of the Church and after the celebration of those reuerent mysteries shall he finished The substaunce of the Lordes Supper shorly and soundly set foorth for the instruction and comfort of all Christian readers TO cleare yea to voyde all the controuersies that frō time to time haue crept into the Church concerning the matter of the Lordes supper these three circumstances in the first place are meete to be considered 1 First who ordeined it to witte Iesus Christ our Sauiour which is an euident proofe of his eternall Deitie or Godhead because it belongeth to God alone to institute and ordeine Sacramentes in the Church 2 Secondly when it