performance of so holy a Duty to God which is call'd Habitual Preparation yet in regard of our daily Errors and Miscarriages we should prepare and examin our selves in a stricter way whenever we intend to receive And this is call'd Actual Preparation which is a serious Tryal and Examination of our State how we stand affected toward GOD and Man Q. 5. Wherein must we examin our selves A. In these Five Things viz. Knowledge Faith Repentance Charity and Obedience Q. 6. How must I examin my Knowledge A. I must try 1. Whether I understand the Nature of this Sacrament and the Necessity of Receiving it The Knowledge here requir'd is plain and easy and may be learnt from the Answers to the first and second Questions 2. I must examin how much I have profited grown in Grace and Knowledge and if I have not profited Whether 3. I am sorry for my want of Knowledge or Faith or other Heavenly Graces Q. 7. How must I examin my Faith A. I must try 1. Whether I rely on Christ alone for Salvation yet so as not to neglect my Endeavours and Whether I depend on him only in time of internal or external Temptation 2. Whether I believe that God on my Repentance will freely for Christ's sake forgive and blot out all my Sins 3. Whether I long for such a strong and lively Faith such a firm Belief of God's Word as may influence my Heart and Practice and transform me into the Image of Him who is the Author and Finisher of our Faith Q. 8. How must I examin my Repentance A. I must try 1. Whether I am sorry for my Sins past 2. Whether I am willing in good earnest to forsake 'em and live a better Life for the future aiming at the Life and Power of Religion 3. Whether I am willing to make Restitution for the Injuries I have done and for whatever I have unjustly taken from any because without this there can be no True Repentance 4. Whether I like those Sermons which reach to my Conscience and bring me to the sight of my Sins Q. 9. How must I examin my Charity A. I must try 1. Whether I forgive every one and bear no Malice nor Hatred in my Heart but wish my Enemies Repentance and Salvation 2. Whether I labour for Peace and neither seek nor give Occasion of Contention 3. Whether I love Good Men because they are Good Q. 10. How must I examin my Obedience A. I must try 1. Whether I make God's Word my Rule and frame my Life thereafter 2. Whether I am ready to obey all the Laws and Commands of God without keeping any darling Sin or Lust in my Soul Q. 11. What is requir'd of me at Receiving A. 1. To carry my self decently humbly and reverently 2. To fix my Heart and Thoughts on this Sacred Ordinance and the bitter Passion and Sufferings of Christ there represented to us 3. According to my Ability to give somewhat towards the Relief of the poor Members of Christ Q. 12. What is requir'd of me after my Receiving A. 1. To examin whether I receive Comfort by it 2. To be joyful and thankful to God for affording this blessed Opportunity of receiving Ps 116.13 3. To remember that I have now renew'd that Vow which at first in Baptism I made to God by my Sureties 4. To be careful to pay to GOD and Man what I have so vow'd 5. To shew my Love and Thankfulness to God by holiness of Life and Conversation by loving his Word i. e. by duly reading and meditating on it by a strict Observation of the Lord's Day spending it in Devotion especially attending on publick Prayer and Preaching being careful to remember of every Sermon I hear somewhat either for my Information or Reproof or that tends to the promoting Piety towards GOD or Charity to Men. And because we are not able of our selves to perform the least of these Duties here prescrib'd we ought therefore now and then to abstain from a Meals Meat and by Fasting Prayer and Humiliation to implore the Grace and Assistance of God's Holy Spirit to enable us to perform these Duties and keep us in the constant Practice thereof At such time of Abstinence it may be convenient to read and meditate on Psalms 25 39 130. Isaiah 55. Matth. 5. John 6. 15. Romans 8. and Hebrews 12. Thus I have done with the First Part that respects Knowledge or what we ought to know of this Duty Next follows what you are to practise On Sunday Morning get up betimes and Read a Chapter on your Knees wait or sit silent a little time casting all worldly Thoughts out of your Mind Then say this Preparatory Prayer for Sunday Morning at home MOST Great and Incomprehensible Lord God! Thou art worthy of all Praise and infinitely to be admir'd for thy Grace and Mercy in the Redemption of the World by the Body and Blood of thy Son whom thou hast given to be Meat and Drink to them that Fear and Obey Thee O Lord I design this Morning to receive of that Bread and Drink of that Cup that nourishes the Soul of all true Penitents Lord let the Inward and Spiritual Grace accompany the Bread and Wine that so my Body may not only be Refresh'd but my Soul also Refresh'd Comfortcd and Strengthen'd that I may evermore continue Obedient to thee Blessed Jesus O Lord I beseech thee send forth thy Light and thy Truth to Guide and Direct me O Establish me with thy free Spirit that thou givest freely to them that ask in Faith that Blessed Spirit that makes our Meditations of Thee to be sweet yea sweeter than Honey It makes the Soul to rejoyce more than in plenty of Corn Wine and Oil. This is that that made Shadrach Meshach and Abednego embrace a Fiery Furnace Daniel a Lyon's Den St. Peter a Crucifixion and John a Kettle of Boiling Oil St. Bartholomew to be Flead St. Bernard to cry out Hold hold for my Heart is not able to cantain these Joys which thou dost so liberally pour out upon me Blessed God let my Heart be thus tuned and then shall I receive Strength and Nourishment of Soul to Everlasting Life All which I beg through the Merits of Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all Glory and Praise now and evermore Amen Our Father which art in Heaven c. Then repair to Church c. And after Sermon is ended say this Prayer before the Sacrament MOST merciful and gracious Lord who didst Institute this Feast of Love for us vile and miserable Sinners utterly unworthy of the least of thy Favours be pleas'd to help me to approach it with that Devotion Reverence and Humility that befits a worthy Communicant at thy Table Lord I come out of a Sense of my want of that Food from Heaven to which thou most graciously dost invite me I come in Obedience to thy Commands to testifie my Faith in Thee and
to commemorate thy unspeakable Love in accomplishing the work of my Redemption by a most Shameful and Bitter Death I come to renounce and cast off my Sins and Transgressions and to renew my Baptismal Covenant which I have often and perversly broken O do thou for thy Mercy sake accept me though an unworthy Guest Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy Sight shall no Man living be justified If thou Lord should'st be extreme to mark what I have done amiss I must suffer all the Vials of thy Wrath I must undergo all the Curses of thy Law I must stand expos'd to all the Judgments and Terrors of this Life and to the intolerable Torments of Hell in another So far should I be in this Case from receiving any manner of Advantage from these Holy Mysteries that I should eat and drink my own Damnation Miserable wretched Creature that I am that I should so eagerly pursue the Paths that lead to Death and Misery that I should so continually offend thee my most tender and indulgent Father that I should trample under foot the Son of God and repay that wonderful Love and those unknown Sufferings of His on my behalf with those Sins which at first Crucified him and still continue to Crucifie him afresh and put him to an open Shame that I should grieve that good Spirit of God which so earnestly wooes and entreats to accept of Life and Salvation that I should be guilty of so much Pride Hypocrisie Indevotion and Deadness in my Prayers of so much Injustice Passion and Malice of so much Impenitency Uncleanness Intemperance c. Here reckon up the particular Sins thou hast been guilty of whereby I have wickedly departed from Thee the Lord of Life and Glory the Fountain and Spring of all Happiness Lord I fly into the Arms of Thy Mercy O save me or I perish Hide me under the Clefts of thy Wounds until thy Father's Indignation be overpast O thou that delightest not in the Death of a Sinner but rather that he should turn and be saved receive me to thy Favour for the Merits and Satisfaction of my Blessed Redeemer in whom alone thou art well pleased His Blood was shed to make Atonement for my Sins His Body was bruised and beaten with Stripes that thro' them I might be healed Lord grant that in this Blessed Sacrament I may effectually receive these Benefits of his Death and Passion grant that I may have my Pardon seal'd my Weakness repair'd my Graces strengthen'd and my Soul raised to Heaven in Flames of devoutest Affection and Adoration O do thou nourish my Soul by this immortal Food to live the Life of Grace and Holiness and enable it to make some Returns of Love to Thee the infinite Lover of Souls But oh What Returns can be sufficient what Transports of Love and Praise can be enough for Him who died a most painful and ignominious Death to deliver us from inevitable Ruin and Misery when we were his bitter Enemies and at open Defiance and Rebellion against him Oh the Riches of thy Goodness how unutterable are thy Mercies and how unconceivable is thy Love Grant I pray thee that tho' I am utterly unable to make a true estimation thereof yet I may love Thee to the utmost capacity of a frail Creature and shew it by living in all holy Obedience and Conformity to thy Laws and Precepts Grant that I may always desire and endeavour to please thee and be very tender and fearful of offending Thee keeping a strict Watch over my Heart and Ways that no Temptations prevail against me or make me fall from my own Stedfastness But that being effectually Sanctified here I may in the end be eternally Blest in the Kingdom of Glory Lord pity and commiserate my Frailty and graciously supply all my Wants and Necessities for thy Mercy and Compassion's sake Amen Our Father c. Now repair to the Communion-Table and being placed conveniently lift up your Heart towards Heaven and say O Lamb of God that didst offer thy self a Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World have Mercy upon me miserable Sinner I am here ready to renew the Covenant I made with thee in Baptism and once more to take those solemn Engagements upon my self O do thou give me the Assistance of thy Grace and Holy Spirit that I may be enabled to perform them that I may henceforth renounce the Devil and all his Works all the Pomps and Vanities of the World and the sinful Lusts of the Flesh that I may stedfastly persist in the true Faith of thy most Holy Religion and live in sincere Obedience to thy Laws all the Days of my Life Amen Just before Receiving a Prayer GRant O Lord I beseech thee that the Wine that makes glad and the Bread of Life may infuse new Strength and Vigour into my Soul and into the Souls of all that Communicate with me that we may daily grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that according to his Command we may be united in Holy Love and Fellowship with one another and with the Church of God and at last obtain that glorious Fellowship with thy self in Heaven which thou hast promised to all that love and fear thee through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen When you receive the Bread say GRant me Blessed Lord so to eat the Flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ and so to drink his Blood that my sinful Body may be made clean by his most holy Body and my Soul washt in his most precious Blood that I may evermore dwell in him and he in me Amen After you have received the Bread say O That the Bread which I have now eaten may be the Bread which came down from Heaven and gives Life unto the World O that I may now feel â—s Efficacy inflaming my Soul with the Heavenly Ardours of Divine Love having all my Affections fet on things Above and not on things Below May this Bread be to my Soul the staff of Strength whereby I may vanquish all the Assaults of the Devil the World and the Flesh and continue my Lord 's faithful Servant to my Life's end Amen At the receiving the Cup say THe Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for me preserve my Body and Soul unto Everlasting Life I drink this in Remembrance that Christ's Blood was shed for me and am thankful After you have received the Cup say O That this precious Blood of my dear Redeemer may be now both the Purification and Nourishment of my Soul the Seal of my Pardon and Peace with God and the Pledge of mine Inheritance in Heaven Amen Then return to your Pew or Seat and say on your Knees this Thanksgiving after the Sacrament BLessing Honour and Glory be given to thee O Lord for thy Love this Day discover'd to me and for all the Benefits receiv'd at thy Table What is Man that thou art
A Guide to Young Communicants Or The Whole Duty of the Sacrament Fitted for those that Desire to be WORTHY RECEIVERS OF THE Lords Supper With Suitable PRAYERS For Morning and Evening Also Directions for a Holy Living and Dying A Dialogue between a Divine and a Beggar And a Description of CHRIST'S Person when on Earth To which is added Bishop USHER's Prophecy The Fourth Edition London Printed for G. C. at the Ring in Little-Britain Price 2 d. Reader THis little Book was printed for the Use of an Honourable Lady and was wrote as I was inform'd by Dr. J. Bishop of L n. It has found a kind Reception and many of them have been distributed among the Poor It contains what is necessary to be known on this Occasion sufficiently explaining what the Communion or Sacrament of the New Testament is and what is meant thereby showing plainly what is to be done at before and after Receiving Indeed that which makes all People Worthy Communicants or truly prepares for this Duty is a Holy Life it does not require so much Head-Knowledge as a sincere Heart devoted to God A God-like or Christ-like Life is the best Qualification True Repentance or forsaking Sins past and hearty Obedience to what God manifests or discovers in the inward of thy Heart to be thy Duty This must be done by thee whoever thou art thâ—t would come rightly prepar'd to Receive the Lord's Supper For thy Assistance herein I recommend to thee this little Book ADVERTISEMENT A Guide to young Communicants with Meditations for every Day of the Week to which is added a History of Riches Poverty Godliness Labour and Content Bp Usher's Prophecy an Account of Popish Persecutions with other matters Pr. stitcht 4 d. bd 6 d. A Guide to the Altar with Prayers for Morning and Evening and other Occasions to which is added The Practice of the Faithful 1 s. A Spark from the Altar or Preparation for the Sacrament Pr. 6 d. A Bundle of Myrrh Pr. 1 d. The pious Man's Directions shewing how to walk with God all his Days c. Pr. 6 d. The Child's Weeks-work and Father's Blessing 6 d. England's Reformation against Drunkenness Gluttony Whoredom Fornication Cursing Swearing c. with Examples of God's Judgments on such as use them Pr. 1 d. The Tryal and Execution of Joan Perry her two Sons in Gloucestershire very strange and true Pr. 2 d. A Week's Preparation for a Worthy Communicant Quest 1. WHAT is the Communion Answ It is the second Sacrament of the New Testament wherein by the outward Receiving the Bread and Wine is signified the inward and spiritual Receiving of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ that is of all the Benefits of his Incarnation and Sufferings Q 2. Why do we Receive the Communion A. For four Reasons especially 1. Because Christ in the Institution of it did expresly command it Do this in remembrance of me Luk. 22.19 which is also repeated and enjoin'd by St. Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 11 from the 2â—d to the 29th verse 2. To testifie our unfeigned Love to GOD and Charity to all Men. 3. To shew our thankful Hearts for God's unspeakable Mercy in it Abraham reckoned himself unworthy to speak with God Moses thought himself unfit to be sent to Pharaoh And behold God himself entertains us as Guests at a Holy Feast of the richest and most costly Dainties provided by himself for us And what can be sufficient for sinful Creatures to return in Gratitude for such endearing Love and Condescension 4. Because of the great Advantage and Benefit we receive by taking of it worthily The Benefit we receive in this Sacrament does chiefly consist in these four Particulars 1. We are by this Sacrament united to Christ and made one with him for as the Bread and Wine becomes one with our Bodies so by this Sacrament we become one with Christ 2. To strengthen and encrease our Faith and Repentance for in this Sacrament we do as it were see Christ Crucified before our Eyes Gal. 3.1 When the Bread is Broken it puts me in mind how the Blessed Body of my Saviour was Torn and Wounded before Pontius Pilate upon the Cross and when the Wine is poured forth into the Cup it shews how the precious Blood of Jesus Christ was abundantly shed for our Sins And when the Minister reaches me the Bread and Wine it sheweth me his beloved Son is to be received and embraced by me and that through his Merits and Intercession we are reconciled unto him 3. By this Sacrament we become united to our Christian Brethren for it is a Feast of Love where we profess hearty Affection to all the People of God sincerely desiring and seeking the Welfare of his Church putting up our devoutest Prayers for our Fellow Christians and forgiving if we have ought against any of them as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us And 4. We hereby receive the Assurance of Pardon and Remission for all our past Transgressions and a Confirmation and Encrease of all Christian Graces for this Sacrament is a Seal of our Covenant with God assuring and sealing to us upon the Conditions of true and hearty Repentance c. the Pardon of all our Sins and a comfortable Assurance of Eternal Life and Salvation and it is an Instrument or Means whereby we receive Grace and Strength to serve God more freely and chearfully ever after In a word it gives us a Title and Interest to all the Blessings obtained by Christ Jesus The very Names given to the Sacrament in the New-Testament declare unto us the Nature of it and the Blessing we receive by it which are these six 1. It 's call'd the Communion or Communication of the Body and Blood of Christ that is as was said before of all the Benefits of his Life and Sufferings 1 Cor. 10.26 2. It is called The Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.20 as our Lord instituted it after he supt with his Disciples 3. It is call'd The Lord's Table on the same account 1 Cor. 10.21 4. It is call'd Breaking of Bread Acts 2.40 to denote Charity 5. It is call'd The Last Will of Christ or The New Testament Mat. 26.28 viz. wherein he bequeaths to us Life and Salvation 6. It is call'd The Cup of Blessing that is of Praise and Thanksgiving 1 Cor. 10.16 It is also call'd the Eucharist which signifies the same thing Q. 3. What is requir'd of a Christian that he may become a Worthy Communicant A. Three sorts of Duties 1. Somewhat to be done before we receive the Communion 2. Our Duties at Receiving And 3. Our Duties afterwards Q. 4. What is expected before we receive the Communion A. To examin and prepare ourselves beforehand this God hath commanded And we can't be assured that without such Examination we shall be welcome Guests at the Lord's Table See to this purpose 1 Cor. 11.28 29. For tho' a true Christian ought always to be fitted for the
mindful of him or Son of Man that thou should'st so regard him as to suffer such bitter things for his sake to be Scourged and Bruised for his Transgressions and to bear upon thy Shoulders the Sins of a whole World O the depth of the Riches of thy Mercy and Goodness We have sinned against thee and thou thy self hast undergone the Punishment We have perversly run in the Paths that lead to Death and Damnation and thou hast undeservedly merited Life and Salvation for us and dost wooe and entreat us to accept of it and hast ordain'd this Sacrament to assure us of the Reality of thy gracious Intentions towards us Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his Holy Name Praise the Lord O Soul and forget not all his Benefits who forgiveth all thy Sin and healeth all thine Infirmities who saveth thy Life from Destruction and crowneth thee with Mercy and loving Kindness Lord grant that this unspeakable Love of thine may make me more and more a bound in Love to thee Grant that it may constrain me to Obedience and good Living and to a diligent Performance of all those solemn Engagements I have now made unto thee And since thou hast purchased me with the inestimable Price of thy Blood grant that I may continue wholly thine and glorify thee both in Body and Spirit by giving up my self to thy Service and by walking before thee in Holiness and Righteousness all my days Thou hast in infinite Mercy vouchsafed to unite thy self to me miserable and unworthy Creature thereby becoming the Strength Life and Support of my Soul O grant that I may never dissolve this Sacred Union nor suffer any sinful Lust or unlawful Passion to take me out of thy Hand And grant that according to the Profession of Charity I have made at thy Table I may henceforward be Compassionate and ready to forgive all Wrongs and Injuries supply the Wants and Necessities of the Poor that so in all things I may adorn the Gospel of God my Saviour and finally attain that Glorious Crown of Bliss and Immortality which thou hast prepar'd for thy Saints in Heaven Pardon O my God all my Sins and Failings and perfect whatever Good Work thou hast begun in me unto the Day of Christ Direct sanctify and govern both my Heart and Body in the ways of thy Laws and in the Works of thy Commandments that through thy most Mighty Protection both here and ever I may be preserved both in Body and Soul through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen Our Father c. Then return home with a chearful Heart and let a Holy Life be thy Care ever after Directions for Holy Living and Dying 1. Directions how to Live well IN the Morning awake with God and offer up unto Him thy Morning-Sacrifice of Prayer First Give hearty Thanks for all his Mercies Spiritual and Temporal and for thy Preservation in the Night Secondly Make an humble Confession of thy Sins and desire Pardon Thirdly Ask such Necessaries as are requisite for thy Soul and Body with fervent Request to be reliev'd in them and desire his Blessing upon thy Labour in thy Calling Always think that thou art before the Living God and let the Remembrance hereof make thee afraid to Sin Make Conscience of Idle Vain Dishonest and Ungodly Thoughts for these are the Seeds and Beginnings of actual Sin in Word and Deed. Have a special Care to avoid those Sins which thou findest thy Nature most prone unto and eschew those Provocations which were wont most to prevail against thee Follow with Faithfulness and Diligence thy Lawful Calling Think thy present State and Condition to be the best State for thee Look well to thy Carriage in Company that thou do no hurt by Word or Example nor take any thing from others but endeavour rather to do good Use Honesty towards all Men A good Conscience and good Manners go together If at any time thou art overtaken with any Sin lie not in it but speedily recover thy self by Repentance When any good Desire Motion or Affection doth arise in thine Heart suffer it not to pass away but feed it by Reading Meditating or Praying Esteem every Day as the Day of thy Death and therefore live now even as though thou wert now Dying and do those good Duties every Day which thou would'st do if this were thy Dying Day At the end of the Day before thou sleepest call to mind how thou hast spent the Day past Thy Misdoings repent and praise God for assisting thee with his Grace in the Duties which thou hast perform'd Sleep not at Night before thou hast commended thy self by Prayer into the Hands of God for thou knowest not whether fall'n asleep thou shalt rise again to live here Let Prayer be the Key to open the Morning and the Bar to shut in the Evening Walk as the Children of Light II. Directions how to Die well THink that the greatest Work thou hast to do in this World is to Die well They which Die well Die not to Die but to Live Eternally Be every Day ready to leave this Life That Man doth finish his Days best that every Day esteemeth the last Day of his Life to be present and at hand Endeavour before Death come to pull out his Sting and take from him his Power and Strength by humbling thy self in the time present for all thy Sins past and by turning unto God for the time to come That Man can never die ill that taketh care to live well Innure thy self by little and little to Die before thou come to that Point that thou must needs Die He that leaves the World before the World leaves him gives Death the Hand like a welcome Messenger and departs in Peace When thou art Visited with Sickness or Old-age think either of these are Warnings for thee e'er long to appear before the Great Judge of all the World Therefore now prepare to set all things in good order and make thine Accounts ready Make a new Examination of thy Life and Conversation passed Make a Confession unto God of thy new and particular Sins As God sendeth new Corrections and Chastisements make new Prayers and more earnest than ever before for Pardon of thy Sins and Reconciliation with God in Christ by all means avoid those Sins which thou findest and feelest encrease the Wrath of God against thee Be reconciled to thy Neighbour freely forgiving them that have offended thee and earnestly desire to be forgiven of all that thou hast offended Set thine House and Family in order by disposing of thy Worldly Goods in thy Will and Testament thereby thou shalt Die not the more quickly but the more quietly and prevent the Brawls and Jars that otherwise when thou art gone may arise from thine Heirs Thou partest with Earthly Possessions and art going to take Possession of Heavenly In the last Agony of Death when all things in and of the World do