A PREPARATION TO THE DVE CONSIDERATION AND REVERENT COMming to the holy Communion of the Body and Blood of our Lorde THE CONTENTES whereof followe in the next page IMPRINTED AT LONdon by Christopher Barker Prin ter to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie 1580. The Contents 1 What an high dignitie it is to bee a Christian and partaker of the holy Sacraments of Christ 2 An instruction howe a Christian ought to bee occupied before he presume to come to the Table of the Lord. 3 Howe dangerous a thing it is to come vnworthily or vnaduisedly to the holy Communion 4 A prayer to bee truely penitent for our sinnes before we receiue the holy Sacrament of our Lord. 5 A prayer to be sayde immediatly before the receiuing of the holy Communion and in the time of the celebration therof 6 A thankesgiuing after the receiuing of the holy Communion 7 An excellent Psalme of King Dauid 8 A prayer for our Soueraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth To the most excellent vertuous and our dread Soueraigne Lady Elizabeth Queene of England France and Ireland c. Grace mercie and euerlasting peace from God the Father through Iesus Christ our Lorde HAVING CONsidered and called to memorie most gracious Soueraigne the manifolde blessings and benefites giuen by the incomparable mercie of God to vs your subiects by your ministerie and the execution of your Kingly office and vnder your Maiesties protection and most peaceable gouernement wherein we doe not onely enioye and quietly possesse the fruite of our labours and all other our temporal commodities but that which is many thousād times more worth euen the libertie of conscience the preaching and hearing of Gods most sacred trueth the fruition and vse of the most holy Sacraments of our Lord Iesus Christ which are seales vnto vs of the assurance of our inheritance in the kingdome of GOD. And on the otherside hauing throughly weighed our contempt and ingratitude to Almightie God to his sonne Iesus Christ and to your Maiestie by whom as the onely meane from God we reape all these good things and are defended and mainteined in this our happie state I cannot inough wonder nor sufficiently lament to see for the most part how litle we regarde and how seldome we come to the hearing of Gods most holy worde and to the celebration of these his most holy mysteries and when we do come howe rudely vnaduisedly and vnreuerently it is cannot be but most feareful and most pitifull to beholde Wherefore most gracious Queene and dread Soueraigne the zeale and duetie I owe to the glory of GOD and to the honour of your Maiestie who cannot but be greatly dishonoured in this our negligence hath enforced me to procure the ayde of an excellent learned and godly man to compile three short instructions or admonitions vpon the three first titles or contents in the seconde page of this litle manuel whereunto are added certaine most needefull praiers and thankesgiuing all which may properly be entituled A preparation to the holy Communion of the body and blood of our Lorde to the ende wee may be moued with better consideration of the benefits we receiue in these sacred mysteries and also with the greatnesse of the danger for the abuse and contempt of the same Most humbly beseeching your Maiestie according to your accustomed goodnesse to accepte in good parte this my simple and vnskilfull seruice that by your good acceptation hereof many of your Maiesties most honorable housholde and others also may be drawen and procured to the exercise of the same to their further instruction comfort and consolation by the working of Gods holy Spirit to whom with the Father the Sonne be all glory for euer and to your Maiestie a most honorable long and prosperous raigne ouer vs with all other his mercifull blessings in this life and in the life to come ioy felicitie and continuall dwelling with all the blessed Angels and Saints in the kingdome of God world without ende AMEN Your Maiesties most lowly subiect and seruant C. Barker What a high dignitie it is to be a Christian and partaker of the holy Sacraments of Christ SAINT IOHN the Euangelist in the first Chapter of his Gospel writeth that our Sauiour Christ comming into the worlde which was made by him was vnknowen of it yea comming among his owne of his owne was not receiued but yet to as many as receiued him he gaue this dignitie that they should be called the sonnes of God which are borne not of flesh nor of blood nor of the will of man but of God By which testimonie of the holy Ghost wee may vnderstande howe great and excellent is the dignitie of true Christians namely that they be the children of God begotten not carnally but spiritually of God himselfe And that we should not deceiue our selues by a false imagination of christianitie as it is commonly called and reputed in the blinde world the same scripture teacheth vs who be true Christiās in deede not euery one that is so called or would be so accounted not euery one which hath taken vpon him the outward signe and badge of christianitie which is the Sacrament of Baptisme but onely those which receiue Christ are true Christians and the children of God But who are they that haue receiued Christ that they may be partakers of so high a dignitie euen they which seeing acknowledging and confessing their owne shameful miserable and damnable estate which they haue not onely receiued by propagation from their parents but also haue wilfullye incurred through the iust iudgement of God for their owne sinnes do willingly ioyfully and thankfully heare obey this voyce of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 11. and 28. Come vnto mee all ye that labour and be heauy laden and I will refresh you And so reposing their whole trust and confidence in the mercie of God whose iustice they know to be satisfied in the merites and sufferings of his onely begotten sonne our Lorde and Sauiour Christ their whole and onely Redeemer doe willingly take vpon them the sweete easie yoke of Christ which he requireth in the next verse to bee taken of all them that come vnto him looke to be refreshed by him which yoke of obedience vnto the rule of Christ though it seeme harde and vnpleasant to bee borne vnto the corrupt nature of man yet vnto the children of God whose weakenes is assisted by the holy Ghost their faults cōmitted of weaknesse are washed away with the blood of Christ there is nothing more sweete pleasant and delectable insomuch that Dauid vpon this consideration preferreth the Lawe of God before hony and the hony combe in sweetenesse protesting that it is more to bee desired then all iewels of gold and precious stones Beholde these are true Christiās which haue receiued Christ by faith and gladly bring out the fruits of faith in all godlinesse of life to the glory of God their Father and the profite of Gods children their brethren and
sudden death which haue presumed vnworthily to bee partakers of his holy mysteries euen as the Apostle saith For this cause many among you are sicke and some are fallen asleepe by which temporall punishments if the residue can beware and learne to iudge themselues they shall escape the iudgement of God but if neither by Gods threatning nor example of punishment they will be taught to amend this great grosse contempt of Gods lenitie mercie they shall heape vpon thēselues vengeance in the day of wrath from which our most mercifull GOD for Christ his sake vouchsafe to deliuer vs. ⧠A prayer to be truely penitent for our sins before wee receiue the Sacrament of the Lord. O Eternall and most mercifull Father we most vile and wretched sinners and yet thy children through thy singular grace and mercie fall downe before thee most humbly acknowledging and confessing our owne vilenesse and vnworthinesse through our infinite sinnes and wickednesse to come into the presence of thy maiestie or stande before thy face whom wee haue so grieuously offended dishonoured thy glorious name by which we are called O Lord we are ashamed to present our selues into thy sight who seeest and knowest all our wickednesse much more clearely then wee our selues and yet such is our miserable estate that when wee looke backe to our former life that is past we see nothing in a maner but a monstrous heape of ignorāce error sinne wickednesse and vngodlinesse for which O Lorde GOD we are so farre off from making any satisfaction or amendes that we are not sufficiētly displeased with our selues for so great vnworthinesse nor sorowfull inough for so great wickednesse Therefore most mercifull Father wee flie vnto thy onely grace and bountifull mercie which art the onely fountaine of all good giftes most humbly beseeching thee to mollifie our stony heartes with the deawe of thy holy Spirite to subdue the pride of our nature with the terror of thy iustice to graunt vs true repentance that we may be truely turned vnto thee Conuert vs O Lorde God then shall we be conuerted yea turne vnto vs the light of thy countenance and then shall wee bee saued And for as much as thou hast giuen the holy Sacrament of the body and blood of thy sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ to bee a seale of thy promised mercies and our redemption to bee a confirmation of our faith and medicine of our infirmitie we heartily beseeche thee most mercifull Father that as wee humbly present our selues to celebrate this thy holy institution not in presumption of our worthines but imboldned by thy heauenly voyce commanding vs so wee may be partakers of thy holy mysteries to our comfort that we may feele the fruite and effect ofthy promise adioined vnto them liuely working in vs. Preuent by thy grace O Lorde God least through our negligence default the same bee not onely made vnfruitfull vnto vs but also hurtfull which thou hast ordeined and graciously giuen for our profite and comfort but graunt that thy grace and goodnes assisting vs in all things wee may enioy thy benefites to thy glory and our euerlasting felicitie through our Lorde and onely Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost bee all glory praise and dominion both nowe and for euer AMEN A praier to be said immediatly before the receiuing of the holy Communion in the time of the celebration thereof O Most gratious bountifull Sauiour of mankinde Iesu Christ our onely redeemer which for our sake diddest abase thy selfe to come downe from thy eternall throne of Maiestie in which thou art equall with God the Father and the holy Ghost to take vpon thee the shape of a seruant that thou mightest be strickē of God the Father for our sinnes and buffeted for our iniquities that through thy stripes we might be healed which diddest become obedient to satisfie for our disobedience vnto the most shameful cursed death of the crosse that thy shame might be our glory thy curse our blessing and thy death our life euerlasting We most humbly beseeche thee that as we present our selues at thy holy Table to celebrate an holy memoriall of these thine inestimable benefites according to thy gratious institution and ordinance so it may please thee all lettes and hinderances which our vnworthinesse may obiect before thy righteousnesse being taken away through thy onely goodnesse wee may receiue to our comfort that which thou of thy mercie doest offer vnto vs euen thy most precious body and blood to bee a spirituall foode and nourishment to feede vs vnto immortalitie both of body and soule that we may glorifie thee with the Father and the holy Ghost one eternall God world without ende Amen A thankesgiuing after the receiuing of the holy Communion O Almightie and most mercifull Father what thankes are we able to yeelde vnto thee sufficient for so many and so great benefites of which wee are dayly partakers without all merite or desert of ours thorough thy onely goodnes and mercie And nowe O Lorde God that thou hast refreshed our soules with the heauenly foode of the body and blood of our Sauiour Christ in this holy mysterie and Sacrament of thine institution whereby wee call to remembrance our whole and perfect redemption by the bitter passion and shedding of the blood of thy immaculate lambe our Sauiour Iesus Christ who offered himselfe to bee a sacrifice of sweete sauour and full reconciliation once for all to thy Maiestie for our sinnes howe are wee able to testifie our thankfulnesse for so wonderfull mercie and goodnes The consideration of the greatnes whereof swalloweth vp all our cogitations and thoughts so that wee finde nothing but eternall and infinite prayse to be due vnto thee for so infinite and eternall mercie Which because O Lord wee are neither able nor worthie to expresse and set foorth we humbly beseeche thee as well for this want and imperfection as for all other our weakenes and vnsufficiencie to accept the satisfaction of our Lorde and Redeemer Iesus Christ who hath washed vs and made vs Kinges and Priestes to offer vp spirituall sacrifice of prayse and thankesgiuing acceptable vnto thee In whom O Lord we yeeld vnto thee that which we cannot of our selues perpetuall and worthie thankes honour and glory worlde without ende AMEN An excellēt Psalme of King Dauid MY soule prayse thou the Lorde all that is within mee prayse his holy Name 2 My soule prayse thou the Lorde and forget not all his benefites 3 Which forgiueth all thine iniquitie and healeth all thine infirmities 4 Which redeemeth thy life from the graue and crowneth thee with mercie and compassions 5 Which satisfieth thy mouth with good thinges and thy youth is renued like the egles 6 The Lord executeth righteousnesse and iudgement to all that are oppressed 7 Hee made his wayes knowen vnto Moses his workes vnto the children of Israel 8 The Lorde is full of compassion and mercie slowe
spiritually demaunded howe it were possible to giue his flesh to be eaten and his blood to be drunken But being instructed by faith although the mysterie farre passe the reache of any mans vnderstanding yet doe we nothing doubt but according to his holy word and promise after a heauenly and spiritual maner he giueth to al them that are worthily partakers of that holy Sacrament his very body and blood to be spirituall meate and drinke whereby they are fed nourished vnto that life which is immortall and incorruptible Which faith of ours receiueth strength and increase by worthie participation of this holy mysterie for which ende and purpose it was instituted and ordeined to our comfort In consideration whereof and of all euery the respects before mentioned a Christian man is compelled to fall down before the throne of Gods grace and from the bottome of his heart to yeelde most humble and vnfeigned thanks to God the Father with the sonne our Lord Iesus Christ the holy Ghost by whose infinit mercy and goodnesse without al merite and desert of himselfe hee is called to so high honor and dignitie that he is admitted to be a ghest at the Lords Table in which hee is made partaker of the flesh and blood of the sonne of GOD who so loued the worlde that hee gaue his only begotten sonne to suffer most cruell shamefull death for the redemption of mankinde to satisfie the wrath of God to reconcile vs againe into his fauour of his enimies to make vs his children and of his children to make vs ioynt heyres with his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour Last of all a Christian man thus assured that hee is made partaker of the body blood of Christ his head of whom hee is nowe made a liuing member must acknowledge purpose with himself that it is his bound duetie not onely to be more circumspect watchful of himselfe that he bee not forgetfull for so high and incomparable a benefite nor vnthankfull to so mercifull a Lord that hath thus loued saued him But also to shewe all loue tender affection towardes all them which by the same meanes are made fellow mēbers with him of the same mysticall body and as occasion and abilitie shall serue like a liuing member to feele ioye and comfort at the prosperitie of his fellowe members and to be so grieued at the hurt or affliction of any of them that he be redie to relicue comfort them to ayde and assist them as we see by the example of the members and partes of our naturall bodye Hee therefore that examineth him selfe after these rules shall be rightly prepared to receiue the Sacrament worthily to his euerlasting comfort ¶ Howe dangerous a thing it is to come vnwor thily or vnaduisedly to the holy Communion VNworthily they come to the holy Cōmunion not whosoeuer are vnworthy of that high honour which GOD vouchsafeth them whom hee calleth to his holy Table for then should all men euen the most righteous come vnworthily For no man is worthy to stand in the Lordes presence much lesse to sitte as a bidden gheste at the mariage of his Sonne or rather as a childe at the high Table of Almightie God the Father but that hee of his infinite mercie whereby hee accepteth them to bee his children vouchsafeth also to giue them this heauenly nourishment But all they come vnworthily not onely which come like hypocrites with fained hearts and contemptuous mindes against the Lord whō they pretende to worship but also euen as many as presume rashly negligently and vnaduisedly to receiue the holy Sacrament without due examination of themselues and consideration of the excellent benefite whereof they come to be partakers Of them S. Paul writeth that they eate and drinke not the body of Christ whom they despise in his holy mysteries but their own damnation because they discerne not the Lordes body from other bodily meates drinkes For seeing our Sauiour Christ hath adorned these holy mysteries with the name of his most precious body blood whosoeuer contēneth or lightly regardeth the fame must needes deserue such punishment and condemnation as they which abuse not only the name of GOD of whom hee protesteth that he wil not hold thē guiltles but also the seale of God whereby hee offereth thē assurance of their redemption and euen the very bodie and blood of Christ whereof this Sacrament is a true and liuely representation Wherefore the Apostle sayth Whosoeuer eateth this Bread and drinketh of this Cuppe of the Lord vnworthily shall not be guiltie of abusing of bread and wine and other such like creatures the abusing whereof is neuerthelesse vnanswerable before GOD but he shal be guiltie of the body and blood of Christ Which sinne howe horrible and gricuous it is in the sight of God to be guiltie of the body blood of Christ we may easely perceiue if we call to remembrance the example of those who moste cruelly and despitefully betraied condemned scourged and crucified his most holy and innocent bodie when hee liued vpon the earth The guiltinesse of whose treason false witnessing vniust condēning cruel scourging and crowning with thornes most dispitefull crucifiyng and shedding of his most precious blood beside spitting scorning and reuiling the guiltinesse I say of all which iniuries and villenies they do most iustly heape vpon themselues which vnworthily vnaduisedly rashly or negligently presume to come to the Lords Table and so become guiltie of the body blood of our Sauiour Christ whereby they procure vnto themselues if GOD should deale with thē in iustice such punishment as was deserued by Iudas Iscarioth the false suborned witnesses Annas and Caiaphas with the rest of the high Priestes and Pharises Pilate with his souldiers and the people that cryed out vpon him Crucifie him Crucifie him And more worthily deserue they such punishment then many of these before named for of them the holy Ghost testifieth that they did it ignorantly for if they had knowen him they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory But these men contemne and despise him whom they knowe and confesse to be the Lord of glory and the eternal Sonne of God the other despised him in the estate of his humilitie when his Godhead was couered with the shape of a seruant but these men set light by him and contemne him nowe hee sitteth in his throne of magnificence and maiestie Therfore much greater is their guiltinesse more grieuous is their condemnation if the Lorde shoulde deale with them according to their desertes But although hee be ready to pardon and forgiue such as haue so despised him vpon their heartie and earnest repentance euen as hee was ready to pardon them which crucified him yet doth he not suffer his children to bee altogether without chastisement but that they may more deeply consider howe grieuously they haue trespassed against him hee punisheth them oftentimes with sharpe sicknes and