sisters Therefore if we be such whatsoeuer we be in the estimation of the worlde wee are most honourable And if wee haue all the vaine titles of worldly honour heaped vpon vs be not such we are most vile and contemptible in the sight of God for God maketh more accompt of his children then of all the creatures of the worlde beside as euery father more esteemeth his naturall sonnes and daughters then any other thing hee hath in the world yea for them the world was made for them the sonne of God became man and suffered death for their redemption for them the worlde is continued that their full nomber out of all ages might bee gathered in which God hath appointed them to liue and when the nomber of them is once accomplished and fulfilled this worlde shal be at an ende and Christ shall come to giue thē all together that perfect rewarde which God hath promised he for them hath deserued What worldly dignitie haue it neuer so swelling titles of honour and glory can be comparable to this high dignitie of true Christians If we should speake of the sōnes of Knights Lordes Earles Dukes c. they are all surmounted and excelled by the childrē of Kings Emperors and for what cause but that the maiestie of Kings and Emperours so farre passeth those meaner titles of honor before rehearsed It followeth then of necessitie that the more excellent the parents are the greater is the dignitie of the children and consequently by howe much the eternall glory and maiestie of God excelleth the honor dignitie of earthly Kinges and Emperours by so much the dignitie and honour of Gods children exceedeth the honour and dignitie of Kings and Emperours children Wherefore if in respect of worldly honor we worthily esteeme those happy which haue bin borne of earthly princes much more ought we to accompt them blessed in heauenly spirituall dignitie vnto whom this prerogatiue is graunted that they should be called the sonnes of God For thereby they are assured not onely to bee mainteined and protected by the gouernour of all things in heauen and earth but also they are certainly perswaded to receiue such an inheritance as it is meete for the Almightie creator of al things to bestowe vpon them whom he accepteth taketh for his welbeloued children yea such is his bountifull goodnesse towardes vs his adopted sonnes and daughters that as his chosen vessels S. Paul doeth testifie he hath made vs assurance and by the earnest of his holy Spirit put vs in possession though not yet in full fruitiō of that most roial inheritance which he giueth to his onely naturall sonne our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ Rom. 8. And as the Spirit of adoption by which we crie Abba father which is the Spirite of trueth and therefore can not deceiue vs beareth witnes inwardly to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God So it hath pleased our heauenly Father outwardly by holy signes and Sacraments to testifie the same vnto vs which Sacraments as seales of his promises which are dayly preached vnto vs out of his holy worde he hath giuen for a further and more full confirmation and strengthening of our faith and most perfect assurāce of those things which hee hath promised by which Sacraments also he doeth not onely signifie and shewe what he hath purposed to doe for vs but also worketh effectually in those that bee his true children the same thinges which he doeth signifie and teache by them For as by his holy worde hee teacheth vs that after he is reconciled with vs for Christ his sake hee accepteth vs for his deare children and assureth vs that he will neuer forsake vs but continue his mercie and loue towardes vs for euer and euer euen so he testifieth and ratifieth the same by his holy Sacraments For in as much as it is necessary that if we be the childrē of God we must know that wee are borne of God it hath pleased him in the Sacrament of Baptisme which is the lauer of regeneration or newe birth to testifie vnto vs that by vertue of the blood of Christ washing away our sinnes as water doeth the vncleannesse of our bodies by the grace of his holy Spirite working wonderfully in our soules our olde man is abolished and we borne anewe of water and of the holy Ghost to be the children of God Being thus assured of our spirituall birth that we shoulde not doubt of our euerlasting preseruation in the same state of Gods deare children hee hath prepared vs also a spirituall nourishment of meate and drinke by which we should be fedde to euerlasting life namely the flesh blood of Iesus Christ which was broken and shedde for vs vpon the crosse that it might be spirituall foode to all them that shal be partakers of it by faith Of which euerlasting foode and nourishment hee hath giuen vs a seale or sacrament in his holy Supper that receiuing that bread and cup of the Lorde worthily according to his holy institution we shoulde no more doubt that our soules are spiritually fedde and nourished with the precious body and blood of Christ to the forgiuenes of our sinnes and life euerlasting then wee doubt that the outwarde elements which wee haue taken into our bodies according to their quantitie doe feede and nourish the same vnto the maintenance of this temporal life Whereby wee may easely see vnto howe great honour wee are called of our Sauiour Christ whē we are made partakers of that most holy and heauēly Table wherein he setteth forth vnto vs most vnworthy wretches of our selues to sitte at his high Table no meaner foode then his owne flesh blood to be a spirituall nourishment vnto our soules whereby wee are made one body with him and members one of an other and an holy temple of GOD through the Spirite of Christ dwelling in vs and Kinges and Priestes do reigne with him and praise his holy name for euermore ⧠An instruction how a Christian ought to be occupied before he presume to come to the Table of the Lord. SALOMON in the 23 Chapter of his Prouerbs exhorteth them which shal be partakers of an earthly princes table to haue due consideration of their behauiour thereat to be vsed and of such meates as shal be set before them how much more ought a Christian diligently to weigh with him selfe when he is called vnto the high Table of the Lord by whom hee is called whither he is called vnto what he is called and for what end he is called Verely a Christian man when hee is bidden to this royall banket is called by no person of meane estate in this life nor by any of the highest dignitie in this worlde but by him that made them all and in comparison of whose excellencie they all are but dust and ashes It is euen the Lord our GOD the creator maker of all things most holy most righteous hating and abhorring all
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
sinne and wickednes in whose sight no vncleane or filthie person may abide to stand but such as are holy righteous cleane and pure in heart are acceptable before him The place whereunto a Christian man is called when he is required to be partaker of the holy Sacrament is the Lordes Table whereof this earthly corruptible table is but a figure shadowe for euen as he that calleth vs which is God our Father and that whereunto we are called which is the body and blood of Christ is in heauen at the right hand of God in glory maiestie euē so the Lords Table on which we shall be partakers of the same is lifted vp aboue all height of the visible skies into that place of Gods eternall glory and maiestie where Iesus Christ is resident in the throne of his magnificence The holy feast banquet whereunto a Christian man is called consisteth not of earthly dainties prepared by the arte of man to please the bodily taste which as soone as they are receiued into the body tende to putrifaction and corruption but of that liuely bread which came downe frō heauen and giueth life to the world euen the flesh blood of our Sauiour Christ the immaculat lambe of God which gaue himselfe an holy and vndefiled sacrifice vnto God his Father once for all and found thereby euerlasting redemption of which most holy and heauenly meate and drinke whosoeuer is partaker shall liue for euer The ende wherefore a Christian man is called to be partaker of this holy Sacrament is that hee might be assured that hee is regenerate and borne againe by the holy Ghost to be the child of God and inheriter of the kingdom of heauen notwithstanding that hee remaineth still as yet subiect vnto death of his body and that which is more to be feared through infirmitie falleth often times into sinne the reward whereof by the iustice of God is death both of body and soule yet being nourished and fedde with the foode of immortalitie and euerlasting life which is the flesh blood of our Sauiour Christ as hee him selfe testifyeth in the sixt Chapter of Iohn hee shall by the diuine vertue and quickening spirite of our Sauiour Christ be raysed vp in the last day vnto euerlasting felicitie These thinges if a Christian man doe duely consider before hee presume to come to the Lordes Table he will not thrust forwarde himselfe rashly vnaduisedly contemptuously but with such reuerence preparation and examination as is meete for him that is called by so great a person vnto so high a place to be partaker of so holy and so fearefull mysteries for so waighty and necessarie an ende and purpose For in respect of him that calleth which is most holy and righteous he will remember that it is his part to cleanse his soule from all vncleannesse of sinne and wickednesse by true and hearty repētance he dare not appeare in his presence which seeth and knoweth the secrets of his heart with an outward shewe of fained holinesse and counterfet sorowfulnesse for his sinnes which he purposeth not to leaue and forsake but to continue in thē after the receite of the Sacrament and to delight in them as much as euer he did before He will not presume to deride and mocke the Iudge of al the worlde with a faigned countenance of modestie taken vpon him for a few houres while he is in the Church and laide aside againe almost assone as he steppeth ouer the threshholde of the Church doore to returne no lesse to his former lightnes vanitie pride lust couetousnesse and other vngodlines then to his priuate house and lodging And when hee considereth that hee is called into heauē where no vncleannesse or corruption can abide where holinesse righteousnesse doth dwel he will call to mind the answere which God maketh to Dauid in the 15. Psalme where hee inquireth who shall dwell in his Tabernacle and rest in his holy hill Euen hee that leadeth an vncorrupt life without hypocrisie without fraude and guile couetousnes or oppressiō that dealeth iustly faithfully and mercifully with all men such a one shall neuer be remoued Hee that is called into heauen where Christ is sitting at the right hand of GOD and willingly obeyeth his calling acknowlegeth that he must forsake the earth with all earthly affections and set his minde vpon heauenly thinges vpon those thinges that are aboue and not vpon the earth as S. Paul exhorteth Colossians the 3. Chap. hee must mortifie his mēbers that are on earth fornication and all vncleannesse couetousnesse and deceitfulnesse wrath malice blasphemie and filthie speaking and putting off the olde man with his workes he must put on the newe man which is renewed according to the image of him that created him in holinesse and righteousnesse in mercifulnesse humilitie meekenesse long suffering and forgiuenes of all them that haue offended vs euen as God hath forgiuen vs in Christ Iesus And for as much as the distance betwene the earth where we are strangers and the Heauen whereunto wee are called as to the place of our inheritance is so great that it is not possible for our heauy lumpish bodies to ascende thither before they be made conformable like to the glorious bodie of our Sauiour Christ which is gone thither before vs to prepare a place a Christian man will consider that as yet he can no otherwise bee lifted vp into heauen but in heart and soule by the winges of faith And therefore he wil seeke to confirme and strengthen his faith by the often and diligent meditation of the most comfortable promises of God conteined in the holy Scriptures and by earnest and feruent prayer vnto God for Christ his sake to increase his faith by the vertue of his holy Spirit as well in this time of his participation of the heauenly mysteries as at all other times vnto the ende of his life Yea that spirituall foode of the body blood of Christ whereof he is called to be a partaker wil admonish put a Christian man in minde as well of repentance purpose of amēdment reuerēce humilitie with which hee ought to bee prepared that shall receiue the Sacrament worthily as also that faith and constant beliefe in the promises of God is necessarily required of him that shal be nourished with so wonderfull heauenly foode For were it not that the sonne of God which is trueth it selfe hath promised by his holye worde to giue vs his body and blood to bee meate in deede and drinke in deede to feede vs vnto euerlasting life and for assurance of this his promise doth giue vs his seale in bread and wine which therefore hee calleth by the name of his body and blood because they do truely and not vainely represent vnto vs the trueth of his promise and effectuall performance of the same howe should we differ from the vnbeleuing Iewes which vnderstanding carnally that which our Sauiour Christ spake