we also bless thy holy Name, for all thy fervants departed this life in thy faith and fear; befeeching thee to give us grace fo to follow their good examples, that with them we may be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom. Grant this, O Father, for Jefus Chrifts fake our only Mediator and Advocate.

Amen.

The Exhortation before the Communion.

D

Early beloved, on-------day next, I purpose, through Gods affistance, to adminifter to all such as shall be religiously and devoutly difpofed, the most comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Chrift, to be by them received in remembrance of his meritorious Cross and Paffion, whereby alone we obtain remiffion of our fins, and are made partakers of the kingdom of heaven. Wherefore it is our duty to render most humble and hearty thanks to Almighty God our heavenly Father, for that he hath given his. Son our Saviour Jefus Chrift, not only to die for us, but alfo to be our spiritual food and fuftenance in that holy Sacrament. Which being fo divine and comfortable a thing to them who receive it worthily, and so dangerous to them that will prefume to receive it unworthily; my duty is to exhort you, in the mean season to confider the dignity of that holy mystery, and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof; and fo to fearch and examine your own confciences, (and that not lightly, and after the manner of diffemblers with God: but fo) that ye may come holy and clean to fuch a heavenly feast, in the marriage garment required by God in holy Scripture, and be received as worthy partakers of that holy Table.

The way and means thereto is: First, to examine your lives. and converfations by the rule of Gods commandments; and wherein foever ye fhall perceive yourselves to have offended, either by will, word, or deed, there to bewail your own finfulness, and to confefs yourselves to Almighty God, with full purpose of amendment of life. And if ye fhall perceive your offences to be fuch as are not only against God, but also against your neighbours, then ye fhall reconcile yourselves unto them, being ready to make reftitu

tion and fatisfaction according to the uttermoft of your powers, for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other; and being likewife ready to forgive others that have offended you, as ye would have forgiveness of your offences at Gods hand: for otherwife the receiving of the holy Communion doth nothing elfe but increase your damnation. Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of God, an hinderer or flanderer of his Word, an adulterer, or be in malice, or envy, or in any other grievous crime; Repent you of your fins, or elfe come not to that holy Table, left after the taking of that holy Sacrament, the devil enter into you, as he entered into Judas, and fill you full of all iniquities, and bring you to deftruction both of body and foul.

And because it is requifite that no man should come to the holy Communion, but with a full truft in Gods mercy, and with a quite confcience; therefore if there be any of you, who by this means cannot quiet his own confcience herein, but requireth further comfort or counfel; let him come to me, or to fome other discreet and learned Minifter of Gods Word, and open his grief, that by the miniftry of Gods holy Word he may receive the benefit of Abfolution, together with ghoftly counsel and advice, to the quieting of his conscience, and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness. The Exhortation at the Communion.

D

Early beloved in the Lord, ye that mind to come to the holy Communion of the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ, muft confider how Saint Paul exhorteth all Perfons diligently to try and examine themselves, before they prefume to eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup. For as the benefit is great, if with a true penitent heart, and lively faith, we receive that holy Sacrament, (for then we fpiritually eat the flesh of Chrift, and drink his Blood; then we dwell in Chrift, and Chrift in us; we are one with Christ, and Christ with us:) so is the danger great, *if we receive

If we receive the fame unworthily. That is in decently, as the Corinthians did: of whom St. Paul fays, that in eating every one took before other his øven Supper :

*

and one was hungry, and another was drunken, 1 Cor. xi. zo, &c.

the fame unworthily. For then we are guilty of the Body and Blood of Chrift our Saviour; we eat and drink our own damnation, not confidering the Lords Body: we kindle Gods wrath against us; we provoke him to plague us with divers diseases, and fundry kinds of death. Judge therefore yourselves brethren, that ye be not judged of the Lord; repent you truly for your fins past; have a lively and ftedfast faith in Chrift our Saviour; amend your lives, and be in perfect Charity with all men, so shall be meet parye takers of those holy myfteries. And above all things ye must give most humble and hearty thanks to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, for the redemption of the world by the death and paffion of our Saviour Chrift, both God and man, who did humble himself even to the death upon the Grofs, for us miserable finners, who lay in darkness, and the fhadow of death, that he might make us the children of God, and exalt us to everlasting life. And to the end that we should alway remember the exceeding great love of our Master and only Saviour Jefus Chrift, thus dying for us, and the innumerable benefits which by his precious blood-fhedding he hath obtained to us; he hath inftituted and ordained holy myfteries, as pledges of his love, and for a continual remembrance of his death, to our great and endless comfort. To him therefore with the Father and the Holy Ghoft, let us give (as we are most bounden) continual thanks, fubmitting ourselves wholly to his holy will and pleasure, and ftudying to ferve him in true holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. Amen.

YE

E that do truly and earneftly repent you of your fins, and are in love, and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways; Draw near with faith, and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort; and make your humble confeffion to Almighty God, meekly kneeling upon your knees.

2

We eat and drink cur own damnation. That is, before, as if it were a common Feaft, provoke God they who eat and drink fo indecently, as is mentioned to inflict bis judgments upon them. And for this caufe B

The general Confeffion..

A

Lmighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Chrift, Maker of all things, Judge of all men; We acknowledge and bewail our manifold fins and wickednefs, which we from time to time most grievously have committed, By thought, word, and deed against thy Divine Majesty, Provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, and are heartily forry for thefe our misdoings; the remembrance of them is grievous unto us, The burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; for thy Son our Lord Jefus Chrifts fake, forgive us all that is paft, And grant that we may ever hereafter ferve and please thee in newness of life, To the honour and glory of thy Name, Through Jefus, Christ our

Lord.

Amen.

The Abfolution.

po foli.

•

A LI

爨

"

Lmighty God our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of fins, to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him; Have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your fins, confirm and ftrengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

LOW

Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Chrift faith unto all that truly turn to him.

Co

Ome unto me, all that travel, and are heavy laden, and I will
refresh you.
S. Matt. II. 28.

So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. S. S. John 3. 16.

Hear alfo what S. Paul faith.

This is a true faying, and worthy of all men to be received, That Christ Jefus came into the world to fave finners. 1 Tim. 1. 15.

St. Paul fays many of the Corinthians were weak and See the Notes on the Epiftle for Thursday before fickly, and many flipt, i. e. died, 1 Cor. xi. 30.

Eafter.

Here alfo what S. John faith.

If any man fin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our fins. 1 S. John 2. 1, 2.

Prieft. Lift up your hearts.

Anfw. We lift them up unto the Lord.

Prieft. Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
Anfw. It is meet and right fo to do.

Prieft.

we should

ITt

* words

[Holy Father]

T is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that at all times, and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Lord, *Holy Father, Almighty Everlasting God. Here fhall follow the proper Prefaces, according to the time, if there be any specially appointed: or elfe immediately fall follow,

must be omitted on Trinity Sunday.

7

Herefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the com

pany of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name, evermore praising thee, and saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hofts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord moft high. Amen.

Proper Prefaces.

Upon Christmas-day, and feven days after.

BE

Ecaufe thou didft give Jefus Chrift thine only Son to be born as at this time for us, who by the operation of the Holy Ghost, was made very man of the substance of the Virgin Mary his mother, and that without fpot of fin, to make us clean from all fin. Therefore with Angels, &c.

Upon Eafter-day, and feven days after.

BU

UT chiefly are we bound to praise thee for the glorious Refurrection of thy Son Jefus Chrift our Lord: for he is the very Pafchal Lamb which was offered for us, and hath taken away the fin of the world; who by his death hath destroyed death, and by his rifing to life again hath reftored to us everlasting life. Therefore with Angels, &c.