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SERM. about three things: "1. Whether they repent them truly of their former sins, steadfastly purposing to lead a new life? 2. Have a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, with a thankful remembrance of His death? And 3. Be in charity with all men?" And accordingly, in the exhortation at the Communion she calls upon all the communicants actually to perform these great duties. And verily, these three things, Repentance, Faith, and Charity, are absolutely necessary to the qualifying us for the worthy receiving of Christ's body and blood, in the sense now explained.

1. For, first, unless a man be so sensible of, and sorry for his former sins, that he is now resolved for the future to forsake them, he cannot set that value upon Christ's dying for them, as is necessary to his carrying himself aright at the commemoration of it. For all the esteem and respect we have, or can shew to Christ, as dying for our sins, is grounded upon a due sense of these sins for which he died; which no man can in reason pretend to, that is not both truly humbled for them, and as steadfastly resolved against them. And therefore, the first thing that we ought to do in order to the fitting ourselves for the worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper, is to look back upon our former lives, and consider seriously with ourselves what sins in thought, word, or deed, we have heretofore committed; and what duties to God or man we have hitherto neglected, and purpose with ourselves, by God's grace and assistance, that we will for the future do so no more; and so renew and ratify those vows and promises in this, which we made to God in the other Sacrament, even when we were baptized. He that doth this heartily and sincerely, is so far rightly prepared for the worthy receiving of that body and blood, which he thus repenteth of.

2. The next thing required, in order thereunto, is Faith, Heb. 11. 1. as it is according to the Apostle's description, “the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen;" whereby we are as fully persuaded that God will give us the good things He hath promised to us in Christ, as if we had them already; and are as certain of whatsoever He hath revealed, as if we saw it before our eyes. Without such a Faith as this, it is impossible for us to discern the Lord's body, and by consequence to receive it worthily. For all

that we see with our eyes is only bread and wine. Neither is it possible for us to look any further, but only by the eye of Faith, whereby we behold Christ's body and blood as broken and shed for us; and so verily and indeed receive, and apply it to ourselves. And therefore, in order to our worthy receiving the Holy Sacrament, we must take special care to examine ourselves, whether we be in the Faith, [2 Cor. 13. 5.] whether we really believe all the Articles of the Christian Religion, and have a sure trust and confidence on God's merciful promises for the pardon of our sins, and the Salvation of our souls by the blood of Christ: for the main stress of our receiving aright lies upon this, as we shall see more presently.

3. And then as for Charity, or a sincere and universal love to all men, without that no man is fit to appear before Him Who died for all men; much less to receive that body and blood which was offered up as a propitiation for the sins of the whole world. For he cannot possibly give it that honour and respect which is due to it, by reason of his malice and hatred against some of those persons for which it was offered. And besides that, he that is not in love and charity with all men, it is plain that he doth not forgive the wrongs and injuries which he hath received from some men, and therefore is not capable to receive the pardon of his own sins from God, and by consequence not worthy to receive that Sacrament wherein it should be sealed to him. Wherefore, as ever we desire to receive it worthily, we must be sure to lay aside all malicious and revengeful thoughts against all persons whatsoever; and come with love as large, and of the same extent with that death which we there commemorate; as freely forgiving all others, as we desire that God, for Christ's Jesus' sake, should forgive us.

If we thus repent us truly for our sins past, have a lively and steadfast faith in Christ our Saviour, amend our lives, and be in perfect charity with all men, we shall then be meet partakers of these holy mysteries, as our Church assures

us.

But for that purpose, we must not only have these graces beforehand, but we must likewise act and exercise them all the while that we are at our Lord's Table; which that we may do, our Church hath so contrived that incom

CXXX.

SERM. parable office which she hath made for the administration of the holy Communion, that from the beginning to the end there is continual matter and occasion given for the acting and exciting these Christian virtues in us, and so for our due and worthy receiving of Christ's most precious body and blood; which that I may demonstrate to you, and therewith shew how we may and ought to eat this bread, and drink this cup so duly and worthily, that we may not eat and drink judgment, but health and Salvation to ourselves, I shall briefly run through the whole office, beginning at the offertory.

Our minds, therefore, being rightly disposed and prepared for so great a work, by an humble confession of our sins, by fervent and solemn prayers to God for the pardon of them, and for grace to forsake them, by praising and magnifying His All-glorious Name, and by hearing some part of His Holy Word read and expounded to us, we then make bold to address ourselves to our Lord's Table, where the first thing we set about is to exercise our charity, and that two ways: first, by a liberal contribution of what God hath given us, to the relief of others' necessities; and then by praying for Christ's whole Catholic Church militant here on earth, whereby we do not only profess ourselves to be members of that society, and to live in communion with it, but likewise express our charity to all sorts of persons in it, as our Lord did, by praying for them.

After which the priest, in an exhortation composed for that purpose, puts the people in mind of the great benefit that will accrue to them, if with a true penitent heart and lively faith they receive that holy Sacrament, and of the greatness of the danger, if they receive the same unworthily; and therefore exhorts them to the exercise of the graces before-mentioned, and to give their humble and hearty thanks to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ, both God and Man, who humbled Himself to the death of the cross, that He might exalt us to everlasting life and, that we might always remember His said death, and the benefits of it, instituted this holy Sacrament to our great and endless comfort; concluding with the great

obligation that lies upon us to bless God for this His inestimable love, and to shew forth His praise, not only with our lips, but likewise in our lives, by studying to serve Him in true holiness and righteousness all our days.

The exhortation ended, the minister invites all who are thus prepared to the Lord's Supper, saying to them, ' Draw near with faith, and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort.' He invites them, first, to draw near,' thereby putting them in mind, that they are now invited into Christ's more special presence, to sit down with Him at His Own table; and therefore, as an emblem thereof, should come from the more remote parts of the Church, as near to the said table as they can. But then he adviseth them to draw near with faith,' as without which, all their bodily approaches will signify nothing, it being only by faith that they can really draw near to Christ, and take the holy Sacrament to their comfort. But seeing they cannot act their faith aright, until they have first confessed and repented of their sins; therefore he calls upon them to make their humble confession unto God, meekly kneeling on their knees.'

And now all that are to communicate, being prostrate upon their knees before God, do in a most humble and solemn manner jointly acknowledge and bewail their manifold sins and wickedness, which they from time to time have committed in thought, word and deed against His Divine Majesty' professing themselves 'most earnestly to repent of them, humbly beseeching Almighty God to pardon what is past, and to grant them grace for the future to serve and please Him in newness of life, for Christ Jesus' sake.' All which is done with such grave, apposite, and pathetical words, that I do not see how it is possible for us to express our hearty and sincere repentance better than we do at that time.

And while the people continue in this humble posture, begging for mercy and grace at the hands of God, the minister stands up, and in the name of God assures them, that He of His infinite mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance, and true faith turn unto Him:' and therefore he applies the said promises to them, praying, that Almighty God would ac

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SERM. cordingly have mercy upon them, pardon and deliver them from all their sins, confirm and strengthen them in all goodness, and bring them to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.'

Matt. 11.

28.

And here it is that our faith must begin to work, as it is the substance of things hoped for, so as firmly and constantly to believe, that upon our hearty and sincere repentance we are now absolved from all our former sins, and that from this time forward God will assist us with His grace and Holy Spirit, to serve and please Him, according to the prayers which we have put up to Him, and the promises which he hath made to us for that purpose, in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: for all the benefit of absolution, as pronounced by the minister, depends upon this our believing in the promises and Word of God, upon which it is grounded.

Which, therefore, that we may do, the minister presently reads some choice sentences of Scripture, wherein God hath promised, or declared His willingness, to pardon and absolve us from our sins in the blood of His Son, that so we may act our faith accordingly upon them. And therefore he calls upon the people to hear, or hearken diligently to them, and take special notice of them.

As first, these comfortable words which our Saviour saith to all that truly turn to Him, "Come unto Me all that travel and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you."

Which words contain so firm and solid a foundation whereupon to build our faith, that if we be but truly penitent, we cannot doubt of God's mercy towards us. For here His only Son with His Own Divine mouth invites all that are so to come to Him, promising, or engaging His word, that He will refresh them, He will give them peace in their minds, quiet in their consciences, rest to their whole souls. He will take care that they neither "travel," or be heavy laden" any longer with the burden of their sins; for He will refresh them with the sense of God's mercy in the pardon of all their faults, and with the assistance of His grace in the mortifying of all their lusts. Sin shall no no longer have dominion over them, because they are not Rom. 6. 14, now under the "Law," but under His "Grace."

Now these being the words of Christ Himself, we ought