VI. CHAP. Jesus Christ, represented in the signs of that holy mystery: certainly an edifying, and an innocent rite. But the Church of Rome foisting in, under the disguise of this excellent custom, private masses, and in them a pretence of Christ really not mystically sacrificed, and that sacrifice applied and determined to the souls of such persons as the priest shall by his mementos limit; our Reformers, endeavouring to amove all occasion of abetting that wicked practice, transposed and inverted the order of this prayer to the place you see. THEN SHALL FOLLOW THIS EXHORTATION, AT CERTAIN TIMES WHEN THE CHAP. VII. This rubric and tion omit ted in 1 B. of Edw.VI. We be come together at this time, dearly beloved brethren, exhortato feed at the Lord's Supper, unto the which in God's behalf I bid you all that be here present, and beseech you, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, that ye will not refuse to come thereto, being so lovingly called and bidden of God Himself. Ye know how grievous and unkind a thing it is when a man hath prepared a rich feast, decked his table with all kind of provision, so that there lacked nothing but the guests to sit down, and yet they which be called, without any cause, most unthankfully refuse to come. Which of you, in such a case, would not be moved? Who would not think a great injury and wrong done unto him? Wherefore, most dearly beloved in Christ, take ye good heed, lest ye, withdrawing yourselves from this holy supper, provoke God's indignation against you. Et is an easy matter for a man to say, I will not communicate, because I am otherwise letted with worldly business: but such excuses be not so easily accepted and allowed before God. If any man say, I am a grievous sinner, and therefore am afraid to come: wherefore then do you not repent and amend? When God calleth you, be you not ashamed to say, you will not come? When you should return to God, will you excuse yourself, and say, that you be not ready? Consider earnestly with yourselves, how little such feigned excuses shall avail before God. They that refused the feast in the Gospel, because they had bought a farm, or would try their yokes of oxen, or because they were married, were not so excused, but counted unworthy of the heavenly feast. E, for my part, am here present, and, accord= ing to mine office, I bid you, in the name of God, E call you, in Christ's behalf, I exhort you, as you love your VII. CHAP. own salvation, that ye will be partakers of this holy Communion and as the Son of God did vouchsafe to yield up His soul by death upon the cross fora your health; eben so it is your duty to receive the Communion together in the remembrance of His death', as He Himself commanded. Now, if you will in no wise thus do, consider with yourselves how great injury you do unto God, and how sore punishment hangeth over your heads for the same. And whereas you offendede God so sore in refusing this holy banquet, E admonish, exhort, and beseech you, that unto this unkindness ye will not add any more: which thing ye shall do, if ye stand by as gazers and lookers on them that do communicate, and be no partakers of the same yourselves. For what thing can this 186 be accounted else, than a farther contempt and unkindness unto God? Truly it is a great unthankfulness to say nay when we be called: but the fault is much greater, when men stand by, and yet will neither eat nor drink this holy Communion with other. I pray you, what can this be else, but eben to have the mysteries of Christ in derision ? Et is said unto all, Take ye, and eat; take, and drink ye all of this; Do this in remembrance of Me. With what face then, or with what countenance shall ye hear these words? what will this be else, but a neglecting, a despising and mocking of the testament of Christ? Wherefore, rather than ye should so do, depart you hence, and give place to them that be godly disposed. But when you depart, I beseech you ponder with yourselves from whom you depart: ye depart from the Lord's table, ye depart from your brethren, and from the banquet of most heavenly food. These things if ye earnestly consider, ye shall by God's grace return to a better mind, for the obtaining whereof, we shall make our humble petitions, while we shall receive the holy Communion. Common Prayer. And sometime shall be said this also, at the discretion of the curate. "[Scotch Lit., " our salvation."] C 1 B. of Edw. VI. And if upon the Sunday, or holy-day, the people be negligent to come to the Com [Scotch Lit., "will not receive this holy Sacrament which is offered unto them."] Dearly beloved, forasmuch as our duty is to render to Almighty God, our heavenly Father, most hearty thanks, for that He hath given His Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, not only to die for us, but also to be our spiritual food and sustenance, as it is declared unto us, as well by God's word, as by the holy Sacraments of His blessed body and blood, the which being so comfortable a thing to them which receive it worthily, &c. Dear friends, and you especially upon whose souls I have cure and charge, on next I do intend, by God's grace, to offer to all ven, to the said Sacrament with hearty repentance for our offences, stedfast faith in God's mercy, and earnest mind to obey God's will, and to offend no more: wherefore our duty is to come to these holy mysteries, with most hearty thanks to be given to Almighty God for His infinite mercy and benefits given and bestowed upon us His unworthy servants, for whom He hath not only given His body unto death, and shed His blood, but also doth vouchsafe, in a Sacrament and mystery, to give us His said body and blood, to feed upon spiritually. The which Sacrament, being so divine and holy a thing, and so comfortable to them which receive it worthily, &c. Common Prayer. And so dangerous to them who will presume to take the same unworthily, my duty is to exhort you to consider the CHAP. dignity of the holy mystery, and the great peril of the unVII. worthy receiving thereof, and so to search and examine your 187 own consciences, as you should come holy and clean to a most godly and heavenly feast; so that in no wise you come but in the marriage garment, required of God in holy Scripture, and so come and be received as worthy partakers of such a heavenly table. The way and means thereto is, first to examine your libes and conversation by the rule of God's commandments, and wherein soever ye shall perceive yourselves to have offended, either by will, word, or deed, there bewail your own sinful lives, confess yourselves to Almighty God with full purpose of amendment of life. And if ye shall perceive your offences to be such, as be not only against God, but also against your neighbour; then ye shall reconcile yourselves unto them, ready to make restitution and satisfaction accord= ing to the utmost of your powers, for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other, and likewise being ready to forgive others that have offended you, as you would have forgiveness of your offences at God's hand; for otherwise the receiving of the holy Communion doth nothing else but increase your damnation. And because it is requisite that no man should come to the holy Communion but with a full trust in God's mercy, and with a quiet conscience; therefore if there be any of you who by the means aforesaid cannot quiet his own conscience, but requireth farther comfort or counsel, then let him come to me, or some other discreet and learnede minister of God's word, and open his grief, that he may receive such ghostly counsel, advice, and comfort, as his conscience may be relieved, and that by the ministry of God's word he may receive comfort, and the benefit of absolution, to the quieting of his conscience, and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness. [1 B. of Edw. VI. "Requiring such as shall be satisfied with a general confession, not to be offended with them that do use, to their farther satisfying, the auricular and secret confession to the priest; nor those also which think needful or convenient, for the quietness of their own consciences, particularly to open their sins to the priest, to be offended with them that are satisfied with their humble confession to God, and the general confession to the Church, but in all [Scotch Lit., " presbyter or."] e |