how St. Paul exhorteth all lively faith to this holy facrament, perfons diligently to try and and the great danger of coming examine themfelves before unworthily, that is, without rethey prefume to eat of that penting of your fins, and withbread, and drink of that cup thro' Chrift. out trufting in God's mercy For as the benefit is great, if]] with a true penitent heart, and lively faith, we receive that holy facrament (for then we fpiritually eat the flesh of Chrift, and drink his blood; then we dwell in Christ, and Chrift in us; we are one with Chrift, and Christ with us) fo is the danger great if we receive the fame unworthily: for then we are guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour; we eat and drink our own damnation, not confidering the Lord's body; we kindle God's wrath against us; we provoke him to plague us with divers difeafes, and fundry kinds of death: judge therefore yourfelves, brethren, that ye be not judged of the Lord; repent you truly for your fins paft; have a lively and ftedfaft faith in Chrift our Saviour; amend your lives, and be in perfect charity with all men, so shall ye be, meet partakers of those holy mysteries; and above all things, ye must give most humble and hearty thanks to God the father, the fon, 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 unto the death upon the cross for us miferable finners, who lay in darkness, and the fhadow of death, that he might make us the children of God, and exalt us to everlafting life. And to the end that we fhould always remember the exceeding great love of our mafter, 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 mysteries 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 moft bounden) continual thanks, fubmitting ourselves wholly wholly to his holy will and pleasure, and studying to serve him in true holiness and righteoufnefs all the days of our life. Amen. Rubrick. Then fhall the priest fay to them that come to receive the holy communion, The Minister. Directions. Ye that do truly and ear- Being thus called upon to neftly repent you of your fins make your humble confeffion to and are in love and charity almighty God, be fure to let your with your neighbours, and whole heart be lift up to the throne intend to lead a new life, fol- of divine grace, and humbly pray, lowing the commandments that you may have a fhare in that of God, and walking from pardon, which is foon after to be henceforth in his holy ways: pronounced by the minifer. draw near with faith, and take this holy facrament to your comfort, and make your humble confeffion to almighty God, meekly kneeling upon your knees. Rubrick. Then fall this general CONFESSION be made in the name of all thofe that are minded to receive the holy communion, by one of the ministers, bath he and all the people kneeling humbly upon their knees, and faying, The Minicer. Directions. Almighty God, father of In this confeffion of fins, our Lord Jefus Chrift, ma-join with the minifter both in ker of all things, judge of all heart and voice, with the greatmen; we acknowledge and eft humility, for you are equally bewail our manifold fins and therein concern'd with him. wickedness, which we from time to time moft grevoully have committed, by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine majefty, provoking moft justly thy wrath and indig◄ nation against us. We do earnestly repent, and are heartily forry for these our misdoings: the remembrance of them is grievous unto us; the burden of them is intolerable; have mere mercy upon us, have mercy upon us most merciful father; for thy fon our Lord Jefus Chrift's fake, forgive us all that is past, 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 Chrift our Lord. Amen. Rubrick. ¶Then fball the priest (or bishop being prefent) frand up, and turning himself to the people, pronounce this ABSOLUTION. Directions. The Minister. When the abfolution beAlmighty God, our heagins, then hold your peace and venly father, who of his great attend to the minifter with all mercy hath promifed for-your heart; and placed in an humgivenefs of fins to all them ble pofture, beg earnestly of God that with hearty repentance, that he will pleafe to confirm in and true faith, turn unto heaven the abfolution of your him; have mercy upon you, fins, pronounced at this time, by pardon and deliver you from his minifter. But for any one to all your fins, confirm and repeat the abfolution word for ftrengthen you in all good-word with the minifter, is very abfurd, and fhews much ignorance: nefs, and bring you to ever-for the people's part here is to be lafting life, thro' Jefus Chrif filent and to attend, and to fay nothing but a moft earnest Amen, with a firm refolution to lead a new life. And therefore let me warm you in all the publick prayers, that you join with the minifter where you are bid, and at all other times be filent, attend and make it your own, by faying a hearty Amen. our Lord. Amen. The obferving order and decency in prayer tends much to edification; whereas the contrary begets diftraction, and diflurbs both yourfelf and your neighbour; it offends devout and understanding people mightily, to bear men and women say their prayers abfurdly and indecently, holding their tongues where they should speak, and joining with the minifter aloud, where they should only hearken and fay Amen. But what can be more improper than to hear them promifcufly abfolve themfelves, and one another, and taking the priestly of fice on them in a part of it which is one of the most diftinguishing be ? When When the abfolution is over, attend diligently to the sentences of fcripture, which the minifter is to read: and when he bids Is you lift up your hearts to God, you must be fure not only to do it in word, but in deed, and with great earnestness. Then ball the Priest suy; Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Chrift faith anto all that truly turn to him. Come unto me all ye that travel and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Matth. xi. 28. So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten fon, to the end that all that believe in him fhould not perilh, but have everlafting life. John iii. 16. Hear alfo what Saint Paul faith. This is a true faying, and worthy of all men to be received, that Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave finners. 1 Tim. i. 15. Hear alfo what St. 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 John ii. I. After which the Priest shall proceed, faying; 1. Lift up your hearts. Anfu. We lift them up unto the Lord. Then fhall the Priest turn to the Lord's table and,ay, It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we fhould at all times, and in all places, give thanks to thee, O Lord, tholy father almighty, everlasting God. ther] must be omitted on Thefe wards [holy Fa Trinity Sunday. ¶ Here fhall follow the proper preface, according to the time, if there be any especially appointed; or elfe immediately fhall follow, F There Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name; evermore praifing thee, and faying, Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hofts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most high. Amen. ¶ Proper Prefaces. Upon Christmas-day, and feven days after. Because thou didst give Jefus Christ thine only fon to be born, as at this time, for us; who by the operation of the holy ghoft was made very man, of the fubftance of the virgin Mary his mother, and that without spot of fin, to make us clean from all fin. Therefore, with angels, &c. Upon Eafter-day, and feven days after. But chiefly we are bound to praise thee for the glorious refurrection of thy fon Jefus Chrift our Lord: for he is the very pafchal lamb, which was offer'd for us, and hath taken away the fin of the world; who by his death hath deftroy'd death, and by his rifing to life again hath reftored us to everlafting life. Therefore, with angels, &c. Upon Afcenfion-day, and seven days after. Through thy most dearly beloved fon Jefus Chrift our Lord, who after his moft glorious refurrection manifeftly appeared to all his apostles, and in their fight afcended into heaven to prepare a place for us, that where he is, thither we might alfo afcend, and reign with him in glory. Therefore with angels, &c. Upon Whit-funday, and fix days after Through Jefus Christ our Lord, according to whose moft true promife the holy ghoft came down as at this time from heaven, with a fudden great found, as if it had been a mighty wind, in the likeness of fiery tongues, lighting upon the apostles, to teach them and lead them into all truth, |