Then shall be read the Gospel, saying, The Holy Gospel is written in the Chapthe Verfe. ter of beginning at And then the People all standing up, shall say, Glory be to thee, O Lord. : aris The Gospel ended, the Priest shall say, 2 Here endeth the Holy Gospel. And the People shall answer Thanks be to thee, O Lord.. Then shall be sung or said the Creed following, the Priest and People standing with their faces towards the Altar, and saying, Believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, Begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made, Being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made: Who for us men, and for our falvation, came down from heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made Man, And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, And afcended into heaven, And fitteth on the right hand of the Father; And he shall come again with glory to judge both the C the quick and the dead: Whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one Catholick and Apoftolick Church. I acknowledge one Baptifm for the remiffion of fins. And I look for the refurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. Then the Curate shall declare unto the People what Holy-days or Fasting-days are in the week following to be observed. And then also (if occafion be) shall notice be given of the Communion; and the Banns of Matrimony published; and Briefs, Citations, and Excommunications read. And nothing shall be proclaimed or published in the Church, during the tune of Divine Service, but by the Priest or Deacon; nor by them any thing, but what is prescribed in the Rules of this Book, or enjoyned by the Bishop or the Ordinary of the Place. Then shall follow the Sermon or Homily. When the Priest giveth warning for the celebration of the Holy Communion, (which he shall al- ways do upon the Sunday or Jome Holy-day immediately preceding) after the Sermon or Homily ended, be shall read this Exhortation following. Note, this Exhortation shall be read once in a month, or oftner, according to the discretion of the Priest. Dearly A on DEarly beloved, - I purpose, through God's affistance, to administer to all fuch as shall be religiously and devoutly disposed, 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 Christ, not only to die for us, but alfo to be our spiritual food and sustenance in that Holy Sacrament. Which being so 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 search and examine your own confciences, (and that not lightly, and after the manner of dissemblers with God; but so) 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 conversations by the rule of God's commandments; and wherein soever ye shall perceive yourselves to have offended, either by will, word, or deed, there to bewail your own finfulness, and to confefs yourselves with full purpose of amendment of life. And if ye shall C2 shall perceive your offences to be such, as are not only against God, but alfo against your neighbours, then ye shall reconcile yourselves unto them, being ready to make restitution and fatiffaction, according to the utmost of your powers, for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other; and being likewile ready to forgive all others that have offended you, as ye would have forgiveness of your offences at God's hand: for otherwise the receiving of the Holy Communion doth nothing else but increase your Condemnation. Therefore if any of you be a blafphemer 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 else come not to that Holy Table, left after the taking of that Holy Sacrament, the Devil enter into you, as he entred into Judas, and fill you full of all iniquities, and bring you to destruction both of body and foul. 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 confcience; therefore if there be any of you, whose confcience is troubled or grieved in any thing, and requireth comfort or counsel; let him come to me or to some other discreet and learned Prieft, and confess and open his fin and grief, that of us (as of the Minifters of God) he may receive the benefit of Absolution, together with ghoftly counsel and advice, to the quieting of his confcience, and avoiding of all scruple and doubt fulneis, Or Or in case the Priest shall see the People negli gent to come to the Holy Communion, instead of the former he shall use this Exhortation. DEarly beloved brethren, on I intend by God's grace to celebrate the Lord's Supper: unto which in God's behalf I bid you all that are here present, and beseech you for the Lord Jesus Christ's fake, that ye will not refufe to come thereto, being so lovingly called and bidden by 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 provifion, so that there lacketh nothing but the guests to fit down, and yet they who are called (without any cause) most unthankfully refufe to come. Which of you in such a cafe 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, left ye withdrawing yourselves from this Holy Supper, provoke God's indignation against you. It is an easy matter for a man to fay, I will not communicate, because I am otherwise hindred with worldly business. But such excuses are not easily accepted and allowed before God. If any man fay, I am a grievous sinner, and therefore am afraid to come: wherefore then do ye not repent and amend ? When God calleth you, are ye not ashamed to say you will not come? When ye should return to God, will ye excuse yourfelves, and say ye are not ready? Confider earneftly with yourfelves, how little such feigned excuses will avail before God. They that refufed |