any of you, who by this means cannot quiet his own conscience herein, but requireth further comfort or counsel, let him come to me, or to some other discreet and learned Minister of God's Word, and open his grief;1 that by the ministry of God's holy Word he may receive the benefit of absolution, together with ghostly counsel and advice, to the quieting of his conscience, and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness.

2

Or, in case he shall see the people negligent 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

1 "Provided always, that if any man confess his secret sins to the minister, for the unburdening of his conscience, and to receive spiritual consolation and ease of mind from him; we do not any way bind the said minister by this our constitution, but do straitly charge and admonish him, that he do not at any time reveal or make known to any person whatsoever any crime or offence so committed to his trust and secrecy (except they be such crimes as by the laws of this realm his own life may be called into question for concealing the same) under pain of irregularity."-Canon cxiii, of A.D. 1604.

2 "Christ ordained the authority of the keys to excommunicate notorious sinners, and to absolve them that are truly penitent."-Homily for Whitsunday.

Ye

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 sake, that ye will not refuse to come thereto, being so lovingly called and bidden by God himself. 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 lacketh nothing but the guests to sit down; and yet they who are 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. It is an easy matter for a man to say, I will not communicate, because I am otherwise hindered by worldly business. But such excuses are 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 ye not repent and amend? When God calleth you, are ye not ashamed to say ye will not come? When ye should return to God, will ye excuse yourselves, and say ye are not ready? Consider earnestly with yourselves how little such feigned excuses will 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. I, for my part, shall be ready; and, according to mine office, I bid you in the Name of God, I call you in Christ's behalf, I exhort you, as ye love your 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 for your salvation; so it is your duty to receive the Communion in remembrance of the sacrifice of His death, as He himself hath commanded: which if ye shall neglect to do, consider with yourselves how great injury ye do unto God, and

But, O my God, Thou knowest my great poverty and misery, and that of myself I can do nothing; Thou knowest how unworthy I am of this infinite favour, and Thou alone canst make me worthy. Oh! since Thou art so good as to invite me thus to Thy altar and table, add this one bounty more to all the rest, to prepare me in the mean time for the solemn memorial and thy heavenly banquet. Cleanse my soul from its stains; clothe it with the marriage garment of charity; adorn it with all virtues, and make it a fit abode for thee. Drive sin and the devil far from this dwelling, into which thou desirest to enter, that Thy heavenly visit, which Thou designest for my salvation, may not by my unworthiness, be turned to my damnation. O suffer me never to dishonour and profane Thy holy sacrifice; never let me be guilty of Thy body and blood, by an unworthy communion. For the sake of that most precious blood, which Thou hast shed for me, deliver me from so great an evil. O rather let me die ten thousand deaths, than thus presume to crucify Thee again. But, Lord, I will come, trusting in Thy manifold and great mercies. I will come and commemorate Thy dying love: I will come and taste Thy sweet dainties.