d of Christ; to be by them received in remembrance of his
meritorious cross and passion; whereby alone we obtain remission
of our sins, 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 Jesus Christ, not only to die for us, but also 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 presume to receive it
unworthily; my duty is to exhort you in the mean season to consider
the dignity of that holy mystery, and the great peril of the
unworthy receiving thereof; and so to search and examine your own
consciences, (and that not lightly, and after the manner of
dissemblers with God; but so) that ye may come holy and clean
to such 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 whereinsoever
ye shall perceive yourselves to have offended, either by will,
word, or deed, there to bewail your own sinfulness, and to
confess yourselves to Almighty God, with full purpose of amendment of
life. And if ye shall perceive your offences to be such as are not
only against God, but also against your neighbours; then ye shall
reconcile yourselves unto them; being ready to make restitution
and satisfaction, according to the uttermost of your powers, for
all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other; and being likewise
ready to forgive 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
guilt. Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of God, an hinderer
or slanderer of his Word, an adulterer, or be in malice, or envy,
or in any other grievous crime, repent you of your sins, or else
come not to that holy Table; lest, after the taking of that holy
Sacrament, the devil enter into you, as he entered into Judas, and
fill you full of all iniquities, and bring you to destruction both
of body and soul.

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 the