The forme of prayers and ministration of the sacraments, &c. vsed in the Englishe Congregation at Geneua and approued, by the famous and godly learned man, Iohn Caluyn.

THE MANER OF THE LORDES SVPPER.

THE day when the lordes supper is mini¦stred which commōlye is vsed once a monthe, or so oft as the Congregation shall thinke expe¦dient, the minister vseth to saye as followeth.

LET vs marke deare bretherne, and cō¦sider how Iesus Christ did ordayne vnto vs his holy supper according as S. Pau¦le maketh rehearsall in the 11. chap. of the first Epistle to the Cor. I haue (saith he) re¦ceyued of the lorde that which I haue deli∣uered vnto you, to witt, that the lorde Iesus the same night he was betrayed toke breade, and when he had geuen thankes, he brake it sayinge. Take ye, eate ye, this is my bodie, which is broken for you: doo you this in remēbrance of me. Likewise after supper, he toke the cuppe, sayīge. This cuppe is the newe testamēt or couenāt in my bloude, doo ye this so ofte as ye shall drinke therof, in remēbrance of me. For so ofte as you shal eate this bread, and drinke of this cuppe, ye shall declare the lordes deathe vntill his cōminge. Therfore who∣soeuer shall eate this bread, and drinke the cuppe of the lorde vnworthely, he shalbe giltie of the bodye and bloud of the lord. Then see that euery mā proue ād trye hym selfe, ād so let hym eate of this bread ād drī¦ke of this cuppe, for whosoeuer eateth or

drinketh vnworthelye, he eateth and drin¦keth his owne damnation, for not hauin∣ge due regarde and consideration of the lordes bodye.

THIS done, the minister proceadith to the exhortation.

DEARELY beloued in the lorde, for∣asmoch as we be nowe assembled, to celebrate the holy communion of the bo∣dy and bloud of our sauiour Christ, let vs consider these woordes of S. Paule, how he exhorteth all persons diligently to trye and examine thē selues, before they presu∣me to eate of that bread, ād drinke of that cuppe. For as the benefite ys great, if with a truly penitent hart, and liuely faith, we receyue that holy sacrament (for then we1 1.1 spiritually eate the fleshe of Christ, and drinke his bloude, thē we dwell in Christ, ād Christ in vs, we be one with Christ, and Christ with vs) so is the daūger great, if we receyue the same vnworthely, for then we be giltie of the bodye, and bloud of Christ our sauiour, we eate ād drīke our own dā∣nation, not considering the lordes bodye: we kīdle godes wrath agaīst vs, ād prouo∣ke him to plague vs with diuerse diseases and sundry kindes of death. Therfore if any of you be2 1.2 a blasphemer of God, an hinderer or slaunderer of his worde, an

an adulterer, or be in malice or enuie, or in any other greuous cryme, be∣waylle your synnes, and come not to this holy table: lest after the takynge of this holy sacramēt, the diuell entre into you as he entred into3 1.3 Iudas, and fill you full of all iniquities, and bring you, to destruction, bothe of bodye and soule. Iudge therfore your selues bretherne, that ye be not iud∣ged of the lorde:4 1.4 repent you truly for your synnes paste, and haue a lyuely and stedfast fayth, in Christ our sauiour,5 1.5 sekin∣ge onely your saluation in the merites of his death, and passion, from hensforth re∣fusinge, and forgettinge all6 1.6 malice and debate, withfull purpose to liue in bro∣therly amytie, and godlye conuersation, all the dais of your lyfe. And albeit we fele in ourselues muche frailtie and wretche∣dnes, as that we haue not our faith so per∣fite, and constant, as we ought, being ma∣ny tymes readye to distruste Godes good∣nes through our corrupt7 1.7 nature, and also that we are not so throughlye geuen to serue God, neyther haue so feruent a zeale to set forth his glory, as our duetye requi∣reth, felinge still such rebellion in our sel∣ues, that we haue nede dayly to8 1.8 fight a∣gainst the lustes of our fleshe, yet neuer∣theles seinge that our lorde hath dealed

thus mercifully with vs, that he hath prin∣ted his9 1.9 gospell in our hartes, so that, we are preserued from falling into desperatiō and misbeliefe: and seing also he hath indu¦ed vs with a10 1.10 will, and desire to reno∣wnce and withstand our own affections, with a longing for his righteousenes and the keping of his commaundementes, we may be now right well assured, that those defautes and manifolde imperfections in vs, shalbe no hinderance at all against vs, to cause him not to accept and impute vs as worthie to come to his spirituall table, For the ende of our comming thyther, is not to make11 1.11 protestation, that we are vpright or iuste in our liues, but con∣trariwise, we come to seke our life and perfection, in Iesu Christ, acknowled∣ging in the meane tyme, that we of our selues, be the children12 1.12 of wrath, and damnation. Let vs consider then, that this sacrament is a singuler medi∣cine for all poore sicke creatures, a com∣fortable helpe to weake soules, and that our lord requireth no other worthines on our parte, but that we vnfaynedly ac∣knowlege our noghtines, and imperfe∣ction. Then to the end that we may be worthy partakers of his merites, ād moste

comfortable benefits (which13 1.13 ys the true eatinge of his fleshe, and drinkinge of his bloud) let vs not suffer our mindes to wander aboute the consideration of the∣se earthlie, ād corruptible thynges (which we see present to our eies and fele with our hādes) to seeke Christ bodely presente in thē, as if he were inclosed in the breade or wyne,* 1.14 or as yf these elementes were tourned and chaunged into the substaun∣ce, of his fleshe and blood. For the only waye to dispose our soules to receiue no∣rishment, reliefe, and quikening of his substance, is to lift vp our mindes by fayth aboue all thinges wordlye and sensible, and therby to entre into heauen,* 1.15 that we may finde, and receiue Christ, where he14 1.16 dwelleth vndoutedlye verie God, and verie man, in the incomprehensible glorie of his father, to whome be all praise, honor and glorye now and euer. Amen.

The exhortation ended, the minister com∣meth doune from the pulpet, and sitteth at the Table, euery man and woman in likewise takin∣ge their place as occasion best serueth,* 1.17 then he taketh bread and geueth thankes, either in the¦se woordes followinge, or like in effect.

1 1.18O Father of mercye and God of all con∣solation, seinge all creatures do kno∣wlege and confesse thee, as gouerner, and lorde, it becommeth vs the workeman∣ship of thyne own handes, at all tymes to reuerence and magnifie thy godli maie∣stie, first for that thou haste created vs to thyne own2 1.19 Image and similitude: but chieflye that thou haste deliuered vs, from that euerlasting3 1.20 death and damnation in∣to the which Satā drewe mankinde by the meane of synne: from the bondage wher∣of (neither man nor angell was4 1.21 able to make vs free) but thou (ò lord) riche in mer¦cie and infinite in goodnes, haste prouided our redemption to stande in thy onely and welbeloued sone: whom of verie5 1.22 loue thou didest giue to be made man, lyke6 1.23 vn∣to vs in all thynges, (synne7 1.24 except) that in his bodye he myght receiue the ponish∣mentes of8 1.25 our transgression, by his death to make9 1.26 satisfaction to thy iustice, and by his resurrection to10 1.27 destroye hym that was auctor of death, and so to reduce and bring agayne11 1.28 life to the world, frome which the whole ofspringe of12 1.29 Adame moste iustly was exiled. O lord we ackno∣wlege that no creature ys able to13 1.30 com∣prehende the length and breadthe, the de∣penes and height, of that thy most excel∣lent

loue which moued thee to shewe mer¦cie, where none was14 1.31 deserued: to promise and giue life,15 1.32 where death had gotten vi∣ctorie: to receue vs into thy grace, when we could do16 1.33 nothyng but rebell against thy iustice. O lord the blynde dulnes of our corrupt17 1.34 nature will not suffer vs suffici∣ently to waye these thy moste ample be∣nefites: yet neuertheles at the18 1.35 commaun∣dement of Iesus Christ our lorde, we pre∣sent our selues to this his table (which he hath left to be vsed in19 1.36 remembrance of his death vntyll hys comming agayne) to declare and witnes before the world, that by him alone we haue receued20 1.37 libertie, and life: that by hym alone, thou doest aknowledge vs thy chyldren and21 1.38 heires: that by hym alone, we haue22 1.39 entrance to the throne of thy grace: that by hym alone we are23 1.40 possessed in our spirituall kinge∣dome, to eate and drinke at his24 1.41 table: with whome we haue our25 1.42 conuersation presently in heauen, and by whome, our bodies shalbe reysed vp agayne frome the dust, and shalbe placed with him in that endles ioye, which thow (ò father of mer∣cye) hast prepared for thyne elect,26 1.43 be∣fore the foundation of the worlde was lay∣de. And these moste inestimable benefites, we acknowlege and cōfesse to haue recea∣ued

of thy27 1.44 free mercie and grace, by thy onely beloued sonne Iesus Christ, for the which therfore we thy congregation28 1.45 mo¦ued by thy holy sprite render thee all than¦kes, prayse, and glorie for euer and euer.

* 1.46This done, the minister breaketh the brea∣de and delyuereth it to the people, who distri∣bute and deuide thesame amongst theim selues,* 1.47 accordinge to our sauiour Christes cōmande∣ment, and in likewise geueth the cuppe. Duringe the which tyme,* 1.48 some place of the scriptures is read, which doth lyuely set forth the death of Christ, to the intene that our eyes and senses may not onely be occupiede in these outwarde signes of bread and wyne, which are called the visible woorde: but that our hartes and myndes also may be fully fixed in the contem∣plation of the lordes death, which is by this holy sacrament representede. And after the acti¦on is done, he geueth thanckes saing.

MOSTE mercifull father, we render to the all prayse thankes and glorie, for that thou hast vouchsafed to graunt vnto vs miserable synners so excellent a gifte and threasor, as to receaue vs into the1 1.49 felowship and company of thy deare son∣ne Iesus Christ our lorde, whome thou2 1.50 deliueredst to deathe for vs, and haste giuē hym vnto us, as a necessarie3 1.51 foode and no∣rishment vnto euerlastynge life. And now we beseche the also (ò heauenly father) to graunt vs this request, that thou neuer suf¦fer

vs to become so vnkinde as to forget so worthy benefittes: but rather imprint and fasten them sure in our hartes, that we may4 1.52 growe and increase dayly more and more in true faithe, which continually ys5 1.53 excer∣sised in all maner of goode workes, and so moche the rather ò lord, cōfirme vs, in these6 1.54 perelous daies and rages of satan, that we may constanly stande, and continewe in the confession of the same to the aduance∣ment of thy7 1.55 glorye, which art God ouer all things blessed for euer. So be it.

The action thus ended, the people singe the 103 psal. My soule giue laud &c. or some other of thancks giuynge, which ended, one of the blessings before mencionede is recitede, and so they ryse from the table and departe.

To the reader.

IF parchaunce any wolde maruell why we fol¦lowe rather this order, then any other in the administration of this sacrament, let him dili∣gently consider, that first of all we vtterly reno∣wnce the error of the papistes: secondly we resto¦re vnto the sacramētes theyr owne substaunce: and to Christe his proper place. And as for the wordes of the lordes supper we rehearce theym not bicawse they shuld chaunge the substaunce of the bread or wyne, or that the repeticion therof with the intent of the sacrificer should make the sacrament as the papistes falselie, be∣leue: but they are read and pronownced to teache vs how to behaue our selues in this actiō ād that Christe might witnes vnto owr faithe as

it were with his owne mowthe, that he hath ordayned these signes for our spirituall vse and comforte. wee do firste therefore examyne owr selues, accordyng to saint Pauls rule, and pre∣pare our myndes that we may be worthie partakers of so high mysteries. Then takyng bread, wee geue thankes, breake, and distribu∣te it,* 1.56 as Christe our sauior hath taught vs. Fy∣nally the ministration ended, we gyue than∣kes agayne accordyng to his example. So that without his woorde, and warrante, there is nothyng in this holy action at∣tempted.

Notes

• 1 1.1

  Ioh. 6. g.
• 2 1.2

  Gal. 3. d.
• 3 1.3

  Ioan. 13. ••.
• 4 1.4

  Matth. ••. c. Titus 2. c.
• 5 1.5

  Act. 4. c Gal. 2. d
• 6 1.6

  1. pet. 2. a. 1. Cor. 14. d ephe. 4. a. d
• 7 1.7

  rom. 7. d.
• 8 1.8

  Gala. 5. c
• 9 1.9

  Hebr. 8. d Iere. 31. f. Isa. 59. d
• 10 1.10

  Rom. 7. c. d phil. 1. a. 2. Cor.
• 11 1.11

  luk. 18. c.
• 12 1.12

  Ephes. 2. a. luk 18. c.
• 13 1.13

  Ioan. 6. f.
• * 1.14

  Transsubstan¦tiation, Tran¦selemētatiō, Transmutati¦on and Trans¦formation as the papistes vse them are the doctrine of diuells
• * 1.15

  The true eat¦yng of Christ in the sacra∣ment
• 14 1.16

  1. Timo. 6. d
• * 1.17

  Math. 26. c. Mark. 14. c Luke 22. b 1. Cor. 11. e
• 1 1.18

  Apoc. 5. c.
• 2 1.19

  Gen. 1. d.
• 3 1.20

  Ephe. 2. b Gala. 1. a. Gen. 3. c.
• 4 1.21

  Act. 4. e. heb. 1. d. Apoc. 5. a
• 5 1.22

  Ioan. 3. c.
• 6 1.23

  Hebr. ••. d.
• 7 1.24

  Heb. 4. d. 7. d.
• 8 1.25

  1. peter 2. d. Isa. 43. d. 53. a.
• 9 1.26

  Matt. 3. d. 17. a Hier. 31. f Heb. 8. d. Rom. 5. a.
• 10 1.27

  Hebr. 2. d
• 11 1.28

  Iohn. 6. e
• 12 1.29

  Gene. 3. d Rom. 5. b
• 13 1.30

  Ephe. 3. c.
• 14 1.31

  Ephe. 2. ••
• 15 1.32

  Ioan. 6. d. 17. a eph. 2. b.
• 16 1.33

  Gene. 6. b. rom. 3. b. Isa. 64. b. psal. 5. b. 14. a. Rom. 7. c.
• 17 1.34

  Math. 16. c 1. Cor. 2. d luk. 11. c Math. 10.
• 18 1.35

  Math. 26. b. c. luk. 22. b.
• 19 1.36

  1. Cor. 11. e
• 20 1.37

  Ioan. 8. d Gala. 5. c
• 21 1.38

  Rom. 8. d. 1. peter 1. b Ephe. 1. d
• 22 1.39

  Ephe. 2. d Hebr. 4. c Rom. 3.
• 23 1.40

  Math. 25. a. Ioan. 14. a luk. 12. d
• 24 1.41

  luk. 22. •• Apoc. 2. a
• 25 1.42

  Philip. 3. d. Ephe. 2. b.
• 26 1.43

  Ephe. 1. b Apoc. 13. b
• 27 1.44

  Rom. 3. c. Ephe. 2. b Titus 3. b
• 28 1.45

  Rom. 8. d
• * 1.46

  Matth. 26. c. Mark. 14. c
• * 1.47

  luke. 22. b. 1. Cor. 10. d
• * 1.48

  1. Cor. 11. e Iohn. 13.14
• 1 1.49

  1. Cor. 10. d
• 2 1.50

  Rom. 4. d
• 3 1.51

  Ioan. 6 f
• 4 1.52

  luke. 17. b
• 5 1.53

  Gala. 5. b
• 6 1.54

  Timo. 4. a Ephe. 5. d 2. peter 3. a
• 7 1.55

  Matth 5. b 1. peter 2. b
• * 1.56

  Mat. 76. c. 1. Cor. 11. c luk 22. b.