Ammunition to fight against us Rom. 13. ult Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof 2. We make our Table a Snare when by our Importunities we urge others to eat and drink more than they desire or their Natures will well bear It is unquestionably lawful for a man sometimes to exceed in his Provision for his Friends but lawful at no time to exceed the bounds of Sobriety and Moderation himself or to solicit others so to do The Royal Example of Ahasuerus an Heathen King the Spirit of God has Recorded to the shame of many that call themselves Christians Esth 1. v. 7 8. When he made a magnificent Feast for his Princes and Nobles he commands that every man eat and drink according to his own pleasure and that none be compell'd 6. Let every one labour to understand what is most conducible to his own Health and let that be the ordinary measure of his Diet both for Quantity Quality and Time It is every Mans Duty to observe the Temper of his own Body and to understand his particular Constitution in order to the preservation of Life and Health that a healthfull Body may be Assistant to a holy Soul in the Service of God 7. Often consider with thy self what a sinning Sin what a Beastly sin and what a Destroying sin the sin of Intemperance is 'T is an In-let to all Sin and for that Reason perhaps is not particularly forbidden in any one of the Commandments because it is contrary to them All Drunkenness may be called a breach of every one of the Commandments because it disposes men to break them All What sin is it that a Drunken man stands not ready to commit Fornication Murther Adultery Inâ—est what not and how doth this Sin transform a man into a Beast â—nd make him the shame and Reproach of Humane Nature Of the two it is much worse to be like a Beast than to be a Beast The Beast is what God has made it but the Drunkard is what Sin and the Devil has made him Add to this that the Intemperate man is his own Tormentor yea his own Destroyer as appears by the many Diseases and untimely Deaths which Surfeiting and Drunkenness daily bring upon men For as Temperance and Sobriety is the Nurse and Preserver of Life and Health so excess in either is the occasion of Self-murther 't is like a lingring Poyson which tho' it works slowly yet it destroys surely Consider lastly That Intemperance is a sin which a man cannot presently Repent of as soon as he has committed it A Drunken man is no more fit to repent than a dead man and what Assurance has any man that when Drunkenness closes his Eyes over night that he shall not open them in Hell-flames next Morning How many thousands have closed their Eyes in a Drunken fit and opened them in another World 8. Think it neither unlawful nor indecent to intermingle innocent and harmless mirth with your Eating and Drinking but always remember to keep within the Bounds of Modesty Decency and Sobriety It is certainly a melancholly Reflexion that the thing we call Society and Conversation the Gentleman and the Christian Mirth and Religion should be thought inconsistent that men to fly Preciseness must run into Debauchery and Prophaneness Cannot sourness and moroseness be banisht Converâ—ation but must Modesty and Sobriety be banisht too Must our Entertainments of one another at our Tables administer either to Sin or to Sullenness Surely it is possible to observe the Rules of Conversation better without running into either Extream A vertuous and wise man at his Table may let his Tongue loose in a harmless Urbanity but at the same time he scorns to come within the Verge of a base Scrurility Eph. 4.29 Let no filthy Communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of Edifying As touching Intemperance and Excess in Sleep Necessity Cures most of you that are Poor of this Evil and it may be happy for you that it doth so for how many thousand Hours have some that are Rich to account for which were spent in a sinful Excess of Sleep and Oh how earnestly will such Persons shortly wish for those Hours to spend over again which were thus Consumed 1. Let Prudence direct you about the Measure of your Sleep and Piety instruct you to mind the Ends of it which are the repairing of Nature the refreshing of the Spirits the supporting of our frail Bodies which continual Labour and Toil would soon weary and wear out but now a moderate Degree of Sleep best serves these Ends namely to fit us for Business and enable us to Serve God by an Active Obedience 2. Often Consider what a great Time-waster Sleep is and that there is no part of your Time so totally lost as that which is Consumed in Sleep for all that Time a Man's Reason lyes idle and buried all his Wisdom and Knowledge is of no Use or Advantage to himself or his Neighbour 3. Remember how very injurious Immoderate Sleep is both to thy Body and Soul To thy Body in filling that full of Diseases and making it a very Sink of Pernicious Humours To thy Soul by bringing a Stupifying Dullness on its Faculties and thereby rendring it unfit for Holy Services 4. Remember also the grand Importance of the Business of your Souls which lyes continually upon your Hands and let the Consideration of the greatness of your Work rouse and raise you from a Bed of Sloth If you have a Journey to go or some extraordinary business to do you can rise Early at a particular time why not then every Day when you have much greater Business to do for God and your Souls 5. Remember that your Morning-hours are the Flower of your Time and that early rising makes at once both the Body healthful and the Soul holy The Morning is the best time for enjoying God and our seves then are our Spirits fresh and our Hearts free from Worldly Cares 6. Believe your self certainly Accountable to God for the Time you spend in Sleep this will make you with Holy Hooper sparing of your Sleep more sparing of your Dyet and most sparing of your Time CHAP. V. Of Glorifying God in our Civil Imployments and Labours of our particular Callings ALmighty God has sent no Man into the World to be idle but to serve him in the way of an honest and industrious Diligence He that says Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy says also Six days shalt thou labour either with the Labour of the Mind or of the Body or with both Riches and a great Estate will excuse none from labouring in some kind or other in the Service of our Maker for he that receives most Wages surely ought to do some Work 1. Labour to Understand and be thoroughly sensible how much you are beholden to God for the Benefit of a Calling Thousands are now Blessing God in Heaven for the
of Interest For by a due Approach to our Lord's Table our Baptismal Vow is renewed our weak Faith strengthened our languishing Love inflam'd our Desires after Christ enlarg'd our Sorrow for Sin heightned fresh Power against and Victory over Sin obtained our present Joy and Comforts multiplied and our future hopes of Heaven advanced Oh how unkind then are they to their Saviour and also cruel to their own Souls who live all their days in the neglect of this engaging uniting quickning confirming Ordinance of the Lord's Supper whom all the melting Entreaties and passionate Importunities of the Ministers of Christ could never prevail upon to the practice of this most Reasonable and most Advantagious Duty 3. But let us hear the several Pleas and Pretences which so many Thousands of Persons tho' professing Christianity do make for this notorious neglect of their dying Lord's Command 1. Plea or Excuse made by some is the extraordinary Dread and Solemnity of the Ordinance these put their Saviour off with a Complement telling him that the Privilege is too great the dignity too high and the Ordinance too solemn for them to approach unto Answer This is a good Reason why you should approach the Ordinance with Preparation and Care but no Argument at all why you should turn your back upon it As if a King should invite and command you to pay Attendance at Court upon his Person and you very gravely tell him That is too high an Honour for Persons of your Rank you will therefore out of Reverence to his Person violate his Precept and at once Affront his Authority and Contemn his Kindness Know then that the Reverence which our Saviour expects to his Holy Institution is a Reverence of Obedience That man has a due sense upon his Mind of the Solemnity of the Sacrament who is careful to approach it with all the Humility and sense of Unworthiness which becomes polluted Dust and Ashes but such a superstitious sort of Reverence as makes men afraid of doing their Duty is dishonouring to God and detrimental to themselves 2. Plea Is that of Unworthiness We are unworthy to come and therefore afraid to come For he that eateth unworthily eats his own Damnation therefore we will be of the safest side and prevent coming Unworthily by keeping away and not coming at all Answer 1. There is a two-fold Worthiness in reference to the Sacrament A Worthiness of Merit and a Worthiness of Meetness if by being worthy you mean the former a worthiness of Merit by which you deserve to be Entertained at Christ's Table in that sense not only the Holiest Saint on Earth but the highest Angel in Heaven is unworthy of this Priviledge But then there is a worthiness of Meetness which imports such a fitness and preparation of Soul as the Gospel requires and Christ will accept A Begger is not worthy of your Alms yet you would not account it Humility but Pride in him to refuse your Alms when entreated to accept them upon pretence of being unworthy of them The Truth is an humble sense of our unworthiness is in God's Account our greatest worthiness 2. Whereas thou pleasest thy self that thou art on the safest side by keeping away from the Ordinance this is a manifest mistake because the guilt and danger of unworthy Refusing is certainly as great or greater than the danger of unworthy Receiving For not to come at all is a bold Affront to the Authority of Christ a mighty contempt of the love of Christ 't is the casting off the Profession of Christianity 't is a Renouncing of the Communion of Saints and a quitting all claim and interest in the Covenant of Grace Did they in the Gospel who made light of Christ's Invitation to the Marriage-Supper escape any better than he that came without the Wedding-Garment Were they not both destroyed they for their Disobedience and he for his Disrespect 3. Plea Is that of Unfitness and Unpreparedness My Conscience tells me says the Sinner that I am unfit to come to this Ordinance and therefore I had better stay away Answer 1. Whose fault is it that thou art unfit It must be either God's fault or thy own Canst thou dare'st thou say 't is God's fault when he is willing both to Assist and Accept thee when he offers thee his Assisting Grace but thou art not willing to accept it But what is it that makes thee unfit Is it not some Sin that you are not willing to part with Does not Conscience tell you that you live a bad Life that there are some sensual Lusts which you indulge and are not willing to part with This is that which makes you unfit to come and afraid to come 2. If you are unfit for this Ordinance you are not fit to die you pretend you must stay all the days of your Life till you are prepared for the Sacrament but will Death stay for you till you are prepared for that When Death calls appear you must at God's Tribunal whether fit or not fit Now what is it that prepares you for Death Is it not the exercise of Repentance and a Holy Life This will fit you for the Sacrament and without this you can never be fit for Heaven nor hope to come there 3. Speak sincerely Did you ever go about to make your self fit Didst thou ever spend a day in thy Closet in searching for and finding out thy Sins in Confessing and Bewailing of them in Resolving against them in praying earnestly to God for the Aid of his Grace to enable you to mortifie and subdue them Did ever you repair to your Minister and desire his Assistance in fitting you for the Ordinance If not which is certainly the very case of many Good Good what horrid Hypocrisie is this to offer it as a reasonable excuse that thou art unfit when thou didst never in thy whole life once attempt or endeavour to make thy self fit Unfit thou art not only for the Sacrament but for every holy Duty also unfit to Pray unfit to Hear and unfit thou wilt be for ever without thy own Endeavours to make thy self fit For Almighty God never wrought a Miracle to maintain Sloath. If thou sayest thou canst do nothing without God I Reply That God will do nothing without thee use a Faithful Endeavour to prepare thy self and thy God will both assist thee and accept thee also but it is great folly to think of excusing one fault with another 4. Plea Alas say some we are poor ignorant Creatures we were never Book-learnt and therefore want the Knowledge which is requisite in a Worthy Communicant Answer 1. If thou art wholly and grosly ignorant in the Fundamentals of Religion thy Ignorance is dangerous and damnable such as will shut thee out of Heaven as well as debar thee from the Sacrament But why dost thou rest contented with thy Ignorance Why do you not repair to your Spiritual Guides for private Instruction who would thank you for such an
8. v. 34. Who is he that Condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us St. Matth. 13. v. 41 42. The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things which offend and them that do Iniquity and shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire where shall be wailing and weeping c. IV. Concerning the Way and Means to obtain Salvation by Christ 1. That the way and means appointed by God for the Sinners Salvation thro' Jesus Christ the Redeemer is by Faith Repentence and sincere Obedience So saith the Apostle Eph. 2.8 By Grace ye are saved thro' Faith Acts 11. r8 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Heb. 5. v. 9. Christ became the Author of Eternal Salvation to them that obey him 2. That saving Faith is a Grace of the Holy Spirit wrought in us by the Ministery of the Word Whereby we do in our Understandings Assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel as true and with our Wills embrace it as good And according to that Revelation do depend upon the merits of Christ alone foâ— pardon of Sin and eternal life on such conditions as the Gospeâ— has assured them upon Rom. 10. v. 10. With the heart man beliveth unto Righteousness St. John 6. v. 68 69. We believe and are sure that thou art Christ the Son of the living God to whom shall we go thou hast the words of Eternal Life 3. That true Repentance consists in an hearty Trouble and Sorrow for sin past In an humble acknowledgment and Penitential Confession of sin both past and present but chiefly in such stedfast Purposes and Resolutions against sin for the time to come as do produce Actual Reformation and Amendment of Life 2 Cor. 7.11 Ye sorrowed after a Godly sort what carefulness did it work in you yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what revenge Isa 55.7 Let the Wicked forsake his way and turn c. 4. That Repentance being a real Change and Reformation of our Lives to defer it to a sick bed and a dying hour puts the Soul upon a mighty hazard it being then impossible to know the truth of our Repentance when we want time and opportunity to make tryal of the sincerity of it St. Mat. 3.8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for Repentance Isa 55.6 Seek ye now the Lord whilst he may be found and call upon him whilst he is near 2 Cor. 6.2 Behold now is the accepted time 5. That Sincere obedience consists in a conformity of Heart and Life to the Word and Will of God from an unfeigned Love to God and a sincere delight in keeping his Commandments Psal 40.8 I delight to do thy will oh my God yea thy Law is within my heart Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self to keep always a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards all men 6. That the Obedience of the best of Christians in this Life when at the best is but imperfect attended with much weakness and accompanied with manifold imperfections which yet upon our humble acknowledgment God will graciously pardon and for Christs sake mercifully accept Job 9. v. 20. If I justifie my self my own mouth shall condemn me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse 2 Chr. 30.18 19 20. The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God tho' he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the People 7. That no Obedience is sincere but that which is Universal and causes us to have an abiding respect unto all Gods Commandments to obey them and to all Christs institutions to observe and follow them Psal 119.9 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments St. Mat. 28.20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you 8. That the great Commands of God are to Love him with all our Hearts with all our Souls with all our Strength and to love our Neighbour as our selves Matth. 22.37 38. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. This is the first and great Commandment and the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self 9. That the great Institutions of Jesus Christ under the Gospel are his Word and Sacraments to wit Baptism and the Lords Supper which he Commands all his Disciples and Followers most Religiously to Celebrate until his coming again unto Judgment St. Math. 28. ult Go teach all Nations Baptizing them c. And lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world 1 Cor. 11.26 As oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come 10. That Baptism is a holy Institution of our Saviours for the benefit of Believers and their Seed Wherein by the outward washing with Water in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost it signifies the Spiritual washing of the Soul by the Blood and Spirit of Christ from the guilt and filth of sin Eph. 5.25 26. Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleatnse it by the washing of Water and the Word 11. That the Lords Supper is an holy Ordinance wherein by Bread broken and Wine poured out the death of Christ is shewed forth and all the Benefits of his death are Represented Applied and Sealed unto Worthy Receivers 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Commmunion of the Blood of Christ c. 12. That the end of this Ordinance is to be a Memorial of Christs Death To strengthen our Faith in him To encrease our Communion with him To be a Spiritual Banquet wherein we feed upon him in order to our Spiritual nourishment and Growth in Grace 1 Cor. 11.26 As oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come 13. That all such as are truly penitent for sin past and holily resolved against sin and for a new life for the time to come tho' their Grace be weak their doubts many and their fears great yet ought they often to come to this Heavenly Banquet for Spiritual strength and inward comfort St. John 6.51 I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever 14. That it is the duty of every one who would be a Worthy Receiver of the Lords Supper to prepare himself thereunto by previous Examination and to make proof of his Knowledge Faith and Charity and so to eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup. See 1 Cor 11.28 But let a Man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. 15. That the danger
and Obeyed Consider also That if thou art a Doer of God's Will he will be a Doer of thine he will make as much of thy Prayers as thou dost of his Commands John 9.31 If any Man be a Worshipper of God and doth his Will him be heareth What a Priviledge is this to have God's Fiat set to all we ask 8. Be careful to take an Account of thy self after thou hast heard the Word Preached God has indued man with a noble Faculty of Self-reflection he has a power of calling himself to an account for the several Actions performed by him Now when a Christian after hearing of the Word Preach'd is found in the Exercise of this Duty frequently and faithfully interrogating his own Heart what he has heard and how he has heard it is a good Evidence of his Sincerity both because First It is a secret Duty And Secondly A searching Duty This is not the Hypocrite's Walk who desires not to search himself nor that the Word should search him he is for taking all upon Trust and nothing upon Tryal And having called thy self to an account in Secret how thou hast heard the Word in Publick what Benefit thou receivedst and what Assistance thou enjoyedst call likewise thy Family if thou hast any under thy Charge to give thee an Account what they have heard and how they understand endeavouring to inform their Judgments aright as to the Nature of those Divine Truths they have heard and praying with them and for them according to the Directions given before Chap. 8. Page 29. CHAP. XIII Concerning the Lord's-Supper THE Sacrament of the Lord's Supper being one of the most Tremendous Mysteries of the Christian Religion and the highest Act and Exercise of Religious Worship he must be unthankful to Christ and unjust to himself that does not warily attend his Soul in so sacred an Homage Therefore that I may Assist you in a faithful Preparation for this Ordinance and excite you to the frequent Participation of it I shall briefly dispatch the following Severals 1. I shall acquaint you with the Nature of this Ordinance 2. Inform you of the Ends of its Institution 3. Lay before you the Obligations which are upon you to frequent it 4. Answer the several Pleas made by many for the Neglect of it 5. What Preparation is necessary to fit you for it 6. What Directions may be useful to assist you in it 7. How we ought to manage our Deportment and Behaviour after it 1. Concerning the Nature of this Ordinance Know that the Lord's Supper it is a Spiritual Feast appointed for a Solemn remembrance of Christ's Death and to be a Seal of that Covenant which God has made with us in Christ The Use then of this Ordinance is two-fold 1. To be a solemn Remembrance of the Person and Passion of our Holy Lord to excite us thankfully to call to mind all that Christ hath done and suffered for our good and in our stead in order to the inflaming of our Affections with Love unto his Person and our Wills with Resolution to obey his Precepts 2. 'T is a Seal of the New-Covenant or Covenant of Grace which God has made with us in Christ in which Covenant he has assured us of Pardon of Sin and Eternal Life upon the Conditions of Faith and Repentance Almighty God Seals to us in the Sacraments and assures us that he for his part will make good his Promises and we Seal on our part to him that we will endeavour by his Grace enabling to perform the Conditions This is the Genuine Nature of the Lord's-Supper 2. Now as touching the Ends of this Institution and the special Reasons and Purposes for which it was ordained by our Saviour they are such as these 1. The renewing of that Solemn Covenant with God which we entred into at our Baptism when by the Piety of our Parents we were Dedicated to the Lord and took an Oath of Fidelity unto Christ the Captain of our Salvation to become his faithful Souldiers and Servants unto our Lives end Now because our Infirmities are many and our Covenant-Breaches too frequent that we may not want a merciful opportunity to bewail our Backslidings and to renew our Covenant this Ordinance was appointed 2. Another end is to Remember the Love of our dying Redeemer in laying down his Life for us St. Luke 22.19 This do in Remembrance of me In Remembrance of my Bloody Sufferings in Remembrance of my Bitter Death and Passion 3 To Seal up unto us the Pardon of our Sins and the Assurance of Everlasting Life St. Matth. 26.28 This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the Remission of Sins Christ assures us of Pardon on his part if we perform the Conditions of Faith and Repentance on our part 4. Another end of this Ordinance is to fortifie the Soul with power to resist Sin and to get the Victory over it yea to mortifie and subdue it That our Souls being as Giants refresht with this Spiritual Wine all the Enemies of our Salvation may fall before us and we may be more than Conquerors over them 5. The last but not the least end of Christ in Appointing this Ordinance was for the Uniting all the Professors of his Holy Religion together in the strictest Bond of Love and Charity 1 Cor. 10.17 We being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread That is as many grains of Wheat united together as one Mass or Lump do make one Loaf of Bread so Christians tho' many by the Death of their Saviour and by partaking of his Supper are Spiritually incorporated into one Mystical Body and should labour to be of one heart and of one mind 3. Next let us consider the Obligations which lie upon Christians to Attend upon Christ in this Ordinance now these are especially two namely an Obligation of Duty and of Interest First We lie under an Obligation to frequent this Ordinance in Point of Duty and Obedience to our Saviour's Command especially if we consider what kind of Command it is namely the Command of a Sovereign the Command of a Saviour the Command of a dying Saviour 'T is a Command of Love a gracious Command Eat and Live 'T is a pleasant easie and honourable Command What more pleasant than a Feast What more easie than to come to a Feast What more honourable than to Feast with a King yea with the King of Kings In a word 't is such a Command the due Observation whereof will help us to keep the rest of God's Commandments better it will be an efficacious means to make you do well Finally 't is a plain positive express Command from which nothing can discharge us but a Countermand from Heaven which we must never expect or an impossibility of doing it for want of Opportunity which we cannot plead Secondly We lie under a super-added Obligation to the practice of this Duty from a tie
Principles of our Religion necessary to be known and Believed by all Persons in Order to their Everlasting Salvation are these four I. Concerning God II. Concerning Man III. Concerning Jesus Christ the Mediator between God and Man IV. Concerning the way and means to obtain Salvation by Christ the only Mediatour I. Concerning GOD. It is necessary to Know and Believe the following Severals Namely That God is an Infinite Invisible and Immortal Spirit without Bodily Parts or Passions Almighty All-knowing every where present most Wise and Holy most Just and Righteous most Good and Gracious The following Scriptures will Confirm your Belief of the Truth of this viz. St. John 4.24 God is a Spirit St. Luke 24 39. A Spirit hath not flesh and bones Exod 34. v. 6 7. The Lord passed by and proclaimed his Name the Lord God gracious and merciful long-suffering abundant in Goodness and Truth 2. That there is but one true and ever-living God who being Oone in Nature is yet Three in Person namely the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost each Person having his proper Part and Office in the Salvation of lost Sinners namely the Father as the Original and Fountain the Son as the Manager and Transacter of it and the Holy Ghost as the Applier and Sealer of it See the following Scriptures Deut. 6.4 The Lord thy God is one Lord 1 John 5.7 There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One St. John 15.26 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which preceedeth from the Father he shall Testifie of me Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed unto the Day of Redemption 3. That this ever-living and only living Lord God by his Almighty Power and Infinite Wisdom Created the World and all things therein out of nothing and by his effectual Providence doth sustain and preserve them in being and doth likewise govern and dispose of all things to his own glory Nehem. 9. v. 6. Thou art Lord alone who hast made the Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens with all their host the Earth and all things that are therein and thou preservest them all II. Concerning Man We are to Know and Believe 1. That Almighty God Created Man Adam after his own Image which consisted in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness giving him an holy Law for the Rule of his Obedience with Power to keep it and a Promise of Life upon Condition of keeping it see Gen. 1.27 So God created Man in his own Image in the Image of God created he him Eccles 7.29 This only have I found that God made man Upright 2. That Man Adam being Created in an Holy State yet in a mutable Condition and under a possibility of falling being tempted by Satan and left to the freedom of his own Will did actuall fall from his Estate of Innocency and Integrity into a State of Sin and Misery Gen. 3.6 And when the Woman saw that the Tree was good for Food and pleasant to the Eye she took thereof and did Eat and gave also unto her Husband and he did eat Eccles 7.29 God hath made Man upright but he hath found out many Inventions 3. That by reason of Man's Fall his Nature is wholly Corrupted with Original Sin which is the Seed and Root of all other Sins derived upon us by Natural Generation whereby we are disabled to that which is spiritually Good and inclined to that which is Evil and sinful Gen. 5.3 And Adam begat a Son in his own likeness after his Image Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in-iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Rom. 8. v. 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God 4. That every Man doth further fall into manifold Actual Sins in the daily Course of his Life transgressing every one of God's holy Commandments either in Thought Word or Deed see Eccles 7. v. 20. There is not a just Man upon Earth that doeth good and sinneth not Rom. 3. v. 10 23. There is not one righteous man no not one for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God 5. That the Punishment due to every sin is Death and Hell all Miserie 's Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Rom. 6.23 The Wages of Sin is Death 2 Thes 1.9 They shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power 6. That Almighty God pitying the deplorable Misery of our fallen Estate has found out a Way and appointed a Means for our Deliverance from the Power and Punishment of Sin by a Mediator and Redeemer Titus 3. v. 4 5 6. After that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost III. Concerning Christ the Mediator between God and Man We ought to Know and Believe 1. That Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God the second Person in the Trinity is the only Redeemer of lost Man and the only Mediator betwixt God and Man from whom alone we are to expect Life and Salvation 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one God and one Mediator betwixt God and Man the Man Christ Jesus Acts 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name given under Heaven by whom we must be saved 2. That Jesus Christ our Redeemer was both God and Man having two Natures in one Person a Divine Nature as he was God and an Humane Nature as Man in which Humane Nature he suffered for Sinners and in his Divine Nature satisfied the Justice of God for sin Acts 20.28 Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood Heb. 10. v. 10. By the which Will we are sanctified thro' the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all 3. That Christ our Redeemer having taken upon him our Nature lived here upon Earth about three and thirty Years and did in our stead and for our sin give full Satisfaction to the Justice of his Father by enduring most grievous Torments in his Soul and by undergoing most painful Sufferings in Body was Crucified Dyed and was Buryed and by his Death did Conquer Sin and Satan Death and Hell Read the 26th and 27th Chapters of St Matthew which give a large Account of our Saviour's Sufferings 4. That Jesus Christ on the third Day Arose again from the Dead with the same Body in which he suffered with which Body also he Ascended into Heaven and sitteth there at the right hand of his Father to intercede for us and by his Intercession in Heaven making Application of that Redemption which he wrought on Earth from whence at the End of the World he shall come again to Judg both Men and Devils and to determine their Final and Eternal State see Rom.
to it Continue thy Loving kindness to this Church and Nation to which we belong pardon our sins avert our Judgments heal our Breaches compose our Unreasonable Divisions Bless our Governours especially thy Servants on the Throne let their Reign over us be long and prosperous Bless all the Governours and Teachers of thy Church particularly him and his Labours who Administers to Thee and us in holy things in this Congregation Let all in an afflicted condition be had in Remembrance of God Give them patience under their sufferings advantage by them and in thy good time a happy Issue and Deliverance out of them Bless all our Relations Friends and Acquaintance Pardon and Forgive our Enemies and enable us to forgive them also And now oh Father Accept we pray thee our thankful Returns for all the instances of thy Goodness towards us particularly for our Creation Preservation and all the Blessings of this Life But especially and above all for thy wonderful Love in the Redemption of Mankind by the Son of thy Love the Holy Jesus We bless thee for the means of Grace and for the hope of Glory We thank thee for all the Comforts and Conveniencies of Life afforded to us for thy Good Hand of Providence over us this last Night and for raising us up this Morning to see the light of another day Stand charged with the particular care of every one of us prosper the labour of our hands and bless us in all our lawful Undertakings preserve us from the Evil of Sin and keep us in perpetual peace and safety through Jesus Christ our Lord In whose Name and Words we call on thee Our Father c. A Family-Prayer for the Evening ETernally Glorious and Incomprehensibly great and Gracious Lord God who art infinitely exalted above all the Prayers and Praise of Glorious Angels and Glorified Saints yet such is the condescension of thy Grace and Goodness as not only to invite us into thy presence but also to Account thy self honoured by us when we come before Thee and renew our Acquaintance and Communion with thee in the Duties and Exercises of thy Worship and Service We humbly pray that none of our iniquities may divide or separate betwixt God and us but whereinsoever we have offended be Gracious to us in the pardon and forgiveness of it Pardon Oh Lord unto us Original Guilt the Hereditary Pollution and Universal depravation of our Natures Remember not against us the Follies of our Childhood the Sins of our Youth or the provocations of our Riper years but according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies in Christ Jesus blot our Transgressions Wash us throughly from our Wickedness and cleanse us from all our Sins Create in us a clean heart oh God! and renew a Right Spirit within us purge us with Hyssop and so shall we be clean oh wash us in the Blood of the Immaculate Lamb the Crucified Jesus and so shall we be whiter than the Snow And God Almighty grant that we may never more return to the Love and Practice of our former Sins but proclaim and prosecute an open and Irreconcilable War against them yea enable us by thy Grace to dye daily to them and to live unto Righteousness and True Holiness continually mortifying all our Evil and Corrupt Affections and daily proceeding in all Vertues and Godliness of Living Guide us we pray thee through all the difficult passages of our Lives by the Conduct of thine Vnerring Providence and in all conditions of Life let thy Grace be abundantly sufficient for us Leave us not one Moment to our selves least we become a prey to every Temptation But carry us joyfully through all the Difficulties of Life and Support us powerfully in and under the Agonies of Death Keep us ever mindful of our latter End and from flattering our selves with the hope and expectation of a long continuance of time here in the World But let it be our great Ambition and desire not so much to live long as to live well to be useful and serviceable to Almighty God in our place and generation knowing 't is nothing but a useful and well spent life that can render our Death happy and our Resurrection Glorious And let Almighty God Mercifully Assist and succour us in our last moments in the hour of Death and in the day of Judgment good Lord deliver us Remember all thine all the World over do good in thy Good pleasure unto Sion build thou the Walls of Jerusalem ruin the Kingdom of Sin Satan and Antichrist enlarge the borders of thy Sons Kingdom and give him the Heathen for his Inheritance the utmost parts of the Earth for his Possession Be favourable and Gracious to these Nations of England Scotland and Ireland Humble us for all our provoking sins avert our impending Judgments prevent what we fear remove what we feel and in thy own time establish us upon such foundations of Righteousness and Peace that it may never more be in the power of our restless Adversaries to disturb us Bless our Governours and all that are in Authority over us both in Church and State Especially thine Anointed Servants on the Throne K. William and Q. Mary and grant that under the shaddow of their Governmeot we may lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and honesty remember all the Sons and Daughters of Sorrow and Affliction especially any that are near unto us lying under thy hand in bodily Sickness sanctifie we pray thee all thy Fatherly Corections to them and grant that the sense of their weakness may add Strength to their Faith and seriousness to their Repentance raise them up if it be thy Will and give them Wisdom and Grace to lead the Residue of their lives in thy fear and to thy Glory and prepare us for the like adversities Finally we bless and praise thy Holy Name for all thy Mercies vouchsafed to us for the source and fountain of them all the Holy Jesus For all the invaluable Fruits and Benefits of his Incarnation Death Resurrection and Ascension for the present means of Grace and the hopes of future Glory We Praise Thee also for all Temporal Blessings for the use of our Reason for the preservation of our Health and Strength for thy Watchful Care and Good Providence over us this day Pardon to us the Sins of this day whether in thought word or deed comitted against thy Divine Majesty And take us this Night into thy Care and Protection give us Comfortable Rest and Repose defend this Habitation and all about it from Fire from Storm and Tempest and every sad Accident Deliver us from the Power and Malice of Evil Spirits and keep us out of the Hands of Evil Men. And when we awake in the Morning let us be still with Thee and let every one of us in our several vocations serve Thee Faithfully and Painfully to our dying hour All which we humbly Begg in the Name and Mediation of the Infinitely Worthy Jesus who
a borrowed Chamber in an upper Room in the Evening only to Twelve Persons and those Twelve Men yea Twelve Ministers and in a Coat without a Seam To keep thus strictly to Christ's Order in the use of this Ordinance I assure you is so far from being a Duty that it will be your sin But 2ly As to the Garment worn by us in the Administration why should a matter of such indifferency discompose thy Thoughts at such a solemn time Look you to your self that you come cloathed with the Wedding Garment of Repentance Faith Love and Joy and if there be any Evil in Colours in a White Garment more than a Black one he that wears it or the Authority that enjoyns it shall Answer for that and not you 3ly As to our using a Form of Prayer in the Administration know that all the Reformed Churches throughout the World have done the like the Church of Geneva not excepted for the Spirituality of Prayer doth not consist in an extemporary fluency of Words but in the Intention of the Mind and Devotion of the Soul if we pray in Faith with Humility with Holy Fervency with Humble Resignation we certainly pray by the Spirit tho' with a Form of Words before us and on the other hand if we pray without the forementioned Dispositions our Prayers are formal and unacceptable tho' we pray without a Form Lastly As to what is scrupled about Kneeling 1. It doth not clearly appear what Gesture our Saviour used when he celebrated this Ordinance the Scripture is very silent about it from whence I infer that had it been our Saviour's mind we should follow his Example in this Circumstance we should not have been left in the dark concerning it 2. Suppose it were Sitting this being but a Circumstance of the Action we are no more obliged to follow it than the other Circumstances of Time Place Habit c. 3. Let it be considered how far the Church of England has protested against all Adoration of the Elements so that they who suspect us Kneeling to the Bread and Wine do shew themselves to be either grosly ignorant or greatly malicious But because this is the highest Ordinance we attend upon Christ in and we receive the greatest Benefits by the Ordinance we are capable of on this side Glory even a Pardon Sealed from the King of Heaven which we would not receive in any other posture than upon our Knees from an Earthly Prince and forasmuch as the Sacrament is delivered to us with Prayer we judge it the most suitable Gesture for such a solemn Ordinance and both in Obedience to Authority and also from an Act of choice we use this Gesture as a Token of profound Reverence to our most endearing Redeemer These are all the most considerable Pleas and Pretences which I have met with from Persons for the neglect of this Duty If what has been here said tend to the satisfaction of any and they are willing to address themselves to the practice of this long neglected Duty I shall next inform them what Preparation is necessary to fit them for it 5. And here know in General that the best Preparation for the Sacrament is a Holy Life a daily walking before God in the Holy Path of his Commandments in an uniform Compliance with the Duties both of our General and Particular Callings exercising your selves daily in keeping a Conscience void of Offence both towards God and towards all Men. In short the habitual devotedness of the Soul to God accompanied with a steady resolution to continue stedfast in our Obedience to him all our days is such a Divine Temper as gives us an undoubted right to the Ordinance and is the best Qualification for it But more particularly you are to understand that besides our habitual Preparation by Repentance and the constant Endeavours of a Holy Life we ought to set some time apart for Actual Preparation tho' how much every Person ought to allot of his Time for that Work cannot precisely be determined some have more cause for it than others having long neglected themselves and their Duty Others have more Leisure and Freedom for it No man ought to come to the Sacrament without due Care and Preparation but God doth not expect so much time should be set apart for Solemn Preparation by a poor Servant as he does from a Rich Master Now a Christian 's actual Preparation for this Ordinance I take to consist in the practice of these five following Duties Examination Humilation Resolution Meditation Prayer and Supplication 1. Examine thy self according to St. Paul's Advice 1 Cor. 11.28 For we stand too near our selves to see our Failings without great Observation Take therefore the Candle of the Word into thy hand to search thy Heart and examine thy Life by Particularly examine 1. What good there is in thee what Knowledge to discern the Lord's Body and to understand the Nature Use and End of the Lord's Supper What Faith to apply the Merits of his Death to thy own Soul What Love to thy Saviour's Person Precepts Promises People to every one that has the Image of Christ upon him What Repentance and Godly Sorrow dost thou find in thy Soul for Sin What Care every day to mortifie it and to die daily more and more unto it 2. Examine what Evil is in Thee and has been done by Thee See and be sensible of the sinfulness of thy Nature of the Sins of thy Heart and Life of thy Omissions of Good and Commissions of Evil of thy Sins against God and thy Neighbour in Heart Word or Deed And tho' it be impossible upon thy utmost search to find out all it will be a good Evidence of thy Sincerity that thou art not willing to hide any 2. Having by Examination found out thy Sins fall down upon thy Knees in Confession and Humiliation before God bewailing manifold Sins ond Wickedness which thou from time to time hast most grievously committed by Thought Word and Deed against his Divine Majesty Labour earnestly to repent and to be unfeignedly sorry for these thy misdoings beg of God that the remembrance of Sin may be bitter to thy Soul and the burthen of it be intolerable plead with him to forgive Thee all that is past and to give thee his Grace that thou mayst ever hereafter serve and please Him in newness of Life to the Honour and Glory of his Holy Name This done before thou arisest from thy Knees 3. Renew thy Resolutions for a Holy Life Vow to be more watchful more careful and circumspect for the time to come say with holy David Psal 119.106 I have sworn and will perfarm that I will keep thy righteous Judgments And be sure when you resolve against your Sins that you resolve against all Temptations which lead to Sin he that resolves against Drunkenness and Swearing must resolve to avoid wicked Company which draw him to that excess and to pass by the Door where he is wont to
be drawn in And take heed of making any Resolutions in your own strength but earnestly implore the Grace and Assistance of Almighty God Oh be sensible that your own strength is small your Enemy strong your Temptations many your Danger great if ever you desire to bring your Resolutions for a better Life to perfection look up to Heaven for Auxiliary Aid from thence engage God's Strength which will enable Thee to do all things so saith the Apostle Phil. 4.13 I can do all things c. 4. Apply thy self next to the Duty of Meditation particularly Meditate on the Sufferings of thy Saviour And to help and quicken thy Meditations upon them let me advise Thee constantly to read over the History of them before a Sacrament as you find them Recorded in the two last Chapters but one of all the Evangelists Meditate on his wonderful Abasement in his Incarnation that the Creator of the World should become a Creature Meditate on the Meanness and Poverty of his Life and that will work in thee true Contentment of Mind in thy poor and low Condition But above all meditate on his unparallel'd Sufferings at his Death his Patience under them and his readiness to pardon and pray for his Enemies and Murtherers that were the occasion of them This will at once inkindle thy hatred against Sin inflame thy Love to Christ and inspire thee with a Spirit of Meekness towards thy greatest Enemies in imitattion of thy dear Saviour who offer'd up his Blood to God on the behalf of them that shed it 5. Set more than ordinary time apart before the Sacrament for Sccret Prayer earnestly pleading with God to make the Sacrament effectual for the mortifying of thy Sins for the strengâ—hning of thy Grace for the quickning of thy Desires for the confirming of thy Resolutions to make a Soul-nourishing Meal unto Thee and that thou mayst experience the strengthening comforting quickning assisting and accepting Presence of Christ in and at the Ordinance and that so thou mayst be able to sanctifie the Name of Christ in the highest Act of Homage and Adoration to him suitable Petitions for such an occasion you have many in that excellent Cook called The Whole Duty of Man and in Bishop Patrick's Christian Sacrifice with many more in want of which if thou canst not of thy self express thy own Desires make use of the following Form of Words A Prayer before the Sacrament O Eternal and Ever Glorious God! Who dwellest in the highest Heavens yet in the humblest and lowest Hearts In a great sight of thy Infinite Majesty and Adorable Excellencies as also in a deep sense of my own vileness and unworthiness I come unto Thee Beseeching Thee for the Passion of thy dear Son to Accept of me a poor Prodigal now returning to Thee and Prostrating my self at thy Door who am by Nature a Child of Wrath by Practice a Child of Disobedience and therefore liable and obnoxius to thine Everlasting Wrath But thou of thine Infinite Goodness hast promised me thy Favour and Friendship in Christ if at the call and invitation of thy Gospel I will accept the Merit of his Death and submit to the Authority of hie Laws and Proclaim and Prosecute an open and irreconcible War against all known Sins the Enemies of thy Glory and the disturbers of my Peace Oh Lord I heartily lament them and from the bottom of my Soul I Renounce them all whether in thought word or deed committed against thy Divine Majesty faithfully Covenanting with thee for the time to come not to allow my self in any known sin but to use all those means which I find prescribed by thee in thy Word for my Spiritual Advantage and for the Death and Destruction of all my Corruptions Oh thou God and Father of Hcaven whose Thoughts of Mercy towards me have been from Everlasting I Dedicate my self Soul Body and Spirit to thy Service and Glory as a small Return of Duty and Thankfulness for thy matchless Love promising to serve Thee in Righteousness and true Holiness all the dayes of my Life Oh thou Blessed Jesus the Precious Lamb of God whose Soul was made an Offering for Sin and who hast declar'd thy readiness to receive and embrace Repenting and Returning Sinners Receive me Graciously who am weary and heavy laden with the Burthen of my Sins and humbly desire by Faith to Approach unto thee I own my self unworthy to gather up the Crumbs that fall from thy well-spread Table much more unworthy to be entertained at it but seeing such is thy condescending Grace and Love to invite me to the participiation of thy self I do here with all humility Accept thee for my Lord and Saviour for my King Priest and Prophet Oh permit me to come to thy Holy Table to Ratifie this Engagment And oh thou Holy and Good Spirit the Sanctifier and Comforter of thy Church and Children enable me to resign up my self intirely to the Guidance and Dominion of thy Grace that I may evermore hereafter walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the Lusts of the Flesh And now that I am going to the Holy Table in obedience to my Lords Command to Commemorate his Dying Love vouchsafe thy Gracious Presence with me and render thy self powerfully present to my Mind and Thoughts Oh help me that I may attend my Lord without Distraction Enable me to give up my self an holy and acceptable Sacrifice to my Redeemer who has given himself a Meritorious Sacrifice for my Redemption Oh help me to follow my Holy Lords Example in all the steps of an Imitable Vertue Let me Admire and Imitate his Condescending Humility his Fervent Charity his Patience under Sufferings his readiness to forgive Injuries and let the same mind ever be in me which was also in Christ Jesus that having been a Welcome Guest at thy Table here on Earth I may hereafter be Adjudged worthy to be called to the Supper of the Lamb and may Feast with my Blessed Redeemer in his Everlasting Kingdom All which I ask in the Mediation of Jesus Christ saying Our Father c. An Hymn before the Sacrament THis day the Lord of Hosts Invites Unto a Costly Feast I will take care and will prepare To be a Welcome Guest But who and what am I oh Lord Unholy and Unfit To come within thy doors or at Thy Table for to sit Awake Repentance Faith and Love Awake O every Grace To meet your Lord with one Accord In his most Holy Place Worldly Distractions stay behind Below the Mount abide Cause no Disturbance in my mind To make my Saviour chide O come my Lord the time draws nigh That I am to Receive Stand with thy Pardon Sealed by Perswade me to Believe Let not my Jesus now be Strange Nor hide himself from me But cause thy Face to shine upon The Soul that longs for thee Come Blessed Spirit from above My Soul do thou Inspire To come again to My Lords Board With fulness of Desire Oh
let my Entertainment now Be so Exceeding Sweet That I may long to come again And at thy Table meet 6. Having directed you in your Preparation for this Ordinance next understand how you are to behave your selves at and under it First then Come to the Ordinance with high and raised Expectations to receive great Benefit and Advantage by it both as to the Mortifying of thy Sin and Quickning of thy Grace And whatever Lust it is that thou art most Captivated by and enslaved to be it Pride Passion Earthly Mindedness c. let us set our selves against that Lust with all our might and plead with God at his Table thus Lord I come to this Ordinance with a sincere desire and design to get Victory over every Lust but particularly against which doth so often solicite and importune me oh let it receive its Death wound in the Death of my Saviour and never molest or inslave me more Secondly When come to thy Lords Table labour to cast all thy Worldly Thoughts and Concerns out of thy Head and Heart And strive to lift up thy Heart unto the Lord as thou art exhorted by the Minister say unto all unsuitable Thoughts as Abraham did unto his Servants Gen. 22.5 Abide you here below whilst I go and worship the Lord yonder 3ly The better to keep all Impertinent and Improper Thoughts out of thy mind Entertain thy self with a frequent Remembrance of the Death of Christ at the sight of the Bread broken and Wine poured out call to mind at once the Passion of the Son of God and thy Sins which exposed him to such a Painful Shameful and Accursed Death Represent to the Eye of your minds your Dear Redeemer as hanging upon the Cross Bleeding Sighing Groaning Dying under the insupportable burthen of thy sins and his Fathers Wrath. 4ly When thou perceivest the Minister approaching with the Elements towards thee put thy self in the lowliest posture of Reverence and say thus betwixt God and thy Soul How Beautifull are the feet of him that publisheth Salvation and brings the proffer of a Saviour to me I am unworthy of Christ but he is worthy of me and of my Faith I do therefore Oh Lord with all Humility accept Thee for my King Priest and Prophet for my Sanctifier and Saviour 5ly When thou hast received the Bread say to this or the like effect Lord I receive this broken Bread in remembrance of thy broken Body Oh strengthen me with thy Heavenly Grace that I may continue thine for ever and daily encrease in thy Holy Spirit more and more until I come to thine Everlasting Kingdom Amen In like manner after thou hast received the Cup pray to this purpose Oh my God Let my Soul go forth as a Gyant refreshed with this Spiritual Wine and let all the Enemies of my Salvation fall before me may I walk in the Strength of this Spiritual Meal all my days and in the end of my days enjoy the full Manifestation of thy Love which is better than Wine in thine Everlasting Kingdom Amen 6ly Imploy your time whilest others are Receiving in Meditation and Prayer in meditating upon the Love of the Father in sending and upon the Love of the Son in coming upon this great Errand to accomplish the Work of Redemption of us Also in Praying unto God for all Mankind in General for the whole Church of God in special for that part of it planted in these Nations in particular for all Christian Kings Princes and Governours especially our own for all our Friends and Benefactors that God would requite the kindnesses they have shewn us for all our Enemies that God would Pardon the wrongs and injuries done to him to us and to their own Souls This being a Feast of Love in which we commemorate the highest instance of Love that ever the World was acquainted with a greater Expression of our Love we cannot shew to our offending Brother than in a readiness to forgive him and interceeding earnestly for his Soul Lastly As an Expression of thy Thankfulness to Christ for his Mercy and Compassion towards Thee lay hold upon this occasion to shew thy Charity to his Members that thy Prayers and thine Alms may be had in Remembrance of God and as thou refreshest the Bowels of the Poor so mayst thou find Mercy of the Lod in the needful day 7. It only now Remaines to shew how we ought to behave our selves after we have waited upon Christ at his Holy Table 1. Decline if possible all Company immediately after the Action and retire instanly into some Secret Places and there upon your Knees offer up your Thanksgivings to Almighty God for his Rich Mercy and Invaluable goodness vouchsafed to you in that Ordinance entreating him to Pardon all the defects of the whole Service and imploring the Gracious Assistances of his Holy and Good Spirit whereby you may be enabled to walk in the Strength of that Grace as becometh those who have recived such great Pledges of Salvation 2. When you are return'd into Company take heed that the spiritual heat which was inkindled in your Souls by and under the Ordinance be not quenched by a sudden falling into worldly Conferences and fruitless Discourses but labour to cherish and keep alive that Holy Fire upon the Altar of your Hearts and endeavour by Prayer Meditation and Holy Conference to improve it into a Holy Flame 3. Spend the Sacrament-day in Publick Private and Secret Duties of Religious Worship particularly in Prayer and Praises in After-Examination of your selves What Faith what Love what Humility what Sincerity was found with us when waiting upon your Saviour at his Holy Table Take notice also of any deadness of Heart and disposition of Spirit which thou labouredst under bewail it and beg pardon of it for Christs sake who bears the Iniquities of our Holy Things 4. Conclude the Sacrament-day with Prayer and an Hymn of Praise Thus did our Saviour after he had kept this Supper with his Disciples He sung an Hymn St Matth. 26.30 and betakes himself to God in Prayer and the Jews at their Passover did Sing the 113th Psalm with the five following Psalms which they call'd the great Hallelujah A Christian should every day of his Life give Thanks and Pray but especially on a Sacrament-day then should we Bless the Lord with our whole Souls and call upon all that is within us to Bliss his Holy Name such Christians as desire to do this but want suitable Words to express their desires in may make use of what here followeth A Prayer after the Sacrament FOr ever Blessed be thy Great thy Glorius and thy Holy Name Oh Lord For all thy unspeakable Favours and Benefits vouchsafed to me and to all Mankind particularly for thy invaluable Love in giving thy Dear Son to die for me in the Sacrifice and to be my Spiritual Food and sustenance in the Holy Sacrament Lord who am I and what am I that thou hast been pleased to