Covenant all the actions of our lives become holy and so we are holy in our Shop by diligence and justice at our Board by temperance thankfulness charity Abroad by an innocent useful conversation in our Closet by Prayer and Meditation yea prudence and the ends of health and chearfulness will make our sleeps and recreations holy and not to be reckon'd among pastimes but the necessary seasons of doing little or nothing that afterwards we may be worthily imployed A Christian behaves himself not for such a set number of days as if so much time were to be spent in Holiness and so much in sin but as if he accounted his whole life an opportunity of serving God and of cleansing himself from all that filthiness which will not let him see his face He receives daily what daily profits and so lives that he may daily receive it A Holy Life is a perpetual Sacrifice and he that so lives keeps his heart as an Holy Altar alwayes warm and glowing within him he offers up daily such Sacrifices as are acceptable to God and prepare him for a due commemoration of this great Sacrifice a constant abstinence from all forbidden things and care to perform such duties as maintain a lively sense of God in our Souls would make us vehemently hunger after this Heavenly Food A circumspect life makes us both fit and desirous to converse with God every day good Actions beget in us greater longings after grace and good desires make us still do well out of hope to have more grace when a good man lifts up his heart to God he draws down God into his Soul that he may work with his hands that which is good in his employment in which he is not so busie that his hands should grow so heavy or dirty by it as to be unwilling or unfit to lift them up again to God Such a Combination is there between all that God requires to make them easie and familiar pleasant and desirable and our obedience impartial and universal A holy behaviour in our calling converses and use of the creature disposes us to Acts of immediate worship that requites and returns the kindness by disposing and fitting us for a holy deportment for the future which is it self an invitation of God to our souls much more when seconded with the Attractives of Holy Prayers and affectionate desires The sweetness of such converses with God and the power of his Grace consequent upon our hearty desires engages and enables us to a holy conversation which brings us from familiarity with the Devil to fellowship with God the happiness of which is so great that it excites us to do all we can to maintain and prevent our being tempted from it Good Hearts daily mortified and strictly watched over like dry wood with one blast kindle the flame of love stir up the Grace of God in them while those soaking in the world like green sticks all their puffing blowing and prayers will scarce fetch any fire Oh! would I every day prepare for the day of death or which is of a like consideration the day of Communion nothing less will sit me to Communicate then to depart hence set my self in order meditate often everie day on Christs first and second coming not stay a minute but instantly grieve for severely condemn my self and renew my resolution to amend all and pray for particular strength against whatsoever I have observed amiss would I consider where I fall oftenest from what principle this default comes what are the best remedies and pass on to a real and vigorous use of them Did I resolve to have God frequently in my thoughts to bring it to pass to have so great a dread and reverence of him that I may be more reallie ashamed troubled confounded to sin in his presence and observation then of the severest man's and to have a perpetual intercourse and converse with him Or would I actually attend to what I do and consider everie action and speak so little that I might consider it I should find that upon the day of Communion I should have nothing to do but to Revive my Graces â—y Prayer Praises and the exercise of â—evotion Actual Preparation HOliness is our profession and all the time after one Communion is the â—â—me of preparation for the next and eâ—ery Receiving a repeated conspiracie aâ—ainst the Interest of the Devil He that 's â—lways well vested will deck and trim â—gainst a Wedding day wise Virgins â—o forth to meet him having Oyl in â—heir Vessels and their Lamps burning â—ut when they hear the Bridegroom 's â—oming they arise and fall afresh to â—imming their Lamps to snuff them â—â—ir up the fire and apply the Oyl to â—â—ake them burn brighter and clearer â—â—ow another repast approaches I must â—eny my self lawful things sequester â—â—om my ordinary business abstain from â—â—e most lawful enjoyments and chastest â—mbraces that I may give my self unto â—â—ayer and more fully know the state of my Soul with a greater intention anâ— ardency of spirit examine my self eveâ— about the coldness of my Prayers 〈◊〉 neglects in the daily review of my self the smalness of my sorrows the weakness of my services my daily neglects ignorances and unavoidable infirmities aâ— to God my self relations and others iâ— an especial manner any failing since thâ— last Communion If there be but a littlâ— passion a rash word a vain thought c and besides my sorrow and afflicting mâ— self for hatred and amendment of it just after its commission I am now tâ— bewail it over again to call my self tâ— a strict account for it to drown it iâ— another flood of tears more firmly tâ— strengthen my resolutions against it anâ— prepare it to receive another wound 〈◊〉 mortal stroke from the wounds of Jesus that it may never live more more deeply apprehensive of the evil of sin morâ— sorrowfully bewail it more rationallâ— resolve against it open a greater vent anâ— passage for my tears affect my heaâ— more deeply with my needs and the certainty of supply and so raise my self to 〈◊〉 greater height of humility desire and confidence to excite my appetite and more lively apprehensions and vigorous affections rouze my thoughts and meditations to a greater fervour more solemnly to recollect what I have learn'd to stir up my remembrance and renew a sense of my wants and weaknesses to imprint the ends of the Institution more firmly in my memory to consider what Acts are most proper when I shall be at his Table to stir up those affections before-hand which will prepare a more lively expression of them when I come there To renew acts of Charity and forgiveness pass by all injuries and offences be reconciled perfectly to my brethren and to take care there be not the least grudge or spark of anger that lyes buried in my Soul unquenched all passions husht and laid the Soul smooth fair and not a wrinkle upon its brow More strictly and
holes in his side Oh what fight a fire a flame of love did I see in his blessed Heart and my self pourtray'd upon it my name among the rest oh with what joy and comfort to my Soul he hath set me as a Seal upon his Heart love is strong as death many waters of affliction cannot quench it nor the floods of trouble or persecution drown it might all the pleasures profits honours of the world be given for it it would be utterly despised Oh how easie find I his yoke how light his burthen methinks I could watch or pray do or suffer more believingly more couragiously than ever It was the voice of my Beloved that knocked saying open unto me my Sister my Love my Dove my Undefiled he put in his hands by the holes of the door and my bowels were moved for him my Soul failed when he spake I sought him in every part of the Ordinance and he was found of me I called him and he gave me answer I sate under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste He brought me to the Banqueting house and his Banner over me was Love His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me A bundle of Myrrh is my Beloved unto me he shall lye all night betwixt my Breasts he shall be still in my heart by affection and Faith I will make him my continual joy comfort and refreshment and solace my self in him in all estates Oh that his name may be graven upon my heart and his Image remain fair and lively upon my Soul Oh that I may find a kind of unwillingness to admit of any other company when I come to converse with other things let me still be looking towards him as my only desire good and happiness let my heart be so filled with him that other objects may not come near or make any strong impression on me Oh that some lively coles of that holy fire kindled at the Ordinances may be still glowing in my Soul that the savour and tincture of it may be never done away Oh how can any other pleasure seem any more pleasant to me Can I desire the husks the Swine do eat when there is such Bread in my Fathers house no man having drunk old wine straightway desireth new for he saith the old is better Sure he hath been little affected nor had any taste of Gods sweetness presently to relish worldly things to wash off his palate the savour of spiritual with sensual or secular thoughts Abrupt chopings off from Holy Duties is such a quenching of the spirit as tends much to hardning the heart such sudden quenchings of spiritual heat got in an Ordinance cannot be without much danger to the Soul motions so quite opposite are as prejudicial as unbecoming Is it fit or seemly to leave the company of our Lord so soon as we have let him in and divert to other occasions associate our selves to other persons now we have newly given him our Faith and taken him as the Bridegroom of our Souls and not rather delight in the presence of our new love and keep our heart from cooling by laying on new fuel turning the remainder of this day into an after supper a second Communion In reviewing and being humbled for our coldness distractions miscarriages In blessing God for the liberty and opportunity of a Sacrament and the priviledges thereby confer'd upon us in ruminating on and retaining the savor of those pleasant things we have been entertained with exceedingly gladded in the sense of that love we have been tasting and celebrating in the belief of that pardon we have received in the hopes of that Grace and Glory that hath been assured to us In considering the obligations we have laid on our selves In heavenly discourses with our beloved in expressions of our love and affection towards him acts of desire after inseparable union with and greater likeness unto him in vows and promises we will alwayes be faithful and loyal to him in entertaining him with acts of love and delight thanks and praise with the best chear we are able to make our new our beloved guest in commending his beauty praising him for his kindness and favours extolling his riches admiring his perfections and graces talking with him about the affairs of our Soul in opening to him every room in it leading him into the most private recesses of our heart shewing him all the secrets of it acquainting him with all our wants and weaknesses spreading before him all our desires and fears hopes and griefs In praying for help and assistance to be steadfast in his Covenant interceding with him for all mankind especiall our Fellow Communicants In telling him again all we have is his in tying a new knot upon the band of the Covenant between us craving him pardon for our follies desiring him not to be offended at the dark and noisome hole into which we have brought him entreating him with all loves that he will not take exception at his poor entertainment even charming him to stay and dwell with us by all the songs of praise and thankfulness we can devise Subsequent Duties after the Sacrament AND now my utmost care and diligence is required to express the power and efficacy of the Ordinance in living more fruitfully religiously watchfully in making good my vows and promises at the Sacrament That heart and life therefore may be sutable to my Sacramentall obligations and may witness the good received in and by it oh my Soul Make a solemn reflection on thy self and entertainment How was my heart and behaviour before God what welcom did he give me Reflection is necessary after every duty what good have I got what warmth of affection what more love to desire after delight and confidence in God what greater ability and love to discharge duty to bear affliction to resist temptation to walk in Gods ways so especially after the Sacrament was my Heart hard dull indisposed I must then suspect my miscarriage in preparation or performance and labour to find out be truely sensible of greatly bewaile and humble judge and condemn my self and beg pardon for the cause earnestly importune him that he would now help me by Prayer and Humiliation to recover the benefit of the Ordinance that I may by an after act do that which I should have done before Sorrow for and sense of our senslesness is one fruit of Christs death we undoubtedly receiv'd in the Ordinance We may not judge of our gain by and profit in duty by our present feeling or that the only evidences of Communion and acceptance with God are our Souls lifted up and ravished with sensible joys our uprightness and sincerity in the performance of our duties and in our covenanting with God and continuing stedfast therein may administer most ground of comfort when we reflect upon it for we were then really acceptable to him that look'd down upon us and received from
Search my Soul so to the bottom that none of my wounds may fester but be all discovered and cured consider from whence I am fallen before and since the last Communion and repent and O that I may be so sensible of my sin and misery that I may be truly apprehensive of and thankful for infinite love and mercy I dare not presume to compass thine Altar most holy Lord before I have washed my hands in Innocency and purified my heart by Repentance and Faith in the blood of my Redeemer I will now therefore call my sins to remembrance and set them in order before mine eyes and remember mine own evil ways and my doings which have not been good and loath my self in my own sight for my iniquities and for my abominations O I am not able to reckon up or remember my innumerable breaches of thy most holy Commandments The 1. By not knowing acknowledging thinking remembring chusing believing esteeming adoring loving desiring fearing obeying of trusting joying in acquainting my self with not demeaning my self towards thee as God and my God but preferring sin self Satan the world any thing before thy self The 2. By mis-apprehensions gross conceits of thee not setting my whole delight in reposing all my confidence on expecting all my happiness from addressing all my complaints prayers praises unto thee not worshipping thee as to manner and means agreeable to thy word The 3. By not acknowledging or effectually remembring and delighting to speak of thee as I have had occasion to make thy praise glorious or doing it irreverently dealing falsly in my Covenant with thee not vindicating thy Honour not grieving for thy Dishonour weariness of thy commands non-observance distrust misapplication of thy providences unthankfulness for great mercies dejection impatience under small crosses insensibleness incorrigibleness under judgments and afflictions not using thy Name Attributes Ordinances Works every thing whereby thou may'st be known as is required The 4. By unmindfulness beforehand to prevent or avoid whatsoever might distract in the duties of the Sabbath not preparing my self not resting from needless thoughts words actions mis-spending it in idleness and vanity not performing publick and private duties of Prayer Reading Hearing Examination wheting thy Law upon my heart and others contemplating thy Word and Works with that care reverence sincerity spirtualness profit delight as I ought not calling the Sabbath a Delight Holy of the Lord Honorable The 5. By not behaving my self answerable to my several Relations with all due reverence and respect to my Natural Ecclesiastical Political Parents in heart word behaviour prayer thanksgiving for Superiours covering their infirmities in love not admonishing and encouraging Inferiours in well-doing not by a grave wise holy exemplary carriage procuring glory to thee and preserving the honour and authority thou hast put upon me not regarding the dignity and worth of my Equals or rejoycing in their gifts advancement prosperity as my own The 6. By sinful anger hatred secret grudges injurious thoughts excessive passions distracting cares immoderate use of diet labour rest recreation reviling saddening provoking grieving speeches falling short in maintaining mutual Friendship and in following peace with all men sowing discord among Brethren concealing their dangers unprofitable conversation quenching suppressing holy suggestions preferring things of time before eternity or by whatsoever may tend not to the health but prejudice of my own or others Soul or Bodies not weeping with them that weep being sensless hard-hearted unaffected at publick evils and others miseries The 7. By unchaste thoughts purposes affections looks company words actions or listening to them not labouring to quench my fleshly concupisence by watching over my senses heart and ways not shunning all occasions to or acts of uncleanness in or with my self or others not keeping my bodie and soul from all filthiness of flesh and spirit but making my heart a cage of impure thoughts my mind a stie of the unclean spirit The 8. By unbecoming arts in Bargaining not dealing with others as I would men should with me not endeavouring by all just means to procure preserve and further the welfare of others as well as my own withholding good from them to whom it was due suffering Christ to stand at and go away from my door hungry cold naked succourless and when the leanness of his cheeks pleaded pitie the hardness of my heart would shew no compassion The 9. By slandering backbiting detracting reviling harsh flattering misconstruing discouraging sinister intentions words and actions listening to and spreading the faults of others not charitable in my thoughts and speeches to them not freely acknowledging their gifts and graces not readily receiving a good report but willingly admitting an evil one not discouraging tale-bearers flatterers slanderers not loving desiring rejoycing in caring for defending and upholding their good name not sorrowing for and covering their infirmities but practising or not avoiding my self or not hindring what I can in others such things as raise jealousies and suspicions procure an ill name to my self or others The 10. By self-love evil thoughts covetousness inordinate prizing and affecting distrustful distracting solicitous care and study in getting keeping or using temporal things discontent with my own estate envying and grieving at my neighbours unlawful motions and affections to things that are his And to these I have added multitudes of sins against the Gospel by not as I ought labouring to acquaint my self with it Ignorance flighting of not sufficiently esteeming admiring thankful for that infinite love in my Redemption not loving rejoycing in Christ and him Crucified relying on owning of him in all his Offices accounting all things loss and dung for him not taking that pains I ought to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings and to be made conformable to his death if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead and be made perfect as my Father in Heaven is perfect Not claiming his promises as my heritage nor esteeming them the joy of my heart and as unsearchable riches exceeding great and precious not believing prizing embracing of hoping waiting for the good of them with so much readiness and steadfastness as their excelcellency and certainty requires and applying them as I ought to this and the next life not careful they have their due effects on my Soul in making me partaker of the divine nature not dying daily to sin nor acting growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ not thirsting after righteousness and that poor mournful meek merciful pure Spirit that shall be blessed not confessing but being ashamed of Christ before men and my relation to him not denying my self taking up my Cross and following him Not doing all things to the glory of God nor rejoycing in him always Not receiving not doing the good nor improving time mercies judgments forein perturbations national discontents and divisions irreligious confusions domestick distinguishing favours as I ought Strangeness
break of day and wondred we were not trimming our Lamps not decking our selves knowâ—ng with whom we were to meet to feast â—o day Our Beloved spake and said â—nto us Rise up my Love my Fair Ones and come away This is the day which the Lord hath made we will reâ—oyce and be glad in it How should we welcom it with suffcient joy thankfulness for the approach of so great a Blessing â—hat brings our Saviour so near unto us 'T is too too late I will arise and get â—e ready but where are my Cloths Oh â—ow poor how empty how naked am I Oh for the fairest sweetest robe of â—houghts and wishes out of my Fathers Wardrobe Oh for my silken golden twist of Faith to hang the Jewel of Godâ— sorrow and Humility Love and thankfulness upon I am never drest till they be on Oh where are they I saw them by me but just before I went to bed what was I then so long about but gathering tying raising them up Ah this vain World this envious Devil this evil deceitful Heart hath been ravelling stealing them out or hid them from me that now I am as far to seek as ever Oh whither shall I what shall I do to find them behold the Bridegroom cometh and I am not ready I cannot dare not go to day Now will my Lord be angry when he comes in to see his guests he looking over them will say where 's such a one was he not bidden I 'm sure I invited him If I go undrest he 'l ask how came I in not having on a Wedding Garment to either I shall be speechless Ah foolish 〈◊〉 careless heart to let Earthly so intangle thy Heavenly Thoughts thou knowest not now how to unloose them which heed and care might have prevented my horrible negligence and guiltiness makes mâ—â—tremble to go yet not dare to keep away for where should my polluted Soul be washt but in that Fountain set open for sin and for uncleanness Oh thou that wilt in no wise cast off him that cometh unto thee dis-intangle my thoughts from all things below and dress me up as pleaseth thee over-look my manifold weaknesses and imperfections in my preparation if I knew nothing by my self yet were I not thereby justified I have no Righteousness of my own and if I had I would not mention it before thee though I were Righteous and had the greatest fitness and perfection a creature is capable of yet would I not answer thee I would not plead but supplicate not stand upon my Right but petition thy Favour not expect thy Justice but crave thy pity I would make supplication to my Judge The Righteousness of man is not pleadable before a Righteous God if thou shouldest be extream to mark what is done amiss by the best men in the best actions O Lord who could stand we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousness are as filthy rags my person is loathsom and abominable my preparation and best performances carry in them matter of my own death and indictment except thou oh cover them with the Robe of Christ's Righteousness and sprinkle them with his blood they can find no acceptance with thee And Oh thou who for our sake tookest upon thee our passions and sensibilities our weaknesses and sufferings so art become a merciful High Priest and pitiful to our infirmities receive a wearied sinner an overbur-thened Conscience an afflicted polluted Soul into thy care custody and cure The humility and sorrow love and purity of any Creature is not sufficient to make me worthy to be fed with thy Body nourisht with thy Blood united to thee to dwell and be one with thee but what I cannot be of my self let me be made of thee who of God art made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Oh weigh thine own not my merits that I may offer up an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing unto thee by Christ Jesus the life of them that believe and the Resurrection of the dead From him I hope for victory against my sins strength in Duty against my weakness succour in my life against temptation in my death against despair after death against damnation I presume upon thy help not because I â—ave deserv'd it for I have been an unprofitable servant but because thou hast redeemed me for thy Blood cannot be unprofitable Help me if not for my misery which I have deserved yet for thy mercies which thou hast promised for thy goodness is more ready to forgive then thy power to punish and thy Blood cries â—ouder for pardon then my sins for punishment Thou hast not yet forgiven so much as thou hast promised nor promis'd more than thou hast puchas'd Hath thy Blood satisfied for more sins than I can commit and shall it not satisfie for those 〈◊〉 have forsaken and do detest Hast thou purchased Mercy for more then repent and wilt thou not shew it on those to whom thou hast given Repentance Hast thou been so long calling that thou shouldest at last reject me so long promising Salvation that thou shouldst at last deny me I am thy Debtor for thy purchase but thou art mine for the promise 〈◊〉 could not oblige thee by my desert but thou hast obliged thy self by thy word I plead not the merit of my obedience but the mercy of the Covenant which thy Lâ—â—â— and mercy moved thee to make and thy Truth ties thee to perform Free grace made thee a promiser and thy promise hath made thee a Debtor Thou art not more Free in making promises then faithful in making them good a God that keepeth Covenant unto a thousand generations And oh that I could now laâ—â— aside my Body with my Business put off this outward man forâ— more naked The Soul Fixed inward spiritual sight that my mind might be rendred more sensible of him fit to receive 〈◊〉 deeper impression from his hand that nothing but him might enter in Away be gone ye wandring worldly vaiâ— thoughts for I am going to my God stiâ— not up nor disturb the Beloved of my Soul come not near I charge you make no noise to displease him or to call mâ— away from entertaining and enjoying oâ— him yea Lord bid them be gone and not dare to appear before thee It is the voice of my Beloved I hear him inviting me to his Table I see him coming to entertain me let all flesh therefore be silent and not be so bold as to whisper in his presence Welcom holy thoughts and pure desires Oh happy time wherein I may embrace my Saviour and solace my soul in the armes of my dearest Love Awake my Understanding Will and Affections awake my Glory and my Heart awake all ye Powers Faculties and Graces of my Soul and all that is within me be summon'd in stirred up and wholly bent to attend this service My costliest Box of Oyntment cannot be bestow'd better then on my
my Duty walked unanswerable to those multiplied obligations laid upon me broken all thy holy Commandments by many and great transgressions made and judged my self unworthy of everlasting life * Here mention your particular failings so that nothing might remain unto me but a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation to devour me But thou delightest in mercy and not in the death of a sinner art not willing any should perish but that all should come to repentance Oh take not counsel of thy just indignation but of thy native goodness thy satisfi'd justice Wilt thou destroy him that presents himself to be punished and thy Son to have satisfied that desires not to live unless it be by the benefit of thy mercy and his sufferings Wilt thou not spare me for thy Son who sparedst not thy Son for me Is there not enough in his Merits and Sacrifice to expiate all my sins and to justifie my person in thy sight O suffer not thy self to be deprived of the glory of my forgiveness and salvation as well as of my creation and redemption Save me whom thou hast hitherto spared and forgive me eternal death which I have so often merited by my great offences Bury them all in the bottomless Ocean of thy own Mercy and forgetfulness and my Saviours Blood lay them upon him who is able to bear them and cloath me with his righteousness that is able to cover me Oh free me from the guilt and stain the power and penalty the reign and dominion of sin that nothing may separate me from thy love nor from the sensible discoveries of it at thy Table That I may be a meet and worthy Receiver accept me into thy favour let thy mercy pardon my sins thy grace sanctifie my soul thy goodness supply my wants thy merits inrich my poverty thy precious blood wash away all my spots thy Holy Spirit prepare and direct and assist me Take away my filthy garments my spiritual filthiness and cloath me with the best robe the Lord our righteousness Oh think me worthy for his sake and make me worthy for thy mercy-sake Deal not with me according to my deserts but thy great goodness and my great necessity Let me so remember my sins that thou mayest forget them set them so before my face that thou mayest cast them behind thy back Give me such a lively steadfast Faith in Christ for forgiveness that thou mayest seal it up unto my soul Let me love him and all his members with a pure heart fervently at thy holy Communion and ever after without dissimulation So enlarge my Soul with spiritual affections and desires that it may even break for the longings it hath unto that Ordinance and unto thy Testimonies at all times Remove far from me all blindness of mind hardness of heart unrelenting affections deadness and indisposedness earthliness and distraction irreverence unbecoming apprehensions whatsoever may hinder the blessing and efficacy of that soul-nourishing refreshing Ordinance thy gracious presence my eternal salvation Create in me an understanding heavenly clean heart O God and renew an humble contrite right spirit within me prepared for thee Oh be not as a stranger unto me hide not thy self from me lift up the light of thy countenance upon me Let me feel the comfortable breathings of thy Holie Spirit in my Soul at thy Ordinance sanctifie it to me and me to receive it acceptably with due preparation and apprehensions reverence and humility repentance and faith love and charity joy and thankfulness a deep sense of thy inexpressible love and my own unworthiness And oh that all of us who this day approach thy Table may so eat his flesh which he hath given for the life of the World that we may live for ever and so drink his blood that it may be to us for remission of sins Meet us not in our selves in thy justice as a consuming fire but a reconciled Father in thy righteous and beloved Son whom thou gavest who gave himself for us when we were thy enemies Let us depart thence more under the power of thy love and grace and under greater resolutions and abilities to do thee faithful service all our dayes through Jesus Christ our Sacrifice and Redemption Hope and Confidence Surety and Advocate the Food and Health the Life and Salvation of our Souls who hath taught us when we pray to say Our Father c. As soon as ever the Sermon is ended look towards the Lords Table and say within your selves THis Sacrament I am going to is a standing Memorial of my Saviour's Passion wherein he once offered up Himself to God and a Sign of that nourishing and strengthning Grace which he now offers to me under the notion of Food It is the true meanes and instrument of conveying on me those Blessings and signifies that which by its proper Institution it represents In the making and ordering of those Elements see consider O my Soul the heavy Blows and Bruises the Pressures Piercings Pains and Sufferings of thy Saviour from his Father and wicked men The malice and violence of his Murderers crucified Him as a Malefactor and the fierie wrath of God made him a Burnt Sacrifice and under both these Sufferings He is become to me Meat indeed and Drink indeed the stay and support the comfort refreshment and life of my Soul nourishing and preserving it to eternal life That Bread and Wine could never sustain and nourish me if the one had not fallen into the Earth under the Sickle the Flail the Mill-stone and the Fire the other under the Hook and the Press of the Husbandman nothing less then the Cross the Wounds the Death of my Lord my God of his dearest Son made me a Saviour and by this Sacrament assures me I shall be kept up and fed with a supplie of all necessarie Blessings as certainlie as he gives me to taste that Bread and Wine the ordinarie meanes for preserving my life and strength Whilest we condemned Creatures were passing on to our Execution the Son of God looked upon us and took our Condemnation upon Himself and under it died in our stead Thus by the death and satisfaction of this Sacrifice Justice gave way to my Release God the Father forgave my Sin and God the Son procured my Life Then fall upon your Knees with all imaginable Reverence and say LEt the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer Most gracious God who of thy great goodness hast ordained this Ordinance for a continual Remembrance ofâ— hat ever prevailing Sacrifice which thy infinite Wisdom and Love hast appointed and accepted upon the Cross for us vile helpless wretched Sinners make us truely sensible of all our offences against thee and of his Love and Sufferings for us and accept us in Him to the Praise of thy Grace Rebuke all unseasonable thoughts and imaginations stir up and act in us
him a seal to the promise of pardon and eternal life though he did not testifie it by giving in extraordinary joys He looks not so much at fits of passion as at the steady bent and tenour of the Soul The truest Communion with God is to enjoy the Communication of his Graces whereby we are made conformable to him we may enjoy the saving influences of his Spirit when we cannot feel his more abundant consolations Though this Ordinance be not at present joyous yet may afterwards yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness to those that are conversant therein It cannot be well known what Grace we have received further measures of which are the holy Spirits accompanying those means being the great benefit we are apt to expect till we come to the exercise of it in duty and against temptation But oh how much cause have I to rejoyce in his love and goodness to render him hearty thanks who might have left me as well as others to my self for his quickning and refreshment for his satisfying me so abundantly with the fatness of his house and making me drink of the river of his pleasure especially now I find and oh that I could more and more such real benefit received by it my soul more deeply broken and humbled under the sense of sin and that become more loathsom hateful burdensom to me My heart truely thankful for what I have enjoyed and sorrowful I have enjoyed no more more strongly engaged and resolved to inward and universal holiness my Faith in Christ more encreased and setled my love to him more inflamed my Soul strengthned and emboldned to undergo any thing for him my spiritual delight and joy in him raised and lessened to other things my esteem and valuation of the Ordinance heightned my Graces in it exercised my desires after full enjoyment of God and Christ in Glory more enlarged If he were pleased to kill me he would not have received a burnt-offering and a Meat-offering at my hands neither would he have shewed me all these things nor as at this time have given me to experience such things as these Oh that I may always retain a thankful sense of all his benefits Oh how much am I beholden to thee my God I have been praising of thee but nothing to what I ought or what thou deserv'st Oh how can I cease to magnifie thee for what I am and have for the use of thy creatures and thy blessing with them for every crum much more for Christ that foundation mercy that hath all mercies folded up in him and entail'd unto him that sweetens and sanctifies every mercy for this Feast on his Body and Blood for the joys of thy house and the viands of heaven for any measure of life and affection raisedness and comfort grace and goodness Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy name While I live I will praise thee I will sing praise unto my God while I have a being and what is here wanting in thy due praise I will pay hereafter in everlasting Hallelujahs Rest not in the work done though done never so well Beware lest by spiritual pride and future negligence thou lose the things thou hast wrought Had I done all as well as was commanded me I would say I am an unprofitable servant I had done but my duty but O how short come I of it Oh let not the Lord lay to my charge my want of due preparation my coldness and indifferency distraction and unbelief my so many failings before and at the Ordinance that my heart was in no better frame that I took no more paines with it to fit it for thy self that it was no more broken for my sins when the Minister broke the Bread that when I took it I was so dull so dead and did no better reach forth the hand of Faith to lay hold on and apply Christ and his benefits so play'd the hypocrite before thee and my fellow Communicants that when the Wine was poured forth and I saw how Christ shed his Blood for sinners I scarce dropt a tear for the cause from a heart sensible of my sins and his love unto my Soul when I took and drank the Cup I did not remember him as I ought that my heart was not so seriously intent and reverent so deeply affected sutable to the importance and excellency of the duty and the Majesty of him with whom I had to do Spend some time in strengthning and confirming thy holy purposes and resolutions O that some fruit may be seen of this day till the solemnity return that the thoughts and meditations I had there may be so strongly so deeply fixed and rooted in the bottom of my heart that nothing may be able to pluck them up that I may be so sensibly possest with the perswasions that Christ is in and united to me that when a Temptation comes and knocks for enterance I may readily naturally say I am not he that I was before the property of the house is quite changed I live yet not I but Christ in me I was indeed a common Inne to entertain all-Comers but now I am become the sole Habitation of the High and Holy One he expects to be honourably treated like unto himself he will have no competitors or unclean thing in his house I cannot arise and open to you Oh how shall I treat him who hath taken up his abode with me shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot defile that body wherein he hath chosen to reside force him out of his habitation by any impurity offend him by any noysom thoughts or unsavoury breath out of my mouth shall those hands that have received the sacred Elements work deceit those Eyes that have been filled with tears at the Lords Table be fill'd with envy those teeth that have eaten Holy Bread â—grind the face of the poor those lips that have touched the Sacramental Cup salute an Harlot the mouth that hath drunk consecrated wine be full of rotten discourse shall I be so greedy of the World as to forget to retire to converse with my Saviour shall I so perplex my self in business as to omit to pray to meditate to sing praises unto thee No I am not at my own dispose I have sworn and I will perform that I will keep thy righteous judgments and often consider how deeply I am obliged to him that hath paid my debt Oh I can never parallel his love yet let me shew my self thankful I can do nothing satisfactory but let me do something gratulatory He gave himself a sin-offering for me let me give my self a thank-offering to him offer up my self a living facrifice unto my Redeemer who offered up himself a dying Sacrifice for my Redemption Beware of Crucifying Christ afresh To them that believe he is precious now I have begun to celebrate the Marriage oh let me never throw off the