may continue therein serving thee in Holiness and Righteousnes all the days of my life till I shall enjoy thy self fully to all Eternity in Heaven where there shall be an end of these things and that for thy Names sake Amen Short though sweet MEDITATIONS Or sweet Cordials for the HEART 1. IT is folly to think that we should have Physick and Health both at one time resolve therefore upon waiting his leisure after a weary Week comes a Sabbath and after a Fight Victory 2. Unkindness of others to us is but a correction of our unkindness to God 3. He that can't abound without Pride and High-mindedness will never want without too much dejectedness 4. Let us not seek our selves abroad out of our selves in the conceits of other men That man shall never lie quiet that hath not learned to set light by others causeless ill conceits 5. Them that set too high a price upon themselves where others will not come up to their price they are discontented 6. Those whose condition is above their worth and their pride above their condition shall never want forrow yet we must maintain our Authority in our places for that is Gods and not ours and we ought ro carry our selves so as that we may approve our selves to their consciences though we can't have their good word 7. One end why God suffereth the Soul to tire and beat it self is that finding no rest in it self it might seek to God 8. A man can be in no condition wherein God is at a loss if comfort be wanting he can create Comfort not only out of nothing but out of discomfort He made the Whale that swallowed Jonas a means to bring him to Land 9. The only way to have our will is to bring it to Gods Will. 10. The way patiently to suffer Gods will is to enure our selves to do it they that have not enured themselves to the yoke of obedience will never endure the yoke of suffering 11. When we can say to God Wilt thou have me poor and disregarded I am well content Thus a gedly Man says Amen to Gods Amen and puts his Fiat to Gods Fiat 12. None feel more Experience of Gods Providence than those that are most resolute in their obedience 13 After we have given Glory to God by relying upon his Wisdom Power Strength and Truth we shall find him imploying these for our Direction Assistance and bringing things to our desired Issue yea above what we desire or thought of 14. The more Passion the less Discretion because Passion hinders the sight of what is to be done 15. It is good to observe the particular Becks of Providence how things joyn and meet together Fit occasions and suiting of things are intimation of Gods Will. Providence hath a Languags which is well understood by those that have familiar acquaintance with God They see a train of Providence leading one way more then another 16. Labour to fit a promise to every condition thou art in There is no condition but hath a promise suitable to it 17. He that loveth too much will grieve too much It is the greatness of our Affection that causeth our Affliction 18. All our noise proceeds from a Swelling Vapour of Pride It is Air inclosed in the Bowels of the Earth that shakes it which all the four Winds can't do 19. There is an Art of bearing troubles if we can learn it without over-troubling our selves as in bearing a burthen there is a way to poize it that it weigh not over heavy if it hang on one side it poizeth the Body down the greater part we pull on our selves by not imparting our Care so as to take upon us only the care of duty and leave the rest to God 20. We must not mingle our Passions with our Crosses like foolish Patients chewing the Pills which they should swallow dovvn 21. He that sees not God every where sees him no where 22. He that loses himself in self denia I finds himself in Gods Bosom 23. In Prosperity fear God in Adversity love God 24. Praying will make thee leave sinning or sinning make thee leave praying 25. Our weakness and inabilities break not the bond of our duties 26. No sin but is easier kept out than cast out 27. What we are afraid to do before men we should be afraid to think before God 28. Nature vexed and Nature armed soon discovers it self 29. They that retain the memory of mercies seldom lose the sight of mercies 30. What unthankfulness is this to think upon two or three crosses so as to forget an hundred blessings What folly is it to darken our Spirits and to indispose our selves to the taking or doing of good 31. A Limb out of joynt can do nothing without deformity and pain Dejection takes off the wheels of the Soul Joy is as Oyl to the Soul it makes Duties come off chearfully from our selves pleasing to others and acceptable to God 32. Let us go on to add Grace unto Grace a growing Christian is always a comsortable Christian the Oyl of Grace will bring forth the Oyl of Gladness 33. Melancholy Persons are things that seem black and dark to themselves their Souls are as it were dead-black whatsoever comes to a Melancholy Person comes in a dark way to his Soul 34. In all grievances let us look to something that may comfort us as well as discourage us let us look as well to what we enjoy as to what we want As in Prosperity God mingles some cross to diet us so in all crosses there is some thing to comsort us As there is vanity lieth hid in the best worldly good so there is a blessing lies hid in the greatest worldly evil 35. We must neither bring sin to nor mingle sin with our sufferings for that will trouble the Soul more than the trouble it self We are not hurt till our Souls be hurt 36. In sudden encounters some sin doth many times discover it self the seed whereof lieth hid in our hearts which we think our selves free from What cause have we then to fear continually that we are worse than we take our selves to be The force of Gun-powder is not known till some sparks lite in it 37. What a sight were it to see the Feet where the Head is and the Earth to be where the Heaven is To the Spiritual Eye it seems as great a deformity to see the Soul to be under sinful passions 38. A good heart when any Corruption is discovered by a searching Ministry is affected as though it found out some deadly enemy Techiness and Passion argues Guilt 39. The imaginary grievances of this life are more than the real 40. The way to expel Wind out of the Body is to take wholesome Nourishment so to expel Windy Fancies from the Soul is to feed upon Serious Truths Our best way therefore is to propound three objects to the mind as 1. To consider the greatness and goodness of God 2. The Joys of
week past and grant that they may not interrupt the benefit of thy day to come if it shall please thee to bring me to the opportunity of it Qualifie me and prepare me for such a work as thy Sabbath expects from me according to the preparation of thy Sanctuary and being prepared I may meet with thy Self let thy Word be sweet to my Soul let it descend as rain upon the new-mown Grass let it water my dry and parched Soul and let the influences of thy Spirit accompany it that it may be effectual to the saving of my Soul Pardon the sins of this day of this present duty and all my life and accept my imperfection in the perfection of Christ Amen Of the SABBATH 1. WHat the Sabbath is and how many-fold it is 2. Of what use it is to us Christians 3. Why it was appointed 4. What are the Works to be done or omitted 1. As to the first What the Sabbath is The Sabbath amongst the Hebrews is called Schabbat Schebbet or Schabbathon that is a Cessation vacation from labour or rest Moreover it is called a Day by God devoted for his Worship and that for four Reasons 1. Because God on that day rested from his work of Creation although not from his Work of Providence 2. Because that the Sabbath is the Image or Representative of that spiritual and future Rest from sin 3. Because on this day we ought to rest from our Oeconomicks from our Houshold Affairs that God might imploy us in his Work 4. Because that our Servants and labouring Beasts might rest on that Day 2. Duplex enim est Sabbathum the Sabbath is two-fold 1. Moral and Internal or 2. Ceremonial or External First Moral and Internal or Spiritual and that is the desire of the knowledge of God and his Works to the end that we may avoid sin and serve God both in word and deed In a word It is an abstaining from sin and exercising the Works of God and worshipping him Isai 66.23 Secondly Ceremonial or External and that is an appointed and set time separate in the Church for the ministration of the Sacraments and dispensing the Word and other things appointed of God himself and this is either Mediately or Immediately from God himself appointed and laid down to the Church in the Old Testament which also is divers 1. A Sabbath of days which is every Seventh day of the Week peculiarly so called because of God's resting from his Creation work and for his people to rest on Thence by the Hebrews by a Synecdoche the whole week was called Sabbathum or Sabbatha c. 2. A Sabbath of Months Neomeniae viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nova Luna the time of the New Moon 3. A Sabbath of Years viz. every Seventh year in which the Jewish people were not to sow their ground Lev. 2.3 4 26 35. Lev. 25.8 2. More Mediate or external which God appointed by his Church in the New Testament which is the first day of the week namely the Lords Day which was observed by the Christian Church from the time of the Apostles instead of the seventh day and that in respect of the Resurrection of Christ 2. As to the second viz. of what use the Sabbath is to Christians The Sabbath from the beginning was appointed by God to the end that Man by God's Example might rest from all his Works especially from sin and afterward was renewed in the Mosaical Law to the end God might shew that yet he would honour the Sabbath more in sanctifying it to his Church namely that he would forgive their sins and receive them into his favour by the Messiah promised to their Fathers and that to be exhibited or held forth in his time and this may serve for a Reason why the Ceremonial Sabbath viz. the Seventh day is abolished wherein is represented the bounty of the Messiah and also puts us in mind of his Offices upon which acccount all the rest of the Sacraments Sacrifices and Ceremonies instituted before and after the Law were abolished by the coming of Christ notwithstanding this Sabbath's abrogation in the New Testament yet the Moral Sabbath is permanent and is of great use to us namely that we might have a certain time appointed for the work and service of God it being no less necessary that a certain day be instituted now in the Christian as well as formerly in the Jewish Church for the dispensing of the Word and administring publickly the Sacraments of God Moreover we are not limited to any day of the week strictly as some will have it as the third fourth or fifth or any other and therefore the Apostolical Church being free by the gift of or if you will by that liberty freely bestowed by Christ for distinction sake to wit between them and the Jewish Synagogue they used the First day for the Seventh for this probable Reason that on that day of Christ's Resurrection our spiritual and internal Sabbath was begun in us In a word we are bound to a Ceremonial Sabbath in genere sed non in specie that is that we ought to have a day wherein the Church may be taught and the Sacraments administred yet limited to no certain day Obj. 1. The Decalogue is a perpetual Law may some say The Command concerning the Sabbath is of the Decalogue therefore the Law is perpetual Resp. True The Decalogue is perpetual as it is Moral but the Appendices or Determinations of Moral Commands in respect of signification were only to be kept till the coming of Christ Obj. 2. The Precepts of the Decalogue belong to all This is a Precept of the Decalogue therefore this belongs to all Resp. Granted as touching its Morality but it is also Ceremonial in part and so it doth not belong to us nisi quo ad genus The Reasons are evident 1. Sr. Paul saith Col. 2.16 Let none judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the New Moon or of the Sabhath 2. The Apostles themselves changed the seventh-Seventh-days Sabbath 3. From the end of the Law it was a Type of things to be fulfilled by Christ to wit of Sanctification c. the Type must needs be abrogated the thing typified being produced Obj. 3. The Lord saith of the Sabbath That it is a sign for ever between him and the children of Israel Therefore the Sabbath is not to be abolished Resp. The Ceremonial Sabbath is perpetual until Christ which is the end of Ceremonies 2. The Sabbath is eternal quo ad rem significatam which is a cessation from sin and rest in God and so of all other Types in the Old Testament yea the Kingdom of David which was destroyed at the coming of the Messiah Obj. 4. The Laws given before Moses 's time were immutable The Seventh-days Sabbath was instituted before Moses 's Therefore the Sevenths-days Sabbath is immutable provided that we assent that Moses 's Laws were mutable Resp. 'T is
thee more to have blessed me in all my Enterprizes Lord help me to redeem time because the days are evil I thank thee for thy care and preserving providence this day As touching those things that have been done amiss in any way or manner this day by me let them not prevent night mercies O deal in Mercy and not in Judgement with me let thy love conceal all my offences As touching this night Let my rest in it be sweet unto me Let every night be as it were a memento of the silent night in the Grave a remembrance of death to put me in mind of my later end Make my rest sweet unto me that being refreshed with moderate rest I may the next morning bless thy name and be ingaged to a more lively activity for God the next day and that for Christs sake Amen A Prayer for Fryday Morning GLorious Lord 't is thy great condescension that thou dost after such a manner afford the priviledge of the means of Grace unto me and that thou doest give me fresh occasions every morning to praise thee and to pray unto thee to thank thee for Mercies received and to beg further supplies of future Mercies O Lord let not my unthankfulness prevent what further blessings thou mayest design for me O I have been very ungrateful unthankful and unkind in that I have expressed my thankfulness no more by an holy humble and a regular walking before thee Pardon that black sin of ingratitude of which I have been too too much guilty by walking contrary to thy Prescriptions and contrary to the Canons and Constitutions of Heaven Pardon that I have done so little for God that I have loved so little whereas God has loved me so much evidenced by his gracious dealings to me-wards O help me to believe and that strongly hope for Heaven more confidently and love thee more servently and bear the Cross more patiently and submissively that thereby I might steer my course more evenly to the New Jerusalem Lord thou hast been very kind unto me thou hast dealt with me in love this night in my preservation and protection in Soul and Body from Spiritual and Corporal Enemies thou hast guarded me by thy special Providence Accept of my thankfulness and grant that my humility and thankfulness may ingage thee to extend more of thy benignity prosperity and ability in the affairs of this life Sanctifie my heart that this day I may act for God as in the presence of God Direct me in the courses not only of this day but all my days that all may be to thy Glory and the comfort of my Soul through Christ Amen A Prayer for Fryday Evening BLessed God it is the great comfort of thy People that at any time thou art pleased in such a condescending manner to let them spread their cases before thee O Lord sure I am Thou never saidst to the Seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain for so thy word manifests unto us Whereas Lord I dust and clay have rebelled against thee from time to time yet thou art pleased to admit me to come into thy presence and to tell what my wants are and blessed be thy Name thou hast granted a supply and hast encouraged me to come again and hast not dealt with me after the manner of men but hast been pleased many times to grant me the same Mercies that I formerly abused How many days have I spent vainly and yet thou hast given me the enjoyment of more I pray thee pass by my many miscarriages in this very days course O how little have I done for thee how little honour have I brought to thy Name How selfish have I been How unmindful of God have I been How little have I done in order to the making of my Calling and Election sure Lord how shall I escape in the neglecting so many precious opportunities Instead of doing thy will I have followed the dictates of mine own carnal heart and corruption Instead of doing thy will I have done mine own Pardon what is amiss this day and sanctifie this nights Mercy unto me Let thy good Angels keep me let thy Spirit preserve me let my very thoughts be towards thee keep me from vanity from sin that foul destructive enemy and keep me from the Paw of that roaring Lyon Let me acquiesce and rest in thee through thy Son Jesus Christ Amen A Prayer for Saturday Morning LOrd God Merciful and Gracious and abundant in Goodness and Truth thou hast been pleased to preserve me with thy special Providence from time to time from day to day and night to night and to keep me under and in all straits in and amidst the vicissitudes of this World of Incumbrances O thou hast dealt bountifully with me Grant that I may not be barren under all that thy Providences may not be silent to me Thou hast said Day unto Day uttereth Wisdom and Night unto Night sheweth Knowledge O teach me by all Let every Mornings Mercy and every Evenings Mercy and every Days Mercy be of much use unto me yea let all Seasons be advantagious to me Let time be improved by me for God for which end all Time was given to Man Lord direct me in all my Affairs this day counsel me in all my Concerns prosper me in all my Designs strengthen me in all my undertakings and grant that as thou renewest my strength by rest and sleep thou also may'st renew me in the spirit of my mind let not my heart be set upon the world as to draw my assections from thee nor let the cares of the world prevent me in the care for my Soul Mortifie all my corruptions in me for me rectifie my Judgment mortifie my Will change my Nature illuminate my Understanding and transform me to the Image of God Grant these and what thou in thy wisdom know'st necessary for me through Christ Jesus Amen A Prayer for Saturday Evening HOly Lord what great cause have I to bless thee that thou hast pleased to preserve me all this week and keep me in the midst of all the vicissitudes of this sickle and unconstant world and admittest me yet again to come before thee by way of duty Grant that I may not look upon it as a Duty only but as a Priviledg and that a great one a Priviledge that many enjoy not And what am I more than they I have been guilty of sins both for quantity and quality it may be that they were never guilty of Opardon me that I can be no more thankful for nor profitable in the enjoyment of the same Work in me Lord a more active frame of spirit that I may bring more honour to thy Name let the fruits of Grace spring more apparently in my life Let thy Word teach me thy Spirit guide and sanctifie me thy Son redeem me thy Power preserve me and thy Providence sustain me Yea let all work together for the best for me Pardon the sins of this
only true in the Moral Law 't is denied in the Ceremonial These Types before Moses shewing the bounty of the Messiah were abolisht at his comming as Circumcision given to Abraham In like manner the Sacrifices either commanded to our first Parents or practised by them Object 5. The Laws given by God before the Fall were not Types of the Bounties of Christ all grant the promise of the Messiah being not as then given although the condition of the whole humane race was one and the same The Seventh days Sabbath was instituted before the Fall of Mankind therefore it is universal and perpetual Resp Per distinctionem materiis which is true concerning the Moral Law whose natural knowledge was imprinted in the mind of man in the Creation but not concerning the Seventh day Sabbaths Ceremony which after the fall in the Mosaical Law is made a type of the benefits of the Messiah And besides all this other Ceremonies whether instituted before or after by the Messias were made obnoctious to change for God will not let them remain under the shaddows the things themselves being exhibited 3. What are the causes of the institution of the Sabbath 1. For the Publick Worship of God in his Church 2. For the preservation of the Ecclesiastical Ministry which teacheth what we are to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of us 3. That the type in the Old might denote or represent the spiritual in the New Testament Ezek. 20.12 4. That there might be an ordinary exercise of Prayer of Confession and of Obedience toward God 5. By reason of the Seventh days circumstance to wit that it might put us in mind both of our great Creation and Redemption Work 6. That on that day the greatest Works of Liberality and Benignity might be exercised toward our Neighbour 7. Because of that Corporal Rest of both Man and Beast of Bruits indeed because of Man 8. That the Israelites might be known by this mark from other Countries 4. What are the Works of the Sabbath commanded or forbidden Or how the Sabbath is kept or violated 1. The Sabbath is sanctified when Works are done and holily observed which God has commanded 2. The Sabbath is profaned when Works are either neglected or abused in the use of them or hindred by a profane violence The Works whereby the Sabbath is either sanctified or profaned are these 1. First Rightly to instruct the Church concerning God viz. What he is and What his Will is viz. What Duties either Negative or Affirmative he requires of man On the contrary 1. Neglect of Publick or Private Instruction Isa 56.10 2. Depravation or Diminution of the Doctrine that ought to be taught Ezek. 34.2 2 Cor. 2.17 3. Secondly Administring the Sacraments according to Divine Institution Unto which we ought to come being lawfully called by the Ministers of the Church as the Vice-gerents of God and that especially on the Lords Day On the contrary Omitting or neglecting instructing the Church to use the Sacraments and an illegal Administration of the same viz. By a detracting from or adding to the Essentials of Worship appointed of God or any thing in them or excluding any that ought to come to receive or pertake or to encourage those that ought not or not to teach the lawful use of them 3. Thirdly Diligently to learn the True Doctrine That is to attend on and hear the Doctrine of God 1 Tim. 4.16 and daily to meditate in the same The Contraries 1. Contempt or neglect of the Doctrine by either being absent at Assemblies or not regarding the Ministers or not meditating on or inquiring into the Doctrine of Christ 2. Neglect of knowing the Doctrine either by Ministers or people 3. Curiosities either by prying into Gods secrets or unnecessary things or novelties Luke 12 48. Prov. 25.27 1 Tim. 4.7 2 Tim. 4.3 Tit. 3.9 4. Fourthly To use the Sacraments according to Divine instruction Acts 20.7 Repugnants to this 1. The omission or contempt of the Sacraments 2. Profanation of the Sacraments when they are either used not after the same way or not by them whom God hath instituted 3. Asuperstitious use of them 5. Fifthly Invocation of God publickly Wherein we adjoyn confession or giving of thanks and our desires with the Church Repugnants 1. Neglect of Prayers of the Church 2. Hypocrisie in Prayers of the Church without attention or affection 3. A recitation of Prayers that edifie not 1 Cor. 14.17 6. Sixthly Charity and Bounty towards the Poor that is giving Alms or doing works of Mercy towards the Needy with delight and singleness of heart Repugnants 1. Neglect or contempt of the Poor 2. Ostentation and shew in giving which Christ condemns 7. Seventhly Honour of the Ecclesiastical Ministry which comprehends 1. Reverence 2. Love 3. Obediencee 4. Gratitude 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Equity in bearing with the infirmities of Ministers Family Prayers For every day in the WEEK A Prayer for the Sabbath Omost holy great and glorious God thou that art the rest of thy poor Creatures the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ whom thou hast instituted Lord of the Sabbath in whose strength we desire to approach thy holy presence this thy holy Sabbath-day a day of thy own appointment wherein thou wilt be found in an especial manner and as it is to be a day of rest for all flesh after thine own institution Lord help us not only to rest from our ordinary Labours and Imployments but from any thing that may be disconsonant to thy Will and Word not doing our own actions nor speaking our own words nor thinking our own thoughts that thereby we being prepared according to the preparation of thy Sanctuary may be in the Spirit on the Lords Day to meet with thee and by meeting with thee we may hear thee communicate some sweet truth to us whereby we may be drawn nigher to thy self by the blood of Christ And seeing thou wast pleased Lord to honour this day by the Resurrection of our blessed Redeemer let us have more evidence from thy self this day that we are risen with him having conquered by him Death Grave Hell and Sin O let us see him whom our sins have pierced that we by faith may mortifie that that crucified him and let us have a glimpse of our beloved in his glory and let us this day hearken to his voice that we may know to love what he loves and hate what he hates to be in love with sanctity and holiness and to be at enmity with every similitude of sin which will hinder our services this day in his name to be as a sweet smell in Gods Nostrils Help us to hold fast our hope and confidence in God unto the end and let that considence be a perfect assurance that we have an interest in Jesus Let the word preached be mixed with saith let it be quick and powerful and piercing that it may accomplish that end for which it was sent Let not
my Soul and remember it God that hath entred thee into his Warfare and is thy spectator and helper will never reckon up to thee Sathans deeds for thine and learn thou wisely how to distinguish them but comfort thy self as long as thou art able to stand to thy protestation that thou do'st suffer violence in them and canst say with the Apostle This is not I but sin that dwells in me O Lord deliver me from the rage of this Spiritual Tyranny many a time have I looked to have been swallowed up but thou hast sustained me Blessed be my God for ever and the Lord be my God to the end Of the Lords Supper THE necessity of this will appear if we consider what advantage doth accrew from hence to us-ward and this appears 1. From the admirable satisfaction it yieldeth unto a distressed Soul 2. In that it instigates and stirs us up to the study of Piety and Holiness 3. In that it enlightneth our understanding 4. In that it corroborates us or addeth strength to our weakness 5. In that it maketh glad the conscience and heart 6. In that it is as it were our Viaticum or Refreshment in our Journey to that Celestial Canaan Three things principally are necessary to a fruitful Reception of the Lords Supper 1. Purity and Holiness Lev. 19.2 Be ye Holy as I am Holy And this may be taken in two words First To be sorry and humble for past and present sins and resolve in the Strength of Christ against sins to come Secondly To abandon all hatred and malice because it is a Sacrament of Love 2. A right intention in communicating 1. Not Customarily 2. Not Men-pleasingly 3. Not Appearing outwardly 3. Actual Devotion viz. 1. To endeavour to pray without distraction 2. To be Spiritually ellevated Christ-ward in Affection in his Ordinance 3. To come with Humility and devout Reverence After Receiving the Holy Sacrament 1. Give thanks to Christ the Author for the vouchsafing it to thee 2. Be careful for the future more and more to keep up his Worship 3. Intreat him to abide with thee to the end of the World and so to Eternity A Soliloquy concerning the Blessed Sacrament Quest For what cause do I receive this Institution or Ordinance of God Answ 1. To the end I may regard and dutifully keep Christs most Holy Institution 2. To demonstrate my self a Member of the same Body whereof he is the Head 3. That I may receive this Sovereign Repast to the Corroborating of my Faith and the Health of my Soul Quest What do I Receive Answ The Body and Blood of Christ after a Divine and Celestial Manner Quest What profit have I by the receiving of the same Answ Increase of Grace Assurance of Gods Love as a Pledge of an Eternal Inheritance purchased for me in Heaven Quest Why do I often Communicate Answ Because I hope I am one of Gods Children and therefore desire to come often unto him as a God in Covenant and Father in Christ Quest After what manner ought I to come Answ By Faith and Repentance with a fixed Resolution to serve and obey him in Holiness and Righteousness according to that Ability he shall beslow on me as long as I live Quest What should I observe before I have access to the Lords Supper Answ Doubtless I ought to examine my own Heart what sins I stand guilty of in the sight of God and earnestly to beg of God both to discover them to me and mortifie them in me being the sole Work of God and humble me for them 2. Stedfastly to confide in Christ for a Pardon of these things judging him only able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him for so it is in his Word and to work in me what is promised in his Word 3. To Consider that I ought to come prepared to such an Holy Ordinance because it is Commanded in Gods Word Let a Man examine himself c. 4. To Consider that Prayer is the best means whereby I can be sitted for the receiving of such a Sacrament 5. To be much in the Meditation of the Passion of Jesus Christ his Resurrection and of my rising with him unto a newness of Life a Life of Holiness here and in seeking life hereafter If ye then be risen with him seek those things that are above 6. To consider that these Elements viz. Bread and Water that I am preparing to receive are so to be received as the Body and Blood of Christ by Faith whereby his Death is shewed forth and the worthy Receivers are not Corporally and Carnally but Spiritually partakers of the same Body and Blood with all his benefits to their Spiritual Nourishment and growth in Grace In a word I or any other that would worthily partake of this Lords Supper must examine our selves of our knowledge to discern the Lords Body of our Faith to feed upon him of our Repentance Love and New Obedience least coming unworthily we eat and drink Judgment to our selves A Prayer before the Communion O Glorious and Omnipotent God behold I an unworthy wretch am presuming to draw nigh thy Table a Banquet of thine appointment I am approaching I say but as the Patient to the Physician as the Unclean to the fountain of Mercy as the Blind to the light of Eternal Brightness as a poor Begger to the King of Mercy as the Naked to the Lord of Heaven and Earth I beseech thee out of the abundance of thy Pity to heal my Infirmity to wash my Foulness to enlighten my Darkness and Blindness to enrich my Poverty to cloth my Nakedness that I may receive the Bread of Angels O thou the King of Kings and Lord of Lords grant that I may receive thee with such respect and reverence with such contrition and fear with such faith and purity with such a purpose and humility as is expedient for my Soul Lord notwithstanding mine unworthiness give me not only the Sacrament but the vertue of the Sacrament and grant me so to receive the Body and Blood of thy only Son that I may be incorporated into the Mystical Body and be accounted as a Member of the same Grant that whom I now receive as it were covered with a vail I may one day behold in Glory who liveth and reigneth with thee and thy Holy Ghost world without end Amen A Thanks giving after the Communion BLessed Jesus Praises is due to thy self for that infallible love of thine that by thy death didst redeem mankind I beseech thee suffer not that precious Body of thine to be broken nor thy Blood to be shed for me in vain O let thy Blessed and Sacred Body feed my Soul and precious Blood quicken my spirit and by increasing from one degree to another I may become a fit member of thy Church which is thy Mystical Body and grant that I may never depart from it nor break that league that I have been renewing at thy Table but