Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n
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A42296
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A guide to young communicants: or, The whole duty of the sacrament fitted for those that desire to be worthy receivers of the Lords Supper: with suitable prayers, for morning and evening. Also directions for a holy living and dying. A dialogue between a divine and a beggar. And a description of Christ's person when on earth. To which is added, Bishop Usher's prophecy.
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1695
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Wing G2187B; ESTC R223701
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15,115
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A Guide to Young Communicants Or The Whole Duty of the Sacrament Fitted for those that Desire to be WORTHY RECEIVERS OF THE Lords Supper With Suitable PRAYERS For Morning and Evening Also Directions for a Holy Living and Dying A Dialogue between a Divine and a Beggar And a Description of CHRIST'S Person when on Earth To which is added Bishop USHER's Prophecy The Fourth Edition London Printed for G. C. at the Ring in Little-Britain Price 2 d. Reader THis little Book was printed for the Use of an Honourable Lady and was wrote as I was inform'd by Dr. J. Bishop of L n. It has found a kind Reception and many of them have been distributed among the Poor It contains what is necessary to be known on this Occasion sufficiently explaining what the Communion or Sacrament of the New Testament is and what is meant thereby showing plainly what is to be done at before and after Receiving Indeed that which makes all People Worthy Communicants or truly prepares for this Duty is a Holy Life it does not require so much Head-Knowledge as a sincere Heart devoted to God A God-like or Christ-like Life is the best Qualification True Repentance or forsaking Sins past and hearty Obedience to what God manifests or discovers in the inward of thy Heart to be thy Duty This must be done by thee whoever thou art thâ—t would come rightly prepar'd to Receive the Lord's Supper For thy Assistance herein I recommend to thee this little Book ADVERTISEMENT A Guide to young Communicants with Meditations for every Day of the Week to which is added a History of Riches Poverty Godliness Labour and Content Bp Usher's Prophecy an Account of Popish Persecutions with other matters Pr. stitcht 4 d. bd 6 d. A Guide to the Altar with Prayers for Morning and Evening and other Occasions to which is added The Practice of the Faithful 1 s. A Spark from the Altar or Preparation for the Sacrament Pr. 6 d. A Bundle of Myrrh Pr. 1 d. The pious Man's Directions shewing how to walk with God all his Days c. Pr. 6 d. The Child's Weeks-work and Father's Blessing 6 d. England's Reformation against Drunkenness Gluttony Whoredom Fornication Cursing Swearing c. with Examples of God's Judgments on such as use them Pr. 1 d. The Tryal and Execution of Joan Perry her two Sons in Gloucestershire very strange and true Pr. 2 d. A Week's Preparation for a Worthy Communicant Quest 1. WHAT is the Communion Answ It is the second Sacrament of the New Testament wherein by the outward Receiving the Bread and Wine is signified the inward and spiritual Receiving of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ that is of all the Benefits of his Incarnation and Sufferings Q 2. Why do we Receive the Communion A. For four Reasons especially 1. Because Christ in the Institution of it did expresly command it Do this in remembrance of me Luk. 22.19 which is also repeated and enjoin'd by St. Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 11 from the 2â—d to the 29th verse 2. To testifie our unfeigned Love to GOD and Charity to all Men. 3. To shew our thankful Hearts for God's unspeakable Mercy in it Abraham reckoned himself unworthy to speak with God Moses thought himself unfit to be sent to Pharaoh And behold God himself entertains us as Guests at a Holy Feast of the richest and most costly Dainties provided by himself for us And what can be sufficient for sinful Creatures to return in Gratitude for such endearing Love and Condescension 4. Because of the great Advantage and Benefit we receive by taking of it worthily The Benefit we receive in this Sacrament does chiefly consist in these four Particulars 1. We are by this Sacrament united to Christ and made one with him for as the Bread and Wine becomes one with our Bodies so by this Sacrament we become one with Christ 2. To strengthen and encrease our Faith and Repentance for in this Sacrament we do as it were see Christ Crucified before our Eyes Gal. 3.1 When the Bread is Broken it puts me in mind how the Blessed Body of my Saviour was Torn and Wounded before Pontius Pilate upon the Cross and when the Wine is poured forth into the Cup it shews how the precious Blood of Jesus Christ was abundantly shed for our Sins And when the Minister reaches me the Bread and Wine it sheweth me his beloved Son is to be received and embraced by me and that through his Merits and Intercession we are reconciled unto him 3. By this Sacrament we become united to our Christian Brethren for it is a Feast of Love where we profess hearty Affection to all the People of God sincerely desiring and seeking the Welfare of his Church putting up our devoutest Prayers for our Fellow Christians and forgiving if we have ought against any of them as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us And 4. We hereby receive the Assurance of Pardon and Remission for all our past Transgressions and a Confirmation and Encrease of all Christian Graces for this Sacrament is a Seal of our Covenant with God assuring and sealing to us upon the Conditions of true and hearty Repentance c. the Pardon of all our Sins and a comfortable Assurance of Eternal Life and Salvation and it is an Instrument or Means whereby we receive Grace and Strength to serve God more freely and chearfully ever after In a word it gives us a Title and Interest to all the Blessings obtained by Christ Jesus The very Names given to the Sacrament in the New-Testament declare unto us the Nature of it and the Blessing we receive by it which are these six 1. It 's call'd the Communion or Communication of the Body and Blood of Christ that is as was said before of all the Benefits of his Life and Sufferings 1 Cor. 10.26 2. It is called The Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.20 as our Lord instituted it after he supt with his Disciples 3. It is call'd The Lord's Table on the same account 1 Cor. 10.21 4. It is call'd Breaking of Bread Acts 2.40 to denote Charity 5. It is call'd The Last Will of Christ or The New Testament Mat. 26.28 viz. wherein he bequeaths to us Life and Salvation 6. It is call'd The Cup of Blessing that is of Praise and Thanksgiving 1 Cor. 10.16 It is also call'd the Eucharist which signifies the same thing Q. 3. What is requir'd of a Christian that he may become a Worthy Communicant A. Three sorts of Duties 1. Somewhat to be done before we receive the Communion 2. Our Duties at Receiving And 3. Our Duties afterwards Q. 4. What is expected before we receive the Communion A. To examin and prepare ourselves beforehand this God hath commanded And we can't be assured that without such Examination we shall be welcome Guests at the Lord's Table See to this purpose 1 Cor. 11.28 29. For tho' a true Christian ought always to be fitted for the
to commemorate thy unspeakable Love in accomplishing the work of my Redemption by a most Shameful and Bitter Death I come to renounce and cast off my Sins and Transgressions and to renew my Baptismal Covenant which I have often and perversly broken O do thou for thy Mercy sake accept me though an unworthy Guest Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy Sight shall no Man living be justified If thou Lord should'st be extreme to mark what I have done amiss I must suffer all the Vials of thy Wrath I must undergo all the Curses of thy Law I must stand expos'd to all the Judgments and Terrors of this Life and to the intolerable Torments of Hell in another So far should I be in this Case from receiving any manner of Advantage from these Holy Mysteries that I should eat and drink my own Damnation Miserable wretched Creature that I am that I should so eagerly pursue the Paths that lead to Death and Misery that I should so continually offend thee my most tender and indulgent Father that I should trample under foot the Son of God and repay that wonderful Love and those unknown Sufferings of His on my behalf with those Sins which at first Crucified him and still continue to Crucifie him afresh and put him to an open Shame that I should grieve that good Spirit of God which so earnestly wooes and entreats to accept of Life and Salvation that I should be guilty of so much Pride Hypocrisie Indevotion and Deadness in my Prayers of so much Injustice Passion and Malice of so much Impenitency Uncleanness Intemperance c. Here reckon up the particular Sins thou hast been guilty of whereby I have wickedly departed from Thee the Lord of Life and Glory the Fountain and Spring of all Happiness Lord I fly into the Arms of Thy Mercy O save me or I perish Hide me under the Clefts of thy Wounds until thy Father's Indignation be overpast O thou that delightest not in the Death of a Sinner but rather that he should turn and be saved receive me to thy Favour for the Merits and Satisfaction of my Blessed Redeemer in whom alone thou art well pleased His Blood was shed to make Atonement for my Sins His Body was bruised and beaten with Stripes that thro' them I might be healed Lord grant that in this Blessed Sacrament I may effectually receive these Benefits of his Death and Passion grant that I may have my Pardon seal'd my Weakness repair'd my Graces strengthen'd and my Soul raised to Heaven in Flames of devoutest Affection and Adoration O do thou nourish my Soul by this immortal Food to live the Life of Grace and Holiness and enable it to make some Returns of Love to Thee the infinite Lover of Souls But oh What Returns can be sufficient what Transports of Love and Praise can be enough for Him who died a most painful and ignominious Death to deliver us from inevitable Ruin and Misery when we were his bitter Enemies and at open Defiance and Rebellion against him Oh the Riches of thy Goodness how unutterable are thy Mercies and how unconceivable is thy Love Grant I pray thee that tho' I am utterly unable to make a true estimation thereof yet I may love Thee to the utmost capacity of a frail Creature and shew it by living in all holy Obedience and Conformity to thy Laws and Precepts Grant that I may always desire and endeavour to please thee and be very tender and fearful of offending Thee keeping a strict Watch over my Heart and Ways that no Temptations prevail against me or make me fall from my own Stedfastness But that being effectually Sanctified here I may in the end be eternally Blest in the Kingdom of Glory Lord pity and commiserate my Frailty and graciously supply all my Wants and Necessities for thy Mercy and Compassion's sake Amen Our Father c. Now repair to the Communion-Table and being placed conveniently lift up your Heart towards Heaven and say O Lamb of God that didst offer thy self a Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World have Mercy upon me miserable Sinner I am here ready to renew the Covenant I made with thee in Baptism and once more to take those solemn Engagements upon my self O do thou give me the Assistance of thy Grace and Holy Spirit that I may be enabled to perform them that I may henceforth renounce the Devil and all his Works all the Pomps and Vanities of the World and the sinful Lusts of the Flesh that I may stedfastly persist in the true Faith of thy most Holy Religion and live in sincere Obedience to thy Laws all the Days of my Life Amen Just before Receiving a Prayer GRant O Lord I beseech thee that the Wine that makes glad and the Bread of Life may infuse new Strength and Vigour into my Soul and into the Souls of all that Communicate with me that we may daily grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that according to his Command we may be united in Holy Love and Fellowship with one another and with the Church of God and at last obtain that glorious Fellowship with thy self in Heaven which thou hast promised to all that love and fear thee through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen When you receive the Bread say GRant me Blessed Lord so to eat the Flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ and so to drink his Blood that my sinful Body may be made clean by his most holy Body and my Soul washt in his most precious Blood that I may evermore dwell in him and he in me Amen After you have received the Bread say O That the Bread which I have now eaten may be the Bread which came down from Heaven and gives Life unto the World O that I may now feel â—s Efficacy inflaming my Soul with the Heavenly Ardours of Divine Love having all my Affections fet on things Above and not on things Below May this Bread be to my Soul the staff of Strength whereby I may vanquish all the Assaults of the Devil the World and the Flesh and continue my Lord 's faithful Servant to my Life's end Amen At the receiving the Cup say THe Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for me preserve my Body and Soul unto Everlasting Life I drink this in Remembrance that Christ's Blood was shed for me and am thankful After you have received the Cup say O That this precious Blood of my dear Redeemer may be now both the Purification and Nourishment of my Soul the Seal of my Pardon and Peace with God and the Pledge of mine Inheritance in Heaven Amen Then return to your Pew or Seat and say on your Knees this Thanksgiving after the Sacrament BLessing Honour and Glory be given to thee O Lord for thy Love this Day discover'd to me and for all the Benefits receiv'd at thy Table What is Man that thou art