prone to content my self with reading or hearing thy word with speaking of thee or praying to thee and all many times without any love or but with little affection to thee Yea while I make mention of thy love I am not so much in love with thee as it deserves I have beheld the Sun of righteousness shining upon me and received the dearest pledges of thy loving kindness without that warmth and heat of love which it might have excited The liveliest Truths have not penetrated so deep as they should into my heart But though thou hast been pleased to intreat so earnestly and promise so liberally as if thou shouldst be indebted to me for my love it hath many times but little stirred this dull soul towards thee Thou hast loved us so much as to purchase our love at any rate having redeemed us with thy Sons blood which is the greatest price and called us to thy kingdom and glory which is the greatest reward but alas how unconcern'd have I been too oft in all these wonders of thy love I am ashamed of my self I blush to think that after so long acquaintance with thee I should love thee and delight in thee to no higher a degree Which is the only thing next to thy grace which pitties our weaknesses that gives me hope I shall at last love thee far better Still make me more ashamed that after all thy care and pains thou shouldst see so little of thy self in me And assist me by the power of a mighty grace which I will endeavour to improve to fix mine eyes more stedfastly on thee and to stay my thoughts with thee till I love thee so much as to be changed into thy likeness Now that I am going to commemorate thy love in Christ Jesus let not my ingratitude provoke thee to absent thy self from me but according to the gracious Covenant thou hast made with us in his blood be merciful to my sins and remember not mine iniquities against me Make me know and feel that thou dost pardon me by exciting holy resolutions in me to purifie my heart more perfectly and disposing me intirely to love thy holy nature and will and conform my self unto it in all things O that all carnal affections may die in me and all things belonging to the spirit may live and grow in me That I may have power and strength to have victory and to triumph against the Devil the world and the flesh That I may utterly hate every thing that is evil and cleave most affectionately to that which is good Yea that I may hate even Father and mother and the dearest thing in this world rather than sin against thee and forsake thee That no relation no pleasure no profitable injoyment may ever turn my heart from thee but rather draw me to thee and make me more in love with thee All thy creatures may justly complain of me if I should not love thee above them all But how shall I answer it to our Lord Jesus if his love should not constrain me O that the spirit of thy ancient Saints may hereafter possess my heart That I may cry out after God Psa 131.6 even the living God That I may watch for thee more than they that watch for the morning And my soul may follow hard after thee 63.8 and even break for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times 119.20 That I may be a diligent follower of their Doctrine 2 Tim. 3.10 manner of life purpose faith long suffering and patience Psal 119.103 O that the words of thy mouth may be sweeter to me than the honey and the honey comb Psal 119.47 That I may delight my self in thy Commandments which I have loved And the light of thy countenance may be better to me than life it self Amen Confirm and strengthen good Lord all the holy desires and dispositions which thou hast wrought in my heart that they may ripen into all the fruits of righteousness which are by Christ Jesus to thy praise and glory In his holy words I further recommend my self to thine infinite mercies saying Our Father c. The Meditation afterward O Love what hast thou done said an holy man when he thought of the Mercies of God in Christ Jesus Thou broughtest the Son of God down from Heaven and made him appear in the likeness of man Thou broughtest him to his Cross and made him an offering of a sweet smelling savour unto God O Love what wouldest thou not do mayest thou say to thy self if thou didst but possess our hearts That which made him like to us and brought him down hither would make us like to God and carry us up to Heaven If I did but love God what could he demand of me which I should not immediately do How naturally should I study to please him How easie and delightful would it be to comply with his will And what a favour should I count it that I might know his will which I am o do None of his Commandments would be grievous to me but all his ways pleasantness and all his paths peace And will it not be very strange if I should not love him who hath loved me so much and is still demonstrating his kindness to me I must forget my belief if I should not love him and that he will not let me forget but calls me often to his holy Table and feeds me with the sweet remembrance of him There he represents to me that which I continually profess to believe That he is the Father Almighty of whom the whole family of Heaven and Earth is named That Jesus is his only Son our Lord that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified and put to death rose again ascended to Gods right hand and will come at last to judge the quick and dead This is my Faith May I never make confession of it Gal. 5.6.2.20 without feeling it excited to work by love May it alway call to mind the vows I have made to live by this Faith of the Son of God Acts 15.9 May it purifie my heart that when he shall appear again and come to judge the world 1 Pet. 1.7 my faith may be found to praise and honour and glory Amen This was the reason you may here consider that good men anciently advised all Christians to repeat the Creed every morning Not as a Prayer or a Preservative from sin meerly by the force of the words but to put them in mind that they were the followers of Jesus who had done and suffered so much for them and to quicken themselves to love and to good works which are the natural fruits of saith in Christ Resolve therefore to reflect on it for this end Shew that thou dost willingly remember the Lord Jesus and studiest to stir up his love in thy heart and hast not only some sudden flashes
man Purifie me from all remaining filthiness either of the flesh or of the Spirit Bring in all thy heavenly graces along with thee into my soul And be my perpetual defence by giving me a fuller communication of thy holy Spirit and more mighty aids to do my duty towards thee and towards all men And for that end compose mine unsetled thoughts before I approach to receive the holy Mysteries That I may attend thee with a full and clear conception of their meaning with an actual belief of thy whole Gospel with most sensible love to thee and desire to be more like thee with thy high praises in my mouth and joy unspeakable in mine heart May I presume most gracious Father to ask such tastes and rellishes of thy wondrous love that I may never be able to delight in any thing so much as in the remembrance of it But mine eyes may be ever towards the Lord and I may hunger and thirst perpetually after thy righteousness till I am perfectly made pertaker of thy divine nature and rendred meet to be translated to that high and holy place where I shall see thee not as now in mysterious representations but openly and face to face Amen Lord Jesus who art able to save to the uttermost all them that come to God by thee In thy most blessed name and words I continue my humble prayers Our Father c. A Meditation after the Sacrament WHen you come home or some time after ask your soul what wentest thou out to see where hast thou been and what hast thou been doing Bid it never forget that thou hast been with the Lord of life and that before God Angels and Men thou hast acknowledged him and devoted thy self to his obedience That he hath vouchsafed to represent unto thee his marvellous love the pains he hath taken for thy salvation and the great desire he hath to see thee with him in immortal glory Of which he hath given thee such earnests and pledges by making thee pertaker of his body and blood that thou mayst say of that place where he was pleased to meet thee This is no other than the gate of Heaven I have been in the porch of his dwelling place and begun to enter into the joy of my Lord Here you may read over again that which I said our Lord might be conceived to speak unto you there and then go on and say How shall I escape if I should neglect such great salvation God forbid that I should receive this grace in vain As I have received Christ Jesus the Lord Col. 2.6 so will I walk in him I will endeavour to keep my self holy and unblameable before him in love and to have my conversation as becomes the Gospel There are no joys like to the joys of God No pleasures comparable to those of Christian piety All his Commandments are sweeter than the hony and the hony-comb and in keeping of them there is great reward Shall I cease then to delight my self in the Lord and to do good Shall I leave off to do the rest of his will now that I have done this in remembrance of my Saviour Shall I go away from him now that I am gone from the place where his honour dwelleth Alas whither shall I go thou Joh. 6.68 Lord hast the words of eternal life Thou art the author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey thee Heb. 5.9 I will go in the strength of the Lord God Ps 71.16 I will make mention of thy goodness even of thine only 1 Thess 4.1 As I have received how I ought to walk and please God so I will abound more and more Ephes 4.15 24. I will grow up into him in all things who is the head till I perfectly resemble him in righteousness and holiness of truth Here you may meditate upon all the parts of his holy life and the compleat example he hath set us of all divine vertues more especially those which shone at his death And as I have known some do you may single out one or two for your daily meditation all this month that you may bring your self to an habitual imitation of him suppose in his great HUMILITY and tread in his steps who did no sin 1 Pet. 2.22 neither was guile found in his mouth And as you have begun the New year well so resolve you will continue it and become a new man by leading a more exactly holy course of life Mat. 26.41 Watch therefore and pray that you fall not into temptation And often represent to your self the great love of Christ that it may constrain you because you thus judg that if one died for all then were all dead 2 Cor. 5.14 15. And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again The Prayer O Most Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty Heaven and Earth are full of the glory of thy Majesty I most heartily joyn with all the Saints on earth with the Angels in Heaven and the holy ones that are above in giving blessing honour and praise unto thee Glory be unto thee O God most high thou great Creator and possessor of Heaven and Earth thou preserver of all things thou spring of an eternal Mercy who hast made Angels and men to know thee and acknowledg thee and praise thee and love thee and be beloved of thee for ever who hast so loved mankind that thou hast opened thy bosom and sent thy dear Son to convey thy charity to us All laud and praise and thanksgiving be to thee O Father of Mercies who hast now made me taste how gracious and good thou art And glory be to the Son of God who took on him the form of a servant who died for us upon the Cross who purged away our sins by his blood who hath left us so many remembrances of his love and given us his body and blood to preserve our souls and bodies to eternal life who lives for ever to make intercession for us and hath promised to come again and take us up unto himself And blessed be the holy Spirit the mighty power of God the Author of all good thoughts the inspirer of all heavenly desires the light and comfort of our minds the purifier of our hearts the guide and strength of our life who hath given us the earnest of the eternal inheritance Thus will I praise thee whilst I live Psal 63.4 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever Psalm 86.12.89.1.71.23.86.5 My lips shall greatly rejoyce when I sing unto thee and my soul which thou hast redeemed For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee I have now tasted of the abundance of thy grace and dearest love the savour of which O that it may remain fresh for ever in my heart
do but to shew forth the glorious perfections of righteousness mercy and truth which I behold in him and to declare the esteem I have of him and my satisfaction in my portion by modesty contentedness thankfulness faith patience hope joyful resignation of all my concernments with an equal mind to his wise disposal This is my will this is my resolution And I will declare from year to year that this I take to be my happiness And here it may be very fit to resolve often all this Month to reflect upon our Saviours CONTEMPT OF THE WORLD when he had chosen to come and do the will of God Riches honour glory and pleasure were nothing in his account in compare with the satisfaction of doing the pleasure of God though it were by sufferings He did not regard the esteem of men nor what they said of him Though he dyed an ignominious and disgraceful death as well as lived a poor and despicable life he was not ashamed nor dejected but rather gloried in both Because his business was not to please himself but as it is written Rom. 15.3 the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me Let the same mind be in us that was in him Ib. v. 2. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to his edification But overlook the censures and vain opinion of this world with all the honours and preferments of it so we may but approve our selves to God and his will be fulfilled by us For it is a faithful saying 2 Tim. 2.11 12. if we be dead with him we shall also live with him if we suffer we shall also reign with him The Thanksgiving and Prayer afterward O Most high and holy Lord of Heaven and Earth the Author of every good and perfect gift Who art for ever to be humbly acknowledged worshipped loved and obeyed by me and by all that know thee I have often made thee my acknowledgments for my being and all the comforts of it for the hopes I have both in this life and hereafter And now I come to renew them that I may be more firmly united to thee in hearty love and entire affection I cast down my self before thee being even oppressed with the great load of thy mercies and benefits which will not suffer me to dispose of my heart other-ways than to thy obedience As I owe my very being to thee so all those good things which have made it not to be a burden and uneasie to me I have enjoyed a long measure of health and cannot tell that ever I wanted my daily bread yea plentiful provision both for my necessity and my pleasure The days of pain and sorrow which I have endured have been but few in compare with the many years of ease and joy which thou hast vouchsafed me I find now all my senses entire and perfect and I have a great many Friends and kind Neighbours and also a great deal of time to think of all this and to prepare my self for thy eternal favour How much am I indebted to thee for the continued use of my understanding reason and memory that I can take notice of all thy goodness whereby my heart may be excited to love thee which is the greatest happiness and pleasure of all * You may acknowledge what you may owe him also for good education civil breeding and that he hath perhaps enclined your heart early to be Religious whereby your Conscience hath been kept from many wounds and both Soul and Body from much dishonour c. This this O Lord is the greatest of thy mercies that thou hast given me the knowledge of thy love in Jesus Christ which cannot but constrain me to the greatest love of thee And that thy holy Spirit hath shone so often into my mind and breathed so often on my will and affections that thou hast pardoned so many faults and waited so long for my amendment and so earnestly importuned my return and afforded me so many helps and such a long time to perfect my repentance Thou hast added also now new pledges of thy love and earnest of that immortal life wherein I may compleat my praises and thanksgivings to thee in the company of the blessed O how precious are thy thoughts towards me how great is the summe of them If I would go about to number them they are moe than the sand I cannot count the least part of them nor ever see any end of thy goodness for even whilst I am thinking of it I receive new favours from thee Every moment is big with abundance of thy mercies both to my Soul and my Body for this life and that which is to come But I know enough to make me admire and love thy goodness and to make me ashamed of my forgetfulness and ingratitude enough to oblige me eternally to thee enough to make me fully contented and to rejoyce in thee as my portion Behold O Lord I here again sincerely devote my self to observe thy commands and keep thy holy word I have chosen it as the rule and the comfort of my life and I will ever cleave unto thy testimonies with my whole heart I would not abuse thy mercies nor grow careless wanton and secure under the abundance of thy goodness but look upon them as engagements and mighty arguments to love acknowledge and obey thee for ever Blessed be thy goodness that I have such thoughts and am so inclined Accept of my good desires purposes and vows which I have made and accompany me alway by thy gracious assistance that I may accomplish what I have begun and perfect holiness in thy fear To thee I recommend all mankind especially thy Church and chosen People all the Rulers and Governours of them that they may remember thou art higher than the highest the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who wilt judge all men without respect of persons Give pure zeal and knowledge to thy Ministers the grace of contentedness to the poor of the flock and of an open heart to the rich wisdom and discretion to those that are in their younger years and an holy hope to comfort the aged And endue them all with an humble meekness that laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and all evil-speakings 1 Pet. 2.1 2 5. as new born Babes they may desire the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby and offer up continually spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to thee by Christ Jesus Amen On the Feast of the Nativity OR Christmas-Day The Meditation before WHat amazing News is this What an astonishing piece of love That the King of Kings who needed nothing and is able by his Omnipotent word to command more Creatures into being if he wanted any subjects than we can think of while we live should send a kind Embassage of peace to us vile worms sinful dust and ashes To us who were unworthy of a gracious look from him
holy Name Let the wise man if he please glory in his wisdom and the rich man glory in his riches and the mighty man in his great strength But I will glory in this that I understand and know thee that thou art the Lord the God and Father of Jesus Christ Jer. 9.23 24. which exercises loving kindness judgment and righteousness in the Earth for in these things are thy delight I will glory in this that I am the Disciple and Heir of the crucified Jesus that I know the power of his Resurrection Phil. 3.10 and the fellowship of his Sufferings that he hath made a new Covenant with us of grace mercy and peace that we have received the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 whereby we call him Father and that I am taken into the fellowship of the Saints and have hope to be numbered with them in glory everlasting I will send up my heart to Heaven where he is in holy love and engage my self to be ever mindful of his Covenant especially of that new Commandment to love one another even as he hath loved us By this shall all men know that I am his Disciple because I love the Brethren Ephes 4.4 5 6 7 8 c. For there is one Body and one Spirit even as we are called in one hope of our calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in us all Who gave to every one grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men And he gave some Apostles blessed be his bounteous goodness and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the fulness of Christ From whom the whole body fitly joyned together and coâ—â—acted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh encrease of the body unto the edifying of it self in love The Prayer before O Lord who livest for ever and changest not Whose power made me and all the world before whom the whole world is as a little grain of a ballance Wis 11.22 or a drop of the morning dew that falleth on the Earth Whose wisdom governs and orders all things both in heaven and earth whose goodness and bounty provides constantly for their comfortable support under whose Soveraign and everlasting dominion we live and unto whom we owe all homage service and fidelity which ought most readily and heartily to be paid by every one of us I adore thee in the humblest reverence of my Soul and body I acknowledge my dependance on thee and subjection to thee I desire above all things to live in thy fear and in thy love and obedience as long as I have any being Blessed be thy goodness that I may love thee and that I am alive to worship and acknowledg thee Blessed be thy goodness that thou hast not been provoked to cut me off in my forgetfulness of thee nor now to open the gates of death for me and command me to dwell in silence but the doors of thy house that I may enter in and praise thy holy Name To thee belongs all blessing honour worship and service to me nothing but shame and confusion of face which ought to cover me when I approach thy presence I thank thee most humbly for the good news thou hast sent us that thou art in thy Son Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 reconciling the world to thy self I rejoyce in thy love who hast delivered him up for our offences Rom. 4.25 and raised him from the dead for our justification that we may know thou hast accepted of his death as a sufficient satisfaction for us and believe that all his words are faithful and true and that we shall be accepted in thy beloved I thank thee O God that thou hast exalted him to sit in thy throne of glory that he may be able to perform his own promises and enable us to obey his Commands That thou hast given us such good hope in thee by patient continuance in well doing to come to the resurrection of the dead and to be made partakers of life immortal Blessed be the Lord for the assurance we have of this that we see Jesus crowned with glory and honour by the descent of the Holy Ghost which is the earnest of that eternal bliss that thou hast sent thine Apostles to preach the Gospel to every creature and that when they went forth thou wroughtest with them Mark 16. ult confirming their word with signs following and that I my self have felt the effects of his royal power in the heavens by the breathings of thy holy Spirit in my heart perswading me to love thee and thy Son Jesus who hath shown all long-suffering towards me and waited with great patience upon me that I might return to thee and live I thank thee O Lord and desire to be admitted to thy holy Table that I may thank thee better and renew my acknowledgments to thee in the most solemn manner laying my self at thy feet to tender thee my hearty service resigning my self to thy will recommending Soul and body to thy wisdom submitting to thy government approving all thy laws and devoting my self to the constant observance of them I hope thou wilt mercifully accept and own me in all these acts and stand by me to guide assist and encourage me and to work in me whatsoever is well pleasing in thy sight That I may be such an one as thou canst love and delight in and reward and I desire nothing else in heaven or in earth I do most freely give my self up to the conduct of the Holy Ghost and stedfastly depend on thee for its continual presence with me to possess my mind with such a strong sense of these things which it hath revealed unto us that they may operate powerfully on my will and affections and make them conformable unto Christ O that by walking in love and shewing all meekness to all men by patience and peaceableness gentleness and goodness uprightness and fidelity temperance and moderation contentedness and joy in every state and condition and by all other fruits of the spirit I may so resemble my blessed Lord and Master Jesus that I may nothing doubt to bear the image of his glory in heaven as I bear the image of his holiness here on earth O that the eyes of my understanding may be opened more and more to see the wondrous things which thou hast written to us in thy Gospel that apprehending and believing and following the wisdom given to us by thine Apostles through the
bounty in this invaluable blessing and make mention of this which his Son hath suffered for us as a compleat satisfaction for all our offences against him We must approach therefore to the Table of the Lord with affectionate acknowledgments of his infinite goodness extolling and praising his merciful kindness in bestowing on us so great a gift professing we will never forget the tender love of our Lord who laid down his life for us and beseeching the Father of Mercies to receive us into his grace and favour for the sake of his dear Son whose Death we shew unto him We should resolve to express the sense of our hearts in some such words as these Psal 92.1 2 3. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy name O thou most high To shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning and thy faithfulness every night For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy work I will triumph in the works of thy hand 66.16.86.13 Come and hear all ye people I will declare what the Lord hath done for our Souls For great is his mercy towards us and he hath delivered our souls from the lowest hell Glorious things are spoken of thee John 1.14 29. Colâ—ss 1.15 Joh. â— 12 O Jesus thou lover of Souls The word made flesh the Image of the invisible God the light of the world the Lamb of God that takes away its sin the first begotten from the dead the heir of all things Rev. 1.5 the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Heb. 1.3 Heb. 8.1.9.24.7 25. an high Priest who is set down on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens who appears in the presence of God and lives for ever to make intercession for us Psal 89.6 Who in the Heaven can be compared to the Lord who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord For thou Lord art highly exalted thou art exalted far above all Gods 9â— 9 In this most powerful name O Father Almighty we humbly cast down our selves before the Throne of thy Glory Give us leave to mention before thee the Death of him who said behold I come to do thy will O God Behold O Lord the bleeding wounds of thy well-beloved in whom thou hast testified by a voice from Heaven that thou art well pleased Remember how his Body was broken for us and his Blood poured out In him we believe thou art perfectly satisfied and therefore are bold to hope that thou art reconciled to us on that account O hear his dying groans regard his Agony and Bloody sweat by his Cross and Passion let our sins be blotted out and by his glorious Resurrection and Ascension let us feel every evil affection and lust perfectly killed and crucified We have nothing to plead if he have not done enough and fulfilled all thy will But since he hath laid down his life in obedience to thee O let us by vertue of that voluntary Sacrifice which now we represent before thee obtain thy mercy and grace We cannot be content to lose our share in so great a Love And since thou hast bid us to Commemorate it we hope we shall as certainly pertake of it as we do of this Feast to which thou hast invited us Ps 79.13.145.1 2. So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever We will shew forth thy praise from generation to generation We will extol thee our God O King we will bless thy name for ever and ever Every day will we bless thee and will praise thy name for ever and ever In such Meditations as these when we shew forth the inestimable value of Christs Sacrifice we do as it were offer it unto God or rather make before him a commemoration of his Offering And in this sense the Ancient Christians did call this Sacrament a Sacrifice and every Christian they lookt upon as a Priest and a Sacrificer when he came to the Table of the Lord. Because Christ not only bad his Apostles do this in remembrance of him but S. Paul requires every one of us to do the same and to shew forth his Death till he come There is none mentions this Sacrifice more frequently than S. Chrysostome but to explain himself after he had said we do not make another Sacrifice as the high Priests of old but always the very same he adds or rather we make a Commemoration of a Sacrifice * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Heb. 10. p. 523. edic Savil. And in the very same manner Eusebius writes in his first Book of his Evangelical Demonstration Christians cannot think fit saith he to return back again to the first and weak Elements he means the Mosaical Sacrifices which were but Symbols and Images not the Truth it self ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. cap. 10. p. 37. since they celebrate every day the Commemoration of his Body and Blood and are made worthy of a better Sacrifice and ministery than the Ancients were And a little after speaking of Christs wonderful oblation and most pretious bloody Sacrifice to the Father he adds that he delivered also to us a Remembrance instead of a Sacrifice to offer up continually unto God * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 38. By which words it is manifest he took the Remembrance or Commemoration of Christs death to be that Sacrifice which we make to God And again he saith in the very next page to celebrate the remembrance or commemoration of that Sacrifice upon the Table by the Symbols or representations both of his Body and saving Blood we have received according to the ordinances of the New Testament Hither he applies those places out of the Psalms offer to God Thanksgiving Let the lifting up of our hands be as an evening Sacrifice The Sacrifices of God are a contrite Spirit c. So that they thought of no other Sacrifice in those days but that of praise and Thanksgiving together with the offering of our selves our Souls and bodies to be a reasonable holy and lively Sacrifice unto him as it is admirably expressed in our Communion Service * Prayer after all have Communicated With which the Author now mentioned perfectly agrees and delivers his mind almost in the same words We Sacrifice ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ib. pag. 40. saith he a divine venerable and most holy Sacrifice We Sacrifice after a new manner according to the New Testament a pure Sacrifice c. we both Sacrifice and offer Incense too Celebrating the remembrance of that great Sacrifice according to the Mysteries delivered by him to us and offering Thanksgiving for our Salvation by godly Hymns and Prayers to God consecrating our selves also wholly to him and to our high Priest the word devoting to him both our Souls and Bodies It would be easy to add much more to the same purpose but
it Which is a question so easy to be resolved from what hath been said that I have assigned no part of this discourse for the discussing of it If you are baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus and seriously believe his Religion if you take upon your selves to make good that promise vow and Covenant which was made in your name when you were baptized if you understand the ends of this holy Communion which I have named and are willing and desirous to perform them if you lie not under the censures of the Church for any violation of those sacred vows which you have made to our Saviour You are the persons whose company he waits for and would gladly see at his Table Nay he will take it ill and account it a neglect of him and of your duty a breach of your promise to obey all his holy commands if you accept not of his kindness in inviting you thither because this is one of his Commands as I have proved that you should do this in remembrance of him Do not intangle your selves therefore in endless doubts and scruples about the qualifications that are required in those that come to this Supper of the Lord but only examine your hearts by this plain and certain rule Do you believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be the truth of God Do you consent to be governed by his Laws Do you remember and will you stand to the Vow that was made in your name when you were baptized Are you desirous to renew that Covenant in the manner that I have described Do you value his favour and grace declared in his pretious promises above all earthly things Would you pertake of this holy Communion that you may commemorate your Saviours dying love that you may own and acknowledg him to be your Lord that you may devote and unite your heart unto him in stricter friendship that you may bind your self in the bond of peace to all your brethren and that you may receive more of his grace and greater assurance of his love as the most invaluable blessing Then lay aside all your fears and humbly approach unto him to render him the Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving and to receive fresh tokens and pledges of his unchangeable good will and affection to you I shall make no more words of this matter but only add that you may know sufficiently by the invitation which the Minister makes to you at the Communion in Christs name according to the order of our Church who are persons qualified for this feast And it is expressed in such plain and pregnant words that better cannot be devised for your direction and satisfaction They are these Ye that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins and are in love and charity with your neighbours and intend to lead a new life following the Commandments of God and walking from henceforth in his holy ways draw near with faith and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort Which that you may be able to do I shall now proceed according to the method I have propounded in my endeavours to put you into such a temper of mind when you are at this holy Sacrament that you may perform all that which hath been said with more ease and edification also to your selves And that I may the better raise those affections in you which are sutable to this action it will not be amiss to remember you a little of the excellency and dignity of the feast to which you are invited To make a true Feast these four things in the opinion of the most learned of all the ancient Romans must conspire and meet together Varro lectis viris lecto loco lecto tempore lecto apparatu Chosen and select persons a choice and delicate place a choise time and season and choise provision proportionable to the quality both of him that makes it and of those that are invited to it Now in all these regards if we reflect a while on them this Supper of the Lord which he makes for us will be found to be incomparably beyond the noblest entertainment which the world ever saw For as concerning the persons that here meet together they are our blessed Lord the Master of the feast and those that believe on his name to whom he hath given the right or priviledg to become the sons of God Joh. 1.12 A company of souls that are larger than the world heirs of a Kingdom rich in faith as full as they can hold of love and charity towards each other and towards all men So that there cannot be either more honourable or more sweet society found under heaven Then for the place you see it is prepared in the house of God where we give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name and shew forth his salvation from day to day where we pay our vows unto him in the presence of all his people and make a joyful noise unto him by singing of his praises where the Angels as I may say are waiters and the heavenly host are glad to attend upon us according to those words of the Apostle in that very chapter where he treats of this Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.10 the woman ought to have a covering on her head because of the Angels As for the time you see likewise it is commonly the Lords-day on the day when he rose from the dead when he trampled under his feet the great enemy of mankind when the Angels not so glistering as he brought news that he had accomplished our redemption when the host of heaven was at a gaze to see mortal man made immortal and restored to the state of paradise again when we have nothing else to do but to rest and rejoyce to declare the works of the Lord to give thanks unto his holy name and triumph in his praise And lastly for the provision it self I have told you already what it is the body and blood of the Lord of life bread that excells the Angels food a cup of blessing of which those sons of glory never tasted To these our Lord calls us nay beseeches and intreats us to come that we may feast our selves on his Sacrifice of himself and be filled with his love and satisfie our selves with his joyes and everlasting consolation Now what soul is there that can be willing to lose his share in such divine food that would be shut out from such society or absent from such a place or desire to spend his day better than in near communion with our Lord Either men do not believe these things or they do not reflect on them and lay them to their hearts for otherwise there is none that reads this writing but will be moved to make one at this holy feast But then as you cannot chuse if you seriously consider but judg it very desirable to be admitted to it so you cannot but think in what manner it becomes you to be adorned and how
attended withal are not worthy to be named with the joys of those that sing continually and say Blessed be the Lord our God for ever Neh. 9.4 5 c. blessed be thy glorious Name which is exalted above all blessing and praise Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their host the earth and all things that are therein the Seas and all that is in them and thou preservest all and the host of Heaven worshippeth thee Eph. 1.4 1 Pet. 1.21 Thou art the Lord the God and Father of Jesus Christ who hast chosen us in him before the foundation of the world and redeemed us by his blood raised him from the dead and given him glory that our faith and hope might be in thee our God Thine 2 Chron. 29.11 O blessed Jesus is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the Majesty for all that is in the Heaven and in the earth is thine thine is the kingdom O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all In thy hand is power and might and in thy hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all Now therefore our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious Name Psal 115. ult We will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore Yea bless the Lord ye his Angels that excell in strength that do his Commandments hearkning to the voice of his word Bless ye the Lord all ye his hosts ye Ministers of his that do his pleasure Bless the Lord all his works in all places of his dominion bless the Lord O my Soul Thus if we did converse with him and such holy communication did heartily pass between us it would be so pleasant and delightful that we should cry out with the Jews in another case Joh. 6.34 Lord evermore give us this bread We should long for such another repast and be desirous every day to wait on him at his Table At least we should greedily embrace the next invitation that he gives us to come unto it And because we cannot every day do this in remembrance of him we should secretly retire unto him in our own heart as into his holy Temple and there call to mind what he hath done unto us commemorate his love maintain our acquaintance preserve our friendship and renew to him our vows that by all these ways we may prepare our selves for his fellowship and society in the eternal world It may happen indeed that there may be but a few communicants at the Table of the Lord and so you may not have time there to do all this In which case you may use only some part of it or thus in brief open your heart to him when you see how he declares his love to you Adored be thy condescending love O merciful Saviour to thine unworthy servant who blushes to lift up his eyes towards thee even when thou invitest me unto thee For besides my other guiltiness this most gracious representation which now thou makest of thy self to me doth but little move my dull and heavy affections to love and rejoyce in thee I am heartily ashamed of my self only I desire and resolve to become better And here I prostrate my self before thee as a humble worshipper of thee presenting thee with a poor oblation of my soul and body which I dedicate again with the most dutiful affection I am able to excite unto thee Do thou O Lord excite a greater that when I shall appear before thee again I may present thee with a soul more pure humble meek merciful and improved in all other fruits of thy holy Spirit In thy mercies alone are all my hopes For as the Heaven is high above the earth so great is thy mercy toward them that fear thee As far as the East is from th West Psal 103.11 12. so far hast thou removed our transgressions from us O be merciful unto me be merciful unto me for my soul trusteth in thee 57.1 Looks thou upon me and be merciful to me as thou usest to do to those that love thy name 119.132 Thou art my portion O Lord I have said 57.173 that I would keep thy word Let thine hand help me Ephes 3.16 for I have chosen thy precepts Strengthen me with might by thy spirit in the inner man that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 I may live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and thee our Saviour Jesus Christ Now unto him that is able to keep me from falling and to present me faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty Jude 24 25. dominion and power both now and ever Amen But when there is time to do the whole you will not spend it I hope in any thing else but such Meditations as these Which that they may be disposed in such order as every one of them may come in its season you may make use of in this manner Think you hear our Saviour speaking to you by the Bread and the Wine when you see the one broken and the other poured out Then you may immediately imploy your thoughts in the four first together with the second Meditation set down in the second part while the Minister is Communicating himself and others with him The V. and the VI. will be seasonable after you have received the Bread and the VII and VIII after the Cup together with those mentioned before in the same place And the two last in like manner after you have withdrawn your self from the holy Table or before according as you can find room for them And if your spirit be not able to hold out in so many thoughts and expressions of the inward sense and affection of your heart you may single out those which you find to give you the most lively touch and lift up your heart highest toward the Lord. And at some opportunity the rest perhaps may be as acceptable or more welcome meditations nay you may feel your soul inlarged and run out in more pious thoughts and affections than I can suggest or excite by all that I am able to say on this subject But I desire you never to omit one meditation when you behold the rest of the company receiving which is that all those and the whole Church who pertake of this holy Communion are your Brethren To whom you must stir up as I directed you before the most fervent charity and the readiest disposition to relieve counsel assist comfort or admonish them as there shall be occasion And with whom you must resolve to live in the strictest Unity and peace as those who are Members of the very same body When you think therefore that our Lord tells you there is nothing he desires of you
Christian Kings and Rulers may be employed to be a terror to all evil doers and to give praise and incouragement to all that do well That all the servants of the Lord in holy offices may be gentle unto all men apt to teach 2 Tim. 2.24 patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves And all those that are under their care 1 Thess 5.13 may have the grace to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and laying apart all filthiness Jam. 1.21 and superfluity of naughtiness receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save their souls I recommend to thy mercies all the poor the sick the fatherless and widdows and whosoever are in any distress that they may remember the words of the Lord Jesus Luk. 21.19 and in their patience possess their souls And the Lord deliver us all from every evil work and preserve us unto his heavenly kingdom 2 Tim. 4.18 to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen May. Meditation before the Sacrament CAst your eyes now on the beautiful face of the earth and see how all things smile upon you How God hath crowned the year with his goodness and cloathed the pastures with flocks the gardens with flowers and fruits and the vallies with corn How the little hills as the Psalmist speaks are girded with gladness Psal 6â— and every creature shouts for joy and sings And then think with thy self how uncomly it is that thou shouldst be the only dull and silent thing whom the Lord hath adorned with greater riches and honour and set over all the works of his hands Think what nobler beauties he hath made thee to behold and set before thy mind even himself in all his glory which shines upon thee in the face of Jesus Christ Think how he calls thee to a Paradise of delight now that he hath invited thee to his holy Table where he represents unto thee the Son of his love the express image of his person and all the happy fruits of his manifestation in our flesh Bid thy soul therefore awake and meditate on his humble descent from Heaven for our sake with the acclamations of all the heavenly host on all his miraculous works of charity his holy and useful life his bitter passion his bloody and shameful death his glorious resurrection and ascention his power at the right hand of God and all the benefits he hath by these means obtained to us and crowned our nature withal Bid it sing aloud and give praise and shout for joy Stir up all that is within thee to bless his holy name That while all things round about thee are fresh and spiritous and full of life thou mayest not remain the only dead and heartless creature but spring up together with the rest in all the acts of spiritual life Say to thy self what a new world do I see God dwelling here among men God in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them Friendship made between heaven and earth Death swallowed up in victory The gate of heaven set open to all believers Jesus our fore-runnner there already inthroned waiting for all his faithful followers and filling them now with good hope peace and joy in the holy Ghost O what a glorious sight is this which the Angels themselves admired what a new heaven and new earth should this have made wherein dwelleth righteousness what ailes us that we do not all become new creatures And beholding as in a glass the glory of our Lord are not changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord I am ashamed of my barrenness in the knowledge of Christ Jesus into whom I was ingrafted long ago It is high time to be more fruitful in all good works For he hath said that every branch in me that beareth not fruit John 1â— 2 8. my Father taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit And herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my disciples I will go therefore and open my heart to him who is the root and fountain of life that I may derive new spirit vigour and strength from him I will go and declare that I believe in him that I have placed my hope my comfort and satisfaction in his love and value his favour and blessing more than all the world I will shew him how I long to be changed more and more into his divine image and am resolved to abide in him v. 7. and that his word shall abide in me I will give him all the assurance of it I am able by renewing my covenant with him and making a chearful oblation of all that I am and have and can do unto his service Then sure he will communicate more of himself unto me I shall feel his divine power and vertue quickning me and because he lives John 14.19 I shall live also The Sun when he returns to visit us with his warmth doth not more revive all things and renew the face of the earth than I shall find him inlivening and renewing me that I may have my fruit unto holiness Rom. 6.22 and the end everlasting life For he himself hath said Joh. 15.7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you Be it unto me O Lord according to thy word I ask nothing but that I may still have the grace to continue in thy love by keeping thy Commandments That I may grow and increase in wisdom and Holiness and be filled with all the fruits of the Spirit With love joy peace Gal. 5.22 long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance and that they may abound in me more and more to thy praise and glory Amen The Prayer before O Most blessed God who art most lovely in thy self and in all thy works and full of love and kindness to us whom thou hast made to understand thy glorious perfections Thou art beloved of all those that seriously fix their eyes on the beauties of thy holiness wisdom and goodness and observe thy bounty to all thy creatures Thousands of Angels and Saints thou hast whose hearts burn continually with love to thee and thou hast had many faithful servants that have dyed for the love of thee I am one of those fools and senseless wretches that have loved every thing better than thee my Creator and merciful Saviour While others have burnt in the fires for thee I have been unwilling sometimes to take the pains of a few serious thoughts about thee And my mind at best is apt to start away from that most heavenly employment it is hard to think even of thy surpassing kindness to me without interruption but for a few moments I am too unlike the ancient Disciples of the Lord Jesus being
meanest of servants He humbled himself to be subject to the basest usage and to suffer the greatest despite and publick reproach Let us be assured then that he will not despise the poorest wretch now that he is in his glorious state And let us not think it strange if we be despised and reproached for righteousness sake But rejoyce in as much as we are partakers of the sufferings of Christ 1 Pet. 4.13 that when his glory shall be revealed we may be glad also with exceeding joy The Prayer before O Most blessed God who dwellest in the highest heavens and art adored by the highest creatures who blush before the brightness of thy majesty but dost not despise us poor worms that dwell upon the earth Who art happy in thy self and yet makest sute to us that we would love thee who commandest us to do good to our selves and entreatest that duty from us which thou mayst command who takest it kindly when we give thee thine own and rewardest us for that which by thy grace only we can perform and pardonest us also when we fall short in our performance and givest us repentance that thou mayest pardon us and receive us into favour and hast sent no less person than thine own Son to obtain a pardon for us and exalted him at thy own right hand that he might be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins Before thee O Lord most High I humbly prostrate my self desiring to be admitted to thy holy Table that I may adore the riches of thy grace and beg forgiveness for my unworthy returns to such great love Give me leave O Lord to come and make at least my acknowledgments to thee of the duty I owe thee Yea I would take thy yoke upon me with the greatest thankfulness and tye those bonds faster wherein I stand already engaged to thee and bless thee for such easie and gracious terms of reconciliation as thou hast propounded to us and express my hearty consent unto them and declare my belief of thy pretious promises and acknowledg thy goodness in making me so certain of their truth by the resurrection of Christ from the dead and his ascension to heaven that he might sit down at thy right hand to make good all that he hath said Blessed be the Lord who hath rewarded his obedience with such honour power dominion and authority that we might be incouraged to follow him and depend upon him and have a setled hope of immortality by him I rejoyce in the glory which thou hast with the Father of all O Lord Jesus whose throne is for ever and ever A Scepter of righteousness is the Scepter of thy kingdom thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity Hâ—b 1.8 9. therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows O God that I could forget all other things when I present my self before thee and ascend up in my thoughts and desires and resolutions to heaven where Jesus is that when I come down again to converse with these things here below I may look upon them as objects of my contempt or as proofs of my vertue or as incitements to praise thee the Creator of all and as occasions to manifest how much I love thee by quitting the dearest thing in this world if thou requirest it for thy sake who hast raised man to such an height or glory and honour above all O that I may hate every thing that would not let me love thee better than it That I may fear to offend thee and be very sollicitous to please thee and studious in all things to approve my self to him whom thou hast raised from the dead promoted unto glory so that he is able to prefer all his faithful servants to that glorious place where he is Shew me O Lord that he is not held by death but reigns with thy self for ever by the power of thy holy Spirit in my heart raising me above my self and enabling me to comply with those high and heavenly thoughts desires and designs which thou hast wrought in my heart O blessed Jesus who sittest at the right hand of the Father and hast said thou hast life in thy self and all power in heaven and in earth John 5.26 Matth. 28.18 that I and all others who prostrate themselves before the throne of thy grace might find thy power still to remain as great as ever chasing away the darkness of our minds warming and thawing our frozen affections melting and dissolving our wills into the will of God inspiring us with might and strength to do that which we cannot but desire lifting up our hearts to have our conversation in heaven and to live above the love of riches pleasures and honour a contented humble sober and thankful life O that we may ever demonstrate our belief of thy ascension up on high by our living and walking in the Spirit and no longer fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and by improving all the grace thou sendest down to us till we be fit to be translated from hence and come to see what we now believe and behold thee in the glory of the Father Amen Lord Jesus where thou art let us be also rejoycing with thee for ever and while we stay here I will alway say most heartily Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven c. The Meditation afterward O The height of that glory wherein my Saviour is inthroned 1 Pet. 3.22 Heb. 7.26 Eph. 4.8 Eph. 1.21 Who is gone into the heavens and made higher than the heavens nay is ascended up far above all heavens far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come What a comfort is it to dust and ashes to see their nature shining brighter than the highest stars of glory To behold their flesh the greatest beauty of the Paradise of God Where should my conversation be but in heaven Where should the members and the heart be but where their head and their treasure is What should I seek but those things above Coloss 3. where Christ is at Gods right hand O ye little vanities How contemptible are all your pleasures How â—ow are all your dignities and honours How base and vile the rest of your temptations when I look up to heaven where my Saviour sits in unmatchable glory and majesty Never speak to me any more never perswade me to follow worldly lusts thy thoughts are not now so mean I am dead to all those things and my life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is my life shall appear then shall I appear with him in glory But is that eternal life with Jesus the thing thou seekest Is thy heart indeed set on things above where he is at Gods
right hand Search and try dost thou in good earnest travel with high and heavenly designs Art thou ambitious of nothing so much as to be like to Jesus and by the most self denying wayes to obtain his glory Dost thou spare no pains to flatten thy too eager desires towards the things on earth to let out thy vain and aiery conceits to sharpen thy appetite after real righteousness to inflame thy love to heighten thy desire and hope to strengthen thy faith to excite thy watchfulness and ingage thy serious endeavours that thou mayest possess the things above Art thou sure taht the wisdom from above is the crown of thy glory Jam. 2.17 Humility thy honour To do good thy riches and treasure to be Religious thy business and to rejoyce in God thy highest pleasure Doth the peace of God which passeth all understanding keep thy mind and heart Pâ— 4.7 Art thou above the threats the contempt the hatred the oppression the enmities and affronts of this evil world Above thine own and other mens passions and peevish affections So that thou returnest good for evil kindness for injuries and prayers for curses Is that sweet thing that heavenly love to all thy Brethren the darling of thy bosome which is the very joy of Heaven Then the Angels give thee joy of an happy resurrection and ascension with Christ Jesus He hath made thee already to fit with him in heavenly places Eph. 2.6 The day star is risen in thy heart foretelling thy approaching glory Thou beholdest the morning of eternal joy the dawning of the day of recompences And thou mayest rest assured that God will not leave thee in the grave nor suffer thee for ever to see corruption but it shall deliver thee into the arms of thy Lord 1 Cor. 15.53 2 Cor. 5.4 and corruption shall put on incorruption and this mortality be swallowed up of life Nay thou mayst now triumph and say I am an heir an heir of God Rom. 8.17 and joynt-heir with Christ who hath also given me the earnest of the inheritance Eph. â— 14 For he hath formed already a model of the heavenly Sanctuary within thy breast where Christ Jesus himself is enthroned and the name of God is continually honoured and glorified And therefore thou mayst humbly conclude in the words of Jesus Joh. 12.32 If God be glorified in me God shall also glorifie me in himself And O that the Father of glory would be pleased more and more to enlighten the eyes of our understanding Ephes 1.17 18 19 20. that we may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in Heavenly places c. Amen The Thanksgiving and Prayer afterward O Most Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty who art to be most humbly adored worshipped and admired but thy perfections no tongue can express and thou art above the thoughts of the highest and purest of all Creatures They all give glory to thee in their several kinds and declare thy power thy greatness thy wisdom and goodness which spreads it self throughout the world Psal 113.3 4. From the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same the Lords name is to be praised For the Lord is high above all Nations and his glory above the Heavens They sound continually with the praises which the holy Angels give thee who know thee better than we that are shut up in houses of clay and can see but little of thy glory And yet thou art pleased not only to admit but to invite us to lift up our hearts unto thee and unite them with that Heavenly company in rendring thee our poor praises and thanks which are infinitely below thee Accept Good Lord of such as I have to give and inspire me graciously from above with such a sense of thy goodness that I may offer thee an heart full of love which may be ever making grateful acknowledgments unto thee I bless thee that thou hast made man such a noble Creature capable to look back to thee the Author of his being and to be happy in loving thee and bearing a likeness to thee O how great was thy goodness that when he forgot thee that formed him and lightly esteemed thy love and favour thou wouldest not call him out of thy care but mercifully and speedily madest a promise of a Redeemer to him I thank thee O God that in the fulness of time thou hast sent him thy only begotten Son into the world not only to converse lovingly with us as our Friend and Brother but also to die for us and to die the accursed death of the Cross Who can understand the greatness of thy love O blessed Jesus that would hang in such shame and pain and bleed to death and lie in the Grave for us wretched sinners And the greatness of thy love O Father of mercies who hast raised him again from the dead and exalted him with thy right hand to the Throne of Glory in the Heavens and given him a name above every name Phil. 2.9 10 11. that at the name of Jesus every knee might bow both of things in Heaven and things on Earth and things under the Earth and that every tongue might confess that Jesus is the Lord to thy glory I confess his Sovereign power and authority whom the Angels worshipped and adored and I give glory to thee O Father of all who hast made him head of the Church Ephes 1.22 23. which is his Body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Glory be to thee O Lord most high who hast put all things under his feet and made Angels themselves to be ministring Spirits Heb. 1.14 sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation Glory be to thee Acts 3.26 who hast sent him to bless us in turning every one of from our iniquities 5.32 and hast made him a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remission of sins and made him able to save them to the uttermost that come unto thee by him Heb 7.25 27. seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them To thy eternal praise and glory be it remembred that we have such an High-Priest Heb. 8.1 who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens who needeth not daily to offer up Sacrifice but hath done it once when he offered up himself I bless thee that thou hast now admitted me to partake of that Sacrifice which is able to perfect for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 And that to the blessings of thy house thou hast added also those of my own Thou feedest not my