help your Humiliation and Repentance you bring thither a loaden miserable Soul to receive a pardon and relief And you see before you the Sacrificed Son of God who made his soul an offering for sin and became a Curse for us to save us who were accursed 2. To draw out your desires you have the most excellent gifts and the most needful mercies presented to you that this world is capable of Even the pardon of sin the Love of God the Spirit of Grace and the hopes of Glory and Christ himself with whom all this is given 3. To exercise your Faith you have Christ here first represented as crucified before your eyes and then with his benefits freely given you and offered to your acceptance with a Command that you refuse him not 4. To exercise your delight and gladness you have this Saviour and this Salvation tendered to you and all that your souls can well desire set before you 5. To exercise your Thankfulness what could do more than so great a Gift so dearly purchased so surely sealed and so freely offered 6. To exercise your Love to God in Christ you have the fullest manifestation of his attractive Love even offered to your eyes and taste and heart that a soul on earth can reasonably expect in such wonderful condescension that the greatness and strangness of it surpasseth a natural mans belief 7. To exercise your hopes of life eternal you have the price of it here set before you you have the Gift of it here sealed to you and you have that Saviour represented to you in his suffering who is now there reigning that you may remember him as expectants of his Glorious coming to judge the world and glorifie you with himself 8. To exercise your self-denyal and resolution for suffering and contempt of the world and fleshly pleasures you have before you both the greatest example and obligation that ever could be offered to the world when you see and receive a Crucified Christ that so strangely denyed himself for you and set so little by the world and flesh 9. To exercise your love to Brethren yea and Enemies you have his example before your eyes that loved you to the death when you were Enemies And you have his holy servants before your eyes who are amiable in him through the workings of his Spirit and on whom he will have you shew your love to himself 10. And to excite your Resolution for future odedience you see his double Title to the Government of you as Creator and as Redeemer and you feel the obligations of Mercy and Gratitude and you are to renew a Covenant with him to that end even openly where all the Churches are witnesses So that you see here are powerful object before you to draw out all these Graces and that they are all but such as the work requireth you then to exercise III. But that you may be the readier when it cometh to practice I shall as it were lead you by the hand through all the parts of the administration tell you when and how to exercise every grace and those that are to be joyned together I shall take together that needless distinctness do not trouble you 1. When you are called up and going to the Table of the Lord exercise your Humility Desire and Thankfulness and say in your hearts What Lord dost thou call such a wretch as I What! me that have so oft despised thy mercy and wilfully offended thee and preferred the filth of this world and the pleasures of the flesh before thee Alas it is thy wrath in Hell that is my due But if love will choose such an unworthy guest and Mercy will be honoured upon such sin and misery I come Lord at thy call I gladly come Let thy will be done and let that mercy which inviteth me make me acceptable and graciously entertain me and let me not come without the wedding Garment nor unreverently rush on holy things nor turn thy mercies to my bane 2. When the Minister is confessing sin prostrate your very souls in the sense of your unworthiness and let your particular sins be in your eye with their hainous aggravations The whole need not the Physician but the sick But here I need not put words into your mouths or minds because the Minister goeth before you and your hearts must concurr with his Confessions and put in also the secret sins which he omitteth 3. When you look on the Bread and Wine which is provided and offered for this holy use remember that it is the Creator of all things on whom you live whose Laws you did offend and say in your hearts O Lord how great is my offence who have broken the Laws of him that made me and on whom the whole Creation doth depend I had my Being from thee and my daily Bread and should I have requited thee with disobedience Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son 4. When the words of the Institution are read and the Bread and Wine are solemnly consecrated by separating them to that sacred use and the acceptance and blessing of God is desired admire the mercy that prepared us a Redeemer and say O God how wonderful is thy wisdom and thy love How strangely dost thou glorifie thy mercy over sin that gave advantage to glorifie thy justice Even thou our God whom we have offended hast out of thy own Treasury satisfied thy own justice and given us a Saviour by such a Miracle of Wisdom Love and Condescention as men or Angels shall never be able fully to comprehend so didst thou love the sinful world as to give thy Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life O thou that hast prepared us so full a remedy and so pretious a gift sanctifie these Creatures to be the Representative Body and Blood of Christ and prepare my heart for so great a gift and so high and holy and honourable a work 5. When you behold the Consecrated Bread and Wine discern the Lords Body and reverence it as the Reprsentative Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and take heed of Prophaning it by looking on it as common Bread and VVine Though it be not Transubstantiate but still is very Bread and VVine in its Natural being yet it is Christs Body and Blood in representation and effect Look on it as the consecrated Bread of life which with the quickning Spirit must nourish you to life eternal 6. When you see the Breaking of the Bread and the Pouring out of the VVine let Repentance and Love and Desire and Thankfulness thus work within you O wondrous Love O hateful sin How merciful Lord hast thou been to sinners how cruel have we been to our selves thee Could Love stoop lower Could God be merciful at a dearer rate Could my sin have done a more horrid deed than put to death the Son of God How small a
where where are they I saw them by me but just now I said them by my heart before I went to bed Oh what was I so long a reasoning about Oh what long and many threds did my reason spin even now but to make these twines to tye up my joy and to raise up my love and to hang my Heavenly delight upon But ah I fear this envious world hath with her vanities stollen them away or hid them from me or the envious Devil or unbelief have been ravelling or snarling of them that now I am as far to seek as ever Whither O whither shall I go to find them out Now will the Bridegroom come and I am not ready I cannot dare not go to day Now will my Lord be angry and ask me why I came not and I have no answer to make him And if I go undrest he will ask me where is my Weding-garment and then I shall be speechless Ah foollsh simple heart that thou shouldst take no more care but to let these thoughts of earth so intangle themselves with thy so pure and heavenly contemplations Now how to get them loose again thou knowest not this thou mightest by heed and care have prevented but now what help Lord I have sinned O holy Father pardon this time and I will take more heed Oh come and unty my thoughts from this earth and come and dress me up as best pleaseth thee Come be not discouraged Oh my Soul Let but thy attire of Grace be whole that is sincere thy God and so thy Saviour will accept thee Though thy garments are not so much perfumed with Heaven as thy brethrens are but yet if they are but white and free from the spots of flesh and spirit thou wilt be looked on and liked of well enough Thy Lord doth know that all have not Talents alike and where he gives but a little he expects but little A faith that it richly embroidered over with love and delight is not given to all and is not expected from any but from those to whom it is given Thou hast an honest willing serious heart that thinks it doth despise and trample under feet the nearest dearest pleasures profits and glories in the world in compare with him that gave himself to death for thee and hadst rather anger flesh and blood the dartest friends and all the world than him by sinning against him in the least If this be true fear not thou hast thy Weding-garment on thou art well clad as mean so ever as it is it is such a one as Heaven gave thee and such a one as thy dear Redeemer can and will embrace thee in The Presence-Chamber Fear not O my soul I charge thee do not faint Let not thy weakness and the poverty of thy grace discourage thee â—ee how thy Lord draws nigh Fear not I say he will not ask thee Friend how camest thou hither not having on thy Wedding garment He sees thy heart and sees thou hast it on Oh he comes and it is out to whisper thee a welcome in thine ear it is but to fall about thy neck and kiss thy be-tear'd cheeks and bid thee a kind welcome to thy bleeding Lord. Soul Oh did I think to be thus much made of I thought he would not have minded me but I did no sooner appear and set my feet within the doors but he ran to meet me he took mee in his arms he brought me hither and set me here Is this a house or is it a Palace Is this a Court for Princes or for Angels Never did place more ravish me into amazement than this place Beautiful are thy gates O Zion O how pleasant is the habitation of the most high Is it the place or the company that strikes me into astonishment Now I can say most feelingly say with David My delights are with the Saints of the most high and the most excellent of the earth Their poverty their disgrace their contempt amongst whom they live do not puzzle my quick-ey'd Faith these are the Kings Daughters that are all glorious within their garments are of needle work imbroidered over with pure gold fine-spun gold These O these how poor and mean soever they are or may seem to be these shall sit with Christ to Judge the World Oh! how my soul is ravished with delight to see and look on those with whom I shall live for ever If they are so lovely now what will they be hereafter when our God shall take them and scowr off their rust and wash their Garments bright in the Sun-shine of his countenance and change those mortal and corruptible bodies into immortal and glorious ones and set them upon Thrones about himself and lade their heads with Crowns of massy gold and when I shall hear them warbling out the everlasting Praises of the Lamb whose Body and Blood we shall sit down to feed on Communion-Plate Never was Gold or Silver graced thus before To bring this Body and this Blood to us is more than to Crown Kings or be made Rings For Star-like Diamonds to glitter in The Bread Welcome Fairest take and eat 't is the sweetest dainties dearest morsel Heaven can afford thee Welcome my Dear to the Table of my Lord. Welcome a thousand times I bid thee yea welcomer than thine own heart can wish Take eat this morsel it cost my life it 's a portion thy Father sent unto thee by me and bid me remember thee of his love to thee He bids thee remember a Fathers love Ay a Saviours He hath a heart to give thee and so have I. Take this in earnest of them both in one Take freely if thou wert not welcome I would have told thee I would have asked thee for thy Weding-Garment knew I not thy heart or if I were uncertain of thy love I would have scorn'd thee as unworrhy of my presence did I know thou lovest any thing above me I would have hid my face and never have spoke thee a welcome so feelingly and kindly to thy soul Tell me O tell me dost thou not love me I know thou dost and above Father or Mother Wife or Child Lands or Living or Credit I know thou dost And wilt thou not take the Cross and sollow me I know thou wilt I see and know the labour of thy love I remember the pains and travel of thy soul I saw thee follow me on thy knees in tears and begged my life rather than thy life I know thy heart I saw it bleeding before my Throne I took it in my arms and bound it up and in that breast I remember I put it up again I saw thee when no eye saw thee I heard thee and had compassion on thy groanings whilst thou wert complaining that I had shut out thy prayers I will remember since thy heart did first fall sick with love since the time thy flesh began to die and since thou laidst thy self in the grave down by me and wert willing to
all our praise HYMN V. I. TO whom Lord should I sing but thee The maker of my Tongue Lo other Lords would seize on me But I to thee belong As thou Lord an immortal Soul Hast breathed into me So let my Soul be breathing forth Immortal thanks to thee II. Sing and triumph in boundless grace Which thus hath set thee free Extol with shouts my saved Soul Thy Saviour's love to thee Sweet Christ thou hast refresht our Souls With thine abundant grace For which we magnifie thy Name Longing to see thy face III. Down from above the blessed Dove Is come into my breast To witness God's Eternal Love This is my heavenly Feast This makes me Abba Father cry With confidence of Soul It makes me cry my Lord my God And that without controul IV. Thou art all power thou art all love And so thou art to me Blest be my God now and henceforth And to Eternity HYMN VI. I. LORD give me a believing heart Advance it more and more Rebuke those doubts and scruples that Are crowding at my door Lord let thy Word and Spirit guide Thy Servant in thy way May I walk closely with my God And run no more astray III. All they that sit down with thee must Be decked with thy Grace Thou smil'st on such Communicants And they behold thy face Come holy Spirit come and take My filthy Garments hence The guilt the stain the love of sin Will give my Lord offence III. Let nothing that is not divine Within thy presence move What e're would cause thee not to shine In tokens of thy Love Awake Repentance Faith and Love Awake O every Grace Come come attend this glorious King And how before his face IV. Let not my Jesus now be strange And hide himself from me O cause thy face to shine upon The Soul that longs for thee HYMN VII I. WE to our heavenly Father give The tribute praise we owe Who by his purifying Grace Prepares us here below Lo here 's the most amazing proof Of great and matchless Love Not that our Early love to God Did his prevent and move II. His motives all to pity us From his own bowels flow Thence came the richest gift of Heav'n To Guilty Men below That to his glorious grace all praise Might be intirely paid Who that he might forgive our sins Christ's Blood our Ransom made III. Let then this glorious gift of God Yet more our Souls refine That his pure Image may in us With greater glory shine Draw us dear Lord and towards thee We with swift wings will move Thou Object of our highest hopes And of our dearest Love IV. Thanksgiving is an heav'nly work It 's all in Heav'n they do To thank and praise the Lord most high On Earth is sweet work too O! blessed are the Saints above How active is your state You ever bless the Lord our God Not at our broken rate VI. But O! how weak are crawling Worms How short our Sabbath-days We die more hours by far in sleep Than we do live in praise O glorious God! accept our wills And weaknesses forgive We wish our Souls were like the Saints Unlike them as we live V. But O my God! reach down thy hand And take us up to thee That we about thy Throne may stand And all thy Glory see All glory to the sacred Three One Everlasting Lord As at the first still may he be Belov'd obey'd ador'd HYMN VIII I. COme let 's adore the King of Love The King of suff'rings too For love it was that brought him down And set him here below Love drew him from his Paradice Where Flowers that fade not grow And planted him in our poor dust Among us Weeds below II. O narrow thoughts and narrow speech Here your defects confess The life of God the death of Christ How faintly you express O thou who from a Virgin root Made'st this fair Flower to spring Help us to raise both heart and voice And with more spirit sing III. To Father Son and Holy Ghost One undivided Three All highest praise all humblest thanks Now and for ever be HYMN IX To the Tune of the 100 Psalm I. TUne now your selves my heart strings high Let us aloft our voices raise That our loud song may reach the Sky And there present to thee our praise To thee blest Jesus who came'st down From those bright Spheres of Joy above To purchase us a dear bought Crown And woe our Souls t'espouse thy Love Long had the World in darkness sat Till thou with thy all-glorious light Began to dawn from Heav'ns fair Gate And with thy beam dispell'd their night We too alas still here had stood As common slaves in this same shade But Jesus came and with his Blood Our general Ransom freely paid And now my Lord my God my All What shall I most in thee admire That pow'r which made the world shall The world again dissolve with Fire Oh no! thy strange humility Thy wounds thy pains thy Cross thy death These shall alone my wonder be My health my joy my staff my breath To thee great God to thee alone Three Persons in One Deity As former Ages still have done All Glory now and ever be HYMN X. I. THE Mighty Jesus fill'd with love Did these dark Regions leave The heav'nly Hosts all wandring stood King Jesus to receive The great Jehovah sets a Throne Installs our glorious King Both Heav'n and Earth must him adore And loud Hosannah's sing II. There sits the King of Peace and Love A Saviour is his name Mercy his Nature and delight And ever so the same Come all that fear come all that want And speedy succour find He n're denies a praying Soul He is soo good and kind III. Behold and wonder at his Love We are his daily care His ear his heart is always fixt To hear and answer prayer Be not afraid to bring your Suit Come with a chearful heart Weak crys mixt prayers cannot bar A grant to his own part IV. Satan it 's true presents his Plea And Justice brings its claim But all are silent when he pleads His Blood his Love his Name Let holy Souls then daily go To Jesus on his Throne And love that all-prevailing Friend Who says we are his own HYMN XI As the 67th Psalm I. O This ungrateful World To kill so kind a Friend That made the Lord of Glory die What might this act portend But wonder holy Souls God's thoughts all thoughts transcend Christ murder'd by a Rebel World And yet he is our Friend II. It 's true Christ left the Earth But is enthron'd above Not to revenge this cruel act But lives and reigns in love II. Sweet is his work on high Peace is the charming voice Let but a Soul embrace his Call The heav'nly Host rejoyce Behold he stands and calls Come Sinners come to me My Love my Kingdom shall be yours To all Eternity III. Believe my faithful Word All my designs are
Monthly Preparations FOR THE Holy Communion By R. B. To which is added Suitable Meditations before in and after Receiving WITH Divine Hymns In Common Tunes Fitted for Publick Congregations or Private Families LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible Three Crowns the lower end of Cheapside 1696. THE PREFACE TO THE READER SAcramental work is solemn work indeed And all those helps are valuable and desirable whereby the furniture of our minds the temper of our hearts and the conduct of our lives may be answerable to the solemnity of a Sacramental Table A mind that is barren or perplext an heart that is false or stupid and the conscience of a disordered conversation are bad Companions to attend us to the Holy Supper of our Lord. The Lord's Body is to be discerned his Death shewed forth his tender'd self and benefits received and his next Coming seriously thought on and throughly prepared for and joyfully expected by us and all this is to be influenced and actuated by this Memorial which Christ hath left with us Such helps as these are the more useful by being brief if brevity do not render them defective and obscure as here I think they will not No Directory can be better than the Institution if well discerned and attended to I. The Memorable Person is the Lord Jesus in his perfections relations and designs Here therefore let him be considered 1. As Man to render him capable of sufferings service and contending with that Enemy of God and Man who once deceived and enslaved us 2. As the Son of Man the chief of Humane Race for Tryals Faithfulness and Advancement 3. As the Son of God as essentially and most intimately one with God as Lord of the Universe Head over all things to his Church and of the Church it self The brightness of his Fathers Glory the one Mediator and so God's way to Man and Man's way to God and one deputed to undertake and perfect our Conduct Government and Salvation II. His Sufferings are the things here next to be commemorated Great were his Tryals from God from Hell and from this World With great composedness and gallantry of spirit did he endure them and work his passage through them to that exalted state wherein he had so much to do with God for us In all these and in his preparations for them doth he appear most exemplary to us claiming and urging our Conformity to his obedient submissive and resolved self And in his Meritorious Sufferings and Expiatory Death must we discern and think severely on what there and thence was evident viz. Gods Wisdom Majesty Holiness and his Governing Justice and Prerogatives the sinfulness of sin the misery of Revolted Man the equity and power of God's Violated Law and the eminence of the Divine above the Animal Life Nature and Concerns III. Our Interest in and Benefit by these his Sufferings are next to exercise our thoughts He died to let us see 1. How glorious a God we have to do with 2 What wise and righteous Constitutions we had violated 3. What dreadful evils we had brought upon our selves 4. What spirit strength and reach there is in Divine Threatnings 5. How hard it is to be recovered when we are faln from God and so what an Enemy Satan is to Man and how unwilling to let his Captives go 6. To shew us the riches of God's Grace in him and his own Dignity in that his Sufferings could and did merit and obtain of God our Pardon Adoption Acceptance and Eternal Bliss through him 7. To raise and cherish holy endeavours to return to God in hope 8. To make us dread the thoughts of ever falling off from God again 9. To justifie our claims to all the Benefits of our Gospel-state and day 10. To obtain of God for us the Spirit and Means of Grace thereby to fit us for our present Work and Trials in this our Probationary state and to suit and bring us to his Father and himself in Glory and that with universul Satisfaction and Advantage and Applause 11. To put himself into a capacity of interceding for us in Heaven and blessing us from Heaven as our High-Priest upon his Throne 12. To put us into and to keep us in a Covenant-state and frame that thus we may deal and walk with God as Children as interested in his Son as inhabited and actuated by his Spirit and as united with all the Family of God and Christ in the same Principles Practices Concerns and Hopes in order to the exercises of all the sympathies and services of mutually Christian Love Ephes iv v. 1-6 IV. Our Commemoration of Christ thus represented to us as upon the Cross and as determining to come again is our next work 1. The Sacramental Elements and the Observed Institution is the Memorial 2. The Remembrance contains 1. Head-work in discerning remembring and believing the Sacramental Doctrine of this Supper to be true and of great consequence to us Christ Crucified and determining to come again 2. Heart-work in forming the temper purposes hopes and comforts of our hearts unto what this Supper imports and our acceptance of what is tendered here and our obliging our selves to do and be as Christ would have us 3. Life-work in keeping up our Christian practice and profession as we are here directed and obliged to for a more full account whereof and greater fitness for it thou art commended to this helpful Treatise by Thine to his poor power for Christ Matthew Sylvester Feb. 3. 1695 6. A Monthly Preparation for our Holy Communion with Christ and his Church in the Lord's Supper THIS is a holy Feast that is purposely provided by the King of Saints for the Entertainment of his Family for the refreshing of the weary and the making glad the mournful Soul The night before his bitter Death he instituted this Sacramental Feast He caused his Disciples to sit down with him and when they had partaked of the Passover the Sacrament of Promise and had their taste of the old wine he giveth them the new even the Sacrament of the better Covenant and of the fuller Gospel-Grace He teacheth them that his Death is Life to them and that which is his bitterest suffering is their Feast and his sorrows are their Joyes as our sinful pleasures were his sorrows The slain Lamb of God our passover that was Sacrificed for us that taketh away the sins of the world was the pleasant food which Sacramentally he himself then delivered to them and substantially the next day offered for them The bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven and giveth life unto the world John 6. 33. He is the living bread which came down from Heaven If any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever and the Bread which he giveth is his flesh which he hath given for the life of the world verse 50 51. Except we eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood we have
cases that are too hard for your selves to resolve and where you need their special help 3. That you lovingly admonish them that you know do intend to communicate unworthily and to come thither in their ungodliness and gross sin unrepented of That you shew not such hatred of your Brother as to suffer sin upon him Lev. 19. 17. But tell him his faults as Christ hath directed you Mat. 18. 15 16 17. And do your parts to promote Christs Discipline and keep pure the Church See 1 Cor 5. throughout Direct 6. When you come to the holy Communion let not the over-scrupulous regard of the person of the Minister or the company or the imperfections of the ministration disturb your meditations nor call away your minds from the high and serious imployment of the day Hypocrites who place their Religion in bodily exercises have taught many weak Christians to take up unecessary scruples and to turn their eye and observation too much to things without them Quest But should we have no regard to the due celebration of these sacred Mysteries and to the Minister and communicants and manner of Administration Answ Yes You should have so much regard to them 1. As to see that nothing be amiss through your default which is in your power to amend 2. And that you joyn not in the committing of any known sin But 1. Take not every sin of another for your sin and think not that you are guilty of that in others which you cannot amend or that you must forsake the Church and worship of God for these corruptions which you are not guilty of or deny your own mercies because others usurp them or abuse them 2. If you suspect any thing imposed upon you to be sinful to you try it before you come thither and leave not your minds open to disturbance when they should be wholly imployed with Christ Quest But what if my conscience be not satisfied but I am still in doubt must I not forbear Seeing he that doubteth is condemned if he eat because he eateth not in Faith for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Answ The Apostle there speaketh not of eating in the Sacrament but of eating meats which he doubteth of whether they are lawful but is sure that it is lawful to forbear them And in case of doubting about things indifferent the surer side is to forbear them because there may be sin in doing but there can be none on the other side in forbearing But in case of Duties your doubting will not disoblige you else men might give over praying and hearing Gods Word and believing and obeying their Rulers and maintaining their Families when they are but blind enough to doubt of it 2. Your erring Conscience is not a Law-maker and cannot make it your duty to obey it For God is your King and the Office of your Conscience is to discern his Law and urge you to obedience and not to make you Laws of its own So that if it speak falsly it doth not oblige you but deceive you It doth only ligate or insnare you but not obligare or make a sin a duty It casteth you into necessity of sinning more or less till you relinquish the error But in case of such duties as these it is a sin to do them with a doubting Conscience but ordinarily it is a greater sin to forbear Object But some Divines write that Conscience being Gods Officer when it erreth God himself doth bind me by it to follow that error and the evil which it requireth becometh my duty Answ A dangerous error tending to subversion of Souls and Kingdoms and highly dishonourable to God God hath made it your duty to know his Will and do it And if you ignorantly mistake him will you lay the blame on him and draw him into participation of your sin when he forbiddeth you both the error and the sin And doth he at once forbid and command the same thing At that very moment God is so far from obliging you to follow your error that he still obligeth you to lay it by and do the contrary If you say You cannot I answer Your impotency is a sinful impotency and you can use the means in which his Grace can help you and he will not change his Law nor make you Kings and Rulers of your selves instead of him because you are ignorant or impotent Direct 7. In the time of administration go along with the Minister throughout the work and keep your hearts close to Jesus Christ in the exercise of all those Graces which are suited to the several parts of the administration Think not that all the work must be the Minister's It should be a busie day with you and your hearts should be taken up with as much diligence as your hands be in your common labor but not in a toilsome weary diligence but in such delightful business as becometh the guests of the God of Heaven at so sweet a feast and in the receiving of such unvaluable gifts Here I should distinctly shew you I. What Graces they be that you must there exercise II. What there is obiectively presented before you in the Sacrament to exercise all these Graces III. At what seasons in the administration each of these inward works are to be done I. The Graces to be exercised are these besides that holy fear and reverence common to all worship 1. A humble sense of the odiousness of sin and of our undone condition as in our selves and a displeasure against our selves loathing of our selves and melting Repentance for the sins we have committed as against our Creator and as against the Love and Mercy of a Redeemer and as against the holy Spirit of Grace 2. A hungring and thirsting desire after the Lord Jesus and his Grace and the favour of God and communion with him which are there represented and offered to the Soul 3. A lively Faith in our Redeemer his death resurrection and intercession and a trusting our miserable souls upon him as our sufficient Saviour and help And a hearty acceptance of him and his benefits upon his offered terms 4. A joy and gladness in the sense of that unspeakable mercy which is here offered us 5. A thankful heart towards him from whom we do receive it 6. A fervent Love to him that by such Love doth seek our Love 7. A triumphant Hope of life eternal which is purchased for us and sealed to us 8. A willingness and resolution to deny our selves and all this world and suffer for him that hath suffered for our Redemption 9. A Love to our Brethren our Neighbours and our Enemies with a readiness to relieve them and to forgive them when they do us wrong 10. And a firm Resolution for future obedience to our Creator and Redeemer and Sanctifier according to our Covenant II. In the naming of these Graces I have named their objects which you should observe as distinctly as you can that they may be operative 1. To
matter hath tempted me to that which must cost so dear before it was forgiven How dear payed my Saviour for that which I might have avoided at a very cheap rate At how low a price have I valued his Blood when I have sinned and sinned again for nothing This is my doing My sins were the Thorns the Nails the Spear Can a Murderer of Christ be a small offender O dreadful justice It was I and such other sinners that deserved to bear the punishment who were guilty of the sin and to have been fewel for the unquenchable flames for ever O pretious Sacrifice O hateful sin O gracious Saviour how can mans dull and narrow heart be duly affected with such transcendent things or Heaven make its due impression upon an inch of flesh Shall I ever again have a dull apprehension of such Love Or ever have a favourable thought of sin Or ever have a fearless thought of justice O break or melt this hardened heart that it may be somewhat conformed to my crucified Lord The tears of Love and true Repentance are easier than the flames from which I am redeemed O hide me in these wounds and wash me in this pretious blood This is the Sacrifice in which I trust This is the Righteousness by which I must be justified and saved from the Curse of thy violated Law As thou hast accepted this O Father for the world upon the Cross Behold it till on the behalf of sinners and hear his Blood that cryeth unto thee for mercy to the miserable and pardon us and accept us as thy Reconciled Children for the sake of this Crucified Christ alone We can offer thee no other Sacrifice for sin and we need no other 7. When the Minister applyeth himself to God by prayer for the efficacy of this Sacrament that in it he will give us Christ and his benefits and pardon and justifie us and accept us as his reconciled Children joyn heartily and earnestly in these requests as one that knoweth the need and worth of such a mercy 8. When the Minister delivereth you the consecrated Bread and Wine look upon him as the messenger of Christ and hear him as if Christ by him said to you Take this my broken body and blood and feed â—â— it to everlasting life and take with it no sealed Covenant and therein the sealed testimony of my love and the sealed pardon oâ— your sins and a sealed gift of life eternal so be it you unfeignedly consent unto my Covenant and give up your selves to me â—â— my redeemed ones Even as in delivering the possession of House or Lands the deliverer giveth a Key and a Twig and a Turf and saith I deliver you this house and I deliver you this Land So doth the Minister by Christ's Authority deliver you Christ and pardon and title to eternal life Here is an Image of a sacrificed Christ of Gods own appointing which you may lawfully use And more than an Image even an investing Instrument by which these highest mercies are solemnly delivered to you in the name of Christ Let your hearts therefore say with Ioy and Thankfulness with Faith and Love O matchless bounty of the eternal God! what a gift is this and unto what unworthy sinners and will God stoop so low to man and come so near him and thus reconcile his worthless enemies Will he freely pardon all that I have done and take me into his family and love and feed me with the flesh and blood of Christ I believe Lord help mine unbelief I humbly and thankfully accept thy gifts Open thou my heart that I may yet more joyfully and thankfully accept them Seeing God will glorifie his Love and mercy by such incomprehensible gifts as these behold Lord a wretch that needeth all this mercy And seeing it is the offer of thy Grace and Covenant my Soul doth gladly take thee for my God and Father for my Saviour and my Sanctifier And here I give my up self unto thee as thy Created Redeemed and I hope Regenerate one as thy Own thy Subject and thy Child to be saved and Sanctified by thee to be beloved by thee and to Love thee to everlasting O seal up this Covenant and pardon by the Spirit which thou sealest and deliverest to me in thy Sacrament that without reserve I may be entirely and for ever thine 9. When you see the Communicants receiving with you let your very hearts be united to the Saints in love and say How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob How amiable is the Family of the Lord How good and pleasant is the unity of Bretheren How dear to me are the pretious numbers of my Lord though they have yet all their spots and weaknesses which he pardoneth and so must we My goodness O Lord extendeth not unto thee but unto thy Saints the excellent ones on earth in whom is my delight What portion of my estate thou requirest I willingly give unto the poor and if I have wronged any man I am willing to restore it And seeing thou hast â—â—oved me an enemy and forgiven me so great a debt I heartily forgive those that have done me wrong and love my enemies O keep me in thy Family all my days for â— day in thy Court is better than a Thousand and the door-keepers in thy house are happier than the most prosperous of the wicked Numb 24. 5. Psal 133. 15. 4. 16. 2 3. Luke 19. 8. Psal 84. 10. 10. When the Minister returneth Thanks and Praise to God stir up your Souls to the greatest alacrity and suppose you saw the Heavenly Hosts of Saints and Angels praising the same God in the presence of his Glory and think with your selves that you belong to the same Family and society as they and are learning their work and must shortly arrive at their perfection Strive therefore to imitate them in Love and Joy and let your very souls be poured out in Praises and Thanksgiving And when you have the next â—iesure for your private thoughts as when the Minister is exhorting you to your duty exercise your love and thanks and Faith and hope and self-denyal and Resolution for future obedience in some such breathings of your Souls as these O my gracious God thou hast surpassed all humane comprehension in thy Love Is this thy usage of unworthy prodigals I feared lest thy wrath as a consuming fire would have devoured such a guilty Soul and thou wouldest have charged upon me all my folly But while I condemned my self thou hast forgiven justified me and surprized me with the sweetest embracements of thy love I see now that thy thoughts are above our thoughts and thy ways above our ways and thy love excelleth the love of man even more than the Heavens are above the earth With how dear a price hast thou Redeemed a wretch that deserved thy everlasting vengeance with how pretious and sweet a Feast hast thou entertained me who deserved to be cast out with
to do Adieu my Friends farewell my Husband Wife and Child I must go see my bleeding Lord that 's dearer to me than you all Come now my soul thou art alone thou knowest the way make hast and seed look yonder see how the people flock cross but this vale and climb but up this mount thou wilt soon arrive at bloody Golgotha where thou shalt see thy bleeding and dying Siviour to sigh and linger out a dying life on the Cross in love for thee This this might Oh my Soul have been thy day and thou might'st have been the prisoner this I say might have been the day in which thou might'st have drunk the bitter cup of the fierce anger of God But look yonder there he goes that must drink up the dregs and all for thee Look again there he goes that must lay down his life that thou maist be reprieved But come my soul draw up a little nearer thou canst not see him well at so great a distance stand here and thou wilt see him passing look there he goes with a train of Virgins following But see how cruelly these barbarous Jews do use him they make him bear his Cross himself and press his wearied fainting limbs above his strength see how they laugh and scoff and wag their heads as if he were their May-game Methinks my heart boils up with rage to see these cruelties revenged Oh! how could the blessed God forbear to see his blessed Son thus wronged Why did he not send twelve Legions of Angels for his rescue Why doth he not send down fire from Heaven upon the heads of these his Sons enemies and so consume them But stay my foolish heart thou knowest not what spirit thou art of this debt was owing and it must be paid God requires so much and it must be given or thou canst not be saved Thy Lord did know this well enough for this he came from Heaven and committed himself to the rage of men he knew he must endure all these revilings and doth it grieve thy soul to see him thus abased Stay but a while and thou shalt see him more look up my soul come tell me what thou seest Oh I cannot sorrow tyes my tongue I cannot speak I see and hear those things that I want a power to utter I see a troop of Virgins following him their weeping Eyes their blubbering lips their sighs and throbbings speak them mourners I see my Lord looks towards them and kindly chides their loving sorrow Why weep ye Oh ye Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me My Lord what need was there for that question Should not they weep when thou must bleed Would not their eyes have been flints if that then they should not drop tears for thee when as thou wert about to pour out thy life and blood for them Ah! could they chuse or do less than weep to see thine innocent self among a herd of Tygers what should a Lamb do there they saw thee in their ravenous jaws about to tear thy heart to suck out all thy blood and leave thee dead Have I not sat and read and read and wept viewing over the story and could they forbear that with their watry eyes saw this scene then acted But whither O whither O ye blinded Jews are ye dragging this my Lord My spirit begins to faint I now can look no longer my heart now begins to swell with grief it must now break or I must vent it at mine eyes in streams Look see the Hammer and Nails the Hammer lift up to strike Bloody man thou durst not sure surely thou dost not know whose hands and feet thou art now piercing it is the Prince and Saviour of the World Foolish heart see how thou art mistaken look see it 's done the nails are driven to the head see how the crimson tears run trickling down his hands and feet and see how hardened hearts be laughing at it Oh silly foolish blinded men what laugh you at This very Christ whom now you mock shall be your Judge this very man Jesus whom you have thus abused shall come attended with thousands of Angels with the sound of Trumpets and shall sit upon your life and death Him whom you now have nailed to a Cross hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour What then will you do when that great and terrible day of the Lord shall come How will you look him in the face whom you have spit on How will you dare to speak a word for your selves to him whom you have nailed to a tree and crucified His wounds in hands side and feet shall all bear witness against you and his innocent blood that you have spilt shall cry aloud about the throne for vengeance against you your flouts shall then be turned into tears and your taunts into lamentations And how will you then look and cry when God passeth sentence on you and thrusts you down to Hell to bear the punishment of your sins this is the Lord that came to spare your lives yet your wickedness spared not his and how at length can you think to escape with yours But once again look up my soul and see what is become of thy nailed and crucified Lord Ah me he is not quite dead look how he gasps and pants for life Oh how his looks are changed How pale and wan do I see his cheeks the blood and all the spirits are quite drawn from them Methinks he should be dead for see how weak his neck is grown that it is not able to support his head that lyes a dying on his bleeding breast What yet not dead see how he shakes and stirs his dying limbs what gasps and groans do I hear him fetch as if his soul were strugling to get out Hark hark he speaks Oh let me catch the least breath of my dying Saviour What saith my Lord Hark what dost thou not hear What My God my God why hast thou forsaken me I am amazed to hear these words How couldst thou suspect thy Fathers love How could he be far from thee who was one with thy self But Oh! this is but the voice of his Manhood and not of his Godhead It was the voice of the dying and bleeding Man Jesus not the voice of the God Jesus But Oh my Lord what are those pains and gripes thou feelest that brings forth these complainings But why do I ask this question hath he not been all this while a drinking up the cup his Father gave him the bitter and sowr and poysonous cup of his Fathers wrath which I and all the world had else drunk of he just now swallowed down the last mouthful of the dregs whose bitter noisom taste hath sent forth these doleful lamentations for mark he had no sooner spoke these words but he gasped his last The causes of his Death And must the Son of God be humbled thus must he that was from everlasting raised and advanced above every man in heaven
thou sayest if thou lookest upon him one way his life was such as thou tellest me of but 't is a strong argument against thy self for just such a one was the Christ to be according to the Prophets the 53 Chap. of Isa shews as much But yet if thou truly understandest what true pump and glory means even to an eye of sense as well as to that of faith Solomon's life imbroidered with all his glorious acts was not comparable to this life of his Was it not filled with miracles and wonders was he not proclaimed the Son of God with voices from Heaven did he not conquer Devils and therefore the Kingdom of Hell Was ever Prince on Earth honoured with so great a Conquest Were not his miraculous Feasts more splendid than those of Princes the fare was but poor and mean but the miracles made it rich and glorious Had I been present should I not have wondered and gazed more at the Master of this Feast and have taken more pleasure to have seen him sit down with these five thousands than with a Table full of Princes and great men Alas it were a trifling sight to this Methinks my unbelief that pleads so much for sense sense it self pleads too strongly against thee for thou canst not argue one Syllable Object But would the Son of God be hanged and crucified could Heaven have suffered this could not the Saviour of the World save himself how could he then save me Answ Hadst thou not the blindness of the Jews thou couldest not reason thus like them but was it not necessary it should be so Did not the Prophets foretell his death and such a death Had he not died and died as he did I might then have had some ground to doubt him whether he were the Messias or not for it was needful that the Prophecies should be fulfilled Dan. 9. But yet as wretched and as contemptible a going out of the world as he had and his manner of dying on the Cross how vile soever it seemed to be yet was there not enough to silence all the doubts that could possibly from thence arise and much for the confirmation of my faith in the wonderful Eclipse of the Sun the rending of the veil of the Temple the opening of the Graves the raising of the dead and afterwards his own rising the third day and ascending up to Heaven in a Cloud If my faith might have staggered in seeing him on the Cross dying it could not when it saw him risen and in the Clouds ascending Object But were those wonders true and certain Answ But hast thou any ground to doubt them are they not written in thy Bible and art thou not certain that it is the word of God or hast thou not sufficient reason to believe it to be so But hast thou not a whole Nation yea Nations that do believe the same and before this age did not our Fathers and Grandfathers and great Grandfathers and so continued a testimony of ages from the time that they were done to this day witness to the truth of them and that so unanimously resolutely that ten thousands have rather chosen to lose their lives than the truth of them Now put all these together and tell me canst thou doubt Away I see thou dost but trifle consess the truth or I am resolved to heed thee no longer Come take and embrace that crucified Jesus account all things else but as loss and dross and dung in comparison with him stick not at his outward meanness scruple not at his ignominious dying it is the very Christ the Saviour of the world Oh why shouldest thou thus torment me Dost thou not see all thy fellow-Christians to glory in that Cross and in that Christ that died on it Do they not bear it as a badge of honour and shall it be to thee as shame Do not all the Christian World eat and drink as often as they can the Symbols of this their dying Lord And do they not all sing and joy and triumph in it and wilt thou the while lye vexing thy self over a company of needless fears and scruples Farewell all needless doubts and tormenting questions I see my faith is built on a Rock blow winds beat waves you cannot now move me Blessed God I thank thee for thy Son thou hast given his life for the spoiler thou hast bowed his back to the enemies long furrows have they plowed upon it and the day of his calamity they laughed at Lord thou hast wounded him for my sins and bruised him for my iniquities These speak the depth of thy counsels and the ways of thy mercy past finding out and the tenderness of thy bowels Thou hast made him my Rock and my shield and my strong tower and in the day of my sorrow through him thou wilt hear me To thee O God will I make my vows and to thee will I pay them I will humble my self before thee I will always lye at the feet of my Redeemer Lord his Gross and his shame shall be no more a stumbling-block to me I will take it up and follow him it shall be my Crown my Song and the glory of my rejoicing I will enter into thy Courts with joy and in the Congregations of thy Saints shall be my delight I will remember thy loving-kindnesses of old and the days in which thou didst afflict thy only Son for the sins of my Soul I will call to mind the Covenant of thy Grace and my heart shall praise thee when I see it founded on blood Then will I betroth my self to thy Son join thou Lord both our hands and hearts and we will strike up a match for ever Praise thou the Lord Oh my soul and all you that love and fear him praise his holy name The SACRAMENT The Dress Lord where am I What! all the Children of the Bride-chamber up and drest and I slumbring in my bed Tell me ye fairest what make you up so early Alas our Lord was up before us all He called us up by break of day and wondered that we were not triming our lamps knowing with whom we were to feast this day Oh well then I will rise up too Oh what a shew do these bright and glittering Saints make in mine eyes What a brightness do these pearls and diamonds cast in mine eyes they do strike me into amazement Oh what a lovely humble look doth crown their brow and what a comly countenance hath joy and Heavenly delight cast on their cheeks surely they did not thus dress themselves it was my Father that made them thus prepar'd to entertain his Son But where are my Clothes Now for the fairest sweetest robe of thoughts and wishes that can be sound or that the wardrobe of my Father can afford me Oh how naked am I But where are my silken golden twists of Faith to hang the jewels of joy and love and humility upon I am never drest till they be on Oh
die to all this vain empty glory of the world because I died left it I know thee well enough Thou art mine and I am thine Take it I charge thee eat it as thou lovest me and whilst thou feedest remember the love of thy dearest Redeemer Soul Oh 't is the sweetest meat that ever tongue did tast it sends a relish to my very heart I find it digest s as it descends I feel my nerves and sinews strengthen I never knew that bread was the staff of life till now Oh how fit is my soul now for Christ How easie do I now find his yoke how light his burden Methinks I could watch or pray or read more earnestly resolvedly believingly than ever Oh! methinks I can take his Cross bear it strongly and take the shame and despise it sully Oh 't is a feast of fat things The richest banquet of love that ever I was at it was but a little that I took and it fills me full my hungry stomach now crye 't is enough I find it now verified to my soul and spirit that he that eats of this bread shall never hunger more Well I need not starve when there is such bread in my Fathers house I need not I will not I cannot feed any longer on husks with the swine of the world I fed on air and smoke before I never tasted substantial bread till I tasted of this This is the staff of my life and upon this will I support my self to my very grave The Wine Christ Come my Dearest I have drunk and thou shalt pledge me I have broached my side and drew it on purpose for thee This is a Wine of mine own making when I trod the Winepress of my Fathers wrath It is my blood but take and drink it it was the cause of my wounding but to thy soul it shall prove healing I died and bled it was but to make this Banquet for thee I have brought thee into my Wine-cellar and my Banner over thee shall be love Fear not take and drink thou hast an ulcer in thy heart and this shall cure it spots and stains of guilt on thy soul and this shall purge them away thy spirits are faint this shall revive thee thou art afraid to see thy Fathers face this shall make thee to draw near the Throne of Grace with boldness Drink I charge thee drink on thy love and loyalty to me I command thee as thou wilt have thy heart to mend thy wounds to cure thy spirits to revive thy fears to scatter thy soul to love and obey me take O take this cup into thy hand taste it and praise my love Soul Lord I have taken I have drunk as thou hast bid me I neither could or dare deny thee Can I refuse thy blood when I have accepted thy self Or can I accept my pardon at thy hands and refuse the Seal thereof I know I am vile I am vile but thou hast pardoned me Lord I have abused thy love a thousand times refused thy offered self and withstood the tenders of thy Grace but thou hast covered all my sins thou hast freely justified me by thy Grace and made a full atonement for me by thy blood this is that thou freely biddest me take and I have freely drunk it Never was Wine so full as this is Never was Bowl so full of pleasure as this I have swallowed down my life and pardon at one draught I took it from my Saviours hand it was a cup of his own preparing If ever drink was sugared this was I never tasted better rellisht Wine in all my life The richest Cordials cannot match this draught Divine Spirits of pearls dissolved would but dead this Wine Oh when my hopes but kist the purple dews they hung and cleaved so As if they were loth to let thee go They strove and strugled to get near my heart As if intending there to take a part I dare not say them nay blood from that Bowl May the best room command within my soul What a sudden strange yet happy alteration do I find within my languid spirits are revived my winter is over Methinks I feel my life and joy to spring a main My Aarons Rod a dry stick but now doth bloom and flourish My newly ingrafted soul is full of Infant-clusters Blood at the root of Vines They say produce the richest Wines Oh! if my Lord will undertake to dress this Vine and trickle down his blood into my root then draw it up into each branch of Grace by the warming beam of his reviving love then let my Dears est come let him come as he hath promised and bring my Father and his Father with him and sup both with me and in me Let them come and I will bid them a welcome I shall have a fruit to present them with which they themselves shall say is pleasant I shall not send my Father away now so oft complaining I came to seek for grapes and fruit but behold wild ones The Conclusion Oh! how unwillingly do I rise methinks I could sit here and feast my heart and eyes for ever What running-Banquets doth my Lord afford me here surely he should not need to fear that I should surfeit on himself But alas I must be gone what shall I do in yonder hungry soul-starving world again I have been feeding on my Paschal Lamb and now I must go and eat my sowre herbs but if it be his will I must obey if it be so I must arise I know thou hast prepared the endless feast above where I shall ever sit and enjoy thy love and glut my hungry eye and heart on the Banquet of thy everlasting self As yet I am now on earth my toil and work lyes heavy on my hands I have yet an afternoon to labour out God knows my work is hard too hard for me my self to perform I scarcely should have lasted out so long but that ometimes at such seasons as this is he repaired my sinking spirits by pouring in the Cordials of his Blood Now I must go and perhaps find as sharp conflicts with my self as ever I know the World and Hell have been laying their snares and gins to catch my new-fledg'd soul and all conspire against my welfare Now it is well if I escape a fall a bruise a breaking of my bones in which sad plight I have so often lain that my Lord might have took me for dead but that my groanings told him loudly I lived Lord must I leave this feast must I go Take me then by the hand and lead me if I must walk let me see thee by me that I may know I walk with my God Lead me away and I will go with thee and let me not go till thou bringest me hither again I cannot will not live without thee And do thou Lord say I must not shall not If both our hearts in love so well agree What then shall separate my Christ from me A
on my head did ake when thine was crowned with thorns Anguish and indignation did loose my nerves and with a palsie shook mine hands when thine had a Mock Scepter put into them a reed and a scoff Hail Jesus King of the Jews And did not mine heart break and bleed to hear that thine was pierced Ah my Lord and shall I yet find an heart to wish thee here again No no I am glad thou hast escap'd their bloody hands and now got quite without their reach I am glad thou hast got to perfect ease and rest and know'st no pains nor griefs nor sorrows Oh! take a full possession of thy Fathers breast and sit thee down upon his Throne Thou art a King for ever And take delight in these thy soul did travel die and bleed for on earth I will repine at nothing that shall advance thy glory But Oh! thou cruel bloody unbelieving world you wicked murtherous bloody Jews though I rejoice my Lord is safe arrived home and quietly landed within his Haven yet from you I cannot hold mine anger that made his Sea a Sea of blood and drain'd his heart to make it deep filld his sails with sighs and groans that caus'd his voyage to be so doleful What good got you to stand and laugh to see him sorrowful to scoff and jeer to hear his lamentations what cursed rage was that to make such haste to fetch him vinegar and gall to prolong his life to lengthen out his dolors How could you find such barbarous hearts to triumph over a bleeding dying lamb that was so innocent How could you taunt at him when you heard him praying for you Father forgive them and so tenderly excusing you for they know not what they do Methinks that kindly harmless carriage should have pierced your hearts those melting words should have dissolv'd them and instead of piercing him I should have thought you pierced And ah but that I know an unbelieving heart my self and understand what hardness means I should stand and wonder Oh! it 's too hard an Adament for downy words and doleful sounds and tender carriages to break and shatter How often have I outstood all those my self And when I served my flesh how little did I mind them And when they have been presented to me in the Gospel or in a Sermon told that all these tortures he endur'd for me and I in part believed it too yet was I not as a man bereft of my senses and I was no more mov'd in mine heart as if I had not heard or understood and were quite bereav'd of sense and reason But had I thus continued in my senseless unbelieving state and as I liv'd so died yet how deservedly should I have born the wrath of God and have been sent to Hell as a recompence of mine unbelief And yet you careless secure Jews can you think to escape when God comes to make inquisition for blood How will you do if this sin shall find you out If God requires blood for blood what will become of yours If he had been no more than a common man the Law would then have required your lives for payment But how if in the end he prove a Prophet nay more than that the Son of the most high God the Prince and Saviour whom God had promised to raise the Messiah whom Moses and the Prophets bare witness to and him that you so long'd and wisht to see How will you look what will you say what answer will you make when all these truths are cleared where will you hide your selves for shame and what will you do when confusion shall thus take hold upon you What! will you then confess the fact or will you deny it with what face can you do the first And if you do the latter the curse you and your Fathers drew upon your selves Let his blood be upon us and our children stand still on record against you and will cry you guilty Will you excuse it with your unbelieving ignorance But how will you be able to rub your brows into so much confidence How dare you say you were ignorant of him when you say you know both Moses and the Prophets and they bear witness of him You askt a sign and did he not give you both signs and wonders How often did he cure your Lame How wonderfully did he heal your Lepers and those sick of the Palsie yea of all manner of diseases How did he open the eyes of the blind give light to them that was born blind yea restore the withered hand make the crooked straight and open the ears of the deaf and cast out Devils and raise the dead Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ A Prayer before the Receiving the Holy Communion MOST Holy God I am as stubble before thee the consuming Fire How shall I stand before thy Holiness for I am a sinful Creature laden with Iniquity that have gone backward and provoked the Holy One of Israel when I was lost thy Son did seek and save me when I was dead in sin thou madest me alive Thou sawest me polluted in my blood and saidst unto me live In that time of love thou coveredst my nakedness and enteredst into a Covenant with me and I became thine own Thou didst deliver me from the power of Darkness and translate me into the Kingdom of thy dear Son and gavest me remission of sin through his blood But I am a grievous Revolter I have forgotten the Covenant of the Lord my God I was engaged to love thee with all my heart and to hate iniquity and serve thee diligently and thankfully to set forth thy praise But I have departed from thee and corrupted my self by self-love and by loving the world and the things that are in the world and have fulfilled the desires of the flesh which I should have crucified I have neglected my duty to thee and to my neighbour and the necessary care of my own Salvation I have been an unprofitable Servant and have hid thy Talents and have dishonoured thee whom in all things I should have pleased and glorified I have been negligent in hearing and reading thy holy Word and in meditating and conferring of it in publick and private Prayer and Thanksgiving and in my preparation to this holy Sacrament in the examining of my self and repenting of my sins and stirring up my heart to a believing and thankful receiving of thy grace and to love and joyfulness in my Communion with thee and with one another of thy People I have not duly discerned the Lord's Body but have prophaned thy holy Name and Ordinance as if the Table of the Lord had been contemptible And when thou hast spoken peace to me I returned again to folly I have deserved O Lord to be cast out of thy presence and to be forsaken as I have forsaken thee and to
hear to my confusion Depart from me I know thee not thou worker of iniquity Thou mayest justly tell me thou hast no pleasure in me nor wilt receive an Offering at my hand But with thee there is abundant mercy And my Advocate Jesus Christ the Righteous is the Propitiation for my sins who bare them in his Body on the Cross and made himself an Offering for them that he might put them away by the Sacrifice of himself have mercy upon me and wash me in his blood cloath me with his Righteousness take away my iniquities and let them not be my ruine forgive them and remember them no more O thou that delightest not in the death of sinners heal my back-slidings love me freely and say unto my soul that thou art my salvation Thou wilt in no wise cast out them that come unto thee receive me graciously to the Feast thou hast prepared for me cause me to hunger and thirst after Christ and his Righteousness that I may be satisfied Let his flesh and blood be to me meat and drink indeed and his Spirit be in me a well of living water springing up to everlasting life Give me to know thy Love in Christ which passeth knowledge Though I have not seen him let me love him And though now I see him not yet believing let me rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory though I am unworthy of the crumbs that fall from thy Table yet feed me with the Bread of Life and speak and seal up Peace to my sinful wounded soul Soften my heart that is hardened by the deceitfulness of sin mortifie the flesh and strengthen me with might in the inward man that I may live and glorifie thy Grace through Jesus Christ our only Saviour In whose words I conclude saying Our Father c. A Prayer after the Receiving of the Holy Communion MOST Glorious God how wonderful is thy Power and Wisdom thy Holiness and Justice thy Love and Mercy in this work of our Redemption by the Incarnation Life Death Resurrection Intercession and Dominion of thy Son No power or wisdom in Heaven or Earth could have delivered me but thine The Angels desire to pry into this Mystery the Heavenly Host do celebrate it with praises saying Glory be to God in the Highest on Earth peace good will towards men The whole Creation shall proclaim thy praises blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and honour and glory for he haeth redeemed us to God by his blood and made us Kings and Priests unto our God Where sin abounded grace hath abounded much more And hast thou indeed forgiven me so great a debt by so precious a Ransom Wilt thou indeed give me to reign with Christ in Glory and see thy face and love thee and be beloved of thee for ever Yea Lord thou hast forgiven me and thou wilt glorifie me for thou art faithful that hast promised With the blood of thy Son with the Sacrament and with thy Spirit thou hast sealed up to me these precious promises And shall I not love thee that hast thus loved me Shall I not love thy Servants and forgive my Neighbours their little debt After all this shall I again forsake thee and deal falsly in thy Covenant God forbid O! set my affections on the things above where Christ sitteth at thy right hand Let me no more mind earthly things but let my Conversation be in Heaven from whence I expect my Saviour to come and change me into the likeness of his glory Teach me to do thy will O God! and to follow him who is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that do obey him Order my stops by thy Word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me Let me not hence-forth live unto my self but unto him who died for me and rose again Let me have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reprove them And let my light so shine before men that they may glorifie thee In simplicity and godly sincerity and not in fleshly wisdom let me have my Conversation in the world O that my ways were so directed that I might keep thy Statutes Though Satan will be desirous again to sist me and seek as a roaring Lion to devour strengthen me to stand against his Wiles and shortly bruise him under my feet Accept me O Lord who resign my self unto thee as thine own and with my thanks and praise present my self a living Sacrifice to be acceptable through Christ. Useful for thine honour Being made free from sin and become thy Servant let me have my fruit unto holiness and the End Everlasting Life Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour In whose words I farther pray Our Father c. A Divine Soliloquy O My Soul thou hast been feasted with the Son of God at his Table upon his Flesh and Blood in preparation for the Feast of Endless Glory thou hast seen there represented what sin deserveth what Christ suffered what wonderful Love the God of infinite goodness hath exprest to thee Thou hast had Communion with the Saints thou hast renewed thy Covenant of Faith and thankful Obedience unto Christ Thou hast received his renewed Covenant of Pardon Grace and Glory to thee O carry hence the lively sense of these great and excellent things upon thy heart Remember O my Soul thou camest not to that holy Table only to injoy the mercy of an hour but that which may spring up to endless Joy Thou camest not only to do the duty of an hour but to promise that which thou must perform while thou livest on Earth Remember daily especially when Temptations to unbelief and sinful heaviness assault thee what pledges of Love thou hast received Remember daily especially when Flesh and Devil and World would draw thy heart again from God and temptations to sin are laid before thee what Bonds God and thy own Consent have laid upon thee Remember O my Soul if thou art a Penitent Believer thou art now forgiven and washed in the Blood of Christ O! go your way and sin no more no more thro' wilfulness and strive against your sins of weakness Wallow no more in the Mire and return not to thy Vomit Let the exceeding Love of Christ constrain thee having such Promises as 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. O cleanse thy self from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Amen Hymns suited to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper To be sung in the common Tunes A Hymn for the Sacrament HYMN I. I. A New and well composed Song With raptures fill'd of Love And extasies of Joy let 's tune Unto our Lord above Awake my drowsie sleepy Soul Awake dull heavy heart And all my faculties and powers Joyn in and bear a part II. Let judgment weigh the argument Let fancy it adorn Let memory
bring forth its store Thoughts offer your first-born God did assume the shape of Man With flesh his glory vail'd Himself he humbled unto death He to the Cross was nail'd III. Made sin us to acquit from sin Accursed us to bless Of Righteousness he wrought a Robe To hide our nakedness Darling of Heaven he was and is The Father 's chief delight Angels wonder the Saints above Are ravish'd at his sight IV. Array'd he is with Majesty Angels do him attend All pow'r is his in Heaven and Earth All to his Scepter bend A glorious Crown is on his head Most lovely is his face Treasures of wisdom are with him For us he 's stor'd with grace V. His Love doth pass dimensions His Love exceeds all thought Stronger than death this Love to us Salvation hath brought Hence all the Clouds away away Darken no more mine eye Fain would I see this lovely one Whose dwelling is on high VI. Open thine Eye here Jesus stands He looks he breathes he moves By Faith thou may'st discern him plain In this sweet Feast of Loves And art thou here indeed my Lord Draw nearer yet to me And nearer nearer my dear Lord Too near thou canst not be VII Come my Beloved let me view Thy beauteous lovely face Thee I would fold in arms of love Fain I would thee embrace I feel I feel a flame within Dear Lord I thee admire Thy sparkling beauty which I see Hath set me all on fire VIII Thy kind looks have me overcome The glances of thine Eye Sweetly my Soul transported have I feel an extasie Unutterable Joys I feel How sweet how sweet how sweet Is this taste of thy Love whilst I And my Beloved meet IX Sure this the Gate of Heaven is Methinks I'm entring in Where I shall always see thy face And no more grieve or sin Ten thousand praises let us give Unto our Lord on high Let heart and lip and life combine To make the melody HYMN II. I. O Come let us joyn all like one The Lord to magnifie Let us together lift his name In sweet sounds to the Sky Sweet Hymns of Love come let us sing Let Love us act and move Let Love our voices tune to praise Our God for God is Love II. God's Love the lofty Heav'ns above In height doth far transcend Its depth the Sea its breadth and length Is without bound or end God's Love to us is wonderful To us who Rebels were God gave his only Son to die That Rebels he might spare III. From guilt and reigning power of sin And Satan's slavery From fire of Hell us to redeem God gave his Son to die Christ suffer'd in our stead he was More harmless than the Dove That God should lay our sins on him This this indeed is Love IV. O come let us give God our Loves Let every heart take fire Let flames come forth and joyn in one And unto Heav'n aspire â—weet Spirit come like Southern Gales Within us breathe and move Blow up our spark into a flame That we may burn with love V. That we with all our hearts may love Our hearts Lord circumcise Of Love persum'd with sweet Incense Accept the Sacrifice VI. Draw near O God unvail thy self Our cloudiness remove O shine and smile on us that we may see thy face and love VII Dear Jesus come and visit us A stranger do not prove Heal wounds of sin speak peace that we Thy voice may hear and love VIII Our selves we offer with our hearts Our whole selves we resign To thee who art the God of Love We are and will be thine HYMN III. I. GOD hath us brought into his Courts And Chambers of his Love That he might feed and feast us here With dainties from above Heav'n opened is before our Eye The Vail is rent that we May upward look and his dear Son Crowned with Glory see II. This Jesus crowned was with Thorns Scourged with cruel hands His flesh was torn when to the Cross He tyed was with Bands Tears trickled from his mournful eyes Sweat dropped from his face Blood flowed from his hands and feet And side in streams apace III. His groans were strong his crys were loud Pressures of wrath did lye Upon his Soul with sense of which In anguish he did dye He harmless was and innocent No guilt upon him lay But as our Surety he our debts Did by his sufferings pay IV. Thus did he Justice satisfie By dying in our room That we might justified be By Faith that to him come The Bread we eat at this great Feast Christ's flesh is and his blood Is represented by the Wine This this indeed is food V. Here is the heavenly Manna which Our God to us doth give Who eateth other bread shall die In eating this we live A hidden life of Grace we have Breathing desires and love Christ is our Life the Author Spring By whom our Graces move VI. Come let us look unto our Lord This Glass will show his face Not veiled over with dark Types As heretofore it was God-man that name is wonderful So is his beauty so His love is full of wonders both Beyond our reach to go VII Yet where we cannot comprehend Looking let us admire Admiring love loving rejoyce And to enjoy aspire Our Lord is present at this Feast He looks let 's meet his Eye With ours sweet glances looks of love It may be we shall spy VIII Come Lord draw near we long we long Thy face to see thy love To taste thy voice to hear within To feel thy Spirit move Thou art all fair thou hast no spot Thy beauty is divine Thou art all love embrace us Lord In those sweet Arms of thine IX We look we wait we hope we trust We long we love we burn Ravish thou dost our hearts whilst thou To us thine Eye dost turn With all the powers of our Souls Dear Jesus we thee praise In songs of joy and thankfulness Our voices we do raise X. Hosanna's we Hosanna's we Do sing with one accord In Hallelujah's of triumph We joyn to praise the Lord. Ye Angels and triumphant Saints Praise ye our Lord above Whilst we his Servants here below Do sing his praise with love HYMN IV. I. THousands of thousands stand around Thy Throne O God most high Ten thousand times ten thousand sound Thy praise but who am I Thine arm of might most mighty King Both Rocks and hearts doth break My God thou canst do every thing But what would show thee weak II. Most pure and holy are thine Eyes Most holy is thy Name Thy Saints and Laws and Penalties Thy holiness proclaim Mercy is God's Memorial And in all Ages prais'd My God thine only Son did fall That Mercy might be rais'd III. Thy bright back-parts O God of Grace I humbly here adore Shew me thy glory and thy face That I may praise thee more Mysterious depths of endless love Our admirations raise My God thy Name exalted is Far above
Grace Take now the Earnest of my Love Before you see my face Never be strange to me I wait to hear your cry Let me but know your pressing wants And you shall have supply IV. Never distrust my Love I Am this is my Name Sin makes me hide my face a while When yet my Love 's the same Never regard your Foes They are no match for me Plead still my Conquests with your God And you shall Victors be HYMN XII I. FIll'd with the sense of sin and wrath And black despair drew nigh To Christ I fled for succ'ring Grace He heard my mournful cry Under his pleasant shade I sate Sweet notes of Love I heard My welcome was above my thought How was I lov'd and chear'd II. He came to me but not alone Divine fruits were my fair I waited what he first would say Your sins now pardon'd are Peace with Jehovah is my gift No frowns appear above Go boldly to my Father's Throne Love waits your Soul to love III. The Book of Life your Name is there And ever there shall be Love wrote it there Love keeps it there To all Eternity Ask what you will I have God's Ear He never me deny'd Come with your fears come with your wants And you shall be supply'd IV. I give my Angels for your Guard You are their daily care Let Satan tempt and shoot his Darts They can prevent the snare O Lord what can I now reply What love at such a rate But this I 'll pray O let my Love Bear an Eternal Date Another I. The time is past when humane Race Became God's Enemy The World ne're saw so black a Night When Adam eat the Tree Vast gulf of Woes became his due Which had no bounds nor end What e're he did what e're he thought Still guilt did him attend II. God saw this sad tremendous Fall His Truth said might thy Word Justice requir'd the Sinner's Blood No pity him afford But Love that charming Attribute Prepar'd a kind Reply The Pleas of Justice I 'll adjust My only Son shall die III. Blest was the day when Adam heard That chearing word of Grace I 'll send the Lord of Glory here And hide my angry face Hear what he says he knows my heart My Mercy shall rejoice Peace he 'll proclaim the War will cease If you obey his voice IV. Go trembling Sinner go to him Fear not your former guilt His Death has answer'd my demands And I will you acquit Come take the Pledge believe my Son I am your own your All I have a Father's hand and heart To hear you when you call V. My Christ did lovingly invite Me to his charming Feast He added to his wond'rous Love Made me a wiliing Guest I came and found a Banquet rare He brought me Angels food He bid me take and eat my fill For my Eternal good VI. He spoke such chearing words of Grace What do you want my Friend What can you doubt my kind design Consider and attend Sin cannot now defeat my Love Since pardons I will give Sin seems an unresisted Foe It shall not always live VII You feel a dreadful War within Lusts claim a rightless Throne But this united force I 'll break Since now you are my own Satan with all his Darts and Snares Shall prove a fruitless Foe You are design'd for Heaven's Bliss He to Eternal Woe VIII Never distrust my wond'rous Love The best is yet behind No Tongue nor Thought can represent How good I 'll be and kind Refresh your Souls with what I give Wait till you come on high I long till all my Members see What 's in Eternity Another I. What made the Lord of Glory die Shall God the answer make Our guilty Souls may trembling stand To hear Hehovah speak But God has spoke he sent his Son But stay dejected heart Not to condemn a Rebel World But to regain his part II. The Death of Christ no vengeance cries It is a sign of Peace It pardons sins and pays our debts And gives our Souls release Let Law Conscience bring their charge Let Justice plead our guilt The Death of Christ can silence all And God will us acquit III. Oh Soul shall banisht fears return When you can pardon plead Hold fast this charming Pledge of Love For you it is decreed Let Angels sing their highest Note Let Earth triumph below Let the Redeemed of the Lord Their Saviour's Glory show Books sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns the lower End of Cheapside A Body of Practical Divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six Sermons on the lesser Catechism composed by the Reverend Assembly of Divines at Westminster With a Supplement of some Sermons on several Texts of Scripture By Tho. Watson formerly Minister at St. Stephen's Walbrook London A Paraphrase on the New Testament with Notes doctrinal and practical By plainness and brevity fitted to the Use of Religious Families in their daily Reading of the Scriptures and of the younger and poorer sort of Scholars and Ministers who want fuller helps With an Advertisement of Difficulties in the Revelations By the Late Reverend Mr. Rich. Baxter Six hundred of select Hymns and Spiritual Songs collected out of the Holy Bible Together with a Catechism the Canticles and a Catalogue of Vertuous Women The Three last hundred of select Hymns collected out of the Psalms of David By William Barton A. M. late Minister of St. Martins in Leicester Spiritual Songs Or Songs of Praise to Almighty God upon several occasions Together with the Song of Songs which is Solomon's First turn'd then paraphrased in English Verse By John Mason Penitential Cries in Thirty two Hymns Begun by the Author of the Songs of Praise and Midnight Cry and carried on by another hand Sacramental Hymns collected chiefly out of such passages of the N. Testament as contain the most suitable matter of Divine Praises in the Celebration of the Lord's Supper To which is added one Hymn relating to Baptism and another to the Ministry By J. Boyse With some by other hands A Collection of Divine Hymns upon several occasions suited to our common Tunes for the use of Devout Christians in singing forth the Praises of God The Psalms of David in Metre Newly translated and diligently compared with the Original Text and former Translations More plain smooth and agreeable to the Text than any heretofore Of â—â—ee Justification by Christ Written first in Latine by John Fox Author of the Book of Martyrs against Osorius c. And now Translated into English for the benefit of those who love their own Souls and would not be mistaken in so great a Point An Earnest Call to Family-Religion Or a Discourse concerning Family-Worship Being the substance of Eighteen Sermons Preached by Samuel Slater A. M. Minister of the Gospel The Preaching of Christ and the Prison of God as the certain Portion of them that reject Christ's Word Opened in several Sermons on 1 Pet. 3. 19.