Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	christian_a	day_n	sabbath_n	12,184	5	9.9778	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65465	The pious communicant rightly prepar'd, or, A discourse concerning the Blessed Sacrament wherein the nature of it is described, our obligation to frequent communion enforced, and directions given for due preparation for it, behaviour at, and after it, and profiting by it : with prayers and hymns, suited to the several parts of that holy office : to which is added, a short discourse of baptism / by Samuel Wesley ...	Wesley, Samuel, 1662-1735.	1700 (1700)	Wing W1376; ESTC R38528	120,677	302

the point of Death for the same Reason But in answer as 't is granted that Sins after Baptism may be forgiven on true Repentance so doubtless they may after the other Sacrament for not only the Corinthians but even the Apostles themselves were guilty of failings after the Communion A confirm'd Habit or inveterate Course of Sin is damnable as well before the Sacrament as after it But the devout and frequent receiving of it is the best way to prevent the falling into such a desperate Condition And for lesser failings from which none are free those will be forgiven if we are truly penitent for them and constantly strive against them § XXVI Another Pretence something allied to this last is That Men are at Variance with their Neighbours and that keeps them from the Sacrament In answer 'T is own'd that we ought to come to this Feast of Love with true Charity forgiving all our Enemies which if we do not practise every day we cannot so much as repeat the Lord's Prayer without imprecating a heavy Curse upon our selves But in the present case the matter may be brought to a short Issue Either you have really offended your Neighbour or he has offended you or as it often happens you are both to blame If the former you know your Duty Leave thy Gift before the Altar and be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy Gift If the second and he trespass against thee seven times a day and say I have offended forgive him and receive together with him If both are in fault both must make satisfaction If either refuses to be reconciled the Fault is in the Refuser not in him that is willing who shall not be punish'd for the other's Guilt tho' the uncharitable Person is by no means fit for this Holy Table while he continues in that unchristian Temper § XXVII Multiplicity of Business is another Excuse or Objection against Receiving The Cumber of worldly Affairs and being troubled like Martha about many things while this one thing which is so very needful is too often postpon'd and neglected exactly the same pretence with theirs in the Parable already mention'd who when the King sent to invite them to the Marriage of his Son began with one consent to make Excuses and went their way one to his Farm another to his Merchandise One said I have bought a piece of ground and must needs go to see it which as indifferent an Excuse as it was was yet better than theirs who absent themselves from God's publick Worship only to go and see their Ground when they long before have bought it Another I have bought five Yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them He had his Stock to look after which he thought an unanswerable Reason for his absence As the third did who had married a Wife and could not come but must stay at home to look after the Affairs of his Family 'T is well worthy our Consideration how open the Holy Spirit has here laid the common Springs of Mens neglect and indevotion in these and the like matters All which Excuses are so contriv'd that they seem to insinuate as if the Sacrament were only for recluse Persons such as are abstracted from the World and live like Monks and Hermits whereas it 's evident that 't was designed for all Christians and one great End of it was to take off our Hearts from the World and fit us for Heaven But to be more particular 't will be easie to shew that this pretence of Business to excuse Persons from receiving the Sacrament is almost always either false or vain or wicked or altogether § XXVIII 1. It 's often false in Fact and we are not really so hinder'd by Business but we might be there if we had any regard either to the Feast or to the Inviter since that Business can only excuse us which could not possibly be done before which cannot be done after and which must of necessity be done at the very time when we should receive But if Men would be ingenuous they would be forced to acknowledge that they very rarely have any Business of this nature And indeed what Business unless of such high necessity and mercy has a Christian to do on the Lord's Day the very Name whereof shews the propriety and that 't is none of our own but set apart for a Holy Rest and Christian Sabbath and the immediate Service of our blessed Redeemer Nor is it at all probable that those who can find time notwithstanding all this urgent Business for Visits for the Entertainment of their Friends for idle and unprofitable Discourse both before the Lord's Day and even upon it and it 's well if not for their Sins too should yet be able to find no time for their Saviour when he invites them to his own Table Judge then how wretched an Excuse this is when by a palpable Falshood Men would defend their Disobedience § XXIX But secondly This Excuse is weak and foolish For supposing we should really find out some little Business to employ our selves in just before and during the Celebration yet what can be more foolish than to put off a greater Affair for a less a matter of Life and Death for what 's of little or no moment But what 's the whole World to my own Soul and what a miserable exchange should I make if thro' the Cares of this World and the deceitfulness of Riches I should by gaining the one eternally lose the other Besides if Business could defend a Person for one neglect or omission how immodest as well as foolish is it to bring always the same Excuse and still to postpone our own Happiness included in our Obedience § XXX And such a practice is as wicked as 't is foolish For 't is a high Affront and Injury both to the King and the King's Son and will they not both extremely and justly resent it 'T is a Wrong and Injury done unto them as much as 't is in our Power to injure them like him in the Gospel rather to leave our Saviour than to part with our Possessions or so much as to step out of the World for a few moments To say we 'll not come because we are busie is in effect to say we 'll come when we have nothing else to do To put it off till another time is fairly to own we think it a matter of no great concern for whatever we think so we set immediately about it § XXXI But there 's oftentimes something very bad at the bottom of this Excuse and those who make it would do well seriously to ask themselves whether by Business they mean not something worse some appendage to it which stings their Consciences and dares not let them come to the Sacrament Are they not guilty of Intemperance or Injustice in their Dealings in the World If they are they must be remitted to the Answer given to those under the former Head

the Custom of Christians to close their Agapae or Love-Feasts with singing either some portion of Scripture or something of their own Composure * Tertull. Apol. cap. 39. p. 106. Edit Cantab. I 've insisted the longer on this Head because there are some Persons who I think very unreasonably not only neglect the Practice of this Angelical Duty themselves but even censure it as unlawful in others to whom we may answer We have such a laudable Custom and so have the Churches of God had in all Places and all Ages § X. Yet farther there is a remarkable Analogy or resemblance in the End of their Institution between the Passover and the Supper of the Lord God said concerning the Passover to the Children of Israel This day shall be to you for a Memorial † Exod. 12. 14. Ver. 27. and you shall keep it a Feast to the Lord throughout all your Generations ‖ Exod. 12. 3. Remember this day in which you came out of Egypt and thou shalt shew thy Son c. * Exod. 13. 8. Lxx. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Red Wine which they made use of therein was to signifie either the Blood of their Children shed by Pharoah or rather the Death of Pharoah's first-born as well as afterwards of himself and the rest of the Egyptians in just Vengeance for their Cruelty to the Israelites and of the Blood which was on their own Door-Posts whereby they were preserv'd from the Pestilence Thus in the Lord's Supper our Saviour commands his Followers to do this in Remembrance of him and thereby to shew forth his Death till he come as the Israelites were to keep the Passover for ever or throughout all their Generations Much the same word being here used by the Apostle to express our Celebration or Annuntiation of our Saviour's Death in the Sacrament that is used by the antient Greek Translators of the Bible to signifie that of the Passover enjoyn'd to the Iews † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which sacramental Feast we are to preserve the Memory of our Deliverance from the slavery of Sin much worse than that of Egypt § XI Lastly There are several Expressions in the New Testament which will not suffer us to doubt of the Analogy between them Thus the Baptist calls our Saviour The Lamb of God * St. Ioh. 1. 29. and St. Peter says That we were not redeemed with corruptible things but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without Blemish † 1 St. Pet. 1. 18 19. And St. Paul alludes most manifestly unto it Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us therefore let us keep the Feast not with the old Leaven c. ‖ 1 Cor. 5. 7. From all which it appears that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was instituted in the room of the Passover and that our Saviour retained many of the Ceremonies therein as well such as God himself had immediately Vid. Cudworth and Discourse of the Holy Eucharist p. 6. appointed as such as the Jewish Church had added either for the more lively Representation of the thing or else for decency and order and from what has been said we may have great Light into the Nature of the Holy Communion especially as to the last Head insisted on that 't is a Memorial and Representation of our Saviour's Death of his Body which was broken and his Blood which was shed for us § XII I proceed to the Matter of this Sacrament the exterior Matter or outward Elements the visible and sensible Signs namely Bread and Wine which the Lord has commanded to be taken and received 'T was from the Fruits of the Ground that the first Offerings were made to the Lord Some have been of Opinion that Noah was the first that offer'd Bread in Sacrifice and that thence he received a Name among the Antients * Dickenson in Delphi Phoeniciss p. 169. And Dr. Spencer de Sacrificiis thinks that Noah was called Ogyges from Ogh which signifies Panis subcineritius Bread baked under the Embers and offered in Sacrifice p. 659. Melchisedeck's bringing forth Bread and Wine has also been thought an Act of his sacerdotal Office and not an Instance of Hospitality only We are sure that the Mincha Meat-offering or Bread-offering so often mention'd by Moses which was to be offer'd every Morning and Evening and is call'd the Most Holy of all the Offerings of the Lord was composed of Fine-Flower with a proportion of Wine added unto it † Exod. 29. 40. Levit. 2. 3. Bread is the most simple and common Food the most easie to be obtained and yet the most necessary the Staff of Life Wine was also as common in those Countries as it is useful and refreshing making glad the Heart of Man Psal. 104. 15. Nay cheering God and Man Iudg. 9. 13. That is Wine was acceptable to God in Sacrifices For some or all of which Reasons was our Saviour pleased to make Choice of Bread and Wine in the Celebration of these Mysteries as well as because they were used by the Iewish Church in the Passover And these are in the Sacrament solemnly offered to God as an acknowledgment of his being the Creator of all things and Sovereign Lord of the World according to the antient Doxology * Vid. Mede of Christian Sacrifice p. 359. at the presenting of them on the Lord's Table which was much the same with that in the Revelations Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created § XIII And Bread and Wine they are still after the Consecration not common but Sacred and Sacramental They are changed in their Use but not in their Substance They are not changed into the Substance of the Natural Body of Christ which hung upon the Cross and his Blood which was there shed for us a monstrous and novel Opinion first established by the Concil of Lateran above twelve hundred Years after Christ and then by that of Trent among other Articles of their New Creed no where to be found in Scripture as some of the most Learned Romanists have confessed but directly contrary to it as 't is to the Writings of the Fathers not believed at present by many Learned Men in the Church of Rome * Vid. Preface to Discourse of the Eucharist overthrowing the very Nature of a Sacrament and leaving nothing for an outward Sign destroying the Foundation of our Faith which is grounded on Miracles which imply the certainty of the Judgment of our Senses on their proper Objects introducing the most monstrous absurdities which if granted would render the Christian Religion which is the only reasonable Religion in the World the most absurd and most unreasonable supposing actual length without any thing long and the same of whiteness redness solidity moisture breadth and thickness involving the most horrid as well as most

for no pretended necessity can excuse their Sin and they have no other way to escape God's Anger but Repentance and Amendment § XXXII A superstitious Fear and mistaken Reverence for this Ordinance and terrible apprehensions concerning it chiefly grounded on some misapplied Texts of Scripture do very frequently keep Persons from the Lord's Table But if we are but as willing to know and to do our Duty as to make Excuses for the neglecting it such a full Answer may be brought to these Objections as would scarce fail to give Satisfaction § XXXIII The first and chiefest Text and which many have so often in their Mouths as if Do this in remembrance of me were never to be taken notice of is that in the 1 Cor. 11. 29. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself And there are several Expressions sounding much the same way in the first Exhortation before the Communion that we ought to be very careful when we come thither Lest it encrease our damnation and lest Satan enter into us as he did into Iudas and fill us full of all Iniquity and bring us to destruction both of Body and Soul which very severe Sentences are here made use of to perswade Men to true Repentance before they come to the Sacrament but they can mean no more than that of St. Paul whereon they are grounded and therefore must be interpreted by it And to understand that aright we must enquire into the meaning of those two Phrases Receiving unworthily and that Damnation which is threaten'd upon it § XXXIV And the context evidently shews that the Receiving unworthily for which the Corinthians are here blamed was receiving with that inexcusable Disorder whereof they were guilty at the Sacrament One was hungry and another drunken at their Feasts of Charity which then accompanied that Ordinance There were Schisms and Divisions among them even at that Feast one great End whereof was to promote Christian Unity and Love One came before another and the Rich despised the Poor They did not discern the Lord's Body They made no difference between that and common Food at least consider'd it not as the Spiritual Body of the Lord or as some think * Lightfoot not as a Christian Sacrament but as a Heathen Feast or a Iewish Passover § XXXV Whereby they did eat and drink Damnation to themselves By which cannot be immediately intended eternal Damnation but temporal Iudgment as the word here undoubtedly signifies which we translate more harshly by Damnation For the following words explain it For this cause many are sick and weak and many are faln asleep that is God's heavy Iudgments fell upon them in this Life some think a Plague or some contagious Disease in order to bring them to Repentance which Sense is confirm'd by the two following Verses If we would judge our selves or consider of our Faults and repent and amend we should not be judged that is afflicted with these temporal evils Tho' even those were in order to amendment and such Punishments as were proper to a State of probation for it follows When we are judged we are chasten'd of the Lord that we should not be condemn'd with the world namely at Gods last dreadful Tribunal § XXXVI But it may be askt is there no other unworthy receiving and no other damnation as a consequent thereon but what have been now describ'd Yes doubtless for we then receive unworthily when we continue in our Sins notwithstanding our Obligations to leave them when we come to the Sacrament And if we do not repent of this very hainous Sin and that in some proportion to the high Aggravations of it the consequence of such impenitence will be no less than eternal misery But still it 's evident from the foregoing Considerations that neither of these are here in the Text immediately intended and I think all sober Divines are agreed herein § XXXVII Add to this that there is not the least Ground in the Words or in the whole Chapter or indeed in any other Scripture to excuse any Person for not receiving or to deter them from doing it but rather quite the contrary Because the Man who had not the Wedding Garment was bound Hand and Foot and cast into utter darkness did this excuse those who would not come to the marriage No 't was so far from it that the King sent forth his Armies and destroyed those Murderers and burnt up their City Christ commands us to come his Ministers invite us 't is our own Faults if we come unprepared but nothing can excuse our Neglect and Refusal Let a man examine himself and so let him not stay away and refuse to receive but eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup. § XXXVIII There 's another Text which has been widely mistaken in the same manner and on the same occasion 'T is that of St. Paul to the Romans He that doubteth is damned if he eat But nothing can be plainer than that this place has no manner of relation to the Sacrament any more than to any other Food for it 's to be understood of eating meats sacrificed to Idols or of any of those Meats which the Iews from the ceremonial Law accounted an abomination whereof the Apostle says that he who did it with a doubting Conscience without being satisfied of the Lawfulness of it he was damned or condemned namely by his own Conscience which accused and judged him for it And this appears to be the immediate Sense of the words by comparing them with the 14. v. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that is either by Christ's words that nothing which enters into the mouth defiles the man or else by immediate Inspiration as he received many other things I know says he that there 's nothing unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing unclean to him it is unclean which evidently refers to those distinctions of Meats which at that time made so great a disturbance in the Church of God § XXXIX But since it may be urged that acting with a doubting Conscience is a Sin in what case soever and therefore much more in relation to the Sacrament we must in the last place consider the different degrees of doubting which compared with our Obligation to Duty will quite remove this Objection We may reckon three Degrees of Doubting 1. When Men have some small remaining scruples and unreasonable unaccountable Fears after the strictest Examination into the Rules of their Duty and all moral Satisfaction therein concerning their Obligation unto it or of the Lawfulness of any Action 2. When the mind is as it were in a Ballance unresolved whether a thing be lawful or unlawful a Duty or otherwise and the Reasons on neither side do sensibly and visibly preponderate so as to incline to acting or not acting and this is the most true and proper doubt Or else 3. When Men are absolutely dissatisfied by reason of some

as they are in our Communion-Service and in the Versicle added to every one of them implore Pardon where you find any Breach and Grace for the future to observe them better And the same of any other Sin not so easily reducible under any particular Command such as Drunkenness neglect or abuse of the Sacrament and the like 4. Fix your main Battery against that Sin which you find the strongest whether discontent with your Condition hard Thoughts of God Intemperance Passion Pride Sloth Impurity or what ever else Most heartily lament it most earnestly resolve and implore Strength against it and draw near to the Holy Table with Faith to obtain it and fear not but your Saviour will meet and bless you A Prayer for one in Affliction and Want O GOD who art Infinite in Power and Compassion and Goodness and Truth who hast promised in thy Holy Word That thou wilt hear the Prayer of the poor distitute and wilt not despise his Desire Look down I beseech thee from Heaven the Habitation of thy Holiness and Glory upon me a miserable Sinner now lying under thy Hand in great Affliction and Sorrow who fly to thee alone for help and Comfort I am weary of my groaning my Heart faileth me the Light of my Eyes is gone from me I sink in the deep Waters and there is none to help me yet I wait still upon thee my God Tho' all the World forsake me let the Lord still uphold me and in him let me always find the truest the kindest the most compassionate unwearied Almighty Friendship to him let me ease my wearied Soul and unbosom all my Sorrows Help me O Lord against Hope to believe in Hope Grant that I may not be moved with all the Slights and Censures of a mistaken World Let me look by Faith beyond this Vale of Tears and Misery to that happy place which knows no Pain or Want or Sorrows as being assur'd that there is an End and my Expectation shall not be cut off I know O Lord that a Man's Life consists not in the abundance of Things that he possesses but that he who has the most here as he brought nothing with him into this World so he shall carry nothing out I bless thee that thou hast not given me my Portion among those who have received all their Consolation here whose Portion is in this Life only Neither let me expect those Blessings which thou hast promised to the Poor unless I am really poor in Spirit and meek and humble I know nothing is impossible with God and that it is thou alone who givest Power to get Riches and that thou canst by thy good Providence raise me from this mean Condition whenever thou pleasest and wilt certainly do it if it be best for me and therefore humbly submit all unto thy wise and kind Disposal I desire not Wealth or Greatness Give me neither extreme Poverty nor do I ask Riches of thee but only to be fed with Food convenient for me I desire earnestly to seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof well hoping that in thy good Time Food and Raiment all other things that be needful shall be added unto me I believe O Lord that thou who feedest the Ravens and clothest the Lilies wilt not neglect me and mine That thou wilt make good thy own unfailing Promises wilt give Meat to them that fear thee and be ever mindful of thy Covenant In the mean time let me not be querulous or impatient or envious at the Prosperity of the wicked or judge uncharitably of those to whom thou hast given a larger Portion of the Good things of this Life or be cruel to those who are in the same Circumstances with my self Let me never sink or despond under my heavy pressures and continued Misfortunes Tho' I fall let me rise again because the Lord taketh me up Let my Heart never be sunk so low that I should be afraid to own the Cause of despised Vertue Give me Diligence and Prudence and Industry and let me neglect nothing that lies in me to provide honestly for my own House least I be worse than an Infidel Help me carefully to examine my Life past and if by my own Carelesness or Imprudence I have reduced my self into this low Condition let me be more deeply afflicted for it but yet still hope in thy Goodness avoiding those Failures whereof I have been formerly guilty Or if for my Sins thou hast brought this upon me my unthankfulness for thy Mercies or abuse of them help me now with Submission and Patience to bear the Punishment of my Iniquity Or if by thy Wise Providence thou art pleas'd thus to afflict me for Tryal and for the Examples of others Thy Will O my God! not mine be done Help me and any who are in the same Circumstances in Patience to possess our Souls and let all thy Fatherly Chastisements advance us still nearer towards Christian Perfection teach us the Emptiness of all things here below wean us more and more from a vain World fix our Hearts more upon Heaven and help us forward in the right Way that leads to Everlasting Life Thro' Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and Holy Ghost be Glory Honour and Power now and for ever Amen! APPENDIX A LETTER concerning the Religious Societies SIR HAVING in Conversation accidentally mentioned those Religious Societies which have been for some time erected in and about the Cities of London and Westminster and of late in some other places you were pleased to desire a more particular Account concerning them of their Orders and manner of Life and what my Thoughts were as to what we then heard objected against them I must confess I have had the Curiosity to make a particular Enquiry about them and the Informations I have received have been from such Persons as I think I may entirely depend upon for the Truth of them and what I have from them I here very briefly give you referring them for a larger Account to Mr. Woodward's little Book on that Subject In the first place I find many Persons are in the same mistake which you were once in and confound these Religious Societies with the Societies for Reformation tho' they are quite different as to their Institution and immediate Ends and for the most part as to the Persons whereof they are composed The immediate Business of the Societies for Reformation is to assist the Civil Magistrates in putting the Laws in Execution against Profaneness and Immorality and consists of Sober Persons of any Persuasion among Protestants tho' most of them as far as I can observe of the Church of England But the Religious Societies as we call them for distinction from the other are composed of such as meet together wholly upon a Religious Account to promote true Piety in themselves and others and are all of them strict Members of the Church of England none being admitted or suffered to