reading makes all good Books mere Non-sense to you If it were not so you would never be weary of learning your Christian Duty nor of practising it neither and you would particularly never rest till you understood the right way of coming worthily to this heavenly Banquet unto which I here direct you Whenever men are Christians indeed they will set a greater Price than now they do upon this unvaluable Token of Divine Love and they will be ashamed to think that the Table of Devils should have so many Guests and the Table of the Lord so few I have here very plainly shunning all Disputes and Niceties laid the whole Duty before you with the necessity of it and the way to perform it aright I have also removed out of your way all the Rubs and Mormoes which are apt to hinder or affright you Nothing can be wanting but a Will in you to be Christians and to live so now as that you may live eternally This is that which I cannot give you but must not cease to beg it for you of the only Giver of all good Gifts nor to beseech you by the Mercies of God that you will by all means endeavour after it To the Grace of God I do moâ—â— heartily commend you in my Prayers beseeching him to bless this poor Endeavour to the eternal Good of your Souls THE CONTENTS Chap. I. THE necessity of Receiving this Sacrament II. The necessity and way of Receiving it worthily III. How to examine our selves about our Baptismal Covenant IV. A help for the Examination of our Faith V. A help for the Examination of our Repentance and Obedience VI. How to examine whether we be rightly disposed for this Sacrament VII What Affections of Soul are sutable to this Sacrament VIII How we are to behave our selves at this Sacrament IX The pretended Reasons for neglecting this Sacrament briefly answered X. The Stumbling-blocks cast in our way removed Some short Directions and Prayers THE WAY TO THE Lord's Table CHAP. I. The necessity of receiving this Sacrament REverently and Devoutly to receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is so indispensable a Christian Duty that whosoever refuseth to do it doth no less in effect than refuse Salvation and renounce his Saviour There is no Salvation in any other but IESVS CHRIST No man cometh to the Father but by him There is no Salvation by Christ for those that keep not his Commandments but as he is the Author of Salvation to them that obey him So will he come to take Vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel And his express Command he hath left us in these plain Words This do in Remembrance of me Luke 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 24. He that hath given us this Command is GOD over all blessed for ever The great God that made us the good Lord that bought and redeemed us with his own most precious Blood he to whom God the Father hath given all Power both in Heaven and in Earth and hath commanded us to hear him in all things whatsoever he saith unto us It is the Command of a dear Friend who loved us as his Father loved him who hath called us Friends and laid down his Life for us in pure Love and hath assured us that if we keep his Commandments we shall abide in his Love The Command of this dying Friend when he was going to reconcile us wicked Rebels by his own bloody Death unto God was this This do in Remembrance of me When dying for us he bequeathed unto us Pardon and his Spirit and eternal Life this he required of us that by doing this we would preserve alive a loving and thankful Remembrance of him and shew his Death and his Kindness therein to our Souls till he come again to receive us to himself and put us into full Possession of eternal Glory And how shall we then look him in the Face if we have refused to do this In this Sacrament he offereth us himself Crucified for us his Body and Blood the most choice Token of his wonderful Love Can we refuse it and not renounce his Love and Friendship thereby Thus would He have us declare our Fellowship with the Father and the Son and with the Holy Apostles and all Saints as joynt Members of his one Body the Church by feasting together at his Table on this one Bread Can we refuse to do this and not renounce all Fellowship with the Father and the Son and the Communion of Saints Two solemn Rites he hath instituted as peculiar to his Religion Baptism and the Supper of the Lord whereby we are to own him openly before the World and profess our selves in Covenant with him As he then that refuseth to be Baptized refuseth to be a Christian so he that having been baptized refuseth this other Sacrament doth in effect renounce his Baptism disown the Covenant apostatize from Christ and cast off the Profession of Christianity He hath not commanded us many chargeable and troublesome Sacrifices such as the Iews offered nor the Blood of our Sons and Daughters which the Gentiles grudged not to offer unto Devils The Cost we are put to is of a little Bread and Wine the Pains we are put to is with holy and thankful Hearts to take eat and drink in Remembrance of our Saviour Can we now disobey so easie a Command of the God of Heaven and Earth the King of the World the Redeemer of Sinners the only Saviour of Souls and not renounce God our Saviour the Christian Religion and all our claim to Salvation No 't is very plain that tho' the want of this Sacrament when it is desired but cannot be had is no Sin if not occasioned by our Sin yet the wilfull neglect of it is no less than a damning Sin unless there be no such thing as Damnation and the Gospel be a Fable from which blasphemous thought Good God preserve us all CHAP. II. The Necessity and Way to Receive worthily HE that eateth not at the Lord's Table must dye and he that eateth unworthily is in danger of Death so St. Paul assures us Whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 27. and again v. 29. He eateth and drinketh Damnation or Judgment to himself If this seem hard to us it is only because we are unreasonable and had rather not do any Duty at all than be at the Pains to do it as we ought As the Duty is necessary and yet very reasonable and not burdensome so to do it worthily is as necessary and no less reasonable or easie if we have a Mind to be Christians The Direction how to communicate worthily we have in these words Let a Man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup 1 Cor. 11. 28. They who are ignorant
and are not sufficiently instructed cannot examine themselves and therefore may not eat and they who either because they are afraid to awaken their Consciences and not be able to sin in Quietness or because they are loath to be at the Pains or take so much time from their worldly Business or Pleasures will not examine themselves may not presume to eat What then must such Persons do for if they eat not they die The ignorant must be Catechised and learn if they be ashamed of this they are ashamed of Christ and must perish for hating Instruction They that will not examine themselves must consider how they can dwell with everlasting Burnings Eat or Die Examine or eat not that 's all the Choice our Sins have left us Yet Examination is not a thing commanded for it self but in order to something else Counterfeit Gold is of no more worth than it was before for being examined or tryed by the Touch-stone We must examine our selves that we may know what we are Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith prove your own selves Know you not your own selves how that Iesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. We might know whether we be Christians or no would we try our selves and not be content like false Gold to make a shew only And to this end must we by Examination learn to know our selves that we may be able to approve of our selves in our own Consciences before God that we are sincere Christians that we may not think our selves to be something when we are nothing and so deceive our selves let every Man prove his own Work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself Gal. 6. 4. In short we are to examine what Graces God hath given us and be truly thankful what is yet amiss in us and amend it what we yet want and endeavour to obtain it The difficulty of this Duty affrighteth many from this Sacrament and indeed considering how most of us live it is no wonder that it seemeth difficult But we should remember first That this Self-Examination is a Duty necessary not only now and then before a Sacrament but at all times that we may understand how far we are Christians indeed and therefore the Difficulty may as well affright us from being Christians as from this Sacrament and so I fear it doth too many who therefore abstain from the Lord's Table because they have no mind to be Christians any farther than in Name only And then secondly We must remember that whatever Difficulty there is in this Duty it is of our own making and we may make the Duty more easie if we will For 1. We continue willingly ignorant of the Word of God and its use and it must needs be hard for us to examine our selves by a Rule which we understand not But let us take pains to learn perfectly the particulars of our Christian Faith and Duty gathered from the Sacred Scriptures and explained in easie Catechisms and often beg the Minister's help for the right understanding and due applying thereof to our selves opening freely to him all our Ignorances and Doubts and this part of the Difficulty will be removed 2. We live loosly and carelesly not observing well our own Tempers and Actions and having let them slip without any notice of them we cannot recall to mind and examine what we never regarded Let us but once every day take a little time to consider what Inclinations in us have that day shewn themselves and what have been our Thoughts Words and Actions and comparing them with the Rule of Life observe how they agree or disagree with it and heartily blessing God for any Good that by his help we have done humbly bewailing confessing and begging Pardon for all our Failings of Omission or Commission praying devoutly and seriously for more Strength and Grace to live better resolve to do our utmost Endeavour to amend and improve daily we shall soon find all the Difficulty over especially if we would as often as we find cause to doubt of any thing open our Souls freely to our Spiritual Guides God's Ministers for their Assistance Which course till i be taken we shall every where find too few Christians but if we would do thus we should learn to know our selves so well that it would be a very easie matter to examine our selveâ— against a Communion Now that we may be worthy Communicants we must examine our selve both whether we be sound Christianâ— or no and whether we be rightly disposed for this particular Christian Duty 1. We must be of Christ's Family as Christians before we may feast at Christ's Table as Communicants Wâ— are solemnly admitted into the Family or Church of Christ by Baptism wherein we are dedicated to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and admitted into the Bond of a sacred Covenant with the ever Blessed and Glorious Trinity So long as we continue faithful in this Covenant so long are we Christians and therefore this is first to be enquired into Whether or no we faithfully stand to this Baptismal Covenant 2. Then are we duely disposed for this Duty of Communicating when understanding the Nature Ends and Benefits of this Sacrament we find the Affections of our Hearts in some measure suitable thereunto And to this purpose it is that we are more especially before our Approaches to the Lord's Table to examine our selves CHAP. III. How to examine our Selves about our Baptismal Covenant THE faithful keeping of our Baptismal Covenant is our Christianity We are therefore impartially to enquire both how we understand it how we have kept it and how we resolve to keep it 1. To help us to understand it we must know four things viz. 1. That our Good God having made man a rational Creature in his own Image and given him an immortal Soul void of any Inclination to Evil with sufficient Knowledge to understand his Duty and Power enough to do it did command him to live in perfect Obedience to God his Maker whereby he and his might live for ever happy in the Love of God 2. That Adam the first Man and common Father of us all by the Temptation of the Devil disobey'd this Command and thereby brought us all into a state of Weakness Sin and Death And now in such a Condition we come into the World that left unto our selves we would do nothing but sin against God and run upon our own Destruction 3. That our gracious God when he might justly have cut off at once the whole Race of Mankind in Adam and Eve or have left all their Posterity to perish by their own Doings of his wonderful Goodness and Mercy took pity on Sinners and opened â— to us a new way to Salvation by providing for us a Saviour even GOD the SON the only begotten of the FATHER who in our Flesh having taught us what God now requireth of us if we will be saved
Messias the Anointed holy one of God who as the great Prophet of God hath instructed us in the way of Righteousness and Salvation and having taught us the whole Will of his Father after he had suffered many things in our Humane Nature was Crucified and willingly died a Sacrifice of Atonement for our Sins and was buried and continued till the third day in the state of the Dead and herein was the true High-priest who offering himself once for all hath made Reconciliation for the Sins of the People Do I believe That on the third day he rose again from the dead to die no more and having sufficiently instructed his Apostles in their Office and instituted the Sacrament of Baptism whereby they were to admit men into his Church he was received up into Heaven and sat down on the right hand of God in all Power and Majestly King of Kings and Head over all things to the Church and there as the great High-priest maketh Intercession for us and blesseth us rendring our Services acceptable to God Do I believe that at the day appointed by God he shall come again in Glory to judge the Quick and Dead according to his Gospel and that we must all appear before his Judgment Seat that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Do I believe That Christ sent the Promise of his Father the Comforter which is the HOLY GHOST to guide the Church into all Truth to be with it for ever and to sanctifie our Hearts to believe love and obey the Truth and to prepare us by Holiness for Happiness in the Presence of God for ever Do I believe that God always had and will have a peculiar People and Society of Men which make One holy Catholick Church or Body whereof Christ is the only Head who ruleth and governeth it by his Spirit and Word and Ministers under him in Doctrine Worship and Discipline That all the true sanctified Members of this Church are enlivened by the holy Spirit of Christ and by the Communion of the Spirit communicate in the Love of the Father and the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ in the Ministry of Angels and the Prayers of glorified Souls and with all Saints in the same holy Faith and Love and Offices of Religion Do I believe that all who faithfully persevere in this holy Communion of Saints have the Pardon of their Sins given them of God through Jesus Christ proclaimed unto them by the Ministry of the Word and particularly applied and sealed unto them in the Sacraments Do I believe That the Bodies of all men shall after Death be raised up again to Life and that the Wicked shall go into everlasting Torments and the Righteous shall live for ever in perfect Holiness and Glory in the Presence of God in Heaven These are the chief Matters of Faith wherein we are to examine our selves But that we may know whether we believe these things savingly we are farther to enquire 1. If we believe them understandingly To be satisfied herein we should do well to have the Approbation and Judgment of God's Minister 2. If we believe them with a divine Faith because of the Truth or Veracity of God who hath revealed them Be perfect therefore in the Scriptures that you may know they are taught therein by God 3. If we believe them firmly so that we are persuaded we dare even lay down our Lives for the Truth 4. If we believe them effectually and practically so that this Belief doth fill our Hearts with the Fear and Love of God and produce strong Resolutions servent Prayers and strenuous Endeavours to honour God by holy and obedient Lives Yet here we are to note That it is not every doubting whether we understand aright or whether the thing be a divine Truth or whether our Faith be firm and strong or have sufficient Influence on our Hearts and Lives that should dismay us but whilst we find that notwithstanding some Doubtings our Faith is able to carry us on in a Christian Course of Life trusting our Souls in well doing to the Mercy of God through Iesus Christ we are to cheer up our selves and using the means of strengthening our Faith say Lord I believe help thou my Unbelief CHAP. V. An help for the Examination of our Repentance and Obedience IT is the great Blessing of the Gospel that CHRIST came to call Sinners to Repentance That after the Law of Innocence was broken and we were under the Curse of Death and an impossibility to be saved by our own Righteousness Repentance is allowed of and a new Obedience Repentance in Scripture is sometimes all one with Conversion that is such a turning and change of Heart and Mind that being brought to the Knowledge of the true God and our Duty to him we renounce our former course of Life and resolve to serve and honour God according to his Word This fits us for Baptism wherein God's Minister in God's Name admits us into the Church and assures us of Pardon upon our continuing living Members of the same Repentance is also an humbling sense of and hearty Sorrow for any Sin or Violation of our Baptismal Covenant with a free Confession of our Demerit an earnest begging of Pardon a resolving to amend and praying for God's Grace so to do Now because all Sin is Disobedience to the Law of God we may at once examine our Repentance and Obedience by that Law it telling us our Duty and our Consciences telling us how we have either done it or are concerned for not doing it Ask then Have I done my best by such helps as God affords me to attain to divine Knowledge and not contented my self to live in Ignorance of God and of his Truth Hath the Knowledge of God wrought in me a most high and honourable Esteem of him an aweful Reverence towards him an entire Resignation of my self to him and humble Obedience to his Government a total dependance and trust to his Goodness an unfeigned Love of him above all things and an ardent Desire to enjoy him Do I love God for the excellency of his Nature and the beauty of his Holiness and his Goodness to me and all men especially as manifested in Iesus Christ Do I love him so as to love his Laws and his Word and Worship his Ministers and his Children his House and Day and every thing that relates to him Is it the earnest desire of my Soul to be able to honour him more and to be more like him in Holiness and can I find no rest to my Soul in any thing but him Have I made his Wisdom
begotten Son as the most powerful Argument and all indeed that we have to prevail with him for Pardon and Grace and Glory offering our Persons and our Services to the Father as acceptable unto him in the Vertue of this Sacrifice only 3. The Benefits of this Sacrament must needs be many seeing herein our blessed IESUS giveth himself unto us to be the food of our Souls His Body which was broken for us he here bids us take and eat His Blood which was shed for us he here bids us drink The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion or Communication of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the Communication of the Body of Christ Christ and all the Benefits of his Passion are freely communicated to the worthy Partakers of this Bread and this Cup. The Cup of which we drink is the New Testament in his Blood Covenants were of old made and confirmed with Sacrificings and Feastings the new Covenant of Grace and Salvation was established with us through the bloody Sacrifice of Iesus Christ and is renew'd and confirm'd by our feasting before God on this Sacrifice 1. This Blood was shed for the Remission of Sins and by our worthy drinking of it we receive an Assurance That our Sins and our Iniquities God will remember no more Hebrews 8. 12. 2. God by admitting us to his Table to feast on this Sacrifice owns us as Members of his proper Family and will accordingly provide for us and protect us He will be to us a God and we shall be to him a People Hebrews 8. 10. 3. The Promise of the Covenant was this I will put my Laws saith God into their Minds and write them in their Hearts God will give the light of Knowledge and the life of Grace not only teach us but incline our Hearts to love and delight in his Laws Here is Life and strength of Grace promised but all through Iesus Christ he is the bread of God which giveth Life unto the World and this bread is his Flesh which he gave for the Life of the World and he that eateth this bread shall never hunger nor die John 6. 33. 51. 35. 4. The Bond of Vnion betwixt Christ our Head and us his Members is hereby strengthned He saith he that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him Joh. 6. 56. 5. The Communion of Saints is hereby preserved and maintain'd by this we declare that we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all Partakers of that one Bread 1 Corinth 10. 17. 6. Our Faith of the Resurrection is hereby confirm'd Whoso eateth my Flesh saith Christ and drinketh my Blood hath eternal Life and I will raise him up at the last day John 6. 54. So many and inestimable are the Benefits of the New Testament in Christ's Blood by this Sacrament confirmed unto every worthy Communicant CHAP. VII What Affections of Soul are suitable to this Sacrament HE eateth and drinketh unworthily who discerneth not the Lord's Body To discern the Lord's Body is to put a sufficient Difference between this Divine Feast and other common Feasts both in our Iudgment Affection and Behaviour How we are to judge of it hath been already shewn We are next to see what Affections it calls for We come not here to feast with Men only but with God nor to feed our Bodies with a little Bread and Wine but our Souls on the Body and Blood of Christ. Let us then enquire 1. Are we deeply sensible of our spiritual Wants and our great need of this divine Food Except we eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of the Son of Man we have no Life in us John 6. 53. 2. Are we highly sensible of God's wonderful Goodness in providing so graciously for our Wants God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever belâ—eveth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life All things saith he are now ready come ye to the Marriage John 3. 16. Mat. 22. 4. 3. Do we verily believe that whosoever cometh preparedly shall be kindly welcome Him that cometh to me saith Christ I will in no wise cast out John 6. 37. 4. Have we longing Appetites and ardent Desires to this food of our Souls Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled Matt. 5. 6. 5. Do we empty our Souls of carnal and worldly Thoughts and Cares and Desires Labour not for the Meat which perisheth but for that Meat which endureth unto everlasting Life which the Son of Man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed John 6. 27. 6. Are we not ready to lay hold on vain Excuses borrow'd from our worldly Businesses of Pleasures None of those Men saith God shall taste of my Supper Luke 14. 24. 7. Do we labour to put our selves into a fit habit and posture of Soul for so divine a Feast He that came without his Wedding-garment was bound hand and foot and cast into outer Darkness Matt. 22. 13. Now therefore we are as it were to new trim up all our Graces and appear with them before God in their greatest Brightness having our Souls adorned and adorning the Gospel of Christ. 1. Let the Consideration of the Odiousness of Sin to God which he would not pardon without the Death of his only begotten Son and of the astonishing Love of God to Sinners Souls so that he would send his Son to die rather than they should perish give Life to our Repentance 2. Let this Consideration that Christ hath not only left us the History of his Life Death and Resurrection in his Gospel confirmed by many Miracles but hath also instituted a solemn festival Commemoration of himself which hath been constantly celebrated in his Church in all Ages wherein what by the Word is preached to our Ears is lively represented to our Eyes even Iesus Christ evidently set forth crucified among us set our Faith on work 3. Let the wonderful Love of the Father in giving his only Son of the Son in shedding his precious Blood for us ungodly Sinners rebellious Enemies hopeless Wretches demonstrated in this Feast of Love enflame our Hearts with the Love of God in Iesus Christ. 4. Let the Promises of God that cannot lie first sealed in the Blood of the everlasting Covenant now renewed and confirmed in this Sacrament feed and nourish our Hope 5. Let the numerous Benefits of Christ's Death thus signally exhibited and assured unto us fill our Hearts with Thankfulness remembring that this Sacrament is the Eucharist a thankful Commemoration of Christ and this Cup the Cup of Blessing Praise or Thanksgiving 6. Let our Deliverance from the Vassalage of Sin and Torments of Hell and our new Title to the Kingdom of Heaven fill our Hearts with spiritual Joy Let us take the Cup of Sâ—lvation and call upon the Name of the Lord
in joyful Songs and Hymns of Praise 7. As God whom we have so often provoked to Wrath and Indignation doth graciously condescend in Christ Iesus to renew his Covenant of Mercy to us so let us most heartily come to renew through the same blessed Iesus our Engagements to him and do that which may correspond with what Christ hath done for us Did he deny himself veiled his God-head in mortal Flesh taking on him the form of a Servant humbling himself to the Death of the Cross Let us deny our selves take up the Cross forsake all and follow him Was he Crucified for us Let the Old-man be cruciâ—â—ed in us with the Affections and Lusts let the World be crucified to us and we unto the World let us make no more Provision for the Flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof Did he give himself a Sacrifice for our Sins Let us offer to God the Sacrifices of broken and contrite Hearts the Sacrifice of Prayer and Supplication of Praise and Thansgiving of Almsgiving and Mercy and in a word our Bodies a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable to God 8. Let this Feast of Love and holy Communion oblige us to hold the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace to purge out the old leaven of Malice and Envy to forgive as God for Christ his sake hath forgiven us to do good to all men as we have opportunity especially to them that are of the Houshold of Faith to love our Enemies bless our Persecutors pray for our Haters render good for evil overcome evil with good and if going to the Altar we remember that our Brother hath ought against us go first and be reconciled unto him When we are thus disposed we may with an holy Boldness come to the Lord's Table and need not fear but we shall have the Benefits thereof conferred upon us CHAP. VIII How we are to behave our selves at this Sacrament ¶ AS thou goest to the Church meditate all the way or discourse with thy Company of the Goodness of God in inviting poor Sinners to his own Table Say thus with thy self O my sinful Soul taste and see that the Lord is good O what a Love and Goodness is this that such wicked Prodigals as we who have so long abused all the good Gifts which our heavenly Father hath bestowed upon us in a vain foolish and sinful way of living should have such Encouragements as these to return to our offended God and Father I will go unto him and say Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am not worthy to be called thy Son or to appear and feed amongst thy Children O Lord not considering what thou hast made me a rational Creature to know love and honour thee my great and good God I have used my self like a Beast and have fed with Greediness and Delight amongst swinish Sinners upon empty Husks and Vanities O blessed be thy Name who hast brought me to my self again to see and lament and hate my past Folly I am now in all Humility coming to feast my Soul with thee in thy House where there is ever bread enough and to spare even the Bread of Life my ever blessed JESUS O send out thy Light and thy Truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy holy Hill and to thy Tabernacles then will I go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding Joy and with all my Soul will I praise thee O God my God I will enter into thy Gates with Thanksgiving and into thy Courts with Praise I will be thankful unto thee and bless thy Name For the Lord is good his Mercy is everlasting and his Truth endureth to all Generations ¶ Entring into the Church have such Thoughts as these before the Service begin O how dreadful is this place This is no other but the House of God and the Gate of Heaven Holiness O God becometh thine House for ever One day in thy House is better than a thousand Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts I come O Lord into thy House in the multitude of thy Mercy and in thy Fear will I worship thee in thy holy Temple I have loved the Habitation of thy House and the place where thine honour dwelleth O let me be abundantly satisfied with the Fatness of thy House and make me drink of the River of thy Pleasures ¶ Ioyn devoutly with the Congregation in the Prayers of the Church and attend diligently to God's Word read and preached And when the Minister is going to the Table say thus Blessed be God for affording us Pastors and Teachers O how beautiful are the Feet of them that preach the Gospel of Peace and bring glad tidings of good things O Lord bless and assist this thy Servant in this holy Ministration Thou O Lord art our Shepherd we can want nothing thou preparest a Table before us surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow us all the days of our Life ¶ When the Bread and Wine are placed upon the Table and thou art preparing thine Offering say thus O gracious Lord what a miracle of Divine Love do we here behold We have sinned against thee and yet thou callest not upon us for Sacrifices and burnt Offerings but hast prepared a Body for thy eternal Son that he in that might do thy Will live among us and die a Sacrifice for us and here feed us on that Sacrifice of himself to eternal Life I have abundantly deserved to be at this time in Hell amongst the Devils and dost thou yet vouchsafe to feast me at thy Table amongst thy Children on the Body and Blood of thy dearest Son O astonishing Love Let this thy love O God pierce my Heart and do thou O blessed JESUS dwell therein for ever The Earth is thine O Lord and the fullness thereof What can I render unto thee for all thine inestimable Benefits My Goodness extendeth not unto thee but to the Saints that are in the Earth Thou O God of thy Goodness hast prepared for the poor Accept I beseech thee of my poor Mite receive this my humble Acknowledgment of thy Bounty to me poor Sinner whereby I confess and declare my self and all that I have to be at thy Command and Service accept of me for Iesus Christ his sake ¶ When the Exhortation is read mind it well and observe whether you come so duely prepared as is therein said you ought to be Then say Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting Who can understand his Errors Cleanse thou me from my secret Faults ¶ When you are bid to draw near do so both with Body and Soul saying My Heart is ready O God my Heart is ready I will wash my hands in Innocency and
so will I compass thine Altar O God I come O my God I come for whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee O hide not thy comfortable Presence from me ¶ Then humbly joyn in the Confession of Sins saying after the Minister and receive in the humblest Posture the Absolution as from Christ himself interceding for you at God's right hand and blessing you Draw Comfort from the Sentences of Scripture read unto you and lift up your Hearts with joyful Praises unto God as you are called upon to do heartily joyning in the following Devotions When the Minister consecrateth the Elements fix your Eye upon the whole Action and your Heart upon your crucified Jesus considering with what Pains and Tortures on the Cross he finished your Redemption When the Minister draweth near you with the Bread say Create in me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me ¶ When you take the Bread say With all Humility and Thankfulness of heart I take this sacred Pledge of thy Love O dearest Saviour Be it according to thy Word with thy crucified Body feed my Soul to Life eternal ¶ Then eating the Bread say O Father Son and Holy Ghost one God blessed for ever I am wholly thine and not my own reign in me rule over me O blessed Iesus now and for ever By thee I live through thee let me grow in Grace and Goodness Keep me from hungring any more after Sin and Vanity Lord evermore give me this Bread till thou bring me to thy eternal Supper in thy Kingdom of Glory ¶ Receiving the Cup say I will receive the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. ¶ Having drunk of it say My Soul was a-thirst for the living God let thy Blood O holy Lamb of God cleanse me and this whole Congregation from all Sin Let thy holy Spirit be in us a Well of living Water springing up into everlasting Life I have confessed my Sin and thou art faithful and just to forgive my Sin and to cleanse me from all Unrighteousness Take now my blessed Lord a full and everlasting possession of thy dear Purchase As I believe we have Redemption through thy Blood even the Forgiveness of Sins so do I here deny my self and resolve by thy Assistance to follow thee even unto Death And O thou God of Peace that brought'st again from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant feed govern and protect thy whole Flock the Universal Church make us perfect in every good Work to do thy Will working in us that which is well-pleasing in thy Sight through Iesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen ¶ During the time of the Distribution if no Psalm be sung or if a Psalm be sung then during the Oblation or at any other vacant times employ your selves in such Meditations as these following O how wonderful is the Love of God! How doth the Lord triumph in his Goodness and rejoyce in his Mercy We that have a thousand times over deserved to be weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth in everlasting Fire are here admitted to feast and rejoyce at the Table of the Lord. O astonishing Love of the blessed Iesus O abominable Sins of us rebellious Wretches Was thy holy Body my dearest Lord and God thus broken and torn they precious Blood thus shed and poured out for our sinful Souls And shall we not abhor those cursed Sins of ours and with all due Hatred and Indignation cast them off for ever Shall we not renounce all Kindness to our beastly Lusts loath our selves for our Iniquities and give our selves entirely to thy Service which is perfect Freedom for evermore O ravishing Love that moved the eternal Son of God to rescue us from everlasting Torments by the sharpest Pains and Tortures of his spotless Body and the bitterest Agonies of his purest Soul That moved the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to condescend unto Sufferings Shame and Death and to be made a Curse for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Wast thou O blessed Saviour content for our sake to be despised and rejected of men to become a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief and have we so long hid as it were our Faces from thee Hast thou been despised and yet have not we esteemed thee Surely thou hast born ou◠Griefs and carried our Sorrows thou wast wounded for our Transgressions and bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our Peace was upon thee and with thy Stripes we are healed All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on thee the Iniquity of us all Thou wast oppressed and afflicted yet did'st thou not open thy Mouth thou wast brought as a Lamb dumb to the Slaughter thou wast cut off out of the Land of the Living for the Transgression of thy People wast thou stricken O holy Iesus I do most stedfastly believe that thou art the Lamb of God that takest away the Sins of the World that thou hast in thine own Body born our Sins upon the Tree and that in the Body of thy Flesh through Death thou hast reconciled us who were Enemies to present us holy and unblameable in God's sight Thou wast not ashamed to call us Brethren and because the Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood thou 〈◊〉 thy self tookest part of the same and through Death hast destroy'd him that had the power of Death the Devil We have not an High-priest which cannot be touch'd with a feeling of our Infirmities but was in all Points tempted as we are yet without Sin Therefore may we come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need Thou O blessed Iesus being made perfect through Sufferings art become the Author of Salvation unto all that obey thee O Lord I poor Sinner fly for Refuge to lay hold on the Hope now set before us Thou art able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by thee seeing thou ever livest to make Intercession for us By thine own Blood hast thou entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal Redemption for us Thou art entered into Heaven it self now to appear in the Presence of God for us Thou art our Advocate with the Father the Propitiation for our Sins and we look for thee to appear the second time without Sin unto Salvation O Lord seeing thou hast given us Boldness to enter into the holiest by the Blood of Iesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his Flesh and having such an High-priest over thine House I here draw near with a true Heart in full Assurance of Faith having my Heart
Son When we lay polluted in our Filth and odious to thy pure Eyes thou opened'st for us in his precious Blood a Fountain for Sin and for Uncleanness Thou hast not disdain'd to admit me poor Sinner into thy holy Church and Family by Baptism and into a sacred Covenant of Grace and Peace with thy self through the Blood of the blessed Mediator And even now after so many careless and even willful Violations of this holy Covenant thy Mercy follows me with fresh Offers of Reconciliation and thou hast invited me to a Feast of Love in thy House and at thy own Table and on the Body and Blood of thine own dear Son and my blessed Redeemer O my most bountiful God how long have I plaid the ed Prodigal and pleased my self in Sin and Vanity and delighted in disobeying thy Commandments How often have I set light by the Bread of Life in the House of my Father and preferred the Trash of this World before it How often have I boldly and presumptuously without due Preparation approached unto thy holy Table And how often have I return'd thence with the same unclean Heart and unmortified Lusts which I carried thither When I consider this I tremble to think what Entertainment such a monstrous Sinner as I have been might expect from thee O let me not any longer through Impenitence and Negligence lose the Benefits of thy rich Mercy in Iesus Christ. For his sake pardon all my former Neglects Misbehaviours and Breaches of Covenant with thee and grant me now good God I beseech thee such a measure of thy Grace as may fit me for this sacred Ordinance Once more most blessed God I am preparing to come at thy gracious Call but what can I do without thy Help I am clogged with Sin and Corruption I have suffered my Lusts to get the upper hand and to lead me Captive O! shew thy Strength in my weakness pull down every proud and unruly thing in me that exalteth it self against thy holy Spirit strengthen me henceforward for ever to do thy Will Awaken and stir up my dull Affections to love thee and praise thee for thy wonderful love in redeeming us by the Sacrifice of thy beloved Son O Lord I do now renew most heartily my so often broken Vows and Promises to be wholly thine O Father Son and Holy Ghost for evermore Accept of me O my God and let not my great Unworthiness provoke thee to reject thy poor Servant whose Soul panteth after thee Enable me amongst those that keep Holyday in thy House worthily to shew forth the Death of our blessed Iesus even as he hath commanded us in a joyful and truly thankful Remembrance of his inestimable Love in an absolute and entire Dedication of our selves to his Service and Government in a total Reliance upon thy Mercy through his Merits in a cordial Love to him our Head to all his Members yea to all Mankind and even our Enemies for his sake And do thou O merciful Father for thy dear Son's sake herein seal unto our Souls the Pardon of all our Sins confirm and strengthen us in all Grace and Goodness and bring us by the constant and conscientious use of this and all other Instruments of Grace to everlasting Life through Iesus Christ our Lord in whose holy Words I farther beg whatever is needful for my self and for thy whole Church Our Father c. A Prayer after receiving this Sacrament O Father of Mercies and God of all Comforts I have this day tasted and seen that thou art good and that thy Mercy endureth for ever It is well seen O God that thou delightest not in the Death of a Sinner seeing thou vouchsafest so vile a Sinner as I am to feast my hungry Soul at thy Table and to drink of the Rivers of thy Pleasures For ever blessed be thy Goodness and praised for evermore be thy Mercies to us poor Sinners in the Lord Christ Iesus O let the deep sense of this thy wonderful Love ever rest upon my Heart Let the spiritual Relish of this heavenly Feast so delight my Soul as to render all Sin and Vanity unsavoury and loathsome to it for ever Let this great Grace and Favour of admitting me this day to renew my Covenant with thee after so many Breakin gs of it oblige me to constant Thankfulness and continual Obedience to the greatest watchfulness over my Heart◠and Circumspection in all my ways And as I have been shewing the Death of Christ in this holy Sacrament in the midst of the Congregation so give me Grace and Strength to shew it daily in a Christian Life and Conversation and in the continual mortifying and crucifying of my sinful Affections and Lusts. Enable me to resist and vanquish all those Temptations to Sin whereby I have been formerly conquered O holy Iesus I have given my Heart to thee this day take I beseech thee such a full Possession of it by thy holy Spirit that neither the Devil the World nor Sin may ever again have any part or interest in it nor let me ever desire to be any otherwise my own than that I may continue wholly thine at thy sole Command and Disposal O good God pardon all the Infirmities and Failings whereof I have been guilty in the performance of this great Duty And bless I beseech thee this sacred Ordinance to thy whole Church so that Truth and Holiness and Christian Love may ever flourish and abound therein As we have one Faith one Baptism one Lord one Hope and profess our selves one Body by partaking this one Bread so grant us to hold the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace till we come to the Church triumphant in Heaven through him who loved us and hath wash'd us in his Blood even IESUS CHRIST our only Lord and Saviour Amen FINIS Books printed for and sold by John Baker at the Three Pidgeons in Saint Paul's Church-yard THE right Foundation of Quietness Obedience and Concord by Clement Elis. Lately published by Dr. Parker Arch-deacon of Canterbury An Account of Church Government for the first six hundred Years Religion and Loyalty or a Demonstration of the Christian Church within it self octavo in two Volumes The Service-Book in folio in 〈…〉 fit for Churches and Chapls Duport in Psalmos quarto Gr. Lat. idem in Homerum 4 o. idem 4 o. Graece separatim An earnest Invitation to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 12 o. by Ioseph Glanvil A Sermon before the Artillery-Company by Dr. Calamy lately published FINIS Acts 4. 12. Iohn 14. 6. Heb. 5. 9. 2 Thes. 1. 8. Rom. 9. 5. Col. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 6. 19. 1 Pet. 1. 19. Matt. 28. 18. Matt. 17. 15. Act 3. 22. Iohn 15. 9. 10. 13. Rom. 5. 6. 8. 1 Cor. 11. 26. 1 Cor. 10. 16. 1 Iohn 1. 3. 1 Cor. 11. 17. Gen. 1. 27. Eccl. 7. 29. Gen. 3. Rom. 5. 12. Rom. 8. 7 8. Mat. 1. 21. 1 Thes. 1. 10. Mar. 16. 16. Act. 3.
my Director and his Will my Choice and his Promises my Confidence and his Laws my Rule and depending on his Providence in all dangers or wants using the lawful means which he alloweth and no other without any disheartning Fears or anxious Thoughts and Cares commending the Success to him in Prayer dare I trust all my Concerns both in this World and the next to God only through the Mediation of Iesus Christ Do I not presume of Salvation by Christ without the Sanctification of his Spirit nor hope for Mercy without Repentance and Amendment of my Life but doth my hope in God set me upon cleansing my self from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit and perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God never despairing of his Mercy through Christ so long as I sincerely desire and endeavour to serve him faithfully Have I been patient in Wants and Losses and Griefs without all repining at God's Dealings or hard Thoughts of him Do I thankfully receive his sharpest Chastisements improving them all to Humility and Amendment of Life and rejoycing in them as Tokens of his Love and as the Condition which he hath chosen as best for me Have I not neglected to worship God devoutly both in publick and in secret and do I not rest in a formal outward Worship and for low ends but heartily in pure Conscience of Duty to honour God thereby Do I pray fervently and reverently and with a prepared and composed Mind and for such things as are agreeable to God's Will especially for Grace to enable me to honour him Have I reverently attentively and constantly read and heard God's Word treasuring it in my Heart as the Rule of Life and Foundation of Hope not enduring to hear it abused Have I kept holy the days of God's solemn Worship constantly frequenting the publick Assemblies and devoutly joyning in all the Services there Have I behaved my self in God's House as in his more especial Presence and done what I was able to maintain and uphold the holy Ministry and the Purity of God's Worship without Heresie Superstition Schism or Faction Have I duely and preparedly received the Sacraments of Christ's Institution and submitted my self to the Government and Discipline of his Church endeavouring to hold the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Have I had a religious regard to the sacred Name of God in no case using it blasphemously profanely vainly irreverently or willingly hearing it so used either in common swearing needless swearing false swearing or in idle talk of God or hypocritical praying to God or venting false Doctrine in God's Name or fathering any evil practice on God or by my wicked Life tempting others to blaspheme the Name of Christ by which I am called Have I made a right use of my Reason to judge of things as they deserve and to consider my Obligations to God and the great Concerns of my Soul and to care for it more than for my Body and to govern my self so by the Laws of God that I am ready to die and to give account of my self at the Judgment Seat of Christ Have I check'd in my idle Thoughts and busied them in things useful Have I restrained and kept in my Passions within the Bounds of Religion and not been hurried by them unto any Words or Deeds unbeseeming a Christian Have I well husbanded my time in doing good and lost wilfully as little as may be Have I had just Thoughts of my self as a vile Sinner and hath not any Opinion of my Birth Parentage Strength Beauty Riches Honours Wit Learning any Action Gift Grace or Vertue made me proud self-conceited ambitious or vain-glorious Have I thankfully acknowledged all to be God's undeserved gift of which he may deprive me when he will and very justly because I have not done so much good by it as I ought Have I been temperate and sober not exceeding in Meat Drink Sleep Sport or Apparel and used them all to the Health Strength Refreshment and Vigour of my Body and Mind that I might the better serve God in the Duties of my Calling Have I not in any of them wasted my time weakened my Body disordered my Head fed my Lusts consumed my Estate disabling my self to do my duties of Piety to God Justice to my Neighbour Charity to the Poor and providing for my Charge and educating my Children Have I carefully avoided superfluous Expences bewitching Pleasures tempting Company Idleness and unprofitable Business Have I loved my Neighbour as my self and done to all men as I would they should do to me that is all the good I could and no hurt instructing admonishing reproving counselling comforting giving forgiving healing helping relieving speaking well of praying for him and doing him all good Offices according to my Power and Opportunities Have I been thankful to others for the like Kindnesses studying to requite them Do I reverence without Envy my Superiours in any kind am I loving and friendly to all my Equals and affable and helpful to my Inferiours without Pride or Disdain no way scorning upbraiding mocking or vilifying them for any Infirmities or Imperfections Have I honour'd the King and all inferiour Magistrates praying for them speaking no evil of them obeying their just Commands paying Tribute and Custom suffering willingly for my Faults and patiently without resistance for well-doing discovering all Plots and Conspiracies that I can know of against them assisting them against their Enemies serving faithfully under them in my â—lace and Calling no way disturbing the Peace obstructing or reproaching the Government Have I esteemed the Pastors and Governours in the Church highly in love for their Works sake not defrauding them of or grudgingly paying or by hard Bargains diminishing their dues Do I pray for them often consult them submit to their Teaching and Discipline and neither by my Absence from Church nor irregular Life or any war discourage them Have I loved and honoured my Father and Mother concealing their Failings bearing their Infirmities endeavouring their Comfort obeying their Commands following their Counsel praying for their Happiness and long Lives submitting to their Correction relieving and requiting them to my Power as there was need Have I loved and done all fatherly or motherly Offices for my Children given them devoutly to God in Baptism pray'd for them nursed them instructed them moderately corrected them restrained them from Evil given them good Example encouraged them in Goodness not pamper'd them in Back or Belly brought them up in Humility and Modesty provided them of honest Callings and married them religiously Have I loved my Brothers or Sisters and manifested my Love to them as
there hath been occasion Am I a Father to the Fatherless a Husband to the Widow a Deliverer to the Oppressed a Reliever of the Poor Do I weep with those that weep and rejoyce with those that rejoyce with a fellow-feeling of their Joys or Afflictions Am I more especially thus affected towards those of the Houshold of Faith mourning for the Calamities of the Church and praying for the peace and flourishing of it Have I married no such as is forbidden by God nor for unlawful ends nor against my Parents Will Do I use the Marriage-bed soberly and religiously Do I love and live quietly and kindly with my Husband or Wife and faithfully using his or her Bed only Do we bear with each others Infirmities advising assisting comforting praying for and with each other promote each others spiritual Welfare agree in governing the Family and well-educating our Children Have I not used my Servants hardly or cruelly but gently as Christian Brethren or Sisters giving them their due instructing and allowing time to serve God Have I diligently done my Master's Commands studied his Profit not wasted his Goods or wrong'd him of my time or service by Idleness or any other way Have I concealed his Secrets or Infirmities born his Rebukes and Corrections without answering again Have I done him Service as in the Sight of God Have I murder'd no man hurt no man's Body tempted no man to Intemperance or any thing which hath impaired his Health or occasion'd his Sickness or Death raised no Quarrels or Dissentions among men been angry causlesly or immoderately Have I labour'd to promote the bodily Welfare of others as my own Have I defiled no man's Wife nor lusted after her committed no Fornication or Uncleanness Have I checkt all lustful thoughts forborn all lascivious words and Actions not occasioning Lust in my self or others by Idleness pampering the Body using immodest Dresses amorous Gestures obscene Songs or Stories unseasonable Familiarity and private Opportunities Do I use all means of preserving my own and others Chastity Have I stol'n nor spoiled no man's Goods nor by force or fraud or colour of Law injured him in any part of his Estate Have I not begged without need nor borrow'd without punctually paying again nor over-reached others in buying or selling by concealment of faults or taking advantage of another's Ignorance or Necessity nor oppressed any by Usury or Exaction Have I laboured honestly for my own Living and freely given and neighbourly lent as there was cause Do I make satisfaction for all Trespasses pay all Dues and do what I can to better another man's Estate as mine own Have I no way injured any one 's good Name or Credit by false-witness railing slandering backbiting busie prating of his Behaviour Infirmities or Concerns causless suspicions rash censuring and judging misconstruing and wresting his Words or Actions not checking or willingly hearing others do so gibing scoffing playing upon him or not righting and defending him as much as we can with Truth Have I not been too selfish so that I could be content to thrive by another's Loss or value not much the Publick or my Neighbours Welfare so I may please my self Have I so learn'd to deny my self that I can be heartily contented with and thankful for my present Condition be it better or worse and rejoyce to see others in a better Condition than I am in that I can bear Poverty and Shame and Injuries and love pray for and do good to Enemies Am I so little in love with the World that nothing therein can tempt me to dishonour God or wrong my Neighbour or bear Malice or Hatred against any man or break the Bond of Love and Charity or to neglect the care of my Soul These are the chief Branches of our Christian Duty whereby we may also know our Sins and what we have more especially to repent of And here we are to note some things very needful to be observed 1. That though we are to aim at the Perfection of Duty in all we do and not to satisfie our selves with low degrees of Holiness but to be greatly humbled by the sense of our Failings and restlesly to strive after better things yet it is not a perfect Obedience without Sin but a sincere Obedience without feigning and hypocrisie that is the Gospel-condition of our Salvation through Christ Iesus It is not our duty to be perfectly innocent but it is our duty to labour after Perfection Tho then we find that we offend in many things and do all that we do very weakly and imperfectly we are not to discourage our selves thereby so long as we can find our hearts sincerely bent to keep Covenant with God and to honour and serve him more perfectly 2. That we are therefore narrowly to search our hearts to see that we are sincere in our obedience We are to see that all our obedience flow from a true Love of God in our hearts and a sense of his Right to command and our Obligations to obey that our great design in all things be to please God and to enjoy his Love and not any of those low ends of pleasing men or securing our own Reputation or our worldly Peace Profit or Safety And if our Obedience be thus sincere then do we make a Conscience of those which men account little Duties as well as of greater of shunning little Sins as well as grosser Sins of governing our Thoughts and Desires as well as Words and outward Actions we are as religious in private as in publick where it is costly as where it is cheap where 't is painful as where it is easie where it is against our natural Inclinations as where it suits with our natural Temper where it is discountenanced derided or persecuted as where it is countenanced commended and rewarded by men 3. That having discovered our Sins we seek not any Excuses or Pretences to cloak or lessen them but endeavour to view them in their ugliest and most affrighting Shapes as contrary to the Purity of God and the very Nature of man as well as his Happiness against so much goodness long-suffering and patient Forbearance of God against so many Encouragements of his present Bounty and rich Promises of Reward so many gracious Warnings and Threatnings so many fatherly Chastisements and Corrections so much Light and Knowledge so many means helps and opportunities so many vows and engagements so many admonitions by Friends and checks by our own Consciences after all this so long continued in so much time strength estate wasted thereby so little of all this left to serve God with c. By such Considerations must we labour to humble our proud Hearts and bring them to a perfect Hatred of Sin 4. That