was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Oh come Lord Jesus take possession of my Soul and dwell Thou for ever with me that I may be the more fit for such a Happiness transform me into thy Likeness by the renewing of my Mind Open ye everlasting Doors of my Heart that the King of Glory may come in When He delivers it to you join with Him and say The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for me preserve my Body and Soul unto Everlasting Life And as you are eating it say within your self O Jesu Thou art the Living and Life giving Bread which cometh down from Heaven which whosoever eateth he shall live for ever Thy Flesh is Meat indeed and thy Blood is Drink indeed On Thee my hungry Soul shall feed by my Faith with hearty Thankfulness Let me tast and find that Thou Lord art Gracious Thou that fillest the Hungry with good things replenish me abundantly with thy Grace Oh let this Divine and Spiritual Food afford me much Spiritual Strength and Refreshment When He delivers the Cup join with Him and say The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for me preserve my Body and Soul unto Everlasting Life And when you have drank it say Thy Love O King of Saints is better than Wine As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons We will remember thy Love more than Wine The Remembrance of thy wondrous Love shall be the frequent and the most pleasant Entertainment of my Life Thy Love O Jesu shall comfort me in my Sorrows shall strengthen me in my Weakness shall quicken and cure my Sloth and Backwardness to my Duty Oh let thy Love even transform me into Love Amen O Father of Mercies and of our Lord Jesus Christ whom thou hast set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood behold I beseech Thee this precious Sacrifice of thy Son Behold it I pray Thee and turn away from me thy poor feeble Creature all the Wrath and Vengeance which my Sins have deserv'd This is that on which I firmly and solely rely to find favour with Thee and this is that in which I know Thou art well-pleased Oh Father of Mercies have Mercy upon me Deal always with thy Servant according to thy Mercy And teach me thy Statutes that I may hereafter serve and please Thee in Newness of Life And I humbly hope and desire to be accepted with Thee through the Merits and Mediation of thy beloved Son who died for our Sins and rose again for our Justification is now set down at thy right hand and ever lives to make Intercession for us Amen Taking notice of the Sacrament deliver'd to others you may thus improve it Jesus the rich and bounteous Lover has good things in store for as many as come unto Him Jesus is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him Of his Fulness do all we receive and Grace for Grace See my Soul see here thy Master's Bounty and Love See Him here giving even Himself to His Friends My Soul if Jesus so lov'd us all we ought also to love one another This Commandment has He left us that He who loves God should love his Brother also Study then what Offices of Love and Kindness it may lie in thy Power to do to any of these thy fellow Communicants and resolve upon it for the Kind Jesus will take it as even done to Him If thou love Him truly thou must needs love those whom He loves Thou must pity them in all their Distresses Spiritual and Temporal whom He has pitied in their Misery at so costly a Rate Thou must learn to forgive those whom He forgives Thou must be liberal according to thy Power and their Necessities to those whom thou seest the Objects of his Bounteous Love And especially thou must charge thy self not to Hate not to do any Despite or Injury to any of these for even that too would He take as done to Himself Thou must not despise any of these for their mean Condition in this World He may have made the poor of this World rich in Faith Thou must not envy nor grudge at any of them whom the Providence of God has favour'd more than He has done Thee in the Blessings of this World Thou must take heed always that thy Carriage be not a Scandal and Occasion of Sin to any of these that thou destroy not Him whom Christ died for And blessed be thy Name O Lord for these sweet and pleasant Laws I willingly bind my self O Jesu to Observe these thy Laws of Love Oh thou great Pattern of Love learn me to Love O Kindest Jesu thy Body was broken and is divided amongst us to unite us to Thee and to one another Let it be amongst us a Common Incentive of Mutual Charity Let it be in its Effects Unity of Spirit among us a Bond of Peace and all Righteousness of Life in our Carriage one towards another O Thou the Great Fountain of Love pour it abundantly into my Heart and into the Hearts of all thy Faithfull People That we may abound in Love one towards another and by thus bearing thy Glorious Character and Likeness in Love may show to all Men that we are indeed thy Disciples Amen When all have Communicated and the Minister begins the Prayers that remain you are to leave off all private Devotions and to join with Him and the Congregation to the End After He has pronounced the Blessing you may privately say To Him that loved us and wash'd us from our Sins in his own Blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father To Him with the Father and the Holy Ghost be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen Then rising from your Knees kindly and courteously salute your Fellow Communicants at the parting of the Congregation Some Private Devotions at Home after the Communion SECT XX. A Meditation on the Communion OH my Soul seriously consider how thou hast been honour'd how thou hast been entertain'd in the House of God this Day Thou hast been a Guest to the King of Saints the Lord of Life and Glory Divine Love has been thy Heavenly Entertainment and Man did eat Angel's Food Thy Saviour thy Friend has brought Thee into his Banqueting-House his Banner over Thee was Love Thou canst not surely very soon forget the Pleasures of this Feast Has it not left behind it a very pleasing relish Has it not put thy Mouth quite out of tast towards the things of this World It is very fit that it should do so It would become Thee for some time after this to account this World's best Delights to be but four and infipid and certainly if thou meditate upon the good Entertainment thou hast had it will be so Jesus the Glorious Son of God was Master of the Feast thou
this which afflicted his Body was the least part of the Sufferings He felt He suffer'd more abundantly more than all this in the Sufferings of his Soul For I must consider further that this Death of His was an Accursed one in the account of the Jewish Law that is in the account of God Himself for it was He that had order'd and taught them to account it so on purpose that it might fore-tell and signifie before-hand That the Redeemer of the World should bear in his Death the Curse and Punishment which the Divine Law had justly threatned against the Sins of Men. This then must call to thy Mind the mighty Sufferings of His Soul He was made a Curse for us and God laid on Him the Iniquities of us all By Men was He treated as a Malefactour and by God too The Light of his Father's Countenance and the pleasing Aspects of his Love which had been always the Joy of his Soul and the Reward of all his Labours in his Service and till now had been constantly enjoy'd was now when He wanted it most withdrawn when He was under His sharp outward Sufferings and when He was at the point of Death And in making his Soul an Offering for Sin He was afficted and terrified with God's Almighty Wrath and Displeasure This made Him cry out who was silent before My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He felt the Wrath which our Sins had deserved Oh terrible thing Who can conceive what He endur'd We may believe no Torments can exceed those He felt in his Soul except it be those of Hell if they do Oh wounding Thought This stabs and pierces my Soul This tells me It was not so much the Cruel Jew or Barbarous Roman Souldier that tormented and kill'd the loving Jesus as the vile Sinner It was I among the rest of Sinners that gave Him his cruellest Wounds his sharpest Sorrows It was I that wounded that kill'd my Saviour and Friend I shed his Life's most precious Blood Was there ever such a thing known besides this O Jesu there was never any Love like thine and there is nothing so vile so base as a Sinner Greater Love than this hath no Man that one lay down his Life for his Friend But thou hast laid down thine for Enemies for those that hated thee yea for those that kill'd thee Thou art there on the Cross despised that I might be honour'd Thou art there in pain that I might be at ease Thou art there hungry and thirsty that I might be supplied with all good things Thou art there accursed that I might be blest Thou art there deserted by the Father's Favour and Love that I might enjoy the Everlasting delights of it Thou art there dying that I might live an Everlasting life in Joy and Glory unspeakable and Eternal Oh Jesu Was I more dear to thee than thine own Life Was I to be rather indulg'd than thine own Ease and more to be respected than thine own Honour What am I Lord Oh what is Man that thou art thus mindfull of him There was never Love like thine None but a God could love thus Oh Adorable Mystery Oh Wonder of Wonders Thy Greatness is unsearchable thy Love is incomprehensible and thy Ways are past finding out With profoundest Reverence I Adore thy Incomprehensible Love I leave off to fathom what I can never reach and will give up my self to Praise and Admire for ever SECT XIV An Exercise of Repentance HAve I indeed given my kind and compassionate Saviour so much Grief by my Sins and shall they give me none Oh that my Head were Waters and my Eyes a Fountain of Tears to drench my filthy polluted Soul But alas it is not all the Tears that I am able to shed which could ever make me clean or wash out the stain of any the least of my Sins Oh I am become it seems so exceeding foul and have contracted stains of such a nature that nothing but this precious stream my Saviour's life's Blood can cleanse me How am I fallen from the Dignity and Honour of my Creation I was made little lower than the Angels by my Bounteous Creatour but I have made my self more vile than the Beasts that perish I was made subject to no Creature not bound to pay any Homage or Service towards the Glorious Angels though made lower than them but alas I have made my self a slave to the abject Devil I have refused to serve God my Maker and Friend and have drudg'd for my mortal Enemy Oh wretched Man that I am I have sought his Service while I have declin'd thine and run after his Temptations while I have endeavour'd to evade thy Commands Oh I have been forward to do Evil and backward to all that is Good I have combin'd with my Soul 's great Enemy to hasten and encrease my Damnation Infinite Goodness How unjustly how basely art thou requited for all thy bounteous Love to Mankind Who can conceive or express the Vileness the Enormity of Sin Which is a Contempt of thy infinite Majesty a Rebellion against thy unquestionable Authority an Abuse of thy free Goodness a Defiance of thy Almighty Power a Denial of thy incomparable Wisdom and an Affront to all thy glorious Attributes Which is contrary to that Honour and Homage which I owe thee as thy Creature Wo is me that I should ever offend my Maker so liberal and so gracious a Father Wo is me that I should slight and affront the Love of Jesus my Redeemer as I have done it in cherishing those vile Sins that He came to destroy O Jesu at what a costly rate hast thou lov'd me and merited my Love And how loth how slow am I to entertain the Love of thee Thou hast Loved where thy Hatred has been deserv'd and I vile wretch have hated Him that has infinitely deserv'd my Love Thy Love to me has been a vast Condescension and has caused thy Humility and Abasement yet wouldest thou love the Unworthy But my Love to thee would have been my Honour and Glory my Everlasting Advancement yet have I been unwilling to love thee Wo is me I have been obstinate in Wickedness Oh how have I griev'd the Holy Spirit in neglecting resisting and opposing his good and kind Motions in my Soul turning a deaf Ear to his gentle Admonitions and refusing to be converted and healed Oh my God in our Sins we despise thy Will and do our own We disown thee and make Gods of our selves In our Sins we believe the great Deceiver before the God of Truth and follow his delusive Temptations rather than thy rich and faithfull Promises In our Sins we preferr Earth before Heaven the Creature before the Creatour and reckon there is more Happiness in the Enjoying some of them than in the Enjoyment of Thee the Infinite Fountain of Good Oh how vile how enormous a thing is Sin Who can sufficiently hate it I see O Lord in the terrible
hast been at so lately and He was Himself the Feast Jesus prepar'd it out of Love to Thee And because His great Love could not as we may easily imagine provide any thing better He provided Himself to be thy rich and costly Entertainment He has feasted thee with His Body and Blood He has in giving thee that Bread and Wine which was by the Minister according to his appointment consecrated and set apart to represent His broken Body and His Blood shed for Mankind made thee a partaker of the Spiritual Blessings and Benefits of His Death and Passion Oh how great Things has He then bestow'd on thee Where canst thou find again such Entertainment What Enjoyments of this poor World could afford it And if He has given thee never so much of this World He has herein given thee that which is of infinitely greater value And if He has given thee but little of this World thou hast no reason to complain of Him who has been so free so bounteous to thee in so much better things Say then to Him Oh how plenteous how rich is thy Goodness Lord which Thou hast in reserve for those that fear Thee and that hope in thy Mercy He has treated Thee with the Pardon of all thy Sins however numerous however heinous and guilty Canst thou forbear to admire and praise so great a Favour Is it not wondrous that so vast a Debt should be so freely forgiven thee Does not this Forgiveness restore thee to the Almighty Favour and Love of God And give thee leave to ask and ground to expect from Reconciled Heaven all that is good for thee and necessary to thy Salvation Oh say then Bless the Lord O my Soul All that is within me praise his Holy Name Who hath redeemed my Life from Destruction who forgiveth all my Sins Who crowneth me with Loving-kindness and tender Mercies Oh Blessed is the Man whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is cover'd Blessed O Lord Jesus is the Man that putteth his Trust in Thee He hath bestow'd on thee my Soul his Holy Spirit to dwell with and to sanctifie thee to fill thee with all Divine Graces To heal all the Distempers of thy Soul thy uneasie shamefull Distempers to make thee tolerable and pleasant to thy self and amiable and well-pleasing to Him Oh happy Souls that are the Temples of this Holy Spirit Where He dwells all things shall be in a beautifull Order all things composed and calm and peacefull all full of Joy There is a Peace which the World cannot give and a Joy unspeakable and full of Glory In them Heaven dwells already They shall be acquainted with its Incomparable Felicities here on Earth and they are seal'd hereby to the Day of Redemption Thy loving Lord then has given thee at this Feast too the Pledges and Earnests of Future Glory and Blessedness He has even united thee to Himself after a wonderfull manner He looks on thee as a Member of his own Body Has made thee Partaker in his Death and intends thee to partake in his Resurrection He will not leave thy Soul in Hell nor suffer thy Dead Body to lie always under Dissolution He will shew thee the Path of Life and thou shalt dwell at his right hand where are Pleasures for ever-more Thou shalt dwell in His presence where is fulness of Joy Oh how like a God has thy glorious and kind Saviour entertain'd thee None could ever bestow such things on thee but He. Thou hast been treated as a Favourite of Heaven who canst not chuse but acknowledge thy self a poor vile and contemptible Sinner All these Blessings and Favours He hath conferr'd upon thee and given thee in this Sacrament sensible Pledges and Tokens of them though thou art unworthy of the very meanest and the commonest of his Gifts to Mankind Assure thy self it was not for any Merit or Worthiness in thee that he has been so Bountifull but of his own free Motion There is nothing of Debt in his Love but thou must look upon it as altogether Obligation And now my Soul thou must consider too the mighty Obligation he has laid upon thee Thou art able to promise to do nothing in return for his Love but what he has infinitely oblig'd thee to Should such a Love as this ever be forgotten or rather should'st thou not resolve that thou wilt always retain a gratefull Sence of it And that such a Love shall be the greatest Joy and the sweetest Delight of thy Life That such a Love shall make an entire Conquest of thee and make thee subject to the pleasant Laws of it through the whole Course of thy Life Thou canst not sure for shame think of a less return than to give up thy self to Him To live to Him that died for thee To study and love what will please Him and do it in all things No thou canst not think of any thing less than of being His Servant who has bought thee with so great a Price Who has ransom'd thee from Hell and Everlasting Misery and that by his own cruel Sufferings and accursed Death And will it ever become thee thinkest thou after thou hast consider'd the cruel Sufferings of Jesus for thy sake to shrink or murmure at Sufferings or guiltily decline them Wilt thou pretend to be Follower a Disciple of Jesus and yet not be able to endure any thing grievous or inconvenient Has he suffer'd very grievous things for thee worse by far than thou art able or wilt ever be call'd to suffer for his sake And wilt thou suffer nothing for Him Was his way to Heaven encombred with sharp Thorns and will it become thee to murmure if thine be not strow'd with Roses Was the Great and Glorious Jesus despised in the World and must thou be mightily respected and honour'd Was Jesus the Son of David a rich and mighty King mean and poor and will nothing serve thee but to be vastly and superfluously rich For shame my Soul These Desires cannot become thee It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and surely 't is an Honour that the Servant be as his Lord. If thou wilt be a Follower of Jesus thou must expect as the World hated Him saw no form nor comeliness in Him so it will hate and it will scorn thee It will not see any thing to admire in thee Consider the Sufferings of Jesus and harden thy self Learn from Him to despise the Inconveniences of this Life learn to despise its Allurements From his Indifferency towards it 't is thy Duty and thy Honour to be very Indifferent too And this as all thy Duty thou wilt find pleasant upon the trial of it and a reward to it self This will give thee an invincible composure and peace of Mind a happy Command and Enjoyment of thy self under all the Vicissitudes and Changes of this mutable uncertain World Consider further my Soul Has He blest thee with the Pardon of all thy Sins And
A Familiar Guide TO THE Right and Profitable Receiving OF THE LORD's SUPPER Wherein also the Way and Method of our SALVATION is briefly and plainly Declar'd By Theophilus Dorrington LONDON Printed by J. H. for Brab Aylmer at the Three Pigeons over-against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1695. TO THE QUEEN'S MOST Excellent Majesty May it please Your Majesty TO permit me most Thankfully to Acknowledge That it is Your MAJESTIES very Gracious Approbation of Another Endeavour to revive the Decay'd Piety and Vertue of the Age which as it Animates me to proceed in that and has almost brought it to Perfection so it was the great Encouragement of this In which I have endeavour'd to persuade and direct to the right use of this Blessed Sacrament Which is perhaps the best and most Effectual means that our Lord has left in his Church to promote and maintain in it the Love of God and of our Neighbour And may it please Your Sacred MAJESTY to give leave That I may Encourage my self from the Favour mention'd to Implore and Hope for the Honour of Your MAJESTIES Patronage to this Small Piece also I am and desire to be as long as I live Your MAJESTIES Most Obedient and Dutifull Subject Theophilus Dorrington AN Advertisement I Have in this little Book distinctly stated and represented that Solemn Covenant with Almighty God which we all of us enter into in our Baptism Because since the Receiving of the Lord's Supper is design'd for a Renewal and Confirmation of that Covenant the distinct Knowledge of that is necessary to our Fitness for this Sacrament And I have further dispers'd through the whole many weighty Arguments to Induce Men to keep close to that Covenant It being to us the Onely Way of Salvation That so I might at once promote in many a Religious and Good Life a Fitness for this Sacrament and the Attainment of their Everlasting Salvation And having made this the Subject and Scope of this Book I think it may not be amiss to suggest that it is very fit to be recommended and presented by those who have taken upon them the Charitable Office of being God-fathers or God-mothers to such as they have presented to God at the Sacred Font. It is the Certain Duty of these Spiritual Parents and the Charge laid upon them by the Church to concern themselves afterwards and take all the Care they can That the Child may be taught as soon as it is able to learn what a Solemn Vow Promise and Profession it has made by them This Duty and Charge they would hereby in some measure perform especially if they would also concern themselves after a time to know what Vse their Spiritual Children have made of it Certainly if the Duties and Charge of this most usefull Spiritual Relation were conscientiously minded and in this and the like ways perform'd we should not see so much deplorable Wickedness among Professours of Christianity as there is and we might reasonably hope to see the next Generation at furthest deliver'd from the Vices and Madness of this And since this Covenant is implied in Baptism when it is not express'd in our Way This Book will be usefull to be read in all Families in order to train up Young People in the Knowledge of their Engagements to God and in the Way of their Salvation and to a Fitness for this Blessed Sacrament that they may be confirm'd in that Way To Adapt it the better to such an Vse I have added in the End a Prayer which is proper to be used after the reading of any part of the Book in the Family or Closet I think fit to recommend this Book also to the Societies of Religious Young Men in and about this City That they may hereby at a cheap Rate and with little Labour gain a right Vnderstanding and a distinct Knowledge of the Nature and Design of this Blessed Sacrament To whom as Young Persons this may be necessary and usefull Advice That they do not satisfie themselves with Ardent and Devout Affections in their coming to the Sacrament but endeavour to have their Judgments well informed too For as it will be of great Advantage to them towards a Holy and Good Life to have their Devotion built upon the Foundation of a solid Knowledge so without this the Adversary of their Souls will have many Advantages against them To whom as the Glory of our Time I most heartily wish that Grace Mercy and Peace may be exceedingly multiplied from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ The CONTENTS of this Book Sect. 1. Introduction p. 1 Sect. 2. The Creation of Man p. 5 Sect. 3. The First Covenant p. 9 Sect. 4. The Sacraments of That p. 11 Sect. 5. The Sin and Fall of Man p. 14 Sect. 6. The New Covenant p. 17 Sect. 7. On Our Part. p. 20 Sect. 8. On God's Part. p. 31 Sect. 9. The Sacraments of this Covenant p. 37 Sect. 10. The Lord's Supper a Confirmation of it p. 42 Sect. 11. An Earnest Persuasive to the Lord's Supper p. 51 Sect. 12. Of Fitness to come to this Sacrament p. 60 Sect. 13. An Exercise of Thankfull Remembrance of the Death of Jesus Christ p. 64 Sect. 14. An Exercise of Repentance p. 89 Sect. 15. An Exercise of Good Resolutions p. 100 Sect. 16. An Exercise of Faitb p. 111 Sect. 17. An Exercise of Charity p. 123 Sect. 18. Prayers for Preparation p. 139 Sect. 19. Directions for a Devout Behaviour at the Communion p. 147 Sect. 20. A Meditation on the Communion p. 164 Sect. 21. Prayers for a suitable Conversation p. 179 Sect. 22. A Prayer of Recollection p. 183 A Familiar Guide TO The Right and Profitable Receiving of the Lord's Supper SECT I. The Introduction Christian Reader THOU hast here represented to thee in a little room I think all that is necessary to render thee a meet and profitable Receiver of the Holy and most Comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. And I suppose it is in such a Manner represented as is most fit and likely with the Blessing of God to possess thee with all the Qualifications requisite in him that comes to this Sacrament if thou wilt afford this little Book a serious and frequent perusal If thou hast been so unhappy and so much mistaken in thy true Interest as never to have laid these things to Heart before and to have liv'd in the neglect of this Blessed Ordinance I would advise I would entreat thee often to read and study these things till thou art familiarly acquainted and deeply affected with them that thou mayest to thy Advantage come well prepar'd to this Sacrament If the things herein contain'd have already affected thy Heart and had a good Influence on thy Life and thou art a frequent Attendant upon this Sacrament it may suffice to read this Book as often as thou canst on the Week before thou comest to it as a good Weeks preparation for
it And for those who Communicate every Lord's Day as I wish all Christians did it may suffice commonly to retire sometime on the Day before or get up the sooner on the Sacrament-Day and seriously Meditate on the Exercises herein proposed which are design'd to excite him that has an habitual fitness for this Sacrament into an actual one and are usefull for that purpose I say commonly this may be enough for such but yet even they also may find it necessary and usefull sometimes when leisure allows to read the whole To make it as short as I could and yet as comprehensive too I have ventur'd to leave out what might have been said to justifie the Method and Parts of it presuming also that this will not be necessary Because what is requisite to render a Man a meet Receiver of this Sacrament is also necessary and is sufficient to constitute a good Christian and to bring him to Heaven Therefore I have said in the Title that the whole Method and Way of our Salvation is herein plainly declar'd So that if any Soul be solicitous about that Grand and most Concerning Question What must I do to be saved he may find it herein resolv'd And whether this Holy Sacrament may be accounted and used as a Means of Conversion to a Good Life or not yet I hope that by the Blessing of God this little Book may be such a Means to many if Men will but think it worth their while to do so much towards their own Everlasting Happiness as to read and consider so small a Treatise That another Book should be publish'd on this Subject after so many which have gone before it will not seem strange to any one who knows the Incomparable Pleasure of Devout Thoughts and the peculiar aptness of this Subject to afford them together with the Inclination both of Grace and Nature to endeavour to possess others with what-ever has made a great Impression on our selves And I believe when this Book is well consider'd it may appear after all the rest to have its Necessity and Usefulness The Prayer MAY the God of all Grace Lover of Souls to whom the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind is so very dear and who invites us to this Sacrament as the way to Heaven and that he may herein give us the happy fore-tasts of it Bless this my weak Endeavour and give it a success according to the Greatness of his Power and Love to the promoting in many Hearts the Love of this Sacrament and their frequent and comfortable Attendance upon it and to the bringing many Souls to happiness and glory for the sake of Jesus Christ our Mediatour and Advocate Amen SECT II. The Creation of Man WHEN it is said in the first Chapter of Genesis that God saw every thing that He had made and behold it was very good This means that the Creatour upon the review of his Works was pleased and delighted in them and that He hated nothing that He had made For what we Hate we wish that it were not especially not such as it is If therefore the Creatour had hated any thing that He had made He had made it to be such as He would not have it to be Which is not to be supposed of Infinite Wisdom and Goodness and of such Power as is able to make every thing what He pleases it shall be Mankind therefore among the other Works of God were made very good and were pleasing to our Maker Indeed He made Man a very Noble and Excellent sort of Creature such as must be peculiarly pleasing to Himself above all things in this lower World As we may judge by those words in Gen. 1. 27. God created Man in his Own Image This was the peculiar Glory of Man and that which chiefly advanced Him above the Creatures about Him And it did principally consist in these things following That as He had Faculties capable of knowing loving and obeying God He was disposed to do so He knew God to be the most Excellent Being and did accordingly Reverence and Esteem Him He knew Him to be the Fountain Good and His chief Good and did accordingly fix the choice of his Will upon Him and valued His Favour and Love by which we enjoy God as his greatest and only Felicity There was then no Errour nor false Reasoning in his Understanding no perverse Choice in his Will no Inordinacy in any of his Appetites no Motions in them contrary to His Reason In nothing was Man enclin'd to contradict his Duty to God or any of the Eternal Laws of Righteousness Upon this account it was that Man was very good and belov'd of His Maker And being so belov'd He liv'd in perfect Peace and Happiness He was not encombred with any Evil He wanted nothing that He had occasion for It appears His kind Creatour would not cease doing for Him till He had provided for all His Necessities and Desires that so He might be compleatly Happy Man then enjoy'd the willing and ready Service of all the Creatures about Him He enjoy'd Himself and could with pleasure consider and praise God for the Noble and Excellent Nature which his Maker had given Him He had an easie and a quiet Mind had no conflicts within himself had no occasion to rebuke or fall out with himself He enjoy'd then his God too being assur'd of his Favour and receiving the constant Communications of it He could with great delight contemplate and praise the glorious Attributes of God And the Divine Wisdom Power Righteousness Goodness and Truth were very pleasant to Him while he was assur'd that all these were friendly and would be favourable to Him This was Man's first Condition a very Excellent and Happy one but alas through his own default it did not last long SECT III. The First Covenant between God and Man IT is very probable that all the Particular dealings of God with Man in this condition are not told us in that short account which Moses gives us of the Beginnings of the World It being enough for us to know in General what is the Spring and Source of all that Sin and Misery which is now found among Mankind The knowledge of which is of some Use and Importance towards our getting free from both But what is told us of the Transactions between God and Man in that state we may think we shall most truly Understand and most rightly Interpret if we guide our selves herein by the Tenour of his dealing with Mankind since that From what is told us then of that time and from what appears since we may learn That it pleased the Creatour when He had made Man and had so highly oblig'd Him to take upon himself the Relation of a Governour to his Creature as He had the undoubted Right of one and he very justly thought fit to exercise a Dominion over him for his Good It was therefore we may suppose promised to Man that He should enjoy the Favour
to make the best Improvement that we can of the Means of Divine Knowledge which the Providence of God affords us that so we may gain as much of that inestimable Treasure as we can That we will not through Negligence or Hatred of the Truth be ignorant of any important revealed Truth That what-ever does appear to us to be revealed from God concerning Himself and our Way to Happiness we will receive it as certain truth Because it comes from Him who is Infinite Wisdom and cannot be deceived and is a God of Truth and therefore cannot deceive These Articles of our Faith are summarily comprehended in that Form of sound Doctrine which is commonly call'd the Apostle's Creed among which these are chief ones That we believe in God the Father who hath made us and all the World That we believe in God the Son who hath redeemed us and all Mankind which implies these things We must believe that all Mankind are guilty before God and obnoxious to his Eternal Wrath and Punishment That Jesus Christ the Son of God died as a Sacrifice for the Sins of Men That He submitted to an accursed Death as the Punishment of Sin in our stead and to excuse us from suffering it for ever That his Death is accepted with the Father as an Attonement for Sin and shall redound to the advantage of all those who repent and believe on Him Who being heartily sorry for their Sins and fallen out with them do forsake them and turn to God and do expect and rely upon the Merit of his Death to find favour with God We must believe that as Jesus Christ died for our Sins so He rose again for our Justification Having made a full Attonement He was released from the Bonds of Death and is ascended into Heaven and that He ever lives there to make Intercession for us that is to obtain and bestow upon wretched Mankind all the Blessed Benefits which his Death has purchased for them And we must believe in God the Holy Ghost who graciously applies all those Blessings to us and who sanctifies us and all the Elect People of God Further we also are bound and required to make our open profession of the Religion contain'd in these Articles and to own it to the World that we are and will be the Worshippers of the one onely true and living God by one Mediatour between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus And we must chuse rather to suffer any loss or to die than to renounce or deny our Faith And we are bound also to lead a Life suitable to these Articles of Faith to let them govern our Conversations as they ought to do And our Faith must work or operate in the Exercises of Love This is the Second main Branch of our Duty under the New Covenant The Third is this That we must Engage and Endeavour to keep God's Holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the Days of our Life And this obliges us to the Things following That we will diligently study and learn the Will of God as it is express'd in the Laws which He has given us will not cavil nor dispute against our Duty when we should perform it will endeavour to know our Duty that we may do it That we will love his Law and it shall be our constant Aim and Endeavour to conform to it in all things We absolutely bind our selves and are bound to live in no wilfull known and presumptuous Sin That we will not deliberately and knowingly trespass against any Law of God This Covenant indeed does not require of us to perform a perfect Obedience for that is a thing now above our Power But it binds us to endeavour a perfect Obedience that is Not to be willingly guilty of any known Sin There is alas no meer Man now that can constantly and perfectly keep the whole Law of God but in many Things we offend all And 't is one Blessing of the New Covenant that it pardons Sins as we shall see presently which supposes defects in our best Obedience Therefore also our Saviour has taught us to pray as daily for the Pardon of Sin as for our daily Bread But this Covenant bears with none but involuntary Sins such as we commit through Ignorance or Surprise and for want of Consideration on a sudden when our Ignorance and Inconsideration are not wilfull nor due to the neglect of our selves And as for known wilfull and presumptuous Sins and such as are deliberately committed They put us out of this Covenant and lose us all right to the Favours and Blessings of it till they are bitterly repented of and utterly forsaken Thus much we must heartily and sincerely bind and engage our selves to do and this is our part of the New Covenant This is also called the Covenant of Grace or Favour And we may see that it has justly that Name in that it admits of Repentance for Sin and accepts of that poor imperfect Obedience which is all that we can now perform And we shall see that Name further justified in that it will appear to be one of the Blessings and Favours of it that it affords us strength to perform our Duty SECT VIII On God's Part. AND now I come to represent and show what are the Favours and Blessings or God's Part of this New Covenant What He offers and promises and will bestow upon our Performance of the Duties and Conditions required of us And these may be comprehended under these Three rich and important Heads The First is a full and free Pardon of all our Sins God will blot our Iniquities as it were out of his Remembrance will forget that we were Sinners and will treat us as Righteous Will lay aside his most just Wrath against us and embrace us with Arms of Mercy and Love He that might most Righteously have destroy'd us with an Everlasting Destruction will rejoice over us to do us good He will pardon our most numerous Sins will pardon the greatest Offences will pardon even our known wilfull and deliberate Sins and our customs of Sinning upon our repentance and forsaking of them And a general Repentance and a humble Behaviour towards God will obtain the Pardon of those Infirmities and Involuntary Sins which we do not observe our selves to be guilty of and cannot be perfectly free from And having thus pardon'd our Sins the Course of Mercy is free all Obstruction of it is remov'd and we may address to God with Boldness in the Name of Jesus Christ as to a reconciled Father and believe Him ready to afford us all that is necessary to our Salvation The next Favour and Blessing of this Covenant is The restoring of the Divine Image in us in our Sanctification If upon the proposal of this Covenant to us we do accept of it and are willing to yield to the Conditions it requires and to give up our selves to a Life of Holiness and Righteousness according to the Laws
what Heaven is Think of a bright and glorious Place where this Sun would be ashamed and even disappear as now the Stars do at his rising Think of an innumerable Company of glorious Creatures each of them more bright than He. Think thou seest them all in Joy all ravisht and transported with Pleasure and thy self among them partaking of that Joy and Pleasure Think thou wert now in the Presence of the Fountain-Good receiving immediately from Himself the Testimonies and Communications of Infinite Love That thou wert there where no Fear or Sorrow can ever come Where the Joy is pure without allay Where the Pleasure is solid and abiding not likely to leave thee in discontent and distast Where the Joy and Pleasure shall never End Oh how glad would'st thou be to find thy self there Thou mayest believe it is not possible for thy Heart now to conceive the mighty Joy which would possess thee And to this Happiness even to this does the Redeemer's Love design to bring thee He would have thee attain this Happiness He offers it thee on gentle terms He offers to guide and help thee thither if thou wilt but give up thy self to his kind and gracious Conduct And is not this amazing and obliging Love All the Joy and Happiness of Heaven may be my Eternal Portion if I will and shall be so if I am not wanting to my self Jesus has not been nor will be wanting to do all that in Him lies to bring me to it He does not grudge me the highest Bliss that my Nature is capable to attain or that my own kindest Wishes to my self can desire He loves me then as much as I can love my self and is willing to make me as Happy as I can desire to be and more Happy than I can conceive or imagine Such is the Love of Jesus to a Wretch that deserves only his Hatred and Contempt But dost thou know my Soul Canst thou think who the Person is that has done these great Things for thee I am sure if thou hadst not been told thou could'st never have imagin'd it Infinite Love indeed might be supposed to be in the Son of God but He has Infinite Greatness Majesty and Glory too He is exalted so far above us that it were even Infinite Condescension for him to regard or concern himself about the Misery which such low things as we had pull'd upon our selves Besides He is infinitely pure and Holy too and has an Eternal Hatred of all Sin and Wickedness and we became miserable by our Sin And He loves the Father with an Infinite Love and He made Mankind to Love and Honour and Praise the Father but they have forsaken the End of their Being and turn'd to Hate and despise even the Good and Glorious God And could it be imagin'd that ever such Persons should be Redeem'd then by the Son of God But be astonisht Oh ye Heavens Sing Praises Oh ye glorious Hosts of Angels Produce your loftiest Hymns and help Oh help poor feeble Mortals to praise the Son of God! For it was He that became our Mediatour He took upon Him the kind Office of being our Saviour It was the Son of God that did us this kindness The Eternal the Onely-begotten Son of God Who is the express Image of the Father's Person and the brightness of his Glory This Person my Soul whom thou must own to be the true and eternal God by whom the Worlds were made who sustains all things who is the Glory of Heaven and the Stability of Earth who is Incomprehensible in his Greatness and to be sure Mighty to save is He who regarded us in our vile Misery and most despicable Condition Who pitied us in the Misery which we had madly pull'd upon our selves which we had deeply deserv'd Who lov'd Sinners the most hatefull things that are Oh the wonder that He should retain Kindness and think Thoughts of Love towards us after the abuse of great Creating Love To us who are altogether unprofitable to Him Whose Happiness is not at all necessary nor can make any addition to his He had been Eternally happy if all we had been for ever lost and miserable yet he would not see us lost He afforded his Help when all other help utterly fail'd us and we must have perish'd if He had not helped us But go on my Soul for the Way is still pleasant and strow'd with new and various Delights and consider too in what Way and Method this Glorious Person the Son of God accomplisht this great Salvation What He undertook to do and what to suffer that He might save thee Thou must know then that this Excellent Person meditated and design'd no less Condescension when He undertook to save thee than to become Man for thy sake He intended it then and in the fulness of time submitted to it The Word was made Flesh The Son of God took a Humane Nature and became the Son of David For he was born of a Virgin who was of the House and Family of David A Royal Family indeed but in this branch of it at least sunk into Poverty and Contempt He who made the Worlds condescended to be made of a Woman He who is Lord of Life and Glory became subject to the Law that obliges Creatures He whom the Angels account it their Honour to attend and worship made Himself of no Reputation took upon Him the form of a Servant and exposed Himself to the Contempt and Scorn of Men. Oh Son of God how could'st thou endure to live upon this Earth so defil'd with Sin To converse with odious Sinners We must needs wonder that when thou wert in our guilty World thou didst not show thy terrible Hatred and Resentment of the Sins of Men in sending Plagues and Desolations about the Rebellious World It is an amazement that thou shouldest here go about doing good But this was thy constant practice It was glorious Love Oh adorable Son of God which brought thee down among us and Love spake in every Word of thine Love attended all thy steps Love to Mankind was exercised in all thy Actions What exceeding Honour Gracious Lord hast thou done our mean Nature in taking it into a Personal Union with thy self Thus hast thou exalted it above the Angels and abundantly vindicated it from the contempt of Devils Who first defil'd and then utterly despised it So low and mean is thy Condescension and so glorious our Exaltation Behold my Soul the Son of God become our Brother And as He is our Brother He does exalt us to become Sons of God together with Him and his Father becomes our Father Oh what manner of Love is this that we should be called the Sons of God! But this is not all the Condescension of the Son of God to save Mankind That He took to Himself the Humane Nature No though this was much yet He did more much more than this He undertook to die a Sacrifice for the Sins of Men
which as God he could not do and therefore He became Man that He might be capable of Dying And in Humbling He humbled Himself and became obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross And here if ever my Soul thou wilt be lost in Astonishment In considering thy Saviour's Love to Mankind Thou wilt surely despise all things beside Thou wilt like his Great Apostle and Lover be forced to value no Knowledge but that of Christ and Him Crucified and to account all things but dross and dung that thou mayest gain an Interest in this Love That it may thus engage thee consider now the Death which Jesus underwent for thee Was it the Death of the Cross Was my Saviour crucified And what a kind of Death was this His Enemies the Unbelieving Jews chose it for Him and the Heathenish Roman Souldiers executed it And this Death was the vilest and the most ignominious one in the account of the Romans such as they put none to but the most contemptible Abjects and the bafest Malefactours And this Death was in the account of the Jewish Law an Accursed one He was reckon'd accursed of God that was hanged on a Tree But let me consider the Indignities the Contemptuous usage which attended my Saviour's Death and how painfull and afflicting it must needs have been to Him As soon as the Blessed Jesus was condemn'd to die He was committed to rude Souldiers who made it their sport to injure and abuse Him They stript Him of his Cloaths tied Him to a Pillar and cruelly scourged Him on his naked Back Oh Jesu I love and adore Thee whom these Wretches thus vilely abused I grieve for thy Injuries and am afflicted with thy Pain After this they platted a Crown of Thorns and forced it to make it sit fast upon his Head wounding and tearing thereby his Sacred Temples And then my Soul had I been there I might have seen his own Blood running down and disguising his Blessed Face Oh what a disguise of that Majesty and Meekness of that venerable sweetness that awfull Goodness which had always dwelt there They then found out some contemptible purple Garment and put it on Him and put a Reed in his Hand to imitate a Scepter and then mockt Him with bowing the Knee before Him and crying Hail King of the Jews And to show how little Honour or Reverence they intended Him in this they most disdainfully spit in his Face and buffeted Him about among them from one to another And without doubt he thought himself the wittiest of the Company who could devise the greatest Affront Thus was He injur'd and abus'd who came into this World on the kind design of saving lost Sinners Thus was the King of Glory the King not of the Jews only but of Heaven and Earth mockt and despised by the vilest of Men. When they had tired themselves with this Barbarous sport and how much rather Him They put his own Cloaths on Him again and led Him away to Crucifie Him And on Him they laid the heavy and ignominious Burden of his Cross and he must carry a long way the Instrument of his Shame and Death to the place of Execution But they had used him too ill before to leave him still able to carry so heavy a Load and after He had hardly carried it a little way He fell under it I see O Son of God in this thy fainting under the Cross a manifest proof that thou didst really take our Nature upon Thee with the innocent Infirmities of it And I cannot chuse but admire and praise so wondrous a Condescension of the Almighty for our sakes They who used Him so cruelly before I must needs imagine did not exercise any Compassion to Him upon this occasion I abhorr to think how inhumanely 't is probable they used Him now But they laid at last the burden upon other Shoulders for now their Malice was in haste to be rid of Him When He was come to the place of Crucifixion they stript Him of all his Cloaths and exposed the fresh Wounds which the rude Scourge had given Him to the cold Air. They laid Him upon his Cross and violently stretched out his Arms and then drove a great Nail through each Hand Thus fastening to the Transverse Beam of the Cross those blessed Hands which had been used in the working many a kind Miracle but had never done any harm and certainly deserv'd a better Usage Then they drove one or two great Nails through his Feet and fastened them to the Upright Beam of the Cross Those Feet which had carried Him diligently about upon his kind business in the World which was to seek and to save lost Sinners This being done they set the Cross upright that He might hang upon those Nails drove through those very sensible parts of his Body in exquisite Pain and Torture and exposed to the view and scorn of the Spectatours And many of these revil'd insulted over him and derided him here It would even wound a Heart that has any tenderness to think that any one should be used so cruelly And one could scarce forbear to feel some pity and trouble at seeing even the most odious Malefactour in such a condition But this was not a Malefactour my Soul but as thy Sins had made Him one This was the Innocent Jesus who had done no Iniquity neither was guile found in his Mouth This was thy Lover thy Saviour thy Friend that hung here and all this he endur'd for thee My Soul if thou hadst seen the Loving Jesus thus hanging upon these Nails and bleeding from his Head and from his Hands and from his Feet and heard his Enemies reviling Him there what Resentments would'st thou have felt Would not so sad an Object have made thy Tears keep pace at least with the drops of his most precious Blood Would it not have made thee also smite thy Breast as some of the Spectatours did Could'st thou see this and not feel those Wounds and sympathize with those Pains he endur'd When every Wound might be understood to say Sinner behold how I love thee All this I endure for thee How then should this Sacrament affect thee which is a lively Memorial of his Death What a deep sence of thy Saviour's Love and Sufferings should this create in thee When he is here as it were evidently set forth Crucified before thee I see here his pale wounded bloodless broken Body I see his Blood poured out and separated from it Canst thou see this and say my Love is Crucified and think thou seest Him crown'd with Thorns all over daub'd with Dirt and his Enemies filthy Spittle and his own Blood and not be fadly griev'd to think He was put to endure all this by His Love of thee Oh Crucified Jesus there was never Grief there was never Love like thine All this endur'd for me This commands and deserves Oh let it cause my great Grief for and my ardent Love to thee But all
to intercede for me as Priest in the Vertue of thy most valuable Sacrifice and to bestow upon me the large Blessings which thou hast purchased for Sinners I believe O Lord thou hast died for our Sins and art risen again for our Justification I desire thy Death may utterly crucifie and till all my Sins and that thy Resurrection may revive my Hopes By thy Resurrection I desire I hope for mine By thy Ascension into Heaven I desire thee to draw my Heart and Affections from this vain empty World to the hearty Love and earnest Desire of Heavenly Things And I hope thou wilt raise me up at the Last Day and bring me to be where thou art and give me an Everlasting Life I take this Sacrament as a Pledge of thy Everlasting Love as the Evidence of great Love already shown me and the Earnest and Assurance of yet greater Communications to come My Soul thirsts for God even for the Living God Oh when shall I come and appear before God! When shall I see thy Face O dearest Jesu without a Veil be kiss'd with the Kisses of thy Mouth enjoy thy self immediately When shall these short and faint Glimpses of thy Glory be exchang'd for a full abiding sight of thee When shall I have leave not onely to visit but to dwell with thee and to receive not transient Tasts but drink large Draughts of Delight and Joy from an Infinite Fountain of Bliss and Joy For in thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Oh how I long that this my weary Pilgrimage were done That I were absent from the Body that I might be present with the Lord That I might have no necessary diversion dearest Jesu from perpetual contemplating praising loving and enjoying thee For this however I do wait This I do through thy Merits and from thy Infinite Love expect and that Expectation shall encourage me to labour in thy Service to bear thy Cross and to follow thee whithersoever thou shalt call me SECT XVII An Exercise of Charity O Jesu thou art Infinite Love I cannot but with great delight and wonder Contemplate thee and when I do so I feel a pleasing Constraint upon me to Love I must account this a most excellent and divine Qualification which is so eminently in thee I must reckon it my greatest Honour to be conform'd to the Son of God and therefore I must utterly dislike and hate my self for any defect of Love I find in my self Besides When I think how much I am lov'd How much thy free and bounteous Love has given and how much it has forgiven to me I am forced to account my self basely and extreamly unworthy of this if I do not love much I will put on then the most extensive Charity that I can I will wish well and do good to all Men as far as I have power and as oft as I have opportunity to do it I will love my Neighbour as my self and account him my Neighbour who has any need of my kindness and to whom I have it in my power to do any Office of kindness whosoever he be Thou O Blessed Jesu hast lov'd the most unworthy Wretches I then will account none unworthy of my Love and Good-will Thou hast lov'd those that were infinitely below thee and hast mightily condescended to do them kindness I will never account it below me therefore to do an Office of Kindness to my meanest Neighbour but rather the greater the Condescension is in the doing it the more I will value the opportunity of showing therein the greater Likeness and Gratitude to thee Thou Lord hast lov'd those that are altogether unprofitable to thee and from whom thou canst never receive a parallel return of Love I will be asham'd then as I most justly may to bestow no Benefits but where I have receiv'd or expect to receive some Thou O Jesu hast lov'd even thine Enemies and pray'd for those that despitefully used and persecuted thee And this is a glorious Pattern which I intend by the Assistance of thy Grace to imitate As for all that have injur'd me by Word or Deed O Lord I forgive them and I pray thee to forgive them I am more sorry for their Errour and Sin than I am for any Loss and Damage which is come or may come to me by their Injury Lord have Mercy upon their Souls Forgive my Enemies Persecutours and Slanderers and turn their Hearts I desire no harm to any that are my Enemies if any be so Nor will I rejoice over them when they fall but rather grieve to see it much less will I ever seek their harm and mischief And I purpose on the contrary notwithstanding all their unkindness to do them all the good Offices which I can consistently with a due care of my own safety and with other Obligations and Duties to thee or to others of my Neighbours I purpose to study and seek to do them good To return Blessing for Cursing Respect for Contempt and Good for Evil That I may if it be possible overcome Evil with Good As it is the Character of Charity not to be forward to think Evil I will take care that no uncharitable Jealousies or Suspicions of my Neighbour may represent him my Enemy who is not so I will take care not to interpret a mistake into a malicious design or that which is intended as a kindness into an injury But will always endeavour to take all his Words and Actions in the best Sence and to put the best Interpretation upon them all that I can Especially will I do thus by the Magistrate as being bound to it by the Obligation to Reverence and Honour him as well as by the Laws of Charity and because it is necessary and usefull to the Publick Peace and Welfare and so is in its Effects a Charity to others of my Neighbours too I thank thee O Lord for all the kindness of my Friends and for those that have done me any good I pray thee O bounteous Love abundantly to requite them in this World and the next in Temporal and Eternal Blessings Continue or encrease their Store and Worldly Prosperity if it may be good for them and especially Bless them with Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Things I will endeavour as far as lies in my power in what I can do for their outward Estate or for their Souls always to express a most gratefull Sence of their kindness I will not despise the Love of the meanest person much rather will I thankfully resent the condescending Favours of those that are above me I make my humble Supplications to thee now O Lord at a good time for all Mankind I recommend to thy Infinite Mercy all Jews Turks and Infidels Oh let them that sit in Darkness see thy marvellous Light and be turned from the Power of Satan unto God That the Earth might be filled with Knowledge of the Lord as Waters cover the Sea
Let thy Gospel of Holiness Peace and Love O Jesu run and be glorified from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same With great Trouble and Concern O Lord I consider how much of the wretched World lies in Wickedness O how sad a Thought is it that such a Saviour should be offer'd to Men and so few receive Him How sad is it to think that so many Thousands of Souls for whom Christ died are likely to go down into the dismal Caves of Hell that so many who might be Eternally happy and praise thee for ever will destroy and throw themselves into Everlasting Misery Rivers of Waters run down mine Eyes because Men make void thy Law A Law so rich in Love and so condescending in Grace I am troubled O Lord because they do not love thee and because they will destroy themselves Because they affront and rebell against thy most obliging Goodness and neglect so great Salvation as it offers them Oh that I could save many precious Souls from their Destruction Oh that I could pluck them as Brands out of the Burning As far as I am able and as becomes me to do in my place and station I will endeavour to cure the Epidemical Wickedness of the Times I live in I will earnestly endeavour to keep those Souls that are under my Authority and Power and that are of my Neighbourhood and Acquaintance and whom I can have any influence over from going down to Everlasting Perdition I will follow all that I may with Advice and Counsel and those that I may not pretend to advise I will endeavour to entreat that they would be saved And those whom I ought to do this to I will reprove and correct for any Wickedness that I observe in them I will propagate as well as I can the saving Knowledge and the Love of thee among the Ignorant and Careless and those whom their Poverty hinders from providing for themselves By giving among them according to my Ability such means of their Instruction and Reformation as thy Favour has afforded the Publick I am greatly troubled and concern'd at the Miseries and Calamities which I hear of or see in the World That thy Creatures whom thou didst make that thou mightest love them and that they might be happy should pull upon themselves so much Misery from thy just Wrath and deserved Vengeance Oh how sad is it to think of Thousands of People going down alive into the Pit swallow'd up by sudden Earthquakes and in a moment snatch'd hence into Eternity without any time to prepare for their Departure How it grieves me to think of the sad Effects of Pining Famine in some places of Infectious and Pestilential Diseases in others It wounds my Soul to consider the wofull Calamities and Desolations that attend Horrid Wars Oh how deplorable a thing is it that Men should seek to spill the Blood of Men and give the Carkasses of their own Kind for a Prey to Birds and Wild Beasts Lord rebuke the proud Disturbers of the World abate their Pride asswage their Malice and confound their Devices Grant that Wars may cease in all Lands and gentle Love and happy Peace abound Prosper good Lord those that Endeavour for a just and safe Peace that they may attain it and scatter thou the People that delight in War Oh that thy Judgments which are abroad in Earth might make the Inhabitants of the World to learn Righteousness and turn themselves to thee who hast smitten them that thou mayest head them As a Member of thy Blessed Church I am particularly concern'd for the Tranquillity and Peace and the true Spiritual Glory and Prosperity of that O Lord purge out of thy Church what-ever does displease thee and is destructive to the Souls of Men. Purge out of it what-ever is an Offence to those without Possess all Christians with this That they are oblig'd to Endeavour that their Carriage may adorn and recommend their Religion in the sight of the Infidels and to take care their Light may so shine before Men that they seeing their Good Works may Glorifie their Father which is in Heaven Purge thy Church we pray thee from all false Doctrines and Heresies from Prophaneness and Persecution from Superstition and Cruelty from Envy Hatred Malice and all Uncharitableness Bring into the Way of Truth all such as have erred and are deceived Raise up them that are fallen confirm and strengthen those that stand in Piety and Vertue and Profession of the Truth Comfort those parts of thy Church that mourn and are oppress'd under a Barbarous Persecution And let thine own Right-hand and Holy Arm in thy due time give them a mighty Salvation O God of Love O Prince of Peace and God of Order we pray thee let thy Gospel abundantly promote these good things in thy Church Grant that there may be no hurting nor destroying in all thy Holy Mountain That all the Members of the Church as Members of the same Body and of one another may have a Cordial Affection to each other Carrying themselves with all lowliness and meekness to each other and with long-suffering forbearing one another in Love Grant that as there is but one Lord Jesus Christ whom we all pretend to Love and Reverence as there is but one true Faith one Baptism one God and Father of us all so we may all with one Mind and one Mouth glorifie thee our God Grant that every Member of the Church may so know and keep its preper place that there may be no Schism in the Body O Jesu King of Love fill with thy kind and gentle Spirit all Christian Kings Princes and Governours Let no proud Wrath no malicious Envy no greedy Covetousness no turbulent Ambition reign in any of them Grant that they all knowing whose Ministers they are may above all things seek thy Honour and Glory And that they may study to preserve the People committed to their Care in Wealth Peace and Godliness That they may truly and indifferently administer Justice to the Punishment of Wickedness and Vice and to the Maintenance of thy true Religion and Vertue Especially O Lord we intreat thee to regard with pecullar Favour thy Servants WILLIAM and MARY our most Gracious King and Queen Let thy Wisdom direct them in all their Administrations Thy Almighty Power promote their Good Designs that under them we may be Godly and Quietly Govern'd Let thy Bounteous Goodness shower upon them abundantly all Personal Blessings for their Bodies and for their Souls to their long Prosperity in this Life and their Everlasting Happiness in the next Since by their Wisdom and Care by their Love to Thee and Goodness to Us with thy Blessing upon their Endeavours we enjoy the happy Liberty of thy House and these thy Blessed Ordinances to the joy and comfort of our Souls we will never fail to remember them in all our Prayers and Supplications unto thee Pour down an Abundance of thy Spirit we pray thee
O Gracious Jesu upon all Bishops and Pastours of thy Church Replenish them all with right and sound Knowledge and a true Understanding of thy Word Oh let not their Hearts be govern'd or their Actions be guided by the Designs of Covetousness or Ambition But do thou possess and rule them by a great Zeal for thy Glory and for thy great Design the Salvation of Souls Grant that they may by their Holy Doctrine and Answerable Lives be mightily successfull in turning many to Righteousness and that they may save Themselves and many of those that are committed to their Charge Since my Goodness O Lord extends not to thee and thou art above the receiving of any Advantage by the best Returns that I can make for all thy Bounty to me It shall be my Charge and Care to requite thy kindness upon thy Servants to whom I may be profitable I will love them O Lord that love thee and do all the good I can to those especially that are of the Houshold of Faith I will gladly relieve the Necessities of thy Servants which are made known to me will Feed the Hungry Cloath the Naked Instruct the Ignorant Reduce the Wandering Visit the Sick and Imprisoned Comfort and Help the Weak-hearted and Vindicate and Assist the Fatherless and Widows in their Distress according as I have Opportunity and Power to do so And give me I beseech thee O loving Jesu a just and large Notion of the Houshold of Faith that I may not confine this my Charity within too narrow Bounds Let me be always afraid of restraining it within too narrow Limits never of extending it too far among Christians I love thee O Lord Jesus for making so sweet and pleasant a thing as Charity my Duty and do account even this an Instance of thy Charity to me If there be any other Exercise of this Divine Vertue O Lord which I have not thought of I desire Thee the great Fountain of Love to admonish me of it and always to dispose me to it Grant that in the pleasing Exercise of Love I may pass the time of my sojourning here in this Malicious Miserable World till I come at length to that Happy One where sincere abundant and unalterable Love and Joy and Glory dwell for ever SECT XVIII PRAYERS for Preparation I. O God of Love Father of all Mercies and Giver of every good and perfect Gift It is thy Command and I reckon it a kind and a just One That I should Celebrate this Sacrament in Remembrance of the Death and Sacrifice of thy dear Son our onely Saviour and Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ To make me Thankfull for his Love and for the Benefits of his Passion and Death and that I might be made a Partaker of those Incomparable Benefits Thou hast Commanded me in this way to renew my Covenant with Thee to declare my self thy Creature and Servant and bind my self to continue thy Faithfull Servant and to live as becomes one that had his Being from Thee O Lord I must acknowledge it is but too necessary for me to renew the Obligations which I am so apt to transgress I am therefore heartily willing I desire to strengthen the Bonds of Love that they may hold me the faster to my Duty I would never be exempted from the Yoke of thy Service Oh do not thou cast me out of it for the sake of Jesus Christ And I am willing to remember my dear Saviour's dying Love to be deeply Affected with it and therefore to use so lively a Representation of his Death as he has provided in this Sacrament I must indeed own my self Infinitely unworthy of so great Good but yet cannot chuse but be earnestly desirous O Lord to partake abundantly in the Merits and Benefits of my Saviour's Death There is nothing so dear to me as to have all mine Iniquities pardon'd to recover thy Favour To enjoy the excellent Graces of the Holy Spirit and be consecrated for a Sacred Temple to Him To receive Earnests and Pledges yea and Fore-tasts of my future Joy and Happiness All which are the matchless Blessings He has purchased for me and which Thou hast directed thy Church to seek and partake of in and by this Sacrament All this I humbly seek and crave through the Merits of Jesus Christ my Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory World without End Amen II. Almighty and most Mercifull God I bless Thee for this Sacrament and would come to it with a hungring and thirsting Soul But alas how shall I a poor mean Creature approach thy Majesty How shall I a guilty polluted Sinner dare to approach thy Purity and Holiness O Lord I am Infinitely unworthy to come so near Thee Yet it seems thou dost not regard my Unworthiness else Thou wouldest never have invited me Thou invitest poor sinfull Creatures in General to this Feast thy Guests can be none but such If all therefore that are unworthy to come should Absent themselves none of us would be there and thy vast and land Preparations would be in vain I come therefore most Gracious God in Obedience to thy Command and Invitation But I will come with the lowliest Reverence and Humility for thou hast regard unto the Lowly I will come as a returning Prodigal for Thou art willing to receive such I will come hoping in thy Infinite Mercy for there is Mercy with Thee through Jesus Christ My great Concern O Lord is that I may be in some good measure fit to approach Thee though I can never be worthy and that I may have and exercise those Qualifications in my attendance on Thee which are suitable to this Sacrament and which Thou requirest I have therefore earnestly endeavour'd to find or form those Qualifications in my self But alas O Lord I dare not trust to my own Examinations or Endeavours Do Thou the Heart-searching God examine and try me do Thou I pray Thee prepare me I fly to thy Grace and Blessed Influence Lord give me I pray what Thou requirest to be in me It is my great Encouragement to make this Request that I know I ask herein what Thou art willing to give Thou Lord art always more ready to Hear than we to Pray and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve Thou knowest I cannot have these Qualifications but from Thee Since therefore Thou hast commanded me to come possess'd with Them I am sure Thou art willing to give Them Thou art desirous we should come prepar'd and suitable Guests to this Heavenly Entertainment art desirous to see thy House fill'd with such Fill me then good Lord and many other Souls with those Graces which it becomes us to approach Thee with for the sake of Jesus Christ our Mediatour and Advocate Amen III. O Lord of Infinite Bounty and Power I humbly pray Thee give me a sincere and unfeigned Repentance for all my Sins Oh let the Remembrance of them
be grievous unto me the Burden of their Influence and Power intolerable Possess me with a hearty Shame and Sorrow for that I have so basely and unworthily affronted thy Infinite Majesty and put my kind Saviour to so much grief and suffering to save me Possess me with an earnest Hatred of what is so displeasing to Thee as my Sins justly are that I may earnestly and steadily endeavour to cast them from me Turn Thou my foolish Heart from the Love of all Sin to the Love of Thee Do Thou O Lord who best knowest all the dark Corners of my Heart discover to me every lurking secret Evil which I have not been able by my Examination to observe and let it now be brought forth and slain before Thee Increase in me O good Lord I humbly pray a lively Faith in thy Mercy through the Merits and Mediation of Jeus Christ Help me firmly to believe thy readiness to receive and pardon Sinners that repent and return to Thee To rely with all Assurance on the Sacrifice and Attonement of thy Son 's precious Death Raise in me the comfortable Hopes of all Mercy and Favour upon that sure Foundation and grant me to rejoice in Hopes of seeing thy Glory Oh that my Heart may be all on a Flame of Divine Love even a whole Burnt-offering when I remember and consider my Saviour's dying Love to Sinners Especially when I see him in this Sacrament as it were evidentiy set forth Crucified before Me When I see there his broken Body and his Blood poured out and consider that all this He suffer'd for Me. Oh let such a sight affect me as it ought to do beyond all Expression Oh let it transform me into Love Let it make such strong and lasting Impressions upon me that I may ever afterwards be under the sweet and mighty Influences of Love always be guided by the Laws and aiming at the Ends of Love Let Love and Thankfulness to Him greatly employ my Soul when I am at this Sacrament and be from thenceforth the great Concern and Business the very form and Character of my whole Life for ever And since my Love cannot redound to his Advantage make it to flow abundantly upon those that love Him Give me a free Heart and Hand and power to do much good to them According to my power I purpose to Exercise my Charity towards them and towards all Men in Thought Word and Deed at this Sacrament I pray that the Memorial of my dear Saviour's Love may effectually inspire me to do so And I purpose and desire and pray that Thou wilt be pleased to inable me to abound in Love and Good Works towards all Men through the whole Course of my Life Put I beseech Thee O Lord my Soul in all respects into such a posture as becomes the Remembrance of a Crucified Saviour that I may be well-pleasing and accepted with Thee That thou mayest delight over me to do me good That I may have Communion with Thee to the Joy and Comfort of my Soul to the Encrease of Spiritual Strength to the securing of my Perseverance in Holiness and Righteousness all my days All which I humbly ask in the Name of Jesus Christ and further crave whatever is comprehended in his most Absolute Form of Prayer saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. Amen SECT XIX Directions for a Devout Behaviour at the Communion THanks be to God we have so good provision made by our Church for the Administration of this Blessed Sacrament That any good Soul may receive it with great Devotion and Comfort who will but seriously attend to what is appointed to be said and done in that Administration as indeed many such Souls accustomed to it have found by very comfortable Experience Upon which account it were much to be desired and very advisable That those who are wont to attend this way but once in a Year when they enter into an Office would persuade themselves to come more frequently to it That they might do so with the more comfort and advantage to their Souls when that Occasion requires them to do it For the whole Business is so order'd that 't is very Apt and Fit to stir up in us the lively and vigorous Exercise of all those Graces which are required to Attend it So that the best Advice which can be given for our due and profitable Behaviour at the Holy Communion is this That the Communicant do very closely Attend to what is order'd to be said and done by Him that Ministers or by the Communicant Himself while they are upon this Duty But because the Communicants especially where the Number is great as I wish it were every-where will have some Spaces wherein they may employ themselves in some private Ejaculations and Devotions I shall not think it contrary to the proposed Brevity of this Book to afford them some such Devout Prayers and Ejaculations as they may use and I shall put them in their proper Places But these must be commonly very short that they may not be diverted from joining with the Publick Office To begin then where we usually begin this Administration When He that Ministers is reading those Sentences of Holy Scripture which are design'd to Exhort and Encourage the making our Offerings to Almighty God While you have your Offering in your Hand or when you have given it say O Lord of Heaven and Earth Maker and Owner of all Things All that I have and am is from Thee and all is Thine Thou dost give and Thou hast right to take and use what Thou pleasest of it I humbly present This according to my Ability as an Acknowledgment of thy right in me and in all that I have and of thy Bounty in giving it I present and I humbly intreat Thee to accept This as a Token and Pledge of the Dedication of my self and all that I have to serve and honour Thee Sprinkle me O Lord Jesus and this my Duty with thy precious Blood and obtain for me by thy Merits a great Encrease of all Spiritual Gifts and Graces to thy Glory and my Salvation Amen When the Offerings are all receiv'd and set upon the Altar He that Ministers proceeds to make Intercessions to God for the Whole State of Christ's Church Militant here on Earth In which it becomes every Devout Soul as a Living Member of that Church to join with him with very hearty Affections After this He proceeds to an Exhortation which is design'd to deterr all those from drawing near to this Holy Ordinance who are conscious to Themselves that they have been negligent to prepare for it and who live in any known Sin And then it goes on to Encourage those Humble Penitents and Faithfull Souls who have been carefull to prepare Themselves and to excite in them those Dispositions with which they ought to come It will be very proper for the Communicant while the Minister is reading this to join with Him and to turn
it into a Prayer thus O God that searchest the Hearts and triest the Reins of Men and who hast commanded us to come to the Holy Communion of the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ Thou knowest I have diligently Examin'd my self before I would presume to eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup and have endeavour'd that I might with a true penitent Heart and lively Faith receive this Holy Sacrament that so I may to my great Benefit and Consolation spiritually eat the Flesh of Christ herein and drink his Blood that I may be one with Christ and Christ with Me And that I might not receive the same unworthily nor which I dread to speak be guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ my Saviour and so eat and drink my own Damnation not considering the Lord's Body That I might not kindle thy Wrath against me but find favour in thy sight That I might not provoke Thee to plague me with Temporal Afflictions but obtain the continuance of such Comforts as I enjoy and the bestowing of such as Thou seest most convenient for me That I might not provoke Thee to cut me off by an untimely Death I have according to the direction of thy Apostle seriously judg'd my self Do not thou enter into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified I have repented my past Sins and do repent of them I have endeavour'd to be possest of a lively and stedfast Faith in Christ my Saviour Lord encrease my Faith I resolve to amend by the Assistance of thy Grace what-ever Evil I shall be convinced of in my Life And I heartily seek thy Favour upon this just and reasonable Condition of being in Charity with all Men. O Lord I forgive let me be forgiven And after all I most humbly pray Thee who alone canst do it to make me a meet partaker of these Holy Mysteries Above all I give most humble and hearty Thanks to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost for the Redemption of the World by the Death and Passion of our Saviour Christ both God and Man Who did humble Himself even to the Death upon the Cross for us miserable Sinners Who lay in Darkness and the shadow of Death that He might make us the Children of God and Exalt us to Everlasting Life I desire at this time with all Thankfulness to remember the Exceeding great Love of our Master and only Saviour in his thus Dying for us and the Innumerable Benefits which by his precious Blood-shedding He hath obtain'd to us I heartily give Him thanks too for that He hath further shown his Love to wretched Sinners in his Instituting and Ordaining Holy Mysteries for Pledges of his Love that we might have the move full Assurance of it and for a continual Remembrance of his Death to our Great and Endless Comfort To Him therefore with the Father and the Holy Ghost I gave as I am most bounden continual Thanks submitting my self wholly to his Holy will and Pleasure and purposing that I will study to serve Him in true Holiness and Righteousness all the Days of my Life Amen In the next place you are to join with the Minister with all Humility and true Godly Sorrow in a Confession of Sins and to receive by Him God's Absolution To the Sentences of Holy Scripture which He next recites to encourage our Faith and Hope in God it may be proper to make in your Hearts some such Answers as these To those Words of our Saviour Come unto me c. Answer Behold O Lord I come Jesus thou Son of David have Mercy upon me To those Words God so loved the World c. Answer O Father of Mercies have Mercy upon me and give me that Faith in thy Son that I may not Perish but have Everlasting Life To the Words of St. Paul This is a true Saying c. Answer Lord I believe the Truth of this and thankfully embrace so Important a Truth O Christ save me one of the chiefest of Sinners To the Words of St. John If any Man sin c. Answer Be Thou O Jesus the Righteous my Powerfull Advocate with the Father O Father accept of his Death as a Propitiation for my Sins To what the Minister says next you are to make the Answers directed and to join with Him in the Praises and Prayers following After that the Bread and Wine is by the Prayer of Consecration set apart to represent the Body and Blood of Christ and while the Ministers are receiving you must look upon the Elements with an Holy Awfull Reverence and sadly call to Mind the Scourging the Buffetings the Crown of Thorns the cruel Nails and Spear which wounded and bruised which tore and kill'd the Loving Jesus You may remember the more terrible Sufferings and sharp Agonies of his Soul which He endur'd especially when He made his Life an Offering for Sin And you should call to mind it was your Sins that gave Him all these Sufferings and Griefs that yet He endur'd them for your Advantage And He was Scourg'd that by His stripes you might be healed He shed His Blood to ransome you from Hell and Misery and died that He might obtain for you Everlasting Life and Happiness And while the rest of the Company are receiving if they are a good Number you will have leisure and may very profitably entertain your self with reading over the foregoing Exercises of Thankfull Remembrance Faith c. And in reading them you may Exercise those Graces as you ought to do If there will not be time to repeat them all you may do well to chuse some such a one or more of them as is most suitable to the present State and disposition of your Mind For the Devout Soul may be at one time more taken up in Admiration and Praise of the Dying Love of Jesus Christ At another time it may be especially possest with a deep Humiliation and Repentance at another time it may be elevated with the Hopes and Joys of Believing Or engag'd in making Earnest Resolutions of Love Obedience and Gratitude to the Great Redeemer Or in Exercises of Charity to the miserable and sinfull World And your Entertainment at this spare time may be chosen accordingly Only this must be advised in relation to this matter That you should make Observation of your self whether you do not too commonly fix your Meditations upon one and the same of these Exercises and so neglect the rest For this must not be allow'd But you must constrain your self if need be to use sometimes one and sometimes another of these that so you may at times Exercise every Grace and by the Exercise encrease in all When you go to Receive and see the Minister approaching with the Sacred Bread which represents the broken Body of our Lord look on it and say Behold my Soul the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World Worthy is the Lamb that
be so confirm'd by this renewal of them as that they may never be broken any more We renounce this wicked World our own corrupt Nature and thine Adversary the Devil We purpose not to suffer our selves to follow nor be led by them We will receive O Lord what Thou requirest us to believe And we devote our selves to keep and obey thy Holy Just and Good Commandments through the whole Course of our Lives To be always under the Influence and Power of Love to Thee and to our Neighbours To love Thee with all our Heart with all our Soul and with all our Might and our Neighbour as our selves O Father of Mercies graciously accept of our Repentance and return unto Thee Look upon the Death of thy Son and turn from us all thy Wrath Justifie us freely by thy Grace Pardon all our Sins upon the account of it take us into thy Service and grant that we may ever hereafter please Thee in Newness and Holiness of Life Jesus Thou Son of God have Mercy upon us O Christ hear us be Thou our Advocate with thy Father By thy Holy Nativity and Circumcision by thy Meritorious Cross and Passion by thy Precious Death and Burial by thy Glorious Resurrection and Ascension take us into thy Care and Protection Thou that hast done all these things for us have Mercy upon us O be Thou Jesus to us and save us from our Sins Give us according to thy promise to them that receive Thee the Glorious Priviledge to become the Sons of God We accept of Thee O Lord as a King to Rule us and will study to know and endeavour to Obey thy Commands We earnestly desire thy Teaching as our Great Prophet and will receive and comply with thy Divine Instructions however contrary they are to the corrupt Byass of our Nature and our Love of this World Lord we purpose to conform our selves to them by the Direction of thy Excellent Example and not to be conformed to this World And we will always acknowledge our utter unworthiness of the least Good and place all our Hopes in thy Merits and Intercession as our Great High Priest O let us find by the good success of all our Humble Addresses that Thou hast Compassion on our Miseries and dost ever live to make Intercession for us But alas we have promised and resolv'd more than we are able to perform without the Influence and Assistance of thy Good Spirit We therefore Address our selves to Thee O Blessed Spirit Come down we beseech Thee into our Hearts replenish us abundantly with thy Grace let us become thy Sacred Consecrated Temples and do thou evermore dwell in us Banish and purge out of us for ever all that is contrary and displeasing to Thee Teach us that denying all ungodliness and worldly Lusts we may live soberly and righteously and godly in this present World Write thy Law in our Hearts that we may never depart from it Increase and maintain our Faith Increase and continue our Love Cherish all Grace in us and cause us to persevere in Holiness and Vertue and Well-doing to the End of our Lives Keep us in the Knowledge and Love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. We purpose O Holy Spirit duly to wait for thy Blessed saving Influences in a diligent attendance on thy Sacred Ordinances the Word and Sacraments Oh let us be always in due fitness to attend them when the happy Opportunities of doing so are afforded us and let them be always blest to us and be effectual to promote our Sanctification and Salvation Insert this when this Prayer is used in the Morning We give Thanks to the God of all Mercies for the safe Protection the quiet and comfortable Rest of the last Night We devote this Day and all our Lives to thy Service in the Duties which Thou givest us to do Assist us mercifully O Lord in all and Accept us in Jesus Christ Insert this when this Prayer is used at Night Enlighten our dark Souls we beseech Thee O Lord with all the Knowledge that is necessary to our Salvation Fill us with Devout Affections and let thy Love always possess and rule us Be Thou we pray our Protection this Night from all the Perils and Dangers of it May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Love of God the Father and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with us all henceforth for evermore Amen Our Father which c. FINIS Books printed for B. Aylmer SIX Sermons One of Stedfastness in Religion Two of Family Religion Three of the Education of Children and One of the Advantages of an Early Piety A Perswasive to Frequent Communion in the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper In Octavo Price 3 d. Both by his Grace John late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury The Four Last Things viz. Death Judgment Heaven and Hell Practically Consider'd and Apply'd in several Discourses By William Bates D. D. Recommended as proper to be given at Funerals Books Publisht by the Author of this Reform'd Devotions in Meditations Hymns and Petitions for Every day in the Week and every Holy-day in the Year The Excellent Woman describ'd by her True Characters and their Opposites being part of a Translation out of French Family Devotions for Sunday-Evenings throughout the Year being Practical Discourses with Suitable Prayers Vol. I. II. containing each Thirteen Sermons The other Two intended to make a Sett for the whole Year are almost finisht and design'd to be committed to the Press soon after Christmass to be Publisht together Printed for John Wyat at the Rose in St. Paul's Church-Yard
does not this oblige thee to take the utmost care that thou Sin no more Know he that has had much forgiven him should love much and Love will not let thee do any thing willingly that is so displeasing and hatefull to the Kind and Holy Jesus as the least Sin would be Consider Thy Sins were pardon'd to oblige thee to forsake them for ever and this does greatly oblige thee to it It were horrid and monstrous Ingratitude then if the Pardon of what is past should encourage thee to begin a new score Oh abhorr the Thoughts of this and reckon thou art oblig'd to live with great Care of thy self to take great Heed to thy Ways to shun even the Appearances of Evil to abhorr and avoid as much as thou canst all Temptations to Wickedness Consider my Soul the Holy Spirit is come to dwell with Thee to Consecrate Thee to be a Sacred Temple to Himself Oh Divine Guest Oh how great is thy Honour and thy Happiness Wilt thou not let Him know that thou dost account it both Wilt thou not study to be easie to such a Guest To show him the greatest respects Know then that he must Rule in thy Heart He must be not in Complement only but in Reality Master of the House He is Honourable enough surely to have such Respect done Him And it will be thy Advantage to give it Him He will order all things better there than ever thou could'st do without Him And thou must take care that thou never admit thy Lusts or vile Affections again He will not dwell with such vile Company If thou would'st retain the Happiness of his Presence they must be for ever banish'd from thy Soul And sure it should be very easie for thee to see 't is not fit that they should be allow'd so much as a Competition with Him Consider too how it becomes a Soul to live that is design'd an Inhabitant of Heaven that is already made free of the New Jerusalem which is above Should you not now conform your Manners to that bright Company Should you not consider what a kind of Life they liv'd when they were here on Earth and set your self to follow Them as they were Followers of Jesus The Vertues which were so eminent in their Lives must also shine in yours They were not many of them Emperours and Kings and Queens on Earth because that Fortune shall I say or rather that Burden falls to the shares of but few among Mankind Neither were they it may be many of them vastly rich and more than they needed to be But which is better and of more Advantage to themselves than either of these They were poor in Spirit They were humble and meek They were temperate and sober They were very good and mercifull All their Zeal and Concern was to Advance the Glory of God These are the steps thou must tread in This the Way thou must follow to follow them to Bliss Thou canst not come to their End in any contrary Way Thou must not be conform'd to this World but be transformed by the Renewing of thy Mind Thou must not eagerly hunt after the Pleasures the Wealth and the Preferments of this World It would become thee to be ever very Indifferent towards them as having already tasted and enjoy'd far better Things than they What is capable to afford thee incomparably more pleasure and satisfaction And especially would this become thee as being entitled to far better things To more durable and usefull Riches more solid and lasting Pleasures and to far higher Dignities and Preferments These thy Saviour and Friend has given thee Pledges and Assurances of at this Sacrament and these He will bestow at the Last Day to those that Love and Fear Him For thou mayest expect that this Jesus whose humble Sufferings and Death thou hast now Commemorated will come again in Glory with the Hosts of Glorious Angels attending Him to Judge both the Quick and the Dead He will come to take Vengeance in Flames of Fire on them that Obey not his Gospel And will come to reward all his faithfull Servants to be glorified and admired for his Bounty and Rewards to all them that Believe Oh consider well my Soul that Awfull Certain Day And such as thou would'st then be found endeavour now to be If this Life be diligently employ'd in thy Master's Work the performance of those Duties which belong to thy Station and Calling and Relations He will then say to thee Well done good and faithfull Servant enter thou into thy Master's joy It will be more to thy advantage then to have denied thy self now for thy Master's Honour and Service than to have indulg'd and pleas'd thy self in all things It will be of greatest advantage to thee then to be found to have been Sober and Temperate and Good and Righteous and Religious When all the Honours and all the Favour and Applause of that Day will be given to such And no other Differences among Men shall be regarded but their Differences in these things Be sure my Soul it will not then repent thee what-ever it does now cost to gain the Rewards and Honour of that Day Resolve firmly then for a Good and Holy Life Be never a-weary of Well-doing for there is an Everlasting Rest which shall receive thee at the End of it and the time before thou wilt reach it is but short Be not discouraged by any Difficulties thou mayest meet with If thou wilt boldly strive thou shalt overcome them all through Christ strengthening thee To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost One Ever-blessed God be all Honour and Glory World without End Amen SECT XXI PRAYERS for a Suitable Conversation I. OGod the Strength of all them that put their Trust in Thee Mercifully accept my Prayers and because through the Weakness of our Mortal Nature we can do no good Thing without Thee grant me the Help of thy Grace that in keeping thy Commandments I may please Thee both in Will and Deed through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen II. OLord the Fountain of all Power and Might grant I beseech Thee to me thy Servant Grace to withstand the Temptations of the World the Flesh and the Devil And with a pure Heart and Mind to follow and serve Thee the Onely true and living God And let me be accepted with Thee in all my Service through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen III. OAlmighty God who alone canst Order the unruly Wills and Affections of sinfull Men Grant unto me thy Servant that I may love the Things which Thou Commandest and desire those Glorious Things which Thou dost promise That so among the sundry and manifold Changes of this World my Heart may surely there be fixed where true Joys are to be found through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen IV. LOrd of all Power and Might who art the Authour and Giver of all Good Things Graft in my Heart the Love of thy Name Encrease in me true Religion
Nourish me in all Goodness and of thy Great Mercy keep me in the same through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen V. O Lord who hast taught us that all our Doings without Charity are nothing worth Send thy Holy Spirit I beseech Thee and pour into my Heart that most Excellent Gift of Charity the very Bond of Peace and of all Vertues without which whosoever liveth is Dead before Thee Grant this for thy Onely Son Jesus Christ's sake Amen VI. ALmighty God who hast given thy Onely Son to be unto us both a Sacrifice for Sin and also an Example of Godly Life Give me Grace that I may always most Thankfully accept that his Inestimable Benefit and also daily endeavour my self to follow the Blessed Steps of his most Holy Life through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen VII GRant I beseech Thee Almighty God that like as I do believe thy Onely-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have Ascended into the Heavens so I may also in Heart and Mind thither ascend and with Him continually dwell who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost One God World without End Amen VIII MAy the Peace of God which passeth all Understanding keep my Heart and Mind in the Knowledge and Love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord And the Blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be upon me and remain with me always Amen IX GLory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the Beginning is now and ever shall be World without End Amen SECT XXII A PRAYER of Recollection THIS contains the Sum of this Book and is made fit to be used after the reading any parts of it in the Family or Closet O Most Great and Glorious God! Lord of Heaven and Earth Infinite in Majesty and Glory and in thy Greatness unsearchable All things that are do derive from Thee the Fountain of Beings all their Excellency and all their Power Thou art worthy of the greatest Reverence from the Highest Angels worthy of our Godly Fear and most Awfull Adorations art Exalted in thy Greatness above all our Blessing and Praise And as thy Greatness is Infinite so is also thy Goodness which Thou hast exercised in a manner suitable to thy Excellent Greatness For Thou art in all things like thy self and there is none besides Thee like unto Thee In wondrous Wisdom and Goodness hast Thou made the World bounteously communicating Being and Happiness among thy Creatures But thy Goodness has peculiarly shown it self in thy dealing with Mankind and appear'd in amazing Glories It appears within us and in all things that are round about us Thou hast made Man a Noble Creature little lower than the Angels Thou didst Endow Him with thy Glorious Image in Righteousness and true Holiness Thou Crowned'st Him with Honour and Dignity giving Him Dominion over the Works of thy Hands Thou hast built this Beautious World for his Habitation and plentifully furnish'd it with all things necessary and delightfull to Him All our Sences present us with many Instances of thy Goodness to us the Earth is full of it Day unto Day uttereth Speech and Night unto Night sheweth the Knowledge of This. We cannot without the greatest and the most wilfull Blindness fail to see it nor without the most unworthy and disingenuous Ingratitude forget or neglect to Acknowledge it But this O Lord is that which we must with Shame and Self-abhorrence accuse our selves of All thy Goodness and the Obligations of it were soon forgotten by our First Parents and they rebell'd against Thee And we are their true and vile Off-spring going astray from the Womb living in Enmity against Thee and despising thy Commandments All the Wickedness of the World and the Affronts Thou hast receiv'd from it Thou didst foresee and yet of thy great Patience and Forbearance didst spare our First Parents and permit Them to propagate their base and corrupt Nature And this gives us occasion O Lord to reflect upon the greatest and most glorious Exercise of thy Goodness to Mankind When we were all guilty before Thee and Obnoxious to thy Eternal Wrath And thy Honour and thy Justice did require our utter Rejection and Perdition Yet even then did thy Wisdom and Goodness contrive and afford us a Way and Means of Salvation And thy Infinite Greatness though so exceedingly Affronted did condescend to a Concern to save us And a way was found out suitable to thy Greatness and our Necessity Even then did God the Father so love the World that He gave his Onely-begotten Son that whosoever Believes in Him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life And then did God the Son in his Infinite Compassion to Mankind offer Himself to be our Mediatour And He undertook to purchase for us the Divine Favour which we had lost at the Cost of his own Abasement in taking our Nature and of dying a Sacrifice for the Sins of Men. Oh how unwearied Lord has thy Kindness and Mercy been towards us And how odious and detestable are all our Transgressions against Thee When we consider Thee O Lord and the Obligations which Thou hast laid upon us we are even confounded to think of the exceeding Vileness and Enormity of our Sins We are therefore forced O Lord to abhorr our selves We humble we abase our selves before Thee We acknowledge thy greatest Displeasure against us to be Just and Righteous and must own that we have deserv'd Thou should'st throw us into the Everlasting Fire which is prepar'd for the Devil and his Angels But Blessed be thy Name there is Mercy with Thee and Thou art through the Undertaking of our Blessed Mediatour a God forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin We praise Thee we magnifie Thee O Lord for thine Inestimable Love in the Redemption of the World by our Lord Jesus Christ Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost for this wonderfull Favour and Relief in our low and desperate Condition Encouraged O Father by the Sacrifice of thy Son and relying upon the Merits of it we return unto Thee We desire to return to our Duty We gladly and thankfully accept of the new Offers of Grace and Favour with Thee which Thou art pleased to make us We submit to the gentle and easie Terms thou requirest of us and we humbly seek thy Favour upon those Conditions We were O Lord by the kind Dispensation of thy Providence in our early Infancy dedicated to Thee and engag'd in that Happy Covenant which Thou affordest us as the Way of our Salvation But we must with shame confess that we have broken this Covenant and liv'd in too great Neglect of it and have added to the other Heinousness and Wickedness of our vile Sins the great Guilt of breaking our Vows and Promises to Thee As sensible of our unworthy Behaviour again O Lord we desire to renew those Bonds and we earnestly desire they may