Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A41899
|
The Great feast of the gospel-passover, or, The commemoration of the sufferings of Christ celebrated in his Last Supper a poem.
|
|
1694
(1694)
|
Wing G1692A; ESTC R26751
|
14,168
|
33
|
THE Great Feast OF THE Gospel-Passover OR The Commemoration of the Sufferings of Christ Celebrated in his last Supper Matth. 26. chap. V. 26. And as they were eating Jesus took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the Disciples and said Take eat this is my Body V. 27. And he took the Cup and gave Thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it V. 28. For this is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of Sins Christ's Flesh and Blood they feed on who Believe And he to them Eternal Life doth give Christ dy'd to save from Death his Turtle Dove She offers up her self to him in Love John 6.40 54 63. Cant. 7.10 Rom. 12.1 A POEM Licensed and Entered according to Order LONDON Printed for the Author by James Astwood and Sold by Peter Parker at the Legg and Star and John Salusbury at the Rising Sun both in Cornhill John Lawrence at the Angel and John Harris at the Harrow both in the Poultrey 1694. The Introduction THe Supper of the Lord Commemorates The quintessence of all our Gospel Cates Christs Institution makes each element Transcendent excellencies represent In this great Mist'ry lively is held forth A blessing of inestimable worth The apple of the Tree of life is here For God himself is a Believers cheer The banner of free Grace is here display'd And glorious'ly into the heart convey'd To Faiths sharp-sighted eye Christ doth appear I' th' oriency of his beauty here And so his golden lines of Love imparts Vnto the centre of Believers bearts The Word doth Trumpet-like proclaim his grace This like a Glass doth represent his face The things we see far more impression leave Vpon our heart than those the ear receive A Solemn spectacle of Death invites That heart to mourn which an Oration sleights Even so Christs Death thus represented more Affects our Souls than preaching on 't before Thus Christ doth both the soul and senses feast Of every Self-examin'd longing guest Christ feasts his Saints with sacred wine and bread His body broken and his life-blood shed Christs broken body to a broken heart The onely healing med'cine doth impart Christs mourning is become our Song of mirth Which gives our dying hopes a Second birth Christ by his stripes our wounded Spirits heals And his free Grace with his own Signet Seals Thus Christ to strengthen our weak faith conjoyns His Sanctifying Word with sealing signs When we sit at his Table the sweet smell Of his rich Grace doth Spikenard far excell Here Christ transfigured before our eyes Gives us a glimpse o' th' heave'nly Paradise Now we should mount upon Seraphick wings To meet this Prince of glory King of Kings Whose mouth an olive-branch of Peace doth bring Whose kisses make the Soul with joy to sing Christ in those pleasant Galleries resides Wherein the sweet perfume of Grace abides Let 's on those golden hours high value set When we do at free Grace's Table eat For Christ himself is present as a Guest And is both the Feast-maker and the Feast Who put off God with empty shews alone He only will to them by Signs be known Who but to Him the skin of duty give The Shell of Comfort only shall receive But God his grace and glory will impart To those who serve him with a perfect heart THE GREAT FEAST OF THE Gospel-Passover OR The Commemoration of the Sufferings of Christ celebrated in his last Supper Mat. 26.26 27 28. ALL Gospel Institutions appertain Of Right to Christ who o're his Church doth reign It is a flower of his Crown and He On all Usurpers will avenged be Christ to the Deed of Grace subscribes his Name Appoints the Seal that ratifies the same Christ is the founder of this Ordinance Which doth its worth and lustre much advance The King of Kings this royal Banquet makes Whereof each Subject high and low partakes This Feast Christ after Supper celebrates Which shews it chiefly to the Soul relates 'T is not t' indulge the Senses but to feast The Graces that their strength might be increas'd Christ seeing fear and danger near at hand Now arms his Saints that they may these withstand This Antidote will soon expell their fear This Cordial will their Fainting Spirits cheer As Christ set Bread so God set Him appart For Mans Redemption to rejoyce his heart Christ separates and Sanctifies the bread So All should be that would therewith be fed He therefore chose this very Element ' Cause Bread * 1 Kings 7.48 Gen. 14.18 1 Kings 19.6 did formerly him represent Musick and Colours please the Eye and Ear But bread gives life 't is that the heart doth cheer As bread doth to the Soul subsistence give So he that eateth Christ by him shall live As bread new strength †1 Kings 19.8 transmits into the heart So Christ doth by this bread more Grace impart Christ both the Soul and Senses satisfies He 's bread to th' heart and beauty to the eyes This bread it will supply of strength extend 'Till we again the mount of God ascend Christ sanctifies the Elements so they His crucifixion to the life pourtray And thus the secret openly imparts How he conveys Himself into our hearts The Signs through his effectual blessing Seal Those priviledges which He doth reveal If He gave thanks who was to shed his blood Then how should we who drink it for our good This box of oyntment broke ill Scents consumes And fills both Heav'n and Earth with its perfumes Christ to his Church in truth might say I see A bloody Spouse * Exod. 4.25 thou hast been unto me Water on red-hot Iron pour'd makes fire Although the Iron suffers not expire Christs humane Nature suffering the divine Did then triumphantly in glory shine His birth is like unto the rising Sun His death is like him when his race is run When as the humane nature was to dye Then the Divine did Justice satisfie Christs Godhead Majesty and power gave Unto his sufferings so our Souls they save Christ is our Altar Priest and Sacrifice As man God-man †Mat. 23.19 and God Gods Lamb thus dyes Thus Christ our Passeover for us was slain At this great feast let pure affections raign Christs lingring shamefull cursed Death was Smart The arrow of Gods wrath did pierce his heart His pains were equal to the pains of Hell Which in this ‖ 1 Pet. 2.21 to 24. Tragedy are acted well Well might the lamp of Heav'n withdraw his light And mask it self with darkness black as night As blushing to behold the glorious Sun Of Righteousness this gloomy course to run Upon this King Eternal Life depends This Spring to drooping Souls refreshing lends This Death-bed Cordial fainting Spirits chears This Antidote expells all servile fears With Christ there were two pair of Thieves that dy'd For Sin and Satan too were crucifi'd Christ also took the Cup which shews
Name advance And which promotes our Everlasting good Beholds Christs Love come Streaming through his blood Who by the eye of Faith behold his Grace With glorified Eyes shall see his Face (e) Heb. 11.27 By eating Adam dy'd by It we live Feed on the Bread of God which Life doth give Here Christs Divine and Humane Nature are Both dished out here is delicious Fare From him all kind of Vertues freely flow To him for Grace and Peace and Comfort go The hand of Faith Christs Merit doth receive Which Justifies each Soul that doth believe This Ring retains the Stone that stancheth blood This vein draws juice from Christ our heav'nly food ‖ Eph. 3.19 2 Pet. 1.9 That Christ would feed and cloath her Faith desires This humble Grace but to this pitch aspires (b) 1 Pet. 1.9 False Faith will break though Gloriously it show By Persecutions hammer at a blow Like Jonahs gourd sprung up before the day By Persecutions blast Consumes away (c) Mark 4.3 c. False Faith is fancies fruit true Faith 's a flow'r Produced by the Spirits mighty Pow'r True Faith is an outlandish Plant from Heav'n Extracted bought with blood by Grace 't is giv'n Our heart-deep Groans and Pangs will make us mourn Before this sacred Infant can be born (d) Act. 2.37 The Hipocrite loves those that praise him much Not those who bring his Faith to Scripture-touch Good David Prayes that God himself would try His heart and reins this shews Integrity (e) Psal 26.2 An Hipocrite will sell his Faith for wealth For he hath none but what he got by Stealth A Saint will not his shield of Faith exchange For a Crown of Gold though some may think it strange An Hipocrite would Christ for Surety take Not of himself to Him surrender make True Faith's impartial Christ 't will wholly own Rely on hearken to serve him alone Christ saith I with my body thee endow The Soul saith I alone to thee will bow The Hipocrite is nothing else but Creed He no Commandement doth purely heed (a) Jer. 3.4 5. Can health consist with Vitals perished Or Faith be true while men in Sin are dead True Faith the mistery of Faith doth hold In a good Conscience this makes Christians bold (b) 1 Tim. 3.9 The Woman who toucht Christ by Faith she felt Such Virtue as her stony heart did melt (c) Mark 5.33 34. Although true Faith of Sin leave some remains Yet she of it a mighty Conquest gains The Fatling is the Hipocrites repast He in a Promise can no sweetness tast Yet is the Word when Faith doth set it home More rich than Wine more Sweet than (d) Psal 19.20 Cant. 1.2 th' Hony-comb Some thought their Faith a living Child i th' bed But looking found it a strange Infant dead Avoid Presumption Cherish faith tha't 's good Which doth concoct Christs precious flesh and blood The blood of Christ like Aqua vitae doth Its Vertue lose put in a dead-mans mouth Purge out th' old leaven Malice which will sowre The Ordinance and make it lose its Pow'r (a) 1 Cor. 5.7 Though bitter tears become a welcome Guest Let bitter Spirits keep from this Love-feast Christs blood between the Lord and us makes Peace And should make strife among the Saints to cease Should they who make the flesh of Christ their cheer With rage the flesh of one another tear Who comes with hatred to this Table He Will both a Murderer and Traytor be He like a Judas will his Lord betray And like to Cain will his own Brother slay (b) 1 Joh. 3.15 It thou to Poys'nous malice do'st enure Thy heart think not this Cordial should thee cure They know not God the Gospel or true Grace That by this Sin Religion do deface (c) 1 Joh. 4.19 Eph. 6.15 Jam. 3.17 Should Saints divide when devils do unite Could Love once cement us we storms should slight It great reproach upon the head doth cast When members one anothers honour blast The fire of rash Contention Lord remove And kindle in our hearts the fire of Love As every Creature so each Ordinance Pray'r Sanctifies and doth Gods Name advance Thus as the Elements convert to food Our Souls shall reap a Spiritual good For Heav'n the Dove of pray'r put on the wing And it the Olive branch of Peace will bring We should Gods presence and assistance crave That by this Ord'nance he may glory have That it may feast our Graces and to all Our flestly Lusts become a Funeral Pray it may be a Sign Seal Instrument To Teach Confirm and yield Soul-nourishment For these send pray'r as Harbinger before Both to bespeak and open us the door The Tree of blessing shook by Pray'r recruits The fainting Spirits with her Cordial fruits The Lord will not his Mercies cast away On those who seek them not nor for them pray With Sighs and groans let 's wrestle with the Lord The Lukewarm Suitor is by him abhorr'd (a) Gen. 32.24 Rom. 8.26 Jude 20. Speak in the Language which God understands Who in the Spirit prays his God commands (b) Eph. 6.18 Isa 45.11 Jam. 1.5 to 8. Prayer to walk in is a Golden path As a crutch to lean on it no Power hath In our best Garments God can holes espy Our Righteousness as filthy rags descry In preparation mercy hope to find Deny thy Self when thou do'st Justice mind (c) Luke 17.15 Isa 64.6 Our Services not purged by Christs blood Do carry Evil in them but no Good Use means in Christ your Confidence still place For your acceptance at the Throne of Grace Be like the Dove which us'd her wings to fly But on the Ark for Safety did rely Thus qualifi'd Gods Love shall us Surround We with his fullness shall be fill'd and Crown'd (a) Eph. 3.19 Come hungring thirsty Soul Christ calls on thee To Sup with him fear not his Grace is free †Rev. 3.20 Mark 2.4 5. Christ of our Sins and sickness felt the smart His precious Blood will cleanse thy leprous heart (b) 1 Tim. 1.15 Isa 53.4 Luk. 14.21 Lev. 14.7 Presumtuous Sin which doth Gods grace abuse Opens the mouth of Conscience to accuse And stops the Spirits mouth which should speak peace Yet to Sue out thy Pardon do not cease (c) 1 King 11.9 But on Christs blood thy Anchor-hold rely Which cleanseth Sin though of a Crimson dye Noah was drunk though Saved from the flood And David stain'd his Soul and Robe with blood That Fountain still is open to wash in Which cleansed them and it can cleanse thy Sin (d) Zach. 12.1 Peter denyes his Master others fled Christ of his Resurrection from the dead Sends them the joyful News and passeth by Their failings knowing their Infirmity (e) Math. 26.56 69 to 75. Of his Ascension also lets them know Uniting joys above with those below (f) Joh. 20.17 Mark 16.7 The