not sustained your fury ye had delivered me over to Everlasting Burnings I do abhor and detest ye all how dear soever you have been to me the sight of my bleeding Saviour hath stirred up my indignation against you and I will revenge his blood upon you by sacrificing you all at this Altar How can my Eyes but drop down tears of Contrition when they behold thee pouring forth Rivers of thy Blood but while I grieve to see thy bleeding wounds I must not forget for whom thou didst sustain them thy Blood was shed for me because my life was forfeited why art thou then so cast down O my Soul wilt thou dishonour that price by thy doubts and fears which God hath accepted for all the World cannot that Sacrifice which appeaseth the divine wrath satisfie thy Faith Be not afraid only believe and be assured he will not cast away those whom he hath bought at so dear a rate for thee it was shed for thee it is prepared open thy mouth wide and he will fill it §. 12. Preserve thy Body and Soul unto Everlasting Life An Act of Supplication O Lord I tremble at the apprehension of all those Evils that stand between me and thy glory behold the Grave gapeth for my Body the Infernal Pit threatens to swallow my Soul and Satan is ready were he permitted every moment to devour me wherefore I beseech thee sprinkle me with thy all-saving blood that the destroying Angel may pass over me let me drink of this Cup of Life and so shall my Body be free from Corruption and my Soul from Condemnation Death shall be defeated the Grave dismantled and Satan disappointed Let me drink of thy precious Blood that I may receive thereby abundance of thy Spirit so shall my Body be hallowed into a sacred Temple and my Soul shall be replenished with such Graces that I can never perish Sweetest Jesus how desireable are thy Provisions oh let us not always languish without them but pitty our dry and parched Souls and water them we intreat thee with these living streams for behold we thirst and long with a mighty Passion to drink of this Fountain of Life that we may not faint in our journey to those Rivers of pleasures which are at thy right hand Oh give us this divine Cordial at present and make it to us a Preservative for Body and Soul to everlasting life Amen A Meditation in the receiving of the Cup. §. 13. Drink this in remembrance that Christs blood was shed for thee An Act of Commemoration How chearing is this Cup to me Blessed Jesus which was so dreadful unto thee it was thy Agonies and thy Wounds which afforded me this Wine of Joy Thou didst find how bitter it was when thou wert appeasing an offended God but I tast how sweet it is now that thou hast made him a tender and reconciled Father I receive this Cup O my Saviour as a new plâ—dge of thy dearest love for from those pits whence these Rivulets did flow I can discern thy heart bleeding in pity to my misery and sick of Love And since thou dost here give me a right to that great expiation which thou hast made I do most humbly commemorate the same before the Father of Heaven as the full satisfaction for my innumerable debts and I will remember the dolours of thy Cross with a brisker sense than ever because thou hast made me drink of thy blood and given me thy Soul thy Life and thy Spirit so that now I will live no more but thou shalt live in me because we have mingled Souls and thou hast joined me to thy self by the Communications of thy Spirit O let nothing separate that which thou hast so graciously joined together A Meditation after the receiving of the Cup. §. 14. And be thankful An Act of Thankfulness and Resolution Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy name for now I find the Mercy and the Peace the Comfort and the Grace which flows from the Death of Christ let all the World know what he hath done for my Soul he hath rescued me and many of my poor Brethren round about me from the nethermost Hell wherefore I will love thee holy Jesus more than I can express and I will love them for thy sake And since thou hast given thy self thy merits and graces to me and sealed a New Covenant with me in thy own blood I do here bind my self by this sacred Cup to be sincerely thine m Mos est regibus quoties in societatem coeant implicare dextras pollicesque inter se vincire Mâ—x levi ictu cruorem eliciunt atque invicem lambunt id foedus arcanum habetur quasi mutuo cruore sancitum Tacit. Annal. lib. 12. I will spend my time and strength in thy service yea and Sacrifice my blood to bear witness to thy truth if ever thou callest me thereunto I will never betray nor forsake thee but live and die with thee for I have sworn and am stedfastly purposed to keep thy righteous judgments Oh let me never unhallow that body nor defile that Soul in which the Lord Jesus delights to dwell let no Oaths or lying prophane those lips no Obscenity or Intemperance pollute that mouth by which those holy Symbols have passed And methinks I feel new desires and new hopes my nature seems râ—newed my blood refined my Soul full of holy vigour blessed be thy name for it let thy mercy keep me in this happy temper till I have accomplished all my resolutions Amen § 15. By these and such like contemplations you must keep your minds imployed all the time that the Heavenly Banquet doth continue and if the Congregation be numerous and there be further opportunity the devout Soul will easily find more fuel to nourish these flames viz. by considering the necessities of all Mankind the Calamities of the Church the Miseries of the Sick the wants of the Poor the condition of our Relations Friends and Acquaintance and recommending them all with an effectual Charity to Almighty God through Christ Jesus As also by lamenting its own unworthiness and indispositions by recollecting all its present wants both spiritual and temporal by surveying the difficulties and dangers of that pious course now undertaken and by calling upon the Father of Mercies for grace and relief for courage and strength for support and protection in order to each of these So likewise by doing Acts of mental Charity to be put in Execution afterwards viz. Resolving for the sake of Jesus to forgive and do good to our Enemies to reprove Sinners instruct the ignorant help those that are in need And finally by contemplating of the wisdom and advantage of a holy Life the comfort and peace of a happy Death the joys and felicities of the life of Glory with the pleasures of those Souls that behold Jesus face to face these and many more which the good Spirit will offer we must improve
Hebr. 10.14 It was the part of Jesus to offer up that most meritorious Sacrifice once upon the Cross d Offerimus quidem sed recordationem facientes mortis ejus una est haec hostia non multae quia semel oblata in Sancto Sanctorum hoc autem sacrificium exemplar illius est Ambr. Com. in 10. ad Heb. but it is our duty to keep a perpetual memorial of that most valuable and never to be forgotten propitiation For thereby alone and not by the merits or Prayers of Saints or Angels our Salvation was obtained Now if the pardon of our sins and the purchasing Heaven for us who were Heirs of Hell be the greatest mercies consider with what devout affections we should celebrate the memorial of that which was the price thereof How far did the deliverance of Israel from Egypt and the destroying Angel come short of this and yet that was thought worthy to be remembred with the solemnity of a Passover so long as the Nation did endure We cannot then think that this can be remembred to the end of the World as it ought to be unless we proclaim it early and prepare for it diligently and celebrate it with the deepest resentments alas we can never imprint it sufficiently upon our Souls without frequent and serious Commemorations and he doth not understand or not consider the excellency of this mercy of our Redemption that doth not wish it were written on his heart in indelible Characters and carefully set himself upon this intimation to prepare to make the most grateful memorial of his enfranchisement by the Death of Jesus § 5. Wherefore it is our duty to render most humble and hearty thanks to Almighty God for that he hath given his Son our Saviour Iesus Christ not only to die for us but also to be our spiritual food and sustenance in that holy Sacrament The second part of the Communicants Duty is to receive it with thanksgiving for if we are obliged to praise God for the least and most common Mercies then sure our ordinary praises are not sufficient for this which is the first the greatest and the foundation of all the rest when we remember our unworthiness of such unspeakâ—able mercies we cannot but return our most humble thanks and when we reflect upon the benefit we have by them surely we shall offer up our most hearty praises Because God hath not only spared us when he might have destroyed us and set ordinary food before us as the King of Israel did 2 Kings 6.22 23. but he hath ransomed us fully by the Sacrifice of his Son John 15.13 and made us a Feast upon the remainders of this Sin-offering this sheweth his Justice is fully satisfied in that he receives us into the nearest Unions and our admission to eat and drink of our Lords body and blood is not only to shew forth that there is a great expiation for all the World but to assure us that we may have an interest in it and shall be particularly forgiven as the benefit of the Sacrifices of old were supposed to descend upon all that were admitted to eat thereof Now this pledge of Gods peculiar love and this seal of a gracious Pardon doth give such courage and strength to poor Sinners that the believing it is called spiritual food and nourishment and eating and drinking the body and blood of Christ for it even ravishes the Soul of the humbled Penitent to receive such a Testimony of Gods being reconciled to him Hence are all those ecstasies of joy which holy Men here express and God hath on purpose instituted this Ordinance to be a most solemn and mysterious manner of offering up these humble and hearty thanks for which cause it is called the Cup of blessing e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Origen in Cels l. 8. and the Eucharist that is the office of Thanksgiving Oh summon up therefore all your powers and labour so to affect your hearts with these incomparable acts of the divine goodness that you may here offer up his praises in the highest key and rejoice before him with the most affâ—ctionate gratulations § 6. Which being so divine and comfortable a thing to them who receive it worthily and so dangerous to them who will presume to receive it unworthily my duty is to exhort you in the mean season First To consider the dignity of that holy mystery and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof This Sacrament like all things that are high and fair hath excellency enough to invite us to desire it and yet danger sufficient to make us afraid to go about it rashly And here our spiritual guide having surveyed them both makes a faithful report as Caleb and Joshuah did Numb 14.6 7. he doth not deny there is hazard and pains in the attempt but the honour and advantage doth far outweigh them both It is he considers a Divine f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinissimum Sacramentum vocatur apud Antiquos Patres thing as the Ancients called it to be a Companion of Gods Table and to be made partaker of his nature and also it is the sweetest g Mihi ante omnia supra omnia summa dulcedo Rom. Missal comfort in the World to behold these lively representations of our perfect expiation to receive the pledges of pardon and immortality so that humble and devout receivers do often find their hearts transported with ecstasies of holy joy and ravishments of delight in the due performance of this duty On the other side our spiritual guide considers that for the obstinate and prophane for those that have sinned and will sin it is very dangerous to press into this Coelestial Banquet for such presume meerly upon the outward part and would fain perswade themselves this will acquit their old scores so that they may more freshly begin to sin again but God is not so mocked and therefore they provoke him abuse the mystery and delude their own Souls Wherefore upon the whole inquiry the Minister doth exhort us to spend the time between this and the Sacrament well for if we come not to it we lose this divine comfort if we come unworthily we run into an unknown danger he is unwilling therefore we should be deprived of the comfort or incur the mischief And therefore he doth exhort us to prepare for so we shall be sure of the advantage and avoid the Evil. Now there are two things especially to be done in this mean season the first is Consideration of the dignity of the Sacrament which St. Paul calls discerning h 1 Corin. 11.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Apol. 2. 1 Cor. 11.21 the Lords body that is making much difference between this and our ordinary food The second is that which St. Paul and we both call Examination 1 Corin. 11.28 And these are no more than what every prudent
disowned him from being a Christian who did not receive at least three times a year d Inter Catholicos non est annumerandus qui temporibus Paschae Pentecostes Nativitatis Domini non Communicaverit Concil Ellib and of old they Excommunicated those who coming to the Sermon went out before the Communion e Laici fideles Ecclesiam ingredientes scripturas audientes si non permaneant in Precatione sacrâ Communione sâ—gregantur Can. Apost 9. And our own Church doth by her Canons strictly enjoin this Duty and by her Ministâ—rs frequently exhort us to it The practice of the best Christians of our own and elder times also do all declare it is a duty imposed by God and are we not Ashamed to tell God and Men to their Faces we will not after so many Mâ—ssâ—ges and Calls and Commands from Christ and his Church do we dare give impudent denials take heed and consider and with the stubborn Son in the Gospel though you have said obstinately you would not yet now repent and come and wipe off your evil words by better Deeds hereafter Secondly They who defer their coming upon pretence they are not ready must consider this excuse can never serve but once and must not be used by any man that hath not begun to prepare himself for otherwise they may put it off thus for ever till the Bridegroom comes and then they shall have the fate of the foolish Virgins Math. 25.6 7. c. If they are not ready for the Sacrament much less are they ready to dye and yet they do not live in safety till they are prepared for Death and so had need immediately to begin have they not reason to set upon their work who have much to do and little time Our being ready is a good Argument why we should speedily and diligently prepare but no Apology for our staying away and truly he that will not labour to fit himself for this Sacrament will scarce repent upon any other occasion and he that often says he is not ready thus to meet Christ at his first Coming will be strangely surprized at his second and doubtless be as unready then Besides are we not told of these holy times long enough before had we any love for Jesus we should begin early to adorn our selves as that Jewish Doctor who put on his best habit on Friday in the Afternoon and sat longing for the Sun-setting the time when the Jewish Sabbath begins and said Veni Sponsa Come my Spouse for so he called that Sacred Day The Church History relates that St. Catherine was wont to long for the Communion as the Child for its Mothers Breasts but we are glad of an excuse to shift it off and neither desire it nor prepare for it on purpose that we may say we are not ready These are fine pretences to stop the mouths and blind the Eyes of Men and serve us to cozen our selves with but they are vain and insignificant before him that looks through these thin Veils and sees other Causes which keep us away from the Altar which we would gladly conceal for God perceives that many which make these excuses do really forbear the Communion either because 1. They love sin and hate Virtue and resolve not to be engaged against the one nor obliged too strongly to the other or Secondly They are unwilling to take that pains which a serious Repentance and a due preparation do require or Thirdly They harbour some secret malice and either are too proud to ask forgiveness or too revengeful to forgive And therefore let no man think these or the like empty Apologies will excuse him at Gods Tribunal § 9. They that refused the Feast in the Gospel because they had bought a Farm or would try their Yokes of Oxen or because they were Married were not so excused but were counted unworthy of the Heavenly Feast If all this do not effectually enough represent the danger of relying upon such pretences here is added a plain Example in a Parable spoken by Christ himself Luke 14.18 19 c. which admirably sutes this very Case I doubt not but those Guests thought their excuses as fair as we can do ours And when they had alledged such weighty and important impediments they did as little fear the Lords anger as we are wont to do Yet we see he was very wroth Luke 14.21 Math. 22.7 and because some preferred their profit others their pleasure before his noble Feast he blotted them out of the list of his Friends and resolved never to invite them any more Let us beware by so fair a warning and not dare upon the like accounts to reject this Heavenly Feast for in so doing we reject the memorial of Christs Death the Symbols of his Body and blood and the pledges of his grace and love and do as directly refuse Christ himself as we can do upon Earth because there is no Ordinance wherein he is so really present and by which he is so surely conveyed to the believing Soul how fair soever our Plea is we seem to judge our selves unworthy of Eternal Life Acts 13.46 and God may not only sentence us as unworthy of this Holy Feast but resolve we that value the enjoyment of him so little on Earth are unfit to partake of the f Nec sibi posthà c de eo honore blandiantur quo seipsos indignos judicaverunt Cod. de dign Celestial Banquet or to enter into the Mansions of Bliss for they that will not remember his sufferings ought not to share in his glories It seems we think it a small punishment to be counted unworthy of the Sacrament for we inflict this upon our selves in our abstaining from it but if God do esteem us unworthy ever to have the grace of this Sacrament offered to us again for our slight refusals the doom is very sad and without a speedy repentance is the Harbinger of a final rejection from which God deliver us § 10. I for my part shall be ready and according to mine Office I bid you in the Name of God I call you in Christs behalf I exhort you as you love your own Salvation tâ—at ye will be partakers of this holy Communion Our Lord appointed two of his Apostles to prepare the Passover Luke 22.8 as an Emblem of their Duty in after Ages to provide for this Holy Supper For to them and their Successors he hath enjoined the care of its Administration wherefore it concerns the Ministers to take heed least by too seldom and too few Communions or too short notice they be not the occasion of the peoples abstinence for then they cannot justly reprove them g Serò advenis inquit Pomponius ad Ciceronem Minimè seró respondit ille nihil enim hîc paratum video Plutar. Apotheg and they bring the guilt of this neglect upon themselves Our Lord hath made them Stewards of his Houshold and they must take care to give them
their meat in due season Math. 24.45 For this Cause the Antient Church appointed the Priests in great Cities to have a Communion every Day so that devout people might always find the Table spread whensoever they hungred after this Bread of Life and in such places our own Church still makes monthly preparations and also sends the Minister to the Altar upon every great Festival on purpose to mind the people that he is ready if they were so also But when the Table is actually spread methinks we should need no other Oratory than those holy Symbols to invite us did we know our need of that food and were we acquainted with the pleasures of that Celestial Banquet we should be attracted with the very sight of the Elements and long yea languish to participate of them and sure they upbraid those wretches who go away and turn their backs upon them but there are some who cannot or will not hear this still voice and therefore the Minister doth once again ex officio invite us in the Name of God who is the great Master of this Feast and in the behalf of Christ who is the precious food there provided beseeching us that we will not by neglecting affront the great God and slight his dear Son and further exhorting us by the most cogent Argument viz. for our own sakes as we love our Souls as we fear to be Condemned and wish for Salvation that we will come Cicero thought a man might as soon run away from himself as lose the desire after those things which conduced to his own happiness h Prius à se poterit quispiam discedere quam appetitum earum rerum quae sibi conducunt amittere lib. de fin 5. But we have some so wretched who know there is no Salvation but by the Sacrifice of Christs Death and no so proper and ready way to get an interest in that Sacrifice as to eat of the remainders thereof in Faith and yet are hardly perswaded by the most pressing invitations But let us Consider that by frequent and long omissions our devotion grows flat our purposes wavering our Faith weak and our Corruptions strong the Enemy gets ground of us and the Spirit begins to withdraw from us i Mens deficit quamnon recepta Eucharistia erigit ac accendit Cypr. Ep. 54. ad Cor. so that if we would go safely to Heaven we must not too long neglect this holy Sacrament § 11. And as the Son of God did vouchsafe to yield up his Soul by Death upon the Cross for your Salvation so it is your duty to receive the Communion in remembrance of the Sacrifice of his Death as he himself hath Commanded Although we be by Gods Embassadors strongly intreated to come to this Holy Feast yet we must not think it left to our choice to hearken or to disobey for if they should not invite us we are obliged to come hither by the strongest Bonds of reason and duty For if Jesus thought our Salvation worth his Death do we think it too dear of a little preparation is he willing to bleed for our sins and are we not willing to weep for them shall he yield up his Soul in the midst of the most dolorous agonies and will not we yield up our Lusts and come to remember his love in this Holy Sacrament Our Saviour hath satisfied the divine Justice obtained a Pardon and done his part towards our Salvation but our part is still behind viz. to sue out this pardon in the Commemoration of his Death and in this Communion of his Body and blood to apply his merits by Faith to our own Souls And that we should Do this was one of his last and dying Commands Luke 22.19 1 Cor. 11.25 and is it not our duty to obey it How wretched then are we if we refuse to kneel and extend our hand for this Pardon which was purchased at so vast a price How unworthy are we to have any part in this Redemption if we disobey so small a Command and deny so easie a Request of so dear a Master His last Precept was to keep the memorial of the last Act he did for us on the Earth and sure it is our duty never to let that be forgotten § 12. Which if ye shall neglect to do Consider with your selves how great injury ye do to God and how sore punishment hangeth over your Heads for the same If we be resolved in spite of all this still to neglect this divine Ordinance the Minister can do no more than sadly tell us First the grievousness of our sin Secondly The greatness of our danger First We are desired to consider the sin which is called a great injury to God even as we esteem it to our selves when our Guests slight our invitation § 4. 'T is true we cannot properly injure God Job 35.6 by taking away any of his essential happiness Yet because we owe Obedience to him as our Soveraign Lord we are said to wrong him of his due k Debitum contrahitur quoties delinquitur quod debitum solvi in gehennâ quandoque necesse est Aug. Serm. 126. de Temp. Creditor est qui minus quam quod suum est habet vel voluntario ut in mutuatione vel involuntariò ut in Criminibus Vide Grot. de sat Chris c. 2. when we refuse to observe his Commands And in this Case let us consider before we resolve not to come that hereby we shall rob our God of this solemn part of his worship reject a plain and loving command despise the Passion of his dear Son slight his provision refuse his invitation grieve his Servants by such rash and obstinate denials and perhaps bring an evil report upon the Ordinance it self when men see we must be dragged to it The Sacrifices of the Erecynian Venus came of their own accord to the Altar saith Aelian hist anim l. 10. c. 1. But we are forced hither as to a slaughter house is not this a great injury to the Master of this divine Feast But secondly The mischief in fine lights upon our own heads for no man provoketh this King but in so doing he sinneth against his own Soul Prov. 20.2 God is just as well as merciful and severe to revenge the abuses of his love He will not always pass by this scorn nor put up these affronts but punish us perhaps temporally with losses and crosses sickness or an evil Death which careless neglecters deserve as well as unworthy receivers 1 Cor. 11.30 for so those Israelites who laughed at Hezekiahs invitation to the Passover 2 Chron. 30.10 were carryed into a sad Captivity within two years after 2 Kings 18.9 And we must not think presently we are safe because as yet none of these Judgments have seized on us for they may hover over our heads as the Arrow over Julians and at last pierce us to the heart but if we do escape a while l Si nunc omne
my dejected mind and turn my ignorance into knowledge my knowledge into practice and make that practice so sweet and easie that this may be a day of joy to me also solemnized in the white garments of sanctification and rejoicing And finally let not this Heavenly Inspiration be only expressed in extasies and holy fervors this day but let thy spirit rest upon me and dwell in me for ever So shall I always have cause to bless thee for so incomparable a gift Methinks I feel already the force thereof bearing down my corruptions and its bright beams driving away the mists of sin and error I find its flames warming my heart with Zeal and Charity and its quickning power opening my sealed lips to shew forth thy praise Therefore with Angels c. A Meditation for the Communion on Trinity-Sunday § 13. O admirable mystery to be adored in the profoundest silence by the contemplation whereof when I am struck with amazement I can learn humility and discover my own ignorance and I have the opportunity of exercising a nobler Faith than if I could comprehend it with my shallow reasonings and imperfect demonstrations The Trinity in Vnity and the Vnity in Trinity hath been derided by the Heathens and endeavoured to be perplexed by the wits of all kinds of Hereticks but it sufficeth me blessed Jesus that thou hast revealed it and thy Holy Church divided in too many other things hath universally agreed in this great Truth And I am the more confirmed in it because I learn by it to worship with a regular devotion from hence I am taught to pray to the Father in the name of the Son through the assistance of the Holy Ghost and as long as I live will I praise thee and magnifie thee in this manner I will bless thee particularly at this holy feast for so excellent a revelation for this Ordinance it self contains many things above my understanding and is all mystery The Trinity is the Article and this Sacrament the Rite which do distinguish thy true Religion from all the Sects in the World wherefore by observing this Rite I do embrace this Faith and upon the representation of thy death I do profess to live in it and die for it resolving never to have other Lord And when I find the Father giving the Son given and the Holy Ghost dispensing that gift unto my Soul in this sacred Communion it shall be a greater confirmation to my Faith in this Divine Mystery than can be acquired from the most curious search into it However I am resolved my Reason shall vail to thy Word and I will be content to stay for a full apprehension of this sublime Truth till I am advanced to a state of Angelick Perfection and come to behold the glories of the Trin-une God till then I will bless thee for what I know and believe more than I can conceive and I will worship the same Majesty which the Heavenly Quire doth in these addresses Therefore with Angels c. PARTITION III. Of the Celebration SECT I. Of the Address § 1. THE nearer we approach to these mysteries the greater reverence we must express The very Heathen could say men should be always best when they came to the Gods a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. ap Plur. de superstit and therefore so much better by how much they come nearer Our late rejoicing might savour of too much confidence if it were not allayed with this Act of humility which is the immediate Address to this holy Feast There is somewhat agreeable to this some Apology or acknowledgment in all antient Liturgies but that of St. James comes the nearest to this of ours I come to this divine and supercoelestial mystery unworthy indeed but relying on thy goodness And afterwards Turn not away from us sinners who are celebrating this dreadful and unbloody Sacrifice for we trust not in our own righteousness but in thy bountiful mercy c. But in none so fully as in this present form can the devout Soul express its sense of its own unworthiness and its desires to taste of this Heavenly Banquet as by our usual method will be more clearly manifested The Analysis of the Address Sect. 2. The Address hath two Parts 1. An Apology for this our approach shewing 1. The ground thereof 1. Negatively We do not presume to come to this thy Table O merciful Lord trusting in our own righteousness 2. Affirmatively But in thy manifold and great mercies 2. The persons coming We are not worthy so much as to gather up the Crumbs under thy Table 3. What he is to whom we come But thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy 2. A Prayer for a blessing upon it noting 1. To whom we pray Grant us therefore gracious Lord 2. What we pray for so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Iesus Christ and to drink his blood 3. For what end 1. A present advantage by the 1. Cleansing of our Bodies that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his Body 2. Purifying of our Souls and our Souls washed through his most precious blood 2. A continual benefit by an inseparable Uâ—ion And that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us Amen A Practical Discourse upon the Address § 3. We do not presume to come to this thy Table O merciful Lord trusting in our own righteousness but in thy manifold and great mercies When Josephs Brethren were invited to his House they durst not enter till they had made their Apology at the door because they esteemed themselves both criminal and unworthy Gen. 43.20 How then shall we that are greater offenders and more unworthy presume to sit down at the Table of the King of Kings before we have expressed our reverence and humility It is his goodness indeed to do us this honour but then it is at least our duty to be so just as to confess it is a free and undeserved favour agreeing rather to the nobleness of the giver than to the deserts of the Receivers b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysos Now how can we better declare this than in the words of that favourite of Heaven Dan. 9.23 the Prophet Daniel whose Prayer was heard before it was finished because he presented it not trusting in his own Righteousness but in Gods manifold and great mercies Dan. 9.18 And that we may speak these words with the same sincerity and make these addresses with the same sense of our own unworthiness Let us consider 1. How dangerous it is to come to this Holy Sacrament with a proud heart For Pride is foolish c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. therap ser 1. and unreasonable in it self dishonourable and injurious to God offensive and troublesome to our Brethren hardening and mischievous to our selves and especially it is most odious and contrary to our Lord Jesus whose humility we are here to remember Solomon accounts it an uncomely
sight to see servants riding and Princes beside them walking on foot Eccles 10.7 But how much more abominable is it to see such evil and base servants as we are with proud hearts pretending to celebrate the memorial of the greatest and best Master who humbled himself to the death of the Cross if we are righteous why did he suffer if we be sinners why are we bold and puffed up be assured that this sin alone if there were no other would turn this Banquet into Poison or make us at least incapable to receive any benefit from it 2. Consider the great dignity of these terrible mysteries had we the purity of an Angel and the affections of a Seraphin we could scarce be worthy to come so near to a most holy and All-seeing God to lay such claim to the blessed Jesus and all his Merits and to be so wholly united to him as we are designing in this admirable Communion But thirdly We are so far from such excellencies that our late Confession is yet fresh in our memories wherein we did most truly accuse our selves of many and grievous offences and our own Conscience will check the vanity of all proud imaginations of our own merit by discovering to us that we have done very little good and that very imperfectly yet even that also by the grace of God and not by our own Power d Debetur enim merces si fiant sed gratia quae non debetur praecedit ut fiant Aug. in Julian How then can we fancy our selves worthy to make this approach Especially if we remember Fourthly That our preparation it self the only remaining suppletory hath been very imperfect if not deficient and who is there that can shew such a tender heart such strong desires so lively affections and so vigorous a Faith as this Ordinance doth require Upon all which accounts we have no reason to come presumptuously trusting in our own Righteousness We should be more likely to fly from this holy Table with shame and fear but only that we hear our God is merciful 1 King 20.31 and that Jesus will in no wise cast out those who come unto him John 6.37 We have manifold and great miseries and he hath manifold and great mercies and by these we are invited Our own righteousness is nothing the merits of others are insufficient for themselves but the compassions of God can never fail to these we fly for refuge and oh happy venture to take sanctuary in the divine mercy where there is no hazard e Pulchrum periculum confugere ad Deum D. Bern. but that he who is mercy it self should not pity us Wherefore behold O Lord we come unto thee thou mightest indeed justly censure this approach of such wretched Creatures to be the most daring presumption but we beseech thee condemn not the action but behold the motives that drew us hither even our own miseries and thy mercies and help us to supply in humility what we want in worthiness let our mean and just opinion of our selves our bended knees and broken hearts shew that we durst not have adventured so nigh if thy mercy had not held out the golden Scepter to us § 4. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the Crumbs under thy Table but thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy Our Saviour adviseth us even at an ordinary Feast to take the lowest room Luke 14.10 and Solomon warneth us not to put our selves too forward in the presence of a King Prov. 25.6 How much more then is it our duty to think the meanest place too good for us at this Heavenly Feast of the King of Kings How scornfully do the great ones of this World sometimes look upon their poor Brethren thinking their footstool f Jam. 2.3 Populus terrae scabellum pedûm Pharisaeorum Proverb Hebr. or a place among their Dogs good enough for them Job 30.1 and is there not a much greater distance between God and us When Mephibosheth was admitted to King Davids Table he in great humility compares himself to a dead Dog 2 Sam. 9.7 8. but we have much more reason to esteem our selves as such before the Majesty of Heaven Had we always been dutiful and obedient Children we might then have expected to have been fed at our Fathers Table but we have been Rebels and therefore with Adonibezeks Captives might justly be made to gather up the Crumbs Jud. 1.7 under the feet of our great Lord Nay by our Anger Luxury Intemperance and especially by falling back into our old sins g Canis ad vomitum rediens Prov. 26.11 2 Pet. 2.22 we have behaved our selves like unto Dogs and therefore how dare we challenge the Childrens Bread We may well confess with the poor Canaanitish Woman that the Crumbs and Reliques h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip Cress 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist 2. de gen which are the part of Dogs are too good for us That is the common mercies of food and raiment health and habitations and the least measures of grace and comfort which are but small i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl in Math. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz ep 45. considering the Power of God and his bounty to his own Children but very great considering our unworthiness If the Lord will please but to give us these necessary things and to bestow so much grace and comfort on us as will support us and encourage us in our Repentance we will be very thankful although we be not filled with extasies and assurance It is true this Heavenly bread is too good for us but only that our merciful Father is admirable in his condescensions he looks at our necessities but weigheth not our merits and doth most graciously receive us wherefore we will lie down in the dust and be as vile as may be before so good a God our acknowledgments shall lay us as low as ever our sins have done we will profess we are unworthy of the least favours that so we may the better set out the divine goodness which vouchsafeth to give us the greatest And no doubt they that thus humble themselves sincerely shall certainly be exalted Luke 14.11 For our God is always gracious and ever the same whose property it is to have mercy upon humble and contrite ones § 5. Grant us therefore gracious Lord so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Iesus Christ and to drink his blood that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body and our Souls washed through his most precious blood and that we may evermore dwell in him and be in us Amen In the midst of these our acknowledgments of our own unworthiness we are seasonably minded that we have a gracious Lord who is apt to pitty us even when we are justly miserable He sees our bodies are defiled and our Souls polluted and both empty and void of Christ and he hath appointed this
Blessed Sacrament on purpose to purifie us and unite us unto our dear Redeemer Why then do we stand looking one upon another Gen. 42.1 and not rather look up to him that only can help us all will not our own necessities open our mouths nor his tender mercies incourage us to call upon him to give us grace that we may eat and live We do intend to eat but we had better not eat at all than not eat So k 1 Cor. 11.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So let him eat Psal 26.6 So will I compass c. as God requires and So as to be bettered thereby Now to the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure Titus 1.15 In vain therefore should we desire in the following Prayer of Consecration that these Elements should become the body and blood of Christ if we did not first pray that we might worthily receive them There must be a change in us or else though Christs natural flesh and blood were here and we should eat and drink thereof every day we could not partake of Christ l Qui discordat à Christo nec carnem ejus manducat nec sanguinem bibit etiamsi tantae rei sacramentum quotidiè indifferentèr accipiat Prosp sent 341. It is our eating with Faith and penitence love and holy purposes that makes it to be Christs body and blood to us most wisely therefore hath the Church ordered that before we pray for the Consecration of the Symbols we should desire to be Consecrated our selves Thus St. Ambrose in that Prayer said to be used by him before he Communicated saith O holy Bread which camest down from Heaven and givest life to the World come into my heart and cleanse me from all defilements of flesh and spirit enter into my Soul heal and sanctifie me within and without Let us consider the spots and stains the foulness and diseases with which our bodies and Souls are overspread and then behold this salutary and living Manna which hath power to restore us to an excellent purity and to make us amiable in the Eyes of God and then we shall heartily put up this Petition we shall hunger and thirst after it groan and long for it m Famelicus accedo ne recedam impastus si antequam comedam suspiro da vel post suspiria ut comedam August Med. c. 39. as it is reported St. Catherine was wont to do with the same passion that the Child doth for the Breast of its Mother Let us come then with most ardent desires and summon up all our Powers now the Angel is so near who makes our Bethesda Medicinal let us passionately cry out and say Lord hast thou set open this Fountain and wilt thou let a wretched Creature die for thirst in thy presence hast thou prepared such balm to heal me and shall I languish here before thee I know if thou wilt thou canst make me clean here is the very instrument in thy hand Grant therefore holy Jesus that I may duly apply it and rightly use it and then it shall prepare me for thee and unite me to thee by such inseparable Bonds as shall never break unless Eternity can have an end Blessed are they that So eat thy flesh and So drink thy blood So as thou requirest and So as thy Saints of old have done for they have been cleansed at this Fountain and here their Vnion with thee first began Oh happy season Excellent opportunity Lord let me do it well this once and I am thine for ever Amen The Paraphrase of the Address § 6. Holy God! thou mightest justly wonder to see so many grievous Sinners daring to come so near but We do not impudently rush upon these dreadful mysteries nor do we presume to come to this thy Table where Angels do attend as if we deserved this Honour O merciful Lord We do not approach trusting in our own Righteousness for alas we have done nothing which can bear that name but that which drew us hither was our confidence in thy manifold and great mercies which exceed our manifold and great offences And now that we are before thee we must still confess whatever favours thy goodness heaps upon us that we are not worthy by reason of our sinfulness and backslidings so much as with the Dogs to gather up the Crumbs which fall under thy Table not fit to receive the least mercies or measures of grace from thee much less to sit as guests before thy Majesty at this Heavenly Feast But yet we make bold to do this because thou art not to be changed by our sins being ever the same Lord whose property is to be unwearied with well-doing and never wanting in pity and thou art wont always to have mercy on those who confess their offences as we have done Grant unto us therefore gracious Lord by the present assistance of thy holy Spirit so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Iesus Christ spiritually in this Sacrament and so to drink his blood as that we may receive all the benefits of his Cross and Passion even that our sinful and defiled bodies may be made clean by his holy and immaculate body and our Souls which are polluted in every faculty washed through his most precious blood which taketh away the sins of the World Let us be so wholly purifyed that we may now begin to be inseparably united to Jesus and that we by Faith may evermore dwell in him abiding in his love and that by his spirit he may dwell in us always Amen SECT II. Of the Prayer of Consecration § 1. AFter all this Preparation we need not ask with Isaac Gen. 22.7 where is the Lamb for the Burnt-Offering for God hath provided his own dear Son whose blood being already spilt is so efficacious and all-sufficient that there is now no need of any other but this unbloody Sacrifice a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril cat Myst 5. incruentam oblationem Liturg. 5. Marci sacrificium absque sanguine Liturg. S. Basil to be offered and that in memorial of that great Sin-offering which taketh away the sins of the World 1 Pet. 2.5 And for this purpose Christ himself hath b Ille mirabilem quandam victimam pro nostra omnium salute obtulit memoriam nobis tradens loco sacrificii continuo offerendam Euseb praep Evang. l. 1. c. 10. appointed these Creatures of Bread and Wine ordaining that because they are designed to express so great a Mystery they shall have a peculiar Consecration The antient Greeks and Romans would not taste of their ordinary Meat and Drink till they had hallowed it by giving the first parts thereof to their Gods c Romani Graeci in convictu familiari ciborum particulis vino in ignem conjectis libamina Diis dabant Alex. ab Alex. gen dier l. 5. c. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porph. de abst l 2. c. 20. The
shew his all-sufficiency for the life of our Souls And of all kinds of drink he hath chose Wine to represent his most precious blood for this is called the blood of the Grape m Deut. 32.14 1 Macc. 6.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem Alex. paed l. 2. and in colour comes the nearest to it this minds us of Jesus who is the true Vine John 15.1 and of the Wine-Press of his Fathers wrath Isai 63.2 3. wherein he was grievously pressed till all his holy blood yea and his Soul was exhausted And as Wine was given to chear mans heart n Jud. 9.13 Psal 104.15 Duo sunt liquores corporibus humanis gratissimi intus vini foris olei Plin. l. 4 c. 22. item ap Homer Il. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Odyss β. and raise his decaying spirits so was the blood of Jesus shed to revive poor disconsolate sinners with the hopes of the divine favour It was the Custom among the Jews for the Master of the Family after Supper to take a Cup of Wine in both hands and giving thanks to him that created the fruit of the Vine to drink to all the Guests as a Symbol of Charity Fag in Deut. 8.10 and among the Gentiles also their Feasts were concluded o Postremo Graeci Mercurio litabant bono daemoni cui gratias agebant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alex. ab Alex. l. 5. c. 21. Schol. Aristop Mos erat cum mensa auferenda sit bono genio litare Hoc hoc mensa claudatur scypho Sen. with a Cup offered to their good genius But our Lord hath spiritualized these usages and here we may behold him with hands and eyes lift up to Heaven Consecrating this Cup for an Excellent Mystery that it may be a Cup of Salvation and of Charity and may be offered up with praise to the most high when therefore we see the holy Man beginning to bless the Wine also let us say within our selves Oh what preparations is our gracious Master making for us he thinks it not enough to give us his blessed body with the merit of all those torments which he suffered in the flesh but he is pleased to pour out his blood and his life together with it that we might drink thereof and so take as it were his very Soul into us p 〈◊〉 â—7 14 ita 〈…〉 llud Virgil. 〈…〉 vomit ille â—â—â—â—tam Secundum eâ—s inquit qui sanguinem animam dicunt Alas we are faint and feeble ready to die and languish and he hath made us a Cordial with his own hearts blood miserable wretches as we are that nothing less will help us but oh how gracious a Redeemer have we that will not deny us this behold O Lord we thirst and this Wine of joy makes us more q Non facile esuriens positâ retinebere mensâ Et multum saliens incitat unda sitim Ovid. impatient to tast of this Cup of Salvation and Thanksgiving thou that hast prepared it for us make it thy holy blood and then it shall cleanse our Souls and make us thine for ever § 12. He gave it to them saying Drink ye all of this for this is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for you and for many for the Remission of Sins Since our Saviour did give the Cup to every one of his Disciples and plainly commands both them and us all to drink of it r Math. 26.27 1 Cor. 12.13 Et Vulg. Editio Pontificiis Authentica 1 Cor. 10.17 addit Et de uno calice we have cause to bless God that we are not of that Church which hath lately Å¿ Secundum antiquam Ecclesiae consuetudinem omnes tam corpori quam sanguini communicabant quod etiam adhuc in quibusdam Ecclesiis servatur Aquin. in Johan 6. robbed the people of half the Sacrament and I wish that as the Legacy is preserved to us intire and a double portion provided for us that we would endeavour to receive with twice as much devotion as they do Furthermore when we hear the most efficacious words of Christ pronounced we must exercise our Faith and not only join our desires that this Wine may become the Blood of Christ but with our hearts say Amen for it is unto us according to our Faith if we believe it is to us the Blood of Christ and that which makes us partakers t 1 Cor. 10.16 communicatio sanguinis Christi Vatab. idem in Margin annotae vel participatio Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the benefits thereof And although it be still Wine unto our senses because we naturally abhor to drink humane blood u Similitudinem pretiâ—si sanguinis bibis ut nullus horror cruoris sit pretium tamen operetur Redemptionis Ambros de sacr lâ—b 4 cap. 4. yet by the power of Jesus and the mercy of God it shall make our attonement be accepted as fully for our expiation as if our own lives had been laid down or our own blood spilt in a Sin-offering For it is now to be esteemed as the blood of the New Covenant or Testament w Math. 26.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. e. propriè â—â—â—guis novi foederis 〈◊〉 Grot. Ham. annâ—â— in Titul Beza in lâ—cum Latini autem Testamentum vertunt Grotius For the Original word signifies both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the first and common sense it is used for a Covenant and those of old were confirmed with blood x Exod. 24.8 Haustu mutui sanguinis foedus faciunt de Scythis Herodot l. 4. Quod idem refert etiam de Medis ut Solinus Cap. 20. but this New-Covenant between God and Man could not be made without it because God could not in justice grant remission unless some blood were spilt the visible Soul being given as a ransom for the invisible and this most precious Blood of Christ is that which was shed to appease the divine anger and so to engage God to enter into this Covenant with us wherefore it may be called the Blood of the New Covenant Secondly This word also is used for a Testament or Will y Heb. 9.16 17. Testamentum est voluntas defuncti Quintil. Viventis nulla est haereditas Digest Roman J. C. dicunt Testamentum morte confirmatur Grot. by this account we call the Gospel the New-Testament because it contains our Lords Will and therein he hath left us as Legacies his Merits and Graces his Spirit and his Peace and secured them to us by his Promise wherefore when we see this holy Blood it is to us as it were the Seal of the New-Testament because it shews us that the Testator hath dyed and consequently assures us that all those promises shall be made good unto us especially that of the pardon of our Sins for since we and many had deserved Eternal Death by our offences this Blood was poured forth to procure a Pardon not for us alone but for
gave it to his Disciples to declare he would freely pour out his blood for them saying Drink ye all who desire a part in me of this Cup and apply to your selves the benefits of my blood-shedding For this is the Communion of my Blood which sealeth the New Covenant and is the Confirmation of the New-Testament with the promises thereof And it shall give you a right unto them for this is it which is shed to make Attonement for you in particular and for as many as believe it to be sufficient for the Remission of Sins Wherefore I charge you Do this as oft as may be and whensoever ye shall drink it let it be with great devotion in remembrance of me and of my love in laying down my life for you Amen It is finished according to thy will So be it and let all the people say Amen SECT III. Of the form of Administration § 1. WHen the time of distribution is come the Guests must not rudely and disorderly take every one his own part 1 Cor. 11.14 because God is the Master of the Feast and according to the Eastern Custom he hath provided Officers to divide to every one their portion a Gen. 42.34 1 Sam. 9.24 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esth 2.9 fercula singulis apposita secundum morem Orientalem Vide Ham. Annot. Luke 8. a. Wherefore the people are to receive this from the Minister as from the hands of God himself and accordingly they ought to kneel in the most lowly manner as those do who are to receive a favour even from an Earthly Prince For it is now the Custom of the Eastern and Greek Churches of the Latine Church and Lutherans also yea of all the World saith Erasmus to receive kneeling and which is most considerable to us our own Church which hath power to determine these circumstances hath prescribed this posture and withal declared it is only for order and comeliness and to express our humility to God not to give any worship to the Elements * Non enim inclinaverunt carni sanguini sed tibi terribili domino Lit. S. Chrysos and it is a wonder any should refuse to receive kneeling meerly because the Church enjoins it since every considering and humble Christian would chuse that way if it were left indifferent The whole time of Communicating is spent in Prayers and Praises and therefore sure we ought to be upon our b Nemo carnem illam manducat nisi prius adoraverit August in Psal 98. knees if it were only that we might be ready to offer up our Prayers to God It is highly probable that this gesture hath obtained in the Western Church at least 1200. years and although of Old in the East they did stand c Stemus benè stemus in timore Lit. Basil yet it was with fear and trembling with silence and down-cast eyes for they groaned in spirit and kept their joy within saith St. d Chrysost homil de encoeniis Chrysost They came near saith St. Cyril c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Catech. Mystag 5. versus finem bowing themselves in the posture of Worship and Adoration As for the Words of Administration some think they contain a double form Both the Old Roman form and that which Calvin did prescribe both united by the Revisors of the Liturgy under Queen Elizabeth It is most certain that the Antient Church did use the first words The Body of our Lord Iesus Christ in the Administration To which the people answered Amen f Dicit tibi Sacerdos Corpus Christi tu dicis Amen h. e. verum quod confitetur Lingua teneat affectus Ambros de Sacram l. 4. c. 5. Vniversa Ecclesia accepto Christi sanguine dicit Amen Aug. Resp ad Oros qu. 49 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Catech. myst 5. both to express their desire it might be Christs Body unto them and their firm belief that it was so The next words Preserve thy Body and Soul unto everlasting life as we are told by Durantus de Rit Eccles Cathol l. 2. c. 55. were added in St. Gregory lib. de Sacram. although the modern Missals have altered this now The other part Take and Eat c. have for their Author Christ himself who did Administer in these words and if we should leave them out as the Roman Church doth we should have but half his form And if we do well consider the whole frame it appears to be nothing else but a necessary Paraphrase upon our Saviours Words which doth expound and sit them for every ones private Meditation for therefore the Church appoints all these words to be repeated to each partaker that every one may have time and subject matter afforded for his own particular Meditations yet because all are not able themselves to fix and to enlarge their thoughts so as to deduce suitable Soliloquies and Devotions to entertain themselves within the time of Administration we judge the most practical handling of this rare Composure will be to draw proper Meditations from all the parts thereof when we have first discovered the method in this Analysis The Analysis of the form of Administration Sect. 2. The form of Administration hath three parts 1. A Commemoration declaring what it is The Body Blood of our Lord Iesus Christ Which was given shed for thee 2. A Petition that we may partake of the benefits thâ—â—eof Preserve thy Body and Soul unto Everlasting Life 3. A direction how to receive it 1. Externally Take and Eat this Drink this 2. Internally 1. In remembrance that Christ died Christs blood was shed for thee 2. And feed on him in thy heart by Faith with thanksgiving Be thankful Discourses and Meditations upon the Administration § 3. We must now lay by all other thoughts and diligently compose our Souls for the Acts of holy Communion remembring that we must feast with God by silence and Heavenly Contemplation Let us now therefore consider how great a work we are about to perform let us think what benefits we shall lose and what evil we shall fall into if we do it unworthily what Comforts and advantages we shall receive if we do it acceptably let us call to mind what need we have of the divine assistance and pray with Sampson Strengthen us O Lord only this once Jud. 16.28 Let us remember our sins afresh to humble us and review our wants Both that we may have them ready to spread before our Lord and that we may thereby stir up in our selves most fervent desires after his Grace and Mercy And let nothing divert us from these thoughts unless our Charity to our Brethren For when we hear the Minister use these words to the rest of the Congregation we shall do well most heartily to wish this holy Communion may be life to every Soul so that all who sit together at this blessed Feast may also meet in life everlasting And as the Minister is drawing near
Almighty almost weary of Correcting thee and shewest thou lovest thy Sin too well to be easily torn from it Fifthly And finally how mischievous have the effects of thy transgressions been They have dishonoured God disgraced thy Religion incouraged the wicked to persevere incited the innocent to follow thy steps and offended weak and tender Christians This is indeed a sad story and if we rightly apprehend it may make the best to cry out with trembling and deep contrition Lord have mercy upon us But lest this dismal Account which will scarce fetch one sigh from a stupid Soul should overwhelm others in grief and desperation I shall add that we are not like the Jew who when the Law thundered from Mount Eball could only sign it with a dreadful Amen For we look further and beholding the Lamb of God make bold to crave mercy the very acknowledgment of our Sin being wrapt up in a Petition for Pardon And the right use of all this is not to affright us from Jesus but to drive us to him to shew not only how little we deserve but how much we need a pardon It is to represent how far God can forgive and how highly our dear Redeemer hath merited seeing so great and deserved vengeance is yet with-holden and the Gate of Mercy still kept open for such wretched Creatures Our design in this discovery of Sin is to convince us that it is high time to desist from adding to this infinite heap that it is extreamly necessary to seek for Absolution and that it will be an admirable ingaging favour if we be again accepted For Mount Sinah is the way to Sion and the Law our School-master to bring us to Christ When therefore your heart is full of these thoughts and when hope and fear sorrow and desire are strugling within you In the midst of these Passions bend your knees and begin to arraign your self at the Bar of your merciful Judge where humble Confession a In quantum tibi non peperceris in tantum tibi Deus crede parcet Tertul. is the readiest way to Remission Acknowledge therefore all you have found relate your shame and indignation at your self your grief and anguish for all your misdoings intreat as for your life and with all earnestness beg for pity and pardon remembring he never did cast off any that thus came to him Your Confession it self will be no other than a larger Paraphrase of Lord have mercy c. But if you require a form the Church hath made excellent provision in that acknowledgment before the Consecration b See Part. 2. Sect. 3. Sect. 9. to which the Reader is desired to turn and while his heart is in this frame with great Devotion to recite that Form § 8. But that this is not all the use of these Ten Commandments we may learn from the other part of the Versicle repeated after each of them which is Davids Prayer Psal 119.36 viz. And incline our hearts to keep this Law Which minds us of the next part of our Preparation for the Holy Sacrament to which the Law is apt to minister viz. Secondly The Renewing of our Covenant and this will necessarily follow our Confession if it be sincere and the language of a contrite heart Since we now have discovered the vileness and danger of our sinful courses We must needs be full of indignation against those ways and cannot but wish we may never fall into the like circumstances again Nay God may expect that those who are so drenched in tears and amazed with fear shall now study how they may keep the right paths of his Law hereafter And this was the principal end why you were put upon considering your ways that you might turn your feet to his Testimonies Psal 119.59 And if you be now desirous to do this it is the best sign of your Repentance the surest evidence of your pardon and the best disposition in the World for your reception of these Mysteries wherein it is Gods part to seal your Absolution by the blood of his dear Son and yours to give up your self entirely to his Service for ever hereafter since he hath so graciously quitted the old scores So that there is no doubt but the true Penitent doth now desire with all his Soul to forsake his Sins and do his duty better Only because he finds his heart averse and not easily inclined to this which his Conscience tells him is his interest and his happiness The Church hath added this short but significant Petition to him that can turn the heart and work in us both to will and to do That he would Encline c. Which Prayer that it may be said with Davids Spirit c Et oremus quod ille â—ravit quod oremus imitemur effectu si eramus sermone compatiamur mente S. Ambr. in Psal 119. We must resolve to follow those good inclinations when it pleaseth God to work them in us And to that purpose before we make this our solemn promise we must labour to bring our hearts to condemn the wayes of Sin and to approve of the ways of Holiness lest we should mock the Almighty by begging his help in that which we never intend to perform and lest our vow should vanish into Air if we do not first consider the particulars to which we bind our selves And for our assistance herein viz. that our Engagement may be advised and well grounded and our Prayers for the divine Aid may be hearty and sincere We may after our Confession while our hearts are yet bleeding for our former offences enlarge our thoughts into these or the like Meditations § 9. First to alienate our affections from Sin that we may in earnest and for ever renounce it Let every one of us ask his Soul these Questions First How little of either true profit or solid pleasure have I reaped from Sin The gain is cursed and intangled the delight short and unsatisfying ending either in vexation or a restless desire which stays longer and wounds deeper than ever the fantastick pleasure reached How certain is it that none of these purchases can last beyond the short duration of my frail life and how little security have I that my death shall not be ere the next Morning Secondly How great a trouble yet have I had all my life for this trifling and uncertain reward the gain was a shadow but have I not thereby lost my good name or my health my time and my parts the love of my best friends and the hopes of Gods favour Have not these Sins hindered my Prayers disquieted my Conscience set my Neighbours against me and filled my ways with losses crosses mischiefs and evil Accidents Have they not often made me ridiculous and base hated and distrusted and left me full of fears and sad expectations making my life uneasie and my death far more bitter and more terrible Thirdly But these are but the beginnings of sorrow
them in their want He shall receive an hundred fold for it He may be confident it shall be paid him again with large interest both on Earth and in Heaven Mark 10.29 30. And who would not wish for such a Creditor § 20. Psalm 41.1 Finally let us only be liberal and we are here assured that we shall not stay for our reward till the next World but that we shall find the benefit of our Charity as soon as ever we begin to need it Paraphrase Blessed and happy shall be te Man that out of a charitable heart z Vatab. marg Qui prospicit agroto provideth for the necessities of the sick and weak in body and considereth and relieveth the wants of the Poor and needy in Estate As his bounty delivereth those poor Creatures in their Calamity so The Lord of Heaven who sees and remembers all such Deeds shall deliver him most readily when he also shall be poor or sick or fallen into any straits in the time of trouble a Visitatio aegrotorum liberat à gehennà RR. God will then think of him and be his surest Comfort *** If the Congregation be large and the Alms long in gathering thou mayst profitably read all or most of these Sentences to enlarge thy heart and quicken thy Charity if the offering be short yet read some of them before it come to your turn and then prepare your own Oblation and the next Section will teach you how to present it § 5. As these Divine Parcels of Holy Writ do move us to Charity and Alms-deeds at all times so especially at the receiving of this blessed Sacrament for which I will now suppose thou hast prepared a large gift according to thy ability and art ready to offer the same with a chearfui countenance and a joyful heart b Offertorium enim olim cantari notant Rupert de divin off c 2. Isidor de Eccl. offic l. 1. c. 14. ut â—im in esse vide 1 Chron. 29 9. 2 Chron. 29.27 28 29. As an acknowledgment of the bounty of the Father who gave thee all that thou hast c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liturg. S. Chrysost 1 Paral. 29. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo. and of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who though he was rich became poor that thou through his Poverty mightest be rich Look not therefore on the By-standers but lifting up thy Soul to God and bowing down thy head cast in thy mite into this Treasury with these or the like thoughts O Lord I give thee a small part of thine own who hast given me all my Earthly Comforts yea thy own Son out of thy bosom to become my Salvation and hast not disdained to adopt me an heir of thy Glories Oh that I could give a thousand times more thy love deserves it but this alas I give not as a requital of thy favour but a testimony how much more I owe unto thee but my Charities cannot extend to thee who needest nothing only sweetest Jesus I do gladly embrace my poor Brethren thy Friends whose Souls thou hast purchased with thy dearest blood and made them with me Heirs of the same glory I rejoice that thou accepted so small a matter to them as done to thy own self Behold therefore I beseech thee a Soul so sick and leprous poor and naked that it needs thy mercy more than the miserablest Creature in the World my Charity Oh how many and how earnest Prayers do I need Could I engage all the poor on Earth whose Prayers soonest pierce the Clouds I need all this and much more to make way for mine acceptance But O my Saviour this is a Day of grace in which thou scatterest thy bounties Wherefore remember my Soul which is undone without thy pitty and since thy mercies are infinitely greater than ours Lord do not pass me by Far be it from me to think so meanly of thy love as to esteem my Alms the purchase of it No no I do only by this small token give thee the Livery and Seisin of me and all mine and having vowed to pursue a more plorious interest and to seek thy Kingdom I do renounce the riches of this World which I will never value more than as they may serve to relieve thy members and mak me friends that I may be received into everlasting habitations Oh happy exchange and admirable way of Gain But so thou art wont to deal with us O God to accept trifles from us and give glories to us great and endless and inexpressible I adore thee O my Lord and I love thee infinitely and because no Earthly gift can bear proportion to such unspeakable goodness I will give my Soul also and it shall be thine for ever Amen SECT VII Of the Prayer for the whole Church § 1. AS the people of Israel were wont to bring their gifts and Sacrifices to the Temple and by the hands of the Priest to present them to Almighty God So are we appointed to give our Oblations into the hands of the Minister of Christ who by vertue of his Office may best recommend them with Prayers and Praises to the Majesty of Heaven and yet we must not neglect to join with him in these Supplications both to beg the acceptance of our offering and to shew that our Charity extendeth further than our Alms can reach for the benefit of these is received only by a few of our Neighbours but we ought to love all the World especially our Christian Brethren a Sapientes sapientibus etiam ignotis Amicos esse dixerunt Stoici ap Cicer even those who do not need or cannot have profit by our gifts And how can we express this better than by recommending them all to the mercies of God who is able to relieve them all and of whose bounty all have need Which excellent Duty though it be to be done daily yet at this Holy Sacrament it is most proper because we here behold the Universal love of Jesus and are declared lively Members of his Mystical body and conjoined in the strictest bonds of Union with all our fellow Christians Besides when can we more effectually intercede with God for the whole Church than when we represent and shew forth that most meritorious Passion on Earth b Eucharistia est commemoratio sola quae propitium facit Deum hominibus Orig. Hom. in Lev. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionys Ep. ad Demoph by the vertue whereof our great High-Priest did once redeem and doth ever plead for his whole Church even now that he is in Heaven This Sacrament therefore hath been accounted the great Intercession and accordingly all the antient Liturgies did use such universal Intercessions and Supplications while this Mystery was in hand and in the time of St. Cyril there was a Prayer used c Super illa propitiationis hostia obsecramus Deum pro communi Ecclesiarum pace pro tranquillitate Mundi pro Regibus pro
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas whether he were fitted to come or no. The Magistrates of Sparta were wont to examine all the Citizens how well they observed Lycurgus's Rules honouring those that were found blameless with the Title of Approved h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persons and shall we not think our pains well bestowed if our merciful Father give that Character of us I grant that after our strictest Examination we cannot bespeak our God with the confidence of the Grecian Wrastler who challenged Jove as he was just to give him the Victory if he had duly prepared all things for the Exercise Clem. Alex. but yet the severer search we make before we come the greater Comfort and the more success we shall have in our approaches Obj. But some will say it is too late for men to consider now when they are come to the Altar and it is impertinent to urge it here since all is done that can be done in this matter in order to this Communion Ans Not so for if any have presumed to come altogether unprepared it is not yet too late to warn them of their sin and danger And it were better for them to go out to day saith St. Cyril i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Hieros praef ad Catechum Meliùs est de mediâ viâ recurrere quam semper currere malé that they might come better fitted against the next opportunity yea Christ himself adviseth Math. 5.23 24. in some Cases to leave our gift before the Altar and retire till we are better disposed intimating that it offends Godâ— less to withdraw even from the beginning of his service than to proceed if we are unfit St. Ambrose knowing the Emperour Theodosius to be guilty of blood unrepented of although he was come to the Church with purposes to Communicate sent him back from thence with a serious Exhortation to Repentance k Recede igitur ne conare novo scelere scelus ante editum augere in vit D. Ambros So also St. Chrysostome being disturbed by a malicious and impertinent request just as he was about to consecrate the holy Symbols went out of the Church and desired another to finish the mystery which he durst not do being discomposed in his mind l Palladius in vit Chrysost Secondly But if we have in any measure prepared our selves yet is not this Exhortation to be thought unseasonable for as the most famous Orators though they had composed their Orations some days before yet were wont privately to recite them immediately before they spoke them to the Pâ—ople so it becomes us Christians to review the Records and sad Catalogues which we saw yesterday and briefly to act our Examination over again lest if the number and heinousness of our sins be at present out of our mind we should become as obdurate as if we never had beheld them What was done yesterday was to humble us just now and we are at this instant m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arr. in Epic. l. 1. to give the proof what we did in private and St. Pauls adding and so let him eat seems to direct us to make this the immediate duty before our receiving Let us then remember afresh what we found upon our inquiry and if we pass directly to the participation from this review of our offences we shall no doubt become so penitent and desirous of Pardon as not to be judged presumptuous Receivers § 4. For as the benefit is great if with a true penitent heart and lively Faith we receive that holy Sacrament for then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us we are one with Christ and Christ with us Although the command of God by his Apostle is enough to require our obedience yet it is here backed with two of the most prevailing motives of all shewing that it is not only required of us to examine our selves but necessary for us and that we ought to do it for our own sake n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian in Epic. l. 2. 1. Because of the great benefits of worthy receiving 2. The dreadful danger of coming unprepared And first if we bring with us a penitent heart and a lively Faith the benefits are so many and so excellent that whosoever considers them cannot but long for them and they that obtain them may despise all other pleasures because they are as blessed as they can be on this side Heaven and are they not worth a little pains to dispose our selves for them They are surely most unworthy of them who will lose them rather than submit to the trouble of a sincere Examination of themselves The particular benefits are here expressed in the words of Christ John 6.54 55 56. in that mystical Sermon wherein he did secretly prepare the minds of his Disciples for this Sacrament shortly to be instituted and clearly alludes to the same The first benefit is the spiritual eating Christs body and blood For the humbled Sinner believing in the Incarnation Death and Passion of Jesus and receiving this Bread and Wine in token that God hath given him for his sins and that he doth rely on him as his only Redeemer This doth convey to such a penitent Believer all the benefits of the Birth and the Death of Jesus and as the Bread and Wine being received do communicate to us all the strength and comfort that they contain so the worthy Receiver by apprehending and embracing a Crucified Saviour draws perswasions of his pardon and encouragement to his Graces and so hath spiritually eat the flesh and drunk the Blood of Christ and hence flows the second benefit viz. His Dwelling or remaining in us and we in him that is when he have thus received our Saviour there is a blessed Communion between him and our Souls for he communicates of his fulness to us and we open our necessities to him and Thirdly hereby there is produced so near an Vnion that God esteems us as members of his dear Son lays our sin upon him and imputes his satisfaction to us and consequently all those benefits are derived to us which are mentioned by many and found by the Devout Communicant hope of pardon encrease of Grace assurance of our Resurrection and the expectation of Eternal Glory O Blessed mystery which dost communicate my Saviour and convey his Graces to me which givest me an interest in him and makest me one with him whom my Soul loveth How am I ravished with the sweetness of this Heavenly Feast how strongly do these benefits attract me if any pains or cost trouble or difficulty stand in my way I will account the pains to be pleasures the cost gain the trouble delight and the difficulty easiness which leads me to such blessedness O my Soul dost thou not wish with all thy Powers to be reconciled to God to be one with Christ and to be filled with the Spirit behold the
pit He saw us wretched and miserable lying hopeless and helpless reserved in Chains of Darkness to the judgment of the great Day and then he had Compassion on us and broke our Bonds in sunder But there is one step higher still 4. Let us behold the noble design and happy consequence of this Deliverance he hath not only snatched us from the flames of Hell but made us Heirs of Heaven not only pacified our offended Judge but engaged him to become our most gracious Father so that he owns us for his Friends adopts us for his Children and intends us to be partakers of his endless joys We are taken from our Dungeon into the Family of God from his Bar into his Bosom and advanced to be like unto the Angels in glory and immortality Oh the heigth and length the depth and breadth of the love of Christ Who can sufficiently admire it that so great a Majesty should stoop so low and suffer so much for so poor and so evil-deserving wretches with purpose to advance them to so blessed a condition this is a subject fit for an Angels Song-Praise the Lord oh my Soul and let all thy powers be acted with such love and wonder that thou maist break forth into all the expressions of joy that admiration and gratitude can inspire thee with Glory be to thee O Lord most high § 9. And to the end that we should always remember the exceeding great love of our Master and only Saviour thus dying for us and the innumerable benefits which by his precious blood-shedding he hath obtained to us he hath instituted and ordained holy mysteries as pledges of his love and for a continual remembrance of his Death to our great and endless comfort Our merciful and gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous works that they ought to be had in remembrance Psal 111.3 but especially this work of our Redemption which to forget were an ingratitude baser than Heathens or Publicans ever knew Math. 5.46 and might almost compare with the Cruelty of his Murtherers Is it not our greatest comfort and our highest honour that we were thus redeemed by such a Saviour Can we forget that precious blood which was the price of our Souls and the purchase of Heaven by which we obtain benefits more than we can number greater than we can sufficiently apprehend Pardon and peace the love of God and the service of Angels Victory over Satan and the Conquest of Death the Conversion of Souls and the fruition of glory do all spring from it with many many more The Choire of Heaven bless God for it and Eternity is designed to sing the glory of this excellent love which had no pattern hath no parallel nor ever can it fully have an imitation John 15.13 Rom. 5.7 8. And is it possible now that those for whom all this was done should ever forget so rare a mercy or neglect so cheap d Qui meminit sine impendio gratus est Sen. so mean a return as to Commemorate it with thanksgiving Reason would deem this impossible but experience alas shews it is too frequent and both good and bad do more or less let slip the memory hereof Wherefore the holy Jesus found it necessary to appoint this Sacrament to be the Worlds Remembrancer therein It hath been the Custom of all Nations to preserve the memory of their Hero's and to perpetuate their deliverances by appointing publick Games and Festivals thus Cities commemorate their Founders and the Sects of Philosophers their first Authors yet all these being of humane Institution are soon apt to decay and beside they are without advantage to the Souls of men But our Lord hath appointed a Commemoration of his Death and our Salvation that shall as far out-last as it doth outvy them all A Coelestial Banquet and worthy of so great so divine an Author Which doth at once represent our Saviours Passion before us and convey its benefits to us it demonstrates his love confirms our Faith mortifies our Lusts it makes us like to Jesus and one with him And how can we have more evident pledges of his favour He knew we were apt to forget him and then we grow cold and dull exposed to our Enemies and open to all mischief wherefore he hath contrived these mysteries that we might neither want the comfort of remembring his holy Passion nor the benefit of sharing in the merits of it He had given himself for all before but now he gives himself to every particular Soul Let us then take care duly to receive these Tokens of his endless love and they shall begin a joy which shall never cease till our Lord in person shall appear in all his glory and by the brightness of his presence remove all these Vails and Coverings and give us leave to see him face to face § 10. To him therefore with the Father and the Holy Ghost let us give as we are most bounden continual thanks submitting our selves wholly to his holy will and pleasure and studying to serve him in true holiness and righteousness all the days of our life Amen By this time surely we begin to be melted with these vigorous manifestations of the love of Christ and our affections big with gratitude and admiration begin to struggle within us for therefore is this representation made that we might remember it and remembred that we might celebrate it with Hymns and Eucharist My heart is ready O God saith the pious Soul My heart is ready Psal 108.1 Most seasonably therefore doth the Priest invite us to Praise the Lord with him just now and summon us to this excellent duty almost in the very words of St. Paul Heb. 13.15 We have seen the everlasting love of the Father the unspeakable kindness of the Son the incomparable grace of the Holy Ghost and our own infinite Obligations Let us therefore all join in offering up all possible Praise and Glory let us begin the Office with it that it may warm our hearts and dispose them for all the following parts thereof And let us worship the blessed Trinity with such sincere and hearty thanksgivings that the Choire of Communicants may be a little Emblem of that of Angels with this only difference that they openly behold that which we discern by Faith but both they and we rejoice in it with joy unspeakable and full of glory But because when we have done all we can we shall come far short we must resolve not only to make a few praises in this highest part of our Devotion but to perpetuate the duty to our lives end for our very life is too short and all our Thanksgiving too narrow to celebrate these mercies let us strive therefore to imprint the love of Jesus so deeply in our minds that the memory thereof may never depart from us but be ever in us and always dispose us to bless the Lord at all times in all places and upon all occasions And further since no praises
is given for you Our Heavenly Physician being about to cure the Diseases of our Souls having thus prepared the Remedy and presented it to us he doth first direct the use of it a Medicus non tantum curat sed etiam monet Sen. ep 94. and Secondly Tell us what it is We are not taught to carry it about to gaze at and to be adored but to Take and Eat it For Christ having made himself a Sin-offering for us desires that Sacrifice may be accepted as ours and would have us to share in the benefits thereof wherefore he hath made this a Peace-offering as the memorial of it and invited us to take and eat our Portion that so he may be one with us and we with him And when we hear him so lovingly call us to feast with God upon the remainders we may very fitly fall into these Contemplations There is indeed a mighty difference between the feeding of my Body and the refreshing of my Soul that which enters in by the mouth cannot of it self reach thither yet I am commanded when I come for spiritual relief to Take and Eat and I will not enquire but obey because he that prescribes this method can work wonders and at once satisfie both Body and Soul wherefore I will perform the outward part and at the same time lift up my Soul above these visible representations and being sensible of my offences against Heaven while my mouth is chewing the holy Bread my Faith b Quod esca est carni hoc animae fides Cypr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil shall feast upon the satisfaction made by my Redeemers Passion until I find my Soul is nourished with the Joy the Peace and the Comfort which it draws from thence As he hath made his Oblation mine by his designing it for me so I will make it mine also by a particular application O strengthen my hand by a lively Faith and open my mouth by fervent desires so will I take and eat this and rejoice in so lively an Emblem which leads me into that within the vail and while I am performing the bodily part let my soul feel the spiritual efficacy of thy grace that I may not eat unworthily or to Condemnation Lord I feed upon thy love I lay hold upon thy Promises I will take and eat these as well as the material part if thou wilt please to enable me so to do Furthermore lest I should be mistaken and either not understand or not believe the true worth of this incomparable gift he is pleased to tell me what it is This is my Body saith he which is given for you and by that word he makes it to be so to every true Believer wherefore the Minister ought to pronounce this so reverently and so deliberately that the Communicants may have time to exercise their Faith because their senses cannot discover any material alteration For the true understanding whereof let me here digress a little for the satisfaction of such as are not prejudiced nor contentious We know how stifly the Roman Church contends for the literal exposition of this Text and what Tragedies have been acted upon those who did not so understand it but we have great reason to believe That our Saviour did not intend by these words to change the substance of the Bread and Wine into his natural Flesh and Blood For I. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This being Neuter cannot agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bread which is Masculine and it is very probable that our Lord did herein as in other things imitate that Phrase which the Jews used at the Feast of the Passover This is the Bread of affliction which our Fathers did eat c. and This is the Body of the Paschal Lamb which our Fathers did eat c. as the Talmud tract de Pasch declares For as that was not the very Bread nor the very Lamb yet they called it so because it did represent and continue the memorial of that and was used to the same purpose so in like manner He calls this his own Body who was the true Paschal Lamb because This Action doth signifie and remember it and by this Bread we are partakers thereof Secondly St. Paul the best interpreter of his Master expounds This is my Body and Blood by this is the Communion of my Body and Blood 1 Cor. 10.16 that is most plainly This blessed Bread is that which will make you partakers of Christs Body c. and 1 Cor. 11.26 he calls it no more but Bread even after the Consecration ver 24 25. And the same Apostle c Solet autem res quae significat ejus rei nomine quam significat nuncupari ut Petra erat Christus Hebraeis non signum Christi dicit Apostolus Aug. in Levit. Quaest 57. saith That Rock was Christ d 1 Cor. 10.4 not intending to make us believe the Rock was Transubstantiate but only that it was the figure and symbol of Christ and so might be called by his name Thirdly Nor did the most antient Fathers thus apprehend our Saviours meaning when they called this the Antitype of his Body the Type of a great Mystery the Figure of his Body and a Symbol called by the name of his Body e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Mys cat 5. Hoc est corpus meum i. e. figura corporis mei Tertul. in Marc. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. Ego sum panis vitae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. Hoc est corpus meum Theod. Dial. cap. 8. and much more to this purpose Fourthly Nor will this opinion of Transubstantiation agree with the most antient Liturgies for in the most genuine part of them the Prayer of Consecration all those forms called from St. James St. Clement St. Basil and St. Chrysostome do pray after they have pronounced the words of Christ This is my Body that the Holy Spirit may descend and make that Bread so they still call it the Body and that Cup the Blood of Christ Yea in the Roman Church it self one of the most authentick parts of the Canon of the Mass hath these words That this Oblation may be made Vnto us the body and blood of thy most beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ Which doubtless may be done without any real change in the Elements themselves Yea and in the last part of the Canon long after the Priest hath said Hâ—c est Corpus meum by which they suppose the substances to be changed they say Through Jesus Christ our Lord by whom thou dost always create sanctifie quicken bless and give us these good things Which words being only applicable to the Bread and Wine do shew f Haeretici hujus seculi rident hanc Canonis particulam eò quod post Consecrationem adjecta sit quasi ea verba intelligi nequeunt nisi de pane vino nam Corpus sanguinem Christi non
as many as had sinned even for all the World for all saith St. Chrysostom are many When therefore we see this so plainly represented in the pouring forth of the Holy Chalice let us not only shew a high estimation of that most meritorious Blood which saves so many Souls effectually and hath virtue enough to redeem all the World but also actuate our devotion in some pertinent Soliloquies after this or the like form Methinks O my dear Redeemer while thou art pouring forth thy most precious blood thou lookest on me with a Countenance mixed of pity and upbraiding that I should take so little care to save this Soul which thou hast bought at such a rate Do I not behold those drops and streams to trickle down that have sealed the Covenant of Peace and confirmed all the Promises of the Gospel why then am I not swallowed up with admiration why do I not breath and pant after it I came not to quench my bodily thirst but to wash my Soul in this salutary Fountain oh how freely it flows how perfectly it cures Lord let me tast thereof Make it unto me the blood of Jesus for it is that my Soul thirsteth after And now that thy powerful word hath hallowed it let me not by evil thoughts or unbelief malice or impenitence make it to my self an unhallowed thing but as thou hast fitted it for the mystery oh fit me also to receive it I cannot now have any more low or common thoughts about it I will by Faith esteem it as my Saviours blood and though I am unworthy of so divine a Cordial yet my Soul gaspeth for it and without it alas I must die and perish § 13. Do this as oft as ye shall drink it in remembrance of me Amen We have here again a renewed injunction to Do this and if we have any sense of our Redeemers love or any care of our own Souls we shall not need to be pressed to it but shall desire to Do it often and yet always to Do it well not Drinking it as common Wine but as the memorial of his blood-shedding in remembrance of him and his inestimable kindness but of this we have spoken before § 10. Only we must note that this Amen in the end of this Prayer was antiently spoken z 1 Cor. 14.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atque ubi Praeses orationes gratiarum actiones absolvit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Ap. 2. by the people with a loud voice not only to shew their joining in the desire that the Elements may become truly Consecrated but also to declare their firm belief that they are now to be esteemed as the very Body and Blood of Christ Let us therefore here most devoutly seal all that the Priest hath done and unfeignedly testifie our Faith by a hearty Amen Lord it is done as thou hast commanded and I doubt not but the mystery is rightly accomplished I am perswaded that here is that which my Soul longeth after a Crucifyed Saviour communicating himself to poor penitent Sinners Oh let me be reckoned among that number and then I shall assuredly receive thee holy Jesus Amen The Paraphrase of the Prayer of Consecration § 14. O Almighty God infinite in Power and wonderful in thy goodness Thou art our Heavenly Father who to save us from Eternal Misery of thy tender mercy and free Compassion didst give thy only and well-beloved Son Iesus Christ not only to be born in our nature but also to suffer a most grievous and bitter death upon the Cross that his life might be for our Redemption from everlasting Torments to which we were forfeited We believe and confess it was this thy Son who made there on the Cross by his own voluntary oblation of himsel◠to that accursed Death though he was but once offered in this manner a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice Oblation and satisfaction to thy offended Justice not only for the sins of some times or some Persons but for the sins of all men that are were or shall be throughout the whole World so that there is none but might upon their Faith and Repentance be forgiven by the vertue thereof And because there needs no other Sacrifice for sin now therefore our Lord Jesus appointed and did institute this holy Sacrament to represent it And in his holy Gospel he doth accordingly plainly command us to observe this Rite thereby to continue a perpetual and lively memory of that his most meritorious and most precious Death So that his love may be fresh in our hearts until his coming again to judgment in the end of the World In obedience to this command we are now about to make this memorial of his Passion and that we may do it effectually Hear us O most merciful Father Consider our need of this Heavenly food We most humbly beseech thee in whose power it is alone to feed our Souls And grant that we receiving with a true repentance and lively Faith these thy Creatures of Bread and Wine which thou hast chosen to express this mystery and partaking of them according to thy Son our Saviour Iesus Christs gracious intention and most holy Institution namely in remembrance of his bitter Death and bloody Passion Let them Communicate him unto us that we by them may be partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood and of all the benefits of his Incarnation and his sufferings But it is not in us to make these Creatures to be a Sacrament wherefore we will do as our Lord did and say as he said And be thou pleased to grant that the Words of Jesus pronounced by thy Servant may have the same effect upon these Elements which they had when spoken with his blessed mouth Who in the same night that he was betrayed to his Crucifyers as one of the last tokens of his love Took Bread the staff of life as we now take this into our hands to resemble his taking our nature and when he had begged thy blessing as we do also thereon and given thanks shewing how chearfully he suffered for us He brake it as we this Bread into many pieces an Emblem of his broken and wounded Body and gave it to his Disciples to whom he designed the benefits of his Passion Saying Take this pledge of your Redemption most thankfully and by Faith Eat that you may be nourished by my Love for This is the Communion of my Body and shall make you partakers of it as it is a Sacrifice which is given to God to satisfie for you Provided you Do this in a most thankful remembrance of me and my all-sufficient Oblation Likewise also after the Paschal Supper that he might give himself wholly to us He took the Cup of Wine which maketh glad the heart of Man even as we take this And when he had begged thy blessing on it as we now do and also given thanks that his blood was accepted for the life of the World He
yea upon all thy Merits and Graces Lord thou reachest out most freely that which I need infinitely and that which I wish for above all things Adored be thy admirable bounty in complyance wherewith unworthy though I am I do stretch out a trembling hand I do open my mouth yea my heart to receive thee Open your Doors O ye Gates of my Soul and the King of Glory shall come in Rejoice and be exceeding glad for behold thy King cometh meek and lowly to visit the meanest of his servants Come Lord Jesus come quickly A Meditation while we Eat the Bread §. 8. In remembrance that Christ died for thee An Act of Contrition O my Soul behold how thou hast incensed the Majesty of Heaven see how he gives up the most innocent and most holy Jesus thy best thy only friend and his own dear Son to be tortured and tormented for thy Sins O how cruelly was he scourged with whips wounded with Thorns loaden with the Cross torn with Nails pierced with a Spear and rackt on the most painful instrument of Death His lovely Face is defiled with blood and spitting his Ears filled with taunts and curses his Eyes drenched in tears for the ruine of his Enemies and his Soul amazed at the terrors of the divine wrath till at length all wounded broken and bloody with many groans yet with admirable patience he breaths out his holy Soul And yet whatever he suffered was my portion My pleasure hath been his pain my wicked life hath caused his bitter death Wretch that I am to live in such a manner that nothing else could satisfie or make my Peace But here I come this day to call my sin to remembrance I will look on thee whom I have pierced with a most tender and sympathizing affection and while I break this holy Bread with my Teeth I will commemorate how thou wast bruised for our iniquities and how our offences did grind thee with grief and pain Holy Saviour I am angry at my self and full of anguish to see what I hâ—ve brought upon thee I am sorry with all my heart that I have given harbour to thy Murtherers but I hope this most dismal spectacle l Est enim tanta vis crucis Christi ut si ante oculos ponatur in mente fidelitèr retineatur ita ut in ipsam mortem Christi intentis oculis adspiciatur nulla concupiscentia nulla libido nullus furor nulla potest superare invidia Origen in 7. ad Rom. shall mortifie in me all desires after Evil and make me abhor all those desperate pleasures which must be so dearly paid for by thee or else stand charged upon my Account for ever No no I will never crucifie thee again by renewing my disobedience for I have done too much already A Meditation after the receiving of the Bread §. 9. And feed on him in thy heart by Faith with thanksgiving An Act of particular Application and Gratitude Hail holy Lamb of God thrice welcome art thou to a poor perishing Sinner was it not enough that thou shouldst suffer so much for me but thou wilt also give all the purchase of those sufferings to me thy loving kindness is truly admirable Thou hast taken my sins on thy self and communicated thy Righteousness unto my Soul Lord while I believe and consider the benefits of thy Passion I am revived and filled with an unwonted vigour My Conscience doth accuse me of many and grievous sins but I do here most humbly and thankfully set forth this perfect Sin-offering before thy divine Majesty and I know thou canst not except against it I believe it is sufficient to attone thy anger what I owe he hath discharged what I have deserved he hath endured so that for his sake I hâ—pe thou wilt set me free Blessed Jesus how is my Soul refreshed that it is thus restored again to thy Fathers Love Let Heaven and Earth praise thee and declare the merit of this glorious Sacrifice and I will bless thee while I have my being I will love thee because thou hast loved me better than thy own life my heart shall feast with joy and Eucharist upon the pleasures and Comforts which I expect to draw from this Coelestial food I have received thine immaculate Body and it shall cleanse my sinful body and teach me by the vertue of so rare an example to relieve my poor Brethren for whom thou hast died and to conquer my Enemies by my Charity for thus thou hast done to me And both my lips and my life shall set forth thy Praise I begin to feel my self one with thee already and I will wait till I am perfectly united to thee in Everlasting Glory Amen Meditations before the receiving of the Cup. §. 10. The blood of our Lord Iesus Christ An Act of Acknowledgment It will not suffice me Dearest Saviour to receive thee in part only for I must be wholly thine and blessed be thy Name thou art willing to be wholly mine also Thou hast already given me thy holy Body to cleanse my nature and now thou art preparing thy precious Blood to wash away my guilt My sins have poured out every drop thereof wherefore thou presentest it to me by it self to shew how truly thou didst suffer Death for me And now O my Redeemer thou hast said this Cup is the Communion of thy blood and thy Truth is unquestionable thy power is infinite and thy love was such that thou gavest thy hearts blood for me I will receive it therefore as the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant the seal of all the Promises of thy holy Gospel I have indeed vile Sinner that I am drunk in iniquity like water and therefore am unfit to taste this Water of Life and yet I shall perish without it for I am all over defiled and this is the fountain which thou hast opened to cleanse us I am scorched with the flames of evil Lusts and unruly Passions and this is the Cup which thou hast provided to cool and refresh us O thou Medicine of immortality my Soul longeth for thee what value is sufficient for me to put upon this Heavenly Cordial how can I reverence it enough since the God of Heaven esteemed it a price sufficient for millions of perishing Mankind Lord let me taste and my soul shall live let me wash in this Laver before I come to thy great Tribunal so shall I be whiter than Snow §. 11. Which was shed for thee An Act of Repentance mixed with Faith Was there ever so base a wretch as I have been who have accounted those sins small and trivial yea and made them my sport and pleasure which have pressed down and wounded the holy Jesus till he is all over drenched in his own blood Woe is me I have easily committed that which nothing but these streams can wash away O ye accursed Lusts ye have by wicked hands taken Crucified and slain the Lord of Life and if he had
as much as the time will give us leave because to look about us or to unbend our thoughts while the Celebration is in hand is a sign of a carnal heart and a base spirit that is weary of conversing with God it is an affront to the blood of Christ it exposeth us to Satans malice and prepares us for evil suggestions which unguarded Souls fall into sooner here than elsewhere and to conclude it will make our Lord abhor us the Spirit forsake us and turn the Cup of Blessing into poison and a Curse Wherefore be very watchful that no evil or impertinent cogitation do divert you till the Post-Communion doth begin and then you must have no other imployment but to join with the Minister in that part of this holy Office also PARTITION IV. Of the Post-Communion SECT I. Of the Post-Communion in general and in particular of the Lords-Prayer § 1. IT is a rudeness in manners to depart from the House of our Friend as soon as the Tables are removed and an Act of Irreligion to rise from our common meals a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porphyr de Essenis de abst lib. 4. Sect. 12. Gratias agere debent cum hymno à mensâ devenire Chrysos hom 83. in Math. without Prayer Thanksgiving How much more absurd and impious then were it for us to depart so abruptly from the Lords Table Our Church hath therefore here provided this concluding Banquet of Prayers and Praises imitating our Saviours Pattern who concluded his last Supper with that excellent Prayer John 17. as well as with that Hymn Math. 26.30 which is supposed to have been the Paschal Hallelujah and all Churches do finish this Heavenly Feast in like manner as the following particulars will demonstrate It is our part therefore to take care that the vigour of our devotion do not remit for we ought to perform these duties also with the same affections It is the first Testimony which we give of that Piety that we have vowed and if well done will be like the digestion and turning this Heavenly food into spiritual nourishment We do not eat our common meat only to please our palate but to support and strengthen our nature and to make us more fit for our imployment in like manner we do not partake of the Blessed Eucharist to put us into holy raptures at present only but to strengthen our Souls and put them into better frame for all Duties which we owe to Almighty God so that now we must give the first experiment of our having worthily received § 2. The Lords Prayer is placed in the first entrance upon this part of the Office both in imitation of Antiquity b Docuit Apostolos ut quotidiè in Corporis illius sacrificio credentes audeant loqui Pater noster Hieron in Pelag l. 3. Vid. Aug. ep 59. Greg l. 7. ep 63. and because it cannot any where be used more properly For having now been made partakers of Jesus and his Spirit it is fit the first words which we speak should be his as if not we but he lived and spake in us and surely these divine words can never be more effectual than when we have the blessed Author of them so fresh in our memories and have so lately set forth his most meritorious Death We have in this Sacrament received him and we know that unto as many as receives him he gives them power to become the Sons of God so that we may all with one heart and voice now say most chearfully Our Father and apply every Petition to the present occasion in this or the like manner The Paraphrase of the Lords-Prayer O Lord who hast now sealed our Adoption and made us Members of Christ we make bold to call thee Our Father and do lift up our hearts to thee which art in Heaven to bless thee for this mighty favour wishing that Hallowed and for ever blessed may be thy Name throughout all the World Thou hast made us thy servants now by grace therefore O let thy Kingdom of glory Come as soon as thou pleasest In the mean time since we have been fed with Angels food we pray that thy Will may be done by us thy servants in Earth as readily and as constantly as it is ever done by those blessed Spirits in Heaven We cannot distrust thy Providence for Earthly things since thou hast given us thy own Son and fed us with his Body and Blood wherefore we will only beseech thee to Give us this day so much as is necessary for our subsistence even our daily Bread to enable us to serve thee And â—orgive us by the merits of that prevailing Sacrifice now commemorated all our trespasses by which we have deserved that wrath which Jesus hath endured Lord pardon us therefore as we by thy Example in this Feast of love do freely forgive them that have done any trespass against us And do thou not only remit what is past but lest we lose our comfort and break our Vows O Lead us not neither suffer us to fall into temptation which we expect with more violence now that we have renounced the bondage of Satan But we trust in thee O Lord and call upon thee to deliver us from all Evâ—l temporal spiritual and Eternal * Note that the Doxology is here used because this part of the office is Eucharistical For thine is the Kingdom over all especially over us who have now sworn Allegiance unto thee Thou only hast the might and the Power to secure us And therefore to thee shall all the Praise and the Glory be given by Men and Angels for ever and ever O do thou therefore to these our requests say Amen that we may also join in thy Praises So be it SECT II. Of the first Prayer in the Post-Communion § 1. THat the Eucharist was always concluded with a Hymn is observed by all but we affirm there were Prayers also made after it as appears by that Prayer of our Saviour John 17. and also from the Custom of the Jews who finished the Paschal Solemnity with Prayers as well as Hymns a Hoc ita gesto pater familias precationes mensarias ad finem precari pergit Buxt Synag Cap. de Pasch 13. And for the Christians St. Cyril warns them b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril Mystag cat 5. not to depart till the last Prayer be done Besides the joint consent of all the antient Liturgies shew that all Churches had such Prayers As for this form the principal clause thereof of offering up our Bodies and Souls is taken from St. Paul Rom. 12.1 and it is a main end of this Sacrament though the Roman Mass is wholly silent in it the rest of this Prayer although the words be modern in sense agrees with many of the antient forms and is so well contrived as it may not only serve to exercise our devotion at present but teach how to demean our selves
so afterwards that we may retain the benefits which we have received as the more particular consideration thereof will shew The Analysis of the First Prayer in the Post-Communion § 2. This First Prayer consisteth of Three Parts 1. A Supplication to the Father 1. For the Acceptance of our Sacrifice of Praise O Lord our heavenly Father we thy humble Servants entirely desire thy Fatherly Goodness mercifully to accept this our Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving 2. For the Benefits of the Oblation made by Jesus Christ Most humbly beseeching thee to grant that by the Merits and Death of thy Son Iesus Christ and through Faith in his Blood we and all thy whole Church may receive remission of our Sins and all other benefits of his Passion 2. An Oblation of our selves by 1. A solemn Dedication 1. The thing dedicated And here we offer and present unto thee O Lord our selves our souls and bodies 2. The end of the Dedication to be a reasonable holy and lively Sacrifice unto thee 2. A Petition for Grace to make good this Vow Humbly beseeching thee that all we who are Partakers of this Holy Communion may be full filled with thy Grace and heavenly Benediction 3. An Act of Humility expressed in 1. Acknowledging our unworthiness And although we be unworthy through our manifold Sins to offer unto thee any Sacrifice 2. Petitioning to be mercifully accepted yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden Duty and Service not weighing our Merits but pardoning our Offences 3. A Doxology to the whole Blessed Trinity Through Iesus Christ our Lord by whom and with whom in the Vnity of the Holy Ghost all Honour and Glory be unto thee O Father Almighty world without end Amen A Practical Discourse upon the first Prayer with Meditations after the Communion § 3. O Lord our Heavenly Father we thy humble Servants entirely desire thy Fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving The devout Soul being newly refreshed with these Heavenly Comforts and even ravished with joy to find him whom she loved and longed after desires now an opportunity to express her gratitude But alas what have we to return we can make no requital only we must acknowledge the favour and offer up a Sacrifice of Praise for it and since this is all we can do we had need do this very well but if we reflect upon the manner even of this Oblation we shall easily perceive there have been many defects so that without a merciful acceptance it could never avail us in the sight of God how apparent is it that we have not praised God so affectionately and unfeignedly as so infinite a mercy doth deserve Wherefore if we be really his humble Servants the first thought in our hearts and the first word in our mouths will be the confession of our failings even in the whole office from the beginning to the end for the Ancients called the whole Communion the Sacrifice of Praise c Ecclesia immolat in Corpore Christi sacrificium laudis Aug. l. 1. in advers legis cap. 20. as our Church here doth whereas the Romanists only call it a Sacrifice d Praesta ut hoc sacrificium quod oculis tuae Majestatis indignus obtuli Missal Rom. without any other addition but it is not the Sacrifice of Christ which we here speak of for that is always pleasing to God and was absolutely perfect but it is our own Peace-offering in Commemoration thereof in which there have bâ—en many failings and therefore we desire and beg that it may be accepted in mercy so that our infirmities may not deprive us of the benefit and the comfort thereof to which purpose let us thus Meditate When I compare thy acts with mine Holy Jesus I am exceedingly ashamed to behold so vast a disproportion thou givest me thy merits and graces thy life and thy love at present and hast promised thy Kingdom to me in reversion and I have scarce returned this with the intire devotion of one half hour Oh how little is my obdurate heart affected with the sense of my own guilt the fears of the divine wrath or the apprehensions of thy sufferings Yet Lord I do desire and did endeavour to praise thee so that I hope thou wilt consider my infirmities with much compassion and measure my services not by the exactnâ—ss of the performance but by the sincerity of my wishes so shall I be accepted before thy Heavenly Father and by the mercy of that acceptance be obliged unto thee for ever § 4. Most humbly beseeching thee to grant that by the merits and death of thy Son Iesus Christ and through Faith in his Blood we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins and all other benefits of his Passion Our Heavenly Father doth not at any time require our praises meerly for the advancement of his own glory but that we may thereby be the more fit to receive greater benefits from him e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. in Gen. hom 52. thus in the design of this holy Sacrament he doth not only intend it as a Sacrifice of Praise for the Death of Christ but as a means to convey the blessings thereof to us Wherefore we must in the next place petition that we may find the happy effects of our Lords Passion and then we shall have good grounds to turn this memorial thereof into Eucharist and Thanksgiving We have beheld that sacred body broken and that precious blood spilt in a mystery which is sufficient to attone our sins and the sins of the whole Church and we have now perceived our own need of mercy and we are in perfect Charity with all Christian people so that it is now most proper for us to pray that that so excellent a price may not be paid in vain so glorious an offering may not want its due effects But that by this Sacrifice as the meritorious and moving cause and by our Faith therein as the instrumental we and the whole Church may find remission at the hands of God This is the great end of our Communicating and if we would most earnestly intreat for it we may thus enlarge our selves Gracious Lord we have beheld the efficacious and all-saving Sacrifice which thy Son hath offered for us we have remembred it and blessed thy name for it as well as we were able though not so highly as we are obliged to do f Gratias agimus Deus omnipotens non quantum debemus sed quantum possumus Liturg. S. Clement For the benefits thereof are inestimable Oh let them not all be lost unto us for want of Faith to believe and receive them There is no want of merit in Jesus to deserve no want of mercy in thee to bestow remission Oh let there not want in us or in any of those for whom Christ died grace to accept this Pardon Behold Lord how we struggle under a load of guilt
profess if we had not been encouraged by his love and goodness and commanded by his own Precept we durst not have approached to these terrible mysteries Yet since it is our bounden duty and a service so fit so just and reasonable we may hope he will accept us not because we are worthy or have done any thing to merit his favour but because he is merciful y Non aestimator meriti sed veniae largitor Ambros Rom. Missal and apt to forgive our failings if he should take a measure of the worth of our Sacrifice by the Holiness of the offerers z Qui petit primo debet attendere ut pro suis meritis nihil accepturum se putet sed de Dei misericordiâ tantum Bern. in sent it is sure ours would be rejected and therefore it is best for us to fly to his mercy For the best of Gods Saints whose devotion far excelled ours have set us this Example and found it the wisest and safest way I confess to thy goodness saith St. Ambrose that I am not worthy to come near to so great a mystery for my manifold sins But thou canst make me worthy Wherefore although a Sinner I come to thy Altar to offer the Sacrifice which thou hast appointed Whose example we may follow by this or the like Act of Humility O thou all-seeing and most holy Lord God I have been admitted to make an Oblation of my praises and my self unto thee and I am infinitely concerned that thou shouldst accept me therein not for any merit in me but for thy own mercy sake O my God thou knowest I have been polluted with Sin undutiful to thy commands unfaithful to my promises unmindful of my obligations confederate with thy Enemies yea and even in the time of these holy mysteries so obdurate and confused that I might justly fear lest my wretchedness should make my Sacrifice an abomination I blush that I am no fitter I lament that I should bring so many defilements where the purity of an Angel is scarce sufficient but I take sanctuary in thy most obliging condescensions and because I am so unworthy I will endeavour to esteem my self as vile as I really am in thy sight O do not look upon the deserts of a wretched sinner but remember thy own mercies and accept what thou hast required of me And so shall thy favour be more illustrious because it is bestowed upon so undeserving a Creature and the sense of my unworthiness shall enlarge my thankfulness and make me praise thee more than if I had approached with all perfections § 8. Through Iesus Christ our Lord by whom and with whom in the unity of the Holy Ghost all honour and glory be unto thee O Father Almighty World without end Amen When the people prayed without Luke 1.10 they directed their faces toward the Temple and the Priest who was there offering Incense but we have much more reason to lift up our hearts to our great High Priest who is now entred into the Heavens and doth there present most perfect intercessions and unreproveable Mediations for us We know our own services to be altogether imperfect wherefore we do here declare that our only hopes of Acceptance and Pardon is Through Jesus Christ by whom we are directed to offer the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving Heb. 13.15 as we here do in this present Doxology which comes very near to the antient form used in this Office a Audi quid dicat sacerdos Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum in quo tibi est cum quo tibi est honor laus gloria magnificentia potestas cum Spiritu Sancto à seculis nunc semper in omnia secula seculorum Amen Ambros de sacr l. 6. c. 5. and doth glorifie the whole Trinity from every person whereof we have now received peculiar testimonies of grace and favour and I wish that we may do it with a devotion proportionable to the great Obligations now laid upon us and then it will be accepted according to our desire Amen The Paraphrase of the first Prayer § 9. O Lord whom though we may make bold to call our Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus yet We esteem it our honour to be accounted thy humble Servants Having now finished this great mystery we do most heartily and entirely desire thy Fatherly goodness to pass by our failings therein as the infirmities of thy own Children and beseech thee mercifully to accept this our Oblation of our selves together with our Eucharistical Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving for the sufferings and merits of our Redeemer Most humbly deseeching thee who hast given such a Sacrifice for us and in this holy Sacrament offered the benefits thereof unto us That thou wilt please to grant that it may not be in vain to us or any of thy people But that â—y the merits of the Passion and death of thy Son our Saviour Iesus Christ which we have now commemorated and through a lively Faith in his blood which was shed for us Both We who have now Communicated and thy whole Church throughout the World may receive a free Pardon and full remission of our Sins And also obtain reconciliation and adoption sanctification and power against sin assurances of peace hopes of glory and all other benefits of his all-saving Passion And here at thy Altar where thou hast re-minded us of thy giving thy Son for us and where thou hast offered to make a League with us in his most precious blood We offer not only the praises of our lips which are too mean a return for such favour but we dedicate and present unto thee O Lord that which thou chiefly requirest and all that we have to give even our selves wholly and entire all the powers of our Souls and all the members of our Bodies designing them absolutely to thy service and intending them to be a reasonable holy and lively Sacrifice and therefore we have consecrated them unto thee And we hope thou wilt accept us for thine own and never suffer us to be enslaved to sin hereafter And that we may keep this vow we do here crave thy gracious assistance humbly beseeching thee to send thy holy Spirit to take possession of our hearts so that all we who are partakers of the outward part of this holy Communion being made thine may be fullfilled and replenished in Soul and Body with thy grace within us and thy Heavenly benediction upon us And although we confess thou maist justly charge us to be unworthy through the stain and the guilt of our manifold sins which mingle with all our duties to offer unto thee so pure and holy a Majesty any Sacrifice of Praise or to make any Oblations before thee Yet we have ventured in hopes of thy goodness upon this â—acred mystery and we do beseech thee to accept this our imperfect endeavour as a testimony of our desire to please thee since it is our bounden Duty to shew
shall be the subject of my Eternal Hallelujahs Amen § 5. And that we are very members incorporate in the mystical Body of thy Son which is the blessed Company of all faithful people The second happiness assured by this Holy Eucharist is that we are thereby united to Jesus so as to have fellowship with him 1 John 1.3 and in St. Pauls phrase we do thereby become members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bone Eph. 5.30 for he gives us himself to be our food with intent that he may be one with us and we with him m Hoc Sacramentum ideò nobis datum est ut Corpus Ecclesiae Christi in terris cum Capite quod est in coelis coadunetur Aug. Serm. 8. ad fratr in Eremo As some have made their Leagues of friendship by drinking each others blood thereby intending to sympathize and as it were to mingle Souls and since we have been fed with that food with which God feeds his dearest Children and have participated of that spirit which quickens the great mystical Body of Christ 1 Cor. 12.9 we may infer that we are living Members of the true Church also Let us therefore solace our selves with reflecting upon the happiness of our present Estate How little saith the Philosopher should we be troubled with care or fear if we were of the Imperial Family n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arr. in Epic. l. 1. c. 8. and shall not our relation to God and our Union with Jesus chear us much more What can he want that hath such a Father and Friend what can hurt him who hath such a Protector how can he die whose life is hid with Christ in God Again is it not an excellent felicity to be admitted to the blessed Society of Apostles and Prophets Saints and Martyrs and to have an interest in the Prayers and a share in the hopes of all the excellent persons now in the World That pious Emperour professed he esteemed himself more happy in being a Member of Christs Church than in being head of the Roman Empire and if we duly apprehend the favour which we have now received we may thus express our gratitude An Act of acknowledgment Part. II. I bless thee with all my Soul O my God for that thou wert pleased to make me who was by nature a Limb of Satan to be a Member of Christ and of his Church by Baptism and yet when I had forfeited that blessing by my transgressions thou hast admitted me to a nearer Vnion with Jesus in these holy mysteries than ever my Soul knew before so that now thou imputest my offences to him and communicatest his merits and graces unto me Alas what am I that I should eat of that meat and drink of that Cup with which thou hast feasted holy Souls and entertained thy best beloved ones My unworthiness would tempt me to suspect the reality of such a favour but I hope thou wilt abundantly convince me by granting that thy grace may work in me in the same manner as it hath done in thy Saints and Servants in all Ages producing in me eminent and exemplary virtues and a plentiful encrease of all good works so that following the steps of Jesus and the Examples of his holy ones this now begun Vnion may be perfected when I shall be intirely joined to my glorious head and glorified Brethren and make one in the Celestial Choire to sing thy praise Amen § 6. And are also Heirs through hope of thine Everlasting Kingdom by the merits of the most precious Death and Passion of thy dear Son The third benefit which worthy Receivers have by this Sacrament is that it doth consign them to a blessed immortality and this follows from the former it being impossible any true Member of Christ should be left for ever in the Grave since the Head liveth the Members shall live also John 6.54 Hence the Fathers called it an Antidote against Death o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ep ad Eph. and the means to make us partakers of our Lords immortality p Clem. Alexandr paedag l. 5. For Jesus doth not only here refresh the Soul with a present Communication of his graces but doth here Seal that Covenant also one condition of which is that he will bring it to his glory And therefore as Wax is little worth in it self yet when sealed and annexed to a Deed by which an Estate is secured it is highly valued so also whilst Carnal Persons discern nothing but common Bread and accordingly receive it in a careless or formal manner the Devout Communicant by Faith sees it stamped with the impress of Jesus and receives it with great joy as the seal of that Covenant and Testament by which the Kingdom of Heaven is made over unto him It doth not put us into the Possession of it at present but it secures it to us in Reversion and makes us Heirs in hope and that not in the vain uncertain hopes which Wordly men deceive themselves withal q Spes nomen incerti boni Sen. ep 10. ita est in humanis at in divinis nomen boni certissimi Vid. Rom. 5.5 Chap. 10.11 but it is a hope that will never fail nor make us ashamed because it is grounded upon the Truth of God and upon the merits of the most precious Death of Jesus Christ God hath promised it and Christ hath purchased it so that those who are beloved by God and Redeemed by Jesus cannot be excluded from it Our Lord saith St. Bernard hath a double right to this Kingdom the one by Inheritance as he is the Son of God and that is sufficient for himself the other by purchase as he is our Saviour and this he here bequeaths to us If our hopes were built upon our own merits they might deceive us but they are founded upon the merits of the Sacrifice of Jesus now commemorated let us therefore with a firm Faith and a mighty joy receive from the hands of God this pledge of a glorious immortality And when we remember that it was our Lusts which were the Death of this our dearest Lord who hath made over this Inheritance to us we must believe it to be our duty as we are Heirs to his Kingdom to be the Avengers of his blood or else the Law esteems us unworthy of the inheritance r Numb 35.21 2 Kings 14.5 Apud Abyssinos homicida traditur ad propinquos interfecti ut vindictam sumant Bodin method histor Indignus censetur haereditate qui interfecti necem vindicare negligit L. de haered 17. ff de his quae Cum tibi sint fratres fratres ulciscere laesos Ovidius Let us therefore crucifie them all on his Cross and utterly destroy all our Lusts with great fury when we remember the barbarous outrage they have committed upon him from whom our Title to the Kingdom of Heaven doth descend which resolution together with our grateful acknowledgment may be thus