ungrounded my Faith Presumption my claim to and propriety in Christ uncertain if not quite desperate But he hath shed his blood meritoriously to procure it and I go to the Ordinance as thou hast appointed it to have my pardon and interest in his Blood sealed and assured unto me and to renew my engagements and resolutions that I may be tyed faster to thee with new cords of thy love and that it may be more impossible for me to unloose my self from thy service O let me therefore receive it as a sign and seal from thee to me representing and exhibiting thy self and benefits and from me to thee a sign to separate me from sinners a seal to oblige me to all faithfulness and thankfulness required on my part Oh make the Ordinance effectual to all those blessed ends and purposes for which thou hast appointed it Let it be not only a sign to represent but an instrument to convey Christ with the power and virtue of his death unto me and a seal to assure me of my Interest in the Covenant that in those holy Mysteries I may not onely Commemorate but effectually receive my blessed Saviour thou mayest communicate to me thy self and all the benefits of his passion and have not onely a representation but a participation of him in the Sacrament to the outward Administration of it joyn the inward Seal of thy Spirit Thou knowest all my corruptions and temptations wants weaknesses and imperfections poverty and nakedness troubles and dangers how often I am tempted and defiled grieved and indisposed what strong corruptions to be subdued and mortified languishing graces to be quickened and strengthened faint purposes and resolutions to be enlarged and confirmed In confidence of thy great goodness faithfulness and mercy I thy creature come unto thee my Creator thy son unto thee my Father thy servant unto thee my Lord in danger unto thee my Saviour needy unto thee the Possessor of Heaven and Earth diseased unto thee the only Physician unclean unto thee the Fountain of grace and mercy desolate unto the God of all consolation guilty blind lifeless unto thee the Author the Father of pardon light life and Salvation Oh heal me of the guilt of my sins by the merit of thy blood of the power and corruption of my sins by the efficacy of thy Spirit Inflame my coldness with the fire of thy love soften my hardness with the dew of thy grace enlighten my blindness with 〈◊〉 beam of light from heaven anoint the eye of my soul with eye-salve that I may see clear up spiritual things to my apprehension heal all the distempers ease all the pains supplie all the necessities of my soul Make me more humble holie heavenlie confident and believing fill thy house with thy own glorie Stand not at a distance behind the wall shew thy self through the Lettice of the Ordinance let me see the outgoings of my God and my King in his Sanctuary Let me not come unto thee nor go from thee without thee Oh take this season of coming in upon my soul bestow more of thy self upon me Change me into thy likeness lift up my heart unto thee in Heaven turn all earthlie things unto me to bitterness contempt and oblivion Be thou my meat and drink my hope and strength my shield and portion my honour and glorie my love and joy my delight and solace only sweet unto my taste from henceforth and for ever These are the mercies thou hast promised to thy people hast bidden them to ask art wont to convey by thy Ordinance These are the legacies left me by my Saviours Will whereof thou art Executor his prayer promise and blessing this Institution is ingaged to procure them for all believing Receivers for these things therefore which thou then granted him do I come unto and wait upon thee this day With no lower aims go I to thy Table with such precious things is the Lord Jesus wont to feast his Guests and of his infinite fulness it is that I hope to participate through him to be strengthened with might in the inner man even to be made strong by the grace that is in Christ Jesus Thou hast provided for my soul as well as body shall there be bread enough in my Fathers house and I here perish for hunger Pertains it not to thee to keep in repair that habitation thou hast made so for thy self Will it tend to thy Honour who hast begun to build to leave the workmanship of thine own hands as if not able to finish must not the food and Author of our Spiritual life nourish and cherish redress the decays uphold the frame of it in us Oh! will the head let a member perish shall a branch wither for want of juyce he is the true vine we the branches thou art the husbandman haft ordained him to be the root fountain and support of all Spiritual furniture grace and fruitfulness to those implanted in him Oh of his fulness of Grace communicate to me for without him I can do nothing acceptable to thee Art not thou as willing to bestow the fruit of thy Blood upon us as to shed it for us Hast not thou who once so readily healed diseases cured all that came unto thee as much mercy to Soul as Body Art thou not as merciful as tender as able as willing to help as ever If as I hope thou wilt thou canst make me clean and supply my wants outward means without thee cannot yet here thou hast bid I attend waiting for the descent of thy Holy Spirit oh say unto me be it unto thee even as thou wilt yea even as thou wilt who art ever readily strongly inclin'd to do thy people good Oh let me be so refresht and strengthen'd with that spiritual banquet that I may chearfully walk on my way to glory through him who is both Sacrifice and Priest the Feast and Master of it invites us to and feeds us by himself to whom with thy Blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be ascribed all Honour Glory and Praise now and for ever Amen Going to Church COme away my Soul let us go oh that I may See how he loved us how dear we are unto him how nearly related he is unto us Let us go die with and for him disclaim whatsoever is against him renew our Covenant with him consecrate our selves wholly to him that we will never leave nor forsake him We were unworthy he should speak to us or look upon us he comes unto us dwells with us in our nature unworthy of the crums that fall from the Table he hath spread for all creatures and behold he calls us to one furnished with the richest of his blessings Oh that I may find him whom my soul loveth oh that he would speak comfortably savingly effectually sensiblie unto me that my heart may burn within me while he talketh with me and openeth unto me his love and affection those holie misteries and my understanding His sweat
let the Altar smoke with the sacrifice of a loving heart inflamed with the holy fire of Gods love to me Flame oh Love come ye warm Desires and break with longing Let Fear with all veneration do its obeisance Come up ye Daughters of Musick and all that is within me bless his holy Name Now the wax is warm Oh let the seal be stamped fair that I may see the impression ever after Now that God shews forth to me the death of his Son for me let me shew it forth to God again as that which I stick unto and abide by for my Righteousness and Peace with him Having liberty and access with boldness unto the Throne of Grace by the Blood of Jesus the High Priest of our Profession let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water O thou that providest food for all creatures and hast given all creatures to be food for Mans body and for his soul not only thy holy Word but the blessed Body and Bloud of thy Son cause all our hearts to burn with desires after thee who art so full of love to us Prepare every one by a full digestion of thy heavenly word to receive likewise this Divine nourishment Make it through the lively operation of thy Holy Spirit the Bread of Spiritual life and Wine of Spritual comfort to all our Souls Cause us to long after relish and savour the things of God Let this be the constant language of our Souls Lord ever more give us this Bread Call in compose and spiritualize all our thoughts at this solemn Ordinance Pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek thee though he be not cleansed according to the Purification of the Sanctuarie And O thou that made us upright pitie the degeneracy of mankind despise not the price of thy Sons blood let it not be as water spilt upon the ground convert direct unite provide for take care of support and comfort all of them let us take a mutual charge of one another make us all up more and more into the mystical bodie of thy Son that we may keep the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Afford us thy Gospel in its power and puritie libertie and efficacie so long as the Sun and Moon endureth Let us never want Magistrates and Pastors after thy own heart which shall protect encourage thy people and feed them with knowledge and understanding See my Soul thy Saviour set down with what a handful of his Disciples On the Communicants separated from the Congregation that lay in common with the rest of the world by nature children of wrath even as others born in the same state of distance from thee and with the same principles of enmitie against thee Oh! what is this that is come to pass how is it that thou manifestest thy self to us and not unto the world what moved thee to make a difference where thou foundest none Why â—vere we not made a Prey of Divine revenge and perished not in our enmitie against thee Why wert thou not provoked by our obstinacie malice and unbelief beyond the possibilitie of an Attonement Why hast thou so long suffered our injurious disrespects and unkind repulses of a merciful Saviour and perswaded till thou overcame and made â—us yield Why hast thou not cut off all our hopes of a blessed immortalitie who have paid so great bountie with contempt so manie benefits with ingratitude so inexpressible love with oblivion neglect and hatred Oh what hast thou done What hast thou not done and suffered for us why wouldest thou buy sinful dust with thy own blood Redeem our shame by the shameful death of Glorie and immortalitie it self put thy self that got nothing by making the world to more charge then all of it is worth to redeem the worst part of it fallen man Who can conceive whether we had precipitated our selves and to what thou haft exalted us to be spectacles even grateful to God who were monsters of horrour laid in his bosom who were in the arms of the Devil worthy his imbracements who were unworthy of his eye crowned Kings of Heaven who were slaves condemned to the Prison of Hell He not onely pardons our sins but relinquished his Throne lost his life to inthrone us in his Kingdom bestows on us his greatest mercies unworthy of the least sets us down as sons at his Table with his children who are unworthy as dogs do creep under it courts us to obedience who might not onely command us to it but instantly punish our disobedience promises a reward to such who are so far from deserving it that they are still provoking him glory to such who are more apt to be ashamed of their duties then offences Oh! how ought we to be transported with love and thankfulness considering who hath chosen us when why whom from and to what how long and how few his peculiar care of and kindness unto us How should the remembrance of this dear love of our Lord make us â—urn with ardent affections towards one â—nother How shall we offend one of â—hose for whom Christ dyed or deny â—ur selves to them to whom he hath giâ—en himself Shall we hate be envious â—nd uncharitable where thou art so loâ—ing so liberal condemn or despise the â—eanest when thou distributest thy self â—o all Oh now we see thy love to â—nemies let all ours find us friends Let â—o malice heart-burning or uncharitableâ—ess enter in or any more rancour my â—oul With all thy prople let me interâ—st my self and own them in all their conterments pity them in all their miseries â—e ready to relieve them in all their â—ants to comfort them in all their diâ—tresses to counsel them in all their doubts to delight in their society bear their infirmities pardon all their miscarâ—iages study their welfare do all the good 〈◊〉 can to Soul and Body Now I see the Minister at the Table to consecrate the Bread and Wine by Prayer â—nd the words of Christs Instiâ—ution The Minister at the Table with joy and admiration think my Soul how Christ was ordained and accomplished for the Office of a Mediator whom the Father sanctified and senâ— into the world and for this cause he sanctified himself as Priest Altar and Sacrifice for our Redemption Spiritual nourishment and Eternal salvation The Eternal Wisdom of God Incarnate tâ—â— reveal and communicate his Will hiâ— Love his Spirit his Glory to sinful miserable Man Oh the immensitie of his Mercy and unutterable treasures of hiâ— Grace which neither the provocation of our sins nor the infinite exactness oâ— his own Justice could any way overcomâ— or restrain to despise the works of his owâ— hand or not to compassionate the wretchedness of his Creatures though it coâ—â— the Humiliation and Exinanition of thâ— Son of God! Oh how great how amiable appears his Love and goodness iâ—
love and kindness towards one another Let there be no strife or differences between us or any of Thy people for we are Brethren Supply all the necessities of our Souls and Bodies Provide for us as Thou knowest best for us Let us be still fully satisfied and delighted under all thy Dispensations towards us and let all be in love and mercy unto us Mortifie all our inordinate affections and desires Draw thine Image more and more lively upon our Souls Let our chiefest pleasure consist in serving and pleasing of Thee Let nothing disturb or displease us but Thy dishonour Send Thy Gospel where it is not preached make it very successful where it is Let all who enjoy it walk worthy of it and let them be taken care of preserved and defended by Thee Forgive unto us whatever Thou hast seen amiss in us what is ours graciously pardon what is Thine own graciously accept Bless this Ordinance Thou hast ordained for Thy Church accompany it with the Influences of that Spirit which Thou hast promised to powre upon all Flesh That thereby the World Thy Church our Souls and Bodies may glorifie Thee now and ever Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen A Thanksgiving and Prayer at home after the Sacrament I Adore and magnifie thee most gracious God and merciful Father for what thou art in thy self and unto all thy Creatures for thy infinite Wisdom Power and Goodness and for any discoveries of the same in and by thy Word and Works that thou hast so wonderfully made so plentifully provided for every Creature especially Man their Lord thy Image and Glory But how can we sufficiently admire thy inexpressible Condescention and Love in taking notice of us except to punish us in becoming so nigh unto us when we lay in our blood and had made our selves worse then the Beasts that perish And dost thou open thine eye upon such an one and bringest me into fellowship with thee Is it pleasing to thee to look upon abominable filthy Man or gain unto thee to serve me to give thy self to and for me to purchase such a clod of Earth and Sin with thy own Blood Oh when I consider the Rock whence I was hewen and that on which thou hast set me from what I was fallen and to what thou hast exalted me where I had been and where I shall be I am amazed at thy Love I am confounded at my ingratitude VVhat shall I return unto thee that humblest thy self to behold the things that are in Heaven and Earth for the innumerable instances of thy peculiar care and special love for chusing me out of the World that I might not be condemned with it for making a Child of VVrath the Object of thy Love for opening to me a door of Mercy whilst I was shutting it against my self thinking towards me thoughts of peace whilst mine were only evil and enmity against Thee for so many occasions and opportunities of praising thee and that I have not sinn'd away all into an incapacity of praising thee for striking a Conjugal Covenant with me whose Person is ugliness and deformity whose Parentage base and beggarly whose portion nothing but Diseases and Miserie for feeding me this day with thy Word and Sacrament with thy own Flesh and Blood who mightest long ago shook off the hand of thy Providence such a Viper as I into fire unquenchable and made me there sadly experience what it is to abuse Grace by the loss of Glory for any heart endeavours or assistance any signs of thy acceptance any liveliness of affection in commemorating the All-sufficient Sacrifice of my ever-prevailing Mediator in stead of being made a Sacrifice to thy Justice for ever and ever That I have been pledging thee in a Cup of Love while others drink the Dregs of thy Wrath in any measure discharging my duty whilest others are suffering the insupportable punishment of their neglects that thou hast assured me of forgiveness and all other benefits purchased by thy Passion while so many millions are sealed up under wrath in the prison of thy Furie Not unto me O Lord not unto me but unto thy Name be the praise O my God to these and all thy mercies deny not this A thankful heart for all thy mercies and grace to make them incentives to more chearful and sincere Obedience Mind me alwaies of and enable me faithfully to perform the Vows and Promises now upon me confirm and strengthen them that they may stand as fast as thy everlasting Covenant Let me not falsifie with thee or depart from thee or defile that place thou hast chosen for thy Temple but dedicate it wholly to thee Let the fruit of the Ordinance be found to the praise of thy Grace the support and encouragement comfort and advantage of my own Soul Let me always remember thee and my duty unto thee let nothing separate me from the love of thee let me rather die then deny or dishonour thee Make me sensible how much my Saviour loved me by his ardent desire to be an offering for me and remembred by me Let me not spare my darling sins for thy sake who sparedst not thy beloved Son for mine Let me alwayes look upon that with horror and hatred which procured to him so much ignominy and torment Let not those lusts please and delight my Phansie which were nailes and thorns in his hands and side Seeing I now profess to abide in him enable me to walk even as he walked in lowliness and humility meekness and patience contempt of the World heavenliness and zeal for thy Glory temperance and moderation tenderness and compassion love and charity innocency and usefulness obedience resignation and submission to thee Charge not upon me my unpreparedness for unaffectedness wanderings unbelief at that solemn ordinance this dayes iniquity of my holy things but upon our great high Priest who offered up himself to hear our sins And Oh that we who have now been celebrating his Love and Passion may with all thy people love one another as he hath loved us have strength to resist and overcome constancy to suffer and persevere may breath earnestly after thee be pardoned and accepted supplied owned blessed by thee keep close unto thee and reign with thee to all eternity through our ever blessed Redeemer who was delivered for our Offences and raised again for our Justification in whose holy Name and words I further pray unto thee saying Our Father c FINIS
for me but to forbid thy Memory to Dye in me O thou loving and Blessed above all Beloveds when thy passion is engraven by thy own hand in an Holy Mysterie for my mind to wear shall not I keep this memorial Shall I not wear thy Ring who am so ready to wear a Death's-head to preserve alive the memory of a dead Friend O that I may ever keep this Manna that came down from Heaven not in a Leaden but Golden pot not in a dull barren bareley contemplative but humble tender active pretious memory which moves all good affections to thee and promoves all good abilities for thee Such a memory will mind and do all Duty admire and love thee obey endure do and suffer for thee establish Faith excite Repentance inflame Love maintain Constancy I cannot but repent believe and love to the end if thou be in my mind If I fail payment of any duty to thee or man it is because I do not remember thee Of me Of my Death and your redemption by it This Sacrament then is an obelisk to the eternal memory of thy passion so oft as I neglect it what do I but pull down this Pyramid of everlasting date set up in the Church for a solemn memorial of thy death and bury thee and thy Merits as the Jews did thy Body but in a worser grave not in a Garden but Desart a grave of Oblivion Wretch am I that have need of such an help to my memory and spur to my Duty as both a Command and a Sacrament it casts reproach on me O Saviour that thou shouldst give thy Body for me and I scarce give my mind to thee that I should have so great a room in thy heart and thou so hardly get any in mine that thou shouldst be more ready to bleed for me then I to think of thee Dear Jesus thou didst empty all thy veins for me shall not I find a vessel to preserve thy precious Blood Do I not spill what thou shed if I let it run out of my memory yet art thou put to it to find me both blood and mind and when thou hast done all that out of remembrance of me lest it should be forgotten ordain'st a Sanction and Sacrament saying Do this in remembrance of me But more wretch I if I do not so do for Lord if I do thee honour dost thou not do me favour for it If I give thee glory is it more my duty then felicity to do it If thy Sacrament is it not my benefit Receive I not great honour in it Reap I not good benefits by it conveys it not the Blood Royal of Heaven into me Am I not related to Brother of Christ Heir and Prince of Heaven by vertue of that Blood Is not the Godhead bodily in him and is not this Body mystically in me and I near allyed to God by the Communion of that Body And can he want Demeans that is such a Prince Is not the Earth thy gift and Heaven in thy power O thou Son and Heir of all And have I not thy Spirit thy flesh to pledge for all the conveyance sealed in thy Blood and thy Merits made over and assured in thy Body O Lord I am so much concern'd in honour and estate to do what thou commandest that if I consider my self I shall do it to thy memory in remembrance of me as well as thee Wherever God hath bestow'd a vital principle Faith whereby the Just live he affords nourishment to sustain it and an inclination and attractive faculty towards it Christ Crucified is as the cause of our new birth so the food which sustains and preserves us in it unto whose Body and Blood there must needs be as proportionable an appetite in a new Christian as to Milk in an Infant that being more nourishable then milk and Faith more vital to desire it then Nature Oh! I know not what grace and comfort I have lost that others have found in the Consciencious use of this If there be any thing in the lively discoveries of the evil and desert of sin the wrath and love of God the cordials of the Gospel by frequenting it might it not have been much better with me in my Spiritual condition is not this great Hypecrisie and Dissimulation to complain of the hardness of my heart and not apply the Blood of Christ to soften it of the prevalencie of corruptions and not bring them to his Cross to subdue them of my timerous spirit and not come where God secures me and gives evidence for the discharge of his covenant and promise that God is departing when I stand at a distance and will not come nigh him is withdrawn from my Soul when I withdraw from my Dutie that I am a stranger to spiritual joy when I will not come to draw water out of the wells of Salvation of die weakness of grace and not use of all means of strengthening it can I refuse my food yet be nourished grow in grace and neglect the means not grow and be guiltless live in a known sin by neglecting a plain commanded Dutie and expect the rewards of obedience may not partial obedience to Gods commands well increase my doubts of his favour Is not this to slight and disesteem a firm conveyance of all Christs purchased benefits here offered and assured to Believers and then think not much Soul if thou go without them for ever who art also so unwilling to bind thy self to thankfulness and obedience for them Meals which are for nourishment must be often 't is not told me how often I should eat or drink the sense and feeling of the wants of my food directs me to makes me do it often Am I not apt to grow dull lukewarm cold to and in duty to contract guilt blot my evidences disturb my peace to forget him and his matchless love Is he so much in my serious thoughts as he deserves Is it enough to have some accasional thoughts of him Do I not complain that I love and think of him no more can apply him no better have so little of him am so insenble of his kindness and affection to his members Is it not a sin and shame I no more solemnly dwell in meditation upon him am no more in praising of rejoycing in him Do I not often need so great an help to soften my heart to renew my repentance to strengthen and confirm my Faith Hope and Resolutions to increase inflame my love and thankfulness fix my thoughts more solemnly upon him apply him get and maintain more intimate communion with him closer knit my soul to him and his members Is it not a sad sign I perform no Duties as and to those ends I ought but out of custom without expecting therefore without finding any great advantage from them Are the consolations of God small unto me is it not a sign when I was there I miss'd of the benefit Have I not cause to repent of
solemnly to search purifie cleanse and cast out all the leaven to pray with greater appetite praise his Name with a more delightful relish To distaste all oher things to disburthen my self to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets me to get as near Heaven as possible to render my mind more sensible of God and more fit to receive a deeper impression from his hand To excite the strongest acts of Faith the vehementest flames of love and longings after Christ and his blessings which prepares for the enjoyment Holy desires joy and thankfulness at the approach of so blessed an opportunitie To renew my resolutions and vows of holy obedience to mortifie my lesser irregularities and to bind the obligations faster that are upon my Soul To have a lively sense of the ends for which I go in what estate my Graces stand what I am to ask and for what I ought to plead the Blood of Christ voluntarily to offer more of my time and thoughts to Religious Exercises and to do that over again with a greater fervour which I have been doing since the last Communion To recover my self to the same or rather higher degrees of Zeal fervour and sublime admirations to apparel trim and dress up my mind with braver notions and brighter ornaments To get my manners carriage and behaviour rightly formed and handsomely composed for this Feast with die great King He that understands the excellencie and holiness of the mystery the glorie of the Guest the infinite benefit then designed and the increase of degrees by the exercise of those previous acts of Holiness the manner so contrarie as worthy and unworthy the effect of the Ordinance so much depending on the manner of receiving the advantage so great of Communion with Christs Bodie the danger no less then Damnation that it will set one forward and contribute very much to an happie or an unhappie eternitie a man cannot at all be supposed in any state wherein this thing will be indifferent to him will not be inquisitive into the just measure but do it heartilie devoutlie reverentlie and as much as he can put himself in to a meet disposition tobe so familiar with God Solemn Sequestration A Journey an unfixed Heart undischarg'd of earthly thoughts travelling up and down afar off unfits as well as a dead body or gross sins Earthly thoughts in the Temple if not driven away before will be buzzing pestring vexing me and corrupt the Sacrifice If I go with a loose ungirt spirit I cannot instantly entertain my Lord his work must stay untill I be ready I must be girding when I should be working or do it fumblingly and awakedly not with dexterity and activity Let your loins therefore be girt and you your selves like men that wait for their Lord that when he comes and knocks you may open to him immediately It concerns me now to put my self into that order and state of good things as if to morrow I were to dye to suppose my self seated before Gods Tribunal and to see whether I can reasonably hope my state is changed my sins pardoned and mortified to consider that unless I dare dye that day if God should call me there 's little reason I should dare to receive the Sacrament of â—ife or Minister of death If I be mistaken about the truth of Grace now I am undone for ever without true Repentance by my unworthy going I bind the guilt of all my other sins upon my Soul and add this to all the rest guiltiness of the blood of Christ He that communicates worthily is justified from his sins and to him death can have no sting to whom the Sacrament brings life and health And if I judge Righteous Judgement I shall soon find what pinches most what makes me most afraid what most criminal and least mortified so shall learn to make provision accordingly Enter then my Soul into thy chamber solemnly sequester thy self from all other Avocations that we may tend upon the Lord without distraction Shut up set a watch at the gates of thy heart let it not be open till that solemn day be over If other thoughts be hankering and hanging about for entrance testifie against them rebuke and threaten them let thy spirit in a holy indignation rise up against them the only means that from that time forth they come no more in such a season Farewell my Wife and Children Friends and secular concerns abide you here at the foot of the Mount be husht and laid deadned and mortified all irregular earthly passions and affections I have something else to do you are a clog unto my soul tread not nor whisper in this solemn place where is no room but for God alone trouble me not the door is now shut I am about a great work I will not cannot open to you And Oh thou that lookest from Heaven that fashionest the hearts of men and considerest all their works enlighten enliven and convince me affect assist and prosper me own accept and bless me call in and restrain the loosness and wandrings of my thoughts Fix unite and fill my heart with an awe a dread and reverence of thee with suitable thoughts apprehensions and meditations to the present occasion and let my meditations be attended with sutable affections Let all flesh be silent before thee let thy spirit rest upon me let this season be improved not carelesly sloathfully or negligently but sincerely uprightly with my whole soul heart and strength to thy praise and my great advantage at thy Table and in the day when thou shalt judge the secrets of mens hearts by Jesus Christ Strict examination I Am about to sit at the Lords Table among his own Children I know before-hand the King attended with his glorious Angels will come in to see his guests Christ's garment covers only Christ's members he is too just to be bribed too great to be slighted too wise to be deceived too jealous to be provoked too good to be forfeited Oh what solemn provision shall I make for so sacred a presence but a serious diligent deep enquiry into with a full and awfull discussion of the particular present estate of my Soul whether I be such as may be assured he will bid me welcome being reconciled to him and endued with those vital qualifications which pre-dispose me for an Ordinance that supposes me within the Covenant it seals and to have spiritual life it sustains and nourishes by conveying that true food of life Christ Crucified I must be born before I can eat Vncircumcised persons were not to eat the Passeover The inward of Ordinances are only enjoyed by them that are inwardly Christians Those only that bring true Graces receive real Comforts we take Christ and then eat him none find any nourishment relish or sweetness in his blood but those who have receiv'd him and so have a propriety in a little to him and the nearer the Interest the greater sweetness He must be
so cause me to feed on digest improve his body and blood having the same expectation of Spiritual and Eternal life from him that I have of temporal life from my food Let me eat not only the Bread of the Lord but the Bread which the Lord that as by my senses I receive â—he Elements to my Corporal so by faith 〈◊〉 may receive and apply him to my Spiriâ—â—al nourishment Let the Ordinance be a â—â—vely resemblance remembrance and â—pplication of the sufferings and earnest of the Supper of the Lamb. Let Christ be 〈◊〉 lively set forth as if Crucified before by eyes dying for me that beholding â—mbracing and even putting my fingers â—nto the print of his nails and feet and â—hrusting my hand into his side so fully â—erswaded of his suffering for me that I â—â—ay not be faithless but believing saying â—y Lord and my God he loved me and â—ave himself for me my beloved is mine â—nd I am his O that I may so touch him â—s may find and feel strength peace virâ—ue come from him and be healed of all â—â—y uncleanness that they may not be â—nto death but unto the glory of thy â—ercyâ— in pardoning and grace in purifying 〈◊〉 polluted a Wretch That it may be he food the feast of my graces the poiâ—â—on the funeral of my corruptions Let â—â—e so feed on his blessed Bodie and bathe â—â—y soul in his pretious Blood that my Soul may magnifie the Lord and mâ—â— Spirit rejoyce in God my Saviour whoâ—â— having not seen I may love in whâ—â— though now I see him not yet believing 〈◊〉 may rejoyce with joy unspeakable and fuâ—â— of glory Circumcise my Heart to loâ—â— thee with all my Soul Love and witâ— all my strength Let my hearâ— be ravisht with this infinite merciâ—â— in thee to sinful miserable man in cotriving and giving so glorious a Reddeemer and Redemption to save him and now in presenting us with such special Seals of his love and admitting uâ—â—â— into so near so holy a Communion 〈◊〉 For this let me be dissolv'd into lovâ— to thee and thy Son and to man foâ— his sake and into a steadfast vow of lifâ— and death to thy service that I will give and forgive do and suffer any thing foâ— thee Let me be fill'd with holy raptures joys and hopes in so great a goodness who having done this will deâ—â— me nothing and maugre the rage and malice of hell not see my soul lost foâ— whom all this is done Oh let me meet with strong endearments of Affections melting and flowing over toâ—ards thee languishing with desires enjoy thee even turn'd into made 〈◊〉 of love for thee that I may be the â—isciple whom thou lovest and laid in â—y bosom Oh deal with me as thou â—ften dost with those that draw near to â—â—ee though I burn not with so hot a â—ame yet through thy grace I crave it â—f thee that I may participate with â—nd be numbred among such fervent â—overs If I cannot say I am sick of Love â—et am sick that I cannot love thee â—here wilt thou give me thy love â—dmission to more familiar fellowship â—earâ—r manifestation sensible feeling â—nd assurance of thy love and affectiâ—n unto me that I am beloved of â—hee Give me grace to love the Lord â—esus in sincerity let him dwell in my â—eart by Faith and Love that being â—â—oted and grounded in Love I may be â—ble to comprehend with all Saints â—hat is the breadth and length and â—epth and heighth and to know the â—ove of Christ which passes knowledge â—hat the remembrance of him may pierce â—e with grief transport me with love captivate my will engage all my affections to him and for him And let me knoâ— I am passed from death to life because love the Brethren Shed abroad thâ— love in my cold frozen heart and inflaâ—â— it with fervent affection to thee and thing While my love is burning towards thâ— self oh how can it chuse but be imparâ—â— to thy Friends who sincerely love theâ— and on whom thou hast set thy heart arâ—shed thy love thy spirit whereby the are made like unto thee They mâ—â— needs be lovely in my eyes to whoâ— Christ is pretious Oh let me not conâ—â— to this Love-feast with a bitter but chanâ—â— table spirit Purge out therefore tâ—â— old leven of malice which will sow the Ordinance to me Oh that our Fâ—ther in Heaven may look down upon 〈◊〉 children feasting together in mutual loâ—â— and delight in the remembrance of 〈◊〉 that love he hath shewn us and joyâ—â— expectation of what further he hath pâ—â—mised to us Let me not sit sad aâ— dejected Joy and Thanksgiving as if I liked 〈◊〉 the provision or though my self not welcom Maâ—â— this real magnificent solemn sumptuous Feast these Celestial Viands wherewith thou feedest thy people by thy gracious comfortable discoveries of thy self a spiritual banquet unto my soul a feast of fat things a feast of wine on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wine on the lees well refin'd Do not onely stand and knocks but open the door of my heart vouchsafe to come in and abide with me that there may be a chearful comfortable converse sup with me and let me sup with thee that I may be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house feel and find abundance of soul-satisfaction reached out to me in the Ordinance and do thou make me drink of the River of thy pleasure quench my thirst after carnal and let me be fill'd with Divine pleasures ravishments and contentments flowing from the inexhaustible fountain of Divine plentie Let my soul be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth praise thee with joyful lips Let me come before thee with thanksgiving and praise thee with my whole heart Let there be Angels work at Angels food make me joyful in thy house of prayer By and for him let me offer the Sacrifice of Praise to God the fruit of my lips giving thanks unto his Name in the great Congregation and Praise thee among much People Thou art ready to give bread to the hungry to fill them with good things Spiritual Thirst and the water of life to him that is athirst Thou art not straitned in thy self but I am straitned in my own bowels the desire and the meat the necessity and relief are all from thee Oh thou that providest Food give also a stomach bid and make me welcom say eat oh Friend drink yea drink abundantly oh Beloved Oh create and stir up in me earnest longings and a Spiritual appetite that I may come to be made partaker of the good things thou hast prepared for me with enlarged affections and longing desires after answerable to my need of the Ordinance and Christ offered in it as full nourishment for my Soul under the forms of Bread and Wine and with strong expectations to receive him and his benefits with desire let me desire to eat this Passeover
more constantly more effectually remember thee With all the passionate affections of a Heart full of love to wholly in love with thee with all zealous desires to glorifie thee with all fervent longings after thee always to remember thee never to forget thee Oh that the fire of love would now kindle and burn in my Soul boil up even run over with love unto thee Oh that I had the flames of a Seraphim the voice of an Angel to sing thy praise Oh that I could go out of my self when I remember thee and never think of thee without an Extasie forget and quit all the world to live upon thee The thoughts of what thou hast done is able to break an heart of Marble with love to turn a Rock into a Fountain of tears to unloose the tongue of the dumb that they may sound forth thy loving kindness Oh after all his foregoing sufferings feest thou him not my Soul fastened to the Cross conflicting with his Fathers wrath groaning under the weight and burthen of our Sins Look how his whole Body is stretched and tentered his Hands and Feet bored through his precious Blood trickles down and how miserably the Thorns pierce his holy Head See how his Looks are changed his Cheeks pale his Bloud going his Neck too weak to support his Head which lies a dying on his bleeding Breast Look how he shakes and stirs his dying Limbs what gasps and sighs he fetches as if his Soul was strugling to get out Hear you not his dying groans the taunts of the Jews yea the groans of the Earth under the weight of his Cross See the Sun blushing under a veil of darkness to behold the Son of Righteousness under an Eclipse Can oh can my bosom hold now I see the innocent Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world a bleeding Victim on the purple Alter of Death This this my Soul might have been the day that thou mightest have been the Malefactor and have drunk the cup of the fierceness of Gods wrath but there is he that hath done it for thee He harboured no grief of his own but is acquainted with the just and deadly griefs of others he takes our sorrows on him to bestow upon us his joy he sorrows for us that hath neither cause nor likelihood to sorrow for himself What but Gods implacable vengeance could inflict What but his all-sufficient patience could endure What but mans heinous sins deserve such his sad and wrathfull dolors Ah sinful wretches 't is our doings that he suffers our evil but his smart our trespass his punishment His breast is made a large receptable for our cares his back a common prop unto our load he was delivered for our offences he was slain but not for himself he bore our grief and carried our sorrows he was wounded for our trangressions bruised for our iniquities for the transgressions of his people was he smitten Why then are we angry with rail against the Jews and complain not of find no fault with our selves greatlier guilty they were the instruments we the procurers of his sufferings their sins practis'd ours provoked his death we pity his abus'd innocency but think not of our unworthiness and desert bewail the event and redress not the cause we have as great enmity against his Image as they against his Person they grieved him in his Body we in his Spirit and make his wounds bleed afresh he takes it as heinously we should despise him now as that they persecuted him then they were but our Executioners to inflict these punishments our sins deserved and Gods justice imposed on him 'T was thy Sins O my Soul were the associates to crucifie him thy hypocrisie was the kiss that betrayed him thy pride and covetousness the Thorns that crowned him thy oppression and cruelty the nails that pierced him thy unbelief and apostacy the spear that gored him thy Idolatry superstition Juke warmness the knee that mockt him thy contempt of Religion the spittle that defiled him thy anger and bitterness the vinegar and gall that distasted him thy scarlet sins the crimson that dishonoured him my drinking iniquity like water made him drink a Cup of wrath my forsaking my Father made him forsaken of his all the members of his body were objects of such cruelty because mine instruments of iniquity Oh I am the merit of thy sorrow I am the stroke of thy grief I am the fault of thy killing I am the desert of thy death I am the offence of thy revenge I am the grievousness of thy passion I am the cause of thy torment Oh wonderful condition of censure Oh ineffable disposition of the misery the unjust sins and the just is punished the guilty transgresses and the guiltless is stricken the impious offends and the pious condemn'd what the bad deserves the good suffers what the servant perpetrates the Lord pays what man commits God undergoes Whither oh Son of God whither descends thy Humility Whither flameth thy Charity whither proceedeth thy Pity whither encreaseth thy Benignity whither reacheth thy Love whither cometh thy Compassâ—on I have been proud thou hast been humbled I have done unjustly thou art punished I have dealt heinously thou art revengefully smitten I have committed the fault thou art tortured How much do I owe thee most Blessed Redeemer how great is the price thou hast paid for me miserable Sinner Oh I blush to see my Soul so foul and loathsom that nothing less then thy precious blood serves to wash and cleanse it I am confounded to see thee in such a case for us who cared not how vile how base how miserable we were Oh how was that justice injured that could not rest appeased in Punishment but rigour how odious and intolerable is every sin which required no cheaper blood for a Sacrifice then that of the Son of God and which not suffering only but extremity must expiate how heinous was the commission since even the remission was so grievous That made such a breach between God and us as requir'd such sufferings of the Lord of Glory wretch that I am to cost my God so dear I am not worthy for which he should have suffered the least care or trouble much less the torments of Soul and Body And yet what mean I to be so treacherous unto him How have I broken his commands and my vows even since the last Communion Oh can I Kiss the nails hug the spear desire that which is the blood of him that lost his life Can I account that light which made his Soul heavy unto death Can that be my joy which made him a wan of sorrow sweet to me which was so bitter to him shall those sins not be forsaken by me that made him forsaken of God or live in me that would not suffer him to live in the world Oh can I endure my Lord should be evermore disgusted and affronted oh how is my heart provoked and incens'd against ye my
unto and be a companion of all those that fear the Lord make the liveliest of them my most intimates and upon all occasions improve their fellowship to the best advantage O that I may henceforth behave my self as a stone of the same Building as a branch of the same Vine as a servant of the same Familie as a member of the same Body as a Son of the same Father oh merciful Eternal high Priest let that Sacrifice thou once offeredst on the Cross for the sins of the world which thou doest now and ever represent in Heaven to thy Father by thy never-ceasing intercession which this day hath been exhibited Sacramentally on hy holy Table obtain Mercy and Peace Faith and Love Truth and Unity Safety and establishment Grace Glory and all good things to thy whole Church and let not the gates of Hell ever prevail against it Chear up and comfort thy self against all discouragements Have I worthily received the Lords Supper whatsoever my miseries are this cannot but be a reviving cordial yet my sins are pardoned How little should I be dismayed at any inward or outward troubles let me be fed all my days with the bread and water of affliction I have another bread and cup to sweeten both let her not say she is sick her sins are forgiven I have received an all-sufficient Saviour and seek for nothing in but renounce my self having so much in him How can I any more walk dejectedly that am interested in the New Covenant which with all its promises and priviledges is ratified and confirmed to me what ever I need is to be had here health and recovery from sickness a competant maintenance and support peace deliverance from our enemies content and patience liberty and joy sanctified riches or a chearful poverty and whatsoever is a blessing is purchased for and secured to us And oh that this in all my troubles difficulties addresses to God may quiet me and strengthen my Faith to apprehend him as in Covenant with me that hath engaged himself to be with me in all estates and conditions and to order all things for my advantage I have resigned up my self to him let him do with me what seemeth him good He cannot deny himself all his words are oaths for their certaintie and all his promises the sure mercies of David This Sacrament is that to my particular person which it is in it self and by design to all the world If I receive worthily I shall receive any of those blessings according as God shall chuse for me which shall be not onely with more wisdom but more affection then I can for my self Let me but be void of all care but onely to preserve my Fathers love and I cannot want He whom Almighty Wisdom and Goodness takes a Fatherly care of engages to feed cannot but have enough All things are yours and you are Christ's and Christ is God's Nothing is excluded where he is included Keep up earnest longings after this and the eternal Supper of the Lamb. Oh when will the opportunitie return when shall I come again and appear before God when shall I see his power and his glory taste his love and goodness as I have in the Sacrament O that I may still be feasting my Soul on those Heavenly Dainties those spiritual Viands those satisfying pleasures at his Table I think the time long to that day of gladness and rejoycing The King of Glory hath now espoused me to himself by Proxy by his Embassadour the day is hastening when the Marriage shall be publickly triumphantly solemnized and compleated Mount up my Soul and ever stand wishly looking for his appearance never slack thy Watch nor let thy Expectation cool till he take thee to himself where we shall be gathered together where the Bodie is and his Glory presented without an umbrage where he shall lay aside his veil and his amiable countenance be chequer'd with no intermingled frowns intervening clouds or obscure mediums where mysteries shall be turned into revelations the translation into the original commemoration into vision espousal into mutual fruition and embraces sighs and tears into nuptial songs and festivities transient glances into the direct beams of the ever radiant Sun of Righteousness a moments work into an eternity of rest where is satiety without nauseating perfect happiness without care or incumbrance envy or successor alteration or end for every chain a ray of light every tear a pearl every prison a palace every loss the purchase of a Kingdom every affront in Gods Service an eternal honour every hour of sorrow a thousand years of comfort multiplyed with a never ceasing Numeration Where Jobâ— that sate on the Dunghil sits among the Angels Lazarus that lay among the Dogs is lodged in Abrahams bosom the Saints heretofore among the pots walk in white where are riches and pleasures truâ— and real adequate and sutable solid and satisfying lasting and durable where I shall see thee oh infinite Sweetness and Delight without a Veil and live upon thee without a Figure where I shall have not a Sacramental but a Beatificalâ— Communion not wear thy ring but see thy face not remember but behold thee not in Faith but clear and full Fruition Come Love come Lord and that long day For which I languish come away When this dry Soul those Eyes shall see And drink the unseal'd source of thee When Glory's Sun Faith's shade shall chace Then for thy Veil give me thy Face AN APPENDIX TO THE Devout Communicant CONTAINING More particular Directions and Meditations for the time of Receiving with a Prayer before and after A Prayer at home before the Sacrament ETernally Blessed and infinitely Glorious Lord God! Thou art greatly to be feared in the Assembly of thy Saints and to be had in reverence of all that draw nigh unto thee Look down from Heaven the habitation of thy Holiness and Glory in much mercy pity and tender compassion upon me A vile sinful despicable Creature prostrate at thy Footstool unworthy to look up unto thy Throne or to receive any thing at thy hands but thy wrath and severe displeasure I am less then the least of all thy Mercies and liable to the severest of thy Judgments by reason of the pollution and sinfulness of my Nature Heart and Life I am of the degenerate Posterity of fallen Adam and have all the powers faculties and members of my Soul and Body defiled with sin I have sinned in every Age in every Relation in every Condition in every imployment of my Life I have distrusted thy Word disregarded thy Calls slighted thy Judgments abused thy Mercies turned thy Grace into Wantonness rejected the tenders of thy Love resisted the motions of thy Holy Spirit the checks of my own Conscience and followed the motions of my own evil Heart I have dishonoured thy Name prophaned thy Sabbaths polluted thy Ordinances been unthankful for thy Benefits impatient under Afflictions unfaithful to my promises mis-spent my time neglected
my Duty walked unanswerable to those multiplied obligations laid upon me broken all thy holy Commandments by many and great transgressions made and judged my self unworthy of everlasting life * Here mention your particular failings so that nothing might remain unto me but a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation to devour me But thou delightest in mercy and not in the death of a sinner art not willing any should perish but that all should come to repentance Oh take not counsel of thy just indignation but of thy native goodness thy satisfi'd justice Wilt thou destroy him that presents himself to be punished and thy Son to have satisfied that desires not to live unless it be by the benefit of thy mercy and his sufferings Wilt thou not spare me for thy Son who sparedst not thy Son for me Is there not enough in his Merits and Sacrifice to expiate all my sins and to justifie my person in thy sight O suffer not thy self to be deprived of the glory of my forgiveness and salvation as well as of my creation and redemption Save me whom thou hast hitherto spared and forgive me eternal death which I have so often merited by my great offences Bury them all in the bottomless Ocean of thy own Mercy and forgetfulness and my Saviours Blood lay them upon him who is able to bear them and cloath me with his righteousness that is able to cover me Oh free me from the guilt and stain the power and penalty the reign and dominion of sin that nothing may separate me from thy love nor from the sensible discoveries of it at thy Table That I may be a meet and worthy Receiver accept me into thy favour let thy mercy pardon my sins thy grace sanctifie my soul thy goodness supply my wants thy merits inrich my poverty thy precious blood wash away all my spots thy Holy Spirit prepare and direct and assist me Take away my filthy garments my spiritual filthiness and cloath me with the best robe the Lord our righteousness Oh think me worthy for his sake and make me worthy for thy mercy-sake Deal not with me according to my deserts but thy great goodness and my great necessity Let me so remember my sins that thou mayest forget them set them so before my face that thou mayest cast them behind thy back Give me such a lively steadfast Faith in Christ for forgiveness that thou mayest seal it up unto my soul Let me love him and all his members with a pure heart fervently at thy holy Communion and ever after without dissimulation So enlarge my Soul with spiritual affections and desires that it may even break for the longings it hath unto that Ordinance and unto thy Testimonies at all times Remove far from me all blindness of mind hardness of heart unrelenting affections deadness and indisposedness earthliness and distraction irreverence unbecoming apprehensions whatsoever may hinder the blessing and efficacy of that soul-nourishing refreshing Ordinance thy gracious presence my eternal salvation Create in me an understanding heavenly clean heart O God and renew an humble contrite right spirit within me prepared for thee Oh be not as a stranger unto me hide not thy self from me lift up the light of thy countenance upon me Let me feel the comfortable breathings of thy Holie Spirit in my Soul at thy Ordinance sanctifie it to me and me to receive it acceptably with due preparation and apprehensions reverence and humility repentance and faith love and charity joy and thankfulness a deep sense of thy inexpressible love and my own unworthiness And oh that all of us who this day approach thy Table may so eat his flesh which he hath given for the life of the World that we may live for ever and so drink his blood that it may be to us for remission of sins Meet us not in our selves in thy justice as a consuming fire but a reconciled Father in thy righteous and beloved Son whom thou gavest who gave himself for us when we were thy enemies Let us depart thence more under the power of thy love and grace and under greater resolutions and abilities to do thee faithful service all our dayes through Jesus Christ our Sacrifice and Redemption Hope and Confidence Surety and Advocate the Food and Health the Life and Salvation of our Souls who hath taught us when we pray to say Our Father c. As soon as ever the Sermon is ended look towards the Lords Table and say within your selves THis Sacrament I am going to is a standing Memorial of my Saviour's Passion wherein he once offered up Himself to God and a Sign of that nourishing and strengthning Grace which he now offers to me under the notion of Food It is the true meanes and instrument of conveying on me those Blessings and signifies that which by its proper Institution it represents In the making and ordering of those Elements see consider O my Soul the heavy Blows and Bruises the Pressures Piercings Pains and Sufferings of thy Saviour from his Father and wicked men The malice and violence of his Murderers crucified Him as a Malefactor and the fierie wrath of God made him a Burnt Sacrifice and under both these Sufferings He is become to me Meat indeed and Drink indeed the stay and support the comfort refreshment and life of my Soul nourishing and preserving it to eternal life That Bread and Wine could never sustain and nourish me if the one had not fallen into the Earth under the Sickle the Flail the Mill-stone and the Fire the other under the Hook and the Press of the Husbandman nothing less then the Cross the Wounds the Death of my Lord my God of his dearest Son made me a Saviour and by this Sacrament assures me I shall be kept up and fed with a supplie of all necessarie Blessings as certainlie as he gives me to taste that Bread and Wine the ordinarie meanes for preserving my life and strength Whilest we condemned Creatures were passing on to our Execution the Son of God looked upon us and took our Condemnation upon Himself and under it died in our stead Thus by the death and satisfaction of this Sacrifice Justice gave way to my Release God the Father forgave my Sin and God the Son procured my Life Then fall upon your Knees with all imaginable Reverence and say LEt the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer Most gracious God who of thy great goodness hast ordained this Ordinance for a continual Remembrance ofâ— hat ever prevailing Sacrifice which thy infinite Wisdom and Love hast appointed and accepted upon the Cross for us vile helpless wretched Sinners make us truely sensible of all our offences against thee and of his Love and Sufferings for us and accept us in Him to the Praise of thy Grace Rebuke all unseasonable thoughts and imaginations stir up and act in us
Search my Soul so to the bottom that none of my wounds may fester but be all discovered and cured consider from whence I am fallen before and since the last Communion and repent and O that I may be so sensible of my sin and misery that I may be truly apprehensive of and thankful for infinite love and mercy I dare not presume to compass thine Altar most holy Lord before I have washed my hands in Innocency and purified my heart by Repentance and Faith in the blood of my Redeemer I will now therefore call my sins to remembrance and set them in order before mine eyes and remember mine own evil ways and my doings which have not been good and loath my self in my own sight for my iniquities and for my abominations O I am not able to reckon up or remember my innumerable breaches of thy most holy Commandments The 1. By not knowing acknowledging thinking remembring chusing believing esteeming adoring loving desiring fearing obeying of trusting joying in acquainting my self with not demeaning my self towards thee as God and my God but preferring sin self Satan the world any thing before thy self The 2. By mis-apprehensions gross conceits of thee not setting my whole delight in reposing all my confidence on expecting all my happiness from addressing all my complaints prayers praises unto thee not worshipping thee as to manner and means agreeable to thy word The 3. By not acknowledging or effectually remembring and delighting to speak of thee as I have had occasion to make thy praise glorious or doing it irreverently dealing falsly in my Covenant with thee not vindicating thy Honour not grieving for thy Dishonour weariness of thy commands non-observance distrust misapplication of thy providences unthankfulness for great mercies dejection impatience under small crosses insensibleness incorrigibleness under judgments and afflictions not using thy Name Attributes Ordinances Works every thing whereby thou may'st be known as is required The 4. By unmindfulness beforehand to prevent or avoid whatsoever might distract in the duties of the Sabbath not preparing my self not resting from needless thoughts words actions mis-spending it in idleness and vanity not performing publick and private duties of Prayer Reading Hearing Examination wheting thy Law upon my heart and others contemplating thy Word and Works with that care reverence sincerity spirtualness profit delight as I ought not calling the Sabbath a Delight Holy of the Lord Honorable The 5. By not behaving my self answerable to my several Relations with all due reverence and respect to my Natural Ecclesiastical Political Parents in heart word behaviour prayer thanksgiving for Superiours covering their infirmities in love not admonishing and encouraging Inferiours in well-doing not by a grave wise holy exemplary carriage procuring glory to thee and preserving the honour and authority thou hast put upon me not regarding the dignity and worth of my Equals or rejoycing in their gifts advancement prosperity as my own The 6. By sinful anger hatred secret grudges injurious thoughts excessive passions distracting cares immoderate use of diet labour rest recreation reviling saddening provoking grieving speeches falling short in maintaining mutual Friendship and in following peace with all men sowing discord among Brethren concealing their dangers unprofitable conversation quenching suppressing holy suggestions preferring things of time before eternity or by whatsoever may tend not to the health but prejudice of my own or others Soul or Bodies not weeping with them that weep being sensless hard-hearted unaffected at publick evils and others miseries The 7. By unchaste thoughts purposes affections looks company words actions or listening to them not labouring to quench my fleshly concupisence by watching over my senses heart and ways not shunning all occasions to or acts of uncleanness in or with my self or others not keeping my bodie and soul from all filthiness of flesh and spirit but making my heart a cage of impure thoughts my mind a stie of the unclean spirit The 8. By unbecoming arts in Bargaining not dealing with others as I would men should with me not endeavouring by all just means to procure preserve and further the welfare of others as well as my own withholding good from them to whom it was due suffering Christ to stand at and go away from my door hungry cold naked succourless and when the leanness of his cheeks pleaded pitie the hardness of my heart would shew no compassion The 9. By slandering backbiting detracting reviling harsh flattering misconstruing discouraging sinister intentions words and actions listening to and spreading the faults of others not charitable in my thoughts and speeches to them not freely acknowledging their gifts and graces not readily receiving a good report but willingly admitting an evil one not discouraging tale-bearers flatterers slanderers not loving desiring rejoycing in caring for defending and upholding their good name not sorrowing for and covering their infirmities but practising or not avoiding my self or not hindring what I can in others such things as raise jealousies and suspicions procure an ill name to my self or others The 10. By self-love evil thoughts covetousness inordinate prizing and affecting distrustful distracting solicitous care and study in getting keeping or using temporal things discontent with my own estate envying and grieving at my neighbours unlawful motions and affections to things that are his And to these I have added multitudes of sins against the Gospel by not as I ought labouring to acquaint my self with it Ignorance flighting of not sufficiently esteeming admiring thankful for that infinite love in my Redemption not loving rejoycing in Christ and him Crucified relying on owning of him in all his Offices accounting all things loss and dung for him not taking that pains I ought to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings and to be made conformable to his death if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead and be made perfect as my Father in Heaven is perfect Not claiming his promises as my heritage nor esteeming them the joy of my heart and as unsearchable riches exceeding great and precious not believing prizing embracing of hoping waiting for the good of them with so much readiness and steadfastness as their excelcellency and certainty requires and applying them as I ought to this and the next life not careful they have their due effects on my Soul in making me partaker of the divine nature not dying daily to sin nor acting growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ not thirsting after righteousness and that poor mournful meek merciful pure Spirit that shall be blessed not confessing but being ashamed of Christ before men and my relation to him not denying my self taking up my Cross and following him Not doing all things to the glory of God nor rejoycing in him always Not receiving not doing the good nor improving time mercies judgments forein perturbations national discontents and divisions irreligious confusions domestick distinguishing favours as I ought Strangeness
powder For my going aside from thee and defiling my self the wine that comforts and makes worthy Receivers fruitful in grace may be unto me as the water of Jealousie bitter within my bowels causing my belly to swell and my thigh to rot nd I may be a curse among the people His blood might be lay'd to my charge for my condemnation sealing up all my other fins instead of being sprinkled upon my Conscience to humble me for and cleanse me from all sin Behold I am vile viler then the earth but look upon me in thy Son and thou wilt love me and be well pleased with me mine only hope is in that grace and mercy made known in and thorow him I have broken thy commands but he hath fulfil'd them affronted thy Justice but he hath satisfied it deserved thy wrath but he hath endur'd it the chastisement of my peace was upon him let the merit of his righteousness be upon me and by his stripes let me be healed His Blood is my onely refuge oh let it be my Attonement or I perish eternally Wherefore didst thou shed it but to save sinners Remember not what I have done against thee but what he hath done and suffered for me Oh when I consider thy greatness and my unworthiness thy purity and my uncleanness thy glorie and my shame I am confounded and discouraged but when I consider thy mercy and wisdom bountie and goodness readiness to forgive and desire to impart thy self unto thy servants then I am encouraged to come with boldness unto thee Thou never despis'd him that call'd upon thee or forsook any that abode in thy fear It was never known that any who trusted in thee were ever confounded Oh respect not the greatness of my offences but of thy goodness though I have so often broken my part of that Covenant the Sacrament Seals yet be thou pleased to make good thine to be merciful to my unrighteousness and to remember my sins my iniquities no more Thou knowest how intolerable a thing it is to lie under thy wrath to all eternitie and therefore lovest to do miracles of mercie because thou lovest not that a sinner should perish Have mercie upon me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions wash me throughly from mine iniquities and cleanse me from all my defilements with the merit and virtue of that Blood which thou hast so abundantly shed for penitent sinners that I may with an undefiled soul eat of the purest sacrifice the Lamb slain from the beginning so I shall have no spot in me for which thou wilt judge me at thy Table or condemn me at thy Tribunal Being in Christ reconciled unto me oh give further evidences of thy fatherly affection by bestowing a double portion of thy grace upon me now thou callest me to this Ordinance and who is sufficient for these things I have neither a meet Sacrifice to offer nor a meet vessel to receive thee I know not what to say or do how to pray or receive prepare or behave my self not sufficient of my self to think any thing as of my self but my sufficiency is of thee the preparation of the heart and answer of the tongue is from thee the God the promiser the Giver of grace as well as glory that invites all to come unto thee with assurance of finding with and receiving from thee whatsoever is requisite for their refreshment support and comfort ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without monie and without price Thou preparest a table for us in this wilderness where we eat of thy own Bread and drink of thy own Cup omittest no expression of tender love to treat us as a most indulgent Father But shall the time of receiving come before thou come into my soul to stir up thy graces in me Ganst thou that so loved me who was of no worth while yet in my sins as to die for me neglect me in thee shall I whose only hope is to be saved by Christ be sent away with the guilt instead of the comfort of his Blood Oh of his fulness let me receive and grace for grace let thy Spirit help mine infirmities thy grace be sufficient for me thy strength be made perfect more eminently manifest in weakness Array me with the righteousness of the Saints put upon me the Lord Jesus let me be found having on the Wedding-garment at the Wedding-supper such a preparation of Soul as may qualifie me for it such a degree of reverence and humility saving knowledge godly sorrow renewed repentance new obedience lively faith unfeigned love joy and thankefulness holy desires self-denial sutable solemn heavenly meditations as becomes a worthy Communicant Oh thou true food of my Soul receive me who am to receive thee quicken me with thy Spirit feed me with thy Flesh satisfie me with thy Blood vouchsafe me thy Grace communicate to me thy Nature let me receive life from thee to act and live unto thee who measurest not thy gifts by our petitions or desertss but our wants and thy own mercy Earnest Supplication for Requisite Qualifications TO go to that Ordinance which requires all imaginable liveliness and activity with dull and cloudy affections will be my sin and an aggravation of it if through want of diligent endeavour to get my Soul affected and inflam'd by stirring up the graces of God in me and whither shall I go for this but unto thee the author and finisher of them how shall I do it but by thee Oh do it for me Holy Reveronce and Humility Affect my heart with an awful reverence and selfbasement upon my so near approach unto thee in this solemn Ordinance towards the greatness of thy Majestie with whom I there come to renew my Covenant towards the excellencie of thy Son whom I come to receive into my Soul towards the holiness of thy Spirit whose assiance I hope for and by whom I come there to be establisht in my Union and Communion with Christ and his Members Oh how durst I who am nothing but folly and infirmitie misery and sin shame and death presume to come so nigh for behold the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee unless thou hadst invited and commanded it If so much Sanctity Reverence and Devotion was requisite as to the Ark the Temple the receiving thy Law Oh how shall I behave my self now I go to receive thy very self or Communicate with thee that deserves not to come before thee Oh how Humble should I be who am to receive a gift of Free Grace Was he Humble that was all Purity and shall I be proud who am so defiled The high and lofty One dwells not in a haughty heart but with him that is of a contrite humble spirit not will he that humbled himself to the death be taken into a proud Soul Oh that I
may therefore have grace whereby I may serve thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear and be cloathed not only with the Righteousness but Humility of Christ be low and mean base and vile in my own eyes I am not worthy to be called thy Son make me as thy meanest servants the lowest room at thy Table give my sins thy pardon my soul thy grace my person and service thy acceptance in thy beloved and what thou dost convey seal to me by what I am to receive Without Knowledge the Heart Saving Knowledge the duty cannot be good but the Covenant thou hast made with thy people is they shall all know thee from the least to the greatest Oh let me come with knowledge of the nature necessity use and ends of the Ordinance Direct me how to behave my self at and meditate upon those Divine Mysteries that I may not be a blind offerer nor bring a blind offering but offer unto thee a living sacrifice holy acceptable reasonable service that I may receive with understanding discern the Lords Body look into the Mysteries of the Sacrament lest not knowing the meaning Ifeel not the comfort of it but be alienated estranged from thee through the ignorance that is in me That I may eat the Passeover with bitter herbs Godly Sorrow give me a deep sense of my own vileness and unworthiness take away this heart of stone and give me a heart of flesh that I may loath my self in my own sight for mine iniquities and for mine abominations be filled with shame and sorrow hatred and indignation against my self for my offending so good and gracious so loving and bountiful a Father Redeemer and Sanctifier That I may look upon him whom I have pierced and mourn for him with detestation and holy revenge against those my sins that cost him so dear were the cause as well as any other mens of his death and would have cost me damnation abominating them as the scourges and thorns nails and spear thar Afflicted Crucified my dearest Saviour the Lord of Glory The day of mourning for him is at hand oh that I may then slay my most beloved lusts be revenged on them for it and for their endeavouring to rob me of my spiritual Birth-right my eternal Blessedness Let me call to mind and be truly sensible of every sin and of the evil of it and of thine and my Saviour's love manifested to me in his sufferings There where he appears most Bloody let Sin oppear most deadly that I may receive abroken bleeding Christ with a broken contrite Heart a Sacrifice thou wilt not â—espise O God prepare in me that being weary and heavy laden I may be capable of his refreshment being supled in my own tears I may be fitter to be washt in his blood And seeing thou givest thy self only to thy Disciples and Friends New Obedience work in me fresh purposes of amendment that being willing and obedient I may eat the good of the Ordinance Let there be conformity that there may be Communion let me not put that new wine into an old impure but new Heart I cannot Eat the Passeover and stay in Egypt still let me do it with my loyns girt ready to march toward the Promised Land Thou confirmest thy Covenant and expectest I restipulate with thee that I cast out and execrate the old leaven Seeing the Covenant of Grace sealed let me seal a Covenant of Obedience seeing by the merit of Christs death I am purchas'd to be thine by the power of it let me be dead to sin and both receive life and change my life let me bring a wounded heart to and carry wounded sins from thy Table dye to sin seeing Christ dyed for sin let me take him by way of surety and give up my self to him by way of surrender receive him as a Saviour and submit to him as a Prince set my self apart for thee on that Feast of Dedication Let me approach with the most sincere fixed resolutions of an intire resignation and receive such grace and strength from thee as may inable me faithfully to perform them that I may find my self in the number of those to whom my Saviour allows such special manifestations of himself by lifting up the light of his countenance upon them by intimating his good will and love unto them his fulness and righteousness for them as Shows his constant abode with them Let no prophane or unseasonable Thoughts enter into my mind while I am about that Holy Solemnity Purity let me lay aside leave behind me and be kept from all carnal earthly vain Imaginations drive away all drowsiness carelesness slothfulness idle apprehensions that I may wholly contemplate upon and give up my self unto him who sacrific'd his Soul and Body for me and come before thee with such Reverential Hungering Holy Affections as is due to the hand that reacheth to the seal that secureth to the food that strengthneth that spiritual life in us without which we can never be happy O thou that callest me unto thee let thy compassion pitty my vileness let thy mercy pardon my sinfulness let thy grace cleanse my filthiness let thy wisdom enlighten my darkness let thy strength support my weakness adorn me with the wedding garment the righteousness of thy Son and holiness of thy Spirit that all my nakedness may be covered and my great deformities hid from thine eyes pardon me by thy mercy that I may receive thy grace and fit me by thy grace that I may receive thy mercy help me so to accuse my self that thou may'st acquit me so to judge and condemn my self that thou may'st absolve me so to exercise a holy revenge upon my self that thou may'st spare me Let thy Spirit be thy Harbinger to provide entertainment for thy Son in my Soul that he may find â—t swept of sin and garnisht with grace make it day in my Soul by hopes and desires before I there receive the Sun of Righteousness Faith is thy own gift as well as Christ Faith I believe Lord help my unbelief that I may besprinkle my soul and Conscience with his blood not only look upon and remember but close in with and receive him there tendred Eat his flesh and drink his blood apply him as taking on him our nature and giving it as a ransom for sin That I may not stagger at the promise through unbelief but be strong in faith giving Glory to God being fully perswaded that what thou hast promised thou wilt perform When I see Bread and Wine upon the Table let me see Christ there as a feast in token of my reconciliation with thee and on the Cross as a Sacrifice offering up his Body and blood to thee observing the Bread broken let me see Chrirst crucified for and offering himself unto me upon the Wine pouring out let me behold how his blood was poured forth for my sins As I receive Bread and Wine for bodily sustenance
open my mouth wide that thou may'st fill it As the Hart panteth after the water-brook so let ray soul pant after thee O God The Evening Close AND now oh gracious God leave me not to the dulness the deadness the hardness the impenitency the unbelief â—he barrenness the earthliness the impoâ—â—ency the distraction of my own Heart Oh enrich the Ordinance with thy own â—resence While the King sitteth at his Taâ—le let my Spikenard send forth the smell â—hereof Descend into my heart by the exâ—â—tations of thy grace and influences of thy by and let me ascend unto thee by the exâ—â—cise of grace pious addresses Awake â—â—ou North wind and come thou South â—ow upon my Garden that the Spices â—â—ereof may flow out Make every grace 〈◊〉 my soul lively active fragrant by the â—eathings inspirations of thy Holy Spiâ—â—t O abide with me because it draweth â—wards the time of receiving what do I there thou be not there If thy presence go not â—â—ong with me carry me not hence Let Christ â—â—pear unto and be known of me in breaking of Bread let me carry away not only Bread but Light Life and Health that with open face beholding as in a glass the glory the love the mercy and goodness of the Lord I may be changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. O let me remember and do thou remember what thy Son hath suffered that I may be thankful and thou so sensibly gracious unto me that I maâ— taste and see how good the Lord is I am altogether unworthy of my desires 〈◊〉 but what thou dost for any is not becausâ— they are worthy but because it pleaseth thâ—â— to do for thine what they ask of thee according to thy will With what confidence go we to Market with money in our hand we doubt not returning withouâ— our errand Oh we would come as confidently expecting the giving out of gracâ— to us as if we were able to putchase it for thou hast bid us come buy Wine anâ— Milk without money and without price and hast promis'd and art more willing 〈◊〉 give the spirit to them that ask it thâ—â— Parents Bread to their Children whiâ—â— they cannot deny whatever shift thâ—â— make for it our love to our Children 〈◊〉 but hatred our compassion hardness our bowels rocks in comparison of thine to thine why then wilt thou not hear me Turnest thou a deaf ear to me Canst thou deny me Did any of the seed of Jacob seek thy face in vain Who ever approacht to this over-flowing Fountain of sweetness but carried away some drops â—or sat by so great a flame and receiv'd not some warmth from it why then lyes my Soul so cold so frozen so dead before thee O wilt thou not relieve a hungry beggar wilt thou not grant the request of an â—mportunate Petitioner Shall I go away â—mpty from an inexhaustible Treasure Hungry from a Feast Dry from a Fountain Cold from the Sun Sad and comâ—ortless from a Feast of Love Oh! â—ake it a type and earnest of our Eternal â—anquet Feed me to that by Faith and Love and seal me to it in Spirit and Conâ—ience let me enjoy thy lightsom reviâ—â—ng company in this state of absence and â—bscurity Away my Soul from this â—â—rk deceitful vexing world love not â—â—y Disease thy Fetters thy Calamities â—yn not with those that take up their rest 〈◊〉 this side Heaven saying it is good to be here Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar that I remain in this sinful polluting place among a strange people and am kept so long from my Fathers House Oh that I had wings like a Dove then would I slie away and be at rest lo then would I wander far off as legs and wings could carry me and remain in the wilderness I would live in the solitariest place of the Earth for my greater freedom from sin and enjoyment of my God This flattering vexing world should soon see me quit it my base heart should soon be 〈◊〉 of me rather than undergo their uncessant troubles I would hasten my escapâ— from the windy storm and tempest Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death 〈◊〉 Which so oft troubles grieves and over-clouds me distracts hinders me allureâ— and intangles me When shall I have done trifling and dallying roving and repining fretting and disputing Wheâ—â— shall I onely talk and walk with thee be composed and fixed Spiritual anâ— Heavenly love chuse and obey thee delight rejoyce joy and glory in thee Oh when wilt thou unloose the cords of this tottering Tent When shall this Mud-wall crumble into dust When shall my earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved When shall I be carried to those eternal mansions Why is his Chariot so long in coming Why tarry the wheels of his Chariot Hath he not sped Hath he not divided his gifts Hath he not obtained his purchase Hath he not prepared a place for me Shall I ever be at home in the bodie and absent from the Lord Make haste O thou whom my soul loveth and come in glorie as thou first camest in humilitie and conform them to thy self in glorie whom thou makest conformable to thy sufferings and humility Keep up our faith our hope and our love by the exercise of them let us have our Conversation with thee in Heaven and daily vouchsafe us some beams of thy directing consolatorie light in this our darkness and be not as a stranger to thy scattered Flock thy disconsolate Spouse in this distant state this desolate Wilderness O shew thy self more clearly to us testifie to our Souls that thou art our Head and Saviour that we abide in thee by the Spirit which thou hast given us abiding and overcoming in us and as thy Agent preparing us for eternal Life Let not our darkness nor thy strangeness feed our odious unbelief nor my corrupt habits choak or smother my new resolutions and sweet meditations These weak wavering thoughts these faint desires these sickly affections in my Soul will not live a night unless my gracious God interpose his Power preserve and cherish them Oh seeing thou hast given me to bestow some small pains on my Heart and to conceive some good hopes let them not be dasht in pieces in so short a moment spread the wings of thy goodness over me and maintain that which not I but thy Spirit hath wrought in me let me find all when I awake let me still be with thee O blessed Trinity to whom be ascribed Kingdom Power and Glory now and for ever Amen The Communion Morning Dress AH where am I what do I all the Children of the Bride-chamber are â—p and ready and I slumbring in my Bed Tell me ye Fairest what made you up so early and drest so soon Aâ—â—as our Lord was up before us all â—e call'd us up by
Spiritual life from him that I have of Temporal life from my â—ood and so eat his Body and drink his Blood receive digest and improve â—eed upon and Spiritually apply Christ â—s incarnate and in his sufferings that 〈◊〉 may find refreshment and sweetness â—uickening strength and life from him and may live by him and in him and he in me Oh that by the power of thy spirit accompanying the Ordinance I may partake yet more and more of a new and divine nature that I may find strength and vigour diffused through my whole man and receive some communication of that light and life which Christ came into the world that his People might have and that they might have it more abundantly Oh that his Death and Resurrection may have their power and efficacie upon me crucifying my lusts and passions and raising me up to all the acts of the Spiritual life Oh that something may be done this day against my pride and passion worldliness and carnalitie hipocrisie and uncharitableness doubtings and unbelief distrustful fears and discontents backwardness and indisposition to listlesness dulness and distraction in Dutie Oh that I may find my heart thereby drawn nearer to and carried out with more unweariedness and chearfulness in thy Service Let me come from thence with my pardon sealed my corruptions subdued my graces quickened strengthened and confirmed my heart enlarged my soul refreshed and encouraged to run the waies of thy Commandments and so inseparablie united to thee that no Temptation may be ever able to dissolve the â—union but that being begun here in grace â—it may be perfected in glorie How painful and intoâ—â—erable is the obscuring and interrupting of our Vnion and Communion with Christ our Heaven upon Earth To maintain and increase evidence and enjoy Union and Communion with Christ and him crucified Therein we enjoy his person and all sweet Relations to it his death and all the saving fruits priviledges and influences of it To maintain and encrease evidence and enjoy it I receive the Cup of Blessing which we bless the Communion of the Blood of Christ and the Bread which we break the Communion of the Bodie of Christ to my soul my Faith yea even to my outward Senses signifies seals and instrumentally exhibits my Spiritual Communion with Christ and his Death Thereby I partake of and am strengthned in this Fellowship with him as really as I partake of that Bread and Cup. Oh that he being united to me in these holy Mysteries may comfort rule and direct me in all my ways and his Spirit turn me into the same quality and likeliness Oh that I may there find him whom my soul loveth There are the signs but where the body and blood of my Saviour the Lamb for a sacrifice I go not for the bread and wine but to see Jesus What are the Elements without thy presence Oh what wilt thoâ— give me if I go from thy Table Christless Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth afford expressions of his tender affection and reconciliation to my soul for thy love is better then wine If we forsake Communion with our Fellow-members To maintain and increase Spiritual Union and Communion with Christs Members how can we maintain it with ouâ— Head What need theâ— have I especially noâ— when so many divisions and disagreements of and to that end I come to the Ordinance which tends so much to uniâ—â— and knit together the disjoynted Members of Christ for we being many aâ—â— one Bread and one Body for we aâ—â— partakers of that one Bread and hereby profess to be one and to walk as Fellow-members in Christ with all christian love and tenderness towards one another Oh let my heart be enlarged towards them my delight in them for their relation to thee and thy Image upon them sympathize with have a fellow-feeling of interest my self in their several states and occasions rejoycing with those that rejoyce and weeping with those that weep Seeing thou hast so loved us let me be perfectly reconciled to every man and every spark of anger envy and malice be utterly extinguished remembering he that comes in hatred is a Judas to Christ and a Cain to his Brother Through the death of Christ my sins are pardoned To Commemorate Christs death my reconciliation with God obtained his curse removed the Enemies of my Salvation subdued my eternal Salvation and Inheritance my deliverance from worse then Egyptian Bondage procured the new Covenant established all my mercies purchased conveyed and sanctified yet how unthankful for insensible forgetful of it am I so greatly ungrateful as to burie in oblivion the greatest expression of his infinite love in honour of him to make a solemn rehearsal of his famous Acts to speak of the glorious honour oâ— His Majestie and to talk of his Power I come unto this lasting Monument and Memorial to shew forth his death till he come Oh let me celebrate it with an affectionate fiducial thankful obediential remembrance with a ravished heart filled with a gracious composition of joy and sorrow love and admiration with such resentments as befit so strange an object that I may desire rejoyce mourn and tremble be in such a mixture of passions as may even imitate the confusion that was in the world at his sufferings make such deep and lasting impressions thereof on my soul as if this was the very day he suffered Let me not conclude I have received Christ till I have remembred him so as to affect my heart with love to him desire after him faith and joy in him sorrow for my sins the cause of his suffering Let me think of it as an history to beget my knowledge as a Gospel to beget my Faith as an example to provoke my patience as a benefit to procure my happiness Oh that I may so remember him at his Table on his Cross that he may not forget me on his Throne in his Kingdom Lift up my mind from the contemplation of him as he hung upon the Tree to him as he sits now in Glorie at thy right hand making intercession for me presenting to thee the invaluable merits of his death to appease thee for the sins I commit daily against thee Oh set me as a seal upon thy heart as a seal upon thy arm that I may be never forgotten always remembred preserved kept safely by thee and let me set thee as a seal upon my heart as a seal on my arm receive thy image and impression of thy love keep it thankfully continually on my heart and testifie it in my life By reason of my infirmities carelesness sins To have my personal claim and title to the new Covenant cleared how apt am I to doubt the pardon of them and my interest in thy love The streams of corruption rising up in me interrupt the light and lustre of my future possession and suggest matter of diffidence and anxietie that my hopes hitherto have been
passing by so many offences and requirinâ— no satisfaction from us for such insufferable wrongs but transferring the punishment from us unto his own Son whoâ— love also was so great that he woulâ— bear our iniquities that we might be saved Oh how could he chuse a moâ—â— â—â—liging way of Redeeming us that hath â—us displayed the severest Justice and â—ghest Mercy the greatest hatred of sin â—â—e greatest love to sinners since by those â—equalled and unvaluable sufferings to â—hich he delivered up for us that Son â—ho is so near unto him that he is one â—ith him at once manifesting both how â—uch he hated sin which he so heavily â—nished in the person he most loved â—â—d how much he loved sinners by giâ—â—ng up what he so loved for a ransom 〈◊〉 those that were guilty of what he so â—â—ted And oh the miracle the amazing â—odigic of this Love that Heaven â—ould so condescend to Earth and that â—an should be so united to God! that â—â—od should dwell in flesh and that this â—sh should be our food That the Son of â—od should love us better then his life and 〈◊〉 the meat of Worms of Sinners of Eneâ—es that he should make himself preâ—nt to our Faith and as if he would do â—â—re then die for us desires to live for â—â—er in us and to be united to us Was â—â—er kindness like unto this was ever â—â—ch a furnace of love burning in any â—east can any heart freeze over such a fire Oh! who can abide the heat of thâ— love who can dwell in such flames aâ—â— not be consumed who can abide in 〈◊〉 great sense of this love and abide in thâ— body what instances can parallel whâ— words can be expressive what apprâ—hensions can commemorate what râ—ptures can be sufficient for the admiratioâ— of this so infinite love Be thou swâ—â— lowed up O my Soul in this depth 〈◊〉 Divine love and hate to spend thy though any more upon other things that hast suâ—â— a Saviour to take them up Oh! I shake I tremble am altogether confounded 〈◊〉 the approach of so great guest The Minister coming towards him Lord I am not wâ—â— thy that thou shouldest come under 〈◊〉 roof or to eat the crums that fall froâ— my own much less thy Table Oh wâ—â— am I that I should dare with my orignally actually desiled hands to receiâ—â— those high those holy Mysteries thâ— thou desirest to to come unto me be eâ—tertained by me what findest thou 〈◊〉 me that so much delights and invites thâ— to me art thou ignorant of my mâ—â—vile beginning and original I am not â—heruhim Seraphim or of the number of â—hat Celestial Hierarchy but dust and shes polluted dust and ashes Lord â—â—adst thou rather be at another mans â—cuse with dishonour then at thy own â—ith honour or if thou hast no respect â—o thine own honour if thou castest under â—ot all praise and renown if thou takest â—nto thee every vile sinner yet hast thou â—o regard to thy Greatness and Majesty Thou knowest my poverty my need my â—mpurity this poor place is a far unâ—eet habitation for thee Whence is this 〈◊〉 me that my Maker my Redeemer â—hould come unto mee thus favour thus â—ignifie me that thou shouldest be so â—elow thy self as to look upon so low so â—ain so miserable a thing as Man such a â—ead Dog as I am Why have I found grace in thy sight that thou shouldest take knowledge of me seeing I am a stranger Lord what am I that thou shouldest remember me be mindful of me visit me â—ast thine eye set thine heart upon me â—ome to marry thy self with me Whence â—omes it that thou who art in Heaven â—mongst them that know so well how to â—ove and serve thee shouldest vouchsafe to descend to me who know little eâ—â—â— but how to offend thee Canst thou 〈◊〉 be content to be without me Did 〈◊〉 meer love draw thee from Heaven 〈◊〉 my sake and give thy self for me to 〈◊〉 deem me from my sins and dost thou sâ—â— give thy self to me to be the strength anâ— health of my Soul As if thou couldâ— never give thy self enough or be neâ—â—â— enough mine Oh how am I astonishâ—â— at this inconceivable love oh that I weâ— able to comprehend it Oh that I had 〈◊〉 thousand hearts to correspond with iâ— oh stay my gracious Lord for the â—â—mcasure of my love till thou hast maâ—â— me able to do nothing else but love theâ— But since thou art pleased to come anâ— offer thy self to me my soul thirsteth 〈◊〉 thee I humbly stretch out my hands uâ—to thee my longing gasping desires aâ— after thee I open my heart with aâ— humble thankfulness to receive thee nâ—ver to be separated from thee for ever 〈◊〉 adhere unto thee Oh enter in and stâ—â— with me satisfie my soul with thy selâ— say This day is Salvation come unto tâ— house Oh be not now offended at thâ— loathsom sights in a soul so sick and dieaâ—eâ— â—ased so full of filth of rottenness and â—orruption into which thou art entering Do not disdain me for those many Malaâ—ies but come and cure me The Bread SEE my soul thy Saviour in the Minister and the benefits that come by â—im in the Bread and Wine believing â—hose with himself are given thee by him â—â—s really as the Elements by his Embassaâ—our saying Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you by Faith reâ—eive apply appropriate me unto thy â—elf This Bread consecrated by me is â—he Sacrament of my Body offered as an Expiatory Sacrifice for you Hereby I â—mpute my righteousness impart my loâ—ing kindness make over and give unâ—o you my whole self God and Man as Mediator in my Blood and Merits Graâ—es and Spirit Virtue and Benefits Obeâ—ience Satisfaction Expiation Doings â—nd Sufferings in all I have am or have â—urchased for you I make yours by gift â—nd you by Faith as truly as if put into your very hand and mouth Mine were the pains the sufferings of Death yours the benefit mine the stripes yours the balm mine the thorns yours the Crown These are the holes in my hands and side the blood that issued from them yours the price mine yours the purchase See here in my wounds your safety in my stripes your healing in my anguish your peace in my Cross your Triumph I came out of my Fathers bosom that thou mightest lie in Abrahams Own me for thy Lord who have thus bought thee out of slavery accept me for thy Redeemer who have paid so dearly for thee follow me in the way I have shewen thee that I may bring thee to him I have reconciled to thee Do this in and for a remembrance of me who what for whom why for what end with what mind I suffered what I have done for yon and am unto you Dear Saviour biddest thou me Remember thee How should I forget thee how can I but remember but celebrate thee But oh that I could more affectionately
sins oh that none of you might escape here that ye may all lye bleeding as so many Sacrifices at the Altar of my Lord oh let them now feel the weight and sharpness of thy Cross here let them be slain at thy foot that I may not carry away one of them alive How can my Heart refrain from tears of sorrow and joy to think of its unkindness and of his strange love what heart can be so hard as without pain to think we love him no more who put himself to such pains for us Oh how am I troubled that my heart should be so cold when his was so hot with love as to send forth its life-blood for my Redemption and yet when I consider that in this stream of blood my sinful Soul is washed and that by his stripes I am healed that instead of sin and death and Hell deserved Righteousness and life and Heaven is purchased how can I chuse but rejoyce in his love and hope he will accept of my poor acknowledgement who so pardons as might even melt the hardest heart and for ever silence and satisfie it by the love of God and sufficiency of the Sacrifice Oh how am I ravished therewith I am justified by Faith and at peace with God the flames of Hell shall never touch me Death is swallowed up in victory I am consigned to a blessed immortality But oh my Lord I take the boldness to complain unto thee and expostulate with thee how sayest thou that thou lovest me if thou discover thy self no more unto me if I have no more love unto thee no more life from thee if I be so barren and unfruitful towards thee so dull and cold in thy service so unwilling to execute thy commands so weak and unable against assaults if thou be with me who can be against me what can be too hard for me what cannot be done by me through thee O! since it is thy pleasure to be so familiar with me if thou lovest me so much fulfil in me all the good pleasure of thy will and the work of Faith with power Oh let the merit of Christ's death free me from the guilt upon me and his Spirit cleanse me from the stains within me Let holiness to the Lord be written upon my whole Soul and Body that they may be a delectable habitation for thee unite my heart unto thee transform me altogether in thee I put my self out of my own power I accept of and close with thee as my Maker and Preserver Lord and Sovereign Priest and Prophet King and Captain Head and Husband to be ordered disposed provided for by thee I give my hearty consent that thou shouldest dwell within me as the alone Prince of my soul the possession of it I for ever surrender up unto thee I cease to be my own I renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh I profess my acceptance of submission to to place my happiness in and to resign my self wholly unto thee to be provided for disposed of led saved by theē Oh how am I pleased with my choice that I have parted with my self and am become thine How am I beholden to thee that I may give my self unto thee that thou hast brought me into the Bond of the Covenant Oh come dear Redeemer to the price of thy own blood cease thine own and save me assist and strengthen me feed and preserve me never leave me nor forsake me The Cup. COme my beloved now I have drunk thy Cup of wrath pledge me in this Cup of Salvation for which I pierc'd my side I drew this wine on purpose for thee when I trod the wine-press of my Fathers wrath alone This Cup is the New Testament in my blood is a pledge of signifies and represents by representation is my bloud in which the New Testament between God and Man is founded and established confirmed and ratified and by which remission of sins and all other consequent blessings of the New Covenant are purchased It s glorious liberties and immunities I hereby sign and seal unto you a full release and discharge from all your debts from the house of bondage sin the grave and hell Here I deliver yon your Protection from all your Enemies will I save you from the Arrests of the Law from the powers of darkness from the victory of the world from the curse of the Cross none shall prove too hard for you all shall work good unto you I hereby confer upon and instate you in all its royal priviledges and prerogatives behold I give my self to you to be your God and instead of all relations I will be a Friend and Physician a Shepherd Sovereign and Husband unto you to espouse your interest to counsel and heal you to feed and comfort you to watch over and defend you Lo I make over my self to you in all my Essential perfections mine omnipotency shall be your guard my omnisciency your overseer my omnipresence your companion my mercy your store my wisdom your counsellor my justice your revenger and rewarder my holiness a fountain of grace unto you my sovereignty to be commanded by you my infiniteness and all-sufficiency the lot and extent of your inheritance my Faithfulness unchangeableness the rock of your rest and security my eternity the date of your happiness I will be yours in all my personal relations a Father unto you what would my Children have of your Fathers instruction and probation protection and provision care and ear bread and rod heart and house pity and compassion I here assure you my Son and Spirit I give you to cloath and teach you assist and comfort you intercede in and for you sanctifie and save you with my self I give you all things mine Angels for your guardians and attendants my Word and Ordinances Ministers and providences for your guide and good Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours And that you may know I am in earnest lo I establish my Covenant with yon ordered in all things and sure written in the blood founded in the all-sufficient merits of your surety in whom I am well-pleased whose death made this Testament unchangeable for ever so that your name can never be blotted out nor your inheritance alienated nor your legacies diminished nothing can be altered I here solemnly deliver it to you as my Act and Deed sealed with the Oath and Blood of God who engages here his own Body for security Come ye blessed fear not the donation is free and full I have received a ransom and expect only you believe know and accept of your own blessedness Here are the conveyances see the seals take the writings behold the blood of the Covenant receive the instruments of your salvation This I give you as a pledge of my love and of the truth of all I have promised I hereby plight you my troth and set to my hand
of his Cross by â—im to reconcile all things to himself we â—â—at were sometimes Aliens and Enemies â—ow thou hast reconril'd in the body of his â—â—esh through death to present us holy unâ—â—lameable unreproveable in thy sight â—e who sometimes were far off are made â—igh by the blood of Christ for he is our â—eace our peace-maker who hath made â—oth one broken down the middle wall â—f partition betwen us by whom we have â—â—so now received the Attonement Lord I am in worse than Egyptian â—ondage a captive to Satan a slave 〈◊〉 my Lusts destitute of grace and eveâ—â— good thing But is not here a sufâ—cient price laid down for my ransom â—nd all things pertaining to life and godliâ—ess hath he not obtained eternal reâ—emption for us who came to give who â—â—ve himself a ransom for many for all Hath he not delivered redeemed bought me quite out of the hands-of Justice out of the power of Sin and Satan If while we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being now justified by hiâ— Blood shall we be saved from wratâ— through him For Sin he condemned siâ— in the flesh overcame death and destroyed him that had the power of death eveâ— the Devil I beg of thee and rely upon theâ—â—for supplies of my soul-pressing wants grace and peace comfort more love untâ— thee and fear of thee and. I ask no morâ— then what he hath bought for me who hatâ— not onely purchased me with his owâ— blood but all good things by the redundancy of his Merit after satisfactioâ— made unto thee for our debt I have no righteousness of my own but what is as filthy rags but thou haâ— made him to be sin for us who knew 〈◊〉 sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him we are clothed witâ— him and appear in thy sight as parts anâ— portions of himself the fulness of him thâ—â— filleth all in all Oh! impute not thâ— guilt but the merit of his blood unto mâ—â— behold me in him whom thou hast appointed between thee and sinners whose righteousness in every point answers thy Justice and whose sufferings are sufficient to satisfie the penalty of all my sins Oh ballance them against mine iniquities and the excess and proportion of virtue in his obedience against the malignity and unpleasingness of my disobedience they will so far exceed in weight and worth that thou wilt in justice rather pour forth thy mercy upon me and accept me into favour for the one then hold me still in displeasure for the other And oh thou who without grudging bore my burthen when thou stoodst at the Bar of Accusation when thou shalt sit in the seat of Judgment wilt thou stick to seal my pardon Where thy self hath paid the debt thy justice cannot deny to sign the Acquittance nor thy tender love suffer thee to condemn or reject a member of thy body a part of thy self Thou that sufferedst for me here and pleadest for me now cannot forget to be gracious to me then The Law Satan and my sins no only stop my mouth that I cannot plead my own Cause but they plead against me and cry unto thee for vengeance Buâ— is not this Blood as a visible prayer iâ— every wound as so many mouths opeâ— interceding to thee for pardon and mercy for me saying behold the travel 〈◊〉 my Soul the purchase of my blood thâ— fruit of my Agonies for him I wepâ— and sweat bled and dyed he hath sinned but I have satisfied he departeâ— for a season that thou shouldest receive him for ever not as a servant only buâ— brother unto me both in the flesh and in the Lord for mine and thy own sake therefore if thou account me thy beloved Son receive him as my self in whom thou art well-pleased if he have wronged thee or owes thee ought put it on my account I will repay it I will answer for him I Jesus have ratified and confirmed it with my own Blood his surety came not out of Prison untill he had paid the uttermost farthing Behold Oh Lord the bleeding wounds of thy own Son remember how his body was broken think upon his precious blood shed for us let us dye if he hath not made a full satisfaction we desire not to be pardoned if he hath not paid our debt But canst thou behold him and not be well-pleased with us canst thou look upon his body and blood which we present to thee and turn thy face from us Oh let us prevail in the vertue of his Sacrifice for the Graces and Blessings we need Take pity have mercy upon us for his sake whom we now desire to hold up between thy anger and our Souls and hide not thy self from us unless thou canst from him whom we bring with us unto thee While we are remembring him at his Table he is remembring us at his Father's right hand I am not only guilty but polluted sin hath as well defiled as it would damn me But oh remember who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood of virtue and Spirit to purifie me as value and merit to pacifie thee To this Fountain which thou hast set open I bring my polluted Soul and what hinders but that I may wash and be clean be purged from the filth as well as pardon'd for and saved from the guilt of all my sins for the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sins Oh how often is my Soul cast down within me my omissions and Commissions my sins and duties as I perform them discomfort me I am ashamed of and blush to see them my petitions for pardon stand in need of pardon my tears of washing my best performances are provocations and help to fill up the measure of my sins but for the Priest that offers the Altar that sanctifies all my services the sweet incense he offers with our prayers His Priesthood is for ever available and effectual for us Here is wine sweetned with the love of God perfumed with the divine nature that chears the heart of God by way of satisfaction and the heart of Man by way of pacification that makes peace in Heaven and within us and all our Sacrifices wellpleasing unto thee who dealst not with us according to our frailties but state in our Advocate who when he had by himself purged our sins sate down on the Right hand of the Majesty on high and ever lives to make intercession for us If thy grace prevented us before Repentance that we might return shall it not much more prevent Repenting sinners that we may not perish how canst thou but love them that love thee seeing thou loved us when we hated thee Oh my stony unrelenting heart how unaffected am I with my own vileness and thy goodness the evil of sin and excellency of grace the worth of my Soul and death of my Saviour but the blood of Christ is able to soften and
hath purchas'd for us a Kingdom hath thrown in stored up all necessaries for our passage thither maintenance for his Heirs while they come to Age. He will not neglect his members not starve his own Body He will refresh the weary Pilgrim furnish and supply us with provision to serve us by the way till we come home to himself How shall he refuse our prayers for any thing now we are united to his person our souls joyned to and nourished by his body sanctified by his blood and cloathed with his robes marked w th his character sealed with his spirit renewed with his vows consigned to his glory adopted to his inheritance when we represent his death and pray in vertue of his passion and imitate his intercession and do that he commands take Christ along with us in our arms and offer him he essentially loves He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things The Communion Close BUt here is no continuing Banquet Oh how unwillingly do I rise How Ioth am I to go hence me thinks I could sit here and feast my self for ever Oh what running Banquets my Lord affords me sure he need not fear I should surfeit on himself or be weary of his company Oh! what shall I do in yonder unsatisfying Sould-starving World I have been feeding on my Paschal Lamb and now must I to my sower Herbs again If it be his will I must obey but oh take me by the hand lead and uphold-me be still by me let me see thee always with me I know thou hast prepared the endless Feast above where I shall ever lye in thy bosom under the uninterrupted beams of thy smiling and all-cheering Countenance and glut my hungry Soul on the Banquet of thy ever blessed self In comparison of which I now rather Fast then Feast and enjoy but drops of the river of pleasure an antipast of the Eternal Supper a Vigil of the Eternal Rest where my Appetite shall be satisfied and my thirst quenched in the Ocean it self where I shall see thee in thy Glory and be ravisht in the sight of thy beauty and drink of those overflowing joys streaming from the light of thy ever-blessed face Where Body and Soul shall be subject to no corruption imperfection or decay nor stand in need of such Viaticums to support us in our way Where the vail of our mortality shall be rent our mud-wall of flesh made spiritual and transparent the shadows and resemblances abolished the glass removed the riddle of our Salvation unfolded the vapours of corruption dispelled the patience of our expectation rewarded where from the power of the Spirit within and presence of Christ without there shall be diffused on the whole man a double lustre of that exceeding abundant Glory This ordinance is a Type of that Eternal Feast the feeding on his Body a pledge of seeing his face the same company there and Christ in the middest of them when he shall gird himself and make us to sit down at meat and come forth and serve us Oh the dignity the comfort of those servants who have infinite delight Majesty it self condescending to serve them at the Table for the Guests to have him set himself to solace them who is infinite in sweetness and knowledge to make his sweetness please them whose bosom is the hive and centre of all goodness in which all the scattered parcels of blessedness are bundled up But alass as yet I am on Earth and have my work to do too too toilsom and heavy for me scarcely should I have lasted out so long but that at such seasons as this he repairs my finking Spirit by pouring in the Cardials of his Blood the comforts of his Spirit Oh little did I think to be thus much made of or minded by him who is taken up with the attendance and praises of his Heavenly Host my conscience would have kept me away but he call'd me to him ran to meet me and took me in his arms and rebuked my timorous Spirit saying wherefore didst thou fear I call'd my self Prodigal a companion of Swine a miserable hard-hearted wretch no more worthy to be called his Son or Servant he called me Child and chid me for questioning his love He hath readily forgiven me those sins I thought would have made my Soul the fuel of Hell He hath put on me the best Robe his Sons righteousness a ring on my hand honoured adorned me with the riches the seals pleges of his love and Shoos on my feet prepared armed firmly fetled me to go throughout all the difficuties of a rugged way by enabling me to believe the Gospel of Peace and Attonement He hath killed the Fatted Calf for me instead of mingling my Blood with my Sacrifice and entertain'd me with Joy with musick and with Feasting when I better deserv'd to have been howling among the Dogs without the door then a crum at his table He hath embraced me in his sustaining Consolatory arms when he might have spurn'd my guilty Soul to Hell saying depart from me I know you not Oh! how shall I mention the loving-kindness praises of the Lord according to his mercy according to the multitude of his loving kindness according to all he hath bestow'd on me and his great goodnesse to the house of Israel Oh that I could proclaim thy love to all the world and make the whole earth ring with thy praises and awake every creature to do it with me Oh that I could laud him with the Celestial Quire and joyn my heart and voice with the spirits of just men made perfect To him who hath created a whole world so large beautiful and magnificent to serve us subjected so fair a Territory to our Dominion consign'd to our use so numerous a race of goodly Creatures to be manag'd enjoyed governed by us To him who hath endued our Bodies so fearfully wonderfully curiously made with Souls resembling his excellent perfections in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness capable or serving and enjoying him affording to that end all convenient instructions encouragements and assistances To him that supplies our manifold needs protects us from innumberable dangers gives us whatsoever is necessary convenient and pleasant for our use sustenance and delights accepts our acknowledgments of former Blessings as arguments and opportunities of conferring fresh ones who might utterly cast us off when we threw off our obedience and long ago have san'd us as chart from off the face of the earth by the breath of his nostrils into unquenchable fire To him who remembred us in our low estate when we had lost his Image and favour our excellency and happiness descended from his imperial throne took upon him our shape conversed as it were upon equal terms with us to assume us into a nearer affinity submitting to our choice Crowns that cannot fade Scepters that cannot be extorted from us To
holes in his side Oh what fight a fire a flame of love did I see in his blessed Heart and my self pourtray'd upon it my name among the rest oh with what joy and comfort to my Soul he hath set me as a Seal upon his Heart love is strong as death many waters of affliction cannot quench it nor the floods of trouble or persecution drown it might all the pleasures profits honours of the world be given for it it would be utterly despised Oh how easie find I his yoke how light his burthen methinks I could watch or pray do or suffer more believingly more couragiously than ever It was the voice of my Beloved that knocked saying open unto me my Sister my Love my Dove my Undefiled he put in his hands by the holes of the door and my bowels were moved for him my Soul failed when he spake I sought him in every part of the Ordinance and he was found of me I called him and he gave me answer I sate under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste He brought me to the Banqueting house and his Banner over me was Love His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me A bundle of Myrrh is my Beloved unto me he shall lye all night betwixt my Breasts he shall be still in my heart by affection and Faith I will make him my continual joy comfort and refreshment and solace my self in him in all estates Oh that his name may be graven upon my heart and his Image remain fair and lively upon my Soul Oh that I may find a kind of unwillingness to admit of any other company when I come to converse with other things let me still be looking towards him as my only desire good and happiness let my heart be so filled with him that other objects may not come near or make any strong impression on me Oh that some lively coles of that holy fire kindled at the Ordinances may be still glowing in my Soul that the savour and tincture of it may be never done away Oh how can any other pleasure seem any more pleasant to me Can I desire the husks the Swine do eat when there is such Bread in my Fathers house no man having drunk old wine straightway desireth new for he saith the old is better Sure he hath been little affected nor had any taste of Gods sweetness presently to relish worldly things to wash off his palate the savour of spiritual with sensual or secular thoughts Abrupt chopings off from Holy Duties is such a quenching of the spirit as tends much to hardning the heart such sudden quenchings of spiritual heat got in an Ordinance cannot be without much danger to the Soul motions so quite opposite are as prejudicial as unbecoming Is it fit or seemly to leave the company of our Lord so soon as we have let him in and divert to other occasions associate our selves to other persons now we have newly given him our Faith and taken him as the Bridegroom of our Souls and not rather delight in the presence of our new love and keep our heart from cooling by laying on new fuel turning the remainder of this day into an after supper a second Communion In reviewing and being humbled for our coldness distractions miscarriages In blessing God for the liberty and opportunity of a Sacrament and the priviledges thereby confer'd upon us in ruminating on and retaining the savor of those pleasant things we have been entertained with exceedingly gladded in the sense of that love we have been tasting and celebrating in the belief of that pardon we have received in the hopes of that Grace and Glory that hath been assured to us In considering the obligations we have laid on our selves In heavenly discourses with our beloved in expressions of our love and affection towards him acts of desire after inseparable union with and greater likeness unto him in vows and promises we will alwayes be faithful and loyal to him in entertaining him with acts of love and delight thanks and praise with the best chear we are able to make our new our beloved guest in commending his beauty praising him for his kindness and favours extolling his riches admiring his perfections and graces talking with him about the affairs of our Soul in opening to him every room in it leading him into the most private recesses of our heart shewing him all the secrets of it acquainting him with all our wants and weaknesses spreading before him all our desires and fears hopes and griefs In praying for help and assistance to be steadfast in his Covenant interceding with him for all mankind especiall our Fellow Communicants In telling him again all we have is his in tying a new knot upon the band of the Covenant between us craving him pardon for our follies desiring him not to be offended at the dark and noisome hole into which we have brought him entreating him with all loves that he will not take exception at his poor entertainment even charming him to stay and dwell with us by all the songs of praise and thankfulness we can devise Subsequent Duties after the Sacrament AND now my utmost care and diligence is required to express the power and efficacy of the Ordinance in living more fruitfully religiously watchfully in making good my vows and promises at the Sacrament That heart and life therefore may be sutable to my Sacramentall obligations and may witness the good received in and by it oh my Soul Make a solemn reflection on thy self and entertainment How was my heart and behaviour before God what welcom did he give me Reflection is necessary after every duty what good have I got what warmth of affection what more love to desire after delight and confidence in God what greater ability and love to discharge duty to bear affliction to resist temptation to walk in Gods ways so especially after the Sacrament was my Heart hard dull indisposed I must then suspect my miscarriage in preparation or performance and labour to find out be truely sensible of greatly bewaile and humble judge and condemn my self and beg pardon for the cause earnestly importune him that he would now help me by Prayer and Humiliation to recover the benefit of the Ordinance that I may by an after act do that which I should have done before Sorrow for and sense of our senslesness is one fruit of Christs death we undoubtedly receiv'd in the Ordinance We may not judge of our gain by and profit in duty by our present feeling or that the only evidences of Communion and acceptance with God are our Souls lifted up and ravished with sensible joys our uprightness and sincerity in the performance of our duties and in our covenanting with God and continuing stedfast therein may administer most ground of comfort when we reflect upon it for we were then really acceptable to him that look'd down upon us and received from
entertain Thee love Thee remember Thee serve Thee express my gratitude towards Thee and that I have so often offended Thee Now I know thou lovest me seeing thou hast not with-held thy Son thine onely Son from me By his Merits and bloody Sacrifice I hope to be received into the Communion of his Sufferings here and hereafter into the Communion of his Glorie THis is the Sacrifice the Righteousness in which I trust and by which I am justified and saved from the Curse of Thy violated Law As Thou hast accepted it O Father for the World upon the Cross behold it still on the behalf of Sinners and hear his Blood that cries unto Thee for mercie to the miserable and for his sake pardon us and accept us 〈◊〉 thy reconciled Children This was my doing It was I â—nd such other Sinners that deserv'd to bear the punishment who were guilty of the Sin And can a Murderer of Christ be a small Offender Shall I ever have a dull a lifeless apprehension of Thy Love or a favourable thought of Sin more O that I may sufficiently detest and never more commit those Offences that delivered my Redeemer to Death that pierced my Saviours Handâ— and side that Crowned his Head with Thorns and filled his Souâ— with Grief O Thou who in thine anger revenged our Sins upon thy Son in thy merce correct and destroy them also in me And bestoâ— upon me such a measure of thâ— Spirit through which He offereâ— Himself without Spot unto Thee as may sanctifie for ever the Bodâ— and Soul which now I offer uâ— unto Thee and help me to discharge the Service I promise unto Thee O Blessed Lord Jesus who hast ordained this mystery for a communion of thy Body for a means of advancement and proficiency in Holiness and for an infallible Pledge of eternal Salvation which Thou hast purchased by thy Sufferings and preparest Thy people for by Thy Grace make this Ordinance of a true sign an effectual means of the same that it may be efficatious to settle me in the communion of Thy Sufferings which it sheweth forth to feed me with that living Bread which it presents and to sanctifie me for that eternal happiness which it promises and secures Take the Cup from the Minister as from Christ saying This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for Thee for the remission of Thy Sins O The depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable is his Goodness and his Love past finding out How hast Thou surpassed all Humane Apprehensions What a matchless Gift is this and unto what unworthy Sinners Will God stoop so low to Man And come so near him and thus reconcile his provoking Enemy Will He freely pardon all I have done and take me into His Family and Love and feed me with the Flesh and Blood of his Son Such a guilty Soul might expect the destroying Angel that Thou wouldst have charg'd upon me all my Sin and Folly But while I condemned my self Thou hast justified me and given me the Seal of my Pardon in the blood of Thy gracious Covenant and surprised me with the surest Tokens and Pledges the sweetest Embracements of Thy Love O The unmerited the distinguishing goodness of the great and holy God of Heaven and Earth in making me a reasonable Creature his Servant his Son In providing so plentifully for my Body and my Soul temporal and spiritual bread to eat and Rayment to put on In giving me a heart in any measure to discharge my Duty unto Thee whilst others are neglecting Thee or expressing their enmity against Thee Innumerable are thy Creatures that cannot take notice of thy Benefits Yea how great a part of mankind made at first after thine Image live and die in Darkness and perish for want of Vision That cannot or will not enjoy these happy Opportunities are unavoidably kept from them or wilfully sinfully separate and exclude themselves How few of those that draw near to Thee sincerely wait upon Thee faithfully serve Thee are graciously accepted by Thee With what an unvaluable price hast Thou Redeemed a worthless Sinner that deserved Thy everlasting Vengeance with how precious a Feast entertainest Thou me that deserves to be cast out with the Workers of Iniquitie into the ever-flaming Pit in that I have been so careless of serving Thee so wilfully offended Thee so often preferred things displeasing unto Thee before Thee and provoked Thee to call back thy goodness and mercie from me HOw dearly hast Thou purchas'd my Love How strangely hast Thou deserved and sought it O what shall I say unto Thee or do or suffer for thee which way shall I express my gratitude towards thee O what an addition an answerable Heart would be to thy Love and Mercie and Invitation Make O make such deep and lasting Impressions upon my Soul of Thy care and kindness and condescention towards me that I may alwaies affectionatelie remember Thee faithfully serve Thee never offend Thee eternally enjoy Thee O That I could love thee as much as I should as I would as I shall love Thee when I shall do nothing else but praise Thee and serve Thee and love Thee without ever offending Thee or doubting of thy Love unto me In the mean time O that it may be the delight of my Soul to think of Thee and thy loving-kindness to reverence and worship Thee to pray unto Thee and praise Thee to wait upon Thee in Thine Ordinances at Thy Table to be ordered and guided by Thee I Offer up unto Thee my Soul and Body all I am and have to he ruled and disposed of by thee O that I may be full of zeal to follow Thee and rejoyce in being loved of Thee and humbly confide in Thee and absolutely resign my self unto Thee and be filled with constant devotion towards Thee and earnest breathings after Thee O Father of everlasting compassion forsake not in this Wilderness a feeble Israelite whom Thou hast brought thus far out of Egypt and let not the Soul Thou hast blessed with some desires and helped thus far with some tendency towards eternal happiness ever faint or fall from the right way O Son of God and Life of those that believe quench not but cherish and inflame the smoaking Flax break not but support and strengthen the bruised Reed Feed with thy Divine Influences this tender Branch this weak Member of Thine which without thee cannot but wither cannot but die cannot but perish Despise not the slender beginnings of Grace in me but carry it on with power until Thou hast made me meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Life Blessed Spirit of all Grace cleanse me from all my Sins keep and set forward in me notwithstanding all my Infirmities Thine own Work and carry it on unto Perfection Seal up unto me the Covenant of Pardon which is sealed and delivered to me in this Ordinance FIll our Hearts most gracious God with