mollifie the most obdurate sinner Oh that I could feel the vertue and power of it dissolving this rock into a fountain of tears a relenting frame a heart of flesh My lusts and Corruptions are many and mighty too strong for me but not for thy self As in the first Adam's sin man died legally so in the second Adam's death sin died virtually He suffered to save his people from their sins that himself and not sin should have dominion over us Shall not that blood mortifie my pride worldliness inordinate affections which shall subdue the whole body of sin shall I reproach or make void his death unto my own Soul or by continuance in sin that brought so great a punishment on so great a person be a greater enemy to him then the Jews were How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein knowing this that our Old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Oh that I may henceforth find and reckon my self to be dead unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord Oh how am I tempted and assaulted that I am sometimes ready to say I shall one day fall by my spiritual enemies but Faith gives us a share in the victories of Christ having spoyled all Principalities and Powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them as our enemies in on the Cross his triumphant Chariot took away from them all possibility to hurt though they assault us still we are assured of an absolute victory The accuser of the Brethren is cast down which accused them before God day and night and they overcome by the Blood of the Lamb that hath quenched the flames of divine fury and all our enemies are reconciled or subdued Ah my Lord how often doth sin and the world deadden my heart and affections towards thee O how dull how indisposed that I cannot pray with life nor be lively in thy service but this blood was shed to set Prisoners free and is the life of all our duties graces and comforts Oh that its power and efficacy may quicken and enliven me may put vivacity and activity in me that I may pray and hear receive meditate and discourse of spiritual things with freedom and liberty liveliness and chearfulness Oh that I may no more as I have too too often disbelieve or question the promises of this life or that to come For this Blood ratifies and confirms the Covenant of grace not only purchased but assures us of all good things Christ's Will and Testament wherein he hath bequeathed such precious legacies to his people is now of force for a Testament is of force after the Testator is dead Oh how ought it to affect me for the betraying of innocent Blood he was holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners in his hands no wickedness in his heart no sin no guile found in his mouth I and my brethren are guilty but for this spotless Lamb what hath he done and where there is no sin thou inflictest no punishment But he was numbred with the Transgressors surely then the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all for the transgression of my people was he smitten by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities Oh! I take thee at thy word and do believe all my sins with all thine Elects were imputed to our surety and the wages of sin inflicted on him that we might be fully acquitted and discharged I am guilty of many aggravated sins and am the greatest of sinners but with thee is plenteous redemption through Christ Jesus who shed his Blood not because we were Righteous but to make us So of infinite vertue and merit as sufficient for me as if none else were justified or saved by it He is able to save to the utmost all that come unto thee by him Oh how small how imperfect are my Graces how cold my Love how weak my Faith How faint my desires after thee but the least degree of Grace is the fruit of this Blood Oh that I may find it's efficacy perfecting that good work thou hast begun in me from strengh to strength till grace be consummated â—n Glory Through the Blood of the Eternal Covenant make me perfect in every good work to do thy will working in me that which is well-pleasing in thy sight Oh what trifles disturb my charitable affections how interrupted and inconstant my love to those who by one spirit are all baptized into one body but Christ hath reconciled us in one body by the Cross having slain the enmity thereby Oh that henceforth I may be of one heart with his Disciples and love them as he hath loved us Our God is a Consuming Fire which I cannot but dread having so much fuel about me and within me but in thy Son I see flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone who gave himself for us And shall the sentence of thy judgment disannul the merit of his sufferings of his satisfaction Didst thou not punish him that thou mightest spare us is it not as great a necessity of thy Satisfied Justice to spare the sinner as it was of thy offended Justice to punish the sin Thou art not only reconcilable but desirous to become our friend Oh how comfortable are those words of thine to my guilty Soul the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Son his first coming was in the flesh when he took on him our nature his second in the spirit when he imparted unto us of his spirit his third will be in power when he shall communicate to us his glory his first was to redeem his second to comfort his third will be to reward us If we be careful not to offend he will not be extreme to mark what we do amiss He will proceed not according to the Law which requires an absolute obedience without sin and will condemn all that have been guilty of any sin but according to the Gospel which admits of repentance for the forgiveness of sin and will condemn none but the unbelieving and impenitent sinner Damnation is denounced not for breaking the Law but rejecting the Gospel He is faithful because he hath promised and just because his Son hath purchas'd forgiveness The same sentence shall be pronounced as is past already in the Gospel Whosoever be-believes in him shall not perish but have ever-everlasting life Sin hath shut us out of paradise but â—e blood of Christ hath opened the Kingâ—om of Heaven to all believers It gives us â—ere a right and hereafter an admission â—â—rough this Red Sea we enter into the â—eavenly Canaan and for this cause he 〈◊〉 the Mediator of the New Testament â—hat by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under â—he first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance And he that
every grace of thy Holy Spirit and graciously entertain us and grant we may now so behave our selves that we may not provoke but glorifie thee be savingly partakers of the Redemption we now commemorate and be found and kept in the number of thy Redeemed Ones for ever BLessed Lord who revivest by this sacred Banquet the memory of thy inexpressible Love and of my Saviour's Sufferings inable me by Faith so to apply his Passion that healing strength and saving vertue may proceed from it the strength and sweet odour of whose Oblation is a fragrant as savingly efficatious as when first offered up unto thee Inlighten my Understanding prepare my Heart Help O help me that I may now abate nothing of those affections that are due unto Thee and my ever blessed Redeemer And let me obtain the fruits and Benefits of his Death and Passion even the remission of all my Sins and the fulness of all thy Graces O bless me and thine own institution unto me and grant that I may not increase my guilt by abusing of what thou offerest me but may receive a blessing from Thee HOly righteous Father who seest nothing in me that is truly mine but dust and ashes and which is worse sinful Flesh polluted Blood O look upon some few resemblances of thine Image some raies and beams of thy Spirit some small beginnings of thy Grace which are from thee in me and supply the defects with thy Mercy Merits and Sacrifice of thy Son Turn thine Eyes O merciful Father to his Satisfaction and Intercession who now sits at thy right Hand to the Seales of thy Covenant which lie before thee upon thy Table and to all the wants and distresses which thou seest in my Soul and take this opportunity of glorifying thy Mercy thy Son and thy Grace towards me and upon me BLessed Jesus so dispose me by thy grace and Holy Spirit to feed spiritually and really upon that Sacrifice which thou offeredst without the Gate and which this Sacrament sets before me here in thy Court that I may be admitted into that holy place which thy Sacrifice hath opened and this Sacrament invites me to And help me so to drink of this fruit of the Vine that I may drink it new in my Father's Kingdom where I shall be delighted and refreshed and converse with thee withou these tipical shadows and adumbrations When the Minister is confessing sin and praying for the efficacy of the Ordinance let your Heart concur with him and put in your particular failings with their aggravations and the mercies you in special need which he omits Prostrate your Souls in the sence of your own vileness and necessities joyn with all earnestness in his confessions and Petitions as one that knows the evil of sin and the need and worth of the Blessings he Requests And let the solemn consecration of the Bread and Wine mind thee how thy Saviour was consecrated and set apart for thy Salvation And say HOw wonderful is thy wisdom and Love O God in our Recovery and Redemption How justly mightest thou have dealt with us as with the fallen Angels and left us to perish without a Remedy Howstrangely dost thou glorifie thy Mercy over those Sins that gave thee the advantage and occasion to glorifie thy Justice Even thou our God whom we have offended and provoked eternally to ruine us hast out of thine own Treasure satisfied thine own Justice and given us a Saviour by such a Miracle of Wisdom Love and Condescension as Men and Angels shall never be able fully to comprehend So didst thou love the sinful World as to give thy onely begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life When you see the breaking of the Bread and powring out of the Wine say O Hateful Sin O wonderful Love O dreadful Justice O precious Sacrifice O merciful Saviour How gracious Lord hast thou been to Sinners How severe unto thy Son How cruel have we been unto thee and our selves How small a matter hath tempted me to that which cost so dear before it was forgiven I Cannot but here observe something very like the Sacrifice and Passion of my Dear Redeemer Thus the Bread of Life was broken Thus the Lamb of God was slain Thus his precious Blood was shed Thus his Father gave Him once to die and gives still the vertue of his Death to bless and save every one that comes unfeignedly to Him While the Minister and others are Receiving before you say WHo can sufficiently admire and adore Thee most gracious God for reconciling us unto thy self Vile sinners the Off-spring of sinful Parents thou treatest as familiar Friends as dear Children Thou mightest have brought us together hither for a Sacrifice to Thy Justice and behold one of Thine own making for us the Son of Thy Love We are unworthie of the least crum of our dailie Bread unworthie to tread upon thy Earth to breath in thy Air to lift up our Eyes to Heaven and Thou givest us Bread from Heaven libertie to tread thy Courts Thy Spirit to breath in our Hearts leave to breath ouâ— our Requests unto Thee O compassionate Father And now Since Love will chuse such unworthy Guests and Mercy be honoured upon such Sin and Misery let that Mercy that invites us makes us acceptable and graciously entertain us O Author of my Salvation and of these Mysteries that express it Object and Truth of what I am now going to receive Thou art as able to perfect me with thy Blessings out of thy Throne as thou wert to redeem me by thy Sacrifice on thy Cross O perform in me by thy Sufferings what thou doest exhibit and present By this thy Body broken give also nourishment and maintenance unto eternal life Look upon a poor Sinner at Thy Table as Thou didst on him that hung by Thy Cross and remember me now Thou art in Thy Kingdom I Am unworthy that Thou shouldst enter under my Roof much less come and sup and dwell with me but seeing it is Thy good pleasure to vouchsafe me this favour cleanse me from all my Sins that I may entertain Thee in a pure and Sanctified Heart Make this unclean Habitation that is so unfit to receive Thee a Temple for thy Self to dwell in Strengthen my Faith assist me by Thy Grace and Spirit that I may fully rely upon Thee apply Thy Sufferings unto me worthily receive Thee When the Minister gives you the Bread Think you hear Christ say to you in particular Take eat this is my Body which is broken for Thee this do in remembrance of me MY Lord and my God didst Thou offer up thy Self for me despicable forlorn wretched Sinner as well as for any other and dost Thou now give Thy Self unto me and bid me remember Thee the Redeemer of my Soul the Author the Object and Truth of this Sacrament I humbly and thankfully receive Thee with a troubled Heart that I can no better receive Thee
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
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
Saviour my greatest care and caution love and labour then in his service And inflamed with Love And how shall I put my heart into a flame of love a frame to meet him better then by considering the wonder of his love unto me Oh how free unmerited disinterested preventing not onely our desires but our knowledge surpassing our wishes as well as our deserts He loved us first Had we deplor'd our Apostacie implor'd his Grace reform'd our Ways return'd before invited made the first overtures of Reconciliation with him this had carried something of inducement for procuring his love but that he who had receive the injury should address himself to him that did it that the offended party should pray and beseech the offender to be reconciled that he whose right was to punish should first offer terms of grace and pardon to them that had done him all the wrong and make Compensation of it to himself Herein is love not that we loved him but that he loved us first even before we had a Being so little could we deserve it that our felicitie in his Decrees preceded our existence in the world His goodness is so entirely its own principle and motive that even out Creation since which alone we can pretend to merit it is the effect of it as well as our Redemption When no eye pittyed no person interceded no hand could relieve he visited and redeemed us unable to add to or diminish his essential happiness If thou sinnest what doest thou unto him if thou be righteous what givest thou him our best services are dues not tributes not to advantage him but to discharge our selves as acknowledgments we have all from him He doth us good not because we are but he liberally so The fire we kindle on God's Altar warms and enlightens us but not Heaven at so distant a remove not is wanted in the Regions of this Sun which shines upon us Dunghils not out of any invitation his Beams find there but because 't is his Nature to be freely obligingly diffusive nor is disturbed or loses its light but we by turning away our eyes or sending up the black and noysom vapours of our lusts I cannot but stand amazed at the low stoop of thy Sacred Majesty in matching with so mean so base so stain'd a Family Thou tookst not on thee the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham They are bound in chains of darkness whilest thou art drawing us with cords of Love thou spared not them and spared not thy Son for us What admiration and astonishment can answer thy boundless condeseension that thou who hadst married infinitely below thy self if with the most spotless antientest honourablest House of thy Creatures should take polluted dust and ashes into thy bosom yea thou passest by all others as Nettles and Thorns while thy Church is in thy eye as the Rose of Sharon and the Lillie of the Vallies He loved us when Enemies not only when we were not at all incapable of being a motive in his love but worthy of his detestation To have spared our lives had been an unexpected undeserved mercy who finds his enemy and slays him not was ever eye enamored on deformity or love set upon filthiness and putrefaction But behold I running away from him hating of him he loving me following of me intreating my return I undoing he pitying my soul finding his arms open to embrace me against whom I was lifting up my hand for when we were without strength Christ dyed for the ungodly and as foul as ugly as loathsom as forlorn as sin could make me espoused me to himself opened his Heart to lodge in it his profest Enemy that trod him under foot his Bowels yearned toward those who raked into them with their bloody hands his Heart burnt with affection to those that cruelly pierced it when we were fighting he was dying when we had the weapons in our hand he had the spear in his side Herein God commended his love to us in that while we were sinners Christ dyed for us shewed as great love and kindness to the greatest Enemy as could be shewen to the greatest Friend and receiv'd me not to mercy only but to the Endearment of a Son That the General should dye for the Souldier the Physitian for the Patient the Workman for the Work the Pastor for the Flock the Master for the Servant the Just for the Vnjust the Innocent for the Guilty the Shepherd for the Sheep the Prince for the Rebel the Lord of Glory for the Children of Disobedience he that was without all sin for him that was without all Righteousness God for Man to wound a Darling to stanch the Blood of a Traytor for the Judge to pardon and put himself into the Malefactor's cloaths and stead and suffer for him to dye for those that killed him and bleed to wash his own blood from their hands that spilt it with the kind Balsom Tree whose healing wounds weep soveraign Balsom to cure those that made them that he should interpose his own Breast to receive in those arrows of vengeance aim'd at us and that while professing our selves his Enemies and proclaiming War against him to spare our lives lose his own that he should so love us as to give himself for us is such a so loving us as makes the highest Hyperbole dwindle into a Meiosis He loved us unto death No sooner born then persecuted nor circumcised then design'd for the slaughter Behold the God of Heaven flying in a womans arms from the rage of a weak Man the God of Israel driven to be nursed out of the bosom of his Church He that made the Heaven of Heavens subject to if not busily working in the homely trade of a poor foster-Foster-father The owner of all possessing nothing but the punishment due unto our fins He that commands the Devils to their chains transported and tempted by that presumptuous Spirit God all-sufficient exposed to hunger and thirst weariness and danger grief and contempt reproaches affronts and calumnies blasphemed of those whose God he had always been in a peculiar manner streightned in the womb vexed in the world abased from the Cratch to the Cross rejected by Churls persecuted by Wretches tempted by Reprobates and yet the Son of Man must suffer many things be sold and caught â—ound and drag'd arraign'd and condemâ—ed stript and scourged revil'd and beâ—mear'd pierc'd and gor'd and then it is â—â—nished Thou seemest now O Blessed Reâ—eemer to have finished in thy passion what thou hadst continually suffered in the whole course of thy life How many slaves â—nder the vassalage of an enemy fare better â—hen thou from ungrateful Man whom â—hou camest to save Thy whole life was but a continual passion thy birth and death but one protracted act Christmas Day and Good Friday but the evening and mornâ—ng of thy passion thou foundest a Golgoâ—ha even in Bethlehem others die Martyrs but thou born one among beasts and â—iv'd
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—
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