my former receiving when it left not earnest breathings for the like opportunity was it possible for me to meet with God to taste the sweetness the fulness of Christ to experience the reachings forth of my love and desires the pleasures of acting grace and not long for another meeting By thy grace I will therefore communicate with more devotion repent with greater contrition walk with more caution pray more earnestly receive with more reverence and I doubt not but I shall find my affections encrease together with the Spiritual benefit The frequent solemn exercise of our graces must needs dispose strongly to Habitual ones and hugely promote the Interest of Religion It cannot be that the Sacrament be undervalued by frequent repetitions without great unworthiness of the person setting light by and loathing spiritual Manna and an unworthy Communication for he that receives worthily encreases in the love of God and of Religion and the fires of the Altar are apt to kindle into a flame and when our Lord enters into us and we grow weary of him or less fond of his frequent entrance and perpetual cohabitation 't is an infallible sign we have or are ready to let in his Enemy no Secular object hath any pleasure in it long beyond the hope of it for the possession and enjoyment is found so empty that we grow weary of it but whatsoever is spiritual is less before we have it but in the fruition swells our desires enlarges the Appetite and makes us more receptive and forward in the Entertainment Nor is it likely they will suffer for who refuse to banquet with him They proclaim they have no portion in David no inheritance in the Son of God Oh he qualms of undesirous Communicants should justly stir up the faithful to loath it in themselves Habitual Preparation THe death of Christ in regard of his intent was a Sacrifice to God but of the Jews the greatest crueltie and murder When a prophane person comes he sheds the blood of Christ which a Believer receives and by Faith feeding on it being one with Christ makes as great satisfaction to God as if he had suffered to Eternitie This new wine must not be put into an old vessel else the wine will be spilt and the vessel perish Christ and Belial cannot cohabit he will not enter through a besmear'd door nor dwell in a nasty house Feet that walk in filthy paths are not to tread his holy place nor a heart full of rancour hatred uncharitableness to sit down at this feast of love Hands dipt in blood polluted with unlawful gains stain'd with spots of the flesh or stretched out to injure him in his members are most unfit to be reached forth to receive him in the Sacraments to handle those holy mysteries Those Teeth that grind the face of the poor to eat the bread of Angels the Mouth that 's full of rotten corrupt communication evil speaking reviling or that thirsts after the blood of our neighbour to drink the Blood of Christ Eyes gazing on vanity to look on Jesus Oh how pure ought I to keep those doors of my Soul at which the King of Glory so often enters Shall I kiss his hand with filthy lips put hallowed bread and wine into a noysom sink go to that Table as Swine to their trough in my pollution ravish contemn the grace and mercy of God tear them asunder from the conditions he hath annexed to them He will not be one with an Harlot nor seen with the same eyes His Body never saw Corruption nor will be mixed with it It lay in a Virgin Womb and Sepulchre and still resides only in Virgin Souls Devoted Consecrated set apart to his use and service His glorified body is no more capable of dishonour nor will enter into an earthly soul Unclean birds receive nothing but the Carcass of the Ordinance the Bread without the Body the Wine without the Blood both without the blessing the Elements but not the Sacraments such are guilty of his Body and Blood for reaching out their hand with purpose to receive him into a polluted soul though he withdraw himself that they cannot partake of him They disgrace their Prince by shewing it to his Statue erected for his honour and remembrance are guilty of Treason by offering Indignity to his Seal and Picture dishonour done to the Image and representation reflects upon the Original he is personally in Heaven and will be no where Sacramentally but in the Heavenly part of man he finds no rest in a heart full of vain vitious thoughts it stinks like the lake of Sodom he retires thence vexed with the unclean Conversation of the impure Inhabitants When he approaches to a soul and finds it a Cage of unclean Birds he flyes with the wings of a Dove to cleaner and whiter Habitations But if we avoid hate and have no fondness of affection for them and with complacency entertain the contrary then Christ hath washed our feet and then he invites us to his Supper The unavoidable infirmities of our lives against which we daily strive and for which we never have any kindness or affection are not spots in these feasts of Charitie but instruments of Humility and stronger invitations to come to Rites ordain'd for corroboratives gainst infirmities and for growth in the inner man But remanent affection to a sin enmitie with neighbours secular avocations to the height of care and trouble excuse not but increase mens sin and secure their misery 'T is just they graze with Goats that refuse to wash their hands that they may come to the Supper of the Lamb. The excuses wherewith they palliate their neglects of waiting upon our Lord and accepting his kindness all grow upon this bitter root of an unholy careless life loving the world and the lusts thereof the only reason is they have a mind to live as strangers to him and not to be his houshold servants and domesticks for then they might always come unto him They think they must not come so oft because to prepare themselves costs them so much time but would they spare so much as to lead a holy life and be at so much trouble as to please God in other things they would not find it so laborious to please him in this Kept they always a fear of God in their Souls they would without much pains be fit to approach with fear and reverence into his presence would they fear to do what God hath forbidden they would not fear to do what he hath commanded but while they refuse to obey him in one thing no wonder they do in another Religion concerns not our actions only but the frame and disposition of our hearts and minds and the same habitual graces are to be daily exercis'd though in a lower measure and degree Every day is to be holy to the Lord though every action in the day be not equally holy When we labour conscienciously to stand to our first Promise and
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
among worse as well as died among â—hieves Blessedness is made not earth â—nely but wo to bring earth from wo to â—lessedness Behold him now O my soul hanging â—pon the Cross and thy sins putting him â—nto that gore saying Weep not for me â—hat endures it but weep for your selves â—hat causes it read in me the cruelty of â—our sins see how barbarously they have â—sed me how miserably I am torn and wounded by you how many thorns in this Crown of thorns are your sins how my blood with my warmest love runs out to fetch you home to God Oh my head my side my hands and my feet Look through these gaping wounds into my heart pierc'd first by love and then by a spear for you Was ever any sorrow or love like unto mine Can I do more then die for you Will you not be perswaded what an evil and bitter thing sin is unto me Do you not see how it rakes into my side and tears my very heart how greedily it sucks my blood Behold the pits it diggeth the very print of its nails see the very place where it hath thrust its spear Canst thou hug and embrace bloody Parricides shew any kindness to so deadly an enemy harbour them that have used me thus You say You are my friends will you not take my part against them Have not all these wounds mouths enough to persvvade you to fall out vvith sin Would you have me used thus again Could you find in your heart to see me once more upon a Gibbet Will you tear open my wounds crucifie me afresh Else why can you not be prevail'd with by this sight Why do you not spit in the face of your sins do all the despight you can unto revenge me perfectly upon them â—ail them unto my Cross if you would have me embrace you O how ought my Adamantine heart to rend in pieces when all thy tortures and grones are for are from us And yet as if once were not sufficient how often do we joyn with those that crucifie thee afresh By hypocrisie we bend the knee with ludibrious devotion saying Hail King of the Jews By presumption we put a Reed in thy hand We smite and buffet thee with the works of darkness saying Prophesie who smote thee By Prophaneness we spit in thy face the filth of our rotten hearts By Sacriledge we cast lots for thy garments By Schism we divide thy seamless Coat which the rude Soldiers did not By popularity we wash our hands as innocent and to please men condemn thee By unhallowed cups we give thee gall to drink By Superstition betray thee vvith a kiss and despise thee vvith seeming honour By Apostacy deny forswear thee By Heresie rack and disjoynt thee By the roareâ— laughs and scoffs oaths and blasphemies tear and rend thee By any common sin we prefer Barabba before thee O weâ—â— thy pains so light that we must every day redouble them Is this the kindness the entertainment thou deservest the recompence of thine inestimable love thus cruelly to vex and wound thee O how can we hope to find Redemption by thy Blood while we continue by our horrid crimes to make new gashes in thy side to rub thy wounds afresh and cause them to stream anew that were even closed up before an act more Jewish then the Jews Oh! I sigh unto thee for want of grief for thy grievous sufferings Oh that I could turn my self into tears that I might wash the wounds I have made seeing thou diedst for my sins how ought I to despise my self who have so cruelly offended and tormented thee the very party whose offences have brought those miserable torments and death upon thee Oh how must this needs irreconcile and engage me to pursue them to death that in the eye of all the world brought so great shame and pain and amazement on the Lord of Life and Glory Come along with me Oh ye vile ye sinful passions and corrupt affections into his presence if ye dare live so long and there receive your mortal wound from him Methinks you should begin to die at the very thoughts of a dying Redeemer and swoun away at the sight of yonder Blood and not stay till you come to his Cross but give up the Ghost before you see but the image his death do you not feel the power of it afar off doth not his pierced side pierce your heart before you behold it Oh ye bloody things what have ye done what wounds have you made in the Bodie of my Lord lay your necks quietly on the block prepare your selves for death which is approaching nay never struggle nor resist think not to live any longer for I have vow'd you in sacrifice to him And now what remains Ends in going but that I renew a quick and lively sense of the ends of this Rite and of mine in going and what lies hid under the Ceremonie Oh my Soul whither art thou going What is that Table which I see yonder spread for us and what is thy chief design in going to it what means that broken bread that is provided for vvhat end vvas that body Crucified do men use to drink a cup of Blood Oh let me knovv the bottom of this mysterie let me enter into this secret and my ovvn heart's Renouncing my own Righteousness and Preparation in his name merits mediation strength and righteousness in obedience to thy command and thy follovvers practice to renevv my Covenant vvith thee to commemorate and be affected vvith his death to ovvn and encrease my Spiritual Union and Communion vvith him and his members to further my joy in the Holy Ghost peace of Conscience and hopes of Eternal Life for the nourishment of my Soul to get povver against my sins to act and excite and strengthen my graces to make fresh applications of his blood to have the Covenant of Grace vvith all its blessings sealed unto me I go unto thy Table O stir up in me thirsting desires after strong expectations to receive these blessed ends and benefits and do thou make them good unto me Oh how weak To strengthen my Inner man how imperfect are my Graces I see and know but in part so love obey believe but in part Oh how many temptations adversaries difficulties assault me How seldom have I a will to do good and when I would do good evil is present with me All I have â—an or am is from thee so due unto thee but all still unworthy of thee yet how heart-bound is that little all of service I do thee I pray as if afraid to be heard bear as if unwilling to be saved communicate as if loth to receive thee serve thee as if I would not please thee To that end I go to the Lords Supper sutable and sufficient to nourish my inner man where â—re rendred most familiarly and effectually his Flesh and Blood meat and drink indeed Oh that I may have such â—xpectations of
of an ungrateful world was so mindful of your good and comfort to arm establish and refresh you and will you neglect dis-esteem contemn it doth not the benefit of my passion without your desert plead for the constant meditation of it without your scandal The frequent faithful remembrance of what I did and suffered for you is my chief request and your only requital and yet do you distaste what I â—mbraced and endure not to think of what I refused not to endure loath you the cup of Salvation that cost me a cup of Astonishment Have I left the Glory of my Father to be cloathed with and dwell in flesh Led a life of suffering undergone a shameful painful accursed death rose again ascended prepared mansions taken possession for you where I plead your cause and will come ere long to absolve you before all the world and with whom you shall be for ever Have I given such costly evidences of my love unto you and love you not to do this in remembrance of me Do But for thee dear Saviour I had been for ever undone for thee then and for thy sake what is it that I should not do Thy desires are my Injunctions there 's Authority enough in thy love to do thy pleasure Since thou would have no nature but mine I will have no will but thine When once signified by command upon my obligation I should upon my Fealty to thee the King of the Church and Soveraign as well as Saviour of my Soul I ought I may I must not dispute nor delay I dare not but must Do else how must I be look'd upon when the King commands all his loving Subjects to take the Oath of Allegiance and I stay away and refuse Do I not publickly disown him for my Soveraign who hath enjoyn'd the Celebration of this as an evidence and symbol of my Relation to and communion with him Is not this appointed for a memorial of his death whereby he delivered his people and destroyed their enemies transcendently to us what the Passeover was to the Jews and the neglect of it more provoking yet the man that is unclean and is not in a journey and forbeareth to keep the Passeover at the time appointed when he might and ought eat it even the same soul shall be cut off from his people because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season that man shall bear his sin There 's a punishment annexed to the neglect as well as ill performance of it he that eats irreverently is guilty of prophaning the Lords Body and he that eats not of despising it and of preferring his lusts before him the one eats damnation to himself and the other by not eating judges himself to be in a damnable State 'T is dangerous staying in that condition wherein we judge our selves unmeet society for Christ if I cannot partake of his Supper here how can I think my self fit to feast with him in Heaven or hope to look on his face with comfort there and take no pleasure to behold remember come near have any thing to do with him here will not his presence be most terrible then to whom his memory is no way delightful now Am I troubled for neglect of other duties and not of this when Christs Items at the last day are made up of sins of omission Dare I pick and chuse when whosoever shall keep the whole Law yet offend in one point is guilty of all This Not to climb a Cross or undergo a bitter passion for thy sake I should not think much to do that who hast done so much more for me Not to be had to a Scaffold but to come to thy Table not to go to Slaughter but a Feast not to Bleed or Burn but to Eat and Drink and that not Bread of Affliction or Water of Adversity which flags the Spirit but such Bread and Wine as confirms and comforts my Heart Not a Mourners Bread Tears or a Martyrs Cup Blood but a Saviours fare Blessed Wine and Bread yea in them what both is and makes blessed his body and blood meat and drink bread of life and well of life that both joys my heart and saves my soul Didst thou on the Cross drink Vinegar made infinitely more tart by my sins for me and shall not I at thy Table drink Wine for my self made infinitely sweeter with the blood it conveys Didst thou drink a Cup of wrath and shall not I drink the cup of Blessing Eat the bread of affliction and shall not I eat the bread of life suffer thy passion and shall not I enjoy it Didst thou stretch out thy hands on the Cross and shall mine be withered and shrunk towards thy Table Hadst thou bid me do some great thing for procuring so great a good that there had been between the service and reward no disproportion should I not endeavour'd to do it how much more when thou bidst me eat and live I am not saved but by thy Body I shall be damned without thy Blood Didst thou offer them for me on the Cross and shall I not take the pledge from thee at thy Supper Dost thou give me a Title to them and shall I bar my self of possession rob my self of thy mercy and my right of no less then the price of my Redemption Dost thou give me the purchase in thy Blood and shall I deny my self the Seal in thy Church Dare I be guilty of so great a Robbery and Rebellion to violate thy will and seal to steal at once thy Bread and Cup and Scepter against thy express Will and Testament to take the Bread and Cup out of my own hand and the Scepter out of thine to deprive my soul of thy Body and Blood and thee of thy Authority by thy grace I will never but observe as thou appointest If this be thy command O Saviour I am a Rebel as much to my good as thy Law a damned Rebel if I do not this In Remembrance I blush Lord to see my self need thy memento Have I a room for the trash of the world and none for thee memory for what I list and none for what I should O thou that hast so done thy marvellous works that they ought to be had in everlasting remembrance whose name is wonderful and all thy works as thy name and this above all thy works can I ever forget thee can I forget my self so much that breaths not a moment on Earth or out of Hell without thee If I forget thee O Saviour let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth If I remember not thee let my right hand forget her cunning Sure that harp had never known the tune of joy nor hand to do with harp hadst not thou put a world all out in order again and set all in tune And is that all when I owe a thousand lives unto thee to require not my Body but my Mind to say Remember not to Dye
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
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
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