reproaches on Christ himself as if the motives he was come to give the World were impotent and unable to effect that mighty change the Gospel speaks of and which the Son of God used to Glory in while the World was so happy as to enjoy his Presence The Devils rejoyce to see Christ thus defeated in his grand designs of Reformation and though he is in Glory at this time yet the Hypocrites actions raise a Persecution against him and put the Devils upon new insolencies against his Honour and Majesty what say they are these thy Servants and Disciples are these the Men that are changed from Glory to Glory What do they more than the disciples of Hell And if the little pleasures of the World I hold out to them can preponderate and do more with them than the Arguments of thy death and the motives drawn from a Glorious endless life where is thy power or wherein hath thy Kingdom the advantage of my Empire III. He was betray'd partly for filthy Lucre partly for his unchangeable Integrity 1. For filthy Lucre. The love of Money the root of all evil was the cause of it The Thirty Peices of Silver invited the Traitor to this Enterprise So powerful is Gold and Silver that at this day it tempts Men to betray the Son of God for we see they care not what becomes of Religion so their Purses swell and are indifferent whether Gods Honour be maintained or no so their Corn and Wine and Oyl increaseth This makes Men venture on the foulest sins and draws them into actions which should not be so much as named among Christians This tempts them to oppress to cheat to flatter to dissemble to lie and to forswear themselves to comply with the sinful humours of Men and to debase their Souls to the dirtiest and most disingenuous Actions yet all this while such will be counted Christians and Protestants and of the true Religion against which the Gates of Hell shall not be able to prevail 2. For his unchangeable Integrity He would not allow Judas to profess himself his Disciple and cherish base and covetous desires the Lord Jesus that knew his heart we may suppose bid him either leave his profession or with his profession cleanse the inside of the Cup and Platter convinced him that the love of God and that of the World were incompatible and did mutually destroy each other This the illnatured Disciple could not brook and because his Master would not give him leave to enjoy Gods favour and his own sins together he betray'd him This is the case of Counterfeit Christians at this day because Christ will not permit them to blend his Religion with their delight in vanity will not allow them to serve God and Mammon they expose his Religion to that contempt and scorn we have mention'd as if they would be revenged upon God for being so unkind to them as not to permit an alliance to be made betwixt the Temple of God and Idols betwixt Christ and Belial betwixt Light and Darkness IV. Why Christ would Institute this Sacrament that very Night in which he was betray'd will appear from these following Reasons 1. To shew that he delighted not in the death of the Sinner therefore the same Night that he was betray'd he provided a remedy that Sinners might not die and whereby the Offenders might be restored to life and happiness if they did not wilfully reject it That Pardon and Deliverance and freedom from everlasting Death is offer'd tender'd convey'd and sealed in this Sacrament to every Sinner that is unfeignedly resolv'd to be Friends with God upon his own terms is confess'd by all the Christian World It was therefore Instituted that Night that Judas did betray him to shew that if even Judas and all such Traytors that should some way or other imitate him in his Actions either had come or should for the future come and throw away their Weapons their Enmity and their Arms quit their Hostility and humble themselves before their offended Father that they shall not miss of Mercy and Forgiveness than which there cannot be a greater sign that he delights not in their Ruin That Night when he was persecuted to provide a Refuge for his Persecutors That Night when his Enemies were like to practise Treason to think on a way how that Treason might be pardoned That Night when they were going to undo themselves to provide a Pool in which they might wash and be clean This surely spoke his desire that they might not die Wonderful Goodness He foresaw the Wounds they would give to their Souls and before they give themselves those wounds he prepares a Plaister to heal them He saw how fierce and violent the Poison was they were going to take and at the same time provides an Antidote He saw they were going to starve their Souls and at the same time orders Meat and Drink to be made ready to preserve them from expiring 2. He Instituted it that very Night to admonish us that when we come to receive these Holy Elements we should remember with grief and sorrow how often we have betray'd his Glory to his Enemies and by the heinousness of the sin be frighted from attempting the like again and what can be more reasonable at such times than to reflect Ah Wretch that I am How like a Bruit have I lived under the Name of a Christian I have called my Master Lord and have done mine own Will I have called him Father and when he hath bid me work in his Vineyard have run away I have profess'd love to the Lord Jesus and been asham'd of him and of his Gospel I have seem'd a devout Worshipper of him and been a stranger to self-denial And when my Profit Ease or Credit have been in danger how have I left him with the Disciples and fled How have I betray'd him by such cowardice What occasion of reproach have I given to his Enemies How have I harden'd others in their sins by such doings How have I made sensual Men despise that noble Religion the Son of God sealed with his dearest Blood And shall I betray him any longer Shall I still deliver him up to be mock'd Shall I dare to do such a barbarous thing again No No I 'll confess Thee before Men my Dearest Lord that thou mayst confess and own me in the last day before thy Father and his Holy Angels 3. He Instituted this Sacrament that Night to teach us that we must do good for evil Judas betrays him and that very Night he is contriving how Judas if he would have accepted of the offer might be saved from Everlasting ruin this was his method and course of living in the World to reward unkindnesses with tenderness and compassion to the Offenders The Jews cry Crucifie him and he prays for them Father forgive them for they know not what they do Malchus who came out against him to apprehend him and as 't is probable was
not frown on those that are weak in Faith I do not mean such as have no saving no working Faith and as refuse to work the work of God such are Infidels not Men weak in Faith Weakness of Faith supposes readiness to good works but the various doubts which attend it cause this weakness That there are such Persons as Children in Grace St. John assures us 1 John 2. 12. Yet even their Sins he is willing to forgive for his Names sake 2. Because this Sacrament was instituted for the strengthening of our Faith The weak in Faith are called and invited to it that they may grow more robust and lively and to this end Christ offers himself in this Ordinance as Spiritual Meat and Drink that living upon him and feeding upon him we may be brought up to greater perfection that our Souls may follow him with greater alacrity Grace may become more active and Faith more solid and more defecated from Hypocrisie And as here we contemplate Christ so we behold his extraordinary Faith in God that seeing it it may give us courage to tread in his steps His Father's promises to him as Man and Mediator were great and large and extensive God had promis'd that he should be King of Heaven and Earth that all Power should be put into his hand and that he should be as it were his Lieutenant-General Ask of me saith he Psal. 2. 8. And I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy possession thou shalt break them with a rod of Iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a Potter's Vessel There was little probability of the performance of these promises when he was mocked derided scourged beaten bruis'd and crucified when he was made liker a Worm than a Man the reproach of Men and despised of the People when all that saw him laugh'd him to scorn and did shoot out their Lips and shook their Heads saying He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him let him deliver him seeing he delighted in him when many Bulls compass'd him and strong Bulls of Basan did beset him round when they gaped upon him with their Mouths as ravening and roaring Lions when he was poured out like Water and all his Bones were out of joynt when his Heart was like Wax and melted in the midst of his Bowels when his strength was dried up like a Pot-sherd and his Tongue cleav'd to his Jaws and he was brought into the dust of Death when Dogs compass'd him and the Assemblies of the wicked did enclose them when they pierc'd his hands and his Feet as David describes his misery yet in the midst of all these disasters he believ'd the promise of his Father would be punctually fulfill'd which makes the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews say that for the Glory set before him the promis'd Glory He endured the Cross and despised the shame Heb. 12. 2. His Faith bore him up under all these Floods of ungodliness so that he is not only the Author and Finisher but also the example of our Faith an Example set before us in this Holy Sacrament that we may light our Candle by his Fire strengthen our Faith by his Plerophory and Confidence and if this be the end of his being represented in this Ordinance the weak in Faith cannot be excluded nor can weakness of Faith make a Person an unworthy Receiver Nor Is it want of a total purity or of freedom from all Sin that makes a Person an unworthy Receiver It 's true the Gospel commands those who mean to receive worthily to purge out the old leaven 1 Cor. 5. 7. And putting off the old Man with all his deceitful Lusts Eph. 4. 22. and whoever hopes to be partaker of the benefits of Christ's death his purpose at least must be serious and unfeigned without partiality and Hypocrisie to renounce all Love and Affection to a sinful Life but still there is a great difference betwixt destroying the Reigning power of Sin and being free from all Sin of the former the aforesaid passages must be understood and the worthy Communicant must in sober sadness mortifie and resolve to mortifie the Imperial Power of Sin in his Soul so as not willingly and wilfully to yield unto the sinful dictates of the Flesh or of the World but to prefer his God and what he requires before his own Temporal advantages But from thence it follows not that the worthy Receiver must not be so much as subject to errors and inadvertencies and falls by surprize and before he can well recollect himself and therefore the want of such spotlesness is not it that makes a Man Eat and Drink unworthily at this Table 1. Because this Feast is not instituted for Angels but for Men. Angels have no need of such encouragements to Virtue they being determin'd to Goodness Were Men free from all Sin they would not stand in need of this Ordinance which is intended to make sinful Men good and good Men better Those that are whole need no Physician but the sick and as Christ is the Physician in this Sacrament so they are the sick he invites to come to him The best Man that is though he labours under no Chronical distemper yet he hath ailings still and infirmities about him which want the Physicians hand and Medicine which is here most Graciously tendr'd to him The Scripture of the Old Testament calls Man Enosh infirm weak sickly and though good Men are arriv'd to a far better state of health than Hypocrites and grosser Sinners yet who even of the strictest mortals can say I have made my heart clean so that no spot shall be seen there This Sacrament therefore being ordained for Men it must be granted that it is ordain'd for sinful Men not to encourage them in Sin but to make them hate it not only the bigger stains but even the relicts of it that remain in the Regenerate To this end Christ's Agonies and exquisite Torments are set before us in this Sacrament the Torments I mean our Sins inflicted and brought upon him that that sight may terrifie us and fill us with abhorrency of that which hath made the Son of God so miserable 2. No Sinners are excluded from this Sacrament that are willing to reform their Hearts and Lives Those that with Ephraim will have no more to do with Idols take with them words and turn unto the Lord saying Take away all our iniquity and receive us Graciously so will we render the Calves of our Lips Ashur shall not save us neither will we say any more to the works of our hands ye are our Gods as it is said Hos. 14. 2 3. Such are call'd by the great Shepherd of the Sheep not stubborn Sinners but penitent Sinners not obstinate Sinners but tractable Sinners not Sinners that will be miserable but Sinners that long to be deliver'd from their misery not Sinners that are resolved to walk
the Lord Jesus will answer and though he may knock often yet at last the Gates will be opened to him The Everlasting Door the Gate of Grace and Mercy shall be unlocked to him and he shall get more Grace greater Strength larger Influences his Incomes shall be greater his Revenues more plentiful He will open the Windows of Heaven to him and refresh his Ground with kindly Showers They shall drop on the Pastures of the Wilderness and the little Hills shall rejoyce on every side Such a Receiver is like to abide in Christ and his Word like to abide in him He may be sure of his Love sure of his Friendship sure of his favourable Looks For him Christ laid down his Life indeed and he may be confident that he is one of his little Flock for he hears his Voice and is willing to be guided by him For him the Saviour of the World hath prepared a sure Refuge a Munition of Rocks where he shall dwell securely free from the stormy Wind and Tempest Such a Receiver believes in him and he shall not die Nay Though he were dead yet shall he live Because Christ lives he shall live too And though his Life be hid with Chrst in God yet when Christ who is his Life shall appear then shall he also appear with him in Glory His Faith shall at last be turned into Fruition his Hope into Vision his Expectations into Enjoyment He shall see Christ at last in his Majesty He shall see him in his Wedding-Robes He shall sit down with him at last at the Supper of the Lamb and lean on his Bosom and the Angels will say Behold the Disciple whom Jesus loved He shall walk with him in shining Garments and the King's Daughter which was all glorious within here shall be all glorious without too Her Glory shall be the Joy of Saints and the Envy of all wicked Men. Such a Person rejoyced in his ligâ—t here and he shall be decked with Eternal Light He that is the Light of both Worlds shall be his Everlasting Companion and Darkness shall not annoy him In a Word Christ will lift up the Light of his Countenance upon him and he shall be safe The PRAYER O Great and admirable Saviour who hast said I will give unto him that is a thirst the Fountain of the water of Life freely my Soul thirsteth for thee my Flesh longeth for thee in a a dry and thirsty Land where no water is to see thy Power and thy Glory I am unworthy to receive so Glorious a Guest into my Soul I am unworthy to wash the Feet of the Servants of my Lord Unworthy of the least Crum that falls from thy Table The Angels purer than the Sun think themselves unworthy to Praise and Glorifie thee How unworthy then must I think my self to receive thee the sweetest and the brightest Being into my House yet thou offerest to come and make thy abode with me What Bounty is this Whence is it that the Sovereign King of Heaven and Earth will come and dwell in me who am a sink of Misery a stye of uncleanness a den of filthiness How unworthy am I of this astonishing Saviour I freely confess that I have deserved to be plunged into the depth of Hell rather than to receive thee the Glory of Heaven and Earth into a Heart so defiled so polluted so corrupted with Sin and Misery Yet since thou dost freely offer me this unspeakable Mercy Come Lord and make thy Residence in my Soul I desire to receive thee with all Love and Purity and Devotion To this end destroy in me all that is contrary to thee and enrich my Soul with all suitable dispositions to receive thee I hate my Sins I renounce them I desire to think of them with horror because they were the cause of thy Torments and of that death thou sufferedst on the Cross I would hate them as the Angels and the Saints of Heaven do I am sensible thou art worthy of all Honour and Glory and from my Heart wish that I never had offended and dishonoured thee O that I had something of that Sorrow I see in thy Soul when thou madest thy Soul an offering for Sin Thy Soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death It was my Sin that caused that Sorrow O let me participate of that Sorrow O Jesu my Light my Righteousness my Sanctification my Redemption Open mine Eyes that I may see the vast Mercy offered me in this Blessed Sacrament Give me that Repentance that Faith that Love which may make me a worthy Receiver of thy Benefits I humble my self before thee I throw my self down at thy feet I give my self to thee I dedicate my Thoughts my Words my Actions my Understanding my Will my Affections to thy Service Set up thy Kingdom in my Soul Destroy my inordinate Self-Love my Anger my Pride and all my disorderly Inclinations Let thy Humility thy Charity thy Patience and all thy Graces reign in me Where thou art there is Heaven If thou art in me I shall not fear what Man or Devils can do against me for thou wilt hide me in the secret of thy Presence from the Pride of Man thou wilt keep me secretly in a Pavilion from the strife of Tongues Blessed be the Lord who hath shewed us his marvellous Kindness I will sing of the Mercies of the Lord for ever with my Mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all Generations Amen Amen CHAP. XVIII Of the sad Effects and Consequences of Unworthy Eating and Drinking in this Holy Sacrament and First of Temporal Judgments The CONTENTS The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred Damnation explained and its various significations discussed Of Temporal Judgments in general which are or may be procured by Eating and Drinking unworthily at the Lord's Table Several Instances of Persons who have felt signal Judgments for prophaning Holy Things This applied to the Holy Sacrament How Men Eat and Drink Temporal Judgment to themselves explained There being many unworthy Receivers at this day who meet with no Signal Judgment in this Life what we are to think of it and how we are to reconcile this Impunity to the Truth of the Apostle's threatning A Question resolved whether such Judgments if they befall an unworthy Receiver do expiate his Sins God proved to be a consuming fire and in what sense Though it be dangerous to Eat and Drink unworthily yet this ought to be no discouragement from coming to the Lord's Table The Prayer I. THE Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 29. in general tells us He that Eats and Drinks unworthily Eats and Drinks Damnation to himself A fearful word The Writer of the Life of Ida de Nivella tells us that whenever she pass'd by the Altar where the Eucharist used to be celebrated a trembling seiz'd upon all her Joynts a kind of Ague fit came upon her and a Sacred horror invaded her Soul imitating the Earth in that particular which trembled at
day insomuch that if many a Man's sickness and weakness of Body and not living out halfe his days were throughly examin'd and look'd into it would be found to proceed in a great measure from this Cause even his unworthy Receiving of the Holy Symbols II. If we enquire into the Reasons why God makes use of Sickness and weakness of Body to lash the unworthy Receiver in this Life we must conclude that considering how all Afflictions and Judgments of this Life are curative and intended to work a change in the Offender for the better the Reasons why God makes use of Sickness particularly in punishing the unworthy Receiver are these following 1. Sickness weakens the Flesh abates and lessens its violent desires whereby it comes to pass that the Spiritual part gets from under the slavery it lay enthrall'd in while the Flesh prevail'd and puts the Sinner upon serious Thoughts for now it gets leave to exercise its Authority which before was over-aw'd and crush'd and oppress'd by the usurping Tyrant and thereby occasions terror and consternation in the whole Man about his unworthy Receiving While the Flesh is predominant and bears Rule Faith and Reason are mere prisoners and whatever they suggest is not hearken'd to The Flesh still baffles their Arguments and admits of nothing but what pleads in favour of its brutish Appetite Sickness coming and weakning the Flesh and rendring all the delights of the World insipid and unsavoury the Soul recovers her freedom and is now at liberty to think of her former Life to survey the Actions of her past Practices and among other Errors to reflect upon her unworthy Receiving to aggravate this particular Offence and thereby to incline the sinner's Eyes and Heaâ—t to penitential Tears for now the Man having no hurry of business no noise of vain company no external Gayeties no Musick of sensual Pleasures to call him away from minding the things that belong to the happiness of his Soul he is more at leisure to ruminate upon what he hath been doing and the dreadfulness of his Sin viz. feeding irreverently at this Table and not discerning that the Body of the Son of God was offered to his Soul and if any thing will melt or turn him this is very likely to effect it 2. Sickness puts the unworthy Receiver in mind of Death for he that falls sick knows not but his Illness may end in Death and there are few Men but are of this opinion when once they take their Bed fear that they shall or may dye makes them seek out for proper Helps and Remedies send for Physicians if they be able and sometimes for Divines too think of making their Wills set their House in order and after all leave nothing untried whereby they may prevent the stroak of Death Sickness being of that nature and having this influence on men may therefore be suppos'd to put the unworthy Receiver in mind of his Death and as it puts him in mind of Death so if he have any sense of Religion left it minds him also of an approaching Judgment and suggests to him that for ought he knows he will shortly be in another World be summon'd to give an account of his Life to God and appear before the Judge of Quick and Dead even before Christ Jesus the Son of God whose Death hath had no influence upon his Life whose Blood he hath trampled under foot whose Sufferings he hath not much thought of whose Love hath made no great impression upon him whose Charity hath wrought in him no considerable tenderness to his Neighbour whose Presence in the Sacrament he hath undervalued and whose entreaties to become Wise unto Salvation and meek and humble and serious and blameless he hath stopt his Ears against and how little Mercy he must expect of that Judge whom to please he hath not been much concern'd This Kindness Sickness may be supposed to do to the unworthy Communicant viz. to put him in mind of his Death and future account and the Judge whose Body and Blood he hath profan'd and his anger and indignation against such Profanation and what can be supposed more effectual to promote Repentance and Godly Sorrow and new Resolutions to awake from the Dead that Christ may give him Life And therefore God makes use sometimes of Bodily Sickness to afflict the unworthy Communicant But where Death seizes on the unworthy Commnicant either before he can bethink himself or before a previous lingring Sickness hath melted and wrought his Heart into a Spiritual Life there the Man's case is deplorable indeed for to think that God will accept of his Death as a Satisfaction for his Sin and save him however is to make a new Divinity and to erect Principles which the Scripture knows nothing of 'T is true in some Cases where God cuts off a young Man in 〈◊〉 Flower of his Age a young Man I mean whose Liâ—e hath been blameless attended with holy Fears and a Conscientious Behaviour at home and abroad his untimely Death may be said to be a Temporal Affliction for some accidental Miscarriages and single Inadvertencies such as never swelled into an Habit or setled Approbation by which Affliction he is saved and freed from the greater Condemnation according to the Apostle's Rule 1 Cor. 11. 32. But when we are judged i e. with Temporal Judgments such as Sickness Weakness and Untimely Death whereof he had spoken Vers. 30. we are chasten'd of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World In this Case i.e. in Accidental Miscarriages God may be said to accept of the lesser for the greater Judgment upon his Account who died and rose again for those who hear his Voice But where the Sin is habitual rooted in the Heart hath invaded the Complexion and is allowed of and thought harmless and void of Hurt there an Untimely Death is no Security against Condemnation no Shelter against the Wrath to come How far it may abate or qualifie the future Indignation I am not able to say but it is no Deletory no Fortisication no Charm against that Storm III. But here a Difficulty will arise How a Person may know that the Sickness or Weakness of Body that is upon him comes upon him for his unworthy Receiving To which I answer 1. There is not a more ready Way to know it than by ransacking our Life and particularly our publick Devotions If in our present Sickness we find upon Examination that when we came formerly to the Supper of the Lord we came without any sincere Intent Desire or Resolution to be wrought into Love and Obedience to Christ Jesus by the Sight of his Cross and Death and Charity that we came and went away unconcerned unmoved untouched at this Medicamentum Immortalitatis this Physick of Immortality as St. Dennis calls it or that we thought that the Blessings promised to the Faithful and to those who strive and fight the good Fight would fall to our share and
that Kingdom that the Kingdoms and Glories of this World may not beguile or tempt me to love the World If I love the World the Love of the Father cannot be in me Represent the Beauty of thy future Kingdom to my Mind in lively Characters that my Admiration of this present World may decay and I may be content to sell all for the Pearl of Price that is before me 52. This Man went unto Pilate and begged the Body of Jesus IT is base to forsake a Friend when he is under a Cloud Then to shew our Respect to him when he lies unjustly under Contempt and Disgrace is true Affection It was bold and great and like a Friend to beg the Body of Jesus when it was counted a Disgrace to be any way concern'd for him How hast thou deviated from this admirable Example O my Soul when a Person whom thou hast courted and admired in the Day of his Prosperity hath through the Venom of malicious Tongues and more malicious Practices fallen from his Glory and Respect How hast thou withdrawn thy self from him been afraid to speak the Truth of him and to give him that good Character which thou knewest he deserved As thou dealest with Man so it is to be feared thou wilt deal with thy God and Religion when it becomes dangerous to own them Up and be earnest with thy God to give thee invincible Integrity which may mock all Storms and be the same to God and to thy Neighbour in all Conditions Stick close to God and to thy Friend and rejoyce in a good Conscience for that will bring thee Peace at last 53. And he took it down and wrapped it in Linen and laid it in a Sepulchre that was hewn in Stone wherein never Man before was laid REligion is an insignificant thing if it cost us nothing Good Men love to be at Charges for their God and the Good of their own Souls O my Soul How loth hast thou been to let those Persons reap thy Carnal Things which have sown unto thee Spiritual Things When thou hast thought nothing too much for thy Luxury and Pride and Ease how hath it gone against the Grain to be expensive for Religion Thou hast loved to serve thy God cheaply How loth hast thou been to express thy Gratitude to God by being liberal to his distressed Members and thy Spiritual Guids Oh learn by this Example to prize thy Spiritual Good more and let thy bountiful Actions shew that thou hast the highest Value for the Concerns of Eternity 54. And that Day was the Preparation and the Sabbath drew on O My Soul How little Preparation hast thou made for the Everlasting Sabbath and thine Eternal Rest Dost thou hope to rest for ever among the Flowers of Paradise and is it not high time to prepare for it Dost thou think to rest at last under the Wings of thy Everlasting Father and is it not time to rise and work as it were for thy Life that thou may'st find Repose in the Everlasting Tabernacles Was ever any admitted there that would not sweat and labour here Oh labour against thy Corruptions wrestle with Temptations fight with thy Spiritual Enemies live in Contemplation of the highest Good embrace thy Saviour with the warmest Love strive to do much Good in thy Generation and thy Rest will be sweet 55. And the Women also which came with him from Galilee followed after and beheld the Sepulchre and how his Body was laid TRue Goodness is never weary of following Christ It follows him to the very Grave It may meet with Stops and Rubs in its Way but it gets up again and is not tired with Running the Race which is set before it O Blessed Jesu Thou hast not been weary of working and suffering for me Let me never be weary of loving thee When my Flesh would make me give over running after thee assist me with new Strength and Courage that I may hold out to the End And since none shall sit at thy Table in thy Kingdom but those that have continued with thee in thy Temptations Oh let my Soul feel the Power of thy Spirit which may lift me up that I may mount up with Wings as Eagles may run and not be weary walk and not faint till I am within the Gates of Heaven 56. And they returned and prepared Spices and Ointments and rested the Sabbath-day according to the Commandment MY dearest Lord though I have no opportunity to prepare Spices and Ointments for thy Burial yet thou hast shewn me how I may offer an Odor of a sweet Smell a Sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing to God This is a life fruitful in good Works No Incense smells sweeter in thy Nostrils No Persume casts a nobler scent in Heaven than this Enrich the ground of my Heart fatten it with thy Blood water the Furrows thereof with thy Heavenly Dew and shine upon it with thy Gracious Beams and bid the Tree of my Life advance and Bud and Blossom and bear fruit even the Fruit of Charity of Meekness of Humility of Patience of Goodness of Faith of Love of Temperance of Sobriety of Watchfulness and of contempt of the World that I may have my Fruit unto Holiness and the end everlasting Life The Preceding Considerations reduced to Practice I. HOw justly after this prospect may God say What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it St. Bernard hath an Elegant Discourse upon this Subject to shew what force the serious consideration of Christ's Incarnation and of what he hath done for us and particularly of his Sufferings and Death hath to kindle the Fire of reciprocal Love in our Hearts God being desirous saith he to restore Man who had lost himself and to rescue him from the clutches of the Devil said within himself If I should force this wretched Creature against his Will and Choice to the Duties he is to discharge and perform I should make a Beast or an Ass of him instead of a rational Man nor would he come to me voluntarily of his own accord and with a good Will nor would he be able to say I will freely sacrifice unto thee Therefore to make his coming to me a matter of choice and rational freedom I will terrifie and fright him to see whether that will drive him to Repentance and accordingly he threatened him with misery which no Mortal is able to express with everlasting Darkness and a never dying Worm and unquenchable Fire But stubborn Man nothing terrified with all these Thunders God was resolv'd to try what Promises would do and since naturally he is desirous of Riches and Honour and Pleasures and long Life God accordingly promis'd him infinite Treasures of Glory unexpressible Dignities in Heaven and such Pleasures as the Heart of Man is not able to conceive they are so big and large and overflowing and a life free not only from all evil but from any end or period and abounding
mighty Hunger and Thirst after thy Love in my Soul Such an Hunger and Thirst that I may be unsatisfied with any thing but thy Love Let thy Love work upon me with that Efficacy that I may think my self afflicted and poor and miserable till I love thee fervently VI. Blessed Jesu Who would not love thee Who would not wish to be enamour'd with such Charity as thine is to the Sons and Daughters of Men If we love thee not it is because we do not know the Vehemency and Power of thy Love Had we a clear Sight of it our Souls would run after thee and nothing could stop them from clinging to so amiable an Object Lord give me that lively View of thy Love that nothing may charm me more than thy Love VII Great King of Saints pity me I would love thee but thou seest what Impediments come between thy Love and my blockish Heart Innumerable Temptations my perverse Will my Self-love my Passions and my other Imperfections Oh how these hinder me from loving thee O my Gracious Master Let me detest and abhor all these Enemies that would hinder me from loving thee Stretch forth thy mighty Arm and destroy these Foes that I may entirely love thee VIII O Jesu Thou art all Love all Goodness all Charity And Oh what Opposition do I find in my self to love thee O Love Divine Where is thy Strength thy Force and thy uncontrollable Power O my Lord Why dost not thou shew it Why dost not thou exert it for my Help Why do not thy Celestial Flames consume in me all that is contrary to thy Love Oh! When wilt thou establish the Life of Love even that Divine Life in my Soul IX O Omnipotent Love I leave my self to thy Management Enter enter into this frozen Heart and erect thy Kingdom and thy Empire there Undo what thou pleasest and build up what thou pleasest Let every Desire of my Soul become subject to thee Subdue every Imagination that would refuse to be at thy Command And make me willing to submit to any thing so I may but love thee X. Most lovely Saviour Shall any thing hinder me from loving thee Shall my Body I will subdue that Beast Shall my Sins I will drown them in thy Blood Shall the World or the Creatures here below No no I will renounce my Love to them I will despise them all They have too long excommunicated thee from my Soul I will make no more Account of my Praises of my Pleasures of my Vanities I will look upon them all as Dreams and Smoak and I will hate them as much as they have hated thee Great Centre of my Soul XI Great Sovereign of my Love Thou hast sent me into the World on purpose to love thee What a noble what an excellent what an holy End is this Think of the Honour think of the Favour think of the Dignity O my Soul that God hath laid upon thee That he that could have eternally enjoyed himself in his own Love should speak a Creature into Being and ordain that Creature to love him Oh how happy am I that God hath given me an Heart to love him O my Jesus Let me die a Thousand Deaths rather than lose thy Love XII O Love Divine Be thou the Life of my Life the Soul of my Soul the Spirit of my Spirit Let me think of thy Love and speak of thy Love and do Acts worthy of thy Love and let all my Conversation savour of the Love of Jesus Whatever I do let me do it for thy sake Let thy Love put me upon Acts of Charity and let every Vertue I exercise be the Product of thy Love XIII O Jesu Thou art my All All other things are nothing in comparison of thee And I would love nothing but in thee and for thee I would see thee in all things and love thee in every thing I do Thou art my greatest Friend my only Friend Thou art my Brother my Father my Husband and my Chief Thou art All in All to me And Oh that my All might be consecrated to thy Service XIV My dearest Saviour There is nothing in Heaven or in Earth so worthy to be loved as thou Oh how amiable art thou Yet the World doth not so much as think of thee They think of nothing but offending thee They hope to be saved by thee and yet do what they can to dishonour thee Let this very Consideration inflame my Love to thee Oh that I could love thee as the whole World ought to love thee XV. Great Son of God! I was bound to love thee as soon as I came to the Use of my Reason Yet how long hath it been before I thought of loving thee O my Lord how late do I begin to love thee How long have I hated thee How many Years together have I despised thy Love When I think of this I have reason to wish for a Sea of Tears nay for Tears of Blood to wash away my monstrous Ingratitude XVI O Beauty Eternal and Infinite If I were to live eternally here on Earth I were bound eternally to love thee How much more then during my short Stay here on Earth O my Lord consecrate my Life to thy Love Let every Day and Hour of my Life be employed in thy Love and make me ambitious of nothing more than to love thee to all Eternity XVII O thou Everlasting King At the Price of thy precious Blood thou hast bought every Moment of my Time that I might employ it in loving thee How much of that Time have I employed in loving the World and the Creatures How much of that Time have I lost in loving things I should not love 'T is time that I begin to employ my Hours about that for which they were designed And since they were given me to love thee Oh transform all my Desires into Aspirations and Breathings after thee XVIII O my Jesus Thou art so perfect and so lovely that if all Creatures in Heaven and in Earth should joyn their Forces together to love thee they could not love thee sufficiently and if I had a Thousand Hearts they would all be little enough to sacrifice to thy Love O then how am I oblig'd to employ that little Strength I have to love thee Oh that all Mankind might love thee Oh fill them all with a Sense of thy Love Draw them attract them unite their Hearts that they may love thy Name XIX O God of my Life Thou hast been always employ'd in loving me Thou didst create Heaven and Earth to testifie thy Love to me All that thou ever didst in this World for me was to shew how thou lovest me All the Spiritual and Temporal Blessings thou hast sent upon me tell me that thou lovest me But what greater Testimony of thy Love can there be than thy Dying for me As thy Love is perpetually exercised towards me so let mine be continually exercised towards thee And let me glory and
afford matter of comfort to think at such times that the same Jesus who was crucified will ere long appear in Glory with all his mighty Angels to give those that have followed him in the Regeneration full possession of the purchas'd Glory However at the best the Celebration of this Feast at night was but a circumstantial thing and therefore the Church is not obliged to keep to it circumstantial things depending much upon conveniency or inconveniency which vary in several Ages and this was the reason that though standing at the eating of the Passover was a commanded circumstance Exod. 12. 11. yet the Jewish Church in after Ages varied from it even by Christs own Approbation and turned that posture into leaning as I shall have occasion to shew more largely in the Chapter about Kneeling at the Communion The Church therefore sins not in Celebrating this Feast at any other time especially in a circumstance barely related not commanded Yet as I said before because this Spiritual Feast kept up in all Churches is still in imitation of Christs Supper and that Supper is religiously remembred in it and the same essential things together with the scope drift and design of all are still preserved it is not unfitly called the Lords Supper still so that if any man seems to be contentious about the name We have no such Custom neither the Churches of God 1 Cor. 12. 16. IV. Yet this is no Argument but that it may also lawfully be called and expressed by other Names and this we find the Christian Churches have done from time to time Tertullian was the first that called it a Sacrament taking the Name from the Oaths the Roman Soldiers took that they would be true and faithful to their Emperor and the rather because we vow Allegiance and Fidelity in this Ordinance to the great Master that died for us Others have call'd it an Oblation because we offer up our humble Prayers and Supplications to the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ and our Souls and Bodies too when we remember this Beneficial Death Sometimes it hath been call'd a Sacrifice because it is not only a commemoration of the wonderful Sacrifice of Christs Death but we chearfully offer up the Sacrifice of our Praises for this inestimable Mercy The name of Communion occurs frequently in the Writings of the Ancients because all sincere Christians are hereby tyed in a bond of mutual Love participate of the same Bread are Fellow-members of the Mystical Body of Christ and have Communion with Christ their Head and enjoy all the same Benefits of his Death and sufferings The word Eucharist is used as often as any other because Thanksgiving and Magnifying the Goodness Mercy and Charity of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost are a great part of the Service here The name Mass which they of the Roman Persuasion and even the Lutheran Churches make use of as it was not known in the Church for the first Four hundred years after Christ so the Original of it was this When the Lords Supper was to be celebrated after Sermon the Deacon or some other Officer of the Church called to the People that did not or were not to receive in these words Ite missa est Depart the Congregation is dismissed In time that which was only a Preliminary circumstance of the Lords Supper was applied to the whole Office and the Service was called Missa or Mass a word which the Romanists make a great stir with and turn into a perfect Charm and a monstrous Sacrifice to the great disparagement of Christs Sufferings and the Benefits that accrue thereby to true Believers Some of their Writers make it a Hebrew word and fetch it from the Old Testament others derive it from the Greek others from the Northern Language and though it expresses less then any of those Names we mentioned before yet hath this swallowed up all the rest and the more superstitious in the Roman Church are almost afraid to call it by any other Name and the Mass is that which both young and Old both learned and unlearned among them have most frequently in their Mouths though few of the Vulgar know what it means I omit here many other Names appropriated by Writers to this Mystery such as Collect Oeconomy Liturgy Dominical Agenda Anaphora Synaxis c. partly because I intend no Critical History and partly because by the names I have already spoken of this Sacrament is usually known in the Western Churches That we do so often call it a Mystery is because the things discovered and imitated here do altogether depend upon Divine Revelation and are such as Flesh and Blood understand not and the Secrets of which none but a Person enlightned by the Spirit of God apprehends to any purpose and which transcend all the Arcana or hidden points of Heathen Divinity V. The name of the Lords Supper puts us in mind that this Holy Feast differs from Common Suppers 1. In that Common Suppers are for the support of Nature this for the support of Grace and Goodness in our Souls The former are intended for the strengthning of the Body this for the corroboration of our Faith and Hope and Love Our Common Supper represents to us the Ordinary Providence of God which opens its hand and fills the desire of every living thing This Gods extraordinary dispensation which shews at what cost and charges we are made the Children of God and fitted for everlasting habitations The former gives us an account of the Blessings of Gods Left this of the favours of his Right Hand The former bids us look into the nether this into the upper Springs of the Divine Clemency 2. In our Common Suppers our Spirits may unbend and our Minds and Tongues take liberty of thinking and speaking of things relating to our necessary Employments in the World in this our thoughts must rise mount up with Wings as Eagles pierce the Clouds and fix on the Riches of Divine Love retire from the World view God and his glorious Attributes and unite with that excellent object improve themselves into Contemplaâ—ion and adore the Mystery of Redemption In the former no other Preparation is required but what we are to bring with us to common affairs and businesses i. e. Gravity and Sobriety but in this the Heart must be prepared the Soul chafed the Affections warmed prayers offered Ejaculations press into Gods presence and Self-examination dispose the Soul for the visits of the Holy Ghost that it may be a worthy Guest at so great a Table and the rather because God is in a special manner present here for wherever Providence displays its brighter beams of Love there God is eminently present that makes Heaven what it is because there the Divine Goodness shines most gloriously In this Sacrament are set before us more then ordinary Characters of Gods Love the Angels of Heaven saith St. Chrysostom stand round about the Altar and while the Minister
I might be advanc'd to bliss I see what a costly thing my Salvation is since to purchase it the Son of God did die Yet how light do I make of Heaven O God what moved thee to love me thus And shall I think any thing to dear to part with for thy sake Into what Labyrinths do I run my self while I am mine own Keeper Thou hast paid dear for thy right to rule and govern me and shall I after all be loath to be govern'd by so Gracious a Master Here I make an offering of my Heart if thou wilt but vouchsafe to accept of it it is a Present unworthy of thy Greatness and Majesty yet thou art pleased to require no other sacrifice Hence forward speak Lord and thy Servant will hear and when the Characters of thy Mercy wear out or decay in my unconstant Soul Lord write them there afresh write them with the Blood of Christ that they may be everlasting and may be an Eternal fence to me against the suggestions and persuasions of thine Enemies 3. Conversing with the Holy Angels after we have eaten requires imitation of them in their Praises and Obedience Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his commandments hearken to the voice of his word saith the Psalmist Psal. 103. 20. Praise and Obedience are inseparable Virtues the one without the other makes dull Musick in the Ears of God Let no Man think that because Angels are invisible Spirits and afar off there is no conversing with them He that doth their work is their Companion their Brother and their Familiar with such they love to be such persons they love to visit and he that doth so may be as confident they are on his right hand as if he saw them for God hath said so Psal. 34. 7. and therefore it must be true whether our carnal eyes behold them or no. Praising is not only to offer up a Psalm or Hymn after we have eaten but living in a sense of the love of God and he that doth so cannot but be obedient and faithful to him that hath so signally manifested his mercy in his Misery The PRAYER O Thon who art the Bread of Life who canst feed Souls and nourish Spirits into Immortal Life who hast food the World knows not of and by secret influences canst enrich and enlighten those that wait at the Pool for the stirring of the Waters O bring my mind in frame O teach me to eat in this Sacrament of thy Love to the satisfying my Soul Make the food of sin odious and bitter to me I have fed too long on that stolen Bread Open mine Eyes that I may see how miserable I am if I do not relish what thou hast set before me Thou hast given me a Soul and thou would'st have it thrive In this Sacrament is that which shall strengthen my Heart I want only a mighty hunger and thirst O thou who hast given me an Appetite after the meat which perishes give me a Holy greediness after that which endures to everlasting life O let the Benefits of thy death prove life to my Spirit Raise it above this dull and Corruptible Flesh that it may triumph over its base desires Bring thou back my Captivity and let my Chains fall off Let the Liberty of thy Children which consists in a chearful going on from virtue to virtue be my delight and ornament so shall the King take pleasure in my Beauty and my Soul shall rejoyce in Thee for ever Amen CHAP V. Of the various abuses of this Holy Sacrament The CONTENTS The most Sacred things in all ages have been abused Instances drawn from the brazen Serpent Gideon's Ephod and the Love-Feasts of the Primitive Christians Abuses of Holy things rise from several causes The Lords Supper hath undergone the same fate The Holier any thing is that is abused the greater is the Crime A great abuse of this Holy Sacrament is to fancy that like a spell it will Charm sin out of our Souls without strong endeavours The abuses committed in this Sacrament no just Temptation to neglect the use of it The Prayer I. THere is nothing so sacred or holy but hath been and may still be abused by sensual Men. Moses Numb 21. 8. by God's special Appointment erects a fiery Serpent or a Serpent of Polished Brass shining bright as Fire a symbol of God's Presence and Power to heal the tormented Israelites who had been stung by fiery Serpents insomuch that if any of the persons thus stung look'd upon the Figure he actually recovered So remarkable a History depending upon this brazen Serpent it was laid up for a Monument yet in process of time this became an object of Idolatry which moved Hezekiah to break it in pieces and call it Nehushtan 2 Kings 18. 4. The very same happen'd to Gideon's Ephod Judg. 8. 27. a thing innocently enough contrived and in all probability piously intended as a standing testimony to future Ages what a signal Victory God had given his People over the barbarous Midianites yet after his Death when with his Life his Power and Authority over the bruitish People were gone they went a whoring after it i. e. fell to worship it an accident which proved the ruine of Gideon's Family and of thousands besides in Israel What could be more innocent than the Love-Feasts in the Primitive Church Mention is made of them Jud. vers 12. They were Feasts made in the Oratories or places where the Primitive Christians used to assemble for the Celebration of Divine Worship and at the charge of such as were well to pass or richer than the rest to these the poorer sort were invited and sat down at the Table with the rich ate with them and carried the Leavings or Fragments home and this being done with great expressions of Love and managed with singular Meekness Charity and Humility with brotherly Familiarity and with holy Discourses without Excess or Intemperance and all sanctified by Prayers and Psalms and reading the Holy Scriptures the Apostles both permitted and encouraged these pious Collations and after them their Hearts being thus impregnated with Charity they applied themselves to the Use and Celebration of the Eucharist That which gave occasion to these Love-Feasts was either Christ's eating the Passover with his Disciples immediately before the Communion or the custom of the Jews who used to eat and drink together in some Chamber or Building adjoyning to the Temple when they offered their Sacrifices or which is more probable from the antient custom of the Grecians who having brought rich Guifts they intended for their Gods to the Temple converted them into Feasts of Charity to which the Poor as well as the Rich sat down and all ate together no respect of Persons being observed at that time which Practice not a few Christians being lately crept out of the darkness of Heathenism it 's like retained changing only the Object of their Worship and doing that to
so serious a Death How absurd is it not to have all things suitable in a great Solemnity In the Communion we come to behold a Fasting Saviour fasting and abstaining not only from Common Food that Day he suffered but fasting from a Sense of the charming Love of God and from the Comforts and Communications of the Divine Nature which by a Miracle withdrew its Shine and Splendor and left him in the Dark a severer Fast than if those Three and Thirty Years he lived in the World he had eaten nothing and can we behold this dreadful Fast and not appear fasting before the Altar Besides do People make a Meal when they are going to a Feast A greater Banquet we cannot go to than that which the King of Heaven hath prepared and shall we fill our Bellies before we appear here and dull our Appetite to the richer Food 3. To receive the Lord's Supper Fasting hath been the Practice of the Christian Church for many hundred Years for when sad Experience taught the Fathers how unfit the preceding Love-Feasts made the Generality for Receiving Christ in this Ordinance they thought themselves obliged not only to separate those Love-Feasts from the Supper of the Lord but to make strict Orders for the Celebrating of it in the Morning and to charge all Persons to receive it with an empty Stomach while the heat of Persecution lasted they were forced to receive it very early before Day that they might not meet with Affronts or Disturbances from the Heathens if if they had known of the time of their Meetings but what Persecution made necessary at first was made so afterwards by a Law I mean by a Law Ecclesiastical and therefore the Third Council of Carthage decrees expresly That the Sacrament of the Altar should be taken and received by none but such as are Fasting A thing so religiously observed especially by the Eastern Churches that when some of St. Chrysostom's Enemies had informed against him that he had given the Holy Communion to Persons who he knew had eaten at Home before they came to Church he falls a protesting and wishing If he had done such a thing that his Name may be blotted out of the Catalogue of Bishops nay That Christ may exclude him from his Everlasting Kingdom In St. Austin's time it was become an universal practice to take and receive it Fasting And though in Egypt not a few kept to the old Custom of receiving it after their common Suppers yet the Disorders lrreverence and Intemperance they fell into by that means hath been defensative sufficient to wise Men from following them in that preposterous way of Receiving so that we may truly say that this Communicating with an empty Stomach hath been the Practice of most Christian Churches ever since the Apostles days and this was part of their Rules and Canons and what hath been so punctually observed by most Churches of the World ought certainly to weigh much with him that believes the Church to be the Ground and Pillar of Truth as it is called 1 Tim. 3. 16. III. However since it is possible that some by total Abstinence from common Food that Morning they are to receive may make themselves unfit to receive with due Devotion their Stomachs not being able to bear Emptiness such must be allowed to eat something before they Receive whether they be Ministers of the Word who must take pains and spend their Spirits on such days and sometimes are none of the strongest or other Persons of a weak and sickly Constitution But in this case the following Rules must necessarily be observed 1. That we eat no more than what just serves to support Nature against Fainting Not only the Law of Self-preservation but of Religion too bids us keep our Bodies serviceable to our Souls If these Tabernacles of Clay be out of order the Soul which in this Valley of Tears at least works by the Organs of the Body must needs languish too and the Pen which is the Body being spoiled or cracked or weakened the Scribe which is the Soul cannot write so fair as otherwise it would do But then there is a great difference betwixt keeping the Body from fainting and pampering of it He that before the Sacrament eats to Satiety cannot be supposed to bring very lively Thoughts or a profound Sense of the great Mystery with him to the Holy Table so that the quantity of Food that 's taken before must be such as leaves the Soul in a good Posture and Temper to be affected and touched with the Solemnity and Greatness of the Ordinance 2. The Food we take before must be of the courser sort that the Mind may be preserved in a mortified Frame God Es. 58. 3. finds fault with the Jews for allowing themselves in Pleasures while they fasted to shew how unsuitable Carnal Recreations though at other times lawful are on such Humiliation Days This may justly be applied to Eating before Men come to the Holy Sacrament Pleasant Meat is unsuitable To find pleasure in Eating and Drinking before spoils the Pleasure the Soul should take in this Ordinance Christ before he did eat of the Eucharist did eat 't is true but it was Unleavened Bread and bitter Herbs which I reckon was as much as Fasting for such Food cannot be supposed to be very palatable And before the Love-Feasts that preceded the Sacrament were corrupted the Christians did eat so moderately that they seemed to feed rather upon Discipline than the Meat that was set before them as Tertullian words it 3. Even that small quantity of courser Food must be taken with pious Reflections and Contemplations of the far nobler Food which within a few Minutes after we are like to be partakers of Serpents they say whatever injuries are offered them still their great care is to preserve their heads If it be our duty to be wise as Serpents it must be our care too to guard our Heads our Minds I mean especially where necessity forces us to eat before we come to the Lord's Table that the serious frame be not overthrown and that it may appear it is not delight in eating but desire to be the better able to converse with God which makes us give our Bodies such necessary Refreshments as their weakness requires And if you ask me What Reflections are most proper in this case I need only send you to that Guest Luc. 14. 15. who sitting at the Table said Blessed is he that shall eat Bread in the Kingdom of God! So he that upon such occasions gives his Body ordinary Food may reflect on the Table in Christ's everlasting Kingdom where God's Glory will be the Meat and the light of his Favour the Drink and Angels the Musicians and glorified Saints the Company and the Eternal Love of God the Canopy under which the vast Armies of Martyrs and Saints will feast and gather everlasting strength strength which no sickness no illness and no accidents can ever weaken or dissolve
then save them they are most ready to take and to embrace him But that is not the Acceptance I mean For such an Acceptance implies a Contradiction as being contrary to the whole Design of that Reconciliation For by his Death he was to destroy the Works of the Devil and therefore to accept of him and to cleave to those Works he came to destroy is to set Christ at variance with himself He that accepts of this Gift must express that Acceptance not only by his Hand but his Heart too and conform also to the Design of that Gift For Is Christ divided Shall I accept of a part and not of the whole Shall I receive him as a Saviour and not as a Guide and Ruler too Shall I stretch forth my Hand to put his Sceptre of Grace and Mercy to my Lips and break the Sceptre when I have done This is impious and unreasonable 2. We take the holy Bread with our Hâ—nds to testifie our Approbation of that Gift and that we take it to our own Use and Benefit as he that takes Food in his Hand doth it to feed his own Body and to strengthen himself And indeed Christ is willing that the Soul that comes to this holy Table should say Christ is mine for me he suffered for me he died for my sake he left Heaven and confin'd himself to a Cradle to a Stable to a Manger For me he was nailed to the Cross for me that precious Sacrifice was offered and I share in all the Benefits of his Death as well as my Brother my Sister my Friend and my Neighbour The Estate he purchased belongs to me I have a Right to it as well as St. Paul and St. Peter as well as Zachaeus and Mary Magdalene And there is no Dispute of it where the Communicant brings with him Mary Magdalene's Tears St. Peter's Repentance St. Paul's Admiration of God's Love and Zachaeus's Charity he may be as confident that Christ gives himself to him as if he heard Christ saying to him with an audible Voice in the Prophet's Language Fear not I have redeemed thee thou art mine He may justly believe he hears Christ saying to him Here Christian take that which is thine own even my self that Pardon that Salvation that Peace that Joy that Spirit that Comfort which my Death hath purchased and my Cross hath gained I am thy Portion and all that I have is thine I am thy Shield and thy exceeding great Reward Be not afraid to apply these mighty Blessings to my Soul for as great as wonderful as rich as magnificent as they are and as poor as mean as wretched and as naked as thou art take them and wear them tye them as a Crown about thy Head Look upon the bright the everlasting Mansions of Bliss and Happiness look upon all that Saints and Angels do enjoy and please thy self with the Thoughts of it for all is thine 3. We are commanded to take the holy Bread with our Hands to let us know that having accepted of this Gift and appropriated it to our selves we are to hold it fast and not to let it go again Then we let Christ go when we grow cold in our Love to him and to his distressed Members or to our Brethren in general Love stays that Bride-groom of our Souls Love preserves his gracious Presence Love chains him to our Hearts It was an excellent Resolution of the Spiritual Spouse and that Spouse are we Cant. 3. 3 4. The Watch-men that go â—â—ut the City found me to whom I said Saw ye him whom my Soul loves It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my Soul loves I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him into my Mother's House and into the Chamber of her that conceived me This must be the Resolution of every Soul that is tender of spiritual Comfort The Way to hold him fast is to kiss him with our Thoughts to embrace him with our Minds to cleave to him with our Affections to cling to him with our Will and to caress him with our Obedience If he would go away from us these are the Charms that hold him And the Soul that with David hath Courage to say and sincerely intends what it says Psal. 18. 1. I will love thee O Lord my Strength my Rock my Fortress my Deliverer my Buckler and the Horn of my Salvation and my high Tower may expect as gracious an Answer The same we read of Psal. 91. 14 15 16. Because he hath set his Love upon me therefore I will deliver him I will set him on high because he hath known my Name He shall call upon me and I will answer him I will be with him in Trouble I will deliver him and honour him With long Life I satisfie him and shew him my Salvation The Preceding Considerations reduced to Practice I. HERE we may take a View of the immense Bounty of our Master to his Church and People Our Saviour pathetically describes it Mar. 12. 1. 7. For according to the different Conditions of his Church he sent various Servants to check them to admonish them to warn them to represent to them the Joys and Torments of another World and though not a few of these Servants were persecuted stoned killed abused and some met with cruel Mockings with Bonds and Imprisonments yet that did not discourage him and having therefore yet one Son his Well-beloved he sent him also last unto them saying They will reverence my Son And this Son he bids us take and with him all Things that can make us truly happy And though it is true the covetous and sensual Man would have taken it more kindly if God had bid him take Chests of Gold and Talents of Silver rich Houses and richer Lands yet had those Gifts been very mean and unworthy of his Wisdom and Holiness His Gift like himself must be spiritual and great and in bidding us take his Son with all the Benefits of his Death he bids us take the most inestimable Mercy and that which must make us rich and great and glorious to Eternal Ages If he had bid us take the World and the Fulness thereof there had been no great Self-denial in that Offer But to offer the Son of his Love and to bid us take him as our own whereby we enjoy all his Wealth and Treasures the Self-denial is so great that the Sacred Writers know not how to express it and therefore use such Words as may serve to feed our Admiration So God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son And the Word so implies so vast an Ocean of Love that the Understandings both of Angels and Men may lose themselves in the Contemplation or Survey of it II. Here I cannot but reflect on the Rudeness of some that take him indeed but it is as the Soldiers at his Passion took him by Force and Violence There are Thousands that will
Messiah suffer without rending their Cloaths and what is more tearing themselves for the crime they had been guilty of The Graves burst their Bands as if they were concern'd to see Men harden'd against all impressions of Compassion The Angels we may without danger of Heresie believe stopt in the midst of their Hallelujahs and if ever there was sadness in Heaven we may suppose it was at this time The upper and the nether World seem'd to go into Mourning because their Lord and Master gave up the Ghost Thus much we are told by the inspired Writer Matth. 27. 51 52. And this makes the Death of Christ Jesus surprizing beyond comparison and surely such a Death ought to be remembred 4. It is a Death whereby the Person suffering merited Eternal Life not only for himself but all his Followers too A mighty Blessing but such as was a just reward of so deep an Humiliation It was for this Death that the Everlasting Father exalted Christ's Humane Nature above Powers Angels Principalities and Spiritual Creatures and in doing so declar'd what those whose Nature he had assumed if they did follow him in the Regeneration might come to after Death viz. Eternal Life and Glory And what greater Blessing can be thought of to enjoy all Blessings at once and to all Eternity To see God and to be ravish'd with his Sight for ever to enjoy Riches Honour Glory Power Dominion Pleasure Recreation Houses Lands in a most eminent manner or to enjoy that which is beyond all these in inexpressible degrees and without interruption without ceasing without disturbance without envy without fear without danger of losing it What can be greater What can be more satisfactory What can be more comfortable This the Son of God hath purchased by his Death That Death is the Messenger of all these Glories In that Death all these Treasures are amass'd and heap'd and piled up together and then it must be worth remembring nay it is impossible not to remember it where all this is believ'd II. How this Death is to be remembred at the Table of the Lord will deserve our next consideration And most certainly a slight transient Remembrance such as we pay to our friends and acquaintance which are absent at our common Meals or at other times as we have occasion to discourse of them is not sufficient here for that 's not at all agreeable to the Greatness and Profitableness of this wondeful Death It must be such a remembrance as 1. Refreshes our Memories with that marvellous Love that shines in this Death This Love must be called to mind even the Love of God the Love that mov'd him to the Kindnesses we see and taste and feel and have experience of The Love that mov'd him to give us a Saviour the Love that mov'd him to take pity of us when we lay in our Blood when we lay in Darkness and in the shadow of Death Love Love Love must here be the Motto the Watch-word and the dear Expression And as the Martyr in Eusebius being ask'd divers Questions about his Name Kindred Relations Family Country Parents c. still answer'd That he was a Christian so if here we should be ask'd what we think what we speak what we mind what we come for what we design what our business is or what we delight in Love must be the Answer to all these Questions Love must be the burden of our Song even the Love of the Holy Trinity a Love in which our Life our Happiness and all our Hopes are wrapt up a Love which nothing above and nothing below can give us any tolerable Image of There is nothing among all the Angels in Heaven nothing in the Sun or Moon or Stars nothing among Men or Beasts or Roots or Herbs or Stons or Minerals that can be said to be truly like it all comparisons are feeble all resemblances faint no Language can reach it no Rhetorick express it no Oratory describe it no Pencil draw it it surpases our Reason transcends the brightest Understanding puzzels the very Angels in Heaven and perplexes the Spirits of Light and Glory It is all Sea all Ocean all Light it hath no Bounds no Shores no Limits and the greatest that ever was said of it or can be said of it is St. John's Expression 1 Joh. 4. 16. God is Love Love it self all Love all Charity all Goodness and nothing but such perfection could have loved such poor pitiful Worms as we are God looks upon our giving a cup of cold Water to a Righteous Man as an Act of Love O then what an Act of Love must it be in him to give us himself to give us the dearest thing he had even his own Son Jesus wept over Lazarus Joh. 11. 35 36. and the Jews said See how he loved him But these Tears were but drops of Water Here the Lord Jesus is seen to weep drops of Blood for us O then see how he loved us We were blinder than Bartimaeus lamer than Mephibosheth fuller of Sores than Lazarus poorer than Job no Comliness no Beauty no Form no Excellency appear'd in us Adam's Fall had disfigurred us defaced us ruin'd us in this lamentable condition God loved us and gave his Son to die for us and shall not this Love be remembred in his Death 2. This remembrance requires calling to mind our Sins which were the cause of that Death It 's true the Love of God was the impulsive cause but our Sins were the instrumental cause these brought him to the Cross and whoever remembers his Death must necessarily remember that whereby this Death was effected and procured this was our Sin and the Infection that attended it But then if I remember my Sins in the remembrance of his Death how can I remember them without detestation How can I remember them without abhorrency How can I remember them without arming my Soul with resolution and arguments to fight against them Can I look on my neglects and not charge them with this Death Can I remember my Love to the World and not accuse it of having had a hand in buffeting and reproaching of him Can I think of my Pride and Wrath and not bid them look on the Wounds they made in that Holy Flesh Can I reflect on my wantonness and lustful Thoughts Desires Words and Gestures and Actions and not be angry with them for having struck Nails into his Hands and Feet And what is said of these particular Sins must be applied to the rest that we are either guilty of or most inclined to they must be so remembred as to be represented to our Minds in their odious shapes as having been accessory to his Death and if this be done we cannot but proclaim War against them and maintain that War all our days 3. With this there must needs be remembred the mighty Redemption procured and accomplished by this Death even our Redemption from Slavery a Slavery so much the worse because we were not
sensible of it and so much more grievous by how much it was Spiritual Our Bodies indeed were not laid in Iron nor with the Israelites forced to make Brick without Straw There were no Task-masters set over us to beat and would and bruise us we were not chained to Triumphal Chariots nor forced to work in Mines and Gallies but it was far worse our Souls which were the far better part of us were led Captive by the worst of Tyrants the Law we were govern'd by was the Law of Sin the Prison we were doom'd to was Eternal Darkness the Burdens which were laid upon us were intolerable and we were under the Power of an Usurper whose Smiles were Deaths whose Favours were Punishments and whose Kindnesses were Destruction and Ruin under him we labour'd and toil'd in vain and when at night after our Travel we looked for Wages we could expect nothing but Fire and Flames We read of Dracula the Transylvanian that having one day invited all the Beggars and poor Men he could light of to a splendid Dinner or Entertainment after they had filled their Bellies he set Fire to the Hall where they were and burnt them all The same Fare we must have expected of that Tyrannical Master under whose Bondage we groan'd but from this Slavery the Son of God by dying for us redeemed and rescued us A Mercy which as it deserves to be remembred above all the deliverances that ever happened to us so where can the remembrance be more proper than in the Sacrament of his Death and Passion 4. In vain is all this remembred if we do not remember to imitate this Saviour in his Self-denying Acts for therefore all this Mercy and Love and Charity is represented to us in this Sacrament that it may be an Obligation upon us to deport our selves in the World after his Example So that as he prayed for his Enemies so must we as he blessed them that cursed him so must we as he freely forgave the Men that wronged him so must we as he died for the Truth so must we as he defended it to the last without wavering so must we as he would not suffer any outward Respects to discourage him from Conscientiousness so neither must we as he before his Foes witnessed a good Confession so must we as he did Good for Evil so must we as he shewed Pity to Men in distress though they had affronted and done him an Injury so must we as he bore his Cross contentedly so must we as he despised the World so must we He that remembers not his Death so as to endeavour to be like him forgets the End of his Redemption and dishonours the Cross on which his Satisfaction was wrought For the Honour due to the Cross of Christ is not with the Church of Rome to pray to a piece of Wood called the Cross of Christ Hail Christ's Cross our only Hope in this most blessed Passion-Week Increase the Goodness of the Good and Pardon to the Guilty give but to live in the World as the Lord Jesus did who was crucified for us and by living so to adorn the Doctrine of the Cross of Christ Jesus that is to admire and reverence his Cross. III. From such a Remembrance flow more than ordinary Advantages for Things are useful according as they are managed and consequently if the Remembrance here required be used according to the Rules laid down these following Benefits will certainly ensue upon it For 1. Hereby our Love to God is kindled and renewed Love kindles Love as Fire kindles Fire and therefore God appears in this Sacrament as he did to Moses in the Bush all in Flames of Love that those Flames may warm our Breasts And O happy Soul that feels those Flames warm and heat all that is within her When Love takes possession of the Soul or rather when the Love of God represented in the Sacrament raises Love in the holy soul then the Soul becomes the Seat of Wisdom the Tabernacle of Holiness the Chamber of the Celestial Bridegroom a spiritual Heaven a Field which the Lord hath blessed a Spouse dearly beloved a Garden of Pleasure the Marriage-house a Paradise of Vertue into which the Lord descends not to find out the Malefactor and to discover his Nakedness but to betroth to himself the beloved Virgin languishing with Love waiting for her Beloved and longing for the Bridegroom 's Coming And where this Divine Love takes place there the Love of the World expires for as St. Austin speaks He cannot love that which is Eternal that doth not cease to love that which is Temporal And from this Love arise those happy Breathings O Fountain of Love Nothing is sweeter than thy Love nothing more pleasant nothing more beneficial Thy Love is not troublesome Where thy Love is there is true Pleasure It is contented with it self it knows no Bounds it watches Opportunities to vent it self it triumphs in its own Cell and captivates all the Faculties Thy Love O Lord gives Liberty drives out Fear tramples upon Humane Merits It gives Rest to the Weary Strength to the Weak Joy to the Mourners It feels no Weariness it feeds the Hungry and keeps the Faint from sinking 2. Hereby our Consciences are purged from Dead Works This as it is ascribed expresly to the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant Heb. 9. 14. so it must be attributed to the true Remembrance of that Blood in this Everlasting Sacrament Such a Remembrance cleanseth the Heart purifies the Soul makes the Dross of Sin vanish and the Impurity the Mind was oppressed withal wear away Such a Remembrance like the Gift of Prophecy Jer. 20. 9. is as a burning Fire shut up in the Bones which consumes the Hay and Straw and Stubble that annoyed the House of God For the Beauty of God's Love makes Sin appear black and ugly and causes a Loathing of it Hereby Holiness is advanced and Grace begins to flourish and the Rubbish being removed the Winter of Iniquity gone the Frost in the Soul dissolved the Flowers of the glorious Spring appear This Remembrance chaseth Lust and Luxury and therefore those in whom it hath these Effects are said to wash their Robes and make them white in the Blood of the Lamb Rev. 7. 14. 3. Hereby Christ is invited to dwell in us The House being thus cleansed and swept the Noble Guest is invited to make his Abode there This Remembrance is attractive and where the Soul is thus affected with the Remembrance of Christ's Death he comes and inhabits that beautiful Palace for such a Person seems resolv'd to keep his Word And to him the Promise runs If a Man love me he will keep my Words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our Abode with him John 14. 23. A wonderful Favour this To have him dwelling in us who is the Light of the World the Light of Heaven the Light of Angels and the Sun of Righteousness
Cup and drinks like a thirsty Man with a thirst after Righteousness drinks Salvation drinks everlasting Mercy drinks to the content and satisfaction of his Soul and out of his belly shall flow fountains of living waters i. e streams of Grace and Goodness shall flow from his Heart to the watering and enriching of those that are round about him John 7. 38. And this must needs make it a Cup of Consolation for what greater comfort can there be than to drink the rich draught of Pardon of Peace and Mercy and Joy in the Holy Ghost as every Soul is supposed to do that comes to this Ordinance with unfeigned Resolutions to have her conversation in Heaven 4. A Cup he took to put us in mind how necessary God's Goodness Favour and Providence is to us for this was expressed in the Law by making God the Portion of their Cup as we see Psal. 16. 5. The Lord is the Portion of my Inheritance and of my Cup a phrase much used among the Jews of the devouter sort when they would declare not only their interest in God's special Providence but the necessity of having a Right and Title to it A Cup is a necessary Utensil in a Family and there is scarce any person so poor and needy as to want a Cup so hereby they expressed both the absolute necessity of having a special interest in God's Love and the possibility the poorest body was in to arrive to this Priviledge A Man may be happy without Lands and Houses and happy without an Estate without Father and Mother without Children without a Prince's Favour but he cannot be happy without an interest in God's Gracious inclinations and Complacency Even an Idolatrous Laban Gen. 31. 30. was in some measure sensible of this Truth for when Rachel had stollen her Father's Images he seem'd to be much concern'd for them If thou wouldst needs be gone wherefore hast thou stollen my gods As if he had said I could have been content with thy taking away my Daughters my Grand-children my Cattle and my Sheep but to steal my gods than which nothing is more dear or more necessary to me this I cannot brook A Cup therefore Christ made use of in this Sacrament to tell us of what concernment it is to have God for our Friend and if he be our Portion we need no more if he be the portion of our Cup we have Wealth and Bliss enough and may defie all the Powers of Hell who in this case may assault but cannot prevail against us Indeed if Christ be ours and will vouchsafe to intercede for us we are more than Conquerors O Jesu Thou art our All our Crown our Glory if thou be for us we need not fear who is against us Let thy Wounds be ours and our wounded Spirits will be at rest O tell us that thine Agonies are ours and we will triumph over death and sing O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory 5. A Cup he took to bid us mind what he had so often told the Pharisees and to hint to us that whenever we see this Cup in the Sacrament we ought to ask our Hearts whether we make clean the inside of the Cup and Platter as the expression is Matth. 23. 27. i. e. Whether we purifie our inward Man our Souls and Spirits from those covetous disorderly unclean Desires Thoughts and Imaginations which are so apt to harbor there True Religion is no outside business but must be rooted in us and a Sense of the Love of God must be riveted into our Spirits that there God may become truly amiable to us and what we feel within may force as it were the outward Man into a suitable Fruitfulness Most Mens Religion like their Cloaths adorns only the ovtward Man and saying their Prayers going to Church and doing such little things as are no trouble to their Lusts or sinful Appetite are the principal Ingredients of their Divinity but this is not the Light which Christ's Religion gives for that strikes the Understanding works upon the Will and puts all that is within us into Fermentation This cleanses the Heart from filthiness the Thoughts from vanity the Mind from prejudice the Affections from love of the World from malice hatred and supercilious contempt of our Neighbors and the desires from revenge and greediness after the Shells and Husks of outward Comforts so that true Religion is a new Principle which produces a new Creature and newness of Life 2 Cor. 5 17. 6. And why may not we piously believe that his making use of a Cup was also to encourage our Charity and Hospitality expressed sometimes by giving a Cup of cold water to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple Matth. 10. 42. He that knows any thing of this Holy Sacrament knows it is a Feast of Charity a Feast at which we remember our Spiritual Poverty and lying at the Gate of Heaven fuller of Sores than the famous Beggar before the Palace of Dives and can the undeserved unexpected and inexpressible Charity of God to our Souls shine in our Faces and not warm our Hearts and Bowels into compassion and commiseration to the poor and needy such especially as are of the Houshold of Faith If we are so low in the world and Providence hath put us in so mean a condition that we can give no more than a Cup of cold water and do but run to the next Well or River and fill the Cup and bring it to a distress'd and fainting Christian a good Man and a Disciple of our Lord even that shall be interpreted favourably and God will find out a recompence for it a recompence which shall make the Giver sensible that it was for that Cup he gave that he receives that Mercy provided still that this Charity proceeds from a sense of the Love of God and tenderness to the necessities of the Humble Man This consideration one would think should be baulked by none that comes to the Lord's Table where the Lame and Blind and Maim'd are entertain'd for such abasing Thoughts of our selves we are to entertain here and if so How easie how natural is the Inference If so miserable a Creature as I am feasted here and God gives Bread of Life to my hungry Soul How can I express my Gratitude better than by casting my Bread upon the Water especially when I am promis'd to find it again after many days floating on the Rivers of Pleasure which are at the Right Hand of God for evermore VII Both the Evangelists and St. Paul taking notice that Christ took this Cup after he had done with the Cup in the celebration of the Passover we must not pass it by without making some Remarks upon it And 1. It was to teach us Order in our Duties and to avoid confusion in our Holy performances God is the God of Order and 't is fit his Servants should resemble him in this particular Greater Duties must ever be
for all the World clamour'd against them they were hated by Heathens hated by the Jews reviled by Strangers reproached by their Country-men and there was greater hopes to reconcile Fire and Water Light and Darkness than of reconciling some People in the World to them Yet did not this Hatred and Surliness of others make them unworthy Communicants If my Neighbour will throw himself down from a Precipice why should that hinder me from walking in a plain Path And if others will be wicked why should that be an Impediment of my being good 'T is true Christ Matth. 5. 23 24. tells us If thou bring thy Gift to the Altar and there remember that thy Brother hath ought against thee leave there thy Gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy Gift Which Words seem to import that if another Man be not in Charity with us our Devotion cannot be accepted till he be reconciled to us But these Words of Christ must be explained by Vers. 22. which brings in the Discourse Vers. 23. for there our Saviour tells us I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his Brother without a Cause shall be in danger of the Judgment i. e. He that conceives Anger against his Neighbour and hopes to escape the Guilt of Sin must have a very just Cause for it viz. There must be a just Cause given him by his Neighbour and then it follows If thy Brother have ought against thee i. e. have ought against thee justly which thou hast given just Occasion for first be reconciled to thy Brother and then offer thy Gift So that it is not another Man 's bare having ought against us that makes us unworthy Receivers but if he have ought against us that we have been the just Cause of if we have kindled his Anger by something that we have injuriously said or done against him there till we seek to be reconciled unto him our Gifts and what we offer to God must needs be odious to him because they are offer'd with an Heart that is not right with him But where we have either done nothing that he can take just Exception against or have done our Duty and what became our Place and Station without any Intent of doing him harm or if in case of an Offence given we have by proper Means and Addresses sought to be at Peace with him and notwithstanding all this he will still have ought against us there his Hatred and the whole Guilt of it will fall upon his own Pate nor can his Insolence or Ill-Nature darken the Light of God's Love and Favour to us who sees we have done what became Christians and honest Men and though it will not satisfie the angry Man yet his Choler cannot deprive us of the kind Looks of our Father which sees in secret nor make us unworthy Receivers 10. A Man's having as he supposes received no Benefit by this holy Sacrament and coming to it again doth not necessarily make him an unworthy Receiver For 1. A Man may really be the better for having been at this Sacrament and yet for the present may not be sensible of it because he may measure his not being better by the want of some particular Qualifications he is desirous of and over-look those Advantages he hath in good truth received by the holy Communion Many a pious Christian is the better for this Sacrament though he is loth to believe it for his coming to this Table either strengthens him in his Hatred of Sin and in his Love to Religion or advances him in Humility Patience Readiness to forgive Injuries and in Charity and yet because he feels not just after it those lively Desires those earnest Breathings after God that Fervour of Spirit that Ardency in Prayer he expected he may think he receives no Benefit because he doth not get what at present he most desires and feels not those Excellencies and Accomplishments which are most upon his Mind yet all this while there may be an actual Growth of Goodness in him his other Graces may be established his Cautiousness of offending a merciful Redeemer increased his Obedience and Self-denial advanced his Faith of another Life augmented his Resolutions to shun the very Appearances of Evil fortified all which upon a strict Search and View of his Inward Man he may find And therefore I may justly conclude that if he receives the Benefit God thinks sit for him though he receives not the Benefit he desires that that Supposition of his of receiving none at all cannot make him an unworthy Receiver 2. 'T is possible we may receive no Benefit at all by frequenting this Ordinance and we may know we do not if we are the same in our Lives we were before If the Cross of Christ doth not draw us after him if it leaves us without Desires to be like him or doth not check the Sins we have been fond of if it does not make us stand in awe of God any more than we did before if it work no Love to God no Charity to other Men's Souls and Bodies in our Hearts if after it we rush into Sin as easily as before if it prove no Bridle to our sinful Appetite no Curb to our covetous Desires if it restrains us not in our Affections to the World if it gives us no Courage to resist no Boldness to withstand those Lusts which were dear to us but still this is clearly our own Fault and for want of considering the Arguments and Motives the Cross of Christ affords us to die to Sin for want of thinking on the Design of Christ's Death and for want of taking pains with our selves for want of reflecting on the Force of Divine Love and for want of earnest Prayers and Addresses for the powerful Assistance of God's Spirit If it be thus with us we have reason to be afraid God will not rejoyce over us when he comes to view our Souls in this Ordinance However All this need not be an Obstacle to our Reformation If we have done ill 't is our Interest to awake out of Sleep and to redeem the Time If we have received no Benefit before upon our Amendment we may If we have done the Work of the Lord negligently upon our Reformation God may may turn our Captivity as the Streams in the South It is with this Sacrament as it is with a rich Mine which yields no Profit to the Owner till he works it The Benefit Men receive here is the Effect of Labour They must be disposed and qualified for this Gift and that which qualifies them is to quit that Slothfulnes they were guilty of 11. Communicating with Persons that receive unworthily doth not necessarily make a Person an unworthy Receiver For 1. Every Man shall bear his own Burthen Gal. 6. 5. If another be wicked how can his Wickedness unsettle my Faith or disorder my Devotion except I consent to his Impiety
sensible of no higher Felicity than what a good Crop and a full Purse affords Now that to receive with no higher Aims or from no better Principles is to receive unworthily will appear from hence 1. Because such Persons receive without being affected and touched with the Riches and Treasures opened revealed discovered and offered in this Sacrament Treasures greater than those the Wise Men laid down at the Feet of the Infant Saviour Treasures beyond all Gold and Myrrh and Frankincense and all the Gums the Happy Arabia yields Treasures of higher value than those the Queen of Sheba brought to Solomon the Great Treasures richer than those the King of Judah shewed to the Babylonian Ambassadors To shew their Excellency above all Earthly Treasures were to prove that Light is better than Darkness and a Ball of Diamond than a piece of Turf or that the Wisdom of a Minister of State exceeds that of a Sucking Babe For if it be true as without doubt it is that God was crucified or that he who was God humbled himself to an ignominious Death for our sakes and that this Love with all its Benefits is proclaimed in our Ears and tender'd to our Souls in this Sacrament there is not a Child but must grant that all that this World affords must be mere Pebles to it And as this Treasure of the World's Redemption is the rich Mine discovered in this Sacrament so he whom Custom and Company only brings to it must needs receive unworthily because he sees not he feels not he is sensible of no such Treasure which if he were he would go to it as a poor Beggar almost starved goes to a rich Man's House there to receive a vast Sum of Money beyond his Expectation and come wondering at the Honour that God intends him wondering at the Favour God designs him wondering at the Riches he shall be presented with wondering at himself what God should see in him to be thus liberal and bountiful to him wondering to see what God hath provided for him 2. Such a Man eats and drinks in this Sacrament as if it were common Bread and Wine that is set before him he approaches and makes no more of it than if it were a private or ordinary Table he considers not what this Bread and Wine represent and as the Apostle's Phrase is discerns not the Lord's Body discerns not that the Body of him who was the Creator of Heaven and Earth is pointed at in these Elements 'T is true materially considered it is the same with the Bread and Wine set upon our Tables at home but the signification of it makes it Celestial Food separates it from common Use raises it above vulgar Diet and the Stamp God sets upon it makes it truly the Bread of the Lord and the Cup of the Lord. He whom Custom only carries to the House of God distinguishes not the Mysteriousness and Holiness of this Food which if he did he would touch it with the same Awe and Reverence that the Woman troubled with a Bloody Issue touch'd the He◠of Christ's Garment Quaking and Trembling Mar. 5. 33. 3. To eat and drink unworthily is to receive without true Repentance Where Men either do not think it requisite to leave their Sins or pretend that they do part with them when they do not where they mistake the present Damp that is upon their Spirits for a Change of Life or the melancholy and sullen Humour that hath surprized them for the new Nature Religion is to give them or forbear the external Acts of their Sins they have formerly hugg'd and run out into but are not resolved to mortifie their secret Desires after him where they mistake their Act of Preparation for the Act of pulling down the Strong Holds of Iniquity so that their Lusts and Love to Sin remain where they give the Devil leave to retire a while but are loth to take their Everlasting Farewel of him and therefore after the House is swept and garnished even after Receiving open the Door to him again Where it is so there Men eat and drink unworthily For 1. Such Persons instead of doing Honour to Christ affront him are still in League with that which killed him pretend Sorrow for their Sins yet secretly espouse them give out they have sent them a Bill of Divorce but still keep close Correspondence with them would make God and Men believe that they are Christ's Servants when they are still his Enemies would persuade others that they have brought their Necks under his Yoak when the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that which bears rule in their Souls is their Carnality and Sensuality In this Sacrament a most solemn Profession is made and ought to be made of our Weariness of a sinful Life which is the reason why the Church in her Publick Office doth particularly address her self to such Persons as find it and to such that comfortable place of St. John is usually applied If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous 1 Joh. 2. 1. that is If any Man sin so as to be truly weary of it or if he hath sinned and feels such a Remorse that he detests himself for having done so and thereupon bids Defiance to the Works of Darkness We have an Advocate that will plead for us prevail with God not to cast us away because we have forsaken him and by his Merits make our Repentance valuable that it shall prove a Propitiation for our Sins But he that professes Weariness yet is not tired with his sinful Course not only mocks God but gives himself the Lye and seems to fancy that he who dwelleth on high sees not the secret Intrigues and Intentions of his Soul Which is Profanation of Religion 2. Such a Person destroys the End for which he pretends to come to this holy Sacrament for that End is Growth in Grace And how shall he grow in Grace that is unresolved to part from those Sins which do so easily beset him These things are and cannot but be Obstacles and Impediments to that Growth And Worms and Caterpillars are not more noxious to young Trees than these unrepented Sins are to this Growth and a Man may as well hope that an Elm in his Ground will within a few Years be tall enough to over-shadow his whole House when there is nothing but Rock at the bottom Unrepented Sins make the Heart mere Stony Ground Goodness may peep forth but having no Earth it must necessarily wither and come to nothing People may pull and hale a Ship with their Arms long enough before they can make it move while the Anchors are not taken up Their unrepented Sins are the Anchors that keep the Soul fixed to Earth and Hell and to think Grace will move or advance while that Anchor holds it is to imagine that an House will be built without Materials or a Field bring forth Corn that was never sown or never felt the Labour and
hast thou had of thine own Worth And how hast thou undervalued the Man or Woman that have had to no other Crime but Poverty Thou hast thought thy Inferiors scarce worth talking to How unlike thy Redeemer is this Pride and Haughtiness Were Grace an Inhabitant of thy Heart what low Thoughts wouldst thou have of thy self How readily wouldst thou converse even with the meanest Saint How wouldst thou learn to esteem Men more for their Holiness than for their Riches And how lovely would a Creature that hath the Image of God upon him look in thine Eyes Far more lovely than the greatest Monarch or Lady that have nothing to recommend them but their outward Splendor 15. And he said unto them With Desire I have desired to eat this Passover before I suffer HOW doth God long for our Happiness How fervent are his Desires to do us good Yet how little have these Longings prevailed with thee O my Soul Notwithstanding all these Desires of God to make thee happy how hast thou longed after the muddy Waters of Sensual Pleasures Nay longed to be for ever miserable when in despight of his Intreaties not to neglect so great Salvation thou hast longed for the stolen Waters of sinful Delights coveted Death and been enamoured with Destruction How hath God intreated thee to close with him upon his own Terms and how hast thou grieved him with thy Refusal How hath the Almighty beseeched thee by his Ambassadors to be reconciled to him and yet thou hast stood out and baffled the Stratagems of Mercy 16. For I say unto you I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God CHrist rejoyces that the Shadows are at an end and that the Substance or Antitype is approaching for as the Passover was a Sign of the Jews Deliverance from Egyptian Bondage so that Deliverance was a Shadow or Emblem of our Deliverance from Sin here and our Exemption from all Misery and Trouble in Heaven which was now to be effected by the Death of Christ. But O my Soul how hast thou hunted after Shadows and left the Substance unregarded What are the Glories of this World but mere Shews Yet how fond art thou of them and how strangely hast thou been enamoured with them These Shadows intimate that there are more substantial Glories in the Everlasting Mansions yet these thou passest by and the other thou art delighted with See how thou dotest on those painted Coronets those Butter-flies those Airy Nothings while with the Cock in the Fable thou tramplest on the Pearl even on the Pearl of Price to purchase which the Spiritual Merchant in the Gospel sold all he had 17. And he took the Cup and gave Thanks and said Take this and divide it among your selves HOW thankful is our Great Mediator for every Mercy he received from his Everlasting Father Yet how ungrateful hast thou been O my Soul to thy mighty Benefactor What Mercies hast thou received at his Hands and what strange Returns hast thou made for them Thy God hath been kind to thee and thou hast been base and unworthy How hast thou fed on his Blessings and ascribed them to thy Wisdom and Industry How hast thou lived upon his Charity and spurned at his Laws Foolish Creature Dost thou thus reward the Lord thy God Thou shouldest not eat a bit but send some Thanksgiving-Ejaculations to Heaven yet thou contentest thy self with a careless Grace and never thinkest more afterward of God How little dost thou mind the Providences that are sent upon thee And while thou considerest not the Operations of God's Hands how canst thou be thankful 18. For I say unto you I will not drink of the Fruit of the Vine until the Kingdom of God shall come INdeed Heaven hath the best and choicest Wine even the Wine of Angels This Wine is the ravishing Love of God This transports the Understanding and wraps up the Intellect in Extasies of Joy and Comfort A brutish Man knows not this neither doth a Fool understand it And hath not this been thy Case O my Soul How weary hast thou been of thinking of this Banquet How soon have thy Spirits tired with meditating of that Love How ready hast thou been to think of the World and the last Night's Revel and how backward to reflect on this richer Entertainment What a Weariness hath it been to thee to survey these Glories to walk about that Jerusalem and to behold the Towers and Bulwarks of it 19. And he took Bread and gave Thanks and brake it and gave unto them saying This is my Body which is given for you This do in remembrance of me HEre begins the happy Institution of the holy Sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood and the great Command to remember the Death of Jesus and together with that an Item of the greatest Love that can be shewn to poor Mortals Yet how backward O my Soul hast thou been sometimes to come to this holy Sacrament Thou should'st have longed for an Opportunity to remember this Death with the People of God What is this Bread but an Emblem of the Communion of Saints and a Representation of thy Communion with the Great Head the Lord Jesus Yet how little Delight hast thou taken in this Ordinance How often hast thou come out of Formality only How little have thine Affections been moved with that stupendous Love Either Sin or Malice to thy Neighbour or some Worldly Trouble hath made thee stay away The Thoughts of this Love should have thrown down all thy Strong Holds of Iniquity and left thee in a calm holy spiritual Temper But how hast thou preferred thy little Concerns in the World before this Feast And what Hazards hast thou run of being doomed to a Spiritual Famine as those Guests against whom the Master of the Feast protested that they should never taste of his Supper 20. Likewise also the Cup after Supper saying this Cup is the New Testament of my Blood which is shed for you AT how dear a rate was the remission of our sins purchased The Blood of the Son of God was the Price Greater Love hath no Man shewn than that he lay down his life for his Friends but here is one that laid it down for his Enemies that they may be pardoned How hast thou looked upon this pardon O my Soul sometimes without standing amazed at the height and breadth and depth and length of the love of God! How cold hast thou been in thy desires after this precious Blood Thou should'st have stood under the Cross waiting for the drops that trickled down But the familiarity of the joyful news of it alas hath too often wrought in thee a dis-esteem of it Nay how light hast thou made of this remission and by making so light of it thou hast profan'd it too when thou hast sinned because God is willing to pardon sinners and hast made that pardoning Blood an encouragement to indulge thy self in thy carnal
Oblation of thy dear Son and blot out all my Transgressions Accept of that incomparable Sacrifice and forget the Injuries I have offered thee I should be afraid of being sent away empty from thy Throne my Sins are so many and so great but that I know thy Sons Merits are greater than my Sins If my Sins and his Goodness my Transgressions and the Merits of his bitter Passion were laid in a Ballance together these would weigh for heavier than mine Offences What Crime so great that such a Sorrow such Affliction such Obedience such Humility such invincible Patience and what is more than all this such infinite Love cannot expiate What Iniquity can there be in the World above which the Death of Christ doth not preponderate O Heavenly Father I have nothing of mine own to offer thee But I offer thee my Saviour my Redeemer thine only Son with all possible Devotion and Gratitude Accept of his unspeakable Grief and Anguish known only to him and to thy self for my Sins and that Grief I should have and do not feel Accept of his bloody Sweat and Tears for want of my Tears Accept of his most fervent Prayers for my dulness and deadness in Prayer Accept of all that ever he did and suffer'd for my great and multiplied Transgressions I accuse my self for my Carnality I condemn my self for my backwardness to serve thee I am willing to inflict Judgments upon my self for my innumerable Follies yet even these Services will look dull and weak and imperfect except thou art pleased to look upon them through the Merits of thy dear Son O blessed Jesu who can comprehend thy Charity O pour into my Heart true Contrition soften my harden'd Heart into true Compunction give to mine Eyes abundance of Tears that I may bewail the many Indignities I have offered to thee Deal not with me after my Sins Let thy bitter Passion step in betwixt thy Father's Anger and my miserable Soul And whatever mine Iniquities have deserv'd let thy Death atone for them and let thy Blood wash them away O thou who hast overcome the World and the Prince thereof overcome all my rebellious and inordinate Affections Let nothing separate betwixt thy Love and me Remove and conquer that Disagreebleness that is betwixt my Nature and thy Holiness and as thou wast obedient to thy Father even to the Death of the Cross so make my Soul obedient to thee in all thing O let me see and feel that there is nothing so vile so abject so unworthy as I am and in this sense let me admire thy Love that it may appear great and wonderful to me and dash all those Excuses and Delays I have pretended too long to cloak my unwillingness to please thee What can melt my heart if thy Love cannot melt it O melt it by that Fire and purge away all my Dross and all my Tin that being purified by thee I may enjoy the Comforts of that Purity for ever Amen Amen CHAP. XXV Of Self-Resignation the Fourth Preparatory Duty in order to a Worthy Receiving of this Holy Sacrament The CONTENTS What Self-Resignation is and wherein it consists What makes it necessary Upon what Account it comes to be a Duty preparatory for the Holy Sacrament God likens himself to a Potter and why Our Perfection proved to consist in this Self-Resignation 1. WHat this Self-Resignation is and wherein it consists is no hard matter to guess 'T is in short to resign our Will to God's Will not only in being ready to do what God will have us do but in being contented to suffer whatever he shall think fit to lay upon us 'T is St. Anselm's Observation That God alone who is the Creator of all things can will and do what he pleases having no Will superior to his own to which he ought to submit But when Man will do his own Will he robs Almighty God in some measure of his Crown for as the Crown is only the Privilege and Prerogative of a King so to do what he pleases is God's only Property And as a Subject that should fly at the Crown of his Prince and take it off his Head would commit Treason and do his Sovereign the greatest Injury so a Man that will have his own Will attributes that to himself which is a Privilege appertaining only to Divinity it self And indeed this Self-Resignation is nothing but an Effect of sincere and cordial Love Love being the Bond that ties and unites the Person loving to him that is loved as Hatred dissolves and unties that Bond. This Love consists chiefly in the Will and if it be right it must necessarily oblige him that loves God to will what he wills and take his Pleasure and Will for his Rule whereby he governs his own Desires and Affections II. That which makes this Self-Resignation to the Will of God very necessary are these important Points 1. Hereby the Glory of God is signally advanced It is the most excellent Sacrifice we can offer to Almighty God The Glory of God consists in having his Will fulfilled And since we are both created and redeemed to advance God's Glory we commit a very great Errour in having a different Will from God's Will for we deprive him of the Honour due to him and which we are obliged to advance not only by our Obedience but by our Troubles and Dangers too And if it be such an Advancement of God's Glory to do what he will have us do and to follow him where he leads it can be no less Glory to our selves to have the Honour to fulfil his Will in all things That God who is far above us so infinitely exalted above our frail Natures should make use of such poor miserable Creatures to glorifie him and employ in the compassing of his admirable Designs such vile Worms when he might make use of far better is no small Dignity and Advancement If a King were to give Battel to a fierce and numerous Enemy and should quit or lay by a bright and Two-edged Sword and take a rusty Dagger with no Point or Edge to fight the opposite Army as it would be a Mark of his greater Courage so the Victory he gains by that means would be more renowned and glorious We are in the Hand of God no otherwise than obtuse and blunt Daggers are and that by such contemptible means he will compass his Glory is not only the Way to promote his own Honour but ours too When the Disciples of Socrates had all made their Masters very noble Presents Aeschines who was very poor came to him and told him Sir I have nothing to give you that is worthy of you and therefore take the only thing I have to give that is my self Socrates was extreamly pleased with this Offer And Seneca adds that by this Present Aeschines exceeded all the rich Gifts not only of Alcibiades whose Gifts were equal to his generous Mind but all the Presents of the rest A Man can
THE Crucified Jesus OR A full ACCOUNT OF THE Nature End Design and Benefits OF THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SUPPER With Necessary DIRECTIONS PRAYERS Praises and Meditations To be used by Persons who come to the HOLY COMMUNION By ANTHONY HORNECK D. D. Chaplain in Ordinary to Their Majesties The Third Edition Corrected and Amended In the SAVOY Printed for Samuel Lowndes over-against Exeter-Change in the Strand 1695. ΑΓÎΩΣΤΩ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΗ TO THE Unknown Benefactor SIR THE following Discourse being the substance of several Sermons Preach'd at your desire and incouragement before the Monthly Sacraments though I am ignorant who you are and what part of the City or Country you live in yet I thought it my Duty to let the Publick know that there is such a Man in the World who is desirous to do good and loves not to be known This Treatise you have a proper Title too not only as one whose Hearts desire is to see the Church of England flourish but as a Benefactor too and to have Dedicated it to any other Person had been injurious to your Character You were sensible how backward the generality are to come to the Holy Communion how much ground the Church and Christianity it self loses by this stupid negligence of it's pretended Votaries and how not a few absent themselves for want of understanding the true nature and design of this Blessed Sacrament and therefore justly thought that if by a previous Monthly Sermon Mens Hearts were warm'd into consideration of the Use and Necessity of this Ordinance the Mists which hitherto have clouded their Vnderstandings would be dispell'd and they become acquainted with their Duâ—y which was the cause of your exciting me to this Publick Service Your Judgment hath not fail'd you for since these Religious Exercises have been among us abundance of Persons who before look'd upon their coming to the Holy Table either as indifferent or unnecessary or unseasonable have through the Blessing of God bethought themselves considered the Obligations that the mighty Work of Redemption lays upon them and conscientiously applyed themselves to the frequent Use of this Universal Medicine And all I can tell you for your incouragement is this That as we owe the beginning and progress of these Monthly Sermons to your Zeal and Influence so you will have a share both in the good that 's done by them and in the Rewards of those who are thereby brought to a serious sense of the wonderful Love of God in Christ Jesus It was a publick good you design'd by your munificence and that which makes the Pious Work the greater is that you do not care your left hand should know what your right hand doth The Almighty hath enrich'd your Heart with the Noblest Charity even with that to the Souls of Men an Emplâ—yment which God himself disdains not to travel in and what are all the Angels of Heaven but Ministring Spirits sent forth to be helpful unto those that shall be Heirs of Salvation Nothing is more pleasing to God than to be instrumental in bringing many Sons unto Glory and though you are no publick Orator yet you help towards Mens Conversion and in employing others to rouze them from their Spiritual slumber your Self have a hand in their Reformation And by that means Preach though you be not in Orders yet without offence to the Law and at the same time observe the Canons of the Church and win Souls without being engaged in the Sacred Function Some Criticks think that S. Paul in his Address to the Athenians doth not find fault with but commends them for Erecting an Altar To the unknown God and if so I hope none will blame me for raising this Monument To an unknown Benefactor Good Works are the sweetest Incense that can be laid upon God's Altar and though some that have concealed their Names have been discover'd by the Charitable Deeds done by them yet yours are so order'd that though for some time you have thus generously employ'd part of your means to advance this publick Good yet still you are a stranger to me and in that happier than the Roman Senator who hiding himself in the time of Proscription his Perfumes betrayed him May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath already touch'd your Heart with a sense of his Glory enrich you with all Spiritual Blessings and make you to abound more and more in Faith in Love and in all Goodness May that Great Shepherd of Souls enlighten your Understanding with greater brightness raise your Soul above this transitory World teach you to despise the things that are seen and fill you with earnest longings after those which are not seen that after having serv'd your Generation here your Immortal part may be admitted to the Enjoyment and Embraces of the Holy Trinity the Festivals of Seraphim to Mount Sion to the City of the Living God to the innumerable Company of Angels to the general Assembly of the First-born which are written in Heaven to the Spirits of Men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament whose Blood speaks better things than that of Abel So wishes SIR Your Affectionate Friend And Servant ANTH. HORNECK THE PREFACE THE vast number of Books about the Sacrament of the Eucharist as it shews the richness of the Subject so it discovers the Zeal and Industry of good Men to uphold the power of Religion in these perilous times as they are call'd by the Apostle of the Gentiles And indeed if we consider the influence this Ordinance hath yet on Men who have not altogether sold themselves to do Evil and are not gone so far as to make a mock of Religion it is no small motive to busie our selves in recommending and pressing the frequent use of it I look upon it as a special Providence of God that in this Iron Age wherein Men have made a shift to baffle all the Rules of Discipline they have yet some Reverence for this Ordinance insomuch that if we can oblige them to make use of it we may entertain great hopes of their future sobriety and seriousness The generality shun it because they are loth to shake hands with their looser lives and they are sensible that the use of this Ordinance and a disorderly Conversation are things inconsistent and incompatible and therefore could we perswade them to come we might promise our selves a rich and plentiful Harvest there being nothing more likely than the fruitfulness of that Ground which is water'd with the Blood of Jesus What I publish here is in order to make good my promise in a lesser Piece call'd The Fire of the Altar and when a Man hath once either rashly or premeditately made himself a Debtor to the Publick I think it is Justice and good Manners if he be able to discharge the Obligation I do not hereby discourage the Reader from perusing other Mens Labours He 'll possibly think there is no danger but desire only to
of it and in so doing have higher thoughts and reflect upon all the instances of his Love to their Immortal Souls and teach their Successors to do so too This Jesus who by wicked hands was Crucified and whom God hath made both Lord and Christ was the Master and Author of this Feast and from him it justly derives its Name 2. Because the end of this Eating and Drinking is to Commemorate the Death of the Lord Jesus As the end of the Passover under the Law was to remember the great Deliverance from the Egyptian Bondage and that of the Feast of Tabernacles their being guided through the Wilderness by a Cloud and their Ancestors dwelin Booths and Tents As the Feast of Trumpets was instituted either by way of Anticipation that they might remember afterwards how the Walls of Jericho fell or to refresh their Minds with Isaac's Sacrifice an Emblem of the Messiah's Death and the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost was ordained as a Testimony of their Gratitude for a Plentiful Harvest and to put them in mind of the Liberty they gain'd when God gave them the Law and entred into a Covenant with them and that of Purim to bring into their Memories how they were rescued from the cruelty of Haman the Amalekite and that of the Dedication to suggest to them the Rebuilding of the Temple So the Lord Jesus enjoyn'd and recommended the keeping of this Feast to his Followers that they might remember how their Master loved them and made his Death a demonstration of Love how he died to make them happy and denied himself in all the Contents of Life to make theirs blessed and glorious for ever how he submitted to the Power of the Grave to purchase their comfortable Resurrection and fell a Sacrifice that they might have hopes of Pardon through his Blood a Remembrance so just that if this Charity deserves not frequent Commemoration no Mercy no Benefit no Favour no Providence can deserve it for this goes beyond all that the Word of God calls glorious and beneficial to Mankind 3. It s the Lord's Supper because the Lord Jesus is Meat and Drink in this Feast Meat indeed and Drink indeed as the expression is John 6. 11. for though that Chapter speaks not directly of this Supper yet the Phrases and modes of speech used there may very piously be applied to what is represented by the Elements in this Feast for the Benefits Advantages and Emoluments of Christs Death are Food so proper to a Religious Soul and a gracious Mind feeds so savourly upon these that nothing deserves the name of Spiritual Meat and Drink so much as these and indeed these nourish and feed the Soul make her strong and lively these are her Cordials and Restoratives and in the nature of David's Oyl Psal. 104. 15. which make her Face to shine 4. It 's the Lords Supper because the nourishment and strength it affords or yields is by the influence of the Lord Jesus He sends his Spirit into the Soul that comes to his Feast hungry and thirsty and longing after the Riches of Gods Love whereby the Soul is inflamed to love him who bought her at this dear rate and that love produces Peaceableness and Gentleness and Faith and Purity and Sincerity and Delight in good Works which are excellent signs of the Souls growing strong in the use of the Spiritual Food The Holy Spirit of Christ destroys the reigning Power of Sin in her and the government of the Flesh for the leaner this grows and the more the authority of it is diminished the better the Soul thrives and the more vigorous and active it becomes in all its faculties III. Though to call this Feast The Lord's Supper when it is in most Churches Celebrated in the Morning seems to be improper yet the reason why it still bears the name is Because the same substantial Actions are still observed in the Celebration of it that were used by Christ and his Disciples at his first institution in the night and not only the same Actions but the same end and design is kept on foot which we find in its first foundation and whenever it is celebrated it 's still in imitation of that Supper and that Supper is still remembred in it The reason why Christ in instituting of it made use of the night which gave it the name of a Supper was because it was to be succedaneous to the Passover which according to custom was eaten at night as the Deliverance which the Jews remembred then was performed by the Angel at night and as the Passover represented the Old Covenant or Testament and this Feast the New so it was fit that the later should be instituted immediately after the Celebration of the former that both being set together their different signification might more plainly appear and Men might see what Mercies they might expect from the bringing in of a better Covenant This being the occasion of Christ Celebrating this Feast at night and consequently the reason ceasing with the Typical Passover the Christian Churches in process of time took the liberty of Celebrating it at all seasons as they saw it either necessary or expedient And though what I have said about the Passover is the Principal reason why Christ made choice of the night for this Institution yet for ought we know it might be with an intent also to hint to us how by this Sacrament the night of Ignorance which sat heavy on the minds of most Men would be dispell'd that by night is sometimes understood the night of Ignorance in Scripture is evident from Matth. 4. 16. Es. 9. 1 2. Rom. 13. 12. and that by the devout and religious use of this Sacrament our Ignorance is in a great measure cured experience is a sufficient testimony Hereby certainly our minds are signally enlightned and we behold the Wisdom Love and Goodness of God discover the methods and ways of Salvation get clear Apprehensions of the Mysteries of our Faith and see how inconsistent the Works of Darkness are with this solemn remembrance of the Death of Christ hereby we come to feel the Power of God toward them that Believe and find out the Secret of the Union that is betwixt Christ and his true Followers and learn to know that what is said in the Word of God concerning the tender regard of Christ to his Church and Friends is no Fable Add to all this that Christ made choice of the night possibly to put us in mind of his sudden coming to Judgment which is frequently expressed in Scripture by his coming in the night Mark 13. 35 36. Luke 12. 38 39. 1 Thessal 5 2. Rev. 3. 3. nor is this an unsuitable Reflection in this Sacrament to contemplate his coming to judge the World for though that coming may strike terror into Men that put the evil day far from them and prepare not for their Lord 's coming yet to a Soul enlightned and Sanctified it cannot but
despised by thee than to be made the filth and off-scouring of all things Give me a just esteem of thy favour let me prefer it before all the Contents of this present World Let me feel that thy loving kindness is better than life this life will sade away but thy Mercy endureth for ever Let Goodness and Mercy follow me all the days of my life and make me dwell in thy House for ever Amen CHAP. II. Of the Mystery of Christ's Instituting this Sacrament in that very Night in which he was betray'd The CONTENTS The Treachery of Judas His Character and how That is imitated by Nominal Christians at this day Christ betray'd to wicked Men and to Devils betray'd partly for filthy Lucre partly for his unchangeable integrity The same is still done by Hypocrites in Religion This Sacrament instituted that very Night when he was betrayed for three Reasons The different appearances of Sin when Surveyed slightly and when considered in its designs and Tendencies While we detest the Treason of Judas we are to take heed we do not become guilty of the same Crime The Prayer 1. THough in the first Chapter I have already hinted the reason why Christ made use of the Night to institute this Holy Sacrament yet the Evangelists laying an Emphasis or weight upon his instituting of it that night in which he was betray'd it 's fit we should search into the Mystery of it But before we can do this some Circumstances of that Treason must be considered which will give light to Christ's design in pitching upon that time and no other The Person that did venture on this height of Impiety was Judas Iscariot a a Man who by this Treason hath indeed left an Everlasting Name behind him but such an one as all Ages must detest and talk of with greater Indignation than the Heathens did of Herostratus who to make himself illustrious by doing mischief burnt the famous Temple of Diana By this Man the Ever-blessed JESUS was betrayed and if you will allow me to give a true Character of him some of us in this Glass may see their own treachery and deformity 1. He was betray'd by one who made profession of Religion but was a Hypocrite i.e. his Actions contradicted his Profession professing one thing he did another and seeming to be good he proved a Devil Hypocrisie at this day makes Men Traitors to Christ even their coming to the Temple of the Lord and adhering to their known Sins their frequenting the Ordinances of God and being unconcerned at his Promises and Threatnings their believing the Articles of Religion and acting contrary to the design of them their sinding fault with those sins in others which they have no aversion from in themselve their speaking honourably of God with their Lips and dispensing with affronts put upon him in their practices and what can we call this but Judas-like to betray the Son of Man with a Kiss to say Hail-Master and deliver him to be Crucified to cry Hosanna and by and by Away with him at once to embrace and to decide him to hug and to contemn him to how the knee to him and mock him and in imitation to the rude Soldiery to cloath him with Purple and to strike and buffet him 2. He was betray'd by one who by no argument of love or mercy could be wrought into a sincere reformation He had seen the Miracles of his Master himself by his Masters influence did wonders and he saw Divinity shine in him nor was Christ wanting in warning Teaching Instructing Entreating and admonishing of him yet nothing could prevail with him to purge out the Leven of Malice and wickedness and is not Christ betray'd this way by thousands at this day He that despises you saith he to his Servants and Instruments despises me and then if his calling to Men by his Ministers by signal providences by Mercies by Afflictions by their Consciences by their Infirmities and Sicknesses Weaknesses and approaching Death will not make them sensible of their Duty if in despite of his endeavours to keep them from being undone they scorne both his Yoak and his Love what greater treason can they be guilty of especially where they make his mercy a shelter for their sin are therefore evil because he is good and are tempted by his Patience to be refractory and obstinate II. He was betray'd both to wicked Men and Devils 1. To Wicked Men such as the Scribes and Elders of the Jews his sworn Enemies and this way he is still betray'd for though there be no Scribes no Pharises at this day yet there are Atheistical and sensual Men who seeing Christ's Religion made a Clock for ill Designs and bad Practices take occasion from thence to speak evil of it as David having professed much zeal to God and falling afterwards into very monstrous sins made the Enemies of the Lord Blaspheme and laugh at the advantages the Jews boasted of above the Doctrines and Principles of their Neighbour-Idolaters Indeed to see Men wicked and vain under a shew of Piety and while they profess to be followers of Jesus live directly contrary to the example and precepts of the Holy Jesus makes that pretended Devotion ridiculous and instead of converting Men of loose Principles drives them farther off and tempts them to think all Religion to be nothing but a Cheat And though this Inference is unjust and absurd yet still these dangerous Inferences will be laid at their door who either contradicted the Principles of their Religion by their actions or made it a Stalking horse to ill Designs and Purposes 2. He was betray'd to Devils too who seeing him in the hands of bloody and barbarous Men left and forsaken as it were by Heaven and that Divinity which dwelt there took the greater boldness to set upon him by temptations and as these foes watch opportunities and then molest most when Men are least able to controul their insolence so seeing the Saviour of the World thus seemingly forsaken we may suppose they assaulted him with greater fierceness partly because his design had been to destroy their Kingdom and partly because he had so often dispossessed them of their Habitations It is therefore the Opinion of the Learned Men that in the Garden of Gethsemane when Christ fell into trembling fits the Devil appeared to him in a visible and most dismal shape which occasions an Angels descent from above to comfort him but whether it were so or no the Fiend seeing him betray'd and deliver'd into the hands of his own slaves without all peradventure triumph'd in his misery and insulted over him with greater scorn and in imitation of David's Enemies cry'd Aha So would he have it so doth the Hypocrite betray Christ to the Devil who hearing the painted Christian talk of Mortification and contempt of the World the two fundamental points of his Masters Religion and seeing him act point blank against them doth not only deride and despise Religion but casts
ruder than the rest having his Ear cut off by his miraculous touch is restored to his former soundness Herod seeks to kill him and at the same time he purges his Country from Devils and Diseases This sure could not be done but with an intent to shew us an example and except we do as he did how can we be said to be his followees It 's from this great Example that the Apostle infers a Duty Rom. 12. 21. Be not overcome with evil but overcome the evil with good and we all know who it was that told us that in vain we call our selves Children of God except we do good to them that hate us Matth. 5. 44 45. The Preceding Considerations reduced to Practice I. VVe see here in what a different shape Sin appears from what it did before if the nature tendency and design of it be rightly considered That which before seem'd but a little Cloud or Twilight upon such a prospect will appear Egyptian Darkness Who of us makes any thing of Hypocrisie yet have we proved before that it is a betraying of the Son of God especially if it be reigning and allow'd of So it is with other sins The Jews Malach. 3. 8. thought their keeping back their Tythes and depriving the Priests and Ministers of the Lord of their due to be a trivial thing yet God speaks to them in Thunder and calls it robbing of the Almighty Will a Man rob God Yet ye have robb'd me Wherein have we robb'd thee In Tythes and Offerings So they made nothing of offering the Lame and the Blind but God calls it profanation of his Name Mal. 1. 12. A wise Man therefore and he that would not cheat himself in matters of Salvation must consider what verdict God gives of such sins as the World makes little of and in so doing will find how unsafe it is to venture on such trespasses and what dangerous things they are Indeed he that examines and ponders what names God gives to some sins in Scripture how he calls Covetousness Idolatry Ephes. 5. 5. Disobedience Witchcraft 1 Sam. 15. 23. Unbelief under the means of Grace trampling on and treading under foot the Son of God Heb. 10. 29. Living in a known sin being of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. Sensuality Enmity to the Cross of Christ Phil. 3. 18. Apostacy Crucifying of Christ afresh Heb. 6. 6. Love of the World Adultery c. Jam. 4. 4 must needs have other apprehensions of such sins than the duller or more vitious sort of Mankind hath and until we do so it 's a sign we have no mind to be sincere Converts till we look upon our Sins through the Glass of Scripture till we give our Sins those Names which He that cannot err doth give them till we begin to call them what they are indeed and our hearts are concern'd and troubled about that which such names import our Repentance is but lame and partial and we obstruct our way to mercy and forgiveness and prepare for being miserable in the midst of flattering hopes and expectations II As we do abhor and detest the Treason of Judas so let 's take heed we become not guilty of it our selves We are not in a capacity of acting that very Treason that the ill-natured Disciple did because Christ is not now on Earth and the circumstances of Time and Place and Government do differ yet how that Treason may be acted over again by a behaviour and conversation agreeable to that of Judas hath been already shew'd and whatever we do let 's not fall into the snare into which that unhappy Man did fall His end his despair the terrors of his mind the torments of his conscience the contempt and scorn of God and Men he rusht into are sufficient discouragements from that Hypocrisie which drove him on to those Precipices To maintain invincible Loyalty to our Great Master is not only our Duty but our Interest To promote whatever makes for his Honour and Glory is that which becomes us not only as we are his Subjects but as we are redeemed with his Blood So great a Mercy ought to crush every rebellious thought in our Minds Never had people a more gracious King a King which doth not only divide his Estate among his Subjects but is resolved to advance them to the highest Dignities they are capable of And what if sometimes he doth afflict us That doth not speak him a Tyrant but a Father or Physician rather who lets us Blood to prevent Diseases and launces our Wounds that they may not fester and kill us If he lays Burthens upon us it is not to oppress our Souls but our Sins and if he make us go through the Fire it is not that the Flame may consume us but that the Smoke may kill the Caterpillars and Locusts that eat the wholsom Herbs of our Graces It is not that he delights in our Groans but that he is desirous of our Welfare and when he scourges us it is necessity and our own good that puts him upon using that method not a fondness to exercise his Power and Authority The PRAYER O Blessed JESUS When I look upon thee and behold thy Beauty and Glory I wonder how I have been able to conspire against thee with thine Enemies How have I been led away by false appearances and listned to false rumours which sinful Men have spread abroad concerning thee Thou hast been represented to me as an Enemy to my mirth and ease and plenty and temporal advantages and I have believed it and run blindly with the multitude to crucifie thee I see how against Reason Conscience Interest and a thousand Obligations I have acted O forget the Injuries I have offered thee O remember no more the Treasons I have been guilty of Never never will I wittingly or wilfully betray thee again Let all Guile and Hypocrisie and Double-dealings be put away from me Make me an Israelite indeed Let sincerity and integrity ever preserve me Make me willing to forego all interests so I may but have an interest in the love of Complaency Let all enmity all dissention all hostility betwixt us cease I agree not only to a Truce but to an Eternal Peace I know Lord the danger of breaking the Peace lies on my side who am naturally treacherous fickle and inconstant but thy Grace can cure that inconstancy Lord stretch forth thy mighty Arm and hold me up that I may never depart from thee may always love to be with thee always delight in thy presence always rejoice in thy love and always seek thy honour and glory Amen Amen CHAP. III. Of the Place where the Lord's Supper is to be eaten the Church and of Private Communion The CONTENTS The Publick Church the fittest Place to receive the Lord's Supper in This proved from the Practice of the Apostles and the succeeding Christians The same proved from Reason and the end for which Christ died Private Communions first began in times of
Face and live for ever to intercede for us and though other significations may be ascribed to that Rite yet Christ being the end of the Law we must refer all principally to him and as the Bread in their Offerings and sacred Ceremonies was variously ordered so it had various significations as the Fathers have observed Bread or Corn while it was yet in the Ear represented Christ vailed and seen darkly under the Law Bread or Corn rather in its Flower Christ as he was preached by the Prophets Bread formed and perfected Christ as he was clad in Flesh Bread baken in an Oven Christ being in the Virgin 's Womb Bread fry'd in the Pan Christ in his Torments and Agonies Bread toasted Christ being Crucified I will not warrant all these Applications from Scripture however being pious and according to the Analogy of Faith they ought not to be superciliously rejected 2. Bread is the Sign of Friendship It was so not only among the Jews but the ancient Pythagoreans too whose Symbol it was Take heed of breaking the Loaf i. e. Friendship and that which makes it an Emblem of Amity and Love is because many Corns go together to make one Loaf and the several parts are closely compacted do perfectly agree and are united and incorporated one with the other Christ therefore made use of Bread not only to tell us that by eating of this Bread we are made the Friends of Christ and Christ is made our Friend if we eat as becomes the Gospel of Christ but to hint to us how we that call our selves Christians should love one another how dear we ought to be one to another and how like Members of the Mystical Body of Christ we ought to be affected with one anothers Misery as in the Natural Body if one Member be afflicted all the rest sympathize with it and if one suffers all feel the Smart and Anguish 3. This was to excite our Hunger after Christ as the sight of Bread raises the Appetite of an hungry Man If Christ be the Bread which came down from Heaven as he saith himself John 6. 51. he must needs be the best the sweetest the purest the cleanest the wholsomest the savouriest and the most nourishing Bread and to a Soul sensible of her own Vileness or Danger the most delicious Object such Souls he frequently calls as knowing that their Inclinations Desires and Breathings to be satisfied with his Favour must needs be vigorous and impatient of Repulses For what makes the Covetous long after Gold or the Seaman in a Storm after his desired Haven the one can satisfie the greedy Man's Necessities the other free the Mariner from Fears and Dangers Christ alone can satisfie the Necessities of a wounded Soul and he is the only Port in which a Soul that 's weary of Sin can find Rest and Ease and Safety from Danger Where Men look upon these earnest Desires as Excesses of Devotion or Effects of a Distempered Brain 't is a sign they were never sensible of the Terror of Sin nor did the Roaring Lyon ever fright their Souls by Suggestions of Despair nor did they ever see themselves undone and miserable else their Hearts and their Flesh would cry out for the living God Ask a Man that 's sinking in the Sea what makes him cry for a Deliverer Ask him that 's fallen among Thieves what makes him long after some good Christian to rescue him Did Men feel the Load of Sin and were their Souls sensible of what they say in the Communion Service that the Burthen is intolerable they would need no Prompter to Cry with David O God thou art my God early will I seek thee My Flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no Water is Psal. 63. 1. 4. Christ used Bread here that whenever we look upon it we might remember our Duty of Dealing our Bread to the Hungry By this Phrase our Kindness and Liberality to the Poor is expressed in Scripture Es. 58. 7. Indeed if we reflect in this Sacrament that we our selves are Beggars and expect Alms from our gracious Master we have great reason to do by the Poor and Needy as we would have God do by our miserable Souls when we come to this Table how justly might he say to us as Christ to the Woman of Canaan It 's not meet to take the Childrens Bread and give it unto Dogs for how often have we with the Dog returned to the Vomit but he deals not with us after our Sins He bids us open our Mouths wide and he will fill them not with Quailes and Manna but with that which outlasts both these and then how natural is the Inference Hath my God fed me a poor Worm this Day with the richest Bread and shall I let his poor Members starve Hath he in compassion to my starved Soul enriched it with his Love this day and shall not I express my Love to those who are in want of common and ordinary Food The Preceding Considerations reduced to Practice I. THIS puts us in mind of the Apostles saying 1 Cor. 1. 27. God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the Wise and hath chosen the weak things of the World to confound those that are mighty Behold when Christ institutes the Ordinances of the Eucharist the greatest Feast the richest Banquet that ever was seen or frequented by Mortal Men he ransacks not the Sea for Rarities nor bids his Servants kill and slay the Fowls of the Air or the Cattle upon a Thousand Hills but Bread plain common ordinary Bread he causes to be set upon the Table and by that expresses the sublimeâ—t Mystery of our Religion God is not for outward Pomp nor did he ever matter external Magnificence but by plain and simple Things he hath done the greatest Miracles These were not wrought by Men clad in royal Robes but by Persons who wore hairy Garments and had Leathern Girdles about their Loins by Men that wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins in Caves and Dens of the Earth of whom the World was not worthy by Men whom the World looked upon as mad and had seldom any Recourse to but when Necessity forced them and they knew not how to make shift without them By the most contemptible Things he hath wrought the greatest Deliverances Indeed Nothing declares his Power or Majesty so much as when he makes use of the meanest Things to effect those which are greatest By Lice and Frogs and Caterpillars he destroys the Land of Egypt and by Three Hundred undisciplin'd Men he defeats the vast Army of Midianites When he brings the First-Begotten into the World and bids all the Angels of Heaven worship him all this State and Grandeur is performed in a Stable in a Manger in a Cradle And as God by the plainest and simplest Things loves to bring Things of the greatest Consequence to pass so he is for the plainest Devotion too The Pharisee's Sounding a Trumpet when he
yet still these Spirits as bright as they were were Creatures and as Creatures mutable and as mutable subject to falling and falling might expect Mercy and Compassion from an All-merciful Master yet in the great Work of Redemption no Regard is had to them but to Man only and he alone with his Race and Posterity is put in a Possibility of being saved and pardon'd a Mercy fit to be remembred in this Sacrament but not to be remembred without Thanksgiving and Praises 4. For the Opportunity we have of remembring Christ's Death in the holy Sacrament That we have Liberty to meet in the House of God to behold his Power and Glory to speak of his Love and Compassion and to come to his Table and to come of often and so freely without Disturbance or Molestation without Fear of Danger from the Tabernacles of Edom or from the Ishmaelites from Moab or the Hagarens Though these are Things which seem to be no great matter to an Eye that looks on Things superficially yet to a Person that knows how in the Greek Church the holy Sacrament is consecrated but once a Year how in Heathenish Countries where Ministers of the Word are scarce this Ordinance is used but seldom and how great an Hindrance to Goodness the celebrating it but rarely is how apt the Inward Man in such Cases is to faint and languish and grow sick for want of it will think himself obliged to open his Heart and Mouth in Praises at this holy Table and adore the Divine Bounty which hath given him Will and Strength and Opportunity to come to this comfortable Ordinance 5. For feeling our Hearts affected with the Mystery of Reconciliation or finding in our selves those happy Qualifications which make us worthy Receivers at this Table To feel in our Hearts a lively Faith a Faith which with Moses sees him that is invisible a Faith that overcomes the World a Faith that purifies the Heart a Faith that with Abraham moves us to sacrifice and offer that to God which is most dear to us a Faith that makes us patient under Reproaches and Injuries a Faith that is fruitful in good Works To find in our selves an Hope that makes not ashamed an Hope that makes us wait for the Kingdom of God as the Husbandman waits for the Fruit of the Earth an Hope that upholds our Hearts in Afflictions an Hope that makes us look upon that within the Vail into the Sanctuary of Heaven and counts the Troubles of this present Life not worthy to be compared with the Glory which ere long shall be revealed in us To find in our selves an holy Charity which believes the best of our Neighbours and thinks no Evil except there be very great Cause for it a Charity which suppresses Revenge and Malice and not only suppresses it for the present but labours to destroy it too a Charity which moves us to Kindness and Compassion not only verbal but actual a Charity which makes us tender-hearted forgiving one another and forbearing one another To find all this in some measure must needs fill our Hearts with strong Desires and Endeavours to be thankful VII This Praise and Thanksgiving cannot but be essential to this holy Sacrament not a mere Ornamental Thing without which the blessed Effects may be perceived and felt For 1. Is it possible to behold God's bleeding Love and not cry Praise the Lord O Jerusalem Praise thy God O Zion Is it possible to see the surprizing Humiliation of the Son of God and not to say Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Is it possible to see God offer himself for his Enemies and not to sâ—ng Lord what is Man that thou so regardest him and the Sons and Daughters of Men that thou hast such Respect to them Is it possible to see Innocence nailed to the fatal Cross not for any Sins of its own but for our Transgressions and not to break forth into Admiration with St. John Behold what manner of Love the Father hath shewn to us that we should be called the Sons of God The Heart must be of Stone that can survey these Wonders and be silent or dumb to joyful Praises 2. What Comfort or Consolation can be supposed to flow into the Soul without it Praise is the Gate of Mercy The Soul that praises the Divine Love much will have a greater Sense of his Love and feel the Power of it and feel how it melts the Heart supples the Spirit softens the Inward Man and makes it fit for the Impress of the Image of the Son of God As the Jews say of the Spirit of Prophesse That it rests on valiant and chearful Men so it may be said of the Divine Love Where the Soul is much and often engaged in Praises of it there it loves to dwell there it is ready to build Tabernacles and take up its Residence The Preceeding Considerations reduced to Practice I. EVen the meanest Capacities from hence learn the Way to arrive to holy Thoughts viz. by making the most ordinary Blessings Occasions of Praise and Thanksgiving Nothing is more common than Bread yet for this the Son of Man gave Thanks and in doing so bid us imitate his Practice when the like familiar Mercies come before us or present themselves to our View About the Time of the Council at Constance two Cardinals as they were travelling upon the Road not far from the City saw a poor Shepherd weeping and thinking that some sad Accident might have befallen him either his Dog lost or some of his Sheep stolen had the Curiosity to ask him the Reason of his Tears who answer'd I am looking here upon a Toad and cannot but weep to think what an ungrateful Beast I have been to my God to whom I never before in all my Life gave Thanks that he â—e did not make me so homely and so odious a Creature The Truth is you and I can hardly walk the Street but we meet with Men either ragged or lame or maim'd or blind or dumb or some other way deform'd and extreamly miserable Can we look on such Objects and not think with our selves what a Favour and Mercy it was in our great and gracious God not to plunge us into that wretched State but to give us Necessaries and Conveniencies a right Shape and Soundness of Limbs c. These 't is true are but very ordinary Blessings yet if we consider how many Thousands want them and that God who can do all Things and whose Hand is to be seen in all Things might as easily have reduced us to such a miserable Condition as he hath done others and that it is nothing but his Infinite Goodness and Wisdom that hath made this Distinction this cannot but quicken our Understandings And if so none of us can complain that we have no Faculty of furnishing our Minds with holy Thoughts To this purpose certainly was our Reason given us that we might
serious Reflections on his Death and Agonies and the Bitterness of his Passion It being spoken to our Souls not to our Bodies to take and eat this Body the Soul hath no other Way to feed upon it but by a pathetick Consideration of the Particulars of that Death and the End and Design of God in it and the Comforts and the Benefits that thereby redound to Mankind and such a Consideration as affects our Souls touches them to the quick and puts them on serious Enquiries into our wretched State and makes them break forth into Flames of Love so that though Christ's Body was crucified above Sixteen Hundred Years agone yet a pious Soul can eat it at this Day swallow the Charity which appears in it with her Thoughts consider who it is that is so wonderfully concerned for her Safety look upon him whom her Sins have pierced and take a View of that Man of Sorrows who was bruised for her Iniquities and wounded for her Transgressions and admire the Miracles that are to be seen in all this 2. To eat Christ's Body is to apply the Benefits of his Death and Passion to our Souls and to rejoyce in them as our greatest Treasure As he that eats with his Bodily Organs applies the Food he takes with his Hands to his Mouth and Body and converts it into Blood and Substance so the pious Soul is pleased with this Spiritual Meat is refreshed by it and applies the Benefits of that crucified Body to her self and with the Thoughts of Peace and Pardon and Salvation which are the Blessings that drop from that Tree arms her self against the Assaults of the Devil and the Terrours of Death and believing without wavering that those Mercies were purchased for her in particular and that she hath a Right and Title to them stands up in the evil Day and in the midst of Temptations boldly cries with the Apostle Who is he that condemns It is Christ that died Rom. 8. 34. 3. To make this crucified Body a Persuasive and Motive to Holiness and Obedience To conclude from thence that if he gave himself for us to redeem us from all Iniquity then we must not frustrate his Expectation nor cling to that Iniquity which he came to free us from And if he died to purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous for good Works then we must not defile our selves after that nor wallow in the Mire any more with the Swine but cleanse our Minds from carnal covetous and lustful Thoughts our Wills from Perversenes and Stubbornness our Affections from Fondness of this present World and our Hands from Uncleanness His zealous Love to us must make us zealous for his Glory to him we must consecrate our selves and to be holy as he is holy must be the Business of our Lives and so to love him as to keep his Commandments must henceforward be looked upon as our bounden Duty He truly eats this crucified Body upon whom this Crucifixion hath that Power as to crucifie in him his known Lusts and Passions and to engage him to purifie himself from all Filthiness both of Soul and Body The Preceding Considerations reduced to Practice I. IN all Writings both Ancient and Modern about this holy Sacrament there are various Rhetorical Expressions used which we must not understand literally but as Flowers strowed upon the Herse of our Blessed Redeemer and as Ornaments of Speech to represent the Greatness of the Mystery There is nothing more common among the Fathers than to call the Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper the Body and Blood of Christ and the Cup the Vessel in which Christ's Blood is contained And many times Christ is said to stand at the Altar and all the holy Angels waiting at the Table that Christ offers his Body to be bruised by the People's Teeth and dyes them red with his Blood that the Elements are changed and become the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus and that after Prayer and Thanksgiving they are no more what they were before and a Thousand such Expressions besides From which the Church of Rome presently infers that they believed a Transubstantiation or a Conversion of the Elements into the Substance of Christ's Body and Blood than which nothing can be more absurd For if a Man compare these Saying of the Ancients with other Passages in their Writings it plainly appears that they meant no more than that the Elements are representative of all this and that the Expressions they use are nothing but Rhetorical Flourishes to raise the People's Affections and to render their Devotions brisk lively servent affectionate and vigorous We do the same at this Day when we tell you that you come to feast with Christ that in this Sacrament he is crucified before you Eyes that you may see his Blood run down that you hear him groan under the Burthen of your Sins that you see here his Body hanging on the Cross that you are to stand under the Tree and catch the precious Gore as Balsam for your Souls All which is true in a spiritual Sense and we do it to make you more attentive and set this Passion out in such lively Characters that your Souls may be touch'd and enliven'd and as Things represented in brighter Colours strike the Senses more so we speak of these Things as if they were visible and perceptible to the outward Eyes that your Souls may more chearfully feed on the Kernel that lies in those Shells and with greater Life embrace the glorious Benefits which come to you by that precious Sacrifice II. By the same Way that Man was lost by the same Way he must recover He was undone by eating He must be made whole again by eating By eating he died By eating he must come to Life again That Day thou eatest of this Tree thou shalt surely die saith God And the same saith God of this holy Sacrament That Day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely live The Fruit in Paradise became a Savour of Death unto Death unto him The holy Bread in this Sacrament becomes a Savour of Life unto Life unto him That Eating brought him into Slavery This gives him a Title to the glorious Liberty of God's Children In eating that Fruit he thought to be like God and made himself worse than the Beasts that perish By eating of this Bread he is enabled to become like unto the Son of God by being changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory That Eating made him sick This is Health to his Navel and Maerrow to his Bones Prov. 3. 8. That brought the Plague This delivers from it That filled him with Wounds and Bruises and putrifying Sores This makes his Flesh come again like unto the Flesh of a little Child In a Word By eating God's Favour was forfeited By eating it is regained Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the Children of Zion be joyful in their King for the Lord takes pleasure in his People he will
And from hence flows the joyful Exclamation of the Apostle Gal. 2. 20. Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ lives in me and the Life I now live I live by Faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me For this Faith enlightens the Soul gives it clear Apprehensions of Christ's Love makes her active and lively and teaches her to overcome the World 1 John 5. 4. 4. This Remembrance is making Approaches to Heaven and Eternal Happiness Every fresh Remembrance is another Step to Paradise What an Encouragement is this to come to the holy Sacrament Every time we thus remember the Death of Christ we get nearer to the Throne on which the victorious Son of God sits triumphing over Hell and Devils For the oftner he is remembred thus the more our Souls are elevated and become more spiritual in their Aspirations and the farther we proceed in Grace the nearer we come to Glory Heaven in Scripture is compared to an Hill and is the Mount where God is seen Every time we come to the Table of our Lord and remember him thus we climb higher and mount up with Wings as Eagles till at last we reach the Top where there is a perfect Calm no Air no Wind no Tempest no infectious Breath to disturb the Conquerors IV. But though the Death of Christ be the chief Object of our Remembrance at this holy Table yet that is no Argument but that we may lawfully remember some other Things relating to his Person or Greatness or Holiness particularly 1. His Divine Life before he was Incarnate A Life which no mortal Tongue can describe A Life in the Explication of which the blessed Cheruhims themselves must fall short A Life known to none but to him who knows all who hath Life in himself and is the Life and the Father of the Spirits of all Flesh. How truly might he say to the Jews Joh. 8. 58. Before Abraham was I am He was indeed from all Eternity lived in the Bosom of the Everlasting Father and his Life was most pure some holy most peaceable most pleasant most glorious A Life of infinite Content of infinite Satisfaction of infinite Joy and of infinite Love A Life spent in Eternal Love of the great Fountain of Divinity the express Image of which he was A Life employed in kind Thoughts to poor Mortals and in Divine Contrivances how their Misery might be retriv'd their Bands loosen'd their Dangers overcome their Enemies vanquished and their Souls advanced to Celestial Mansions A Life undisturbed by the Noise of Wars unacquainted with Tumults free from all Annoyances unmolested by the Disorders of a giddy and confused World A Life of Eternal Calmness which no Waves no Billows no Wind no Storms no Tempests could discompose A Life of perfect Serenity and immense Sweetness A Life employed in the Eternal and Incomprehensible Enjoyment of his own Perfections and which the inspired King gives us a very lofty Description of Prov. 1. This life Christ lived before he was pleased to visit this benighted World with his healing Beams and it concerns us to remember this Life that from that Consideration his Humiliation in coming to dwell among us may appear in livelier Colours 2. To this may be added His laborious Life here on Earth after he was Incarnate A Life despicable from his Infancy contemptible from his Cradle A Life of Poverty a Life of great Misery of Distress and a Thousand Inconveniencies A Life he lived to let us know that the meanest and most miserable outward Condition is no Lett or Impediment to our being beloved and esteemed in Heaven A Life he lived to shew with what Patience and Courage we are to bear the Troubles that a merciful God lays or sends upon us A Life he lived to declare to his Disciples that through many Afflictions they are to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and are not to promise themselves great Ease and Rest here but are to look for a Recompence in the Resurrection of the Just A Life employed in doing good to shew that we are not to be idle here but to busie our selves in that Work which will give the greatest Satisfaction even working out our own Salvation with Fear and Trembling A Life he lived for our sakes to facilitate our Access to Pardon and the Throne of Mercy A Life he lived to make our Lives comfortable and the Remembrance of this Life must needs inhaunce our Esteem of his unparallell'd Goodness who could and would deny himself both in the Glory of his Divinity and the Comforts of this present Life for our Good and the Welfare of our Souls The Preceding Considerations reduced to Practice I. CHrist's Example makes it lawful to set up Monuments of Mercies and to preserve the Memory of any signal Deliverance or Providence either by External Symbols or by keeping Anniversaries and Days of Devotion Indeed this was a very ancient Practice countenanced by God and warranted by his Approbation It was from hence that Moses preserved a Pot of Manna to put After-Generations in mind how God had fed his People in the Wilderness And Moses said This is the thing which the Lord commandeth Fill an Omer of it to be kept for your Generations that they may see the Bread wherewith I have fed you in the Wilderness when I brought you forth out of the Land of Egypt Exod. 16. 32. It was from hence that Aaron's Rod budding blossoming and bearing Fruit was kept in the Ark to tell Posterity how miraculously the Priestood was established in the Line of Aaron and for a Token against the Rebels as the Holy Ghost speaks Numb 17. 10. It was from hence that Joshua commanded Twelve Stones to be taken out of the River Jordan That this says he may be a Sign among you that when your Children ask their Fathers in time to come saying What mean you by these Stones Then ye shall answer them That the Waters of Jordan were cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord when it passed over Jordan And these Stones shall be for a Memorial unto the Children of Israel for ever Josh. 4. 6 7. In imitation of these Precedents the Jewish Church afterward of their own Accord unanimously agreed to keep an Anniversary to remember their Deliverance from the Rage of Haman Esth. 9. 17. Both Eusebius and Sozomen tells us of a Statue which the Woman who was cured by our Saviour of her Bloody Issue erected to his Honour at Caesarea which lasted a considerable time till Julian the Apostate pulled it down and erected his own in the room of it After such Examples who can think it unlawful for a private Christian to keep either a Fast or a Day of Thanksgiving when either some signal Affliction hath befallen him or some remarkable Mercy hath happen'd to him and to spend that Day in Exercises of Devotion whereby he may either work his Soul into greater Detestation of
a just cause lascivious desires and appetites and revengeful actions c. have so severe a Sanction annexed to them if they be cherished and lov'd is this because the less they are the sooner and the more easily they are avoided and therefore it must argue strange aversion from God not to oblige him in so small a thing and that Men after they have enter'd into this solemn Covenant at the Table of the Lord may be allur'd and enticed by Temptations and perswaded to allow themselves in known Sins both great and small and thereby null the Covenant we have no reason to question since Experience is beyond all Witnesses in the World 7. The only Plank left us after the Covenant is thus broken and null'd to swim out of the Gulph of perdition and to regain God's favour is confess'd on all hands to be true and deep repentance and particularly a Repentance attended with Fasting Alms and great future Self-denials In the stricter Ages of Christianity especially in the Second and Third Centuries it was very much question'd whether a Person who had solemnly and deliberately entr'd into a Covenant with God either in Baptism or in the Lord's Supper if afterwards he fell into some of these three Sins Adultery Murther or Idolatry was capable of regaining the favour of God promis'd in this Covenant The African Churches especially were very stiff in this point yet the more moderate allow'd of a Second Repentance reckoning the first to be that which had been made by adult Persons in either of these Sacraments and the second if after a new fall or wilful precipitation into any of these crimes he rose again with very great purposes and resolutions but if a Man fell again into any of these Sins after the Second Repentance they look'd upon the Third as impossible Others though they did not exclude the Persons thus fallen totally from the possibility of God's favour and Salvation in case he repented either the Second or third time yet did not think fit to receive him again into the Communion of the Church and this which the African Fathers look'd upon only as a thing convenient Novatus enrag'd it 's like because he could not be made a Bishop improved into absolute necessity which made his followers exclude all such Persons as were fallen after their first Repentance into any of these Sins from their Communion That which gave occasion to this Doctrine was their too rigid interpretation of some places in Scripture particularly that of Heb. 6. 4 5 6. and the other 1 Joh. 5. 16. which places are to be understood rather of a malicious denying the Faith and forsaking the very Profession of Christianity and turning Jew Heathen or Infidel than of the aforesaid acts of Sin The Roman Church was the first that receiv'd such sinners after a tedious and laborious Repentance into their Communion again for which Tertullian expostulates with the Bishop of Rome and accuses him of Rashness imprudence and breach of the ancient Canons However since the Apostle himself 2. Cor. 2. 7. received the incestuous Person into the Communion of the Church of Corinth and desired the Corinthians to do the like after a sufficient demonstration of his Repentance after such falls into wilful and habitual Sins be sincere and true exemplary and laborious that there is just hopes such a person may renew his Covenant get a Title again to the promises of it and be readmitted to God's Favour and Complacency But then 1. This Repentance ought to be speedy To live long in such Sins after the first wilful breach of this Covenant is dangerous hardens the Heart gives the Devil greater power over the Soul and the Person thus sining knows not but he may be given up to hardness of Heart and to reprobate mind in which condition he may be snatcht away by Death and haled to the great Tribunal 2. Such a Person must not make a trade of Repenting and sinning for if he fall often into the same Sin and still pretends to repent it s a sign the Repentance is counterfeit his love to God fickle and unsincere his resistances of God's Spirit strong and the inward Man left without a Guard to secure it against the assaults of the Devil 3. Upon this new Repentance greater watchfulness than ordinary must be used and the Penitent must become a gainer by his Sins i. e. the dreadfulness of his fall must help toward the great exemplariness of his Life and the Sins he hath lived in must make them dread them more than ever A very signal growth in Grace must succeed his Fall and the Ball having been struck against the ground must now rebound the higher His time must now be redeem'd and he that hath been so careless must now double his diligence He must therefore love much now because he expects much should be forgiven him and his greater fervor in Religion is the best demonstration of his unfeigned return from his Apostacy The Preceding Considerations reduced to Practice I. IT must needs be great presumption for Men and Women to enter into a solemn Covenant with God in this Sacrament and not to consider the weight and importance of it Christian when thou enter'st into this Covenant with the Holy Trinity thou solemnly obligest thy self that as thou hopest for Heaven and Happiness as thou hopest for Pardon and Salvation as thou hopest to have thy Sins wash'd away with the precious Blood of Christ thou wilt take Christ's Yoke upon thee endeavour to be humble and meek as he was learn of him and die to the World crucifie thy Lusts and Affections fight against the vanities of the World and labour to conâ—orm to the great example of that Saviour that spilt his dearest Blood for thee Either thou understandest what this engagement means or thou dost not If not how darest thou touch the Sacred Elements with polluted Hands If thou understandest it and art not firmly resolv'd to take care to perform what thou promisest so solemnly how dost thou think to escape the Judgement of God Art thou afraid of breaking a solemn promise made to a Prince and great Man whose Smile or Frown can either help or prejudice thee much and art thou not afraid of violating thy Engagements to the great God of Heaven What dost thou make of God Dost thou take him to be some Heathen Deity that hath Eyes and sees not Ears and hears not Dost thou oblige thy self to be his Subject and dost thou turn Rebel His Child and become a Prodigal His Confederate and conspire against him with his Enemies Dost thou take him for thy Lord and wilt not thou do what he saith If these thy unfaithful dealings with thy Lord and Master be enter'd into Gods Book of Accounts as certainly they are and the black Roll shall at last be open'd and read in thine Ears dost not thou think what Terror Amazement and Confusion thou wilt be in O Sinner There is no jesting with
and Feet and Gestures and Behaviour thy Reason Memory and Passion should all be at his beck move by his prescription act according to his appointment be seasoned with his Grace and conducted by his Wisdom If thou art content that all shall go rather than his Favour if his Love or a share in it be dearer to thee than the dearest of all outward enjoyments be of good cheer it 's a good sign and thou mayst rationally infer that thou art in Covenant with thy Lord and hast a right to all the priviledges that are annex'd to it for thy encouragement V. And here we may justly reflect what a mercy it is to be in Covenant with God a mercy indeed which no Tongue can express nay no Apollos neither as eloquent as he was can describe no Tertullus no Cicero no Demosthenes represent according to its worth a mercy which no Man knows save he who receives it a mercy weich fills the Tongues of departed Saints with praises a mercy which unhappy Souls that groan among Devils would give Millions for if they had them a mercy which sweetens all Conditions makes Sickness easie and Iron Chains sit soft mitigates pain and tempers grief and anguish A mercy which made the penitent Publican stand confounded amaz'd the humble Magdalen caused St. Paul to go chearfully through Stripes and Imprisonment and encouraged the Believers of old to defie death and torments He that is in Covenant with God enjoys all that Son of God enjoys though not as yet in fruition and possession yet in title and reversion God the Father carries him on his Wings as the Eagle doth her young the Eternal Son of God is his faithful Friend The Holy Spirit of God speaks to him in the still voice of peace and comfort He that is in this Covenant is safe in the midst of Spears and Arrows safe when he goes through the Water safe when he passes through the Fire safe when the Waves do roar safe when Hell gapes upon him safe in a Storm safe at Sea safe on the Shore safe in his Life safe in his Death God is concern'd for him in all his afflictions He is afflicted The Lord Jesus is touch'd with his infirmities and the Spirit of God makes intercessions for him with groans that cannot be utter'd In a word there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus to them that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. The PRAYER O God! whose pity is infinite whose compassion knows no bounds How shall I extol thy Humiliation How shall I admire thy condescension to this poor Worm Will God the Great the omnipotent God look upon such an one as I Wilt thou enter into a Covenant with this lump of Clay wilt thou tye and oblige thy self to do me good The Favour is wonderful I could not have thought it possible but that thou hast most graciously revealed it to me I believe Lord help my unbelief Behold I am Servant the Son the Daughter of thine Handmaid Be it unto me according unto thy Word I accept of thy offer I count my self happy that I may be admitted into Covenant with thee I renounce the Devil and all his Works Thou shalt be my Master my Father my Guide my Director my King and my God my Master to command me my Father to counsel me my Guide to lead me my Director to conduct me my King to rule me my God to dispose of me as thou pleasest I will know no Will but thy Will By the Blood of the Covenant unite my Will to thy Will Grant me to desire what thou delightest in desiring to search after it searching to know it and knowing it to fulfil it Make me O Lord for thou alone canst do it make me Obedient without contradiction Holy without defection Chast without corruption Patient without murmuring Humble without dissimulation Chearful without licentiousness Sorrowful without dejection Grave without affectation nimble in Religion without lightness Fearful without despair Upright without Hypocrisie and fruitful in good Works without presumption Give me a watchful Heart a Heart not easily drawn away by vain imaginations a Heart unbroken by afflictions unaffected with the vanities of the World that may not swell with prosperity nor sink in adversity Grant me understanding to know thee diligence to seek thee wisdom to find thee a readiness to please thee perseverance to wait for thee and confidence at last to embrace thee O Holy and Eternal Spirit I depend upon thy assistance Make me faithful to my God faithful to my Neighbour faithful to mine own Soul faithful in my Calling faithful in the discharge of my Duty faithful in my Promises faithful in my Conversation faithful in my Love faithful in my Obedience faithful in thy House faithful in mine own faithful unto Death that I may obtain a Crown of Life through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen CHAP. XV. Of frequent receiving the Holy Communion and the necessity of it The ONTENTS Frequent coming to the Lord's Table the Practise of the Primitive Christians Receiving every Lord's Day an universal observance Different Customs in different Churches Decay of a good life the cause of Communicating seldom The necessity of frequent Communicating shewn in four particulars as the Eucharist is a great preservative against Sin an engagement to emulate Christ's Virtues a Motive to Charity and the frequent coming a thing very pleasing to God Inquiry made how often a conscientious Christian is bound to Communicate The measures of that Obligation to be taken partly from the Orders of the Church we live in and partly from the fervency of our love to Christ. An Objection drawn from the danger of contempt and disesteem of the Ordinance if we come often answered Arguments to prove that lawful business in the World is no just impediment of Communicating frequently An Expostulation pressing frequent Receiving The frequent Communicant an Object of Divine Mercy The Prayer I. THough the Example of the Primitive Believers is not properly a Law yet we may have leave to infer so much from it that being well acquainted with the Will of Christ and his Apostles in those Practises especially which were universal we ought not without very urgent reasons to depart from that Pattern and if this Rule hold frequent communicating at the Lords Table will become if not absolutely necessary yet highly useful and expedient since it was the practise of the best of Men in the best of Ages and of this the Acts of the Holy Apostles give us a very large account particularly Ch. 2. 42. 46. which place being generally understood of the Eucharist it must follow that the Believers did daily participate of it But this seems to have been a custom peculiar to the Church of Jerusalem for though St. â—yprian St. Chrysostom and St. Austin speak of some places in their time where the daily Sacrifice was celebrated yet even in the Apostles days we find other Churches did
a Month is a just distance to take notice what progress we make in Goodness and what effects the last Communion hath upon our Spirits and though I can alledge no express Command for it out of the Word of God yet there is a Command which imports as much even this Obey them that have the Rule over you in the Lord and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give an account that they do it with Joy and not with Grief Heb. 13. 17. But these Arguments are needless to a Soul that hath a lively Sense of the Love of God Love will run without a driver and there needs no pulling or haling him to the Communion who hath seen and tasted how sweet and how gracious the Lord is That inward Sense will make him come frequently whether his Superiours command him or no. He that doth nothing in Religion but what his Governoâ—s force him to doth not yet understand what that means The Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts He that hath this Sense finds a Law within stronger than the Law of all Superiors and which hath greater power with him than all external motives He that loves Christ fervently will love to be with him frequently and since the Communion Table is the place where Christ hath promised to him he 'll be as often there as he can except Sickness or some such inevitable impediments hinder him the rather because here Men hear the joyful sound of Pardon and walk in the light of Godâ—s Countenance Psal. 89. 15. IV. But because I foresee it will be objected here That frequent Communicating will abate our esteem and veneration of this Sacrament as all things when grown common and familiar are apt to breed contempt and carelesness It 's fit I should answer and remove that pretended stumbling-block And therefore 1. It cannot be frequent Communicating consider'd in it self that abates our Zeal and Fervor to this Ordinance for let the Communion be never so frequent the Arguments and Motives are still the same their Grandeur Strength Force and Power is still the same still these are able to kindle holy Fire on the Altars of our Souls to raise admiration of God's Mercies aud to enliven our Spirits into Conscientiousness and severity of life and if this be the natural tendency of these Motivies at one time it is so to another and consequently the abatement of our esteem and veneration is not the necessary effect of frequent Communicating and in this the Primitive Believers are a signal instance who though they Communicated some every day some every Lord's day yet did not that frequency lessen their Veneration of these mysteries It rather increas'd and cherish'd it and we have reason to ascribe their contempt of Sublunary Contents their Courage in Adversity their Valour in Persecution their ardent desires after another Life their invincible Patience under reproaches their Constancy in the severest Tryals their wonderful Joy in Troubles and their prodigious Self-denials to this frequent Communicating This as it was a means to set their Master always before their Eyes so it left an aw upon their Spirits not to dishonour him by their lives This was a perpetual curb to their Lusts and having his Image constantly before them made them walk as Children of their Father which is in Heaven so that if frequent Communicating be not the necessary cause of an abatement in our veneration of this Sacrament it must be some other accidental thing which may be remedied that must occasion it And therefore 2. Some decay in the Receiver some indisposition in the inward Man must be charged with this dis-esteem of the ordinance and it is not the frequent Communicating that is the cause but want of care and watchfulneâ—s in the Communicant Indeed where People approach this Holy Table frequently and bring no Hearts with them no desires after a better Life do not think it worth while to spend serious thoughts on the Death they are going to remember come to it without any design of being like Christ premise only a few Prayers out of Custom touch the Ark with unwashen hands dive not into their hearts nor do prepare themselves for this Banquet thrust themselves in as the Guest in the Gospel without suitable Ornaments do not plow up the fallow Ground or do not make it soft and Mellow with Meditation and Praises and consider not what they come for or to what end and purpose they give their attendance at the Altar there we need not wonder if frequent Communicating abates their esteem and veneration of this Sacrament but this is their Sin and frequent Communion is not to be blamed it 's their love to the World that will not suffer them to bring that attention watchfulness and devotion with them as is requisite to the comfortable use of this Ordinance a Sin which must be deplored and like the cursed thing in the Camp of Israel removed before they come to see the goings of God in the Sanctuary The Covetous Man abates not in his esteem of his Wealth and Treasure though he look upon it every day and the reason is because his Affections are set upon it and were our Affections set upon him from whose fulness we all received Grace for Grace our frequent Communicating would be so far from lessening our esteem of this Sacrament that it would render it more lovely and more amiable to our Souls Two Men of the same Trade live together the one grows rich the other continues poor the one thrives the other decays because the one is industrious the other lazy one minds his business the other lies in Ale-houses and Taverns This is the Case here if some fall into a disesteem of the greatness of this Ordinance by frequent Communicating it is because they take no pains with their Souls before they Communicate whereas others who are laborious and careful though they recieve never so often they go on from strength to strength till every one of them appears before God in Sion V. But since frequent Communication requires frequent Preparation and frequent Preparation is a thing that Persons who have much business in the World cannot attend how can it be supposed necessary for such to Communicate frequently Though Preparation be a Subject that I intend to spend a distinct Chapter upon yet something may be said of it here by the by and by way of anticipation to shew the weakness of this excuse and the vanity of this exception And therefore 1. Business is either lawful or unlawful If it be unlawful no conscentious Man must either involve himself in it or continue to mind it for whoever applys his Thoughts Desires or Affections to any business of that nature puts himself in a state of Damnation and hangs over Hell fire by a very weak and feeble Thread even this Transitory Life which if it chance to break his Soul is lost in a word unlawful business makes a
and Lye and Cheat no more and yet forgets the Oath of God that is upon his Soul and dares fall to his old Sins again that Man's last Estate is worse than the first and he slights him by whom he must be saved despises him who alone can make him happy refuses that Blood which alone can cleanse him undervalues the only Champion that can secure him against the Rage of the roaring Lion loses and rejects the Prop which alone can support him against the wrath of an offended God and affronts that Friend which alone can help and comfort him in the day of Vengeance II. This Sacrament being a standing Ordinance and a notable means of Grace as much as Prayer and hearing the Word of God it must necessarily follow that Men who look for Grace and Salvation must make as great Conscience of this as of any other and if they account it a Sin to neglect Prayer and hearing the Word they must look upon it as sinful too to neglect this Ordinance If this be a means of Salvation as well as the rest he that hopes to be saved must seriously make use of this means else he can have but little hopes of arriving to the end without the means Surely this Sacrament is a means whereby you and I must come to love the Lord Jesus Christ a Duty of that consequence that he that love him not in sincerity lies under a severe threatning and is liable to a dreadful Curse 1 Cor. 16. 22. But how shall we ever love him to any purpose except we use the means whereby that Love must be raised and kindled in our Breast Doth any Man hope to thrive in the World that will not bestir himself become active in his profession and apply himself to Labour Does any Man hope ot arrive to Learning and Scholarship without Books or Reading Does any Person hope to keep himself warm in Winter that puts on no Cloaths Or was ever any so foolish as to hope to come to his Journies end if he sits still in a Tavern or Alehouse by the way If this Sacrament be a means of obtaining Happiness will that Happiness fall to our share without using the proper means If thou refusest to come to this Ordinance how can God be kind to thee how can he visit thee with the Favour he bears to his own People How can he wash thee with the Blood of the Lamb How can he make thee Blessed and a companion of Seraphim and give thee a right to the Treasury of Christ's merits when thou neglectest the means whereby these Mercies must be consigned and applied to thy Soul And therefore III. How wretched how sad must be the case of that Soul which neglects to shew forth the Lord's Death in this Ordinance when the Lord shall come to Judgment When the Son of God shall appear in all his Glory and the Sinner who neglected this Holy Sacrament shall be brought before him it will not be an ordinary fright the wretch will be in especially when the King of Glory shall accost and ask him How canst thou hope to share in my Glory that didst not think my Death worth remembring in the Congregation of my Saints How canst thou hope to participate of my Happiness that wouldst not weep at my bitter Passion How canst thou hope to be advanced to my Throne who wast ashamed to look upon me hanging on the Cross How canst thou hope to enter into thy Master's Joy that would'st not by lively representations of my suffering in the Sacrament I ordained be melted in Tears How canst thou hope for a seat in the Eternal Mansions where no defiled thing must enter that wouldst not cleanse thy self from filthiness Or how couldst thou hope to be cleansed that wouldst not make use of my Blood to wash thy self Here none can be happy that were not Holy upon Earth and how couldst thou expect to be Holy that didst neglect the means which was intended to enrich thy Soul with Holiness Such an Address of such a Majestick Person and to an offender too that knows and cannot but know that all this is true must necessarily strike the Malefactor dumb fill him with horror and make him cry out though too late O that my Head were Water c. Expostulations of displeased Princes with their Servants that have acted contrary to their Will in things of far less moment have cast them into Grief and Swoons and fatal diseases and we must needs conclude that in the case we speak of as the Person offended is greater than the most puissant Prince in the World and the neglect greater than if a Man had neglected to provide for the security of a Temporal Kingdom so the Expostulations will be more terrible and the Sinner's Heart to whom they shall be spoken in far greater consternation IV. This shews with what temper and disposition we ought to come to this Holy Table even with the same temper we would or desire to be in if within a few hours we were sure to be summoned to Judgment Were any of you to appear to Morrow Morning before the Bar of God and had you all imaginable assurance of it that by such a time you must certainly attend there would you lie or swear or dissemble or break out into a passion or pray carelesly or be backward to do good or be averse from Holy thoughts and discourses c. I trow not and as you would not appear before the Judge with an unmortified temper of Mind so neither can it be adviseable to appear before him at this Table with such a disposition As the appearing before his Judgment Seat would make you call your most serious Thoughts together and make you loath the charms the inticements and the alluring temptations and suggestions of the Flesh and of the World so your appearing at this Table requires the same inclinations for as in the day of Judgment the King will come forth and behold the persons cited into that Court to see whether they are qualified for Heaven and Happiness so in this Feast he comes to look upon the Guests and to see who comes with a worldly and carnal disposition and takes as much notice of the frame and temper of your Hearts as he will do in the last day Here thy great Master comes and takes a view of thy Thoughts Words Desires Affections and Actions whether they proceed from a principle of Love and Submission Happy the Soul that sits down at this Table with a sense of her duty and the greatness and goodness of the Master of the Feast for such a Soul anticipates her future bliss and feels in some measure the sweetness and comfort of the joyful Absolution which shall be pronounced upon her with greater solemnity in the last day even this Come ye blessed of my Father receive the Kingdom c. The PRAYER O Thou Eternal Wisdom who alone knowest what is best for me who hast established this
Ordinance in thy Church and ordained it as a means whereby thy loving Members may come in the unity of the Faith unto a perfect Man It shall be established for ever as the Moon and as a faithful witness in Heaven Give me O give me perseverance in the use of it O Jesu Thou art the promised Seed the promised Messiah the promised desire of all Nations Thou art the fruitful Vine and by the precious Liquor that drops from thee innumerable Souls are cherished and refreshed Thy Sacred Name is as Ointment poured out I smell the rich composition My Soul doth gather strength and life from that perfume I am the wounded Man that 's fallen among Thieves O let thy Blood heal me of my Plagues Thou hast been lifted up to the Cross that the Enemy of Mankind might be troden down O let me participate of the Virtue of that exaltation that I may trample upon his Temptations Thou hast been lifted up to draw me after Thee and to withdraw my Heart from worldly Desires and Affections O lift me up from the Earth that I may relish the comfort of thy Exaltation Thou wast lifted up that thou mightest be beheld by all O let me look upon Thee whom I have pierced by my Sins that I may mourn for them bitterly Thy Holy Arms were stretched out that thou mightest embrace all that come unto Thee I come Lord Take me into thy Arms and love me O let thy Cross be my security against all my Enemies Let thy Wounds be my refuge in the hour of Temptation Let that innocent Blood that dropt from thy Hands and Feet and Side wash away the spots and stains of my abominable Actions Henceforward my Hands and my Heart shall be lifted up in Prayer and Praise and Love and Devotion O direct me and give me grace to obey thy Directions and leave me not till I am past all danger O see me safe through the wilderness of this World that I may for ever Admire and Adore Thee in thy Everlasting Kingdom Amen CHAP. XVII Of Eating and Drinking unworthyly in this Ordinance and the Guilt the unworthy Receiver incurs thereby The CONTENTS Both good and bad Men frighted witb the thoughts of Eating and Drinking unworthily but the good without just cause Wherein unworthy Eating and Drinking doth not consist shewn in Thirteen particulars with the reasons of the assertion and wherein it doth consist The danger of unworthy Eating and Drinking proved to lie in making our selves guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. How Men involve themselves in that guilt discovered A great difference betwixt Receiving unworthily and being not worthy to Receive The great imprudence and Weakness of those that are loath to depart with their Sins and therefore are unwilling to come for fear they should make themselves guilty of the Death of Christ and of Damnation The impudence and boldness of others who come to this Sacrament receive unworthily and are not concerned at their danger The Joys and Comforts which arise from Receiving worthyly The Prayer I. THough from the Premises the Reader may easily guess what is it to Eat and Drink unworthyly and though in Ch. 4. some general notions concerning it have been laid down yet since it is a point which frights not only bad Men but even some of those who are otherwise piously inclin'd from coming to the Lord's Table it will be necessary to give a distinct explication it that neither the bad may think they gain any thing by abstaining nor the good be discouraged from coming As bad Men have no sense of Spiritual things which makes them live merrily in neglect of commanded Duties so not a few of those whose hearts are tender are apt to discompose their minds with needless scruples whereby they too often deprive themselves of the comforts they might reap from God's Ordinances and besides expose themselves to strong Temptations of the Devil who takes pleasure to see good Men in confusion hoping that one time or other they may fall into his net and when they know not how to extricate themselves out of their Labyrinths will shake of the Yoak of all Religion and become his Votaries run into the the other extream and turn either careless or Prophane To prevent these and other dangers it will be convenient to discourse of this Eating and Drinking unworthily first Negatively what it is not and secondly what it is and wherein the sin consists And therefore II. To Eat and Drink unworthily is not 1. To Eat and Drink at this Table with a weak Faith By a weak Faith I mean such a belief of the truth and necessity of the things commanded in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ as makes the Soul ready and willing to do the things required of her but is attended with great fears and doubts with wavering and inconstancy and this weakness proceeds not so much from want of will to submit to Christ as from want of understanding either the extent of the Grace of God or the nature of the Gospel of peace or the design of God in his Providences or the Latitude of true Christian Liberty which defect must needs cause great mistrusts of our safety danger of being scandaliz'd with little things and unsteddiness in Holy Duties as we see Rom. 14. 1 2. c. yet this weakness of Faith doth not make a Man an unworthy receiver 1. Because Christ is willing to receive such into favour and he express'd this willingness in his kind behaviour to the Man we read of Mark 9. 22. Who believed indeed but waveringly and soon after cryed out and said with Tears in his Eyes Lord I believe help thou my unbelief The Disciples of our Lord upon their first adhering to him were at the best but weak in Faith and therefore Christ calls to them so often O ye of little Faith yet he doth not therefore reject them He cherishes the very Seeds of Faith and when it is no bigger than a grain of Muster-Seed he makes much of it Though the Branches of it be but tender yet he doth not Root up the Tree or Command the Husbandman to cut it down lest it should cumber the Ground or throw it into the Fire To which purpose there is an Excellent Character given of him Esa. 40. 11. He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd and gather the Lambs with his Arms and carry them in his Bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young There are Lambs in his Flock as well as Sheep and as these two require various management so both may be confident of his tenderness All Stars do not shine alike yet even those that give not so great a brightness shall be preserved as well as the greater Luminaries Love is an acceptable present to him and though in some like fire under green Wood it burns but dimly yet he 'll quench it no more than he will the more blazing Flames But then when I say he will
you to destruction both of Body and Soul But though this be a kind of general Excommunication yet except the particular Persons be taken notice of and branded by the Church a private Chrstian must judge charitably of those that come and if he do so their Impiety cannot hinder him from being a worthy Partaker of the Sacrament I have been the longer upon this Point because I have known it to be a great Scruple that hath hinder'd many from coming to the Lord's Table being possessed with Fear that if they should meet with such Persons there they should eat and drink unworthily 12. Eating and Drinking at this Table with some scruples upon the Mind doth not necessarily make a Man an unworthy Receiver By a scrupulous Conscience I do not mean an erroneous nor a doubtful Conscience the former being when a Person thinks that his Duty which is directly against the Word and Will of God as it was with the Jews Joh. 16. 2. The other when a Person doubts whether such and such Actions be lawful or unlawful as it was with those Christians Rom. 14. 23. But a scrupulous Conscience proceeds from fear and fear caus'd by slight and weak Arguments whereby a Person is satisfied that such a Thing or Action is his Duty but Melancholy or the Devil or Converse with scrupulous Persons inject some Thoughts which makes a Person fluctuate or waver in his performance For example a Man conscious of his own wants knows that coming to the Lord's Table is his Duty and accordingly he comes yet comes with fears in his Mind fears caus'd either by what he hath read or by what he hath heard or by what he hath seen in others fears that suggest to him that he should not have come because he hath not every thing that he observes in other good Christians Now I say that eating and drinking with such scruples upon his Mind doth not make him an unworthy Receiver 1. Because notwithstanding these scruples he may be sincere in his Faith and Love he may sincerely desire and be sincerely willing to keep himself unspotted from the World and to embrace the Wisdom which is from above first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated He may for all this deliberately chuse Holiness as the better part and his Faith may be carried out to embrace Christ as his Mediator and Governor and he may actuate his Love so that he shall be afraid of the appearances of Evil and if it be thus with him notwithstanding his little scruple he may be and will certainly be a welcome Guest at this Holy Table for God judges of us by the sincerity of our Hearts not by every little accidental fear that may surprize us and to discompose a timorous Mind And therefore 2. Such scruples may lawfully be rejected opposed and banish'd out of our Minds without danger Nay they ought to be resisted and a Christian in this case is obliged not to harbour them and to be resolute in stopping his Ears against them especially where he finds so good a foundation in himself as I mentioned in the foregoing Paragraph To give regard to them is the way to multiply them and to ruminate upon them is to let in or to open the Door to greater perplexities Nor is this to act against Conscience but according to the true Rules of Conscience for a Scruple is a needless Fear and without just ground which Fear can bring no obligation upon the Party thus assaulted And it is observed by experience where Persons use a kind of Violence to expel such Scruples they strengthen their Faith and their Conscience fit themselves for greater Duties and become more expedient in their Journey to the City of the living God 13. Want of great Knowledge doth not make a Man an unworthy Receiver It 's confessed that some knowledge is necessary in order to a worthy Receiving for this is Eternal Life that they know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ Joh. 17. 3. But the knowledge requisite lies within a small compass and he that knows no more than the six Fundamental Principles laid down by St. Paul Heb. 6. 1 2. knows enough in order to a comfortable Communion Those Principles are 1. Repentance from dead Works That Repentance from our known Sins is absolutely necessary 2. Faith towards God That God must be believ'd according to the Revelations he hath vouchsafed to Mankind in his Word and that the things contain'd in that Book are infallibly true 3. The Doctrine of Baptism That we are Baptiz'd in the Name of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and thereby have given our selves up to his Service 4. Laying on of hands That the Holy Ghost whereof that laying on of hands in Confirmation is an external Sign is certainly dispensed and bestowed in some measure on all those that are Baptiz'd whereby they are enabled to fight against Sin the World the Flesh and the Devil 5. Resurrection of the Dead That there shall be a Resurrection of Men's Bodies wherein they shall be reunited to their Souls and appear before God's dreadful Tribunal to give an account of their Lives and Actions 6. Eternal Judgment That in the last Day the controversie of Men's Happiness or Unhappiness shall be decided and Men shall be either sent into Eternal Life or into Eternal Fire He that knows there Six Principles and believes them and is resolv'd to act accordingly hath knowledge enough to fit him for a worthy participation of this Ordinance for these are sufficient Motives to remember the Death of the Son of God with holy Resolutions to follow him that we may be partakers of his everlasting Bliss But that a Man must needs be a competent Scholar and understand the whole Mystery of Godliness and be able to give an account of the nicer Points of Divinity and to answer the harder Questions about the manner and nature of those Things which God hath revealed This is not necessary Ignorance of the abstruser Problems of Theology doth not make a Man an unworthy Receiver For 1. So much Knowledge is only necessary as serves to make us Practical Christians and a small stock of Knowledge will do that and he that knows that Mankind was lost by Adam's â—all and stands in need of a Saviour to reconcile them to God and that Christ Jesus the Son of God who being in the Form of God assumed our Nature and died for us is that Saviour who is both able and willing to reconcile us to an offended God upon the reasonable terms of turning from a sensual and sinful Life and making his Life and Precepts the Rule of our Conversation whereupon we shall be pardoned and obtain Eternal Life He that knows these few particulars and how easily are they learned and imbibed knows enough to make him a Practical Christian if he will but act according to these Principles and this unfeigned willingness makes him a worthy
things than his Favour that is ashamed of him in a sinful and adulterous Generation and is more taken with the Things that are seen than with the Things which are not seen though confirmed by Divine Promises and a Thousand Miracles So that it is evident that he that comes not to this Sacrament with Resolutions and Desires to value him above all cannot be a very worthy Receiver 2. Such a Person undervalues his miraculous Love and is supposed to esteem it no more than the Love of a Servant or the Love of an ordinary Friend He doth not value it as the Love of Him in whose Power it lay to make him everlastingly miserable he values not the unparallell'd Condescention that appears in it the infinite Humility that shines in it the inexpressible Grace and Favour that runs through the whole Frame prefers Dross and Dung before it contrary to the Apostle's Example Phil. 3. 8. will not understand the Need he has of Christ nor the dreadful Consequences of his Sin nor what it is to be freed from the power of the Roaring Lion and from Condemnation from Eternal Mournings and Lamentations from being swallowed up by the fierce Anger of the Lord Mercies so great and a Love so much beyond all that this World affords that God thought the very hearing of it would make Men â—eap for Joy and immediately leave all and follow Christ. 6. It is to eat and drink without sincere Reconciliation to our Neighbours who have offended or provoked us to Anger Where either our Forgiveness is slight and superficial or we forbear to vent our Spâ—een and Malice and Ill-will for a time with an intent when a fair Opportunity offers it self to let the Party feel the weight of our Anger like Joab who was a great Master in the Art of dissembling and could connive at the Injury Absalom had done him give him fair Words fawn upon him and introduce him to the King but when a convenient time came re-pay'd it home with a witness Where we are either averse from Reconciliation or make but a shew of it and eat and drink at this Table we cannot be supposed to eat and drink worthily For 1. In this Case we can have no hope that God will be reconciled to us God's Reconciliation to Man depending upon Man's reconciling himself to his Neighbour so that where this is wanting the other is impossible as is evident from Matth. 18. 35. He that can have no just Hope of God's being reconciled to him comes to this Sacrament to very little purpose or if he come with Hopes of his Favour he must hope that God will prove false to his Word which can never make him a worthy Receiver So that his Hope can be no other than that of the Hypocrite the Character of which we have Job 8. 13 14. His Hope shall be cut off and his Trust shall be as the Spider's Web. He shall lean upon his House but it shall not stand He shall hold it fast but it shall not endure An ill-grounded Hope must needs be a bad Preparative for this Table where nothing is so acceptable as Sincerity and both the Reconciliation and the Hope of Mercy being destitute of this Qualification the Soul is under very ill Circumstances A sound Hope we are told makes not ashamed Rom. 5. 5. The Hope we speak of cannot but cause Shame and Confusion when God shall demand of us how we could have the Courage to hope for his Mercy when he hath expresly told us that he is resolved to shew none as long as we are unacquainted with it in Offences and Trespasses committed against us by our Neighbours 2. Add to this That a Person communicating under such Circumstances shews he hath something that is dearer to him than God's Reconciliation even his Lust and Ill-Nature And what is this but to prefer Darkness before Light the Suggestions of the Devil before the Motions of God's Spirit a blustering Passion before the Meekness of the Holy Jesus Bondage before the Freedom of the Gospel and a Blast of Honour before the soft and still Voice of the Holy Ghost 'T is true If such Persons were asked whether they do so they would have the Confidence to deny it for Men are loth to have their Sins anatomiz'd and drawn in their native Colours but God still judges of us by the tendency and complexion of our Actions not by the soft and plausible Names we put upon them and if our Actions speak so much God passes his Verdict of them according to what he finds at the bottom Tho' we may be unwilling to speak out yet God is not afraid to declare what he sees and finds and therefore where Men will not be heartily reconciled and yet venture to Eat and Drink at this Table God's judgment of us can be no other than this That our perverseness and ill humor is dearer to us than his being reconciled to our Souls and surely such a person cannot Eat and Drink very worthily 7. It is to Eat and Drink without any serious Thoughts Where we come to this Table with Thoughts as loose as they were in a Tavern or Market place where we take no care to contract those Beams of our Minds so as to unite and fix them on the Scene before us or on somthing relating to it whether it be our being Created after the Image of God and our Apostacy from that state and the ruin and misery which came with that violent Stream or the great necessity of being renewed to that Image and the way that 's opened to that Renovation by the Blood of Jesus or the Honour and Privileges God offers us by his Son or the advantages we receive by being Christians and having an interest in the benefits of his Passion or the Glory of the other World which we are made capable of by the Death of him who was the Lord of Glory or the Holy Ambition we see in the Saints of old to be made partakers of that Glory and their Industry and Care and Pains they took to attain unto it and the Joys they found in the remembrance of Christ's Sufferings or the Attributes of God his Wisdom Holiness Justice Mercy Power Love and Good-will to the Children of Men all which appears in the Sacrifice offer'd for us c. As these particulars are the most proper objects of our Thoughts at such times so he that lets the thoughts of his Trade Business and other worldly Concerns to engross his Understanding and go in and out at their pleasure doth not come with that Respect and Reverence requisite in the participation of this Ordinance Not but that such Thoughts may accidentally and by the wicked diligence of evil Spirits that always hover about us invade the Mind upon such occasions but it 's one thing to be surpriz'd with such imaginations contrary to our design and purpose and another to give them Entertainment without any serious opposition of their
they help to prepare thy Soul for the Possession of that Inheritance which shall last for ever III. Worthy Receiving of the Lord's Supper is the best Preparative for Death No Man can die uncomfortably that makes it his Business as often as he comes to this Table to receive worthily Death cannot hurt him let it be natural or violent untimely or orderly for by this worthy Receiving he hath laid up a good Foundation against the Time to come Death may destroy his Body but cannot kill the Soul Death may fright him but it cannot undo him It may dis-lodge his Spirit but it drives it to a nobler Habitation It may expel the Guest but it gives him a Title to a better Building His worthy Receiving gives him an Interest in Christ's Death and because Christ lives he shall live also Death may come blustering and make a Noise but in that Whirlwind his Soul rides to Heaven Let his Death come by Sword or Famine or Torment or Fire or Water it makes no Alteration in his Happiness To him to live is Christ and die Gain And he knows who hath said I am the Resurrection and the Life The worthy Receiver never dies for he lives in Christ who abides for ever Christ will not suffer that Soul to perish in which he hath been pleased to make his Habitation He is concern'd to secure her Happiness and his Eyes are open upon her to do her good Her worthy Receiving arms her against the Fears of Death and scatters the Mists which Death doth cast before her Eyes Receiving worthily makes the Soul a sit Habitation for the Spirit of God and If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you Rom. 8. 11. IV. As the unworthy Receiver when Sickness or some other heavy Judgment lights upon him hath reason to believe that it is for his unworthy Receiving so he that wilfully neglects coming to this holy Sacrament may very justly conclude that all the Troubles and Miseries that befall him do in a great measure befall him for that Neglect 'T is hard to determine which is the greater Sin whether Receiving unworthily or not Receiving at all both will admit of great Aggravations And as these Sins are in a manner equal so it is not irrational to conclude that the Judgments threatned to the one may be inflicted for the other too As the Jews say of the Golden Calf that an Ounce of that Sin is an Ingredient into all the Calamities that came upon them so there is not a Cross that the wilful Neglecter of this Sacrament feels or endures but he hath reason to think that this Neglect contributes towards it and all his Miseries call to him though he will not hear the Voice not to neglect so great Salvation and if all these Calls cannot awaken him into a Sense of his Duty how must his Reckoning swell and how inexcusable must he be whom neither the still Voice of Prosperity nor the shriller Sound of Adversity can convince Take eat this is my Body and Drink ye all of this is a Duty as much as doing by others the same that we would have others to do us It will appear and be made out one Day that this was not an Evangelical Counsel only which the more Religious Sort that are ambitious of the highest Place in Heaven need only mind if they please It was said to all the Disciples that represented the Church-Militant And if thou professest thy self a Member of that Church thou art no more excused from the Performance of it than thou art from coming to Church and attending the other Ordinances of God But if these Motives cannot prevail God hath Enforcives which shall but from these Good Lord deliver us The PRAYER O God! When thou with Rebukes dost chasten Man for Iniquity thou makest his Beauty to consume away like a Moth Hear my Prayer O Lord and give ear unto my Cry hold not thy Peace at my Tears Oh let the Afflictions which have befallen me and which thou shalt hereafter think fit to send upon me help towards the strengthening of my Faith in Christ Jesus Thou hast sometimes laid thy Hand upon me thy Afflicting Hand and I have taken no notice of it Thou hast smitten me and I have not looked up to Heaven from whence the Stroak did come Thou hast corrected me and I have not been the better for it I have been like a Beast before thee so foolish was I and ignorant Oh teach thou me Let me read my Duty in my Crosses And whatever Trouble comes upon me let that Trouble direct me to the Cross of my dear Master the Lord Jesus Enlarge my Contemplations of the Cross of Christ by the Crosses that knock at my Door Let these make me more zealous to participate of the Benefits of the Cross of Christ. In these Crosses and Troubles let me find Motives to come with greater Seriousness to the Table of my crucified Redeemer Let these prompt me to run to the Tree which yields the Fruit of Righteousness Let not these discourage me from loving thee but rather inflame my Affections to make thee my Hope and Fortress my Light and my Salvation Let me look upon the Joy that all my Troubles will at last end in and take Comfort in all my Tribulations Imprint this Belief upon my Soul that thou knowest better what is good for me than my Carnal Heart I am apt to hanker after the Flesh-pots of Egypt but let me see the richer Table in thy Kingdom I am apt to be fond of these outward Comforts Oh quench my Thrist after them Let me see clearly that to feed on thy Love is better Diet than this Earth affords Give me thy Peace not as the World gives but as thou usest to give thine own People Oh! give me what I want Thou knowest my Necessities better than I. Give me better things than my Flesh desires even those which may preâ—erve me by thy Power through Faith unto Salvation through Jesus Cheist our Lord. Amen CHAP. XX. Of Spiritual Weakness Sickness and Death the Second Temporal Judgment inflicted sometime on the Unworthy Receivers of this holy Sacrament The CONTENTS The Eucharist a Cure for all Diseases yet many continue weak and sick after it The Cause shewn to be in themselves The Signs of Spiritual Weakness Sickness and Death God inflicts these Spiritual Judgments upon Unworthy Receivers by degrees The Justice of it vindicated in four Particulars Spiritual Weakness and Sickness proved to be a greater Judgment than the Corporal Of the End of our Eating and Drinking worthily at this Table which is Spiritual Health and wherein that consists Spiritual Judgments more common than Men think or suspect Our Souls are capable of Diseases as well as our Bodies Several Instances and Proofs given of it The Cure of Spiritual Weakness
Bathsheba to thee and thrown some ill Thought into thy Mind When thou hast not known how to spend thy Time hath not the Enemy made thee swallow the dangerous Bait When thou hast stretched thy self upon thy Couch and indulged thy self hast not thou selt then thy Love to God decay and thy Affections to the World to increase and thy Faculties to dissolve into Vanity and Voluptuousness and Contempt of better things 47. And while he yet spake behold a Multitude and he that was called Judas one of the Twelve went before them and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him WHat a Change is here From Christ's Purse-bearer to a Leader or Captain of Thieves and Murtherers And O my Soul what a mighty Change hath there been sometimes in thy spiritual Condition From a zealous Saint how often hast thou deflected into Formality and Hypocrisie From holy Heats thou art fallen into Lukewarmness How vigorous wast thou once in prosecuting thy Eternal Happiness And how hast thou fainted afterward Once thou didst lay Force upon the Kingdom of Heaven Of late thou hast laid Force upon the Kingdom of Darkness storm'd Hell and invaded Damnation Once thou wast a strict Observer of Religious Severities How loosely hast thou lived of late Once God seem'd to have thy Heart But did not Sin and the World possess it afterwards Dull blockish Soul Was God beautiful and delightful heretofore and hath he ceased to be so now 48. But Jesus said unto him Judas betrayest thou the Son of Man with a Kiss AND hast not thou thus betrayed him O my Soul even with a false and counterfeit Devotion Hast not thou too often pretended God's Glory when thou hast sought thine own And seemed to be zealous for Religion when it was only thine own private Interest thou didst aim at Hast not thou professed Love to the holy Jesus when at the same time thou hast most basely affronted him Hast not thou drawn nigh unto him with thy Lips when in thy Conversation thou hast denied him Hast not thou told him sometimes that thou repentest when thou hast been loth to part with thy darling Bosom-Sin Hast not thou kneeled under his Cross sometimes to express thy Veneration of him when in good truth thou hast conspired against him with his Enemies Hast not thou maintain'd thy League with Sin while thou hast pretended by thy bowing to the Son of God that that League was broken and dissolved What Perfidiousness what Treachery what Dissimulation hast thou been guilty of Canst thou think of it and not be concern'd 49. When they which were about him saw what would follow they said unto him Lord shall we smite with the Sword WHat preposterous Means and Ways do Men make use of to effect their Deliverance These poor Men hope to do Wonders by smiting with the Sword A Way neither warranted by any Command of God nor profitable So the Jews in Jeremy's time thought there was no way for them to escape but by fleeing into the Land of Egypt And O my Soul hast thou not very often out of Mistrust of God's Providence made use of wrong Means to compass thy Safety How hast thou thought to be rid of thy Calamity by telling a Lye or by acting against thy Conscience How hast thou thought sometimes to redeem thy Credit with vain People by complying with their Sins And when thou hast been under some Distress how hast thou endeavoured to get out of it by abusing thy Neighbour or by reviling those that reviled thee When thou hast been groaning under Poverty how hath the Devil suggested to thee to mend thy Condition by Cheating and thou hast obey'd the Motion What Comfort canst thou take in a Deliverance compassed by Sin Or what Satisfaction in a Rescue effected by the Devil's Means at least by doing things acceptable to him 50. And one of them smote the Servant of the High Priest and cut off his Right Ear. WHen we do things of our own Heads without any Command from God what Inconveniencies do we run into These unwary Men smite never staying for Christ's Answer O my Soul Thus thou hast rushed into dangerous Actions and Enterprizes without consulting the Oracles of God and hast taken it for granted that they were lawful because thou didst apprehend them to make for thy Interest Thus hast thou ventur'd upon some Recreations which upon pondering the Rules of the Gospel would have been found contrary to the Law of God and hast run into Play-houses without consulting with any serious Men whether it be agreeable to the Will of Christ and hast made nothing of thy vain and fantastick Dresses and all because thou wouldst not examine the Particulars which the Lord thy God requires of thee What a Decay hast thou thereby brought upon thy Vertues And how hath thy Sense of God abated upon this imprudent Behaviour 51. And Jesus answered and said Suffer ye thus far And he touched his Ear and healed him HEre we have an excellent Pattern of doing good for evil O my Soul how backward hast thou been to this great Duty How hast thou studied Revenge upon the least Affront or Injury whether real or imaginary How hast thou fretted and fumed when Men have crossed thy Humour Will or Inclination and contrived immediately which way thou mightest be even with the Offender Oh what a Stranger hast thou been to loving thy Enemies and doing good to them that have hated thee When a Neighbour hath displeased thee presently thy Kindness hath ceased and the Stream of thy Bounty hath stopp'd as if thy Saviour had neither shewn thee an Example nor given any Precept to the contrary And yet thou hast pretended to be a Christian. But wherein hast thou done more than others Wherein hast thou exceeded the Righteousness of Scribes and Pharisees nay the Righteousness of Pagans If thou dost good to them that do good to thee what Thanks hast thou For Sinners also do even the same 52. Then Jesus said unto the Chief Priest and Captains of the Temple and the Elders which were come to him Be ye come out as against a Thief with Swords and Staves SEE how these Wretches arm themselves against Omnipotence as if Christ if he would could not with a Breath have broke their Swords and snapped their Staves in sunder How secure hast thou thought thy self O my Soul against the Vengeance of Heaven when Riches have flown in upon thee and thy Friends have been multiplied How little hast thou regarded Men's Threatnings and what is more God's Anger while thy Years have been crowned with Wealth and Waters of a full Cup have been wrung out unto thee This hath tempted thee to sin with a Lawless Freedom and made thee think God was afraid to sink thy Vessel because its Sails were of Silk Alas how easily could God have made thee know the Vanity of these Cobwebs and with the least Blast blown thee up and sent thee with thy Riches to the Vault of Outer
offended what tremblings will invade them How will they quake for fear What pitiful shifts will they betake themselves to but all in vain O let that dreadful day be ever before mine Eyes Let the future shrieks and groans of impenitent Sinners even now in this my day sound in mine Ears that I may be frighted from Sin O let me think what their ways will end in and turn my feet away from their Paths O let me not follow their pernicious ways that I may not be condemn'd with the World 31. For if they do these things in a green tree what shall be done in the dry JUdgment must begin at the House of God and if it first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God And if the Righteous scarcely be saved where shall the Ungodly and Sinner appear God is resolved to judge the World and even the best shall have a taste of his Justice The Afflictions that befall the good in this World are but the beginnings of his indignation against Sin and by the Blood of Christ they shall be saved from the wrath to come But if these be the beginnings of God's anger what will the progress of his Justice be and where will it end O blessed Saviour How fearful will the end of all ungodly Sinners be If I must be afflicted O let me have my share of it in this World that I may not sink under the burden of thine indignation hereafter 32. And there were also two other Malefactors led with him to be put to death VVHat an opportunity had these wretches to save their Souls even at the last moment of their Lives An opportunity the like of which never was before nor ever will be Here was an happy day for them to have secured Christ's Favour who would not have denied his Grace to them had they been but willing to accept of it upon this extraordinary occasion Kings and Princes bestow extraordinary Acts of Grace at their Coronation or upon some remarkable Solemnity Now had been the time for these Malefactors to have laid hold on Eternal life which they never had any hope of before But how do Men let slip the opportunities God puts in their hands So have I my Blessed Jesus many a time when I have been in a good frame when thou hast put good Thoughts and Resolutions in my Heart what opportunities had I to to make my self for ever But I have return'd to the love of the World despised these opportunies of Grace and justly deserved thou shouldst deny them me for ever Dear Saviour visit me once more with thy Salvation with the Day-spring from on high and I will admit thy Beams into my Soul that I may be enlighten'd edified sanctified and preserv'd for ever 33. And when they were come to the place which is call'd Calvary there they crucified him and the Malefactors one on the right hand and the other on the left HEre begins the act at which Heaven and Earth stood amaz'd What a spectacle was here The Son of God nailed to the Cross and hanging betwixt two Thieves Did not the hands of the Soldiers that nailed the Saviour of the World to the Cross tremble Did not their Hearts fail them when they tied him to the Tree No their hearts were flint and adamant No other could have been engaged in the Service O wonderful stupidity they knew not what flesh they touch'd They knew not it was a Body fram'd by the Holy Ghost and the fruit of the Virgin 's Womb Here O my Soul here the work of thy Redemption is commenc'd O look upon the Heavenly Creature that hangs here and think what Riches are treasured up in his Cross Here he shew'd himself a Mediator indeed hanging in the middle betwixt a Penitent and a Prodigal betwixt Heaven and Earth betwixt the Living and the Dead They crucified him What did the Angels think to see their Lord and Master thus used What dost thou think of it O my Soul Job's Friends seeing the greatness of his misery sate silent by him in the Dust seven Days Look O my Soul upon this object sit silent and admire for thy Lord's grief is great 34. Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do LOrd Jesus What a Miracle of Mercy dost thou work here I know not which is the greater wonder those thou dist formerly when conversant on the Earth or that which I see now perform'd on the Cross. To pray for Men who had abused thee to a Prodigy To beg of thy Father to forgive their Insolencies and not to exclude them from the possibility of Repentance Can I think of this and not believe that this was to teach me how I must behave my self toward those that have done me wrong Canst thou forgive such injuries and shall not I forgive them that trespass against me One would have thought that these affronts and indignities which were offered to thee would never have been forgiven yet they are no sooner offer'd but thou intercedest for their Remission O let no injury that 's henceforward offer'd me seem too big for pardon O let me freely pass by the offence committed against me that my Father which is the Heaven may forgive me my Trespasses 34. And they parted his Garments and cast Lots VVHat a rich Spoil did these Soldiers get and they knew it not If a good Christian that understood the great Mystery of Godliness had got such a Treasure how would he have valued it what Joy what Comfort would it have been to such a Soul Not that there is any great virtue in the Cloaths of the Son of God A Man might have kept them and yet by leading an ill life have perish'd Eternally but Who would not have preserv'd these precious Relicks if he had known what Person it was that wore them It would have done him good to have looked upon them and admirable Reflections he might have made upon them But to Men that knew not God these things were of no value O my Soul Thou hast not priz'd the good Things thy God hath bequeathed to thee How little hast thou valued the Means of Grace thy Saviour left behind him Henceforward learn to make a better Use of them that they may be Health to thy Navel and Marrow to thy Bones 35. And the People stood beholding and the Rulers also with them derided him saying He saved others Let him save himself if he be Christ the chosen of God IT could not but cause strange Admiration to see him who had been known to be a Prophet mighty in Word or Deed come to such a doleful and dreadful End But for any Man to be so impudent as to deride him in his Misery this was extraordinary bold and insolent Yet Men that have done a very ill thing think themselves obliged to justifie it by their Gestures and Actions partly to keep themselves from Reproach and partly to
Midnight at other times working day and night for the support of themselves and Companions which we must suppose was not consisting with great prolixity in set Meditations The PRAYER O My God and Saviour I am very sensible that I have great Obligations to love thee upon the account of my Creation Preservation and daily Blessings I receive from thy liberal Hand But that which even forces me works upon me powerfully and as it were pushes me forward and compels me to love thee is the bitter Cup of thy Sufferings which for my sake thou didst drink off and the mighty work of Redemption which renders thee altogether lovely to my Soul That admirable and incomparable Testimony of thy Love is a stronger attractive makes a greater impulse and it a sweeter and a softer Cord to bind any Heart to thy Service To effect this Work thou hast taken more than ordinary pains When thou didst first create me it cost thee no more than a Word speaking but to reinstate me in that Bliss I had lost and forfeited thou wast at the greatest expence and charge imaginable Of the Sovereign Lord of the World thou becamest a Servant of Rich extremely Poor of the Eternal Word a Man and of the Son of God the Son of Man so that though I was made of nothing yet I was not Redeem'd by nothing Thou spentest but Six days to Create and frame the World but Three and thirty Years were spent to accomplish my Ransom and Restitution to God's Favour and O what trouble what misery was this thy Life fill'd withal Thou didst humble thy self to Flesh to Death to the Death of the Cross and to effect this Glorious Work wast content to be clad in Flesh to be punish'd with Death and to be disgraced by the Cross for this miserable Worm Thou didst do much and suffer much that I might love thee much and because the Facility of my Creation did not move me much thou therefore wast content to be at an excessive trouble in my Redemption thereby to charm my Soul the more and to plant in me greater Resentments of thy Charity To this end thy Side was opened with a Lance that all Men might look into thy Wounds and into thy very Heart and see how it bled for Love To this end thy Sacred Head did bend to the East thy Feet were extended to the West and thine Arms spread ' to the North and South to let People in all parts of the World see how much thou lovedst them and thereby to draw their Hearts and unite them to thy self for ever O let not mine be cold under this wonderful sight and while I see my God buffeted my God crown'd with Thorns my God struck on the Face and my God giving up the Ghost let all that is within me be touch'd and quickned and enliven'd and encouraged to cleave and to cling to thee for ever Amen Amen CHAP. XXIII Of Self-Examination the Second Act of Preparation for this Holy Sacrament The CONTENTS A wonderful thing that this Sacrament works no greater Effects One great Reason of it Want of Self-Examination The Necessity of Self-Examination proved by three Reasons How it must be managed The Rule of it the Word of God A Catalogue of Sins and Duties These to be considered with respect to our Temper and Inclination The great Objection about the Intricacy Difficulty and Tediousness of this Task answered and a Way laid down whereby it may be made facile and easie and delightful Some Rules to be observed in the Practice of this Self-Examination that it may become effectual The Errour of some Churches in the Primitive Times who gave this Sacrament to Children and Infants As soon as Persons are able to examine themselves they are bound to come to this Sacrament Another Man 's examining of us is not enough without Self-Examination The Prayer I. ONE of the most wonderful things in the Christian World is that such a Sacrament as that of the Eucharist should be instituted by the Great Saviour of Mankind A Sacrament wherein the most stupendous Blessings are offered to Men and that Men should receive it so often and no greater Effects should appear upon their Lives and Tempers after their Participation of it Which is as much as to say that Fire gives no Heat and the Sun no Light Health affords no Cure Abundance keeps Men poor and the most wholsome Meat produces no Nourishment That which makes the thing the more strange and astonishing is this That God makes nothing no not the least Drop of Rain nor the least Grain of Sand but for some excellent End and therefore must be supposed to have ordained this Sacrament for the most noble Ends imaginable And if the Effects he designs by this Ordinance be such as our Liturgy tells us For then we spiritually eat the Flesh of Christ and drink his Blood then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us we are one with Christ and Christ with us If these be the designed and intended Effects of this Ordinance as certainly they are it must be Matter of Astonishment to see so little of these Effects produced in the many Communicants that appear at this holy Table And what can we ascribe these Defects to but to Men's Indisposition In Natural Things Philosophers tell us the Causes of Things how excellent soever are determined in their Effects by the Disposition of their Subjects For which Reason we see that the Sun melts Wax and hardens Clay makes some things pure and white and others black and the same Meat being eaten by different Persons causes Health in one and Sickness in another And no doubt the same Rule will hold in Grace too and therefore that this Sacrament works not those admirable Effects intended by Christ in abundance of Persons must be for want of a suitable Preparation Vessels hold more or less Water according to their Capacity if the Vessel be little it will hold but little And according to the Disposition of our Souls so we receive much or less or nothing at all in this Sacrament And one of these excellent previous Dispositions is Self-Examination expresly enjoyn'd by the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 28. But let a Man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. II. Though it be in a manner needless after I have laid down the Apostle's Command to prove the Necessity of this Self-Examination yet for a â—uller Satisfaction of the Reader I shall enquire into the Reasons of the Necessity which are these following 1. All great Actions require Deliberation This is a Maxim all Mankind agrees in 'T is a common Principle And we count that Man a Fool that attempts an Action of great Concernment without it And Christ himself hath taught us to do so Luk. 14. 28 29. For Which of you saith he intending to build a Tower sits not down first and counts the Cost whether he have sufficient to finish it lest happily after
wise indeed when I shall learn to submit my self to thy infinite Wisdom then shall I know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen CHAP. XXVI Of Preparatory Devotions and Aspirations fit to be used in Private before we come to the Holy Sacrament The CONTENTS The conveniency of using Devotions suitable to this Holy Sacrament the Week before we Receive Prayers and Aspirations relating to the Afflictions of Christ to Christ's readiness to comfort Persons diseased and in distress to his Praying for his Disciples and those that should believe in his Name c. THough all the preceeding Prayers are nothing but preparatory Devotions and may be used as such yet for varieties sake which may be as delightful in spiritual as it is in temporal Things I shall add some other aspirations and breathings of the Soul after God in this Chapter as preparatives for the Worthy Receiving of the Holy Communion Extraordinary occasions as I have said often and short warnings when a Friend of Neighbour is indisposed and requires our presence and help and joyning with him in the devout use of this Ordinance may oblige us to alter our method but where no considerable impediment straitens us in Time it will be convenient the Week before we Receive besides our standing Devotions to address our selves to God in Supplications as both relate and are subservient to the great Work we intend for And such are the following Aspirations whereof one or two may be used together with our daily Devotion I. O wonderful Saviour What Afflictions hast thou suffered for me Heat and Cold Hunger and Thirst Labour and Miseries Give me an Heart to receive from thy hands chearfully all kind of Adversity Give me that excellent temper which was in thy Apostles whereby they rejoyced in Tribulation and counted it Honourable and Glorious that they had any thing to lose for thy sake I intend to look upon thy sufferings in the Blessed Sacrament O let the sight work upon me that I may be contented to suffer joyfully for thy sake II. Great Prince of Peace Who in thy Converse with Men tookest all opportunities to comfort the distressed and didst most mercifully cure their Diseases Give me a great sense of the Afflictions of my Neighbours that I may have as great a feeling of their miseries as if they were mine own and be ready to help them according to my ability I am going to behold in the Blessed Sacrament what Miracles thou hast wrought for me O let me not come away from thence without working a Miracle upon my Soul III. Great Counsellor of my Soul Who at thy leaving the World didst in Prayer recommend thy Disciples and those that through their means should believe in thy Name to thy Heavenly Father's Care Let me find the benefit of thy intercession Preserve me from this evil World and keep me by thy Truth Take care of my Soul that I may not be lost in the Wilderness of this World in the Holy Sacrament which I mean to be partaker of assure me of that care and that thou wilt not leave me nor forsake me IV. O thou who art Alpha and Omâ—ga the Beginning and the end Who didst suffer thy self to be laid hold of by the Sacrilegious hands of thy furious Enemies and when they bound thee didst not revenge their injuries but spake mildly to them Give me Grace to shew my self loving and mild to all mine Enemies to pardon them from my Heart and to look upon them as Ministers of thy Will and promoters of my Salvation To this end let the Holy Sacrament I intend to take strengthen my Soul that I may become conformable to thee in doing good to them that hate me V. O Thou who art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck who didst seck me when when I was a stranger to thee and calledst me when I knew thee not Now I know thee let nothing satisfie me but thy self Give me a flaming Heart a chearful Mind and an enlighten'd understanding O give me thy self for nothing less will content my weary Soul I will seek thee in the Holy Sacrament O let me find thee and say to me In the day of Salvation have I succour'd thee VI. O my compassionate Saviour whose Bowels yearn over the Penitent My Soul is miserable if it loves thee not or if it continues to love the World O let my Soul rest in thee and contemplate thee and shew forth thy Praises and be thou my Song in the House of my Pilgrimage O thou who art rich in Goodness Redeem this poor Captive give Meat to my hungry Soul even the Meat which came down from Heaven In the Holy Sacrament let me find it that I may live and not dye VII O thou who art the only life of my Soul I invite thee to my House I confess a shatter'd a broken and a ruinous House But be thou intreated to rebuild and beautifie it with thy Salvation Set up thy Kingdom in it and make my Flesh obedient to my Soul my Soul to Reason my Reason to Faith my Faith to thy Will Enlarge my Mind loose me from my bonds and let the effects of my coming to the Holy Sacrament be that I may become a Servant of Righteousness and may relish no Wisdom but what is from above VIII O my Redeemer kind unspeakable kind to poor Sinners I am going to remember the great Mystery of thy Death and Passion Establish my Mind with the sweetness of thy Presence Let my Soul feel that thou enterest into her and rejoyce before thee O Sacred Fire which always burnest O Love which always shinest shine in my Soul and Sanctifie that Vessel Empty it of Vanity fill it with thy Grace and keep it full till it be made worthy to Receive the fulness of Joy at thy right Hand for evermore IX O powerful Mediator Thy Love is sweeter than Honey more nourishing than Milk Rule my Soul direct my Understanding animate my Love attract my Heart and let it thirst after the Rivers of thy Pleasures Appease the tumults of my Flesh hush the noise of my Worldly Affections and let my participation of thy Love in the Blessed Sacrament give me confidence that where my Head and Master Reigns and Lives there shall I Reign and Live for ever X. Great lover of Mankind To love thee is a great thing Even so to love thee as to think of thee with delight to relish nothing like thee and to be conformable to thy Will O! Let this Love dwell in me Let this Love captivate my Soul By this Love let me be united to thee Let this good Angel visit me In the Holy Sacrament let this Love be setled in me that my angry turbulent covetous mistrustful and impatient Thoughts may cease and I may feel that calm which those that do entirely
love thee feel XI O Saviour Gentle as the Spirit that in the shape of a Dove lighted on thy Sacred Head Teach me that Meekness which look'd so amiable in thy Life Expel the evil Spirits of Wrath Anger and Pride and Envy out of my Soul Speak the word and these Winds and Waves will obey thee Let thy gentleness make me great When I shall have overcome my wrathful and proud Inclinations and O! let the Sacrament I am going to help me in the Conquest then shall I be great and glorious in thy sight XII Great Shepherd of my Soul whose Wounds are full of Sweetness full of Mercy full of Charity Let thy Wounds prove the most powerful Remedies to rid me of my Corruptions When any impure Thoughts rise in me let thinking of thy Wounds crush them when sluggishness in Religion assaults me let thy Wounds and the remembrance of them make me vigilant in thy service and when in the Holy Sacrament I think of thy Wounds let all my vain imaginations expire XIII Great Friend of my immortal Soul Such a friend is not to be found in all the World as thou hast been to me for thou hast laid down thy Life for me O let me make much of thy friendship and cherish it by being meek and humble and merciful and patient as thou wert that thou mayest be my Friend when I dye and after Death receive me to thy self O confirm and seal thy Friendship to my Soul in the Blessed Sacrament and let the same Spirit move in me which raised thee from the dead XIV O Thou who hast wash'd me from my Sins with thine own Blood chuse I beseech thee my Heart for thy Dwelling place adorn and replenish it with thy Gifts and Graces make me to loath all transitory things make me poor in Spirit cure in me the itch of self-Self-love throw down all pride and eagerness after the Riches of this World and make the Holy Sacrament I am going to a mean to adore thee in Spirit and in Truth and to persevere in Goodness to the end XV. Great Comforter of all weary and laden Souls Circumcise my Heart from all evil Thoughts and Words and Actions and Comunicate thy self unto me that I may never be separated from thee or ever be deprived of thy Comfort Draw my Soul after thee in the Holy Sacrament and let that Blessed Ordinance powerfully stir up my Heart to love thee XVI O Thou who art the door of thy Sheepfold By thee let me have access to thy Father's Love And as in the Holy Sacrament thou openest thy Bosom to me so let me run and seek shelter there Chain me to thy self by Bands of Love and let no Temptation defile me O keep me that I may never cowardly faint at any adversity XVII Thou who hast endured contradictions of Sinners against thy self Be thou ever in my mind and teach me to bear Calumnies and Reproaches with great tranquility of Mind Let me refer all difficulties to thee and with silence expect thy Grace and Comfort and let the Blessed Sacrament so influence my Soul that I may fear none but thee XVIII Great Captain of my Salvation I am going to learn to fight the good fight in the Blessed Sacrament of thy Love Let thy great example there encourage me to fight against all Ambition and Ostentation against Censoriousness and Uncharitableness against all Intemperance and Gluttony against all proud and covetous Thoughts against Guile and Hypocrisie against discontentedness and misitrinst of thy Providence Against such Enemies give me grace to fight over these let me triumph that having striven lawfully I may at last be admitted to the Glorious sight of thy Sweet Self and be charm'd with thy Love for ever CHAP. XXVII Of the proper Acts of Devotion when we come to the Holy Table The CONTENTS Private Acts of Devotion must be forborn while the Congregation joyns in common Addresses to Almighty God General Acts of Devotion relating to the wonderful Love of Christ and our Love to him Particular Acts of Devotion at the Consecration and Receiving of the holy Symbols I. THE following Acts are fittest to be used before the Prayers of the Church usual at the Communion do begin or before the Minister of the Ordinance comes to us with the sacred Symbols and while others are Communicating II. While the Minister of the Ordinance is engaged in the Prayers of the Church these Ejaculations must be forborn our Duty during the publick Devotions being to joyn with the Congregation in their common Addresses to God These Acts of Devotion are either General or Particular The General I call those which respect the Love of the Lord Jesus The Particular those which are to be exercised at the Consecration and Receiving of the Consecrated Bread and Wine General Acts of Devotion at the Lord's Table I. GReat Saviour of the World Thou art infinitely amiable worthy to be loved by all to whose Ears the joyful Message of thy Love doth come I rejoyce in the Knowledge of thy Love I count my self happy that I am born under the Shadow of thy Gospel in which thy wonderful Love to the Children of Men is manifested I desire no other Knowledge 'T is enough that I know thou hast loved me beyond Example I desire to count all things Dross and Dung for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ. II. O my Jesus I am not worthy to love thee Yet because thou biddest me love thee and hast told me that my Soul was created on purpose to love thee I chearfully resign my Love and Affection to thee I desire to love thee I wish for nothing more than that I may passionately love thee Whom have I in Heaven to love but thee And there is none on Earth that I desire to love more than thy self For thou art altogether lovely and thy Love surpasses all the Love of Friends and the dearest Relations I have III. O my blessed Redeemer I desire to love thee with all my Heart and with all my Strength Thou gavest me this Heart and this Strength And on whom can I bestow it better than on thee the Author of it Oh that all that is within me might be turned into Desires and Inclinations and Sighs and Languishings and Breathings after thee For I cannot express what thou hast done for me What thou hast done for me is beyond all the Kindness that the greatest Men ever did or can do for the meanest and poorest Creatures IV. Great Advocate of my Soul Thou seest my Desire to love thee Make it strong and powerful Take a Coal from the Altar and give it Fire that nothing may hinder the Flame from mounting up that nothing may weaken this Desire nothing may break it nothing may tire it nothing may mingle with it that is unclean or contrary to thy Love V. Great Object of my Desires Make me a Martyr of thy Love Make me willing even to die for love of thee Raise a
rejoyce in nothing so much as in this that I love thee XX. O my bountiful Saviour O my loving Redeemer When when shall it be that I shall love thee perfectly Here on Earth I must not hope for this Happiness but in Heaven I shall O Heaven Heaven How desirable art thou Where the Love of Jesus shall eternally reign in my Soul Where my Love shall be perfectly pure perfectly Seraphick perfectly Extatical and Eternal Ages shall not alter it At present I am in Prison encompassed with a Mortal Body and must sojourn in a wicked World Oh when will that Day that Hour that Minute that happy Time come that I shall be delivered from this Dungeon and translated to that place where Love is all in all where Love knows no End no Decay no Period where it is pure without Mixture invariable without Changes eternal without ceasing Come Lord Jesu Come quickly Particular Acts of Devotion at the Acts of Consecration and Receiving of the Consecrated Bread and Wine At the Minister's pouring out the holy Wine into the Cup. O Jesu Who can think of the flowing of thy Blood without being desirous to be washed with it Or I fancy I do at this present stand under thy Cross and see thee bleeding for my Sins Or Oh. Let thy Blood flow upon my wounded Soul that I may become a sound Member of thy Mystical Body At the Minister's laying his Hand upon the Bread O Blessed Saviour Lay thy Hand upon my Soul that all my Distempers may depart from me Or Oh lay hold on my Soul as the Angel did on Lot Save me from the Flames and let me escape into the Mount of God that I perish not At the Minister's Breaking the Bread Lord Jesu In suffering thy Body to be broken for my Sins I see the Vehemence the Strength and Fervour of thy Love Oh make me all Love all Fervour all Charity Or Oh break the united Forces of my Sins scatter them by thy mighty Arm. Gather the broken Planks of Vertue in my Soul unite them make them whole and strong and secure against the Fury of Winds and Tempests At the Minister's pronouncing the Words This is my Body Lord Let me look off from these material Things and shew me Things invisible and Heavenly Or O Lord The Benefits of thy wounded Body my Soul longs for Oh say They shall be thy Portion At the Minister's touching the Cup. Lord Touch my Soul that it may feel the Power of thy Super-abundant Charity Or Oh! Touch me as thou didst the Blind of old that I may see the Bowels of thy Compassion and rejoyce in the glorious Sight At the Minister's pronouncing the Words This is my Blood Lord My Soul wants Wine of another nature than is in this Cup Oh wash it and cleanse it and purifie it in thy Blood Or Lord Speak thou to my Soul and say I will be thou clean At the Receiving of the Bread Lord Let thy Death be my Life And the Bread represented by this Bread feed me into Everlasting Life Or Lord As thou hast provided Food for my Soul so give me a Taste and Relish also of this Food and a Tongue to praise thy Name for ever Or Lord As thou hast given thy Body for me so I freely offer my Soul and Body as Living Sacrifices to thy Majesty At the Receiving of the Cup. Lord Nothing is more precious than thy Blood Oh! Let it warm my Heart that it may comply with thy Will wlthout wavering Or Lord Bid me look upon thy Blood and in thy Blood upon the Reconciliation wrought by it to the Comfort and Edification of my Soul Or O Lord I am heavy laden and my Pollutions are great And as thy Blood alone can remove that Burthen so free me from those Spots and Wrinkles which make me look deformed in thy Sight CHAP. XXVIII Of the proper Acts of Devotion after we have Received The CONTENTS The Time that is left after our Personal Receiving before all have Communicated not to be spent in Gazing or Looking about Acts of Devotion to be used after Receiving and relating to the Wisdom Mercy Liberality Love Goodness Greatness and Majesty of God to our own Vileness and Unworthiness c. IT falls out so often that when we have Communicated and our Souls have been fed at this Table a considerable Space of Time remains before the united Praises and Thanksgivings of the Congregation begin again This Time be it more or less must not be spent in looking about or in sitting still or in thinking of what Objects our Fancy is pleased to offer and present to us but in holy Aspirations And that the Communicant may know how to employ himself in that Interval it may not be amiss to set down some pious and proper Ejaculations whereby he may exercise his Mind according as Time will permit I. O God! Thy Love in Christ Jesus deserves to be praised admired and magnified There is all that in it which can engage a Soul to break forth into Praises and Hallelujahs There is Beauty Wisdom Condescention Mercy Liberality Sweetness Power Greatness Majesty in it and all these in the highest Degree which would force even a dumb Man to speak of thy Glory II. I adore thee O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity for that infinite Care of my immortal Soul which I see in all thy Proceedings and Transactions and particularly in the Cross of my dearest Redeemer Here thou seemest to empty all thy Stores and pourest out thy Grace abundantly upon the Heads and Hearts of thy Servants Behold Bless ye the Lord all ye Servants of the Lord which by Night stand in the House of the Lord Lift up your Hands in the Sanctuary and bless the Lord. The Lord that made Heaven and Earth hath blessed us out of Zion III. O Charming Son of God! I alone am not able sufficiently to praise thee and therefore I wish that every Drop of the Ocean every Grain of Sand every Leaf of the Trees of the Field and every Sprig of Herbs and all the Creatures that ever were or are or shall be might be turn'd into Seraphick Tongues to praise thee IV. O Jefu When I behold thy wonderful Love how it hath bowed how it hath stooped to so mean a Creature as I am the Thoughts of it force my Soul into the humblest and deepest Prostrations Thou art Beauty I am Deformity Thou art Wisdom I am Ignorance Thou art Light I am Darkness Thou art Omnipotence I am feeble Thou art Purity I am Filth and Dung Thou art rich I am Poverty it self Thou art happy I am Misery it self Thou art Perfection I am Weakness Thou art All in All I am nothing V. O Blessed Saviour When I see how Men fall in love with a mortal and fading Beauty which to Day shines bright as the Sun to Morrow by Sickness or Death is all tarnish'd and decay'd how do I blame my self that I do not love thee better whose