How Unutterable is Thy Mercy and Thy Love past finding out O All ye Holy Angels Behold and Wonder Wretched Man hath sinned against God and God himself has suffered the Sinners Punishment Was there ever any sorrow like that which my Lord and my God endured for me Was there any Love like to that Love my Lord and my God has shewed to me Help me then O ye Blessed Host of Heaven to celebrate that Unknown Sorrow that Wonderful Love which you your selves so much Admire Help me to praise my Crucified Saviour O my Gracious Lord my heart is now full of the sense of Thy Love and what have I to return to Thee but Love again 'T is all I have to offer Thee Accept it O merciful Lord imperfect as it is and Do Thou daily heighten my sense of Thy Love to me that I may dayly heighten my Love to Thee O Thou Infinite Lover of Souls with all my Heart I Love I Praise I Adore Thy Love to me but alaâ— I can never do it enough O do Thou at last Gracious Lord translate me to Thy Kingdom of Glory that there I may Love Thee to the Utmost Capacity of a Creature and Praise Thee to all Eternity Amen Lord Jesus Amen Amen What benefits we receive by it I Adore Thee O Blessed Jesu my Lord and my God when I consider the Benefits which through Thy Mercy we receive by the Holy Sacrament Glory be to Thee O Lord who there makest Thy own Body and Bloud to become our spiritual food to strengthen and refresh our Souls Glory be to Thee O Lord who by this Heavenly food dost mystically Unite us to Thy self for Nothing becomes One with our Bodies more then the bodily food we eat which turns into our very substance and Nothing makes us become One with Thee more then when Thou vouchsafest to become the very food of our souls Glory be to Thee O Lord who by this Immortal food dost nourish our souls to live the life of Grace here and doest raise us up to life everlasting hereafter Lord do Thou evermore give me this bread Amen Amen Motives of Receiving O Blessed Saviour what more powerful Motives can I have to perswade me to Communicate then Thy Command and the Admirable effects of the Holy Sacrament But alas my corrupt Nature is apt to suggest to me low and base inducements to this duty such as are fear of my Superiours displeasure if I abstain or shame of not appearing as devout as my Equals or the meer Custome of the Place or of the Season But Lord I do from my heart Renounce all these and the like Carnal Considerations and I come to Thy Altar to â—enew my Baptismal Covenant with Thee of which Thy Sacrament is a Seal I come to Testifie my sense of Thy Love O Heavenly Father in So loving the World as to give up Thy only Son to die for me I come to testifie my Faith in Thee and my Love toward Thee O Bleâ—ied Saviour and thankfully to Commemorate Thy Wonderful Love in dying for me I come Lord to testifie my stedfastness in the Communion of Thy Church and my Charity to all the World I come to Thy table O Lord out of the sense I have of the want of that Spiritual food to which Thou there invitest me Alas Alas I am soon apt to grow weary of well-doing a few prayers every little duty is apt to tire me Every slight temptation is apt to overcome me and I know there is â—o food can strengthen my Soul but Thy Body No Cordial can revive my drooping Obedience but Thy Bloud and 'T is Thy most blessed Body and Bloud I hunger and thirst after O Gracious Lord Grant that I and all that communicate with me may feel its saving efficacy O Feed O Refresh O Nourish our Souls with it to life everlasting and that for Thy own Infinite Mercy sake which moved Thee to offer up Thy Body and Bloud for us Amen Amen Prayer for Preparation Blessed Lord Jesus I even tremble when I consider that He that eateth and drinketh Unworthily is Guilty of Thy Body and Bloud and eateth and drinketh damnation to his own Soul and this severe Sentence on Unworthy Communicants makes me afraid to come to Thy Altar But when I consider that Thy Sentence is as Severe against those who being invited refuse to Come for Thou hast said they shall not taste of Thy Supper and Unless we eat Thy flesh and drink Thy bloud we have no life in us I am then afraid to Keep away But Bleâ—ied be Thy Mercy O Lord for in this streight my Soul is in Thou art my Guide Thou by giving me this opportunity of Receiving Invitest me to Thy table Thou callest me to seek Thy face and my heart replies Thy face Lord will I seek If Thou Lord should be extream to mark what is done amiss Alas alas I am then Unfit not only to Communicate but to say even my daily prayers I Know Lord that if I should stay till I am Worthy to come I should then never come and therefore though I am Unworthy of so Unspeakable a mercy yet I come to beg Thy Grace to make me Worthy or at least Such as Thou wilt accept O Blessed Jesus do Thou so open my eye of faith to discern Thy Body and Bloud in the Holy Sacrament Do Thou so Dispose my Soul at this time to Communicate that I may feel all the happy effects of Thy own Divine Inâ—titution that my Soul may receive such lasting impressions of Thy Goodness and be so Ravisht with the Love of Thee and with the Incomparable Delights of Thy Service and with such an early fore-taste of Heaven that all the pleasures of sin which in my growing years may tempt me may appear to me tasteless and Unwelcome O Heavenly Father Cloath me with the Wedding Garment even the Graces of my Blessed Saviour for then am I sure to be a Welcome guest to Thy Table when I shall come thither in the likeness of Thy only well-beloved Son in whom Thou art always well-pleased O Heavenly Father Fill me with a lively faith profound humility filial obedience enflamed affections and Universal Charity O raise in my Soul all those Heavenly transports of Zeal and Devotion of Love and desire of Joy and delight of Praise and thanksgiving which become the Remembrance of a Crucified Saviour which become one Redeemed by the Bloud of God and that for His sake only that Redeemed me in whose Holy Words I sum up all the Graces and Blessings I stand in Need of Our â—ather which art in heaven c. This Prayer Phil. is proper for you to add to your Morning Prayer the day on which you are to Receive Directions in time of Receiving IN time of Receiving Good Phil. Labour all you can to keep your heart affected with the Publick Prayers and to fill up all the vacant minutes with Holy Ejaculations such as
these which follow At going to the Altar In the multitude of Thy Mercies O Lord God do I now approach Thy Altar O Pardon my sins and Receive me Graciously Amen Amen At the Offertory Blessed be Thou O Lord God for all things come of Thee and of Thy own do I now give Thee O let this Alms be an Odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing to Thee At Consecration O Blessed Jesu In the bread Broken I call to mind Thy Body torn with Whips and Thorns and Nails and in the Wine poured out I call to mind Thy precious bloud shed for my sins Glory be to Thee O Lamb of God that didst offer Thy self a Sacrifice to take away the sins of the whole World Lord have mercy on me and take away Mine also Whilest others are Communicating O my God whom have I in Heaven but Thee and there is none on Earth I desire in comparison of Thee As the Hart panteth after the Water brooks so panteth my Soul after Thee O God! My Soul is athirst for Thee O God my God! Blessed Saviour I am Thine I am wholly Thine for Thou hast bought me with a Price with the inestimable price of Thy Own bloud Lord suffer not the price of Thy own bloud to perish and I will always glorifie Thee in my Body and in my Spirit which are Thine If there be many Communicants and thou hast much vacant time Phil. and doest want devout Matter to imploy thy thoughts till All have communicated thou mayest then repeat the Thanksgiving for Christs sufferings p. 44. either in whole or in part as thou seest it needful When the Priest cometh toward you O Lord God I now desire to renew my Covenant with Thee and to seal it in this Sacrament Lord put Thy Laws into my mind and write them in my heart and for the Passion of Thy Son which I now commemorate be merciful to my Unrighteousness My sins and my iniquities remember no more and be Thou my God and I will be Thy servant Amen Amen O my Soul taste now and see How gracious the Lord is After receiving the Bread Glory be to Thee O Lord who feedest me with the bread of life O Lord God who didst sanctifie us by the offering of the body of Jesus once for all sanctifie me even me O Heavenly Father After Receiving the Cup. Glory be to Thee O Lord Jesus who permittest me to drink of the fountain of life freely My Beloved is mine and I am his Blessed Saviour Thou hast Loved us and washed us from our sins in Thy own bloud and therefore to Thee be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen Amen Glory be to Thee O Jesus My Lord and my God for thus feeding my Soul with thy most blessed body and bloud O let Thy Heavenly food transfuse new life and new vigour into my Soul and into the Souls of all that Communicate with me that our Faith may daily increase that we may all grow more humble and Contrite for our sins that we may all love Thee and serve Thee and delight in Thee and Praise Thee more servently more incessantly then ever we have done heretofore Amen Amen After the Congregation is dismist Phil. if you cannot get privacie in your own Chamber I advise you â—t the first opportunity to go into the Chappel and there to give God thanks for that great blessing of which He has now made you a partaker A Thanksgiving after Receiving O How plentiful is Thy Goodness My Lord and my God which Thou hast laid up for those that fear Thee which Thou hast laid up for those that put their trust in Thy Mercy Was it not Love Infinite enough Dearest Lord to give Thy self for me on the Cross Was not that Sacrifice of Thy self sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world What Lord couldst Thou then do more for me All the mighty Host of Heaven stood amazed to see the bloud of God shed to see their King of Glory to whom from everlasting they had sung their Hallelujahs Nailed to a Cross and all this to save Sinners Sure Lord None of all those Blessed Spirits with all the Glorious illuminations they had could ever have Imagined how Thou couldst give Thy self more to us then Thou hadst done And yet for all this Thou hast wrought new miracles of Love for us and as if it had not been Love enough to have given Thy self for us on the Cross Thou hast found out a way to give Thy self to us in the Holy Sacrament to Unite Thy self to us with the most intimate Union that 't is possible to conceive to become the very food the Life the strength the support of my Soul to become one with me to become the very Soul of my Soul O Lord God This is so Unconceivable a blessing this is so Divine an Union that the very Angels who so much desire to look into the great Mystery of our Redemption who learn Thy Manifold Wisdom from Thy Church and frequent the Places of Thy Publick worship do crowd about our Altars and with aweful Admiration contemplate the Holy Sacrament What thanks then Gracious Lord can I return to Thee for those wonders of Love Thou hast shewed to me wretched sinner which the very Angels who never sinned so much admire O dearest Lord raise Thou my devotion to the highest pitch it can possibly reach to Praise Thee Enlarge my Soul to its utmost extent to Love Thee How can I ever more offend such Riches of mercy as are in Thee O Crucified Saviour and yet whilest I carrry this body of sin about me I fear I shall But Lord I do from my heart Renounce and abhor all things that displease Thee I resolve to the Utmost of my power to Resist all temptations and to become as totally Thine as my frail Nature will permit me O Gracious Lord who hast so Infinitely Loved us and given us everlasting Consolation and good Hope through grace Comfort my Heart and for ever establish it in every good Word and Work Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power be unto Him that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever Rejoice in the Lord Jesus O my Soul for of Him cometh my salvation I will love Thee O Lord my King and I will praise Thy name for ever and ever Glory be to Thee O Lord God for giving me this blessed opportunity of coming to Thy Altar O grant I may never more Pollute my soul which Thou hast now made Thy Temple to reside in who art the God of Purity Praise the Lord O my Soul while I live will I praise the Lord as long as I have any being I will sing praises Unto Thee O Blessed Saviour My King and my God O gracious Lord Pardon all my failings Accept all my prayers and praises and supply all my wants which I sum up in Thy Own
time to come Deliver me fâ—om all frowardness and impatience and give me an entire Resignation to Thy divine Will O suffer not the disease to take away my senses and do Thou continually supply my Thoughts with Holy Ejaculations Lord Bless all means that are used for my Recovery and restore me to my Health in Thy good time But if otherwise Thou hast appointed for me Thy blessed will be done O wean my affections from all things below and fill me with ardent des res after Heaven Lord fit me for Thy self and then call me to those joys Unspeakable and full of Glory when Thou pleasest and that for the sake of Thy onely Son Jesus my Saviour In whose Holy Words I sum up all my wants Our Father c. Ejaculations in time of Sickness FAther if it he possible Remove this Cup from me Nevertheless not my Will but Thine â—e done Trouble and heaviness have taken hold on me but my sure Trust is in Thee O Lord Forsake me not O my God when my strength faileth me Haste Thee to help me O Lord God of my salvation Lord teach me so to number my days that I may apply my Heart to wisdom Deal Thou with me O Lord according to Thy Name for sweet is Thy Mercy Lord what is my Hope truly My Hope is even in Thee O my Soul Tarry thou the Lords leisure be strong and He shall comfort thy heart and put thou thy trust in the Lord Into Thy Hands I commend my spirit for Thou hast redeemed me O Lord Thou God of Truth In my Fathers house are many Mansions and Thou Lord Jesus art gone before to prepare a place for uâ— that where Thou art we may be also Lord be merciful to me Miserable siâ—ner O Lord God we must all at the last day appear before Thy Judgment Seat O Cleanse me from my sâ—ns that I may be found blameless at the Coming of the Lord Jesus As the day goeth away and the shadows of the Evening are stretched out so paâ—ieth away my life even like a vapour that appeareth for a little time and vanisheth away Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor the heart of man conceived the good things which God has laid up for those that love Him Lord do Thou therefore enâ—ame my soul with Thy Love I know Lord that Thy Judgments are right and Thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled O Heavenly Father my Hope is wholly in Thy Mercy and in the merits and sufferings of my Saviour O for his sake forgive and save me To these and the like Ejaculations Phil. which thou mayest gather thy self thou mayest now and then either read a Psalm your self or have one read to you as particularly the 23. or 25. or 27. or 51. or any other that does best suit with thy Condition I need give you no further directions for the time of sickness because I presume Phil. that when you feel your sickness prevailing on you you will then send for a spiritual guide who will give you more particular Advice and minister to all the necessities of your soul and therefore I shall only add this form of Thanksgiving A Thanksgiving for Recovery GLory be to Thee O Heavenly Father for the sickness Thou hast in mercy sent me Lord the stripes Thou didst lay on me were the stripes of Love Glory be to Thee Before I was troubled I went wrong but now will I keep Thy Word It is good for me that I have been in trouble that I might learn Thy Statutes Glory be to Thee O Lord Glory be to Thee for delivering me from the terrours of death and restoring me to my health again Glory be to Thee I called upon the Lord in my trouble and the Lord heard me at large I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord Praise the Lord therefore O my soul as long as I have my life which at first God gave thee and which he has now restored me I will sing praises unto my God! O Lord God Who hast in Thy tender mercy prolonged my days in this World give me grace to spend that life Thou hast now lengthened in Thy service O give me grace to perform all my Resolutions of new Obedience and so to live in the filial fear of Thee all the Remainder of my time that I may at last die at peace with my self at peace with the whole World and at peace with Thee and that for the sake of Thy well-beloved Son and my Saviour in whose Holy words I sum up all my wants Our Father c. To this you may add if you think fit the 103 Psalm To conclude good Phil. if you have reapt any good from these Prayers and Instructions be sure to give God hearty thanks for it and let this encourage you to make the more frequent use of them and God of his Infinite mercy bless them every day more and more to your growth in grace and to his Own Glory Amen FINIS Eccles. 12. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 22. Psal. 25. 7 1 San. 3. 1. John 13. 23. â—rov 8. 17. 1 King 18 12. 〈◊〉 92. 1. Exâ— 29. 38 Luke 2 41. 2 Tim. 〈◊〉 Psal. 119 â—l 119. 〈◊〉 119. â—sal 121. Psal. 103 Mark 12. 42. Psal. 115. 1. Psal. 14â— Psal. 4â— Psal. 41. 8. Rev. 7. 15 Mark 13 3â— Luâ— 8. 15. Jamâ—s 1. 22. Cor. 11. â—r 17. 9. Chron. 4. 3. Joh. 1. Cor. 10 â—2 Psal. 19. 12. Maâ— 5. 23 Prov. 〈◊〉 8. Psal. 〈◊〉 Job 4. Rom. 7. Psal. 40. 12. Psal. 51. Eph. 4. 22 〈◊〉 6. 〈◊〉 19 〈◊〉 119 Luke 7. 38. Luke 22. 61. â—om 8. â—6 â—sa 26. 〈◊〉 Tim. 2. â—m 6. 1 Co◠〈◊〉 1. â—k 18. â—im 2. â—ke 15. â—n 3. â—n 8. 1 Joh. 〈◊〉 Joh. 〈◊〉 Hos. 1â— Mâ— 1â— 29. 〈◊〉 19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11. â—n 5 1 Pet. 4. 19. Psal. 119. 〈◊〉 6. 1 Cor. 10. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 5. Isa 53. John 6. 52. 1 Câ—r 11. Lukâ— 16. Joâ—n 〈◊〉 Chron. â—9 â—hil 4. Psal. 73. â—sal 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pâ—l 3â— Heb. 10. 10. â—v 1. â—al 31. Acts 20. 1 â—t 1â— 12. Ephâ—s 10. 1 Cor. 1â— Rev. 4. 8. Neh. 9. 6. Acts 14. 1 Timâ— Acts 10. â—an 6. 〈◊〉 â—al 55. 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 8. 12. 〈◊〉 12. 〈◊〉 40. â—b 2. 20 4. 15. Psâ—l 42. 1 Câ—r 1â— Maâ— Psal. Psal. â—sal Joâ— Jâ— Jâ— 1 〈◊〉 â—al 119 â—l 119 â—l 118