be grievous unto me the Burden of their Influence and Power intolerable Possess me with a hearty Shame and Sorrow for that I have so basely and unworthily affronted thy Infinite Majesty and put my kind Saviour to so much grief and suffering to save me Possess me with an earnest Hatred of what is so displeasing to Thee as my Sins justly are that I may earnestly and steadily endeavour to cast them from me Turn Thou my foolish Heart from the Love of all Sin to the Love of Thee Do Thou O Lord who best knowest all the dark Corners of my Heart discover to me every lurking secret Evil which I have not been able by my Examination to observe and let it now be brought forth and slain before Thee Increase in me O good Lord I humbly pray a lively Faith in thy Mercy through the Merits and Mediation of Jeus Christ Help me firmly to believe thy readiness to receive and pardon Sinners that repent and return to Thee To rely with all Assurance on the Sacrifice and Attonement of thy Son 's precious Death Raise in me the comfortable Hopes of all Mercy and Favour upon that sure Foundation and grant me to rejoice in Hopes of seeing thy Glory Oh that my Heart may be all on a Flame of Divine Love even a whole Burnt-offering when I remember and consider my Saviour's dying Love to Sinners Especially when I see him in this Sacrament as it were evidentiy set forth Crucified before Me When I see there his broken Body and his Blood poured out and consider that all this He suffer'd for Me. Oh let such a sight affect me as it ought to do beyond all Expression Oh let it transform me into Love Let it make such strong and lasting Impressions upon me that I may ever afterwards be under the sweet and mighty Influences of Love always be guided by the Laws and aiming at the Ends of Love Let Love and Thankfulness to Him greatly employ my Soul when I am at this Sacrament and be from thenceforth the great Concern and Business the very form and Character of my whole Life for ever And since my Love cannot redound to his Advantage make it to flow abundantly upon those that love Him Give me a free Heart and Hand and power to do much good to them According to my power I purpose to Exercise my Charity towards them and towards all Men in Thought Word and Deed at this Sacrament I pray that the Memorial of my dear Saviour's Love may effectually inspire me to do so And I purpose and desire and pray that Thou wilt be pleased to inable me to abound in Love and Good Works towards all Men through the whole Course of my Life Put I beseech Thee O Lord my Soul in all respects into such a posture as becomes the Remembrance of a Crucified Saviour that I may be well-pleasing and accepted with Thee That thou mayest delight over me to do me good That I may have Communion with Thee to the Joy and Comfort of my Soul to the Encrease of Spiritual Strength to the securing of my Perseverance in Holiness and Righteousness all my days All which I humbly ask in the Name of Jesus Christ and further crave whatever is comprehended in his most Absolute Form of Prayer saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. Amen SECT XIX Directions for a Devout Behaviour at the Communion THanks be to God we have so good provision made by our Church for the Administration of this Blessed Sacrament That any good Soul may receive it with great Devotion and Comfort who will but seriously attend to what is appointed to be said and done in that Administration as indeed many such Souls accustomed to it have found by very comfortable Experience Upon which account it were much to be desired and very advisable That those who are wont to attend this way but once in a Year when they enter into an Office would persuade themselves to come more frequently to it That they might do so with the more comfort and advantage to their Souls when that Occasion requires them to do it For the whole Business is so order'd that 't is very Apt and Fit to stir up in us the lively and vigorous Exercise of all those Graces which are required to Attend it So that the best Advice which can be given for our due and profitable Behaviour at the Holy Communion is this That the Communicant do very closely Attend to what is order'd to be said and done by Him that Ministers or by the Communicant Himself while they are upon this Duty But because the Communicants especially where the Number is great as I wish it were every-where will have some Spaces wherein they may employ themselves in some private Ejaculations and Devotions I shall not think it contrary to the proposed Brevity of this Book to afford them some such Devout Prayers and Ejaculations as they may use and I shall put them in their proper Places But these must be commonly very short that they may not be diverted from joining with the Publick Office To begin then where we usually begin this Administration When He that Ministers is reading those Sentences of Holy Scripture which are design'd to Exhort and Encourage the making our Offerings to Almighty God While you have your Offering in your Hand or when you have given it say O Lord of Heaven and Earth Maker and Owner of all Things All that I have and am is from Thee and all is Thine Thou dost give and Thou hast right to take and use what Thou pleasest of it I humbly present This according to my Ability as an Acknowledgment of thy right in me and in all that I have and of thy Bounty in giving it I present and I humbly intreat Thee to accept This as a Token and Pledge of the Dedication of my self and all that I have to serve and honour Thee Sprinkle me O Lord Jesus and this my Duty with thy precious Blood and obtain for me by thy Merits a great Encrease of all Spiritual Gifts and Graces to thy Glory and my Salvation Amen When the Offerings are all receiv'd and set upon the Altar He that Ministers proceeds to make Intercessions to God for the Whole State of Christ's Church Militant here on Earth In which it becomes every Devout Soul as a Living Member of that Church to join with him with very hearty Affections After this He proceeds to an Exhortation which is design'd to deterr all those from drawing near to this Holy Ordinance who are conscious to Themselves that they have been negligent to prepare for it and who live in any known Sin And then it goes on to Encourage those Humble Penitents and Faithfull Souls who have been carefull to prepare Themselves and to excite in them those Dispositions with which they ought to come It will be very proper for the Communicant while the Minister is reading this to join with Him and to turn
so great a Price beside this paid for any Creature I will live to my Love that died for me I will henceforth look upon my self as a devoted consecrated Thing and will ever endeavour to remain so and to carry my self as such I will never be willingly employed but as thou commandest and as thou allowest Lord for thy sake I will love thy Law and it shall be my Meditation all the day I will love thy Commandments above Gold and all false ways I will utterly abhorr Dearer shall thy Commandments be to Me than Thousands of Gold and Silver and sweeter than Honey from the Comb. I will love nothing but what thou lovest and will hate what-ever is displeasing to thee I am heartily griev'd O Lord that I have ever lov'd any thing but thee while I neglected to love thee I am heartily ashamed to think that I should place no Affection where all I could offer is but due and bestow all where little or none was due Especially does it vex and grieve me that I should be so monstrously ungratefull and mistaken as to love any thing more than the loving Jesus Hereafter dearest Lord I purpose to love nothing but far below thee and for thy sake what-ever I do love And what is most like thee or most serviceable to thy Honour and Glory shall have the most of my Love Henceforth it shall be my Honour that I am a Servant of Jesus It shall be my delight and pleasure to be a lover of Jesus it shall be my most valued Wealth that He is mine and I am His. Whom have I in Heaven but thee O Lord and there is none on Earth that I can desire in comparison to thee And therefore nothing can be so sweet to me nothing can afford me so much satisfaction and joy as to be able to say of thee My Beloved is mine and I am His For me to be thine O Jesu is my Honour my Security my Peace and Happiness everlasting For thee to be mine is health to my Soul strength to do thy Commandments it is Joy unspeakable and full of Glory it is Heaven on Earth and the Heaven of Heaven it is Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption to me O rich and bounteous Love I am thine O Lord with all my Soul that thou mayest be mine Oh how much shall I gain by giving my self to thee I shall gain my self and be saved from Everlasting Perdition and I shall gain Everlasting Happiness in the Enjoyment of thee I am thine O Jesu save me I have sought thy Precepts Lord sanctifie me wholly that in Body Soul and Spirit I may be thine Take a full possession of me for the future and let not any other Lords have Dominion over me O Lord I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy Righteous Judgments I purpose to be stedfast unmovable always abounding in the Work of the Lord as knowing that my Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. I am thine dispose of me as thou pleasest I will bear thy Yoke I will not decline thy Cross I will not despise thy shame The reproach of Christ shall be to me greater Riches than the Prosperity of this World Let but thy Grace be sufficient for me and then call me to what thou pleasest I can do all things through Christ strengthening me Lord I shall not I hope fear or decline to suffer for thy sake No though I should die with thee I purpose not to deny thee But alas it troubles me to think how weak and vain all my Resolutions are and how soon they will come to nothing without thy continual support and assistance This troubles me but it is my comfort that thy Grace is easily obtain'd it may be now had for asking of it O shield me by thy Grace against all Temptations Hold up my goings in thy Word that my footsteps slip not Guide thou me by thy Counsel till thou hast brought me to thy Glory SECT XVI An Exercise of Faith I Believe there is onely one true and living God who is the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost An Infinite Eternal Perfect Being the Maker and Preserver Owner and Governour of All things Who has right to the Homage Worship and Obedience of Mankind Who has laid upon us his Laws and takes notice of our Behaviour That his Eyes behold all the Dwellers upon Earth and try the Children of Men That He is always nigh to every one of us for it is in Him that we live move and have our Being I believe O Lord that thou art and art a Rewarder of those that diligently seek thee Thou hast appointed a Day wherein thou wilt Judge the World in Righteousness and render to every Man according to his Works That those who are found wicked in that Day shall go away into Everlasting Punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal But I believe also that to the Lord our God belong Mercies and Forgivenesses though we have rebelled against Him if in the way of his appointment we seek his pardoning-Pardoning-Mercy Thou hast O Lord Blessed be thy Name preclaim'd thy self a God forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin And declarest that thou desirest not the Death of a Sinner but had rather that he should turn from his Wickedness and live O wonderfull Condescension and Goodness Oh how sweet is thy Mercy How glorious and great The exceeding vileness and the unreasonableness of our Sins do magnifie thy Mercy beyond all Comprehension and Praise Favour and Forgiveness to a base Sinner is that the Sinner could not expect till thou hadst declar'd it should be obtain'd and didst graciously offer it When we were sunk into the most abject Misery by a vile Rebellion against thee had render'd our selves obnoxious to thy Eternal Hatred and Wrath and deserv'd to follow the Apostate Angels in their Fate and Damnation as we had follow'd them in Rebellion Then did thy Infinite Wisdom contrive how to show us Favour in a way consistent with thine own Honour Thou didst find out a way to spare Us and to punish our Sins to glorifie thy Justice in taking Vengeance on our Inventions and thy Mercy in saving the wretched Sinners And God so lov'd the World that He gave his onely-begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have Everlasting Life Thou gavest O Father thine Onely-begotten Son to the Condescension and Meanness of taking our Nature upon Him and to die a Sacrifice for our Sins and on him thy well-beloved Son didst thou lay the Iniquities of us all And in his Death thou hast receiv'd a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice Oblation and Satisfaction for the Sins of the whole World Thou hast laid our Help on one that is Mighty and able to save to the uttermost all that come into God by Him We adore thy Incomprehensible Goodness and Compassion to Sinners Thou art abundant Oh God in Goodness and Truth Thy Mercy is over all
thy Works In Mercy thou hast great delight We remember the glorious Exercises of it We know O Lord thou canst pardon the greatest Offences For thou hast pardon'd very great Sinners David was forgiven his base Murder and Adultery Manasseh his horrid Idolatry and filling Jerusalem with innocent Blood The vile Adulteress Mary Magdalen The Apostle Peter who denied and disown'd thee with an Oath The Furious Saul who blasphem'd thee himself and being exceedingly mad against thee compell'd others to Blaspheme All these are Monuments of thy glorious forgiving Mercy Oh what comfortable what joyfull Hopes have we in such Goodness We know that having given us thy Son thou wilt not deny us any thing that is necessary to our Salvation But if we ask we shall receive if we seek we shall find if we knock it shall be opened to us On that Ransome which my Saviour has paid for me and on all thy gracious Promises which for his sake thou hast made I do wholly and firmly rely With an humble Confidence O Lord that we may find favour with thee we remember before thee in this Sacrament the bleeding Wounds of thy dear Son and his precious Death our rich Sacrifice for Sin We remember before thee and present unto thee Him whom thou hast set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood And in his Name relying upon the Value and Acceptance of his Sacrifice I thy poor unworthy Servant humbly present my self before the Throne of thy Grace to seek thy Favour begging leave that I may claim thy gracious Promises which in Him are Yea and in Him Amen and that I may now entertain and delight my self with the glorious Hopes which they afford I desire I hope that thou wilt fully forgive my manifold and great Transgressions I desire I hope thou wilt give me thy Holy Spirit which thou hast promised to give to them that ask Him Oh grant me that Spirit to cleanse me from all Unrighteousness to purifie my polluted Soul to take away all the filthy stains of my Sins to strengthen my weakness in Temptations to be my support and comfort me under Discouragements and Afflictions to assist me in all my Duties to guide my Way and secure my Perseverance to the End Thou O Lord who searchest the Hearts and triest the Reins of Men well knowest I had almost said too well wherein my greatest weakness lies Lord strengthen me in particular I beseech thee against mine own Iniquity I desire I hope thou wilt graciously keep me unspotted from the World keep me from following any of the Errours and Vices that shall ever be in vogue with the giddy and wicked Multitude I desire I hope thou wilt mercifully defend me against the Wiles and Devices of my Soul 's great Adversary the Devil I humbly commit my self to thy gracious keeping Oh faithfull Creatour I desire I hope O Lord that thou wilt bless me with Health and with a competent Provision of what is needfull for me of the good things of this World and defend me if it please thee from Poverty Dependance and Contempt Give me neither Poverty nor Riches but feed me with Food convenient for me I know O Lord Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward that Sin entring into this World has brought Misery and Affliction with it And that our folly and perverseness commonly needs such Discipline to make us wise and good I desire to submit to what-ever it shall please thee to order for me to say always after the Example of my Saviour Lord not my Will but thine be done I hope thou wilt deal with me according to thy Mercy and lay upon me no more than thou wilt inable me to bear I believe thou mayest do me great good by my Afflictions I pray thee sanctifie them all to the promoting my Soul's Health and my Everlasting Happiness And give me I pray thee an humble Resignation and an invincible Patience that I may neither despise the chastening of the Lord nor faint when I am rebuked of Him Let me always encourage my self with this Assurance That these light Afflictions which are but for a moment if they be patiently born shall work for me a far more exceeding and an eternal weight of Glory I desire I hope thou wilt direct and inable me so to pass through things Temporal as that I may not finally lose the things Eternal That by thy Conduct and Guidance I may at last arrive safely to that happy World where the Weary are at Rest where the Wicked cease from Troubling where Sorrow and Sighing and Pain and Vexation and Fear and Care shall all be banish'd all Tears shall be for ever wiped from our Eyes and we shall enjoy thee and all that we can desire in perfect Bliss and Eternal Safety and Quiet This is a true Saying and worthy of all Men to be received That Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners Lord I receive it Lord I believe help thou my unbelief I believe O Jesu thou art Christ the Son of the living God that should come into the World Oh tender and condescending Love how dear is that Blessed Name to me Jesus my Saviour Oh how full of sweetness is it as a rich Perfume Thy Name is as Ointment poured forth Oh be thou ever Jesus to me To thee O Lord I fly as a refuge from the just Wrath of God I have deserv'd as able to conquer all my spiritual Enemies as willing to receive into thy protection all that come unto thee Oh Lamb of God that takest away the Sins of the World have Mercy upon my poor Soul grant me thy Peace Thou invitest those that are weary and heavy laden to come into thee Behold Lord I come let me find Rest to my Soul I come to partake of the Happiness of being united to thee in this Sacrament I believe O Lord the Truth of all thy Promises and the Vertue and Power of all thine Ordinances And that the Bread we break and the Cup we drink in this Sacrament be not bare Signs but real Instruments of Conveyance and the Communications of thy Body and Blood I come then that I may receive thy Body and Blood may be interested in the Merits of thy Passion that I may partake of the Spirit and be intitled to the Heavenly Inheritance which thou hast purchased for poor lost Sinners I come to make a Thankfull Remembrance of thy Death which thou didst kindly submit to for the Advantage of Mankind And by thy Death I hope to have Life everlasting I gladly embrace O Lord the Offers of thy Gospel I desire thee to subdue in me all my rebellious Lusts and vile Affections and as a King to rule over me I will account it my Honour to be thy meannest Subject I desire thee to afford me thy Heavenly Instructions teach me as a Prophet and make me wise to my Salvation through Faith that is in thee I desire thee
hast been at so lately and He was Himself the Feast Jesus prepar'd it out of Love to Thee And because His great Love could not as we may easily imagine provide any thing better He provided Himself to be thy rich and costly Entertainment He has feasted thee with His Body and Blood He has in giving thee that Bread and Wine which was by the Minister according to his appointment consecrated and set apart to represent His broken Body and His Blood shed for Mankind made thee a partaker of the Spiritual Blessings and Benefits of His Death and Passion Oh how great Things has He then bestow'd on thee Where canst thou find again such Entertainment What Enjoyments of this poor World could afford it And if He has given thee never so much of this World He has herein given thee that which is of infinitely greater value And if He has given thee but little of this World thou hast no reason to complain of Him who has been so free so bounteous to thee in so much better things Say then to Him Oh how plenteous how rich is thy Goodness Lord which Thou hast in reserve for those that fear Thee and that hope in thy Mercy He has treated Thee with the Pardon of all thy Sins however numerous however heinous and guilty Canst thou forbear to admire and praise so great a Favour Is it not wondrous that so vast a Debt should be so freely forgiven thee Does not this Forgiveness restore thee to the Almighty Favour and Love of God And give thee leave to ask and ground to expect from Reconciled Heaven all that is good for thee and necessary to thy Salvation Oh say then Bless the Lord O my Soul All that is within me praise his Holy Name Who hath redeemed my Life from Destruction who forgiveth all my Sins Who crowneth me with Loving-kindness and tender Mercies Oh Blessed is the Man whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is cover'd Blessed O Lord Jesus is the Man that putteth his Trust in Thee He hath bestow'd on thee my Soul his Holy Spirit to dwell with and to sanctifie thee to fill thee with all Divine Graces To heal all the Distempers of thy Soul thy uneasie shamefull Distempers to make thee tolerable and pleasant to thy self and amiable and well-pleasing to Him Oh happy Souls that are the Temples of this Holy Spirit Where He dwells all things shall be in a beautifull Order all things composed and calm and peacefull all full of Joy There is a Peace which the World cannot give and a Joy unspeakable and full of Glory In them Heaven dwells already They shall be acquainted with its Incomparable Felicities here on Earth and they are seal'd hereby to the Day of Redemption Thy loving Lord then has given thee at this Feast too the Pledges and Earnests of Future Glory and Blessedness He has even united thee to Himself after a wonderfull manner He looks on thee as a Member of his own Body Has made thee Partaker in his Death and intends thee to partake in his Resurrection He will not leave thy Soul in Hell nor suffer thy Dead Body to lie always under Dissolution He will shew thee the Path of Life and thou shalt dwell at his right hand where are Pleasures for ever-more Thou shalt dwell in His presence where is fulness of Joy Oh how like a God has thy glorious and kind Saviour entertain'd thee None could ever bestow such things on thee but He. Thou hast been treated as a Favourite of Heaven who canst not chuse but acknowledge thy self a poor vile and contemptible Sinner All these Blessings and Favours He hath conferr'd upon thee and given thee in this Sacrament sensible Pledges and Tokens of them though thou art unworthy of the very meanest and the commonest of his Gifts to Mankind Assure thy self it was not for any Merit or Worthiness in thee that he has been so Bountifull but of his own free Motion There is nothing of Debt in his Love but thou must look upon it as altogether Obligation And now my Soul thou must consider too the mighty Obligation he has laid upon thee Thou art able to promise to do nothing in return for his Love but what he has infinitely oblig'd thee to Should such a Love as this ever be forgotten or rather should'st thou not resolve that thou wilt always retain a gratefull Sence of it And that such a Love shall be the greatest Joy and the sweetest Delight of thy Life That such a Love shall make an entire Conquest of thee and make thee subject to the pleasant Laws of it through the whole Course of thy Life Thou canst not sure for shame think of a less return than to give up thy self to Him To live to Him that died for thee To study and love what will please Him and do it in all things No thou canst not think of any thing less than of being His Servant who has bought thee with so great a Price Who has ransom'd thee from Hell and Everlasting Misery and that by his own cruel Sufferings and accursed Death And will it ever become thee thinkest thou after thou hast consider'd the cruel Sufferings of Jesus for thy sake to shrink or murmure at Sufferings or guiltily decline them Wilt thou pretend to be Follower a Disciple of Jesus and yet not be able to endure any thing grievous or inconvenient Has he suffer'd very grievous things for thee worse by far than thou art able or wilt ever be call'd to suffer for his sake And wilt thou suffer nothing for Him Was his way to Heaven encombred with sharp Thorns and will it become thee to murmure if thine be not strow'd with Roses Was the Great and Glorious Jesus despised in the World and must thou be mightily respected and honour'd Was Jesus the Son of David a rich and mighty King mean and poor and will nothing serve thee but to be vastly and superfluously rich For shame my Soul These Desires cannot become thee It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and surely 't is an Honour that the Servant be as his Lord. If thou wilt be a Follower of Jesus thou must expect as the World hated Him saw no form nor comeliness in Him so it will hate and it will scorn thee It will not see any thing to admire in thee Consider the Sufferings of Jesus and harden thy self Learn from Him to despise the Inconveniences of this Life learn to despise its Allurements From his Indifferency towards it 't is thy Duty and thy Honour to be very Indifferent too And this as all thy Duty thou wilt find pleasant upon the trial of it and a reward to it self This will give thee an invincible composure and peace of Mind a happy Command and Enjoyment of thy self under all the Vicissitudes and Changes of this mutable uncertain World Consider further my Soul Has He blest thee with the Pardon of all thy Sins And
A Familiar Guide TO THE Right and Profitable Receiving OF THE LORD's SUPPER Wherein also the Way and Method of our SALVATION is briefly and plainly Declar'd By Theophilus Dorrington LONDON Printed by J. H. for Brab Aylmer at the Three Pigeons over-against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1695. TO THE QUEEN'S MOST Excellent Majesty May it please Your Majesty TO permit me most Thankfully to Acknowledge That it is Your MAJESTIES very Gracious Approbation of Another Endeavour to revive the Decay'd Piety and Vertue of the Age which as it Animates me to proceed in that and has almost brought it to Perfection so it was the great Encouragement of this In which I have endeavour'd to persuade and direct to the right use of this Blessed Sacrament Which is perhaps the best and most Effectual means that our Lord has left in his Church to promote and maintain in it the Love of God and of our Neighbour And may it please Your Sacred MAJESTY to give leave That I may Encourage my self from the Favour mention'd to Implore and Hope for the Honour of Your MAJESTIES Patronage to this Small Piece also I am and desire to be as long as I live Your MAJESTIES Most Obedient and Dutifull Subject Theophilus Dorrington AN Advertisement I Have in this little Book distinctly stated and represented that Solemn Covenant with Almighty God which we all of us enter into in our Baptism Because since the Receiving of the Lord's Supper is design'd for a Renewal and Confirmation of that Covenant the distinct Knowledge of that is necessary to our Fitness for this Sacrament And I have further dispers'd through the whole many weighty Arguments to Induce Men to keep close to that Covenant It being to us the Onely Way of Salvation That so I might at once promote in many a Religious and Good Life a Fitness for this Sacrament and the Attainment of their Everlasting Salvation And having made this the Subject and Scope of this Book I think it may not be amiss to suggest that it is very fit to be recommended and presented by those who have taken upon them the Charitable Office of being God-fathers or God-mothers to such as they have presented to God at the Sacred Font. It is the Certain Duty of these Spiritual Parents and the Charge laid upon them by the Church to concern themselves afterwards and take all the Care they can That the Child may be taught as soon as it is able to learn what a Solemn Vow Promise and Profession it has made by them This Duty and Charge they would hereby in some measure perform especially if they would also concern themselves after a time to know what Vse their Spiritual Children have made of it Certainly if the Duties and Charge of this most usefull Spiritual Relation were conscientiously minded and in this and the like ways perform'd we should not see so much deplorable Wickedness among Professours of Christianity as there is and we might reasonably hope to see the next Generation at furthest deliver'd from the Vices and Madness of this And since this Covenant is implied in Baptism when it is not express'd in our Way This Book will be usefull to be read in all Families in order to train up Young People in the Knowledge of their Engagements to God and in the Way of their Salvation and to a Fitness for this Blessed Sacrament that they may be confirm'd in that Way To Adapt it the better to such an Vse I have added in the End a Prayer which is proper to be used after the reading of any part of the Book in the Family or Closet I think fit to recommend this Book also to the Societies of Religious Young Men in and about this City That they may hereby at a cheap Rate and with little Labour gain a right Vnderstanding and a distinct Knowledge of the Nature and Design of this Blessed Sacrament To whom as Young Persons this may be necessary and usefull Advice That they do not satisfie themselves with Ardent and Devout Affections in their coming to the Sacrament but endeavour to have their Judgments well informed too For as it will be of great Advantage to them towards a Holy and Good Life to have their Devotion built upon the Foundation of a solid Knowledge so without this the Adversary of their Souls will have many Advantages against them To whom as the Glory of our Time I most heartily wish that Grace Mercy and Peace may be exceedingly multiplied from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ The CONTENTS of this Book Sect. 1. Introduction p. 1 Sect. 2. The Creation of Man p. 5 Sect. 3. The First Covenant p. 9 Sect. 4. The Sacraments of That p. 11 Sect. 5. The Sin and Fall of Man p. 14 Sect. 6. The New Covenant p. 17 Sect. 7. On Our Part. p. 20 Sect. 8. On God's Part. p. 31 Sect. 9. The Sacraments of this Covenant p. 37 Sect. 10. The Lord's Supper a Confirmation of it p. 42 Sect. 11. An Earnest Persuasive to the Lord's Supper p. 51 Sect. 12. Of Fitness to come to this Sacrament p. 60 Sect. 13. An Exercise of Thankfull Remembrance of the Death of Jesus Christ p. 64 Sect. 14. An Exercise of Repentance p. 89 Sect. 15. An Exercise of Good Resolutions p. 100 Sect. 16. An Exercise of Faitb p. 111 Sect. 17. An Exercise of Charity p. 123 Sect. 18. Prayers for Preparation p. 139 Sect. 19. Directions for a Devout Behaviour at the Communion p. 147 Sect. 20. A Meditation on the Communion p. 164 Sect. 21. Prayers for a suitable Conversation p. 179 Sect. 22. A Prayer of Recollection p. 183 A Familiar Guide TO The Right and Profitable Receiving of the Lord's Supper SECT I. The Introduction Christian Reader THOU hast here represented to thee in a little room I think all that is necessary to render thee a meet and profitable Receiver of the Holy and most Comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. And I suppose it is in such a Manner represented as is most fit and likely with the Blessing of God to possess thee with all the Qualifications requisite in him that comes to this Sacrament if thou wilt afford this little Book a serious and frequent perusal If thou hast been so unhappy and so much mistaken in thy true Interest as never to have laid these things to Heart before and to have liv'd in the neglect of this Blessed Ordinance I would advise I would entreat thee often to read and study these things till thou art familiarly acquainted and deeply affected with them that thou mayest to thy Advantage come well prepar'd to this Sacrament If the things herein contain'd have already affected thy Heart and had a good Influence on thy Life and thou art a frequent Attendant upon this Sacrament it may suffice to read this Book as often as thou canst on the Week before thou comest to it as a good Weeks preparation for
to intercede for me as Priest in the Vertue of thy most valuable Sacrifice and to bestow upon me the large Blessings which thou hast purchased for Sinners I believe O Lord thou hast died for our Sins and art risen again for our Justification I desire thy Death may utterly crucifie and till all my Sins and that thy Resurrection may revive my Hopes By thy Resurrection I desire I hope for mine By thy Ascension into Heaven I desire thee to draw my Heart and Affections from this vain empty World to the hearty Love and earnest Desire of Heavenly Things And I hope thou wilt raise me up at the Last Day and bring me to be where thou art and give me an Everlasting Life I take this Sacrament as a Pledge of thy Everlasting Love as the Evidence of great Love already shown me and the Earnest and Assurance of yet greater Communications to come My Soul thirsts for God even for the Living God Oh when shall I come and appear before God! When shall I see thy Face O dearest Jesu without a Veil be kiss'd with the Kisses of thy Mouth enjoy thy self immediately When shall these short and faint Glimpses of thy Glory be exchang'd for a full abiding sight of thee When shall I have leave not onely to visit but to dwell with thee and to receive not transient Tasts but drink large Draughts of Delight and Joy from an Infinite Fountain of Bliss and Joy For in thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Oh how I long that this my weary Pilgrimage were done That I were absent from the Body that I might be present with the Lord That I might have no necessary diversion dearest Jesu from perpetual contemplating praising loving and enjoying thee For this however I do wait This I do through thy Merits and from thy Infinite Love expect and that Expectation shall encourage me to labour in thy Service to bear thy Cross and to follow thee whithersoever thou shalt call me SECT XVII An Exercise of Charity O Jesu thou art Infinite Love I cannot but with great delight and wonder Contemplate thee and when I do so I feel a pleasing Constraint upon me to Love I must account this a most excellent and divine Qualification which is so eminently in thee I must reckon it my greatest Honour to be conform'd to the Son of God and therefore I must utterly dislike and hate my self for any defect of Love I find in my self Besides When I think how much I am lov'd How much thy free and bounteous Love has given and how much it has forgiven to me I am forced to account my self basely and extreamly unworthy of this if I do not love much I will put on then the most extensive Charity that I can I will wish well and do good to all Men as far as I have power and as oft as I have opportunity to do it I will love my Neighbour as my self and account him my Neighbour who has any need of my kindness and to whom I have it in my power to do any Office of kindness whosoever he be Thou O Blessed Jesu hast lov'd the most unworthy Wretches I then will account none unworthy of my Love and Good-will Thou hast lov'd those that were infinitely below thee and hast mightily condescended to do them kindness I will never account it below me therefore to do an Office of Kindness to my meanest Neighbour but rather the greater the Condescension is in the doing it the more I will value the opportunity of showing therein the greater Likeness and Gratitude to thee Thou Lord hast lov'd those that are altogether unprofitable to thee and from whom thou canst never receive a parallel return of Love I will be asham'd then as I most justly may to bestow no Benefits but where I have receiv'd or expect to receive some Thou O Jesu hast lov'd even thine Enemies and pray'd for those that despitefully used and persecuted thee And this is a glorious Pattern which I intend by the Assistance of thy Grace to imitate As for all that have injur'd me by Word or Deed O Lord I forgive them and I pray thee to forgive them I am more sorry for their Errour and Sin than I am for any Loss and Damage which is come or may come to me by their Injury Lord have Mercy upon their Souls Forgive my Enemies Persecutours and Slanderers and turn their Hearts I desire no harm to any that are my Enemies if any be so Nor will I rejoice over them when they fall but rather grieve to see it much less will I ever seek their harm and mischief And I purpose on the contrary notwithstanding all their unkindness to do them all the good Offices which I can consistently with a due care of my own safety and with other Obligations and Duties to thee or to others of my Neighbours I purpose to study and seek to do them good To return Blessing for Cursing Respect for Contempt and Good for Evil That I may if it be possible overcome Evil with Good As it is the Character of Charity not to be forward to think Evil I will take care that no uncharitable Jealousies or Suspicions of my Neighbour may represent him my Enemy who is not so I will take care not to interpret a mistake into a malicious design or that which is intended as a kindness into an injury But will always endeavour to take all his Words and Actions in the best Sence and to put the best Interpretation upon them all that I can Especially will I do thus by the Magistrate as being bound to it by the Obligation to Reverence and Honour him as well as by the Laws of Charity and because it is necessary and usefull to the Publick Peace and Welfare and so is in its Effects a Charity to others of my Neighbours too I thank thee O Lord for all the kindness of my Friends and for those that have done me any good I pray thee O bounteous Love abundantly to requite them in this World and the next in Temporal and Eternal Blessings Continue or encrease their Store and Worldly Prosperity if it may be good for them and especially Bless them with Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Things I will endeavour as far as lies in my power in what I can do for their outward Estate or for their Souls always to express a most gratefull Sence of their kindness I will not despise the Love of the meanest person much rather will I thankfully resent the condescending Favours of those that are above me I make my humble Supplications to thee now O Lord at a good time for all Mankind I recommend to thy Infinite Mercy all Jews Turks and Infidels Oh let them that sit in Darkness see thy marvellous Light and be turned from the Power of Satan unto God That the Earth might be filled with Knowledge of the Lord as Waters cover the Sea
be so confirm'd by this renewal of them as that they may never be broken any more We renounce this wicked World our own corrupt Nature and thine Adversary the Devil We purpose not to suffer our selves to follow nor be led by them We will receive O Lord what Thou requirest us to believe And we devote our selves to keep and obey thy Holy Just and Good Commandments through the whole Course of our Lives To be always under the Influence and Power of Love to Thee and to our Neighbours To love Thee with all our Heart with all our Soul and with all our Might and our Neighbour as our selves O Father of Mercies graciously accept of our Repentance and return unto Thee Look upon the Death of thy Son and turn from us all thy Wrath Justifie us freely by thy Grace Pardon all our Sins upon the account of it take us into thy Service and grant that we may ever hereafter please Thee in Newness and Holiness of Life Jesus Thou Son of God have Mercy upon us O Christ hear us be Thou our Advocate with thy Father By thy Holy Nativity and Circumcision by thy Meritorious Cross and Passion by thy Precious Death and Burial by thy Glorious Resurrection and Ascension take us into thy Care and Protection Thou that hast done all these things for us have Mercy upon us O be Thou Jesus to us and save us from our Sins Give us according to thy promise to them that receive Thee the Glorious Priviledge to become the Sons of God We accept of Thee O Lord as a King to Rule us and will study to know and endeavour to Obey thy Commands We earnestly desire thy Teaching as our Great Prophet and will receive and comply with thy Divine Instructions however contrary they are to the corrupt Byass of our Nature and our Love of this World Lord we purpose to conform our selves to them by the Direction of thy Excellent Example and not to be conformed to this World And we will always acknowledge our utter unworthiness of the least Good and place all our Hopes in thy Merits and Intercession as our Great High Priest O let us find by the good success of all our Humble Addresses that Thou hast Compassion on our Miseries and dost ever live to make Intercession for us But alas we have promised and resolv'd more than we are able to perform without the Influence and Assistance of thy Good Spirit We therefore Address our selves to Thee O Blessed Spirit Come down we beseech Thee into our Hearts replenish us abundantly with thy Grace let us become thy Sacred Consecrated Temples and do thou evermore dwell in us Banish and purge out of us for ever all that is contrary and displeasing to Thee Teach us that denying all ungodliness and worldly Lusts we may live soberly and righteously and godly in this present World Write thy Law in our Hearts that we may never depart from it Increase and maintain our Faith Increase and continue our Love Cherish all Grace in us and cause us to persevere in Holiness and Vertue and Well-doing to the End of our Lives Keep us in the Knowledge and Love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. We purpose O Holy Spirit duly to wait for thy Blessed saving Influences in a diligent attendance on thy Sacred Ordinances the Word and Sacraments Oh let us be always in due fitness to attend them when the happy Opportunities of doing so are afforded us and let them be always blest to us and be effectual to promote our Sanctification and Salvation Insert this when this Prayer is used in the Morning We give Thanks to the God of all Mercies for the safe Protection the quiet and comfortable Rest of the last Night We devote this Day and all our Lives to thy Service in the Duties which Thou givest us to do Assist us mercifully O Lord in all and Accept us in Jesus Christ Insert this when this Prayer is used at Night Enlighten our dark Souls we beseech Thee O Lord with all the Knowledge that is necessary to our Salvation Fill us with Devout Affections and let thy Love always possess and rule us Be Thou we pray our Protection this Night from all the Perils and Dangers of it May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Love of God the Father and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with us all henceforth for evermore Amen Our Father which c. FINIS Books printed for B. Aylmer SIX Sermons One of Stedfastness in Religion Two of Family Religion Three of the Education of Children and One of the Advantages of an Early Piety A Perswasive to Frequent Communion in the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper In Octavo Price 3 d. Both by his Grace John late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury The Four Last Things viz. Death Judgment Heaven and Hell Practically Consider'd and Apply'd in several Discourses By William Bates D. D. Recommended as proper to be given at Funerals Books Publisht by the Author of this Reform'd Devotions in Meditations Hymns and Petitions for Every day in the Week and every Holy-day in the Year The Excellent Woman describ'd by her True Characters and their Opposites being part of a Translation out of French Family Devotions for Sunday-Evenings throughout the Year being Practical Discourses with Suitable Prayers Vol. I. II. containing each Thirteen Sermons The other Two intended to make a Sett for the whole Year are almost finisht and design'd to be committed to the Press soon after Christmass to be Publisht together Printed for John Wyat at the Rose in St. Paul's Church-Yard
does not this oblige thee to take the utmost care that thou Sin no more Know he that has had much forgiven him should love much and Love will not let thee do any thing willingly that is so displeasing and hatefull to the Kind and Holy Jesus as the least Sin would be Consider Thy Sins were pardon'd to oblige thee to forsake them for ever and this does greatly oblige thee to it It were horrid and monstrous Ingratitude then if the Pardon of what is past should encourage thee to begin a new score Oh abhorr the Thoughts of this and reckon thou art oblig'd to live with great Care of thy self to take great Heed to thy Ways to shun even the Appearances of Evil to abhorr and avoid as much as thou canst all Temptations to Wickedness Consider my Soul the Holy Spirit is come to dwell with Thee to Consecrate Thee to be a Sacred Temple to Himself Oh Divine Guest Oh how great is thy Honour and thy Happiness Wilt thou not let Him know that thou dost account it both Wilt thou not study to be easie to such a Guest To show him the greatest respects Know then that he must Rule in thy Heart He must be not in Complement only but in Reality Master of the House He is Honourable enough surely to have such Respect done Him And it will be thy Advantage to give it Him He will order all things better there than ever thou could'st do without Him And thou must take care that thou never admit thy Lusts or vile Affections again He will not dwell with such vile Company If thou would'st retain the Happiness of his Presence they must be for ever banish'd from thy Soul And sure it should be very easie for thee to see 't is not fit that they should be allow'd so much as a Competition with Him Consider too how it becomes a Soul to live that is design'd an Inhabitant of Heaven that is already made free of the New Jerusalem which is above Should you not now conform your Manners to that bright Company Should you not consider what a kind of Life they liv'd when they were here on Earth and set your self to follow Them as they were Followers of Jesus The Vertues which were so eminent in their Lives must also shine in yours They were not many of them Emperours and Kings and Queens on Earth because that Fortune shall I say or rather that Burden falls to the shares of but few among Mankind Neither were they it may be many of them vastly rich and more than they needed to be But which is better and of more Advantage to themselves than either of these They were poor in Spirit They were humble and meek They were temperate and sober They were very good and mercifull All their Zeal and Concern was to Advance the Glory of God These are the steps thou must tread in This the Way thou must follow to follow them to Bliss Thou canst not come to their End in any contrary Way Thou must not be conform'd to this World but be transformed by the Renewing of thy Mind Thou must not eagerly hunt after the Pleasures the Wealth and the Preferments of this World It would become thee to be ever very Indifferent towards them as having already tasted and enjoy'd far better Things than they What is capable to afford thee incomparably more pleasure and satisfaction And especially would this become thee as being entitled to far better things To more durable and usefull Riches more solid and lasting Pleasures and to far higher Dignities and Preferments These thy Saviour and Friend has given thee Pledges and Assurances of at this Sacrament and these He will bestow at the Last Day to those that Love and Fear Him For thou mayest expect that this Jesus whose humble Sufferings and Death thou hast now Commemorated will come again in Glory with the Hosts of Glorious Angels attending Him to Judge both the Quick and the Dead He will come to take Vengeance in Flames of Fire on them that Obey not his Gospel And will come to reward all his faithfull Servants to be glorified and admired for his Bounty and Rewards to all them that Believe Oh consider well my Soul that Awfull Certain Day And such as thou would'st then be found endeavour now to be If this Life be diligently employ'd in thy Master's Work the performance of those Duties which belong to thy Station and Calling and Relations He will then say to thee Well done good and faithfull Servant enter thou into thy Master's joy It will be more to thy advantage then to have denied thy self now for thy Master's Honour and Service than to have indulg'd and pleas'd thy self in all things It will be of greatest advantage to thee then to be found to have been Sober and Temperate and Good and Righteous and Religious When all the Honours and all the Favour and Applause of that Day will be given to such And no other Differences among Men shall be regarded but their Differences in these things Be sure my Soul it will not then repent thee what-ever it does now cost to gain the Rewards and Honour of that Day Resolve firmly then for a Good and Holy Life Be never a-weary of Well-doing for there is an Everlasting Rest which shall receive thee at the End of it and the time before thou wilt reach it is but short Be not discouraged by any Difficulties thou mayest meet with If thou wilt boldly strive thou shalt overcome them all through Christ strengthening thee To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost One Ever-blessed God be all Honour and Glory World without End Amen SECT XXI PRAYERS for a Suitable Conversation I. OGod the Strength of all them that put their Trust in Thee Mercifully accept my Prayers and because through the Weakness of our Mortal Nature we can do no good Thing without Thee grant me the Help of thy Grace that in keeping thy Commandments I may please Thee both in Will and Deed through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen II. OLord the Fountain of all Power and Might grant I beseech Thee to me thy Servant Grace to withstand the Temptations of the World the Flesh and the Devil And with a pure Heart and Mind to follow and serve Thee the Onely true and living God And let me be accepted with Thee in all my Service through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen III. OAlmighty God who alone canst Order the unruly Wills and Affections of sinfull Men Grant unto me thy Servant that I may love the Things which Thou Commandest and desire those Glorious Things which Thou dost promise That so among the sundry and manifold Changes of this World my Heart may surely there be fixed where true Joys are to be found through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen IV. LOrd of all Power and Might who art the Authour and Giver of all Good Things Graft in my Heart the Love of thy Name Encrease in me true Religion
Nourish me in all Goodness and of thy Great Mercy keep me in the same through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen V. O Lord who hast taught us that all our Doings without Charity are nothing worth Send thy Holy Spirit I beseech Thee and pour into my Heart that most Excellent Gift of Charity the very Bond of Peace and of all Vertues without which whosoever liveth is Dead before Thee Grant this for thy Onely Son Jesus Christ's sake Amen VI. ALmighty God who hast given thy Onely Son to be unto us both a Sacrifice for Sin and also an Example of Godly Life Give me Grace that I may always most Thankfully accept that his Inestimable Benefit and also daily endeavour my self to follow the Blessed Steps of his most Holy Life through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen VII GRant I beseech Thee Almighty God that like as I do believe thy Onely-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have Ascended into the Heavens so I may also in Heart and Mind thither ascend and with Him continually dwell who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost One God World without End Amen VIII MAy the Peace of God which passeth all Understanding keep my Heart and Mind in the Knowledge and Love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord And the Blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be upon me and remain with me always Amen IX GLory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the Beginning is now and ever shall be World without End Amen SECT XXII A PRAYER of Recollection THIS contains the Sum of this Book and is made fit to be used after the reading any parts of it in the Family or Closet O Most Great and Glorious God! Lord of Heaven and Earth Infinite in Majesty and Glory and in thy Greatness unsearchable All things that are do derive from Thee the Fountain of Beings all their Excellency and all their Power Thou art worthy of the greatest Reverence from the Highest Angels worthy of our Godly Fear and most Awfull Adorations art Exalted in thy Greatness above all our Blessing and Praise And as thy Greatness is Infinite so is also thy Goodness which Thou hast exercised in a manner suitable to thy Excellent Greatness For Thou art in all things like thy self and there is none besides Thee like unto Thee In wondrous Wisdom and Goodness hast Thou made the World bounteously communicating Being and Happiness among thy Creatures But thy Goodness has peculiarly shown it self in thy dealing with Mankind and appear'd in amazing Glories It appears within us and in all things that are round about us Thou hast made Man a Noble Creature little lower than the Angels Thou didst Endow Him with thy Glorious Image in Righteousness and true Holiness Thou Crowned'st Him with Honour and Dignity giving Him Dominion over the Works of thy Hands Thou hast built this Beautious World for his Habitation and plentifully furnish'd it with all things necessary and delightfull to Him All our Sences present us with many Instances of thy Goodness to us the Earth is full of it Day unto Day uttereth Speech and Night unto Night sheweth the Knowledge of This. We cannot without the greatest and the most wilfull Blindness fail to see it nor without the most unworthy and disingenuous Ingratitude forget or neglect to Acknowledge it But this O Lord is that which we must with Shame and Self-abhorrence accuse our selves of All thy Goodness and the Obligations of it were soon forgotten by our First Parents and they rebell'd against Thee And we are their true and vile Off-spring going astray from the Womb living in Enmity against Thee and despising thy Commandments All the Wickedness of the World and the Affronts Thou hast receiv'd from it Thou didst foresee and yet of thy great Patience and Forbearance didst spare our First Parents and permit Them to propagate their base and corrupt Nature And this gives us occasion O Lord to reflect upon the greatest and most glorious Exercise of thy Goodness to Mankind When we were all guilty before Thee and Obnoxious to thy Eternal Wrath And thy Honour and thy Justice did require our utter Rejection and Perdition Yet even then did thy Wisdom and Goodness contrive and afford us a Way and Means of Salvation And thy Infinite Greatness though so exceedingly Affronted did condescend to a Concern to save us And a way was found out suitable to thy Greatness and our Necessity Even then did God the Father so love the World that He gave his Onely-begotten Son that whosoever Believes in Him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life And then did God the Son in his Infinite Compassion to Mankind offer Himself to be our Mediatour And He undertook to purchase for us the Divine Favour which we had lost at the Cost of his own Abasement in taking our Nature and of dying a Sacrifice for the Sins of Men. Oh how unwearied Lord has thy Kindness and Mercy been towards us And how odious and detestable are all our Transgressions against Thee When we consider Thee O Lord and the Obligations which Thou hast laid upon us we are even confounded to think of the exceeding Vileness and Enormity of our Sins We are therefore forced O Lord to abhorr our selves We humble we abase our selves before Thee We acknowledge thy greatest Displeasure against us to be Just and Righteous and must own that we have deserv'd Thou should'st throw us into the Everlasting Fire which is prepar'd for the Devil and his Angels But Blessed be thy Name there is Mercy with Thee and Thou art through the Undertaking of our Blessed Mediatour a God forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin We praise Thee we magnifie Thee O Lord for thine Inestimable Love in the Redemption of the World by our Lord Jesus Christ Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost for this wonderfull Favour and Relief in our low and desperate Condition Encouraged O Father by the Sacrifice of thy Son and relying upon the Merits of it we return unto Thee We desire to return to our Duty We gladly and thankfully accept of the new Offers of Grace and Favour with Thee which Thou art pleased to make us We submit to the gentle and easie Terms thou requirest of us and we humbly seek thy Favour upon those Conditions We were O Lord by the kind Dispensation of thy Providence in our early Infancy dedicated to Thee and engag'd in that Happy Covenant which Thou affordest us as the Way of our Salvation But we must with shame confess that we have broken this Covenant and liv'd in too great Neglect of it and have added to the other Heinousness and Wickedness of our vile Sins the great Guilt of breaking our Vows and Promises to Thee As sensible of our unworthy Behaviour again O Lord we desire to renew those Bonds and we earnestly desire they may