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Section .^
I
I Monthly Trematiom^
FOR Tk^ 5>fcr
Holy Commtrmon;
ByjRftijatu starter-
To which is added,
Suitable Meditations* before
in, and after Receiving.
IV ITli
Divine Hymns,
In Common Tunes.
(Fitted for Pubiick Congregations,
or Private Families. *„.
The Third Edition Ccrrefoi.
BOSTON: Printed -fnr D Henchman, at
the Corner Shop oveM^inlt the Brick Meet
ing-Roule in Corniiilf. 1718.
2. £./*£*•
'■'•6
iZVl
THE
PREFACE
TO TH E
READER.
£*i Acramenta^Work is folemn Work
^^ indeed: And all thofe helps are
Vj valuable &defirable, whereby the
Furniture of our Minds, the temper of
our Hearts,and the conduft of our Lives
may be anfwerable to the folemnity of
a Sacramental Table. A Mind that is
barren or perplext-, an Heart that is
ialfe or ftupid ^ and the Conference of
a difordered Converfation,are badCom-
panions to attend us to the HolySupper
of our Lord. The Lord'sBody is to be
difcerned, his Death fhewed forth, his
tender'd Self & Benefits received, and
his next Coming ferioufly thought on,
and throughly prepared for,and joyfully
expected by us ; and all this is to b$
influenced and a&uated by this Memo-
rial which Chrilt hath left with us:
A 2 Such
N
The PREFACE
Such helps as thefe,are rhe moreufeful
by being brief, if brevity do not render
them defective and ohfcure, as here I
think they will nor. No Directory
can be better. than the Inliitution, if
well difcerned & attended to.
7. The Memorable Per/on is the Lord
Jefus, in his Perfections, Relations, and
Defigns, Here therefore let him be
eonfidered,
?. As MM % to render him capable of
Sufferings,SerVice,3nd Contending with
that Enemy of God & Man, who once
deceived and enflaved us.
2. As the Son of Alan, the chief of
Humane Race, for Tryals, Fair hiulnefs
and Advancement.
3. As the Son of God, as efTenrially
and molt intimately one with God 5 as
Lord of the (Jniverfe, Head over all
Things to His Church, and of theChurch
itfeife The brightnefs of his Fathers
Glory, the one Mediator 5 and lb God's
wiy to Man, and Man's way to God,
and one deputed to undertake and per-
fect our ConduQ, Government, and
Salvation,. f
11 Hisk
to the READER.
11 His Sufferings are the things here
nexr to be commemorated. Great were
his Trials from God, from Hell, 8c from
this World. With great compofednefs
I and magnanimity, did he endure them,
; and work his paflage through themto x
that exalted ftate, wherein he had fo
f much to do with God for us : In all
thefe,and in his Preparations for them,
deth he appear moft exemplary to us,
claiming and urging our Conformity to
his obedient, fubmiflrve, and refolute
felf. And in hisMeritorious Sufferings
and Expiatory Death, mult we difcern
and think intently on, what there 2nd
thence was evident ^ viz. God's Wifdomy
Majefty, Hoiine's, and his Governing
Juftice, and Prerogatives; the finfulnefs
of Sin, theMifery of revolted Man, the
Equity 8£ Power of Gods violated Law,
and the eminence of the Divine above
the Animal Life, Nature, & Concerns,
III. Our Intereftin, and Benefit by
thefe his Sufferings, are next to exer-
cife our Thoughts. He died to let us
fee,
i. How glorious a God we have ta
do with.
h% 2* Hearts^
We PREFACE
2. What wife and righteous Confti*
rations we had violated.
3. What dreadful Evils we had
brought upon our felves.
4* What Spirir, firengrh and reach
{there is in Divine Threat ning-s*
5. How hard It is to be recovered,
when we are fallen from God, and f6
what an Enemy Satan is to Man j and
|k>w unwilling to let his Captives go.
6. To fliew us the riches of God's*
Grace in him, and his own Dignity ^ in
that his Sufferings could,and did, merit.
and obtain of God our Pardon, Adaption,
Acceptance^ Eternal Blifs thro 5 him,,
7. To-raife and cherifh holy end.ea*
vours to return to God in hope*
8. To make us dread the Thoughts
of ever falling off from God again,
9. To juftifie our Claims to all the
Benefirs of our Gofpel-ftate- and day.
10. To obtain of God for us theSpirit
and Means of Grace, thereby to fit usl
for our prefent Work & Trials in this]
our Probationary State y and to fuit and
bring us to his Father and Himfelf in
Glory, £t that with univerfalSatisfaQi^
^a i *«qd.Ad.vantage> i .aa4:A]^pJiinfetf
of
To the REAVE R.
ii. To puc himfelf into a capacity
of interceding for us in Heaven, and.
biefling us from Heaven as our High-
Prielt upon his Throne.
12. To put us into,& to keep us in a
Govenant-Itare & frame, that thus we
may deal 8£ walk withGod,asChildjen,
as interefted in his Son, as inhabited
and actuated by his Spirit, & as united
with all the Family of God and Ghrift,
in the fame Principles, Pra&ices, Con-*
cerns, and Hopes, in order to the Exer-
cifes of all the fympathiesand fervices,
of mutually ChriltianLove,Eph,iv.i, 6 8 ,
IV. Our Commemoration of Chriltt
thus reprefented to us as upon the
Crofs, and as determining to come-
again, is our next work.
i. The Sacramental Elements/Sc the
Obferved Inftitution, is the Memorial,
2. The Remembrance contains,
i. head-work, in difcerning, remem*
bring and: believing the Sacramental
Doftrine of this Supper to be true,and
of great confeqaence to us : Chrift Cruci*
fiH^rsl. determining to cone cgain,
2. heart aw/^in forming the temper, ;
pyrppfes, hope§,ar<d. comforts^of our-
Hearts^
The PR EFA CE; &c.
Hearts unto whit this Supper imports,
and our acceptance of what is tendered
here* and our obliging our felves to do
'and be asChrift would have us.
3. Life work ; in keeping up our
Chriltian Practice and Profeflion as we
are here dire&ed and obliged to -, for
a more full Account whereof, and
greater firnefs for lr r thou art commend-
ed to this helpful Treatife, by Thine
to his poor Power for Chrift.
Matthew Sjhejler.
Feb. 3. i69%,6..
Ci )
A Monthly Preparation for
ourHoly Communion with
CHRIST and His Church,
in the Lord's Supper.
THIS is a holy Fealt that is pur-
pofely provided by theKirgof
Saints, for the Entertainment
of his Family \ for the refrefhingof the
" weary,ai.d the making glad the mourn-
ful Soul, The Night before his bitter
Dea^h, he inltitured this Sacramental
Feall \ He caufed h\sDifcipfes to fit down
wishlfMjnd when they had pa naked of
tie Paflbver, the Sacrament of Promife,
and had their talte of rhe vlaWwe^.z gi-
veththem thetf*a>,even the Sacrament of
the better Covenanted of the fuller Gof*
f el Grace : He teacherh them that his
Death is Life to them : And that which is
his bitiere]1f.'jferh7g,\s theirJWZ: And
hhjnrrouos are their foys\ as out finfui
fie fur es were hxsforrows .The flainLamb
of God our fojjover that was Sacrificed j or
us,
I
2 A Monthly Preparation for
us, tbattaketb away the fins oj the Worlds
was thepleafant food} wh\chSacrawen*
tally he himfelf then delivered to them,
and fubftantially the next day offered
for them. The Bread of God it be which
cometb down from Heaven, and givetb Life
unto the world, Joh.6.33. He it the living
Bread which came down from heaven : If
any Man eat vj this Bread he fhall live for
ever : And the Bread which he givetb it
his flefh which he hath given for the Life of
the World. Ver. 50,5; 1. Except we eat tb\
fiejh of the Son oj Man, and drink bis
Blood,we"have no Life in us : Whofo eatetb
his flefh iff dri/nketb his Bloodbath eternal
1-.ifefi? he will raife htm up at the la ft day :
For his Flefh is meat indeed, & bis Blo«d
it drink indeed : He that eatetb his flefh,
and drinking his Blood, dwellctb in Chn3,
and Chrifi in him : As the living Father
bath Jen t the Son, & be livethby the Father.
So be that eatetb him, fhall live by hint.
This it that Bread that came down from
Heaven : Not as the Fathers did eat Man-
na & are dead : He that eatetb this Bread
flmtl live J or ever.
I fhall here only give you fome brief
Dircftions for your private duty herein.
Duea
the Holy Sacrament] %
Direft. i. Vnderfland well the proper
ends jo which this Sacrament was institu-
ted byCbrill, iff take heed thai you ufc it
not to ends, for which it never was appoin-
ted. The true ends are thefe, i. To be a
folemnCemmemoration of theD^/& and
Paffian of Jefus Cbrifi, Mat.26.28. Mar.
14- 24. Luk. 22, 20. To keep it, as it
were, in the Eye of the Church, in his
bodily abfence 'till he ccme, 1 Cor. 11.
24,25,26. 2. To be a folemn renewing
of theHolyCovenant which was firft en-
tred in Baptifm, between Ghrijt and the
Receiver \ and in that Covenant it is on
Chritt's parr, a folemn delivery of him-
felf firft, and with himfelf the benefits
of Pardon ^ReconcUiation,Adoptionfix.x\^\\t
to Life Eternal Heb. 9. 15, 16, 17, 18.
I Cor. 10 16, 24. And on Man's part ;,
it is our folemn acceptance ofC6n'f?,witk
h\sBe n efts, upon his terms, & a deliver-
ing up ourfelves to him,as his Redeemed
ones,Qven to the Father as our reconciled
Fathered to the Son as our Lord (S> Savi-
our, and to the Holy Spirit as our Sanfti-
fier, with Profejfed Jhankfulnefs for fo
great a benefit. 3. It is appointed to be
a liv ely objeQive means ,by which theSpi-
creife
4 A Monthly Preparation for
rit of Chr>fi (hould work to ttir up €t ex-
ercife, 8c increaie he liepentanceJFaub,
Dcfire,Love,Hope, Joy, Tbankjulnefs, and
Kew Obedience of Believers $ by a lively
Reprefemation of the evil oj Jin, the infi-
nite Love of God in CV//?,thefirmnefsof
the Covenant or Promife, the great nefs
andjurenejs of the Mercy given, & the
Blejjednefs purchafed & promifed to us,
and the great Obligations that are laid
upon us. Arid that herein Believers might
be folemnly called out to the molt fe-
rious exercife of all thefeGraces, \Cor.
11.27,28,29,31. 1 Cor. jo. 16, 17,21. 1
Cor. if, 2?, 26. 2 Cor. 64. And nvght be
provoked Sc ailiftedtolHr upthemlelves
to this Communion with Gcd in Cbrift,
and to pray for more as through a facri-
ficed Cbrifi. 4, It is appointed to be
the folemn Profeffion of Believers, of
their Faith,&Love,K Gratitude, 3nd O-
bedience to God the father, Son and Holy
-GboS 9 and of continuing firm in the
Cbriilian Religion. And a Badge of the
Church before the World. Alls 2. 42,
46. & 20. 7. 5, And it isappointed to
be a ftgn H. means <fi \\\z\Jnity^Love&xA
Communion of Saints, &their readinefs to
-Communicate to each other. The
to the Holy Sacrament] 5
The Falfe miftaken ends, which you
muft avoid, are thefe, i. You muft not
with thePapifis think that the end of it
is to turn Bread into noBread, 8c Wine
into noWine,& to make them really the
true Body & Blood of fefus (Shrift. For
if fenfe (which telieth all Men that it
9 is ftill Bread &C Wine) be not to be be-
* lievedjthen we cannot believe that ever
there was a Go/pel, or an Apoftle, or z
Tope, or a Man, or any thing in the
World. And thsApofile exprefly callethit
Bread three times, in 3 Verfes together,
after theConfecr at ion, iCor.n. 26 ,27,28*1
And he telieth us, that the ufe of it is
(not to make the Lord's Body really pre^
fent but) to /hew the Lord's Death till he
come \ that is, as a vifible reprefenting
and commemorating fign, to be infiead
of the Bodily prefence till he come*
2. Nor muft you with the PapiJIs ufe
this Sacrament KofacrificeChrift again real-
ly unto tie Father, to propitiate him for
the quick 8c dead,and eafe Souls inPurs
gatory,8c deliver them out of it. For
Chrift having died once dieth no more*
and wirhour killing him, there is no fa-
crificinghim ;By once offeringuphlmtelf,
B be
6 A Monthly Preparation for
he bath perfelled for ever them that arc
fandified^ now there rematnetb no more
Sacrifice for fin : Having fin ifh ed the
facrificing work on Earth, he is now
paHed into theHeavens y to appear before
God for his Redeemed ones+Rom.6.9.iCor m
IS. 3. 2 Cor. 5.14,15. Heb. 9. 26. and 10.
12,26. and 9. 24.
3. Nor is it any better than odious
impiety to receive the Sacrament ,to con-
firm fomeConfederacies orOat hs of Secre*
fie 9 for rebellions or other unlawful de-
fignSiZSthePowderP/ottersinEng/and&id.
4. Nor is it any other than impious
prophanation of thefe facred Mifteries
for the Prieft to conftra'w ovfuffer noto-
rioufly ignorant, & ungodly Perfons, to
receive them,either to make themfelves
believe that they are indeed the Chil-
dren of God, or to be a means which
ungodly Men fhould ufe to make them
godly ^ pr,which Infidels or Impenitent
Perfonsmult ufe tohelp them toRepen-
tance & Faith in Cbrifi. For th# there
is that in it which may become a mean*
of theirConverfion,(as aThiet that fteal '
eih'aBible oTSermnBookjmy be convert !
ed by lu) Yet it is not to be ufed hy xh< I
Receive;
ibt Holy Sacrament] 7
Receiver to that end. For that were to
tell God a lie,as the means of theirCon-
verfion * for whofoever eometh to re-.
ceive a fettled pardon,doth thereby pro*
fefsRepentance,asalfoby the words a'd-
joyned he muft do $ and whofoever t;k-
eth, 8£ tattth, & drtnketb the Br tad and
IVine.doth actually profefs thereby, that
he taketh 8c applieth Cbrift himfelf by
Fiith ? And therefore, if he do neither
of thefe, he lierh openly to God 5 and
lies & falfe Cavenants are not the ap-
pointed means of Converfion. Nor that
the Minifttr is a Her in his delivery of
it : For he doth but conditionally feal
and deliver God's Covenant & Benefits to
theReceiver,to be his, if he truly Repent
and Believe : But the Receiver himfelf
lieth, if he do not aftually Repent & Bc-
Jieve i as he there profefTeth to do.
?- Alfoit is an impious prophanatioa
of the Sacrament, if any Prieft for the
Love of filthy Lucre, (hall give it to
thofe tjhat ought not to receive it, that
he mry have his Fees orOfferings -, or,
that thePrieft mav have fo much Money
that is bequeathed for the faying a Mais
for fuch or fuch a Soul.
B 2 6. And
■
8 A Monthly Preparation for
6. And it is odious prophanarion of the
Saeramenfyo ufe it as a League or Bond,
of Faftion, to gather perfbns into the
party ^ tie them faft to it,that they may
depend upon the Prielt, & his Faftion
andlnterelt may thereby beltrengtbned,
gc he may feem to have many followers.
7. And it is a dangerous abufe of it,
to receive it,thar you may be pardoned,
or fanEtified, or faved, barely by the
work done, or by the outward exercife '
alone. As if God were there obliged
to give you Grace, while you Itrive not
with your own Hearts, to ftir them up
to love,or defire,or faith, or obedience,
by the means that are before you $ or
ss if God would pardon & fave you for
eating Co much Bread and drinking for
much Wine when the Canon biddeth
you * or, as if the Sacrament conveyed
Grace, like as Charms are fuppofed to
work, by faying over fo many word?.
8. Lilt ! y, Ic is no appointed end of
thisS3crament,thattheReceiver thereby |
profefs himfeif certain of the finceruy
of his own Repentance & Faith: (For ic
is not managed on the ground of fuch
certainty only by the Receiver \ much
lefs
t
iht Holy Sacramenrl 9
lefs by the Miniiter that delivereth it.)
Bar only he profefleth that as far as he
qan difcern byobfervinghis ownHearr,he
istruly willing to haveChrift,&:hisbene-
fits on the terms that they are offered 5
&: that he doth content to the Covenant
• which he is there to renew. Think not
therefore, that the Sacrament is inftitu-
ted for any of thefe (miftakenj ends.
* DireCt 2. Diftlnltly under fan d the
> p art s of the Sacrament, that you may dif*
tintfly kfc them,. Of not do, you know not
txhat. This Sacrament container!) thefe
three parts, 1. The Confecration of the
Bread & Wine,wh\ch maketh it the Re-
prefentativeBody &Blood of Chri ft, 2 The
Reprefentation & Commemoration of the
Sacrifice of Chrift. 3. ThzCommuxicn :
O^Commumcaticn by Chrift, and Recep-
tion by the People.
*■ I/i theG/z/^.r^^theChurch doth
firlt offer theLieatures of BreadU. Wine,
to be accepted of God, ro thisSacred ufe:
And God aecepreth them, and bleffeth-
thern to this ufe 5 which he fign'fieth
both by the words of his own Jriiiru-
tiovad by the Attion of hisMiniffers,
ind 1 heir EtntliHhn. They being the
B 3 Agents
jo A Monthly Preparation for
Agents of God to the People, in this Jfef
ccptingZl Ble fling ^s they are the Agents
ot the P*0/?/* to G^i, in cfierwg or rff#&
«;//^ the Creatures to this ufe.
2« This Confccration having a fpecial
tefpett to God the Father, in it we ac-
knowledge his three grand Relations,
i. That he is the Creator &L ioxhcOwner
of all the Creatures $ for we offer them
to him as his own* 2. That lie is our
Righteous GvvernourjNhoU Law it was,
that Adam & we have broken, and who
required fatisfaftion,and hath received
the facrifice and atonemenr,& hath dif%.
penfed with the ftrift & proper execu-
tion of that Law -, and- will rule us
hereafter by the Law of Grace- 3 That
he is our Father orBenefa&or who hath
freely given us a Redeemer, and the
Covenant of Grace,whofeLove &Favour
we have forfeited by fin, but defire&nd
hope to be reconciled by Chiift.
?• As Chrilt himfelf was Incarnate 8C
true Chrilt, before he was facrijiced to
God.znd was facrijiced toGod.hzfoxz that
facrifice be communicated for life and
nourifhment to; Souls: So in the Sacra-
ment, Confecratkn mull ftrft make the
Creature
the Holy Sucr$mert> I?
Creature to be the Flejh £? BlocdofCbnft
rcprefcntativc\ 8c then t lie facrificing of
thai Fiejh & Blood mult be reprefenred
and commemorated -, Et chen the facri*
ficed flefh and blood communicated to
the Receivers for their fpirirualiife*
Ii. TlxzCommemoration chiefly (but not
only J refpe&eih God the Son : Fur he
hath ordained, that t\\$teconfccratcdRe-
prefentations fhould in their manner and
meafure, fupply the room ef his bodily
prefence,while his body is in Heaven i
And that thus as it were//; effigy in
reprcftntation, he might be ftilL Cru-
cified before the Churches eyes $ and
they might be afft&ed, as if they had
feen'him on the Crofs. . And that by
FaitbSz Prayers, they might as it VJere 9
offer him up toGod^that is,Might fheiv
the Father that facriftce once made for
fin, in which they trult - y and for which
it is,that they expeft all the acceptance
of their perfons with God,and hope for
audience when rhey beg for mercy,and
offer up prayer or praife to him.
HI. In the Communication, though the
Sacrament have fefpefl to the Father ,
as the principal Giver ^6£ to the 5^ as
both
1 2 A Monthly Preparation for
both the Gift K Giver , yet hath it a
fpeciai refpe£t to the HolyGhoS^s being
that 5//W; given in the Flcjh and&W,
which quickenethSouls * without which
theFleJh will profit nothing : Andwhofe
operations muft convey KappIyChrift's
laving benefits to us- John 6-63- &: 739.
Thefe three being the parrs of theSa*
crament in whole, as comprehending
that facred ii#/0tf,&participationwhich
is effentiai to it. The Material parts,
called theRelate & Correlate,zxe, 1 Sub-
ftantial ^Qualitative- 2 Afiive&PaJJive.
1. £he firlt are the Bread and Wine as
figns, and the Body ar-d B/W ofCbrift,
wich hisGr^rr andfirtf^/^asthethings
fignified and given- The fecondare the
Ailions of Breaking, Pouring out,2n&Deli-
veringon the Minilters parr, ("after the
Consecration) and the Taking, Eating,
and Drinking, by the Receivers, as rhe
figT : And the fignified is,theCrucifying
or Sacrificing of Chrift,& theDelivering-
himfelf with hisBenefrts to theBeliever
and the Receivers thankful Accepting*
and iifiag the laid gift- To thefe add
the Relative ¥onn$L the Ends, and you
have the definition of this Sacrament.
Duett*
the Holy Sacrament* i3
* Dire£t. 3. Look upon the Minijier as
r the Agent or Officer of Cbrift, who U Com-
* pi'JJioned by him to feal & delivtr to yon
the Covenant & its benefits : And take the
. Bread i$ Wine as if you heard Chriji him*
■f elf faying to you, Take my BodytSf Blood,
Ekand the Pardon fit Grace which it thereby
* fur chafed- It is a great help in the
'W\ppIication,to have mercy and pardon
Ibroughr us by the hand of a Commiflio-
ncd Officer of Chrift.
Direft- 4- In your preparation before*.
*hand, take heed oj thefe two extreams, v
That you come not prophanely & carefrfly,
with common hearts, as to a common work:
ForGod will be fa notified in them that
draw near ro him, Lev* 10 3, And they
that eat and Drink unworthily, not
difcerning theLordsBody frbmcommon
Breadjbut eating as if it were acommon
meal, do eat Death to themfelves,"
inftead of Life- 2- Take heed left your
mft.ikcs of the nature of this Sacrament ',
fhould pfffs you with fuch fears of un-
worthy receiving^ the following dangers,
is may quite difcompfe & 'unfit yourSouls
r or the joyful exerafes 0/ Faith, £7 Love,
: S> PraifepThanksgivingjo which you are
invited.
1 4 A Monthly Preparation for
invited' Many that are fcupulous of re-
ceiving it (n *v>J 7 tive a f rafting gefturc,
are too little carefuS&fcrupulous of re-
ceiving ir in any.fave z fcafiing frame of
mind* The firft excresm is caufed by
profanenefs and negligence, or by grofs
ignorance of the nature of the Sacra-
mental woik. The latter extream is'
frequently ciufed as folio weth -, i By
fating this S.icrament at a greater
diftance from other parts oj God's wor-
/hip y then there is caufe : So that the
excefs of Reverence doth overwhelm
the minds of fome with terrors- 2- By
ttudying more the terrible w r ords of
eating and drinking damnation to tbcm-
fclvcs, if they do it unworthily^ than all
the expreillons of Love &Mercy,which
that Bleffed Feaft is fumifhed with*
So that when the views of infinireLove
fhould ravifh them,- they are ftudying
.wrath and vengeance ro terrify them,
as if they cime to Mofcs, and not to
(Shrift. 5 By not underftanding what
maketh a Receiver worthy or'unwortby,
but taking their unwilling infirmities
for condemning unworthinefs. 4. By
receiving it fo feldom, as to make it
ftrange
the Holy Sacrament. i 5
ftrange to them,and increafe their fear,
whereas, if it were adminiltred every
Lord's day, as it was in rbe Primitive
Churches, it wauld better acquaint
them with it, and cure that fear that
cometh from thangenefs. f* By ima-
gining, that none that want affbrance
of their own fincerity, can receive in
Faith. 6. By contracting an ill habit
of miftaken Religioufnefs,placing it ail
in poring on themfelves, and mourning
for their corruptions, and not infludy-
ing the Love of God in Chrift, and
living fn the daily praifes of his Name,
and joyful thankfgiving for his exceed-
ing Mercies. 7- And if befides all
thefe the Body contract a weak or ti-
morous melancholy diiiemper, it will
leave the mind capable of almoft na«
thing, but fear and trouble, even in the
fweeieft woiks. From many fuch cau-
fesit cometh to pafs, that tie Sacra-
ment of the Lord's Supper is become
more terrible, and uncomfortable to a-
bundanceoffuchdiftemperedChriltians,
than any other Ordinance of God ; and
that which fhouid molt comfort them
doth trouble them moit.
Qjiefc
1 6 A Monthly Preparation for
Que ft. r. But it not this Sacrament
trior e holy and dreadful, and fbould it not
have mure. preparation, than other parts of
wifh.p ?
* if. For the degree ?ndeed,it fhould
have ve y careful preparation : And we
cannot well compare it with other'
paus of worihip 5 as Praife, Thankfgiv, *
i g Covenanting with God, Prayer,£?V.
Betaufe that ail thefe other parts are
here c mprifed and performed, But
d'ubtlef , God muft alio be fanftifted
in ail his other worfhip, and his Name
mult not be t;iken in vain. And when
this Sacrament was received every
Lord's-day, and often in the Week be-
fides, Christians were fuppofed to live
continually in a ftate of general prepay
ration, and not to be fo far from a due
particular preparation, as many poor
Chriftians think they are.
Quelt. 7. How of ten fhould the Sacra* t\
went be now adminijlred. that it neither^
grow into contempt n^rUrangenefs ? M
Anfw. Ordinarily in wellDifciplined&i
Churches it fhould be ftill every Lord's-?,
day- For, i. We have no reafon tcic,
prove,that the^pofiles example 8t apf ;;
pointmenfj
S
£
the Holy Sacrament] 17
pointment in this cafe, was proper to
thofe times, any more than that praife
and thankfgiving daily is proper to
.them : And we may as well deny the
obligation of other Institutions or A-
pcftolicalOrdersasthat. 2. It is a part
of the fettled order for the Lord'sDays
worfhip * and omitting it, maimethand
alterab the worfhipjortbeday^ and occa-
iioned the omiffion of the thankfgiving
nd praife, and lively commemorations;
ofChrift, which fhould be then moll
performed ; And fo Chriftians by ufe t
grow habited to fadnefs,and a mourning
melancholy Religion, and grow unac-
quainted with much of the Worfhip
and Spirit of the Gofpel. ?. Hereby
the Papifis lamentable corruptions of
^his Ordinance have grown up,even by
an excefs of reverence and fear, which
feldom receiving doth increafe * till
they are come to woifhipBrai as thek
3pd< 4. By feldom communicating,
Men are feduced to think all proper
[Communion of Churches lieth in that Si-
yranent, and to be more prophanely
o>oid in abufing.many other parts of
j-voifhipt ?. There are better means
% ~ G (bjr
'i8 A Monthly Preparation for
(by Teaching and Difcipline; to keep
the Sacrament from contempt, than the
omitting or difplacing of it. 6. Every
Lord'sDay is no oftner than Chriftians
need it. 7. The frequency will teach
them to live prepared, and not only to
make much ado once a Month or Quar-
ter, when the fame work is negietted
all the Year befide 5 even as one that
liveth in continual expe&ation of death,
will live in continual preparation :
When he that expe£teth it but in fome
grievous ficknefs,will then be frightned
into fome feeming preparations, which
are not the habit of his Soul, but laid
by again w£en the difeafe is over.
3. Bur yet I muft add, that in fome
undifciplined Churches, and upon fome
occafions ic may be longer omitted, or
feldomer ufed * no duty is a duty at
all times: And therefore extraordinary
cafes may raife fuch impediments, as
may hinder us a long time from this,
and many other Priviledges. But the
ordinary faultinefs of our imper*e9|
hearts, that are apt to grow cultcmarjr
and dull, is no good reafon why \r
ffioqM be fel&cm $ any more than mi)
other
the Holy SacramnK >e
other fpeciai duties of Worfhip and
Church Communion fhould be feldom.
Read well the Epiflle of Paul to the
Corinthians, and you will find that they
were then as bad as the true Chriftians
are now, and that even in this Sacra-
ment they were very culpable, andyet
Paul feeketh not to cure them by their
feldomer communicating.
Q. 3. Are all the Members ofthevifible
Church to be admitted to this Sacrament ?
Or Communicate.
Anfw, All are not xofeek ir,or xotake
it, becaufe many may know their own
u ifitnefs, when the Church or Paftors
know it not : But all that come and
feck if,are to beadmitted by thePaftors,
except fuch Children, Idiots, ignorant
Perfons, or Ueriticks, as know not what
they are to receive or do^ and fuch as
are notorioufly wicked or fcandaious^
and have nor manifelted their Repen-
tance. But then it is prefuppofed,thac
none fhould be numbred with the adult
members of the Church, but rhofe thac
have perfonally owned their Baptifmal
Covenant, by a Credible ProfcJJijnof true
Cbrittianity %
C 2 • Q. 4;
r 2o A Monthly Preparation for
Q; 4. May a Man that bath knowledge,
and civility, and common gifts t come and
take this Sacrament, if he know that be
if yet void of true repentance, and other
faving Grace ?
Anfw. No j for he then knoweth
Mmfelf to be one that is uncapable of
it in his prefent ftate.
Quelt. 5. May an ungodly Man receive
this Sacrament, who knovceth not himjelf
to be ungodly ?
Anfw. No^ For he ought toknowity
and his finfdl ignorance of his own con-
dition, will not make his fin to be his
duty h nor excufe his other faulrs be-
fore God,
Queft. 6. Mutt a fincere CbriJJian re-
ceive that is uncertain of his fincenty, and
in continiul doubting ?
Anf. Two preparations are neceflary
to this Sacrament •, the general prepare-
fr'tf/r, which is a (tare ot Grace, and this
xhe doubting Chriitian hath ; ar.d the
particular 'Preparation, which confifteth
in his prefent actual fitnefs : And all
the Queltion is of this. And to know
this, you muft further diftinguifh, be-
tween immediate duty and more remote $
and
the Holy SacramenK 2 1
\ and between the degrees of doubtful-
nefs in Chrifttans, i. The near eft,
immediate Duty of the doubtingChriftian
is, to ufe the means to have his doubts
refolved, till he know his Cafe ; and
. then his next duty is, to receive the
\ Sacrament \ and both thefe ftill remain
jj his Duty, to be performed in this order.
And if he fay, J cannot be refolved, when
1 have done my heft. Yet certainly it is
fome Sin of his own, that keepeth him
in thedark,andhindereth hisAfTurance;
and therefore duty ceafeth not to be
duty : The Law ofCbritt Itfli obiigeth
hm, both to get Aflurarce, and to re-
ceive 5 and the want both of the
Knowledge of his State, and of the
Receiving xhcSacrawent, are his continual
Sin, if he lie in it never lb long thro'
thefe fcruples, though it bean infirmity
that God will not condemn him for.
("For he is fuppofed to be in a "a:e of
Grace.) But you will fay, What if ftill
he cannot he rejolvcd whether he his ff*ue
Fauh & Repentance, cr not ? What
Jhould he do while he is in doubt ? I
anfvver, It is one thing to ask, what is
his duty in this cafe ? And another
C 3 ' thirg
22 A Monthly Preparation for
think to ask, Which U the f mailer or lefs
dangerous Sin ? Still his duty is both
to get the Knowledge of his Hearty and
to communicate : But while he finneth
('through infirmity) in the failing of the
JirS, were he better alfo omit the other, or
not ? To be well refolved of thatjou
niuft difcem, I. Whether hisjudgment^
of himfelf, do rather incline to think
and hope that he is fincere in his Repen-
tance & Faith,ox,that he is not ? 2. And
whether the confequents are like to be
good or bad to him. If his hopes that
be is fincere, be as great or greater than
his fears of the contrary, then there is no
faeh ill confequent to be feared as may
jhinderhis communicating \ but it is his
fceft way to do ir, and wait on God in
she ufe of his Ordinance. But if the
Perfwafionof his gracelefnefs be greater
than the hopes of his (incerity, then
lie mult obferve how he is like to be
affetted, if he do communicate. If ht
find that he is like to clear up hi
mind, and increafe his hopes by th
mftaatling of his Grace, he had ye
%eft to go : Bat if he find that hi
Heart is like to be overwhelmed wit I
horro
to the Holy Sacrament] 2£
horror 8c funk into defpair, by running
into the fuppofed guilt of unworthy
receiving, then it will be worfe to do
ir, than to omit it. Many fuch fearful
Chriftians I have known, that are fain
many years to abfent themfelves from
the Sacrament $ becaufe if they fhould
receive it while they are perfwaded
of their utter unworthinefs,they would
be fwaliowed up ©f defperation, and
think that they had taken their own
damnation (as the Twenty Fifth Article
of the Church of England faith, the un-
worthy Receivers do.) So that the chief
Sin of fuch*a doubting Receiver, is not
that he rtceivetb though he doubt ; for
doubting will not excufe us for the
finful omiilion of a duty (no more of
this than of Prayer or Thankfgiving :)
But only Prudence requirechfuch a one
to forbear that, which through hisown
Diftemper would be a means of his
defpair and ruine: As that Phyfick or
Food (how good foever) is not to be
taken which would kill the taker:
God's Ordinances a^e not appointed for
our deliru£lion, but for our edification-
and fo muft be uied as tendeth there-
unto*
24 A Monthly Preparation for
untcu Yet to thofe Chrillians, who are
in this cafe, and dare not communicate,
I mult put this Queltion 5 How dare you
fo long refufe it ? He that confenterh
to the Covenant, may boldly come and
fignify his confenr, and receive the
fealed Covenant of God - 5 for conftnt
is your Preparation, or the neceflary
Condition of your Right: If you con-*
fent not, you refufe all the Mercy of
the Covenant. And dare you live in
fuch a ftate ? Suppofe a Pardon be of-
fered to a condemned Thief,but fo,that
if he afrer caft it into the dirt, or turn.,
Traytor, he (hall die a fbier Death
will he rather chufe to die than take
it, and fay, I am afraid I (hail abufe it >
To refufe God's Covenant is certain^
Death ; but to conftnt is your Prepare?
tion and your Life.
Quelt, 7. Wherein lietb the Sin of an
Hypocrite, and ungodly Ferfon y if he do
receive ?
Anf. His Sin is, i. In Lying & Hypo-
< trifie ^ in that he profeflcth to repent
urjcignedly of bis Sin, and to be rejolve I
for a hcly Life, and to believe in Cbrifl,
and to accept him on his Covenant-
terms,
the Holy Sacrament* 25
terms,an* to give up himfelf toGod,as
his|Father,his Saviour, & hisSanftifier,
and to forfake the Flefh, the Wor/d^nd.
the Devil •, when indeed, he never did
any of this, but fecretly abhorrerh it
at his Heartland will not be perfwaded
to it : And fo ail this ProjeJJion, and
Iris very Covenanting icfeif, and his Re*
ce\ving^% it is a Prof effing, covenanting-
ftgn,\s nothing but a very lie. And
what it is to lie to the Holy Gbofi, the
cafe of Ananias and Safphira xzlleth us*
2. It is Ufurparion to come and lay
claim to thofe Benefits, which he hath
fio Title to. 3. it is a Propha^aiion of
thefe holy Myfteries, to be thus ufed j
and it is a taking of God's Name in
vain, who is a jealous God, and will
be fan&ifiedof all that draw near unto
him. 4. And it is a wrorg to the
Church of God, and the Communion of
Saints, and the honour of theChriftian
Religion, that- fuch ungodly Hypocrites
intrude as Members : As it is to the
Kings Army, when the Enemies Spies
creep in amonglt them 5 or to his Mar-
riage feaft to have a Gueft in rags, Mat.
22. 11, 12.
ObjeCt;
26 A Monthly Preparation for
Obje£t. But it h no lie, becaufe tie)
think they Jay true in their Profejjion*
Anfw % That is through their finfu]
negligence and felf-deceit ; And he h
a lier that fpeaks a falfliood, whict
he may and ought to know to be a fal
fliood, though he do nor know it. There
is a lier in rafhnejs and negligence, as
Well as of fet purpoje.
Queft. 8, Doth all unworthy receiving
make a man liable to damnation ? Or, what
unworthinejs ii it that is Jo threat ned ?
Anf. There are three forts of unwor-
thinefs (or unfitnefsj and three forts of
Judgment anfwerably to be feared.
i. There is the utter unworthinefs of
an Infidel, or impenitent, ungodly Hy
pocrite.. And damnation to Hell-fire.
is the punifhment that fuch mult expeft,
if Converfion prevent it not. 2. There
is an unworthinefs through fome great
and fcandaious crime, which a regene
rate Perfon falleth into -, and thi
(houid flop him from the Sacrament
for a time, till he have repented ane
caft away his Sin. And if he com<
before he rife from his fall by a parti)
cular Repentance, (as the Corinthian
tha
the Holy Sacrament. 2 J
*fhat finned in the very ufe of theSacra-'
ment it feitj they may expe& fome
notable temporal Judgment at the
prefentj (and if Repentance did not
prevent it, they might fear Eternal
Punifhment) 3. There is that meafure
of unworthinefs which confifteth
in the ordinary infirmities of a Saint 5
and this fhoLld not at all deter them
from the Sacrament, becaufe it is ac-
companied with a greater worthinefs*
yea, though their weaknefs appear in
tlfe time and manner of their receiving ;
3ut yet ordinary Corrections may
follow thefe ordinary infirmities. (The
grojjcr abufe of the Sacrament it fclf, I
join under rhe fecond rank )
Queft. 9. What ii the particular Prepa-
ration needful to a Jit Cmmunicant ?
Anfw. This briogeth me up to the
next Direttion.
5* Let your Preparation to this Sacra*
ment conftjl 0} tbefe particulars following^
\i. In your Duty with your ovonConfciences
and hearts. 2. In your duty towards Qcd*
(. And in your duty towards your Neigb*
vur.
I. Your duty with your iisans *con:
h
28 A Monthly Preparation for
fifteth in thefe Particulars, i. That
you do your beft in the clofe Examina*
tion of your Hearts about your States,
and the lincerity of your Faith, Repen-
tance, and Obedience : To know whether
your Hearts are true to God f in the
Covenant which you are to renew and
feal. Which may be done by thefe In«
quiries, and difcerned by thefe Signs.
i. Whether you truly loath your felves
for all the Sins of your Hearts &Lives,
and are a greater offence and burden
to your felves, becaufe of your Impel* 1
fe&ions and Corruptions, than all the.
World befides is ? Ezek.6. 9 & 20, 43.
fS 36. 31, Rcmj. 24, 2. Wherher you
have no Sin but what you are truly
defirous to know ^ and no known fins
but what you are truly defirous to
be rid of * ard fo defirous, as that
you had rather be perfe&iy freed
from Sin, than from any Affli&ion in
the World ? R0/0.7.22, 2?, 24 i5 8. 18.
3. Whether you love the fearchingand I)
icforming Light, even the mcft fearch- h
ing parts of the Word of God, and their
mull: fearching Books, ard fearchingl
Sermons, that by tiiem you may be
brought
the Holy Sacrament] 2>
brought to know your felves,in order to
your fettled Peace and Reformation?
7^6.3.19,20,21. 4. Whether you truly
love that degree of Holinefs in others
which you ha?e not yet attained your
felves* and love Chrift in his Children*
with fuch an unfeigned love, as will
caufe you to relieve them according to
your abiiities,and fufFer tor their lakes,
when it is your Duty ? 1 706,3. 14,1 5.
I Pet. 1 22 67 3.8. Jam 2- 12, 13, 14,^
Mat 2-s« 40, 0V- 5. Whether you can
truly fay, that there is no degree of
Holinefs fo high, but you defire it, and
had rather be perfect in the loveofGod,
and the Obed ; ence of his Will, than
have all the riches and pleafures of
this World, Rom 7. 18,21,24. ?Jal\\^ m
5 Mat- ?.6- And had rather be one of
the holielt Saints, than of the molt re-
nowned profperous Princes uponEarth?
jyW.15.4. & 16. 2. Pfai 84. 10 £7 6;. 4.
6. Whether you have fo far laid up
your treafure, and your hopes in Hea-
ven, as that you are refolved to take
that only for yoar Portion 5 and thac
the hopes of Heaven, and inteieft of
youj Souls, hath the preheminence in
D your
fi A Monthly Preparation for
your Hearts againft all that Itands in
Competition with it £60/3.1, 3,4-ilW.6.-
ao,2i. 7. Whether the chiefeft care
ot your Hearts, and endeavour of your
Lives, be to ferve and pieafe God, and
, *o enjcy him for ever rat her than for
' any worldly thing > Mat,6.zi. foh.5 *>6. i
2 C<?r. ?. 1,6,7,8,9. 8. Whether it be
your daily defire and endeavour to
mortifie the flefh, and matter its rebel* 5
lious Opposition to the Spirit ^ and you
fo far prevail,as not to live, ard walk,
and be led by -the flefh,, but that the
courfeK drift of your life is fpiritual >
Rom. 8.1,6,7,8,9,10,13. Gal$ 17,21,22.
9. Whether the World, and all its
Honour, Wealth, a d Pleafures, appear
to you fo fmali and contemptible a
thing, as that you efteem it as dung,
and nothing in comparifonof Chrift,and
the Love of God and Glory ? And are
refolved, that you will rather let go
ill, than your part in Chrift ? And,
which ufeth to carry it in the time of
Trial, in your deliberate Choice ? Ph'tl,
3*7>8,9,i3,i4, 18,19,20. %Job2.i^Luk.
14.26,30,33. Mat 13 iy,2i 10 Whether
you are lefolved upon a courfe of Ho-
the Holy Sacrament, 3 1
linefs 8c Obedience, and to ufe thofe
means which God doth make known to
you, to be the W3y to pleafe him, and
to fubdue your corruption 5 and yet
feeling the frailties of your Hearts,and
the burden of your Sins, do truit in
Cbrifl as your RighteoufnefsbeforeGod,
and in the Holy Gfof7,whofeGrace alone
-can illuminate, fanftifie, and confirm
you? Aft. ik 2?. PfaL'119. 57, 63, 6 9>
106. 1 Cor.' 1. 30. Ro?n. 8. 9, John
1?, $. 1 Cor. 12. 9. By thefe Signs
you may fafely try your ihtes.
2. When this is done you are alfo to
try the ftrength and meafure of your
Grace •, that you may perceive your
weaknefs, and know for what help you
fhould feek to Chrift. And to find out
what inward Corruptions and finful In-
clinations are yet ftrongeft in you, that
you may know what to lament, and to
»sk forgivenefs of, and help •againft.
My Book called Directions for weak
Chri[iians > will give you fuller advice
in this.
?• You are alfo to take a ftr?£l ac-
count of your Lives, and to look over
your dealings withGjd and Men, in fe-
D 2 crec
%i A Monthly Preparation for
cret and publick,efpecially of late,fince
the lalt renewal of yourCovenant with
God,and to hear what God and Confid-
ence have ro fay about your fins and all
their aggravations, Pfal. 139 23 1 Cor.
11 28.
4- And you muft labour to get your
Hearts affHted with your condition, as
you do difcover it. To be humbled for
what is finful 3 and to bedefirousof help
againft your weaknefs, and thankful
for the Grace which you difcern.
5. Laftly^ You mult confider of all the
work that you have to do, and alt the
mercies which you are going to receive,
and what Graces are neceflary to all
this, and how they muft be ufed ^ and
accordingly lock up all thofe Graces,
and prepare them for the exercife to
which they are robe called out- 1 fhalt
name you the particulars anon*
II. Your duty towards God in your
preparation for thisSacramem is, 1 To
caft down your felves before him in
humble penitent ConfefFion,and Lamen-
tation of all the Sins which you difco-
ver 5 and to beg his pardon in fecrer,
before you come to have it publickly
fealed
the Holy Sacra went] 33
fealed and delivered 2 To look up to
him with lhankfuineTs, Love;* and Joy,
as becomes one that is goi= g ro receive
fo great a Mercy from him 5 and hum-
bly to beg thatGracewhich may prepare
you, & quicken you to,and in the work,
III. Your duty towardsothers in this
your preparation, is,i. To forgive thofe
that have done you wrong, and to con-
fers your fault to thefe whom you have
wronged,.and ask them forgivenefs, and
make them amends and reltitution fo
far as it is in his power* & be reconciled
to thofe with whom you are fallen out j
and to fee, that you love your Neigh-
bours as your felves, Mat- 5. 2 5,24, 2?,
26,44. /*/#• 5 16. 2- That you feek
advice of your Palters, or fbme fit Per?
fans, in cafes that are roo hard for your
felves to refolve, and where you reed
their fp^ciai help 9 That you loving-
ly admonifh them th3t you know do
intend to communicate unworthily, and
to come thither in their ungodlinefs,
and grofs Sin unrepented of; That you
(hew not fuch hatred of your Brother*
as to fuffec Sin upon h : m, Lev. ig
But teii him his faults, as Chrift hath
1) 3 direlUd
34 ^ Monthly Preparation for
dire&ed you, -/W*m 8.15,16,1 7. And do-
yourparts to promoteChrift'sDifcipline,
and keep pure the Church, See 1 Cor.
5. throughout.
Dirett. 6. When you come to the holy
Communion, let not the overscrupulous-
regard of the Ferjon of the Mtnijier, or
the company, or the imperfeQions oj the
miniftration, difturb your meditations, nor
call away your minds from the high and
ferious imploywent oj the day. Hypo*
crites who place their Religion in bodi-
ly exercifes, have taught many weak
Chriftians to take up unneceffary fcru-
pies, and ro turn their eyes & obferva«
tion too much to things without them.
Queft. But Jhould we have no regard to
the due celebration of theje f acred My tierics,
and to the Minifier, & Communicant s^and.
wanner of Admin ijira tion ?
Anfw. Yes : You fhould have fo much
fegaid to them, 1. As to fee that no-
Thing be amifs through your defaulr,
which is in your power to amend. 2.
'And that you join not in the commit-
ting any known fin* Bur, 1, Take not
every fin of another for your fin, and
think not that you are guilty of that
in
to the Holy Sacrament. 35
in others, which you cannot amend \
or 7 that you mult forfake the Church,
and Worfhip of God, for thefe corrup-
tions which you are not guilty of 5 or
deny your own Mercies,becaufe others
ufurp them orabufe them. -2. If you
fufpeft any thing impofed upon you to
be finful to you, try it before you come
thither $ and leave not your minds
open to difturbance, when they fhould
be wholly imployed with Chrilt.
Que ft. But what ij my Confcience be
not fatisficd,but 1 am ft ill in doubt, muft I
notjorbear ? Seeing he that doubt etb is con-
demned if he- e*t, bccaufe he eatetb not in
Faith $ for vobatfcever k notoj Faith kSin.
Anf. The Apoftle there fpeakethnot
of eating in the Sacramenr 9 b\}t of earing
meats, which he doubteth of whether
they are lawful 3 but is fure,thatir is law-
ful ro forbear them- And in cafe of
doubling about things indifferent, the^
farer fide is to forbear them, becaufe
there may be Sin in doing 5 but there
can be none on the other fide in for-
bearing. But in cafe of Duties, your
doubting will not difvb'ige you $ clfe Men
might give over praying^nd btaringGod's
Word,
;5 A Monthly Preparation for
Word, and believing, and obeying tbdr
Rulers, and maintaining their Families,
when they are but blind enough to doubt of •
it. 2. Your erring Confcience is not a
Law-maker, snd cannot make it your"
duty to obey ir, For God isyourKing,
and the Office of your Confcience is to
difcern his Liw, and urge you ro obedi-
ence, and not to wake you Laws of its ;
own : So that if it fpeak falfly, it doth
not oblige you, but deceive you. It
dotri only Ngare,Qt infnare you, but not
obligate, ox make a fin a duty, it calteth
you into necefluy of finning more or
lefs till you reli> quifh the error: But
in cafe of fuch dunes as thefe, ir is a
fin to do them with a doubting Confci-
ence, but (ordinarily) it is a greater
fin to forbear. ,
Object. But fome Divides write, that
Confcience being God's Officer % when it
ttrm}\ God bmfelf doth bind vie by it to
jo How that error, & the evil which it re-
quiretb becowetb my duty.
An/. A dangerous error tending to
fubverfion of Souls and Kingdoms, and
highly difhonouiable ro God. God hath
made it your duty to know hisWill,ar-d
do
the Holy Sacrament. 3l
do if, And if you ignorantly miftake
him, will you lay the blame on him,and
drawn him into participation of your
fin, when he forbiddeth you both the
error and the fin ? And doth he at once
forbid and command the fame thing?
A? that very moment,God is fo far from
obliging you to follow your error, that
he (till obiigeth you to lay it by, and
do the contrary. If you hyjLoucannot $
I anfwer, Your impotency is a finful
impotency -, and you can ufe the means,
in which his Grace can help you: And
he will not change his Law, nor make
you Kings and Rulers of your felves
infleadofhim, becaufe you are igno;
rant or impotent.
Direft. 7. In the time of a&mnlflration
go along with the Minifler throughout the
work, and keep your he iris clofe to Jefus
Chrilijn the exercife of all thofe Graces,
which are fuited to the fever al parts cf
the a&minitlrathn. Think not that all
the' work muft be the Minifters. It
fhould be a bufie day with you, 8t yout
4earrs fhould be taken up with as
nuch diligence, ds yoiu: hands be in
L our common labour ; but not in 3
toilfome
§8 A Monthly Preparation for
toilfbme weary diligence, bur in fuch
delightful bufinefs as becomerh fie
guelts of rheGod of Heaven, at fo fweec
a feaft, and in the receiving fuch inva-
luable gifts.
Here I fhoiald diftinfrly fhew you,
1. What Graces they be that you muft
there exercife. 1L What there is ob-
jectively prefented before you in the
Sacrament, to exercife all thefeGraces.
Ill At what feafons in the adminiltra-
tion each of thefe inward works are to
be done.
I. The Graces to be exercifed are
thefe (befides that h >ly fear & reverence
common to ali woifhip) I. A humble
fcni'Q of the odiouf iefs ofj#tf,3ndof our
undone condition as in our felves, and
a difpleafure againft our felves, and*
loathing of our felves, and melting Re-
pentance for the fins we have commit-*
ted ; as againft our Creitor^ and as a-
gainlt the Love & Mercy of a Redeemer,
and as agmlt the holy Spirit of Giace.
2. A hungring and tbirjiing defire after
the Lord Jefus, and his Grace, and the
favour of God and communion with
him, which are there reprefented and
offered
the Holy Sacramenf. 3?
offered to the Soul. ?. A lively Fau b
i/i^urRedeemer,hisDeath,Refurre£tion,
and Interceffion ^ and a trutting our mi-
ferableS^uls upon him, as our fufficient
Saviour and help 5 and a hearty accep-
tance of him and his benefirs upon his
offered terms. 4. A joy and gladnefs in
the fenfe of that unfpeakable Mercy
wive 1 is here offered us. J. A thank-
ful Heart towards him, from whom we
; do receive it. 6 A fervent Love to him
that by fuel) Love d oih feek our Love.
7, A Triumphant life of Life Eternal,
which is purchjfed for us, and iealed
to us. 8. A willing fiefs gnd refolution
to deny our fclves, and all this World,
and fuffer for him that harh fuffered
for our Redemption. 9. A Love to our
Brethren, our Neighbours and our Ene-
mies, with a readinefs ro relieve them,
and to forgive them when they do us
wrong,- ic. And a firm Refolution for
future Obedience, to our Creator, and
Redeemer, and San&ifier, according to
our Covenant,
II. In the naming qJ thefe Graces, I
have named their objeQs : Which you
j fhould cbjfervt as diftinftly as you can,
3 that
u
40 A Monthly Trepamion for
that they may be operative* l. To
help your Humiliation and Repentance,
you bring thither a loaden miferable
S ul, to receive a pardon and relief;
And you fee before you the Sacrificed
S n of G d, who made his Soul an of-
fering for Sin, and became a Curfe for
us to fa ve us who wereaccurfed 2. To
draw out your defires, you have the molt
excellent gifts and the moll needful
Mercies prefenred to you thar this
World is capable of : Even the pardon
of fin, the Love of God, the Spirit of
Grace, and the hopes of Glory, and
Chrift himfelf with whom ail this is
given. 3. To exercife your Faith you
have Chrift here fiift reprefented as
Crucified before your Eyes: And then
with his benefits, freely given you,and
offered to your Acceptance, with a
Command that you refufe him nor,
4. To exercife your delight and glad-
nefs, you have this Saviour and this Sal-
vation tendered to you ; and all that
your Souls can well aefire fet befor<
you. 5. To exercife yourThankfuInefs
what could do more than fo great
Gift, fo dearly purchafed, fo furelj
yoi
the Holy Sacrament. 4t
fealed, and fo freely offered ? 6. To
exercife your Love to God inChiitt,you
have the fulleft manifeltation of his
attractive Love, even offered to your
eyes,and talte,and heart, that a Soul on
Earth can reasonably expeft : in fuclt
wonderful condefcenfion,that the great-
nefs and ftiangenefs of it furpaffeth a
natural Man's belief. 7. To exercife
your hopes of Life Eternal, you have
the prize of it here fet before you $ you
have the Gift of it here fealed to you 5
and you have that Saviour reprefented
to you in his fuffering,who is now therfr
reigning, thai you may remember him,
as txpeftants of his glorious coming ra
judge the World, and glorify you with
himfeif. 8. To exercife yourfelf-denial
and refolution for fuffering, contempt:
of the World and fiefhly Pleafures, you
have before you both the greateft ex-*
ample & obligation, that ever could be
offered to the World $ when you fee and
f eceive'a crucifiedChrift,that fo firange-j
ly denied himftflf for you •, and fet fa
iittlt by theWorld & flefh, 9. To ex*
crcife your love to Brethren, yea, and
Enemies, you have his example before
E your
4 2 ! A Monthly Preparation for
your eyes, that loved you to the Death
when you were Enemies: And you have
his holy fervants before your eyes,who
are amiable in him through the work-
ings of his Spirir,and on whom he will
jaave you (hew your love to himfelf.
$&': And to excire your Refolution for
future Obedience, you fee his double
Title to theGovernment of you,asCrea-
tor and as Redeemer * and you feel
she Obligations of Mercy &Gratitude *
and you are to renew a Covenant wirh
jhim to that end $ even openly where
£11 the Churches are witneffes. So that
vou fee here a rePowerfulobje&s before
you to draiv out all thefe Graces, and
xfcat they are all but fuch as the work
ftQuirexhyou then to exercife.
III. But that you may be the readier
ivhen it eometh to praSice,I (hall as it
were lead you by the hand through all
the parts of the Adminiftration,and tell
fba when and how to exercife every
Grace, and thofe that are to be joyned
together I fhali take together,that need-
Ids diftinftnefs do not trouble you.
i. When you are called up axid going
to
the Holy Sacrament. 4?
to the Table of the Lord, exercife youc
Humility, Defire and Thankfulnefs, and
fiy in your Hearts, What Lord, dofl thou
callfucb a wretch as I ? What ? Ale that
have Jo oft dejptjed thy Mercy ? And wil-
fully offended thee, and preferred tie filth
of this World, andthe pleafure cf the fiefh
before thee ? Alas, it is thy wrath in hell
that it my due : But if hove will chorje
fuh an unworthy guett.and Mercy will be
honoured upon fucb Jin and mifery, I come
Lord at thy call : I gladly come, Let thy
mil be done $ and let that Mercy which in»
vitetb me, make me acceptable^? gracioufly
entertain me, and. let me not come without
the weidingGirment,norunreverently rufb
on holy things^ nor turn thy Mercies to
my bane !
2. WhentheMinifterisconfeffingfin;
proftrare your very Souls in the fenfe
of your unworthinefs,and let your par*
ticular fins be in your eye, with thei*
hainous aggravations 5 the whole need
not thePhv fician,but the tick. But here
I need not put words into your mouths
or minds, becaufe the Minifter goerli
before you, & your hearts mult concuf
with his Confellions, and put in alfg
£ 2 tha
7|4 ^ Monthly Preparation for
the fecrec fins which he omitteth.
3. When you look on the Bread and
Wine which is provided and offered
for this holy ufe, refnember that it is
the Creator of all things, on whom
you live, whofe Laws you did offend $
'and fay in your hearts, Lord \bow great
it my fence ? Who have broken the Laws
cf bim that made me^nd on whom the whole
Creation doth depend? lhad my Being jrom
the, and my datlyBreod; andfbouldlbave
required ihee with dif obedience ? Father , I
have finntd vgainft Heaven & before tbee f
and am no more worthy to be called thy Son.
4. When the words of the Inftitution
are read,and the Bread & Wine arefo-
lemnly confecrated,by feparatingthem
to ihat facred ufe, and the acceptance
a ad blefling of God is defired, admire*,
the mercy that prepared us a Redeemer,
and fay, God bow wonder j ul it tbyW if*
dom and thy Love ? How ftrangely dofl
ibou glorijj thy Mercy over fin that gave
advantage to glorify tbyjujiice? Even thou
Pur God whom we have offended, haji out
0/ thy own Tresfury, fatisfied thy own
juftice, and given us a Saviour by fucb a
Miracle oj Wjfdom y Love, WQondefctntion y
4U
the Holy Sacrament* 4$
Oi Men or Angels fhall never be able fully
to comprehend : So didji thou love the fin*
Jul world, as to give thy Son, that voho/oe*
v*r believe ih in him, (bould not pertfh.but
have everhflmg Lijc. that thou baft
prepared us Jo jull a remedy, and Jo 'pre-
cious a gijt^fanctijie iheje Creatures to be
the Reprefentative Body & Blood ofCbrift>
and prepare my Heart for fo great a gift,
end Jo high and holy £7 honourable a work*
5. When you behold the Conftcrated
Bread & Wine.dijcem the Lord's Body ,and
reverence h «s the Reprejentative Body
eni Blood of Jcfus Chrifi •, and take heed
cf Prophaning k 5 by looking on it as com-
mon Bread & Wine \ Though it -fee not
Tranfublfantiare, but (till is.v^ry Bread
and Wine in its Natural being y yet it :s
Chrijls Body and Blood in reprefentation
and ejfetf. Look on it as the confecra^ed
Bre-jdof Lifa which with the quicknir.g
Spirit mult nourifh you to Life Erernal,
6. When you fee the B,ejk:*g of the
Bread, and jhe Pouring out of the Wine,
let Repentance^nti Love, and Dejire, and
Tbankfulnefa thus work within you.
•wondrous Love ! hateful Sin ! Hw
merciful. Lord, ha ft thou besn toftnntrs >
E 5 And
'4$ A Monthly Preparation for
And bow cruel have we been to our felvn
and tbei ? Gould Love floop lower ? Could
God be merciful at a dearer rate ? Could
my fin hive done a more horrid deed y than
put N* Death the Son of God } How Jmall
a mister hath tempted me to that, which 1
might have avoided at a cheap rate ? At fl
bom low a price have I valued his Blood,
when 1 have finned and finned again J or
nothing ! This is my dowg ! My fins
ners the Thorns, the Nails, the Spear !
Van a murderer ofChriJi be a Jmall offender^
O dreadjuljuSice ! It was 1 andjuch other*"
Jinners that defcrved to bear the punijh*
jnent who were guilty of the fin $ and to
have been Jewel jor the unquenchable
flames j or ever. precious Sacrifice !
bat (Jul fin ! gracious Saviour ! How
can mans dull iff narrow heart, be duly
tijfefted with fuch tranfeendent Things ?
Or Heaven mi fie its due imprejfion upon
an inch oj flrjhl Shall I ever again
tevl a dull Apprebenfion of fuch Love>
Or ever have a favourable thought of fin ?
Or ever have a f tariffs thought of juflice ?
O break or melt this hardened heart, this
it may be feme what conformed to my cruel-
$ed Uri ! ^Thc tears of hovt and trine
Re*), n* -
the Holy "Sacrament. H
Repentance are eafier xban ibt flames from
which I am redeemed. bide me in theft
wounds, & wajh me in this precious Blood !
This U the Sacrifice in which I truft : this
is the Right eoufnefs by which I muft be
jufiified, and faved from the Curfe #/ thy
violated Law 1 As thou haft accepted this,
Father, for the World, upon the Crofs,
behold it flill on the behalf oj [inner s \
and hear his Blood that cryctb unto thee
for, mercy to the miferable,and Pardon us,
and accept us as thy reconciled children,
for the fake of ibis Crucified Chrifi alone.
We can offer thee no other Sacrifice for fin j
and we need no other.
7. When the Minifter applyeth hin>
felf to God by Prayer, for the efficacy
of this Sacrament, that in it he will give
us Chritt and his benefits, and pardon,
a'nd juttifie us, and accept us as his re-
conciled Children ; join^ heartily and
earneltly in thefe requefts, as one that
knoweth the need and worth of fueh a
Mercy.
8. When the Minifter delivereth yon
the confecratedBread &: Wine, look up-
on him as the mefFenger of Chrilt, and
hear him as if Chritt by him faid tQ,
#8 A Monthly Preparation for
you, Take this my broken Body & Bloody
and feed on it to everlafimg Life. And
take mib it my fealed Covenant £f tber tin
the fealed teSimany of my love, and the
fealed Par dan of your fins ^ and a fealed
gift of Life Eternal^ Jo be //, you un»
fe/gnedly cenfent unto my Covenant % and
give up your f elves to me as my redeemed
ones. E^n as in delivering the pofleiii*
on of Houfe or Lands,the deliverer giv-
eth a Key, &c. and faith, / deliver you
this Houfe, and I deliver you this hand :
So doth the Minifter by Chrift'sAutho-
f try deliver you Chrift and Pardon and
Title toEtemal Life. Here is an Image
of a facrificed Chrift of God's own ap-
pointing,which you may lawfully ufe:
and more than an Image * even an in-
verting lnftrument, by which thefe
foigheft Mercies are folemnly delivered
to yoa in the name of Chrift. Let your
hearts therefore fay with Joy &Thank-
iulnefs,with Faith and Love,C y mat chiefs
bounty of the Eternal God ! What a gift
h this ! And unto what unworthy /in-
ner s I And will God jioopfo low to man I
And come Jo near him } And thus recon-
cile his- wrtklefs enemies ? IV ill he freely
Pardon
the Holy Sacrament. 4*
'Tar don all that I have done > And tak*
tnc into bis Family and hove, and feed rn&
with the Flejh and Blood of Cbrifl} 1 be*
lieve ; Lord help mine unbelief. I bum*
bly and thankfully accept thy gifts ! Open
thou my heart, that I t*ay yet more joy*
fully 6? thankfully accept them : Seeing
God will glorify bis love & mercy by juch
incomprehendble gifts oj tbefe \behold ,1-ord,
* wretch that needeth all this mercy ! And
feeing it U the offer of thy Grace & Cove-
nant, my Soul doth gladly take thee for
my God & Faeber, for my Saviour & my
Sanfiifier. And here I give up my J elf
unto thee, a* thy Created, Redeemed, & (I
>hcpe) Regenerate one-, as thy Own ^thy Sub-
jell and thy Child, to befavedtf/anfiifitd
by thee, to be beloved by thee, and toLove
thee Evcrhtting : Jeal up tbis&vendnt
and Pardon, by the Spirit, which thcujeal-
eft & delivered to me in thy Sacrament :
That, without referve, I may be entirely
and for ever thine !
9 When you fee the Communicants
receiving with you,ler your very hearts
be united to the Saints in Love, & fay,
How goodly are thy Tents, Jacob / How
amiable h the. Family of the Lord ! Mow
good
To A Monthly Preparation for
good XfpUafant is the unity of Brethren >
How dear to me are the precious members
of my Lord ! 1 bough they have yet all
their /pots & uoeaknejjes, which he par*
donetb, & fo mujl we. My goodncfs O
Lord extendeth not unto thee $ but unto
thy Saints, the excellent ones on Earthen
tub mi* my delight. What portion of my
e/Iate thou required I willingly give unto
the Poor, & if I have wronged any man, I
am willing to rettore it : And feeing thou
biji loved me as an enemy, and forgiven
me Jo great a debt, I heartily forgive thofe
that have done me wrong, (J? love my ent*
mies. keep me in thy Family all my
days, for a day in thy Court it better than
a thou/and, & the door- keepers in thy
boufe are happier than the moR profperous
0} the wicked, Numb. 24. 5. Pfal. 133,
and 15- 4, and 16. j, 3. Luk. if, i8„
Pfal. 84, 10.
jo. When the Minifter returneth
Thanks and Praife to God, ftir up your
Souls fo thegreareft alacrity ; and fup-
pofe you faw the Heavenly Hafts of
Saints and Angels praifing the fame
God in the prefer ce of his Glory ; and
think with your feives,that you belong
to
tto Uoly Sacramtnt. 51
to the fame Family & Sojciety as they;
and arc Learning their Work,and mutt
fhortly arrive at theirPerfe&ion -Strive
therefore to imitate them in Love and
Joy v and let your very Souls be pour-
ed out in Praifes BcThanksgiving: And
when you have the next leifure for
your private thouhts fas when the Mi-
nilter is exhorting you to your duty)
exercife your love & thanks and Faith
and Hope and feifdenial & refolution
for future obedience, in fome fuch
breathings of your Souls as thefe •;
€ my gracious God, thou halt fur-
c pafTed all humane comprehenfion in
* thy Love / Is this thy ufage of un-
1 worthy Prodigals' I feared left thy
4 wrath asa confumingFire would have
4 devoured fuch a guilty Soul ^ & thou
c wouldeft have charged upon me all
* my folly : But while I condemned
* my felf, thou haft forgiven & juftified
4 me ^ and furprized me with the
* fweeteft embracements of thy Lew f
4 I fee now that Jhy thoughts are above
* our thoughts, and thy ways above our
1 ways, and thy Love excellethrhelove
I of Man, even mure than the Heavens
4 are
f2 A Monthly Preparation for
* are above the Earth, With how dear
c a price haft thou redeemed a wretch,
* that deferved thy everlafting Ven-
geance ! 'With how precious
* and fweet a Feaft haft thou
€ entertained me, who deferved to be
1 caft out withthe workersof Iniquity !
* Shall I ever more flight fuch Love
•as this? Shall it not overcome my
* Rebeliioufnefs * and melt down my
4 cold and hardened heart ? Shall I be
c faved from Hell and not be thankful h
€ Angels are admiring thefe Miracles
* of Love? And fhall not 1 admire them?
* Their Love to us doth caufe them to
* rejoyce, while they ftand by and fee
* our Heavenly Fealt ? And fhould it
* not befweeter to us thatare the guefts
* that feed upon it ? MyGod how dearly
4 haft thou purchafed my Love ? How
* Itrangely haft thou deferved {£ fought
' it ? Nothing is fo much my grief and
Vfhame, as that Icananfwer fuchLove,
* with no more fervent fruitful Love*
* O what an addition would it be to all
* this precious Mercy, if thou wouldft
* give me a heart to anfwer thefe thine
t lnvitations,that thy Love thus poured
Joul
MP— — — — — iiMfm i p ■ ^
The Holy Sacrament! 53
out, might draw forth mine, and my
Soul might flame by its approaching
unto thefe thy flames ? And that Love
draw out by the fenfe of Love, mighc
be all my Life > O that I could
Love thee as as I would Love
thee ? Yea as much as thou wouldeli
have me Love thee? But this is too
great a Happinefs for Earth ! Bug
thoi^ haft fhe wed me the place where
I may attain it ! My Lord is here, in
full pofleflion : Who hath left me thefe
pledges,- till he come and fetch us to
himfelf, K feaft us there in our Mas-
ters Joy jj O blefled Place ! O happy
Company that fee his Glory, and are
filled with the ftreams of thofe Rivers
of confolation ! Yea happy. we whom
thou haft called from our dark and
miferabie ftare, and made us Heirs o£
that Felicity, and paflengers to it, and
expectants of ir, under the conduct of
fo fure a guide 1 O then we fhallLove
thee without thefe finful paufes and
defeats/ In another meafure, and ano-
ther manner than now we do: When
thou (hair reveal and communicate
thy auiaftive Love, in another mca-
F l fure
?4 A Monthly Preparation for
* lure and manner than now ! Till then,
* my God, I am devoted to thee; by right
c and Covenant I am thine / My Soul
* heie beareth witnefs againft my felf,
c that my defetts of Love have no ex-
c cufci Thou defervelt all, if I had the
* Love of all. the Saints in Heaven and
* Earth to give thee. What hath this*
c World to do with my affe&ions > And
* what is this fordid conuprible Flefh,
? that its Defires and Pleasures fhould
e call down my Soul, and tempt it to
c neglect myGod?Whac is there in alhhe
bufferings that man can lay upon me,
e that I fliould not joyfully accept them
* for his fake, that hath Redeemed me
* from Hell, by fuch unmatched volun-
* tary fufferings? Lord, feeing thou re-
c gardeft, &ib regardeft, fo vile a worm,
* my heart, my t@ngue,my handconfefs,
1 that I am wholly thine. O let me
4 live t& none but thee, and to thy fer»
♦vice, find thy Sairus on Earth! AndO
€ tez me no more return unto iniquity !
* nor venture on that (in that killed my
\ Lord! And now thou haft chofen to
e low a dwelling, O be not If range to
I ^hs Heart that thou haft fo freely cho*
c fen!
I ~. A - ili rf li i Vfrl -^ J i '■£«h i r i l p l ni
fT** //^/y Sacrament* 55
c fe i ! O make it the daily refidence of
4 thy fpirit! Quicken it by thy grace 5
4 adorn it ivirh thy gifts ^ employ it ir>
* thy Love, delight in its attendance
4 on thee •, refrefh it with thy joys and
1 the light of thy countenance^ and de-
4 ftroy this carnality, felfifhnefs and un-
P belief-, And let theWorld fee thotGod
U will make a Palace of thelowelt heart,
P when he choofeth it for the place of
# his own abode,
Direft. 8. When you cowebowe, review
the Mercy which you have received, and
the duty which yru have done, and the Co-
venant you have Made : And, I. Bctak*
your f elves 10 Gcd in Praife and Prayer
for the per jelling of his work : And, 2.
Take heed to your hearts that they grow
not cold, and that worldly things or
diverting trifles, do not blot out the faciei
mp r 'M~n*i which Chriji hath made y and
if)jt t'oty cool net qwek'yinto their former
du! and fl epy frame. 3. And fee that
your Lives be otfuited by the grace that
youhive here received, that even they th.'t
you cenverfe with may ferceive that you
been wiih God. Efpecially when
Temptations would draw you aguin to
F a finj
5 6 The Authors Solemn
fin; and when the injuries of Friends
or Enemies would provoke you, & when
you are called to reftifie your love to
Chrilt, by any coltly work or fuffering^
temember then what was fo lately be-
fore y >ur eyes, and upon your hearty
and what you refolved on, and what a
Covenant you made with God. Yet
^lidge not of the fruit of your Receiv-
ing, fo much by feeling, as by Faith;
For more is promifed than you yet pof-
dizre follows the Authors folemn ReJ?gna-
iion nj Him f el} to Father, Son and Ho-
iy Gfof.-
My God, I looH-.to Thee, I come
toThee,toTheealone! NoMan,
f no worldly Creature made me; none
* of them did redeem me; none of them
* did renew my Soul, none of them will
%juitifie me at thy Bar, nor forgive my
n, nor fave me from the penal Juf-
6 rice : None of them will be a full or
* a perpetual felicity or portion for my
c Soul. lam not a (hanger to their
•Pxomifes and Performances; I have
*tpited
c
Refignation of himfelf, &c. fj
*trufted them too far, andfollowed
4 them too long/ O that ic had been
4 lefs, (though I muft thankfully ac-
* knowledge, that Mercy did early fhew
*me their deceit, and turn my enquir-
T ing thoughts ro thee.-; To thee i re*
;< fign my felf, for I am thine ovos ! To
f thee I fubjeft all Powers of my Soul
> • and Body, for thou art my rightful
4 fovercign Goyemoui: From thee I
% thankjully accept of all the Benefits
■* and Comforts of my Life .- In thee -I
** expett my true Felicity and Content ;
* To know thee, and love thee, and de----
1 light in thee, muft be my bkfTednefs,
c or I muft have none. The little taifes
'of this fweetnefs. which my thirfly
\ Soul hath had, do tell me that rfiwfe-
c is no other real Joy. J feel rhat thou
* haft made my mind to know thet, and'
? I feel thou haft made my heart to love
*thee, my tongue to praife thee, aha?
T ail that I am and have to ferve riv-e /
'And even in the panting languifif'-ns*-
% defires and morions of my Soul, 1 fil 3D
1 that thou, and only thou, art itsieft-
*" ; ng place. / And rhoug-i L ve do novir
I \Mifmtbiiti$fray; and cry, and ***$*
#38 Tbi Authors Solemn
* and in reaching upward, but carina
k reach, the glorious lighr, the bleffed
■ knowledge,the perfett love,for whici
f it lorgeth; yet by its eye, its aim, it!
* motions, its moans, its groans, 1 knot*
* its meaning, where it would be, and
•I know its end. My difplaced Soul
* will never be well, till it come neaj
*to thee, till it know thee better, till
*it love thee more. It loves it felf,
* and julfifieth that felf love, when ii
* can love thee: It loaths it felf, and ii
* weary of it felf as a lifelefs burden,
* when it feels no pantings after thee,
* W«rt thou to be found in the moftfa-
*Ktary defart, it would feek thee 5 oi
*in the uttermoff parts of the earth, ii
P. would make after thee: Thy prefencc
* makes a croud, a Church.- Thy con-
* vei£emakethacIofer,orfolkary wood
*or field, to be kin to the Angelica]
>* Chore. The Creature were dead, U
*£hou wen not its Life r and ugly, il
f. thou wert not its beauty y and infig
*nifieant, if thou wert n®t its fenfe;
* The Soal is dsformed, which is with-
*om thine Imjge^ and lifelefs, whieli
* iiveth not ia jjpve to thee,> if km hi
'■aw
Reftgnation of him/elf \ tec. 59
1 not its pulfe, and prayer, and praife,
* its conftant breath: The Mind is un-
1 learned which readeth not thy Name
f on all the World, and feeth not HO*
* L1NESS TO THE LORD engraved up-
1 on the Face of every Creature. He
€ doteth that doubteth of thy Being or
* Perfe£lions,andhedreamethwhodoth
« not live to thee. O let me have no
e other Portion \ No reafon, no love,
1 no life, but what is devoted to thee,
* employed on thee, and for thee here,
c and fhall be perfected In thee, the on-
c ly perfeft final objeft, for evermore.
* Upon the holy Altar erefled by thy
4 Son, and by his hands, and hisMedi-
* tation, I humbly devote and offer
« thee THIS HEART: O that I could
c fay with greater feeling, This fiam\ng %
' loving, longing Heart I Bur the iacred
* firewiiieh muft kindle on my facrifice,
f muft come from thee ^ it will not elfs
* aftend unto thee : Let it confume this
t drofs y fo the nobrer part may know its
1 home. All that I canfay to commend
Ht to thrne acceptance, is, that I hope
* k*s waf&'d m previous Bloocf,, that
I fcksie is femetfting In it that is thine
66 Th& Authors Solemn
c own-, it Itill looketh towards t'fieei.
find gioaneth ro rhee, and tolloweth
€ after thee, a* d will be content wirh
« Gold; and Mirth, and Honour,, ard
c fuch inferibur Fooleries no more: It
c lie? h at thy doors, and will be enter*
1 tain'dorperifh. Though alas, it loves
4 thee not as It would, I boldly fay, it
• longs to love thee, it k>ves to love
• thee^ it feeks, it craves no greater
• bleflednefs than perfeft endlefsmutu*
• ai love: It is vowed to thee, even to
f thee alone; and will never take up^
■ with fhadows more$ but is refolved
c to lye down in forrow and defpair, if
1 thou wih nbr/be its REST and JOT.
\ It hateth it felf for loving thee no
« more y accounting no want, deformity,
€ fhame or pain To g*eat and grievous
« a calamity.
< For thee the glorious HeffedGODJ
'if is that I come to fe/r^CbriJi. If he
c did not reconcile my guilty Soul to
'.thee, and did not teach it the heaven-
• ly Art and work of Love, by the fweet
1 Communications of thy Eove, he could
\ be no Saviour for m^ Thou art my
J only ultimas end-, it is qhlf a guide
'and
Refignatlon of DwftJJ^ &c.' 61
* and way to thee thar my anxious Soul
€ hath fo much ftudied: And none can
c teach me rightly to know thee, and to
1 love thee, and to live to thee, but thy
* felf ; It muft be a Teacher ferif from
? thee, that muft conduct me to thee*
c I have long looked round about me in
c the World, to fee if there were a more
1 lucd Region, from whence thy Will
c and Glory might be better feen, than
\ that in which my Lot is fallen : But
1 no Traveller that I can fpeak with,
c no Book which I have turn'd over, no
c Creature which I can fee, doth tell
4 me more than JefusChrift. I can find
« no way fo fuitable to my Soul, no me-
'dicine fo fitted to myMifery, no bel-
« lows fo fie to kindle Love, as Faith in,
'Chrift, the Glafs and Me'flenger of
4 thy love. I fee no Dottrinefo Divine
4 an'd Heavenly, as bearing the Image
4 and Superfcripiion of God ^ nor any
ft fully confirmed and delivered by the
c Atteftatibn of thy ownOmnipotency ^
4 nor any which fo purely pleads thy
1 Caufe, & calls the Soul from Seff and
' Vanity, and condemns its Sin and pu-
* rifieih it, and leadcth ic directly unto
thee; and chough my former Igno :
ranee d» fabled me to look hack tot lie
Ages pift, and to fee the Methods of
thy Providence, and whe'i I look into
thy Word, difabled me from feeing.
the beauteous Methods of thy Truths
thou haft given me a glimpfe of clear-
er light, which hath difeovered the
Reafons and Methods of Grace, which
1 thendifcerned not: And in fhe midft
of my molt hideous Temptations and
perplexed Thoughts, thou kept alive
the root of Faith, and kept alive
the Love to thee and unto Holbefs
which it had kindled. Thou haft mer-
cifully given me the Witneft, in my
felf y not an unreafonable Perfwtfion in
my Mind, but that renewed Nature*
thofe Holy and Heavenly Defires and
delights, which fure can come from
nonebutthee. And O how much more
have I perceived in mmy of thy Ser-
vants, than in my fe!f ! Thou haft cdt
my lot among the Souls whom GbriR
hath healed. I have daily converfed
with thofe whom he hath raifed from
the dead. I have feen the Po/vver of
thy Gulps! upon Sinners: All the love
• that
Keftgnati n of hiwfe!f, &c. S|
c that ever 1 perceived ki- d ed towards
* ihee; and all the true Obedience that
< ever I fiw performed to thee, hath
4 been effected by the Word of Jefus
cChrilt: How oft hath his Spirit help*
c ed me to pray / And how often haft
c thou heard thofe Prayers / Whac
Pledges haft thou given to my ftag-
*gering Faith, in the works which
€ Prayer hath procured, both for my
'* felf and many others ? And if Confi-
€ dence in C h r i It be yet deceit, muft I
< not fay that thou haft deceived me >
< Who 1 know canft neither be deceiv-
c ed, or by any faifliood or fedu&ioa
, deceive.
* On thee therefore, O my dear Re-
« decmer, do I caft and truft this finful
* Soul ! With Tbee and with thy Holy
* Spirit I renew my Covenant ; I know
c no other , I have no other \ I can have
« no otherSaviour but thyfelf : To thee
« I deliver up this Soul which thou haft
* redeemed, not to be advanced to the
* wealth, and honours, and pleafures of
« this World \ but to be delivered from
« them, and to be healed of Sin, and
* brought to God * and to be faved
M "- / iflGttl
* from this prefent evil World, whic!
Ms the Portion of the Ungodly anc
€ Unbelievers : To be wafhed in th}
* Blood, and iiluminated,quickned anc
c confirmed by thy SPIRIT •, and con
1 du£ted in the ways of Holinefs and
f Love ; And at laft to be prefented
€ jultified and fpotlefs to the Father o\
* Spirits, and poffefled of the Glory
.- c which thou haft promifed. O thou
m c that haft prepared fo dear aMedicine
c for the cleaning of polluted guilty
? Soulsjeave not this unworthySoul in
* guilt, or in its Pollution ! O thou
c that knoweft the Fatherland hisWill,
c and art neareft to him,&moft beloved
1 of hirrbcaufe nae in my degree to know
? theFather; acquaint me with io much
c of his WilLas concerneth myDuty, or
c my juft Encouragement : Leave not my
c Soul to grope in Darknefs, feeing thou
c art the Sun and Lord of Light, O
c heal my eftranged Thoughts of God /
* Is he my Light, and Life, and all my
'hope? And muft I dwell with him
* for ever ? And yet fhall I know him
c no better than thus? Shall I legtn no
€ moie that have fuch a Teacher? And
" rfhall
Re fig nation of himfelf, Kt. 6%
1 fhali I get no nearer him, while I have
' a Saviour and a Head fo near ? O give
'my Faith a clearer profpeft into thac
c better World \ And let me not be fa
* much unacquainted with the Place in
1 which I molt abide for ever ! And as
J thou haft prepared Heaven for Hoi/
c Souls, prepare this too unprepared
* Soul tor Heaven, which hath not long
1 to thy on Earth. And when atDeath
* I refign it into thy Hands,receiveit as
\ thine own, and finifh the Work which.
4 thou halt begun, in placing it among
1 the bleffedSpirits^who are filled with
« the fight & love of God # I truft thes
c living i let me trult thee dying, and
c never be aftiamed of my truft,
4 And unto Thee, the Eternal Holjr
1 Spirit, proceeding from rhcpather and
'the Son, the Communicative LOVE
4 who condefcendeft to make Perfttf the
4 Ele£t of God,do I deliver up this dark
* imperfect So^to be further renewed,
4 confirmed and perfected, according to
4 the holyCovenanr. Refufenot toblefs
1 it with thine indwelling S£operations,
4 quicken it with thy Life-, irradiate ic
I by thy light ; fanStifig it by thy love-
G • actuate
66 The Authors Solemn
<afruate it purely, powerfully and con
'fta-ntly by tby holy motions* Anc
* though the way of this thy facrec
1 influx be beyond the reach of human<
* Apprehenfion ^ yer let me know th<
' reality and faving Power of it, by th<
€ happy Effetts. Thou art more tc
f Souls,than Souls to Bodies,tbanLighi
* to the Eyes, O leave not my Soul as
c a Carrion deftitute of thy Life ; noi
c its Eyes as ufelefs, deftitute of thy
c Light 5 nor leave it as a fenfelefs
4 block without thy Motion* The re-
* membrance of what I was without
* thee, doth make me fear left thou
* flVouldeft with-hold thy Grace. Alas,
* 1 feel, I daily feel that 1 am dead to all
* good,and all that's good is dead to me,
* if thou be not the Life of all. Teach-
* ings and Reproofs,Mercies&Corre£H-
* ons, yea, the Gofpel it felf,and all the
* liveiieft Books and Sermons, are dead
* to me,becaufe I am dead to them : Yea,
* God is as no God to me> and Heaven as
s no Heaven 5 andChriftas noChrift,and
6 the cleareft evidences of Scripture-
* verity as no Proofs at all, if thou re-
* prefent them not with Light &Power
'to
Eejlgnatlon of himfelf^Hc. 6 J
% to my Soul : Even as all the Glory of
c the World is as nothing, to me with-
c o.uttheLighc by which it's feen. O
| thou that haft begun, and given me
c thofe heavenly Intimations &c Dejites,
| which Flefh and Blood could nevet
'give me,fuffer nor myFolly toquencii
'thefe fpark?, nor this brutifh Fltfh to
c prevail againlt thee, nor the Powers
I of Hell to ftifle and kill fuch a hei-
| venly Seed. O pardon thai Jolly and-
c Wilfulnefs,which hath too often, too
'obdurately, and too unthankfully
■ € ftriven agalnft thy Grace ; and deparc
c not from v an unkind and finful Soui I
' I remember with grief 8t fhame, how
* I wilfully bore down thy Motions ^
* punifli it not with Defertion,and give
c me not over to myfelf. Ait thou not
$ in Covenant with me, as my Sanflifier,
\ and ConJir^er,zndCcmfcr:er ? 1 r.ever
1 u^derrook to do thefe things for mvt
c felf } but I content that thou/houldelt
'work them on me. As thou art the
' Agent andAdvocare of Jefus my Lord,
' O plead his caufe effcftually in mjr
j Soul, againft the S-uggeftions of Satan
I and my Unbelief-, and fiaifh his heal-
G 2 I ing
68 The Authors Solemn
* ingfaving work; & let not theFIefh e
' World prevail. Be in me (he refiden
« witifefs of my Lord, the Author of m
€ Prafers, (he Spirit of Adoption, thi
€ Seal of God, srr.d the earneft of mini
€ Inheritance. Let nor my. Nights hi
* io long and my Days fo fhorr, no:
c Sin eclipfe thole beams* which havi
* often illuminated my Soul. Without
c thee, Books are fevSeltfs Scrawls,
* Studies are Dreams, Learning is a
€ Glow- Worm, and Wij is bur'wanron-
* ncfs;iiT;perriner:cy & folly, Tranfcribe
* thofe fscred precepts on my ft cart,
' which by thy dictates snd Inspiration
* 'are recorded' in thy Holy* Word. I re»
€ fiife hot thy help for rears & groans ;
' But O fihed abroad that love upon my
c Heart, Which may keep it in 3 conti-
c nual Life of Love. And teach me the
* wofk which I muff do in Heaven :
} Refiefh my Soul with the delights of
6 holinefs, and the Joys which arife
f from the believing Hopes of theever-
* laltingjoys: Exercife my Heart and
* Tongue in the holyPraifes of myLord.
€ Strengthen me in Sufferings ; and
c conquer the terrors of Death and Hell.
! Make
Rejignaticn of him/elf, &ei 69
9 Make m^he more heavenly, by how
4 much the fafter I am haftning to Hea-
1 ven: And let my laitThoughts,Words
j I andVVorks on Earth, be.like.ft to thefe
« which fhali be my firft in the itateof
* glorious Immortality ^ where the
1 Kingdom is delivered up to theFather,
€ and GOD will for ever be All, and In
4 all: Of whom, and through whom,'.
1 and to whom areallThingSjTo whom
* be Glory for ever. Amen.
A Pathetical Meditation on the PoJJiin of
Cbriji 5 to be read. by Communicants be-
fore :bey partakz of the Sacrament of the
. Lord's, Supper. By another Hand,
Q^eft.¥7|7#<// ie-tle Sacrament of the*
* V V Lord's Supper ?
Artfw. h confiftsof two vifible 5'gn^
Bread and Wins* which by the Lords ap-
pointment was to reprefent to the Re-
ceiver his bloody Death, that fo his
D'fciples may keep it firefly in Jheir
Memories,
Queft. But k it only to remember ton
there was- a Cbrigtfjtd ibat be ms-cTHdJadj \
*nd no mors p
G 3 Anfvv
70 A Pathetkal Meditation
Anfw % Experience tell as^that fuch'S
bare, remembra nee as that, doth little
move upon cheHeartand upon the Af-
ffeftions^and fo wilido little or no good.
It is not the remembrance of any Mans
Death that doth of it felf affeftme,but
as I confider him as Fathers as a Hus?
hand jOt as a Friend, with many other
Ixprelfions of his love to me when li'v
log, this will exceedingly Work upon
sha Heart, foastocaufe Sorrow and
Grief, and the like.
Que ft. What is it then that I tnufl call
„9o mind, when 1 think upon a bleeding and
dying Gbriji./o a* to affrfl my Heart ?
An/to. I. Trhe cruel and bloody nature
$>f his Death y here you may confider
the whole ftory of his Arraignment, his
feeing hetrayed x by his own Apoftle, his
fceing- fpit upon and crowned with
thorns, his being mocked and jeered by
patting a reed into his Hand inltead of
a Scepter, afterwards his bearing of a
Crofs, and bis being nailed to it in his
Hands and Feet$ after that, his beirrg
pierced through with a Spear $ this
Mat. 27. willfully acquaint you with,
2» TJw. Gaufcs of his Death 5 it. was no
m-tHeTaffion ofCbrifi Ti
natural Difeafe, neither was it for any
evil done of his own, but for us. tie
bore our iniquities* upon the Grofs* g.
The Effe8*of his Death, which was to
obtain Power of his Father to conquer
theDevil,and pull us out of his Hands*,
to break our Hearts, and to conquer us
to himfelf, to pardon our Sins, and to
give unto us Eternal Life with himfelf
in Glory, and this upon our Faith and
lincere Repentance. Now from all
thefe Things are your Meditations to
be raifed, before you come to this Sa-
crament, and when you are receiving
of in
Ail Example of Meditation ,1 have here
fet you down as folioweth.
Away thefe wanton wanderingworld-
ly Thoughts, you are clogs to my Soul.
Away all trifling worldly Bufinefs,\ can-
not now attend yourcall,royHeart hath
now fomething elfe to do. Adieu my
Friends, farcwel my Husband, Wife- and,
Child, I mult go fee my bleeding Lor d $
that's dearer to me than you all. Come
now mySouljthou art ak>ne,thou know*
clt the way,make hafts, and fpeed •, I00M
yonisr r fee how. the Beopl'e flock> croft
but
72 ^ A Pathetic jI Meditation
but this va/e,&c climb but up this mount,
thou wilt foon arrive ar bloody Go/gotbaJ
where thou (halt fee thy bleeding and
dying Saviour to figh and linger out
dying Life on theCrofs in love for thee.
This, this might, Ob my 5^/,have been
thy Day, that thou might'ft Ii3ve been
the Prifoner •, this I fay might have been
the Day in which thou might'ft have
drunk the bitter cup'of the fierce anger
of Gad. But look yonder ! There he
gees that mult drink up the dregs, and
all for thee. Look again I There he
goes that mult lay down his Life that
thou maiit be reprieved. But come,*^
Soul, draw up a little nearer,thou canft
not fee him well at fo great adiftance^
ifand here 8c thou wilt lee him palling * r
look, there he goes with a train of Vir-
gins following. But fee how cruelly
thefe barbarous Jews do ufe him, they
mike him bear hisCrofs himfelf, and
prefs his wearied fainting Limbs above
his ■ftreng.th* fee how they laugh and
fcoff,and wag their Heads as if he were
their May game* Met hi oka- my Heart
boils up with rage to fee thefe cruel ries
Kvenged^ Qh\ How could th^bU-fTed
or) i 7*
God forbear r. i sfTed S
wronged ? Why -dr. he
Legions or Angel'sTof his refcue
doth he nor fend d?oWn fire from I
upon the Ffads of thefe his S ns ene-
mies, and fo consume them ? Bur flay
nty joolifh He*rt 9 thou knowefi not what
Sftrir thou art of $ this debt was owing,
aVsd ir muft be paid 5 God requires fo
ittkcl); and ir muft begiven,or ihouc^rit
nor be faved. Thy Lord did know this
well enough, for this he came fromHea-
ven, and committed himfelf ro the rage
of Men i he knew he muft endure all.
thefe reviling?, and doth ir grieve thy
S )trl to fee him thusahafed > Sray but
a while, and thou (halt fee him more $
look up, my S^v/, come, rell me what
thou fecit ? Oh I cannot, forrow ties
my Tongue, 1 cannot fpeak ; 1 fee and
h.ar thofe things that I want a Power
t) ut;ter. 1 fee a troop of Virgins fol-
lowing bim, their weeping Eyes \ their" - *]
blubbering LipsAheirfigbs and tbrobbings
fpeak them mourners. I fee my Lord
locks towards them, and kindly chides
their loving forrow, Why vceep )*, ye
Daughters */ Jerifahm ? Weep not jor
74 -A Pathetic al Meditation
7?je. My Lord ! What need was there
for that Queflion ? Should not they
weep when thou muft bleed ? Would noc
their Eyes have been flints, if that then
they (hould not drop Tears for thee,
when as thou were about to pour out:
thy Life and Blood for them ? Ah !
Could they chufe,or do Iefs than weep
to fee thine innocent felf among a herd
of Tygers-! WhatfhouldaL^/w3 do there?
They faw thee in their ravenous Jaws
about to tear thy Heart, to fuck out
all thy Blood,& leave thee dead. Have
I not fat and read, and read and wepc
viewing over the Itory j and could they
forbear that with their watryEyes faw
this fcene then aUel ? Bat whither, O
whither, O ye blinded fews, are ye
dragging this my Lord ? My Spirit be-
gins to fainr,I now can look no longer,
my Heart now begins to fwell witty
grief, it muft now bre.ik 5 or I muft vent
it at mine Eyes in dreams ! Look ! See
the H.mmer and Nails, the Hammer
lift up to (hike. Bloody Man! Thou
durft not fure ; furely thou doft not
know wft^Handsand Feet thou art now
piercing r is is the Prince and Saviour
on tbe ToJJion of Cbrifl. 7?
of tbe World. Foolifh Heart / See how
thou art miftaken $ look, fee it's done,
the Nails are driven to the Head 7 See
Jhow the criwfon Tears ruj? trickling
£own his hands and Feet, atr3 fee how
hardened Hearts be laughing at it ! Oh
filly foolifh blinded Men ! What laugh
you at ? This veryC^r/ff whom now you
mock, (hall be your fudge $ this very
Man Jefus whom you have thus abujed
fhali come attended with thoufands of
Angels,with the found of Trumpets,and
fhail fir upon your Life &. De-Jtb. Hm
whom you now have nailed to a Crofs,
bath Gcd exalted to be a Prince and a Savi-
our. What then will youdo when that
great and terrible day of theLord fhali
come > How will you lock him in the
Face whom you have//?// on ? How will
you dare to fpeak a word for your felves
to him whom you have nailed to a Tree
2nd crucified} His wounds in Hands y
Side and Feet fhali all bear witnefs a-
gainft you 9 and his innocent Blood that
youhave fpiit fhali cry aloud about the
Throne for vengeance againft you; your
Flouts fhali then be turned into Tears,
and your Taunt $ inioLamentations* And
bow
7 5 A Pathetic a! Meditation
how will you then look an I cry when
God paffeth fentence on you, & thrufts
you down -to Hell to bear the puniih*
pient of your Sins ? This is the Lord
that came tofpare yoqr Lives,yer your
wicked neis fpased not his* and how at
length can you think to efcape with
yours.
But once again, look up my $£#/,and
fee what is become of thy nailed and
crucified Lord : Ah me / He is not quite
dead, look how he gafps and pants for
Life / Oh how his Looks are changed/
How pale and wan do 1 fee hisCheeks /
The Blood and all the Spirits are quite
drawn from them. Methinks hefhould
be dead, for fee how weak his Keck is
grQWn,that.it is notable tofupporthis
head that lies a dying on his bleeding
Breaft. What yet not dead! See how
he (hakes and (firs his dying Limbs !
What gafps and groans do I hear him
fqtch, as if his Soul were Itruggling to
get our? Hark,hark,hey/>rtf&r / Oh let
me catch the leaft breath of my dying
Saviour. What faith my Lord ? Hark,
what doft thou not hear ! What ? My
God, my God, why baft thou forfcifon me ?
on the Vajfion of Cbrift. 77
I am amazed to hear thefeWords. How
couldft thou fufpe£t thy Fathers Love >
How could he be far from 16^, who was
one with tbyfelf ? But Oh ! This is but
the voice of his JUanbood^ni not of his
Godhead. It was the voice of the dying
and bleeding Man fejus^ not the voice
of the God Jefus.
But >Ob my Lor d,whzt are thofe pains
and gripes thou feeleft^that brings f brtht
thefe complainings ? But why do 1 ask
this Queftion ? Hath he not been all
this while drinking up the cup his Fa-
ther gavehim,the bitter, and fow'r,ancL
poyfonous cup of his Fathers wrath,
which I and all the World had elfs
irank of? He juft now fwallowed down
the laft mouthful the dregs, whofe bit-
ter noifomc tafte hath fent forth thefe.
fateful Lamentations -, fdr mark,he had
no fooner fpoke thofe words,, but he
gafped his laft.
The Gaujes of his Death.
And muft the Son of God be humbled
thus ? Muft he that was from everlaft-
ing, raifed and advanced above every
Man in Heaven and Earthy he that lay-
in the arms and breaftof God,loved b\'
H ~ the*
t.
7 8 A Patbetical Meditation
the Fathered his only Son ^ honoured,
adored, admired and beloved of ten
thoufand times ten thoufands ofAngels^
but mult this God leave all this Glory,
and change that fweet Heavenly and
delighifome Palace for fb mean,fo low,
fo dirty a cottage^ as to be born a Man,
And muft his entertainment at firlt be
no berrer than a Stable or a Manger
could give him ? No fooner muft he
begin to live,bu t muft an enemy affault
his Life i Mult he travel up and down
the Earthjand fpend his time&ttrergth
in preaching glad tidings to miferable
undone Men, and fill the World with
Jigr.sandwonders.Sc not defer ve fomcch
of Men as a houfe to dwell in, or a hole
to put his head in ? And after all this
humble, holy, long-fuffering Life, mult
ha be thought of by this unthankful and
unbelieving World as orntf not worrhjr
to Iive v and not have a breathing in that
Air which he both made & gave them
to breathe In ? But mult heat length
be laid hold of by a traiterous Judas
fiur he had once taken for one of his
Apoilleg | and m it he fuffer all this >
But ah / Alas / What Is this ? Mult he
be
on the Vojjion ofCbrift. ?V
be alfo crowned with thorns, and m u ft he
jmat and bleed? Oh far more t ham
Tongue can utter ! Oh alionifliing
Condefcention ! Thus did the Son he*
come a Servant, and learn'd Obedience
by his fufferings, and ferved a three and
thirty years apprenticejbip in rhe pain and
travel of his foul here on earth, a longe*
time than Jacob ferved for his beloved
Rjche/^nd that becaufe he loved us bet*
ter, and therefore gave a better dowry
for us. But had 1 lived to have feea
this Prince of Glory thus difguis'd, this
Eaflern Sun thus benighted in a Cloud,
this glorious God thus wrapped up in
rags of flcfh, fhould I have known hm,
or not ? my fenfual heart, I doubt thee
Jfiuch * wouldft thou have cleaved to
hm &: loved him better than thy life,
and have faid, Though all leave tbeejzvill
not \ and with Paul J am willing & ready
not only to be bound, but to die for thee.
What thinkft thou, Oh my foul I couldft
thou have leftHusband, Wife. Far her and
Mother, and all the reft of thy friends,
and have fold all that thou haft, aid
followed him? what him whom the
Prophet foretold, Ifai. 53,23, -he bmb no
H 2 (orm
So A Pathctical Meditation
form or comeliness in bim, that you fhould
drfite him : he U defpifed 12 re jelled of
men^ a man of Jorrows and acquainted
with griefs. Tell me, tell me, couldft
xhou have divorced thy felf, from all,
and have taken this feemingly uncome-
ly 4)erfon for thy Lord, and only Bus-
land? Ah me/ I do not know my
'heart ^ but lately had I known him
as I do now know himj fhould not have
iluck at any thing for him. For what
ii his Face did want comelinefs ,feeing it
camefo with tears and grief for thee ?
and wilt thou love thy friend the worfe
foecHufe he fhares in forrow with thee?
for thou canft not but know that ha
came from Heaven to take to himfelf a
Spoufe on Earth \ and if I was one that
3ie loved, and grieved for to fee my
itubborn heart fo hard toyield ? was this
the caufe he wanted beauty ? Gh fuch
a want as this is lovely, and methinks
my heart could have cleaved the clofer
to him : There was no bciuty or ccnieti-
vefs in him\ and what of that ? my ugly'
and deformed foul deferves more loath-
ing •, my rigbteoufnefs,\\iZ comlieft p3rt
sbouc me is but rtfgs, or a Menflruous
flotbi
on the Vajfton of €hffc- r "
clotb^if- there were no more deferable*
nefs in him than in me 5 Gh had I loved
him then, and left all for him, ir were
no wonder : but that he (hould love
me, I rather ftand amazed ! There was
no beauty in him, it may be fo *. buz
.could it be otherwife expe£ted from
him who came to work in Jirc (Stjftekf,
who came to quench the flames of Hell,
a-nd to fatisfy Gods wrath and julfice ?
to pull out filthy fouls from the jaws
of luftful fenfual flefh and blocd ? it
was not beauty but ftrengtb that wgs
here needful. A glance of an amercus
tye would not have wounded Satan jnd.
made-him fall from Heaven like a ffjfli
of Lightning- A comely countenance
could not have inchanted and unbai'd
hell gates, and made them fall,& break
before him into (hatters. What need a
lair band 10 touch our filthy rotten fouls,
and take them up in menftrous bleed,
and wafh them clean ^ or what need
fuch clean hands: to clafp about the
rutty iron gates wherein I and all the
World lay bound- in chains. and to pull
them down, to take our cankered bolts
and knock them eff* to take us by the
H 3 hand
$2 *. A Pathetical Meditation
ihand to help us up, and lead us out ?
LAlas ! there needs no fuch eye, jacc^ or
Xiand for fuch a work. It is powerful,
all-conquering ftrength that is here re-
quired. It was a powerful vi&orious
arm that here was needed, and fuch a
tint he had. But what fhouldhedo with
sa beauteous body that muft be fo abafed
S£ abufed as his was ? an uncomely face
•will ferve where it muft be /pit on s
Whit muft he do with a jair Jojt deli*
cate tender band 7 wh\ch mult he pierced?
another kind of hand is good enough to
knock a nail into. And wharneeds his
body be of a clear, white, thin tranfpa-
jrertt skin ? will not any ferve that body
shat muft be bruifed and wounded as
Ifcis was l nay, as it was necefTary his
ihould be ? But why thus neceffary >
cither he muft be thus dealt with, or
^ife my fin cannot be pardoned* Either
Sie muft be defpifed of men, or I mufi
t>e of G*d. Oh he muft drink up this
foicrer cup with alt its dregs, or elfe I
Biufi: have drunk it up my felf. It was
5 that finned,and I muft have fu ffercd>
this curfed, proud and earthly hea?t of
■Bine rebelled and broke the Laws^and
-filOUld
on the TaJJlon of €bri&: 8$
fhould have fuffered and born the pu-
nishment h had jiot he ftept in and born
the Itroke off from me, I had been now
burning in everlasting flames,and have
been lingering out this timein torment,'
which I am now fpending in the fweet
thoughts of my efcape. And is not
all true > fpeak out, my foul \ hath not
the Prophet faid as much > Surely (faith
-he) be hath born our griefs, and carried
our for rows : be was wounded for our
tranfgrc/Jions, be wasbruifed for our ini-
quities, the cbaflifement of our peace lay
upw bim, and by bi stripes we are healed.
All we like /beep hre gone aftray, we art
every one turned to his own way, and the
Lord bath laid upon him the iniquities of
us all.- He was opprcJfed,be was affiitlcd,
yet be opened not bis mouth $ be was
brought as a lamb to the /laughter, and a*
afoccp before the /hearers was dumb, fa
be opened not his mouth. He was taken
from prifon & judgment \and who [hall de*
clare bis generation > for he was cut off
from the land of the living. And for the
tranfgreffionoj my people wasbcfmittcnl
Thou feeft thy debt, and thy Saviours
f aymtnt of it 5 shefe ate no fittions-,
thoa
$4 •& Vatheticd Meditation
thou halt jolt now read a Jure word of
Fropbccy that hath confirmed it. Thofe
wouttds,xhote ilripes.xhqfQ bruifes which
thou readett of, he bore for Thee, and
which were due to thee. It was thou
rhat ftiouldft have been led j rom pri Jon
tp Judgment, from prifon to the Judg-
ment-feat of the great God, who fhould
have fat as Judge •, he fhould have ar-
raigned thee, fentenced thee, and have
fent thee to the /laughter boufe of hell,
where thou fhouldit have been weeping,
and wailing,and gnafhing of thy teeth.
But Oh amazing 18ve and grace ! the
Son of God that loved me betterthan
his life, ftept ofFhisThrone and took
my nature on him, and became a man
irke to me fonly fin excepted) he came
and bid me comfort my trembling heart,
fre would put himfelf into my condition,
and become the prifoner \ and if my
fin would eolt his life, he would freely
part with ir. Methinks I feel my bowels
turn, my fpirits meit within me •, was
ever love like to his love ? He was as
a ftranger to me : why did he not let
me die > It was hisF&rher 1 did wrongs
why did he not let me fuffer ? What
" * if
on the Ptjfion of GhriJI. 8?
if my punifhment was as great asHell?
finely I did deferve ir. What if my
pains and fcreeches were eternal ? Ah !
I was a creature ? a worm,a fly,a nothing
to him, and what need he haveoared?
but he loved me ± and could he love a
pWoner at the Bar? I was zfinner, a
vile polluted one^ethlnks hefhould havfe
ioaihed me$ but he did vaajh thee,& make
thee clean again. I, but J was hisFathers
enemy.zod fo no friend to him ; or would
he love an enemy ? or did he not know
fo much > hut how eouid that be, when
he fjw my heart, and the enmity that
was in it? yes, hedid 5 andyet beloved
thee ^ even while we were enemies he died
for /#. But why did he love an enemy?
or how could he do it ? / know not
why, itis paft my reafon to imagine it :
Oh inexprejjihk hovel Oh love paft
thought ! /cannot fathom thee with my
reafon, thy ways are unaccountable *
he loves becaufe he will love. And though
his love difpleaferh its, yet it pleafed
him to love us, Whar ails my heart ?
/cannot fir.d it ftir, What,dead under
the reviving thoughts of thy deareft
Redeemer ! I jult now laid, he loved
thee
86 A fuhetital Meditation
thee though anQnziny, and when thou
loved It not him * 1 fee the enmity is
not quite removed, thou can It not love
him yet ; Arife, (hake up thy felf, and
look about thee, thou dolt not fure fee
thy meicy $ finely thou underftandefl
not what thou oughteft to understand.
Come away, Oh come away, lift up
thy drowfie head,/ will make thee look
andlove,while 1 fet thee all on homing,
and make thee ere I leave thee confefs
thou iovelt him. Think, think, my
fou! f that thou hadft juit now finned
and broke that law which threatned
death, and upon the breach doth find
thee guilty. Think that thou faweft a
filming Cherubim, amefTengerof the
Co art o* Heaven flirt in at that door
and arrelt thee for High treafon, and
give thee a fummons to rife from the
feat thou fit reft on, to make a fudden
anfwer for thy life. Look then, my
foul, Ah ! I lookt.juft now, 1 fee that
door wide open: What's this! zfp'ir'n?
Ah me, I am undone,for I have finned i
I think the room (hakes under me, or
elfe 'tis my heart that's trembling.
What's this/ hear J /mult now anfwer
for
on the Poffion of ChriB, 87
for my life : Oh what fhaii I fay M
know not what -, / have finned, my
Confcience tells mo that I have finned,
the wirnefs within will caft me, I fee
the lnditement«writ with blood on my
heart-, the pride, fenfuality, and the
earthlinefsof which lam charged with,
I am not able to deny one tittle. Oh
for a mountain to cover me : Oh whi-
ther (hall 1 go,whither fhall I fly ? That
Bed^thefe Curtains, this Gofer cannot
hide me. My Mother, Fat her,Wife or
Child cannot help me : O who then
fhaii? t run whither know rot 5 ven-
geance will find me out where ever 1
go. Oh curfed and fultil Satan ! arc
ail thy fair promifes and inticements
come to this / O my wicked curfed
foolifh heart ! that ever 1 fhould believe
him before my Creator, that told me,
the day I finned 7 fiouldfurely die. Oh
that for a little fimple traniient pleafure
I fhould fo madly hazard my erernal
life / And now / muft be caft ro Hell to
hszt the punifhment of my folly. Think
once again. think r hat this were the day,
Ihisthe very place in whichG* d fhould
fcoms and fit in judgment on tine Ml*
thinks
88 A Pathetical Meditation
thinks I fee theHeavens bow themfelves;
Oh what a crackling do I hear in the
Clouds * look yonder! Seewho^omes!
It is rny Judge 5 his countenance is as a
fiameoffire, heutterihis voice like
Thunder, the mountains skip,or rather
fhake,or rather tremble. Now,now, is
the time of my utter deftruftion neat
at band- Oh how (hall I look him ia
the face ! His looks do already affright
me! Ifhallnotfayone word,and I have
not one Friend that will fay one word
for me. It's true, I fee a terrible glori-
ous Troop of Angels that do attend
him, but they are ail his friends, and
therefore all my enemies : I dare not
fpeak a word to them $ and alas ! if I
fhould, they are all but his ferva-nts, 1
and fellow-Creatures with my felf \
Alas ! They cannot, yea they will not
help me. It's true, there is ove, that
crrc that feemsdtf^* a?i/b G^thebeams
oi whofe countenance are far brighter
than all the Hoft of Heaven : Befides,
if God have a Son, it may be it is he *
methinks he is a mirrour of his Fathers
Glory * but this I know not \ be what
he will, he cannot pity me afinner,the
doors
on the Death of Chriji. 89
loots oF hope are all fhur up, and now
is a miferable wretch I muft prepare to
hear my fentence * the Judge isfet,and
ivich trembling heart and joints I itand
a prifoner at the Bar for my Life, and
now I muft attend his call.
God fpeaks,] Sinner \ where art thou ?
The Sinner an/veers'] Lord here am I.
God fpeaks] How dare]] thou thus a*
bufe my Grace fi? kindk up my zealagainft
thee that novo a* ftubble it mil conjumt
thee ? Is this the thanks that thou hall
returned for all the love that I have
ihewed to thee > Mult J make a whole?
World and give it to thee, and as if
that was too little, I bid thee freely
take my felf and all, and would not this
content thee ? Was 1 not as a Father to
thee,tfce time thou lovedlt me,and didft
obey me ? Did I not make thy feat a
Paradice, and ftrewed thy paths with
pleafure ? Did I not rejoyce over thee
as a young man over his bride ? What
evil haft thou found in me, that thou
fhouldft thus rebellioully revolt and
my Laws, and for a trifle fell my fa-
vour, and hazard myEternal pleafures?
Speak finner, was it not fo ?
90 A Fatbetical Meditation
The firmer anfmrs 3 My God, thefe
weeping eyes and bended knees confefs
fo much.
God [peaks ] Had I not told thee that
fin would coil thee thy Life, then thou
hadft had fome excufe 2 Have I faid it,
and will the greatGod change ? Sinner,
thou muft die \ I told thee fo before,
and now I tell thee again, the God of
Heaven cannot lie. Get thee gone thou
curfed wretch into eternal flames, and
keep that Devil company in chains and
torments,with whom thou haft rebelled
againft me, and go fee what pleafures
thou halt in finning.
The Sinner anfweretb'] Thou greatGod
and terrible Judge \ 1 do confels thy
lehtence juft^but if there be any bowels
of mercy in thee, pity me, or I die for
even Mercy, Mercy, Lord / for 1 am
thy creature, the workmanfhip of thy
hands. If there be any thing in the
trembling heart 2nd hands, and knees
of this thyfentenoed prifoner.that will
move compafficD, O pity, pity a con-j
demned Sinner.
God /peaks] What / Stays he longer!
tq trouble my patience / I fay, begone^
thou!
A Patberical Meditation 9 1
thou curfed 5 though thou art my crea-
ture,know that my wrath hath kindled
00 better creatures than thou art ; get
thee to Hell, and the howling Devils
will tell thee as much.
The firmer /peaks} Ah, wo, wo, wo to
me, for ever curfed / am, and curled
moft I go for ever, My righteousjudge,
and ye glorious Angels adieu for ever :
Live, live for ever blefled 3nd happy
in his love •, / might have lived, ard
joyed* and gloryed in that God that
made both ye & me \ but like a wretch
that / am, wo that ever / was born, f.
fold his favour, and fo my erernalLife,
for a thing of nought, a vain luft, a
finful pleafure that lafted but for a fea-
Con, and / g^, / go into eternal flames.
What fays myHearr this ? Methinks
the very thoughts >f it do make my
hearr to quiver, and my flefh to fhake
all round about me* ( r eel no itrength
in all my joints.
G id /peaks} So, fo, Jam glad feme*
thing moves thee.
But think again, that the Devil did
taks hold of thee, and drag thee frc m
the place thou fitteft or 3 to Hell 5 fop-
9 2 A Pathetic al Meditation
pofe the Father frowning on thee, and
all the Angeb flioating thee down tc
Hell, and glorying in thy damnation :
fcu tii k again thou fjweft when all
yvej* joying to fee ihee fentenced tc
Hell, that he that far juft by rhejudge.
vvhrm thou thougbreit even now to he
liis Son, but k«eweit it nor. Look
Look ! Methiiiks I fee him rffe oft' hii
Throne ♦, fee, fee, how the Angels fall
to adore him, methinks he is a coming
near thee. Oh how my heart dorfc
ttffllble, Oh what will he torment
me before my time / Ah me ! My doom
is great enough already.
Sinner JfwksJ] Thou wilr not fend
me to a worfer place than Hell ^ my
Judge hathpaffed myfentence,rhoucanH
not fend me into worfer than flames, o\
punifh me longer than everlallingly.
Cbrifi Art/icersj Oh how my bowels
turn ! This lioner knows not what is ir
my heart -, he thinks I am his enemy
Sinner, fluke off thy tears, and wip*
thine eyes, thou (halt not die.
Ttx fin net f pea As again.'} Oh thou glo
lious God or Angel, or J know not wha
to call ihee 7 do not delude 01 deride t
pooj
on the Vaffion of Cbfift. 9)
poor Caitiff wretch in the midft of mi-
fery : Why wilt thou raife me to fuch
a pinacle of hope, to caft me down,and
make my fall the greater ? My Judge
hath palled the fentence, I mull die ;
and who can reverfe the doom ? Ah /
I muft go i fee my prifon door wide
open •, the fmoke and flafhes come to
meet my defpairing Soul halfway.
ChnS fpeaksl^ And now my heart be-
gins to break, my love can keep no lcn-
ger in * how cauflefly doth this wretch
torment his heart! He knows not who
!am.- I mult reveal my felf. Sinner,
1 love thee •, I fay thou fhalt not die :
Come, feel my heart and pulfe how
they beat, and tell how ftrong my, love
within doth aft them : Dolt thou not
fee I have left myThrone,and am come
down to the Bar where thou Itandefl
condemned > But why doft thou weep?
Come,let me wipe thine eyes,and bind
up thy bleeding and defpairir g heart :
1 tell thee thou (hair not die: If Hea-
ven will have blood, it (hall have mine,
fo it will but fpare thine. Sinner, if
thou kneweft who I am, thouwouldeft
j>ot doubt one tittle; 1 tell thee 1 am
1 3 his
$4 A Tatbetlcal Meditation
his Son, his only Son, that but now con-
demned thee: 1 know he is juft, and
jultice muft be fatisfied. But do not
thou Jcar, if one of us rnuft die,ir fhall
l>e I : I will pour out my blood a Sacri-
fice for fin, and appeafe his wrath, and
make you Friends again. Ye innume-
rable company of Angels, fyet feivants
at my Fathers will) why do yerejoyce
to fee my Prifoner fent to he//? This
cuifed Soul over whom in Glory you
do bow triumph, I do refolve to die
for,and to buy her to my felf a Spoufe,
*nd to make her blefled with your
Telves, and give her a Prtnces's placeon
a Throne that is by my felf.
Sinner /peaks'] Is this a dream / Or
ami waking ? The goodnefs.greatnefs,
glory of this fudden unexpefted bleffed
scbafige, tempts me to doubt whether
it be true,or whether it be fomc unruly
izney that doth delude this wretched
Heart of mine? What for the Son of
God to debafe himfeif io low as to rake
my nature, and fo my eanle, & become
the Prifoner ! What /And though he
knows he fhall be cafi ! Will he hear
the fentence, and quietly bea* boh-,
and
in the PaJJion of CbriJI. 9?
and fhackels,and chains, which fiould
have fettered me ! Yet more than this,
Doth he know it is impoffible to get a
reprieve from his Father and judge 5
And that he mult mcft affuredly drink
the bittereft dregs of Death, more bit-
ter thanBeviis or damned Souls inHeli
has yet ever rafted of? For it is im-
poffible the Cup fhould pafs : And can
he, will he, dare he venture ? But
ttay,l mutt be a Spoufe/ To be exalted
from this dunghill to be a Frincefs to
the Son & Heir of Glory / Hold, hold,
here's enough/it is a dream,an idle fancy
of a diftempered brain •, I (hall rcever
find a heart to believe one Syllable.
But yet, methinks, if it be_a dream,
5 ii$* a Golden one. Is it poflible that
fuch a "damned wretch as I, could har-
bour fuch fiiken gilded Thoughts of
fuch Love, Grace, Mercy &Tendernefs
of t he Son of God ? Oh my Heart / If
they were not true,how came they into
my mind, or how came they to ftay ?
Or could they, if but meer Fiftioos,
make fuch a change in my Heart \
Could they fo vlttorioufly conquer all
my Fear, filence all my Doubts, allay
the
$6 A Patbetical Meditation
the heats of a fcorched and be-helled
Conference? But why a dream, poor
wretched Heart ? Didft thou not fee
him Itepoff his Throne ? Was it a
time to dream or fleepin, when thou
wert before the Judgment feat, while
God was frowning, and the Devils
dragging thee to and fro to get thee
away to Hell ? O then, juft then, % hs
Kept down, drew near and took thee
by the hand, and fpoke thefe reviving
Words to thee i Doubt this,and doubt
thy Judgment. But why a Dreami 1
am not now in Hells Torments,whither
I was juft now fentenced ; My Heart is
now at eafe and quiet •, furely fome*
thing muft be -the reafon why the
Devil that bucnow had hold of me,
hath left me. Where is theConfcience
that but now was burning in me j But
Oh, cannot the prefence of the Lord
put me out of Doubt ? Do not his
Words that were fo kind, his tender
dealing with me, doth not his ftooping
to me, taking me by the arm, and the]
gentle Lifts that he gives to my droop- i
ing Soul, fpeak him /-*fent I Oh/
Do notmyhead 3 eyes,arms,heait,breaft t
audi
on the Vajjicn of Chrijf, ^ 91
and the eafe of every joint and limb
about me, whnefs the fame > Away
my unbelieving Hearr, what a flir is
here to mike thee believe a thing fo
evident ? D »ubt my mind, and freely
doubt, III give thee leave, when thou
halt any rccjfion or reafon for it. But
why fh ^u!d # l doubt that which is pa ft
all doubt ? May I not believe mySenfes?
I both faw and heard him fpeak the
Words 5 or Hull I mifdoubt his faith-
fulnefs ? 1 know he is the Son of God %
he cannot lie, but it is true ? Yer, my
God, 1 pray thee be not angry wich my
fcrupulous Heart ^ thou feett in Tears
I mike the doubrjct it be an argument
to me of Sincerity : 1 do not ask that
TQutftiw as one that would fain be
perfwaded it's true: Canft thou think,
my Lord, that I would not bereconcil-
ed, and cheerfully accept of Grace
when thou fo freely offeiedlt it ? O
but Lord, fpeak thefe words ro my heart
which thou haft already fpoke to my
€Jt, and thou wilr melt it intolove and
thankfulnefs, and I (hall never doubt
it more.
OHje£V But yet, but what can Heaven
love Jo much I Anjw*
98 A Patbetical Meditation
An/to. Thou filly Worm ! How idl>
doft thou queftion ? Muft Heaven, and
fo its love, be bound up to fo narrow
and contra&ed Thoughts as thine ate;
What, can God love no more than thou
canft ? Love is a Perfection, and God
is infinitely perfe&,fomuii<be infinitely
& comprehenfively loving. Thou fool,go
found the Sea, and tell me its greateft
depths; give me the height of yondei
Stars, this poifibly thou may It do*, foi
the Seas are net fodeep but they have
a bottom, nor the Stars fo high, but
they may by art be known. But, Oh
the heights, and depths, and breadths,
and lengths of the love of our Redee ;
mer l He is God, and his breaftsare fc
full of love, that they flow and over
flow with love ^ they have no bottom,
D) but try, my Soul, call thy felf intc
this botromlefs lovely Ocean, into thi:
endlefs BtfoM.y and when thou haf
been finking millions of millions o
Years, teit me whether you come t<
ground. Ye glorious Angels, and y"\
blefled Spirits of juft Men made per
fe&, that live above, you that hav
bee.
on the Vaffien of Gbrifi. 99
been wading downward thefe five Thou-
fands of Years, do ye feel a bottom >
Or are ye near one ? Away, away, my
foolifh Heart $ if this be all thou haft
to plead, he may redeem thee, 8c take
thee for his Spoufe, and betroth thee
to himfelf, notwithftanding all this*
Objefch *)tit Ob this filthy loathfom
flefhlyfelf, this bafe unthankful earthly
heartjhat can prefer a dunghil,droJs,and
dirt, before him that can freely lay out his
love to a creature like my f elf : But Ob
bow bard, and ft iff, and unrelenting am 1 to
my God. But Oh he will flight m$^ be-
caufe I have often put him off, iff flighted
him ^ he cannot love and die for Jucb a
one as I am.
, An/. Ceafe fool, thy reafonings 5 he
cannot love an enemy,becaufe thou canft
not , he cannot die, becaufe thy co-
wardly heart will not fuffer thee !
Why fhould he fear the Grave, that'
had Power over it ? And what though
thou art unworthy of his love, if he
will have thee and make thee worthy ?
Thy Heart is bafe, and what of that, if
be will mend it ? Thy filthy rotten
and polluted Soul he intends to wafh
and
ICO A Patbetical Meditation
aim cleanfe ic till it is without ip t and
wrinkle, or any fuch thing. Thy Hub-
born proud earthly and luftfui heart,
he can make humble, tender, foft and
yielding. And when he hath made
thee as he would, why may not he take
thee to himfelf, and lay thee next his
heart, ar.d delight over thee everlaft-
ingly ?
Obje£l, But will bis Father yield to
this ? I am too poor <* match /or the Sort
and heir of a! I things : But will he fan be
fuffer his Son to dicjobuy jucb a beggarly
thing to limfelj at I am*
AnJ\ Away thefe filly fimple childifh
Thoughts; how like an Inhabitant of
this earthly fenfual World dolt thou
reafon ? Thou wilt not under-match,
and therefore will not God his Son ?
Thou Fool, thou wilt not hecaufe thou
canftfind another equal. But dolt thou
not know that God can find none equal
to his Son 5 he muft Itoop, or elfe go
wit hour. It's true, he might have gone
without,but what if he would nor,why
fhould notHeaven haveits will as well as
thou? Thou haft no dowry, and he
doth need none, and yet thou argued
as
on the PaJJion of Cbrift. lot 1
as if Heaven would make Traffick with
his Son and his iove,as we filly Worms
do here •, but we arc Beggars, and fa
ate Angels, and all the glorious Hoft
above, they are hisCreatures,hangand
flepend upon him, and cannot fubfift
3ne moment happy without fuppiies
and helps of his Grace * and why majr
he BOt bring a beggarly Man as near
to himfeif, as a beggarly Angel, if
ft it pleafeth him ?
Object Bui doth it Jo pleafe bim ?
Anfw. How often have I told thee
t doth pleafe him and haft thou noc
jelieved > Come, if thy bearing wilt
lot fatisfie, let thy feeing doit. Look,
f thou haft Eyes. Come tell me, dork
lotHeaven look as though it was pleafc
d with the offer of his Son? What
loud or darknefs doit thou fee about
he Throne ? What fign or token of
Ufpleafure canft thou at all difcover ?
)pen thine eyes, view the God of
ilory. Do his looks befpeak him ta
>e thy Father or thy Judge ? And canft
hou not read both Husband,Father and
,ord, and all in his Countenance?
Vhat not fee it ! Surely thou art blind ;
I ©2 A Patketical Meditation
If he had not told as much from his
own mouth, his eyes and looks befpeak
his love and favour loud and clear &
rough to thee. But doth he not tell
thee, to put thee out of all doubt, this
is my well beloved Son, hear him, hear
him.- What's that? Believe him what-
foevef he fays, why, what faith he ? O
dull and ftupid Heart ! Halt thou for-
got already / He faid he will pay his
Life for thine * and doth not hisFather
bid thee hear him? He faid he would
reconcile thee, love thee, 8t make thee
Friends again •, and is it not Comfort
ivhen the Father bids thee believe him
He faid he will paidon, wafh 8c cleanfe
thee,and take thee tohimfelf,& betroth
thee to him for ever, and after all
will give thee to fee his Glory,even the
ftme Glory which he had before *h«
World. And the Father is willing t<
all this, for he tells thee his Son, is hi
well-beloved Son, and bids thee believ<
him, and mifdoubt not one Syllable
And cantt thou after all this doubt tha
the Father is not willing ? But d
not his Angels likewife, who are mini
thing Spirits, with voice and lookl
proclairj
en the Papon of Cbnjt. 1 C$
proclaim as much/hat Heavep is well-
pleafed wirh the Son, and with his
Dea'h and Paffion, and fo with thee
in him ? Do nor the Angels admire
the Myftery of redeeming Grace, that
Bikes them fo defirous to peep into
it ? Why d;d they proclaim his c< filing
into the World, and fiog for j y mac
there was good-will in Heaven to Men
on Earth ? Or why do they fo diligent-
ly attend thee by night and day ? Thou
feel* them not keep guard about thy
Chamber door, and round about the
Ctmains af thy Bed, Why do they
attend thee from room to room, and
Follow thee down-ftairs, & out of doors,
if it were not but that thou art fome
great Princefs, nearly allied to their
Lord and Matter? Thou doit not fee
this, blame then thine Fve->, and the
infidelity of thy Heart - 5 fhall it be lefs
true, beciufe thy bafe infidelity cannot
digelt it ? Thou might doubt God, Hea-
ven, and every thing elfe on that fcore-,
but halt thou not it from his own Mouth
that the Angels are minUtring Spirirs
for the heirs of Glory ? Come, tell me,
I fay, tell me quickly, I mult have an
K 2 anlwer
I #4 ^ Pathetic al Melitatwn
anfwer, can this, and all this be true;
and Heaven yet not be pleafed? If God
with his Son and Angels be all content
that thou fhouldft be reltored, and fa
exalted to fuch dignities as to be heir
unto the Crown of Heaven ; if thefe be|
pleafed, who is there in Heaven that
can elfe be difpleafed? What faith my
Heart ? What not yet one Word ? Oh
how long fhall I be troubled 8c pelter-,
cd with my unbelief! Oh my God>
itrik#, chide, and break this flint, re?
prove thisftubborn-8c unbelievingHearr,.
I cannot perfwade it that thou lovelt
me, or art willing to love me: I urge
thy Word, and my beft reafon to pr ve
it, but Icannot make it yield. Oh break,
I pray thee, this Flint or Adamant up*
on the downy Bread of Love vftrike, and
one blow of thine will make it fall in
pieces, and confefs at length that thou
art well pleafed with thy Son, & fully
fatisfied that he ftiould bleed and die
for me. Bat le* me try thee once again,
if thoti haft loft thine Eats and Eyes -,
I'll fee if thou haft loft thy feeling too*
Tfiou fayft thou canft not believe that
€j0d is willing to accept the Son for
*ihee,
on the PuJJion ofCbrift* io>
fhee, or that thou fo vile a wrerch canlt
be accepted of by the Father through
the merits of his Death and Sufferings.
Come,teil me,isnot this thy Language?
J know thou dareft not to fpeak fo muclx
in Words. But ah / my Heirt, I find
thou haft got a Tongue as well as my
Mouth, that often mutters and fpeaks a
different language. But tell me if thy
unbelief hath any ground for it? What
makes it then that thy felfis fo free
from fears and terrors, when thou
fhouldelt believe the Almighty, of thy
Bodies Death, Refurrettion, and com-
ing to Judgment, if thoughreit him not
thy Friend, and reconciled to thee in
his Son ? If nor, methinks thy fears
fhould fright thee, and tremblingfeize
on every joint •, and yet thou wile fool-
ifhly mutter agiintt thine own feeling,
Swlfpejkq blefled God ! I feel
thou halt overcome y I yield, I yield, I
have not left a word to fpeak againlt
thy love-, thy Son hath offered Satis-
JM&on, and thou hilt accepted if ^ tho«
hill laid dowj, O my Sjviour,rhyLlf<e
for mine * a :d thy FJther, aid m/
Bliher is well pleifei with-it : Btoxl
K 3 U
A Pathetic*! Meditation
is paid, Juftice is fatisfied, Heavens
doors are widened, thine arms open to
receive me j nothing is wanting but
my Hiart -, make it fuch as thou wilt
have ir, and then take it to thy felf*
Come up, my Soul, thou haft an Heart,
and there is a Chrift* the Father thou
feeft is willing, and the Son is willing,
give but thy confent, and he is thine
for ever. Fear not thy hardnefs, blind*
rftfe, dead nefs, loathfomnefs, all thefe
cannot binder, if thou be but willing*
He hath been in the world to ask the
worlds confent already, and alfo thine-,
thou cinft not doubt of his Good- will y
fpeak but the word, and he hath thine
too. What fiickeft thou at ? » Surely
thou art a floggifh Spirit h what doft
t-hou ail ? Half of this ado would find
a Heart for a little mire or dirt, ox
fomething elfe that is worfe,and is not
Chrift better > But ah ! yet I feel a
piece of unbelief (till working in thy
very Bowels, as if that Jefus that died
at Jerufa'cm were not the Son of God y
and the Redeemer of the World. And!
is this all ? O were I certain thou
wouldft n«ter doubt *Qie,. huW fret's*
&ould
en the Tnjjion of Cbrift. Y07
hould I make Satisfaction ? But Oh/
[ faint and tire with the trips & ftum-
clings of my unbelief. But mount,my
Soul, thou muft refolve to tire and put
tofilence all thy unbelieving bablings,
Drtbey will thee * which, if they do*
never expert an hours peace or quiet
more \ thou muft refolve to conquer
thy unbelief, or to be conquered •, thou
knoweft her tyranny too well to let her
g ■) away the vi&orefs. He was not the
Chrift, thou fayeQ, but tell me why >
Objeft. His Parentage was too low and
mean I what the Saviour of the World a
Carpenters Son ! How can it be !
Anf. My unbelief, in the frrft place,
thou liett, his Mother was a Virgin,and
her Conceprion knew no Father but the
Almighty Power of the overshadowing.
Holy Gholt ^ he was more truly theSon
of God than fofepVs Son* And was
his Birth, think'lt thou,fo mean,whofe
Parentage was fo glorious ?
Gbjeft. His Birth but me<in& beggarly \
nofooner born^ but cradled in a Manger \
hut could Heavm fuffer this i
An/. It confifts. But yer it was as
glorious ., For did not a Stir proclaim
him
him born ? And did not a whole Hoi
of Angels fing, and (hour it up for Joy
And did nor wife Men, yea and Kings
bring Licenfe, Myrrh, and Frankincenfe
being but as fo much Tribute, unto th<
new born King,and heir of all things,a<
if by inftin&they knew they held theii
Crowns of him > A greaterHonour thai
ever any new bom Prince hath yet re
ceived before him, or ever fliall or wili
do after him.
Methinks, my unbelieving Heart, 1
could dare to tell thee, that room was
no Stable, it was a palace * and did noi
the coft, prefents,and glorious Prefenc*
of Kings fpeak as much ?
Ohjett. But bis Days were Jfent h
Poverty, Meannrfs and Difgrace * ant
can /, dire /, truft my Soul with fucb c
ene, and take ban ?v be /fcf Son oj God\
£mf. And now I wonder at thee
It's true what thou fayefl,if thop lock 5 -
ett upon him one way \ his 15 fe was
fuch as thou telleft me of-, but 'tis $
ftrong argument agai \\\ thy felf* tot
juft fuch a one was the Chritt ro be
according ti> the Prophets \ the 53d
Ckaptei
fe s
an the Vajjion of €brijf. 109
apter of lfaiab (hews as much. But
[yet if you truly underftandeft what true
>']Pomp and Glory means, even to an
tfeyQ of Senfe as well as to that of Faith,
iSo/omoa'% Life imbroidered with all his
jgiorious Afts, was not comparable to
]this Lifeof his. Was it not filled with
]Miracles and Wonders ? Was he not
proclaimed the Son of God withVoices
f'Cm Heaven ? Did he not conquer
Devils, and therefore the Kingdom of
Hell > Was ever Prince on Earth ho-
noured with fa great aConqueit* Wete
not his miraculousFeaftsmorefplendid
than thofe of Princes ? The fare was
biM poor and mean, but the miracles
made it rich and glorious. Had I been
prefent,fhould I not have wondered and
gaz^d more at the Matter of this Feaft;
and have taken more Pleafure to have
fec-i him fit down with rhefe fiveThou-
fands, than wirhaTable full of Princes
and g^e.u Men? Alasjr wereatriflirg
fight to 1 h is. Methinks my unbelief
that pleads fo much for fenfe, fenfe it
fslf pleads too ltro-gly againft rhee,for
thou canft not argue one Syllable.
Objeft; But would tbc Son pf God be
banged
*ro A Pathe'ical Meditation
hanged and crucified ? Couid Heaven have
Suffered this ? £ou!d not the Saviour of
the World Jave hlmfdf ? How could he
thenfave mc ?
Anf. Hadft thou not the blindnefs of
the Jews, thou could ft not reafon thus
like them.-, but was it not neceflary it
Ihould be fo ? Dd not the Prophets
foretel his Dearh, and fuch a Death ?
Had he not died, and died as he did, I
might then have had fome ground to
doubt him whether he were theMeffias
or not, for it was needful that tbePro-
phecies (hould be fulfilled, Dan.9. Bat
yet as wretched and as contemptible a
going out of the world as he^had, and
his manner of dying on theCrofs, how
vile foever it feemed tobejet was there
not enougb to filehce all the doubtsj
that could polfibly from thence arifeJ
and much for the Confirmation of myj
Faith, in the wonderful Fclipfe of the
Sun, the rending of the Veil of the
Temple, the opening of the Graves,
railing of the Dead, and afterwards his
own rifingthe third day, and afcending
up toHeaven in a Cloud > IfmyFauh
mighi have liagjjered in feeing him on
the
on the Vojjion of Cbrijf. 1 1 1
rofs dying, ir could not when it faw
im riren,and in the Clouds afcending.
Ohjeft, But mre tbofe wonders trut
id certain ?
Ar.fw. But haft thou any ground to
oubt them ? Are they not written in
)y Bible l And art thou not certain
lat it is the Word of God > Or haft
lou not fufficient Reafon to believe it
> be fo? But halt thou not a whole
ation, yeaNations that do believe the
me ? And before this age, did not
ir Fathers,and Grandfathers.and great
randfathers, and fo continued a refti-
ony of Ages from the time that they
ere done, to this day, witnefs to the
r uth of them,and that fo unanimoufly
id refolutely that ten thoufands have
ther chofen to lofe their lives, than
ie Truth of them. Now pur ail thefe
gether, and tell me,canft thou doubt >
way, I fee thou doit but trifle * con-
fs the trutb 3 or 1 am refolved to heed
iee no longer. Come,take 2c embrace
lat crucified Jefus, account all things
fe but as lofs, and drofs, and dung in
pmpatifon wirh him ; (tick not at his
itwaid' meannefs, fcruple not at his
ignominious
ignominious dying, ir is the veryChril
the Saviour of the World. Oh wh;
fcouldeft thou thus torment me ? Dof
thou not fee ail thy fellow Chriftian
to Glory in thatCrofs,and in thatChril
that died on it ? Do they not bear it a;
a badge of honour. & (hall it be to the<
asfliame* Do not ail theChriftianWoric
sat and drink as often as they can th(
Symbols of this their dyingLord? Anc
do they not all fing,and joy,& triumpl
in it ? And wilt thou the while lie
vexing thy felf over a company o!
needlefs fears and fcruples ? Farewel
ail needlefs doubts and tormenting
Queftions, I fee my Faith is built on \
Rock, blow winds, beat waves, yot
cannot now move me. BlefTed God |
I thank thee, for thy Son, tbou hafl
given his Life fox the fpoiler,thou haft
bowed his back to the enemies, lonj
furrows have they plowed upon i^and
the day of his calamity they laugher
at. Lord": Thcu haft wounded hin
for my fins,and bruifed him-for my ini;
quities. Thefe fpeak the depth of thj
counfds, and the ways of thy mercj
part finding out, and the tendernefs o
en the V<fjion rf Cbriji. II J
:hy bowels. Thou halt made him my
Rock, and my fhield, and my thong
Tower, and in the day of my forrow
through him thou wilt hear me. To
thee, OGod, will I make my vows, and
to thee will I pay them 5 I will hum:
ble my felf before thee. I will always
lie at the feet of my Redeemer. lord!
His Crofs and his fhame fh all be no
more a ftumbling-blcck to me, I will
take it up and follow him, it (hall be
my Crown, my Song, and the glory of
my rejoycing. I will enter into thy
[Courts with joy, and in the Congrega-
ions of thy Saints (hall be my delight;
will remember thy loving kindneffes
^f old, & the days in which thou didft
(jfflift thy only Son for the fins of my Soul.
i will call to mind theCovenant of thy
3race$ and my heart fhall praife thee,'
fvhen I fee it founded on blood. Then
will I betrorh my felf to thy Son; join
thou, Lord, both our hands and hearts,'
ind we will ftrike up a ma'ch forever;
?raife thou the Lord, Oh my foul, and
ill you that love and iear him, praife
lis holy name.
L The
ii4 A Vaibetical Meditation
The SACRAMENT,
The DreJS.
Lord, where am i! What! All th<
Children of the Bride-chamber up and
dreft, and I {lumbering in my bed! Tell
me ye fairelt, what make you up fc
early ? Alas our Lord was up before ui
all. He called us up by break of day
and wondered that we were not trim
ming our lamps, knowing with whorr
we are to fealt this day. Oh well thei
I will rife up too. Oh what a fhew dt
thefe bright and glittering Saints mak<
in mine eyes ? What a brightnefs d<
thefe pearls and diamonds caft in mini
eyes! They do Itrike me into amaze
ment. Oh what a lovely humble iool
doth crown their brow ? And what \
comely Countenance hath joy and Hea
venly delight caft on their cheeks
Surely they did not thus drefs them
feives, it was myFather that made then!
thus prepar'd ro entertain his Son. BuJ
where are my Cloaths ? Now for th!
•faiieft, fweetelt robe of thoughts an<|
wifhei
on the TaJJion of Cbriji. 1 1 5
wifhes that can be found, or that the
tfardrope of my Father can afford me.
3h how naked am I ? But where are
my filken golden twifis of Faith to bang
'be jewels, of joy and love^and humility up-
\n f I am never drelt till they he on.
3h where, where are they ? I faw
:hem by me hue jult now. I laid them
ay my heart before I went to bed. Oh
what was I fo long a reafoning about ?
Oh what long and many threds did
my reafon fpin even now, but to make
Ihefe twines to tye up my joy- and to
raife up my love, and to hang my hea*
ve ily delight upon ? But ah ! I feat
this envious world hath with her va-
nities fto-Ien them away, or hid them
From me: or the envious Devil, or un-
belief have been ravelling or fnarling
of then , that now I am as far to feek
is ever. Whither, O whither fhall I
m to find them out ? Now, will the
bridegroom come, and I am not ready ?
1 cannor,dare nor goto day. Now will
ny Lord be angry, and ask me why I
:am a nor, arc! I have no anfiver to make
iim. And if I go undrelt, he will ssk
ue,where is my Wedding garment, ar.d
L 2 i then
St 6 A Pathetica! Meditation
then I fhjll be fpeechlefs. Ah foollffl
fimple heart / that thou fhouldeft rake
no more care but to let thefe thought!
of earth fo entangle themfelves witf
thy fo pure and heavenly contemplati-
ons / Now how to get them looft
again, thou knoweft not \ this thoi
mighteft by heed & care have prevent
cd 5 but now tvhar help > Lord, I have
finned 5 O holy Father pardon thii
time, and I will take more heed, Oi
come and unne my thoughts from thii
earth, and come and drefs me up as bef
pleafeth thee. Come, be not difcou«
raged, Oh my Soul ! Let but thy attire
of Grace be whole, that is, fincere, thj
G d, and fo thy Saviour will accep'
thee % Though thy garments are not fc
much perjumei with Hetven, as thy bre-
threns are, bur yet if jr href are bu<
white and free from the fpots of fieff
and fpirir, thou wilt be looked on anc
liked of well enough. Thy Lord dot!
know that all have not Talents alike
and where he gives but lirtle,he expeft
but liffle. A faith that is richly im
broiderel over with love and delight, i
not given to all ^ and is not expeftet
iron
on the Vaffion of Cbrift. U?
from any bur from thofe to whom it is
given. Thou halt an honelt, willing/
ferious hearr, that thinks it doth dcf-
pife and trample under feet, the near*
elt, dearelt pleafures, profits & gL ries
in the world f in compare with him that
gave himfelf to death for thee \ and
hadlt rather anger iiefh and blood, the
dearelt friends, and all than him, by
finning againft him in the lealt. If this
be true,fear not, thou halt thy wedding-
garment on, thou art well clad •, as
mean foever as it is, it is fuch a ore as
heaven gave thee, and fucha oneasthy
dear Redeemer can, and will embrace
thee in.
The FrefencrChmhr*
Fear nor, O my foul, I charge thee
Jo not faint. Let nor thy weiknefs,
ihd the poverty of thy grace, dilcourage
rhee : See how thy Lord draws nigh.
Feafr nor,- 1 fiy, he will not ask thee,
Friend, hvvo ci?nefl thou hither not havirtg
>/? thy Wedhng.garment ? He fees thy
Hem, and lees thou halt it on. Oh he
I0B&-3 l And it is but to whifper th^§
ij a-
I r 8 A Tathetical Meditation
a welcome in thine ear^ it isbut tofalj
abour thy neck and kifs thy be reai'd
cheeks, and bid rhee a kind welcome
lo thy bleeding Lord.
Sou!. On did i think to be thus much
jnade of ! I thought be would not
have mil ded me $ but I did no foorei
appear & let my feet within the dcois,
bur he ran «o meet me ^ he took me in
liis arms, he brought me hither, and
fet me here. Is this a houfe, or is it a
Palace ? Is this a Court for Princes, or
for Angels ? Never did place more
favifh me into amazement than this
p!?cs / Beautiful are thy gates ', Zion I
how pleajant it the habitation of the moji
high I Is it the place or the company
that Itrikes m* into alionifhment ! Now
1 can f3y,moit feelingly fay wtihDavicf.
My delights are with the Sai&ts of the moji
l)igh, and the mo ft excellent of tie tank
Their poverty,their difgrace, jheir cor. 9
senipt amongit whom they live, do not
puzzle my quick ey'd Faith ; thefe ar<|
the Kings Daughters that are all ghriouk
with in, their garments are of needle w rk.
2)%hfQi&creA over with fur e gold, fine f$ui
on the Tajjion of Chrijf. i T 9
nean foever they are, or may fcem to-
>e, thefe (hail fee v^ith Chilt to Judge
he World, Ob./ How my S ul is ra-
fifhed wich delight, to fee. and lock on
hofe with whom / fhall live for ever !
f they are fo lovely now, what will
•hey be hereafter, when our God fhall
ake them, and fcowr off their rult, and
wafh their Garments bright in the Sun-
shine of bis countenance, H. change thofe
mortal and corruprible bodies into im-
mortal and glorious ones ; and fet them
upon thrones, about himfelf, and lade
their heads with crowns of mafly gold j
and when I fhall hear them warbling
ouc the everiafting Praifes of the Lamb,
whofe Body and Blood we fhall fi$
down to feed on !
Communion Plate.
Kevar voasGold or Si her graced thus before]
To bring thisBodyiS 'ibis Blood to us, h more
than to Crown Kings,
or be mode Rings
' Star like Diamonds to glitter in*
Ike
12©
A Patbetica! Meditation
The Brcjd.
Welcome FaijrefK take anS tat ; h\
the fWeetcit dainties, deceit morfe
Heaven c^n afford rhee. Welcome vc\\
Dear, ro the Fable of mv Lord. Wei
c< me a thoufand times 3 I bid thee \ ycz
welccmer than thine own heart car
IKifli. Take, eat this morfel,it coft raj
life y it's a portion thy Father ient unt'C
thee by me, ad bid me remem-
ber thee of his love ro rhee. He bid*
thee remember a Fathers love, Ay 3 a
Saviours. He hath a heart to give thee
and fo have f. Take this inearnelt oi
them both in one. Take freely ; if
thou were not welcome, I would have;
told thee $ I would have asked thee
for thy Wedding garment, knew 1 not
thy heart ; or if I were urieerra in of
thy love, / wouM havefcorn'd rhee as
unworrhy of my prefence v did / know
thou lb v eft any thing above me I would
have hid my face,and never have fpr ke
thee a welcome fo feelingly &.-Vjndly
fo thy S-trl. Tell me O felftnfe $> ft
thou not love me ? i &now thou- dolt -,
moiei
on the TaJJhn ofCbriJf. i*f
more than Father or Mother, Wife or
Child, Lands orLiving.orCredir * I knov?
thou doft. And wilt thou not take the
Crofs and follow me ? I know thou wilt,
I fee and know the labour of thy love ^
I remember the pairs and travel of thy
Soul h I fa w rbee follow me on thy knees
Jn tears, and begged my life rather than
thy lite. I know thy heart, I faw it
Weeding before my Throne-, I rook it
in my arms and bound it up, and in that
breaft 1 remember I put it up again $ I
faw thee when no eye faw thee^ 1 heard
thee, and had companion on thy groan-
ings.whilft thou- wert complaining that
f nad (hue out thy prayers ; I well* re-
member fince thy heart did firft fall fick
with love, fince the time thy flefh be-
gan to die, and fince thou laidlt thy felf
in the gravedovvn by me, and wert will-
ing to die to ail this vain emp*y glory
of the world, becaufe 1 died and left it.
J know thee well enough, Thou art mine y
and I am thine. Take ir, 1 charge thee*,
eat it as thou loveft me * and whilft
thou feedeft, remember the love of thy
deareft Redeemer.
Sou!,
122 A Patbetical Meditation
Soul Oh 'tis the fweeteft meat that
ever tongue did taft $ it fends a relifh
to my very heart -, / find it digefts as ic
defcends, I feel my nerves a d finews
Itrengrhen ; I never knew that bread
was the fiffoflilc till now; Oh how 5
fie is my foul now for Chrifi.' Howeafie^
do I now- find his yoke-, how light h's
burden! Met hinks I could warchor pny,
or read more earneftly, refolvedly, be-
lievingly, than even Oh / Methirks
I can take his Crofsand bear it ftrongly,
and take the fhameand defpife it fully*
Oh > ris a fealt of fat t-hings! The rich-
eft binquet of Love that ever 1 was ar j.|
ic was but a lictle that I rook, and ic
fills me full, my hungry ftomach now
erys, Vis enough, 1 find it now verified
tomy Soul and Spirit, that he that eats
of this bread (hall never: hunger m >re.
Well, I need not ftarve when there is
fuch bread in my Fathers houfe. I
need not, I will not, 1 cannot feed any
longer on husks with the fwine of the
world, J fed on air and fmoke before;
I never tafted fubftantial Brecid till /
taftedofthis. This is theftjffofmy
life, and upon this will / fupport my
felf to my very Grave. lb*
en the Vajjion of Cbrift. 123
The Wine.
ChriR. Come my Deareft, I have
Irunk, and thou (halt pledge me: 1
teve broached my fide, and drew it vti
Durpofe for thee. This is a Wine of
nine own makirg, when I trod the
ftHneprefs of my Fathers wrath. It is
T)y blood $ but rake and drink ir 5 it
was the caufe of my wounding, but to
Ihy Soul ic fhall prove healing. I died
nd bled, ir was but co make this Ban^
[uet for thee. / have brought thee in-
o my Wine-Cellar, and my Banner o-
er thee fhall be love. Fear nor, take
nd drink, the u haft an ulcer in thy
heart, and this fhall cure ir ^ fpots and
ftains of guilt on thy Soul, and this
fhall pujge them away * thy Spirits
ire fainr, this fhall revive thee, thou
irt afraid to fee thy Fathers face, this
(hall make thee to draw near ihe
Fhrone of Grace with boldnefs. Drink,
I charge thee * drink on thy love and
loyalty to me. 1 command thee as thou
wilt have thy heart to mend, thy
bound* to cure, thy Soul to love and
obey
obey me, take, O take this cup into thy
han^ caft it, and praife my love.
SouL Lord ! / have taken, / have
drunk as thou haft bid me, /neither
could, or dare deny thee. Can / refufe,
thy blood when / have accepted thy
felf } Or can / accept my pardon at thjr
hands, and refufe the Seal thereof? /
know /am vile, /am vile, but thou
haft pardoned me. Lord, 1 have abuf-
ed thy love, athoufand times refufed
thy offered felf and withftood the ten-
eers of thy Grace •, but thou haft cover*
ed all my fins, thou haft freely juftified
me by thy Grace, and made a full atr
tonement for me by thy blood h this is
that thou freely biddeft me take, and
I have freely drunk it. Never was
Wine fo full as this is. Never was
Bowl fo full of pleafure as this. I
have fwallowed down my life and par-
don at one draught : took it from my
Saviours hand,it was a cup of his own
preparing. If ever drink was fugared,
this was / 1 never tailed better reliflit
Wine in all my life /
" Tb$
on the rajjton oj Lor i If. t2%
The ricbefi Cordials cannot match this
{draught Divine,
Spirits of pearls dijfolvcd would but dead
(ibu Wme.
Ob when my hopes but kifl the purple dews,
( they bung and cleaved fo 9
As if they were loth to let thee go.
Tbey flroveU firuglcd to get near my beart±
As ij intending there to take apart.
I dare not Jay them nay 5 blood from that
(Bowl
May the beft room command within myzouU
Whatafudden ftrange, yet happjr
alteration do I find within ! My lan-
guid fpirits are revived $ my winter is
over. Methinks I feel my life and joy
to fpring amain. My Aaron's Rod (a
dry flick but now ) doth bloom and
flourifh. My newly ingrafted Soul is
full of Infant-clufters.
Blood at the root oj Vines
Tbey fay produce the ricbeft Wines.
Oh / If my Lord will, undertake x6
drefs this Vine, and trickle down his
blocd into my root, then draw it up in-
to each branch of Grace by the warm-,
M ing
l'j5 A Vatbetical Me&itatwn
ingbeam of his reviving love* then 1
my Deareft come, let him come as 1
jhath promiied, and bring my Fath
and his Father with him, and ftfpboi
( with me and in me. Let them com
and / will did them a welcome, 7 (ha
have a fruit to prefent them with, whi<
jthey themfelves (hall fay is pleafam
^ (hall not fend my Father away no
fo oft complaining, I came to feekji
grapes and fruity but behold wild ones.
The Gonclufion.
Oh! Howunwillingly do / rife!M(
thinks I could fit here and fealt m
heart and eyes for ever. What ru;
ing .Banquets doth my Lord afford it
there ! Surely he fhould not need tofe;
1 fliould furfet on himfeif. But alas
I mult be gone, what (hall 1 do in yoi
der hungry foul ftarving world again ?\
have been feeding on my Pafchal Lamj
and now I muft go and eat my fowl
herbs-, but if it be fo, I muft arife |
fcn&*r thou haft prepared the endlcl
Jteaft above, where 1 (hall ever fit' ail
cn^oy thy Love, and glut my hungf
ey^e and heart on the Banquet of til'
•yecUftingfelf. As vet I am now <l
earn
§n the TaJJion of CbriH. 127
g trth, my toil and work lies heavy oa
,iy hands, / have yet an afternoon to
? hour our,God knows my work is hard;
>o hard for me my felf to perform, I
arcely fliould havelafted our fo long,
at that fomtimes at fuch feafons as
lis is, he repaired my finking fpirirs
i pouriigin the Cordialsof his Blood,
fowl mult go and perhaps find as
larp confli&s with myfelf as ever. I
iow rhe World and Hell have been
lying the fnares and gins to catch my
'wflcJg'd Souh, and allconfpireagainit
ly welfare.' Now it is well if 1 efcape
fall, a bruife, a breaking of my bones,
1 which fad plight 1 have fo often
in, thar my Lord might have took
e for dead, but that my groanings
)ld him loudly I lived. Lord! Mult
leave this fealt ? Mull / go? Take me
len by the hand, and lead mejif'I
vA\ walk, let me fee thee by me, ihac
may know I walk with my God. Lead
te away, and / will go with thee j
id let me nor go till thou bringeit me
it-he r again $ I cannot, will nor live
irhoutthee. And do thou Loid ; fay
mul\ nor, fhall nor.
M 2 If
128 'A Patbetical Meditation
If both our hearts in love Jo well agree]
What tbsnjhallfeparate my ChriHfrom me}
M I i .. u i n . i nn i «♦' ■! v ii , 9 <*
A Meditation on the Death of Cbritt, Pre-
parative to the Sacrament : Fend for
bis private nfe.
BU T is he dead ? Oh fad ! Yet joy.
fulnews! How ftrangely is my
Soul amazed, and diverfly mov'd and;
troubi'd by thefe contrary paflions / Me-
thinks I could pull up tine flood-gates
• of my forrow, and vent it out in tears,
Jbut fomething bids me hold. Shall
mourn for him that's juft now pall his
itate of mourning? he's dead ! Ani
what of that? And fo are all his g'riefs (
his bloody fweats, his fighs and groan?
concluded,//* hath drunk on the brook in
the wiy * bitter while they were in hb
mouth, and he was living - 5 but fwee
■now they have funk into his belly, anc
he in-Heaven. Sweet to him, lecauf
it was his wotk,and he hath finifh'd it
and fweet to me, becaufe ir was th
portion of forrow, death, hell, that
njuli have taken. And caift tho
nioun
i
on tbeF.ffion rf Chnjf. 12?
mourn! Methinksif thou didft: love,
the heart fhould rather fympathizs
With his : He is firging, and fhalr thou
be fighing ? He is joying that his Woik
s done, and now is welcomed into Hea«
/en by God his Father, and fhouting up
)jr Angels Voices, as the great Can*
jaeror of the Hearts of Men nn Earth,
ind that now in triumph he is return-
ed. And will a mournful weed, a wee
jye, and a cloudy brow, become thee
it thefe times of Feliivals? Shall rh^
leavenly Angels be joyful, and :hcu
ad ?HowftrangeIy will'this be conUm-
bd ? Will it not be faid, Thou doit not:
ove him? Or thou doft envy his reco-
vered Glory rhar he had left, and now
igatn hath take* .? Or that thou « n ft
lot endure to fee him wear his Princes
£rown in Heaven, that for a time ho
lad laid a fide to comedown to the carib
o fetch thee thence to Heaven ? Bur an/
tfy Lord, thou wilt not fuie interpret:
brrow thus \ thou haft not lure foigot
o give a meaning unro tears, to tench
figh to fpek, and then ro know its
anguage! Hath my Lojd forgot fofud-
liiljf chat he was on earib, & 1 bar he
M 3 iwear,.
*3o A Tathetkal Meditation
lwear,&nd groan'd, and wept,and bled,
• as well as I do noiv? What though!
Jiow all tears, and farrow, and fighii g
Is done away, and he ceafeth to be any
longer fubjefct to our infirmities ? Yet,
lure he knows it is not thus with usJ
I am nor yet in Heaven, nor am I yet!
quite pait the vale of farrow^ and it]
cannot then be range to him, if he:
lees fomti tries our faces look of a ladder
hue than thofe that are inHeaven. Bu
why fhould thus my tears be checked
and my throbbing heart be chidden
were it for a thing of nought I migh
be counted fool or .child* but fhall in
Saviour die, and vent his Soul in
ftream of Blood, & ali ; in love to me
And fhall he thus forfike the world
and die and thten be laid in the grave,
anil be denied the liberty of following
him thither as a mourner? Shall it bd
Faid' of the Prince of Glory, that he did
ed and had the burial of an Afs ? Be<|
caufe there was none to farrow forth
thofe words of, Ah my Lordl What*
S nail ic be granted to a Wife to mourn
for .the. death of a beloved Husband
And ta a Child at the burial of a belovjc
on the VojTt-n of Chrft l ?i
jBFarher? Shall not fuch be blamed,
lit rather pitied? A-d(hill their friends
corns in and bonfefs (he lofs and the
ground of their forrow jult, and rather
fit them down ad hear thern company*
in their grief > Ad mufti of all be
thuscenfur'd > \way with an Husband,
Wife, or Child to me: Is he- nor more
to me than ten Husbands ? Mghc I not
have had an hundred chat would have
never done hal fo much for me as he
hach done ? Tha< fiift left his glory
for my fake, and laid down his life,.
and took the ftroke upon himfelf that
I my fdtdeferved,8£allbecaufeheiov'd
me? Was ever friend like this Friend !
And ever Love, like this Love/ Many
waters cannot quench love^ but neither
waters, blood, death, nor many deaths
could quench his love to me. But (halt
he love, & die inlove,8e:rhus be forc'd to
leave me,becaufe he lov'd me, and I not
mourn the abfence of my belt Beloved ?
How unreafonable may any this deny
me.' Bur ah! What a bitter worded
check, did. I even now receive ; as if my
forrow would arife from the envying of
4as now glorious Hate, aa& not" from
I %1 A Tatbetica) r Meditation
any lore I bare him/ Oh / What needle-
pointed .words are thofe/ Methinks
they have pierc'd mine heart in every
parr, and from each prick hath Raited
forth a drop, that Jiarh fet ito'ie
with a bloody dew ! But how can
it once be thought that envy fhould
get a room in an heart that's
full of love, with which it fwells, it
bubbles up,and runs all over? h cannot
be. Bear witnefs heavens ! I do not
grieve that you contain him, bur that
I on earth have loft him ! Oh my God /
1 am not forry that thy Son bath part
his fufferings, and is arriv'd to reft, ard
got again into thy bofom, his ancient
neft of love and pleafure. Oh you
blefTed Orders of Seraphim & Cberubims,
and you innumerable company oj tiejpirits
oftbejujlmenmadeperjett! I da not
envy that you have my Lord with you,
that you fee his face, and live and walk,
and joy in the light of hiscountenance :
Alas ! We your poor Brethren could
not make him fo welcome hereon eanb,
as you can there .• We lov d him as fin-
cerely as you, and believed in him,and
took delight in him too •, but yet no-
thing
on the TaJJion of Cbrlfl. 1 3 *
thing near fo much as you. You know
him better than we do •, for jrou know
tlim as you are known, ard therefore
know better how to prize him. We
know him but in parr, and the value,
price, and love could but be in the like
proportion. He is therefore far much
fetter there than here $ and how (hall
[ then either envy him or you / And
what, my Soul ! Should I with him
jack again ? What if I thought 1 could
prize and love him more, and could
promife the like for all his beloved
iifciples ? I could not alike engage for
:he wicked, envious, malicious, unbe-
lieving world •, I could not promife he
fhould meet with no othcrBeroitoUtk
lis Life, or that the hatd-hearted/at^
would give him better entertainment,
whom they dare yet curfe with the
name of Conjurer, though Wrfij and
their Propoetsbore vvirnefs ro him, and
(hough they received a' feal from Hea-
iren in voices, thunders, fign£,and an in-
numerable company of real Miracles.
Oh no / my I ord / Though I could wifh
to fee thy face again on earth, yet not in
fucli a Itaie of mifery in the midlt of a
den
f?4 A Tatbet teal Meditation
den of Bears, and Lions, as not long
fincethou wait. Ah ! Thou knoweft I
took no delight to hear that traiteroas
news of thine own Apojile that had be-
tray'd thee; and that ic fill'd mine heart
with anguifh to hear how fhamefully
and fcornfully thou wait abufed. Thou
faweft me biufh when I heard thy face
wasfpiton \ my head did ake when
thine was crowned with Thorns. An-
giitis: indignation did Ioofe my nerves,
and with a palfie fhook mine Hands,
when thine had a mockScepter put into
them, a reed, and a feoff, Hail Jefus
King of the Jews. And did not mine
Heart break 8c bleed to hear that thine
was pierced / Ah my Lord ! And fhali
I yet find an Heart ro wifh thee here
again / No,no, I am glad that thou halt
efcap'd their bloody Hands, and now
got quite without their reach. I am
glad thou halt got to perfect eafe and
reft ; and know'ft no pains, nor griefs,
nor forrows. Oh! Take a fullPofTeffion
of thy Fathers Bre3ft 5 and fit thee down
upon his Throne, Thou art a King jvr
ever. And take delight in thefe, thy
Soul did travel, die £nd bleed for on
Eanh.-
on the TaJJion of Chriji. 135
Earth. I will repine at nothing that
(hall advance thy Glory. But Oh !
Thou cruel bloody unbelievingWorld /
You wicked murtherous bloody Jews !
Though I rejoice myLord is fafearrived
home, and quietly landed within his
Haven •, yet from you I cannot hold
mine anger, that made his Sea a Sea of
Blood, and drain'd his Heart, to make
it deeped, fill'd h\sSai/s with fighs and
groans, that caus'd his Voyage to be fo
doleful. What good got you to fland
and laugh to fee him forrowful? To
feoff & jeer to hear his Lamentations ?
Wh* r curfed rage was that to make
fach hafte to fetch him vinegar and gall
to prolong his life, to lengthen out his
dolors > How could you find fuch bar-
barous hearts to triumph over a bleed-
ing dying Lamb, that was fo innocent ?
How could you taunt at him when you
heard him praying for you, Father for-
livethem! And fo tenderly excufing
jrou, for tbey know not what they do !
Methinks that kindly harmlefs carriage
" ould have pierced your Hearts ; thofe
elting Words fhould haye diffolv'd
iem i and inltead of piercing him, I
DiQuld
1 36 A Patbetlcal Meditation
fliould have thought you pierced. And
ah ! But that 1 know an unbelieving
Heart my felf, and underltand what
hardnefs means, I fhould itand and won-
der ! Oh! It's too hard an Adament for
downy words, and doleful founds, and
tender carriages to break and (hatter /
Howoften have Iout-ftood all thofe my
felf/ And when I ferved my fiefh, hovr
little did I mind them/ And when
they have been prefented to me in the
Gofpel, or in a Sermon told that all
ihefe Tortures he endur'd for me, and
J in part believed it too, yet, was I not
as a man bereft of my fenfes, and / waS
no more mov'd in mine Heart, as if I had
not heard or underftood, and were
quite bereav'dof SenfeandReafon. Bui
had /thus continued in my fenfelefs
unbelieving State, and as / liv'd fo diedj
yet how defervedly fliould I have born
the wrath of God, and have been feni
to Hell as a recompence of mine unbe
lief? And yet, youcarelefsfecure/'ww
can you think to efcape when God
comes to make Inquifition for Blood
how will you do if this Sin fhould fine
you out? IfGod requiiesBloodforBlood
wha
<m the Tajjion of Cbrift. 137
tfhat will become of yours? If he had
>een no more than a common Man, the
jw would then have required your
ives for payment. But how if in the
?nd he prove a Prophet ? Nay more than
hat, the Son of themott high God, the
*rince and Saviour wbomGodhad pro«f
nifed to raife, the Mejjiab whom Mofet
»nd the Prophets bare witnefs to, and
jim that you fo long'd & wifht to fee !
low will you look ! What will you
ay! What anfwer will you make when
II thefe Truths are cleared ? Where,
rill you hide your felves for fhame >
,nd what will you do when Confufion
nil thus take hold upon you ? What/
i^ili you then confefs the Fa£t, or
III you deny it ? With what face can
ou do the firft ? And if you do the
:tter, the curfe you and your Fathers
rew upon your felves, Let bis Blood
I upon us, and our Children ! itand ftilt '.
record againft you, and will cry you
ilty. Will you excufe it with your
ibelieving ignorance ? But how will
>u be able to rub your brows into fo
h confidence > How dare you fay
were ignorant of him, when you
N fay*
' r?S A Vatbeticat MedUathnpc.
fay you know both Mofes and the Fro*
pbets, and they tear wicnefs oi him ?
You askt a figrc, and did he not give
you both figns and wonders? Howofren
did he cure your Lame > How won-
derfully did he heal your Lepers, and
thofe fick of thePalfie,yea of all manner
ofDifeafes? How did he open the
Eyes of the blind ! And give light to
them that was born blind! Yea, reftore
the withered Hand, and make the
Crooked [traighr, and open the Ears
of the deaf, and calt out Devils, and
riife the Dead I Therefore let all tM
ilonfc of l/rael know cffurt&ly, that God
bath made that fame fefus whom- ye have \
cnicificd % both Lord and Ghriji*
i?9
A Prayer before the Receiving the Holy
Communion.
MOST Holy God, J am at flubbh be-
fore thee, the conjumng Fire, Hw
iball I (land before thy Holinefi, for 1 am
tfinfulCt enure, laden with Iniquity, that
hive gone bickvoird, and provoked the Ho*
f y One of Ifrael 5 when I vta* loll, thy
Son did feek and Jive we \ when 1 war
it ad in Sin, thou tnadefl me alive. The*
r aweji me polluted in my Blood, H? faidft
into me live. In that time 0) love fhtw
% overedfl my nakednefs.and eriltredil into
r Covenant with me^ afid I became thine
*von. Thou didfi df liver me from theRw-
r of Darknefs, and tranflate me inw the
< ' ngdom of thy detr Son ; and gaveft me
emfjton of Srn, through hti B'ood. But I
m a grievous Revolter, 1 have forgotten
be Covenant of the Lord my God, I war
ngagel to love thee with ail my Hetrt, and
9 hue iniquity, and ferve thee diligently^
nd thankfully t<> Jet forth thy pro if e. But
have departed from thee, and corrupted
V fclf h f e f love > an & h loving the
for Id) $ the things that are in ths World %
N a and
54-0 A Pathetical Meditation
and have fulfilled the dt fires of the Flejb,
which \ fhouldhave crucified. I have neg-±
lefled my Duty to thee, and to my Neigh*
hour, and the neceffary care of my own Sal-
vation. I have been an unprofitable Ser* 1
vant, and have hid thy Talents, and have
difl)onoured thee, whom in all things Ifhculd*
have pleafed and glorified. I have been]
negligent in hearing and reading thy Holy\
Word, and in meditating and conferring*
of it j in Public k and Private Prayer and}
Thanksgiving, and in my Preparation to
this holy Sacrament, in the examining of
myfeif, and'repenting of my bins, and 9
fiirring up my Heart ta a believing and
thankful receiving of thy Grace, and ta
love& jo)fu J nefs, in my Communion with
ihee^ and with one another of thy PeopleJ
1 have not duly difcerned the Lord's Body,
hut hive prophaned thy Holy Name andy
Ordinance, as if the Table of the Lord had
been contemptible. And when thou haft-
Jpoken Peace to me, I returned agiin to.
Folly | have deferved, Lord, to be caft<
cut of thy Prefence, and to be forfaken,
Of I have for/a ken thee, and to hear to m%
Confufion, Depart from me, lknjwthe.tr
not, thou worker of Iniquity, ^bou.m^y*
the Holy Communion* t$t"
tjf juflfy tell me, thru bofi no Plefurein
me, nor wilt receive an offering at my bond.
But with thee there is abundant Mercy.
And my Advocate Jffus Chri/i the Righ-
teous, is the Propitiation j or my $inH\
who hire them in bis bdy on the Crfs y
dnd made hivfelf an Offering jor ib ni %
that be might put them away by the Sacri-
fice oj bimjelj 5 have Mercy upon me, and
wajh me in bis Bloody c loath me with bis
Right eoufnefs ^ take away my lnquities y
and let th m not be my fuiitt\ jorgive
them, and remember them no mor$ ;
thou that delight efl not in the Deaib of
Sinners, heal my backflidings, love me
freely, W Jay unto my Soul, that thou art
my Salvation. Th:>u wilt in no wife c,Jl
cut them thit come unto thee, receive me
gracioufly to the Feafl thou hall prepared;
for me y caufe ?ne to hunger & thirfi a) er
Cbnft, and bis Right eon jn fs y that 1 may
be fat u fed : Let his Fitlh & Blord be to
me meat and drink indeed, an I his Spirit
be in me a well of living Water 1 fringing
up to ever ailing Life. Gtve ftfa /" know
thy Lave tn Chnft, which psjfrth Know-
ledge J) 1 hav± {riot fee n htm let me
And- though now I fee Vwt. n r )
?42 A Prayer before the Receiving
yet believing let tne rejoice with joy utt-
fpiakablC) and full oj Glory h though I
am unworthy oj the Crumbs that fall jrotn
thy Table, yet jeed me with the Bread oj
Lije, and /peak and jeal up Teau
to my fin Jul wounded Soul. Sojten
my Heart that is hardened by ihe deceit*
fu/nefs vj Sin h mortijie the F/ffb, and
ftrenghen me with might in the inward
Man % that I may live r d glorifie tbjC Wact \
through J ejus Cbriji our only Saviour.
& Prayer after tfie Receiving of th«
Holy Communion.
MOST Glorious Gcd, bow wonderful h
thy Power, andWifdom^ thy Hotinffs ana
zfnjtics, thy Love and Mercy in this Work of out
JRtdnnption, by the Incarnation. Life % Deatb^
jR furr edion Inter ceffUn, and Dominion cftb)
Son ! No Power or Wijdom in Heaven or Earth.
sou f d have delivered me but thine The Angel,
d fie to pry i n to this Myfrery, the Heavenly
Jlof} d> celebrate it with Praifes^ joying^ Glor '
f* to God in tb* Higb'll, on . Earth Psa
Goodwill towards Men The wbvle Great io
fiail prod iim thy Prifes, EUJJing^ Honou
Glory and Pwer be unto him that fiiteth vpo
J be Thron\ and unto the Lamb for ever an
*v*r. Worthy ist h ' 3 Lamb that w^fiain to^r
*3iv& Pw3t^ and Hmour % and Gfoty $ for h i
$ti$A wd*m:d:u &j3:dfy i'h Blood, and m-d \
U
L
the Holy Communion.' 141
us Kings and Pnefts unto our God. JPbereSin
abounded Grace hath abounded much more. And
baft thou indeed forgiven me fo great a debt, by
fo precious a Ranfo/a? Wilt thou indeed give
me to reign with Chri ft in Glory, and fee thy
Face, and love thee, and be beloved vf thee for
tver ? Tea Lord, thou b ft forgivenme % and thou
wilt glorifie pie, for thon art faithful that baft
promifed. With the Blood of thy Son, with the
Sacrament, and wiib thy Spirit, thou haft feal-
td up to me thefe precious Promifes. And
i)aQ I not love thee, that baft thus loved vie?
SbaU I not love thy Servants, and forgive my
"Neighbours their little debt I After aU this
UfaU I again for fake thee^and dealfalfely in thy
Covenant ? God forbid, 0\ Bel my Affetiions
mtbe things above, where Cbrift Jitteth at thy
nght band. Let me no more mind eaithIyTbings 9
iut let myConverfution be\in Heaven, from whence
I expeti my Saviour to come and change me in*
\o the lihncfs of bis Glry. Teach me to do
\by will) O God! And to follow bimjvbo is the
Author of Eternal Salvation, to all them that
fo obey him. Order my fteps by thy Word.and
Ut n)t any Iniquity have Dominion over me. Let
ne not henceforth live unto my felf but unto
him who died for me and rofe again. Let
tie have n* fetlovfiip with the unfruitful Works
f Dar k* fi t but reprove them. And let my
ight fo fbi*e before Men, that they may glorify
K hee In Jimpli city and godly fencer ity,& not
n flefih Wifdom % h t me have my Converfation
it theWorld O that mv Ways were Jo dnetted t
mil T might keep thy Statutes \ Though Sat an
t?iU be djlrous again to ft ft me M and feek as a>
roaring
144 ■ m A divine Soliloquy.
roaiing Lion to d vour, ftrengthen me to Han
againjt his Wilts, andfh>rtly bruije him unds
my feet. Accept me y O Lor d who rejign m
fclfunto the as thine oun-, and wilh myTbank
and Praif§,.pTefent4>iy Jtlf a living Sacrifice t
be accrpt able thro' Lhrift Ujeful for thin
Hon ur. Being made free fromsin, and becom
thy Servant let me have my Fruit untoHoiinefs
and the End Everlaji'wg Life, Through Jeju
Chrijt our Lord and Saviour.
A Divine Soliloquy*
OMy S*ul! Thou haft been feafled with th
Sen of God, at his Table, upon his Flei
and Blood-in Preparation for the Feajf of End
hfs Glory ; thou haft feen there reprefinted
v>h at Sin defer velh, what Chrijl f ffered f wba
vender f J -Love, the God of infinite GoodneJ
hath cxprejt to thee. Thru haft hadCommnnioi
tpilh the Saints ; thou haR renewed tbyCovenan
of Faith and thankful Obedifrice^ unto Chrif
l*bcu half received his renewed Covenant of Pat
don, Grace and Glory to thee ,0 carry bene
th^lively S(7tfe of the fe great and excellent thing
upon thy Htait, Pnnnnbcr . O my Soul ! Th-)}
came ft not (to that holy. Table ) only toinjo
th? Mercy of an Hour, b t that which ma
Jpr in? Tp to end icf J n y. Twu cm eft not o>;J
to do the Out y of an Hour, but to Promifi tha
which thou mufl per form white thou live ft r
Earth Pan mhtr da i ly ,efpeciatt-y wh . n I '< vij
tatfons to unbelief and Ji if ui he*vhi>fs off **}
A Divine Soliloquy. 1 T4?
thee, what Pledges of Love thu haft received*
Remember daily, efptciaUy whenFleJb, and JDevH i
and World, would draw tby Heart again from
God-, and Temptations to Sin are laid before
tbee^ what Bonds God and thy own Confent have
laid upon thee. Remember , O my Soul \ If thou
art a Penitent Eeleever^ thou art now for given ,
andmofyedinthe Blood cfCbri/l. 0\ Go your
\ rvay^ and Sin no more ; no more thro* wilfulness,
and Srivi again l~i your Sins of weaknefs, Wal-
low no more in the Mire, and return not to thy
Vomit. Let the exceeding Love of Ch rift con.
Jtrain thce } having fuch Promifes, i. Cor . 6. iji
18 O cleanfe thy f elf from all filthinefs ofFUfb
undSpir it, perfecting Holinefi in the Fear cf
God, Amen.
HYMNS fuited to the Sacrament
of the Lord's Supper*
To be Sung in common Tunes*
HYMN I.
I.
A New and well compofed Sotf^P
With raptures fill'd of Love,
And exrafie's of Joy -, leis Tune
Unto our Lord above.
iftwake my drowfie fkepy Soul,
Awake dull heavy Hearr,
And,-
146 Sacramental Hymns.
And all my Faculties and Powers,"
Join, in and bear a part.
II.
Let Judgment weigh the Argument,
Let Fancy it adorn,
Let Memory bring forth its ftore,
Thoughts, offer your firit-bom.
God did aflame the fhape of Man,
With Flefh his Glory vail'd,
Himfelf he humbled unto Death,
He to the Crofs was nail'd.
' III.
Made Sin, us to acquit from Sin s
Accurfcd, us to blefs.
Of Righteoufnefs he wrought a Robe
To hide our Nakednefs.
Darling of He3ven he was and is,
The Father's chief Delight :
Angels wonder, the Saints above
Are ravifli'd at his fighr.
IV.
Array'd he is with Majefty,
Angels do him attend *
AH Pow'r is his in Heaven and Earth,
All to his Scepter bend.
A glorious Crown is on his Head,
Moft lovely is his Face,
Treafures of Wifdom are with him,
For us he's ftor'd with Grace. V
Sacrcmtntal Hymns. 14.7
V.
flis Love doth pafs Dimenfions£
His Love exceeds all thought,
Stronger than Death, this Love to US
Salvation hath brought.
Bence all the Clouds away, away,
Darken no more mine Eye,
?ain would I lee this lovely One,
Whofe dwelling is on high.
VI.
'ypen thine Eye, here Jefus ftands,
He looks, he breaths, he moves.*
Jy Faith thou may'it difcern him plain,
In this fweet Feaft of Loves,
ind art thou here indeed, ray Lord !
Draw nearer yet to me,
ind nearer, nearer, my dear Lord j
Too near thou canlt not be.
VII.
lome my Beloved, let me view
Thy beauteous lovely Face-,
hee I would fold in arms of love^
Fain I would thee embrace,
feel, I feel a flame within,
Pear Lord, 1 thee admire;
hy fparkling Beauty which I fee,'
Hath fee me all en Fire.
VIIK
H 8 Sacramental Hymns]
VIII.
Thy kind looks have me overcome,'
The glances of thine Eye,
Sweerly my Soul tranfported havej
I feel an Extafie.
Unutterable Joys I feel,
How fweet ! How fweet ! How fw
Is this talte of thy Love, whilft I
And my beloved meet !
IX.
Sure this the Gate of Heaven is,"
Methinks I'm entring in,
Where I (hall always fee thy Face,"
And no more grieve or fin.
Ten Thoufand Praifes let us give
tinto our Lord on high;
Let Heart, and Lip, and Life comb
To make the Melody.
HYMN IL
I.
OCome let us join all like one;
The Lord to magnifie j
Let us together lift his Name
In fweet founds to the Sky.
Sweet Hymns of Love come let usfi
Let Love us a£t and move >
Let Love our voices tune to praif£
Our God, for God i$ Love.
It Go
Sacramental Hjmml 145*
IL
God c s Love the lofty Heav'ns ab6ve,
In height doth far tranfcend :
Its depih,theSea;its breadth andlengtfc
Is without bound 01 end.
God's love to us is wonderful;
To us who Rebels were,
God gave his only Son to die,'
That Rebels he might fpare. 1
III.
From guilt and reigning power offing
And Satan's fl3very $
Frrm fire of Hell us to redeem,
God gave his Son to die.
Chrift fuffer'd in our ftead, he was ••
More harmlefs than the Dove:
That God (houid lay our fins on him j
This, this indeed h Love.
IV
O come let us give God our Loves,
L^t every heart take fire;
Let fl<rnes come forth and join in one, : 1
And unto Heaven afpire.
Sweet Spirit come, like Southern Gales,
Within us brearhe and move *
Blow up ouv fpark into 3 fl me,
That we nflav burn with 1
O ~\ V, That
x 5 ^ Sacramental By mns.
V.
That we with all our hearts may love,
Our hearts Lord circumeife:
Of Love perfum'd with fweet Incenfe,
Accept the Sacrifice.
VI.
Draw near, God, unvail thy felf,
Our cloudinefs remove:
O mine / And fmile on us, that we
May fee thy face and love,
VII.
Dtnr Jefus, come and vifit us,'
h ftrangerdo not prove*
Meal wounds of fin, fpeak peace that we
Thy voice may here and love.
V1IL
Our felves we offer with our heart,
Qtff whole felves we re%n
To thee who art the God of Love,
We are and will be chine.
HYMN JIL
I
GOD hath us brought into bfsCourts
' And Chambers of his Love,
Tftai he might fe§& and feaft uj here,
With dainties from above, »f
llevra cpen'd is Jbefbre our Bye,
The v r aii Is lent, that ws
Saaramental Hytnrit] i fi
Mav upward look, and his dear Soa
Crowned with Glory fee*
II.
This Jefus crowned was with Thorns,
Scourged with cruel hands,
His flefh was torn, when to iheCrofs
Hetyed was with Bands,
Tears trickled from his mournful eyes;
Sweat dropped from his face,
Blood flowed from his hands and fe-er,
And fide, in itreams apace.
Ill
Hisgroanswere ftrong,b?s cryswere loud
Preflures of wrath did lie
Upon his Soul, with fenfe of which
In anguifh he did die.
He harmlefs was, and innocent ^
No guilt upon him lay,
Bur as our Surety he our debts
Did by his fuffenngs pay.
IV. f
Thus did he Jufticefatisfie,
By dying in our room.
That we might juftified be
By F*> * h, that to him come.
T*\° J; e fid we eat at this great Feaft*
C^.iVsflefh is, and his blcod
Is reprefented by the Wine-,
This, this indeed is food. V.
IJ*
Sacramental Hymnu
V.
Here is the heavenly Manna, which
Our God to us doth give:
Who eateth other bread flialldie-,
In eating this we live.
A hidden life of Grace we have,
Breathing defires and love •,
CHriit is our Life, the Author, Spring,
By whom our Graces move.
VI.
Come let us look unto our Lord 5
This Glafs will fhow his face,
Not veiled over with daik Types,
As heretefofi ir was.
God-man, that name is wonderful - 3
So is his beauty 3 fo
His love is full of wonders, both
Beyond our reach to go.
VII.
Yet where we cannot comprehend,
Looking, let us admire,
Admiring love, loving rejoyce,
And to enjoy afpire-
Oiir Lord is prefent at this lyeaft-,
He looks, let's meet his E-
With ours} fvveer glances, look* - love,
It may be we fhall fpy.
VIII. Ccme
Sacramental Uymnf. iff
VIIL
Come Lord draw near,we long, we long
Thy face ro fee, thy love
To tafte, thy voice to hear, within
To feel thy Spirit move.
Thou art all fair, thou halt no fpot*
Thy beauty is divine :
Thou art all love, embrace us Lord
In t&ofe fweet Arms of thine.
IX.
We look, we wait, we hope, we truity
We long, we love, we bum.
Ravifh thou doft our hearts,whilft thot*
To us thine Eye doft turn.
With all the powers of our Souls
Dear Jefus we thee praife,
In fongs of joy and thankfuinefs
Our voices we do raife*
X.
Hofinna\ we, Mfunn<?§ we
D ) fi g with one accord
In HaJ/elujjWs of triumph
We jojrn ro praife the Lord, 1
Ye Angels and triumphant Saints^.
Praife ye our Lord above r
Whiift we his Servants* here below
Do fing his praife with love.
O 3 HYMN
#£$ Sacramental Bymns.
HYMN IV.
I.
THoufandsofthoufandsftand around
Thy Throne,0 God, molt high !
Ten thoofand times ten thoufand found
Thy praife, but who am I >
Thine arm of might, molt mighty King
Both Rocks and Hearts doth break ^
My God, thou canft do every thing
But what would (how thee weak.
II.
M ^ft pure and holy are thine Eyes,
Molt holy is thy Name $
Thy Saints, and Laws, and Penalties^
Thy holinefs proclaim.
Mercy is God's Memorial, 1
And in all Ages prais'd ;
My God, thine only Son did fall;
That Mercy might be rais'd.
HI.
Thy bright back parts, God of Grace;
I humbly here adore j
Shew me thy glory and thy face,
That I may praife thee more.
Myfterious depths of endlefs love
Our admirations raife.
My God, thy Name exalted is
Fat atove ail our praife.
Sacramental Hymns. i J *
HYMN V.
I.
TO whom,Lord,fhouldIfing,butthee
The maker of my Tongue?
Lo, other Lords would ieize on me*
But I to thee belong.
As thou Lord, an immortal Soul
Haft breathed into me,
So let my Soul be breathing fof th
Immortal thanks to thee.
II.
Sing and triumph in boundlefs grace^
Which thus hath fet thee free $
Extol with fhoutsmy faYedSoui
Thy Saviour's love to thee.
SweetChrift,thou halt refxelht ourSouIs
With thine abundant grace,
For which we magnifie thy Name,
Longing to fee thy face,
III.
Down from above the blefled Dove
Is come into my brealt,
To witnefs God's Eternal Love^
This is my heavenly Feaih j
This makes me Abba Father cry f
With confidence of Soul !
It makes me cry, my Lord, my God,'
And that, wirhout conwoul.
IV. Thou
Thou art all power, thou art all love.
And To thou art to me $
Bleft be my God now and henceforth
And to Eternity.
HYMN VI.
I
LORD' give me a -believing hearf,
Advance it more and more ^
Rebuke thofe doubts and fcruples thai
Are crowding at my door.
Lord let thy Word and Spirit guide
Thy. Servant in thy way *
May I walk clofely with my God,
. And run no more aftray.
IT.
AH tjvey that fit down with thee mull
Be decked with thy Grace -,
Thou fmil'ft on fuch Communicants,
A«ci rhey behold thy face.
Come holy Spitir, come and .take,
My filthy Garments hence,
The guilt, the ftain, the love of Gn r
Will give my Eajd oftence.-
1IL
Eet nothing that is- not divine,
Within ih# pretence move,
What
Sacramental Hymns. i S7
What e're would caufe thee not to fhine
In tokens of thy Love,
Awake Repentance, Faith and Love,
, Awake O every Grace !
Come, come attend this glorious King,
And bow before his face.
IV.
Let not my Jefus now be ftrange,
And hide himfelf from me$
caufe thy face to fhine upon
The Soul that longs for thee.
HYMN VII.
I.
WE to our heavenly Father give
The tribute praife we owe,
Who by bis purifying Grace
Prepares us here below.
Lo here's the molt amazing proof
Of great and matchlefs Love !
Nor that our Early love to God
Did his prevent and move.
* //.
His motives all to pity us
From his own bowels flow •
rhence came the ticheft gift of Heav'n
To guilty Men below,
rhar to his glorious grace all praiff
Might be intirely paid ;
Who,
l
i?8 Sacramental Hynmsl
Who, that he mig. r forgive our fins,"
Chrift's Blood our Ranforn made •>
III
Let then this glorious gift of God
Yet more our Souls refine,
That his pure Image may in us
With greater glory fhioe.
Draw us, dear Lord, and towards thee
We with fwift wings will move,
Thou Objeft 6f our higheft hopes,
And of our deareft Love.
IV.
Tbankfgiving is an heav'nly work,
Ic's all in Heaven they do,
To thank and praife theLord mod higb,
On Eirth is fweet work too.
O ! Bleffed are ye Saints above,
How a&ive is your Rare !
You ever blefs the Lord our God,
Not at our broken rate.
V,
Bu%0 ! How weak are era wlingWormsV
How fhort our Sabbarh days >
We die more hours by far in fbep,
Than we do live in praife*
O Glorious God ! Accept our wills,
And weaknefTes forgive ;
We w:fh our Souls were like theSaints,
Unlike them as we live. Vi,
Sacramental Hymns. i J £
VI.
!ut, O ray God ! Reach down thy hand,
Ard rake us up ro thee,
'hat we about thy Throne may ftand,
And all thy Glory fee.
M glory to the faced Three,
One Everlaftirg Lord,
is at the firlt, ftill may he be
Belov'd, obey'd, ador'd.
HYMN Vili.
/.
^Ome let's adore the King of Love^
The King of fuffriogs too,
or love it was that brought him down*
And fee him here below.
ove drew him from his Paradice,
Where Flowers that fade nor grow,
nd planted him in our poor dult,
Among us, Weeds below.
//.
narrow thogghr,and narrow fpeech*
-Here your defeats confefs.
he life nt G d, the death of Chrifl*,
HLdw faintly you exprefs.
thou ! Who from a Virgin root
Mad'ft this fair Flower to fpring,
eip uu to raife both heart and voice,
And with more fpiric dug,
III To
l6o Sacramental Hymn si
III.
To Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft,
One undivided Three,
AH higheft praife, all humbleft thanks
Now and fox ever be.
HYMN. IX.
To the Tune of the i co Pfatm.
i (high;
TXJnt nowyourfelvesmyfrtfar/ttrings
Let us aloft our voices raife,
That our loud fong may reach theSky,
And there prefent to thee our praife.
To thee, Melt Jefus, who cam'lt down
From thofe bright Spheres of Joy above,
To purchafe us a dear bought Crown,
Afld woe our Souls V efpoule thy Love.
Long had the World in darknefs far,
Till thou with thy all glorious light
Began to dawn frrm Heav'nsfair Gire,
And with thy beam difpeJl their right.
We to, Alas! Still here had ftood
As common flaves in this fame (hade
But Jefufrcame, and with his Bioud
Our general Ranfitn freely paid.
And now, my Lord, mvGod, my AH,
What (hail i moll in thee admire,
That
Sacrament aI Hymntl iSi
Thit Pow'r which made ihtWarfd&fhzll
rhe Woild again diTolve with Fixe !
Oh no! Thy fhargeHumUiry,
rhy wounds,thypains,thy crofsjhy death
rhefe (hall alone my wonder be,
My health, my joy,my ftaff,my breatW
Fp thee, great God, to thee alone,
Three Perfons in One Deity,
&s fbrmei Ages ftill have done^
&11 glory now and ever be.
ttwnson the Inter cejjion of Cbrijfl
HYMN X.
i.
THE Mighty Jefus, fiil'd with Love
Did.thefe dark Regions leave :
rhe heav'nly Hofts all wondring Hood
King Jefus to receive,
rhp great Jehovah fets a Throne,
Inltals our glorious King •,
Both Heaven and Earth mult him adore^
And loud HofanitaV% ling.
II.
There firs the King of Peace and Love,'
A Saviour is his Name,
Mercy his Nature and Delight,
And ever fo the fame.
Corneal! that fear, come all/that want, 1
And fpeedy fuccour find j
? He
l£f Sacramental Hymns]
He ne're denies a praying Soul, 1
He is fo good and kind.
111.
Behold and wonder at his Love*
We are his daily care,
Jrlis ear, his heart, is always fixt
To hear and anfwer Prayer.
Be not afraid to bring your Suit,
Come with a chearful Heart :
Weak cries, mixr Prayers cannot bat
A gran: to his own part.
IV.
Satan, it's m*e, prefents his Plea*
And Juftlce brings its claim $
Byjt all are filent when he pleads,'
His Blood, his Love, his Nanse !
Let holy Souls then daily go
To'Jefss on his Throne,
Andiove that all-prevailirg Friend
Who fays we are his own*
HYMN XL
As iho (Tjtb PfalsMo
OTIiis ungrateful Wmld !
To kill fo kind a Friend;
t made the Lord of Glory die^
What might this aS portend ?
Sacramental Hymns] 163
Sat wonder, holy Souls,
G d's -h^ught s all'rbo'ts tranfcendc
[Thrift murdefd by a Rebel World,
And yet he is our Friend*
IK
't's true, Chrift leftthe Earthy
Bat is entbron'd above,
^v to revenge this cruel Afr,
But lives and reigns in Love.
Jweet is his work on high,
Peace is the charming Voice 1
et but a Soul-embrace his Call, 1
The heavenly Hoft rejoice*
111
If bold he ftands and calls;
Come Sinners, come to me,"
<ly Love, my Kingdom ftull be your£
To all Eternity.
elleve n)y faithful Word,
All my defigns are Grace,
'ake now the Earneft of my Love
Before yoif fee mv Face*
JV.
lever be ftrange to me,
1 wait to hear your cry^
er me but know your preffing wants?
And you (hall have (apply,
lever diltruli my Love,
i am, this is my Name > Sio
1^4 'Sacramental Hymn el
Sin' makes me hide my Face a while^
When yer my L' ve c s the fame.
Never regard your Foes,
Thev are no mitch for me;
Ple*d ftillmvConqijeRswith your God
And you (hill V.itWs be.
HYMN XII.
L
Flll'dwith thefenfeof&nand wratt
And black defpair drew nigh,
To Chnft I fled for free'ring Grace,
He heard my mournful cry :
Under his pleafant fhade 1 fare,
Sweet notes of Love I heard $
My welcome was above my thought,'
How was 1 lov'd and chear'd.
11.
8ie came to me, but not alone^
D'vine Fruits were my fak 5
1 waited what he fitft would fay, 1
Your (ins now pard n'd are :
Jeace with Jehovah is mf gift,
No frowns appear above -,
£0 boldly to my Father's Throne,
Love waits your Soul to love.
HI.
The Book of Life, your Name is the*
And ever there (hail be a
Lo<
To all E'emity.
Ask what you will, I have God's Ear,
He never me deny'd i
Come wirb your fears, come with youi
And you /hall be fupply d. (wants,
*
IV.
I give xny Angels for your Guard,
You are their daily care,
Let Satan tempt and ffcoot his Darts,
They can prevent the fnare.
© Lord ! What can 1 now reply,
What Love at fuch a rate !*
But this I'll pray, O let my Lovej
Bear an Eternal Date.
Another,
I
The time Is pall when humane Race
' Became God's Enemy :
The World ne're Uw f bbck a Night,
When Adam eat the Tree.
waft gulf of Woes becjme his d-?e,
Which had' no bounds nor erd *
'Wh it e re he did,what e're he thought,
Still guilt did him attend.
F 3. 11 Got
God faw this fad tremendous Fall,
His Truth faid, might thy Woid
Juittcc requir'd, the Sinner's Blood
Nopiry him afford ->
But Love, that charming Attribute
Prepaid a kind reply,
iThe Pleas of Juftice I'll adjuft^.
JMy OiJy Son ffaail die.
1IL
B T eft was the Day when A&am heard
That chearing Word of Grace,
1 11 fend the Lord of Glory here,
And hide my angry face.
Hear what he fays, he knows my Hearr,
My Mercy (hall rejoice,
Peace hel proclaim,the War will ceafc.
If you obey his Voice.
W.
Go trembling Sinner, go to hin^
Fear not your former guilt,
His Death has aflfwer'd my demands^.
And I will you acquit.
Come- take the Pledge, believe mySaa
I am your own, your All,
I have a Father's Hand and Hearty
To hear you when you call.
Sacramental Uymnil %§&
V.
My Chriftdid lovingly invite
Me to his charming Fealt $
Be added to his wondrous Love»
Made me a willing Gueft.
Lcame and found a Banquet rar^
I He brought me Angels food;
He bid'me rake and eat my fill,
For my Eternal good,
VL .
He fpoke fuclr chearingWords oFGrace,
What do you want, my Friend ?
Wtiar, can you doubt my kind defigrrf
Conijder, and attend.
Sin cannot now defeat my Love/
Since Pardons i will give -.
Siafeemsan unrefitled Foe,]
It Hull not always live*
VII.
You Feel a dreadful War witfiirr;
Lufts claims a righdefs Throne^
But this united force 111 break,
Since now you are my own.
Satan with all his Darts and Snares
Shall'prove a fruitlsfs Foe ;
you are defign'd for Heaven's Blif%
He to Eternal Woe*
Vlll
i£8 ^ Sacramental Hymntl
VIII.
Never diflurft my wond'rous Love,
The belt is yer behind,
No Tongue nor Thought can reprefen
How good I'll be, and kind v
Refrefh your Souls with what I give*
Wait till you come on high ;
I long till all my Members fee
JW- hat's in Eternity^
Aaotberi
h
What made the Lord of Glory die >
Shall God the anfwer make >
Our guilty Souls may Trembling Rand
To hear Jihovab fpeak :
But God has fpoke, he Fent bis Son*.
But Itay de jetted Heart,
Not to condemn a Rebel World;
But to regain his parr.
II.
The Death ©f Cfrrift no vengeance cries
It is a figfi of Peace r
It pardons Sins* and pays our Debts,
And gives our Souls releafe *
LetLtfio ^iCcnfcienca bring their charge
Let JutlLce plead our guilt s
"" Tm
:
i
Sacramental llyititt) i&$
The Death of Chrift can filence all,
And God will us acquit.
, III.
3h Soul / Shall baniffi'd fears return;
When you can pardon plead :
Hold faft this charming Pledge ot Love*
For yra it is decreed *
Let Angels fiog their higheft Note^
Let Earth triumph below,
Let the Redeemed of the Lord
Their Saviour's Glory fhow*
j
FINIS.
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