This book made available by the Internet Archive.

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 Memorial 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, Fairhiulnefs 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 perfect our ConduQ, Government, and Salvation,. f

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'sWifdomy 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

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 commended to this helpful Treatife, by Thine to his poor Power for Chrift.

Matthew Sjhejler.

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 mournful 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 jor

us,

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 Jent 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 Manna & 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 instituted byCbrill, iff take heed thai you ufc it not to ends, for which it never was appointed. 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 delivering up ourfelves to him,as his Redeemed ones,Qven to the Father as our reconciled Fathered to the Son as our Lord (S> Saviour, and to the Holy Spirit as our Sanfti-fier, with Profejfed Jhankfulnefs for fo great a benefit. 3. It is appointed to be a lively objeQive means ,by which theSpi-

creife

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 eviloj Jin, the infinite 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 provokedSc 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 -Communicateto each other. The

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 theConfecration, 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 really 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 confirm fomeConfederacies orOat hs ofSecre* 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 Children 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;

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 appointed 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

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 underfand the > parts 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 Reception 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 execution of that Law -, and- will rule us hereafter by the Law of Grace- 3 That he is our FatherorBenefa&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 Sacrament, Confecratkn mull ftrft make the

Creature

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 Crucified 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 the5^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*

* 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* ■felf 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 unworthy 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.

14 A Monthly Preparation for invited' Many that are fcupulous of receiving it (n *v>J 7 tive a f rafting gefturc, are too little carefuS&fcrupulous of receiving 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 folioweth -, 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

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 imagining, 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 exceeding Mercies. 7- And if befides all thefe the Body contract a weak or timorous 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 Sacrament 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

Que ft. r. But it not this Sacrament triore 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,thatthe^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 unacquainted 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 Quarter, when the fame work is negietted all the Year befide5 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)

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 Sacrament 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 Repentance. 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 condition, will not make his fin to be his duty h nor excufe his other faulrs be-fore God,

Queft. 6. Mutt a fincere CbriJJian receive 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, between immediate duty and more remote $

and

\ 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 receive 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 fmailer 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 Repentance & 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

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 unworthy 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 thereunto*

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 offered 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,

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 Safphiraxzlleth 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 Marriage 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 threatned ?

Anf. There are three forts of unworthinefs (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

*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 accompanied 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 Preparation 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, Repentance, 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

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 ? 1 706,3.14,15. 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 renowned 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 Heaven, 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 rather 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-

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 Inclinations 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 account 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 Confidence 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 Lamentation of all the Sins which you difcover 5 and to beg his pardon in fecrer, before you come to have it publickly

fealed

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 humbly 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 confers 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 Neighbours as your felves, Mat- 5. 25,24,2?, 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 lovingly 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 bodily 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 facred My tierics, and to the Minifier, & Communicant s^and. wanner of Adminijiration ?

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 committing any known fin* Bur, 1, Take not every fin of another for your fin, and think not that you are guilty of that

in others, which you cannot amend \ or 7 that you mult forfake the Church, and Worfhip of God, for thefe corruptions 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 doubtetb is condemned 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 lawful ro forbear them- And in cafe of doubling about things indifferent, the^ farer fide is to forbear them, becaufe 0 there may be Sin in doing 5 but there can be none on the other fide in forbearing. 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 obedience, 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 Confcience, 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

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 feveral 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 invaluable gifts.

Here I fhoiald diftinfrly fhew you,

1. What Graces they be that you muft there exercife. 1L What there is objectively 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 Repentance 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

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 acceptance 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 thankful Heart towards him, from whom we ; do receive it. 6 A fervent Love to him that by fuel) Love doih 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 offering 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 Salvation 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

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 workings 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 arePowerfulobje&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

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 wilfully 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, 0 Lord\bowgreat 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 difobedience ? 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, 0 God bow wonderj 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

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 believeih in him, (bould not pertfh.but have everhflmg Lijc. 0 that thou baft prepared us Jo julla remedy, and Jo 'precious 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 common 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. 0 •wondrous Love ! 0 hateful Sin ! Hw merciful. Lord, haft 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. 0precious Sacrifice ! 0 bat (Jul fin ! 0 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 ftariffs 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. 0 bide me in theft wounds, & wajh me in this precious Blood ! This U the Sacrifice in which I truft: this is the Righteoufnefs by which I muft be jufiified, and faved from the Curfe #/ thy violated Law 1 As thou haft accepted this, 0 Father, for the World, upon the Crofs, behold it flill on the behalf oj [inners \ 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 reconciled 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 upon 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 felves 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-ftry 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 inverting 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 matchiefs bounty of the Eternal God ! What a gift h this ! And unto what unworthy /inners I And will God jioopfo low to man I And come Jo near him } And thus reconcile his- wrtklefs enemies ? IVill he freely

Pardon

'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 & Covenant, my Soul doth gladly take thee for my God & Faeber, for my Saviour & my Sanfiifier. And here I give up my Jelf 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 : 0 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, 0 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. 0 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

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 poured 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 •; € 0 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 Loveexcellethrhelove 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 Vengeance ! '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

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 fhewed 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 Masters Joy jj O blefled Place ! O happy Company that fee his Glory, and are filled with the ftreams of thofeRivers 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 another 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 Sairuson 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!

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 youcowebowe, 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 felves 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

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 before 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 Receiving, fo much by feeling, as by Faith; For more is promifed than you yet pof-

dizre follows the Authors folemn ReJ?gna-iion nj Himfel} 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. 0 /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 beautyy 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

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 « morey 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 clearer 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 mercifully 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 Servants, 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 ChriIt 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 iomuch 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

<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. 6J % 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-

* 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 PoJJiinof Cbriji 5 to be read. by Communicants before :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 appointment was to reprefent to the Receiver 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, remembranee 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? handjOt 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 Sacrament, 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,\ cannot 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 Lord $ 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 Virgins 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

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 enemies, 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 following 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 )*, 0ye Daughters */ Jerifahm ? Weep not jor

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 begins 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

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 Saviour. 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

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 wickedneis 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 ?

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 Lord,whzt are thofe pains and gripes thou feeleft^that brings fbrtht thefe complainings ? But why do 1 ask this Queftion ? Hath he not been all this while drinking up the cup his Father 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.

78 A PatbeticalMeditation

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 muft he jmat and bleed? Oh far more tham 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 uncomely 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 loathing •, 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 inJirc (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 required. 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 jairJojt 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 fuffercd> this curfed, proud and earthly hea?t of ■Bine rebelled and broke the Laws^and -filOUld

fhould have fuffered and born the punishment 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 iniquities, the cbaflifement of our peace lay upw bim, and by bistripes 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 jrompriJon tp Judgment, from prifon to the Judgment-feat of the great God,who fhould have fat as Judge •, he fhould have arraigned 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

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, 0 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

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 whither (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 vengeance 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 rhat this were the day, Ihisthe very place in whichG* d fhould fcoms and fit in judgment on tine Ml*

thinks

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 glorious 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

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 favour, and hazard myEternal pleafures? Speak finner, was it not fo ?

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 91 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 0 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-

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 Judgehathpaffed 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 fpea 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

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 begins 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 Heaven 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 condemned 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 Sacrifice for fin, and appeafe his wrath, and make you Friends again. Ye innumerable 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

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 bitter thanBeviis or damned Souls inHeli has yet ever rafted of? For it is impoffible 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 harbour 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.

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 felf : 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 cowardly 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

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

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 forgot 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

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 diligently 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 Heart5 fhall it be lefs true, beciufe thy bafe infidelity cannot digelt it ? Thou might doubt God, Heaven, 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 ^ Pathetical 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 coming 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 0 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, deadnefs, 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 15fe 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 honoured 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 his. 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

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. IIJ :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 fhall 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.

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

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 vanities fto-Ien them away, or hid them From me: or the envious Devil, or unbelief 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

St6 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 contemplations / 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

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 ', 0 Zion I

0 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 fure gold, fine f$ui

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 Sunshine of bis countenance, H. change thofe mortal and corruprible bodies into immortal 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'ibisBlood to us, h more than to Crown Kings, or be mode Rings ' Star like Diamonds to glitter in*

Ike

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 remember 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 urieerrain 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 Ofelftnfe $> ft thou not love me ? i &now thou-dolt -,

moiei

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 faw 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* remember fince thy heart did firft fall fick with love, fince the time thy flefh began to die, and fince thou laidlt thy felf in the gravedovvn by me, and wert willing 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! Methinks 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*

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 pardon 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 languid 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-,

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.

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 returned. 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 recovered Glory rhar he had left, and now igatn hath take* .? Or that thou «nft 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* Snail 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

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 nothing

on the TaJJion of Cbrlfl. 13 * 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, unbelieving 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 innumerable 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 Tatbetteal 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. Angiitis: indignation did Ioofemy 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 barbarous hearts to triumph over a bleeding 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

136 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 wonder ! 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

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 fignsand wonders? Howofren did he cure your Lame > How wonderfully 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*

A Prayer before the Receiving the Holy

Communion.

MOST Holy God, J am at flubbh before thee, the conjumng Fire, Hw iball I (land before thy Holinefi, for 1 am tfinfulCtenure, 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 dfliver 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 ife. 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

and have fulfilled thedtfires 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 Salvation. 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 itj in Publick 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, 0 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 Righteous, is the Propitiation jor my $inH\ who hire them in bis bdy on the Crfs y dnd made hivfelf an Offering jor ib ni % that be might put them away by the Sacrifice oj bimjelj 5 have Mercy upon me, and wajh me in bis Bloody cloath me with bis Righteoufnefs ^ take away my lnquities y and let thm not be my fuiitt\ jorgive them, and remember them no mor$; 0 thou that delightefl 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 eonjnfs 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 Knowledge J) 1 hav± {riot feen 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 dglorifie tbjCWact\ 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 Greatio

fiail prodiim thy Prifes, EUJJing^ Honou Glory and Pwer be unto himthat 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, andm-d \

U

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 Chrift 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\inHeaven,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 Jimplicity 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 accrptable thro' Lhrift Ujeful for thin Honur. 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>hat Sin defervelh, what Chrijl f ffered f wba vender fJ -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 thefe 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 daily,efpeciatt-y wh . n I'< vij tatfons to unbelief and Ji ifui he*vhi>fs off **}

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 forgiven , andmofyedinthe Blood cfCbri/l. 0\ Go your \ rvay^ and Sin no more ; no more thro* wilfulness, and Srivi againl~i your Sins of weaknefs, Wallow no more in the Mire, and return not to thy Vomit. Let the exceeding Love of Chrift con. Jtrain thce } having fuch Promifes, i. Cor. 6. iji 18 O cleanfe thy felf from all filthinefs ofFUfb undSpirit, 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,-

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

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

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

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, 0 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

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.

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 wonderful3

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} fvveerglances, look* - love,

It may be we fhall fpy.

VIII. Ccme

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, 0 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.

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

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$ 0 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

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,

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

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

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 Intercejjion 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 ?

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 hedid,what e're he thought, Still guilt did him attend.

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, 111 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

:

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.

pv

fl 0,+ICC dl^d *l fbfl

'Jilt, *i+d> "Lj 7?.n*fcn«* + fiut ^*+ CcU*) / jit £ rt'*f

:u i u ^. w ^ (/ &