Worthy Communicating, Introduction · Part 3 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of some other Hindrances.
The Contents.
An Account of some other Hindrances. One abstains because the day before he was at a Feast. Another, because his Child is sick, or he himself is lighty indisposed. A third, because his Wife or Husband cannot come along with him to joyn in it. A fourth, because he has a Visit to make, or a Friend come in, who in all civility must be attended. A fifth, because of a Showr of Rain, or a sharp Air abroad, so that he must endure a piercing Blast, or wet his Foot, to go out to it. These are no Excuse from it, but still Men are bound to Communicate. Some Devout Meditations and Prayers to help them in a Worthy Discharge of it. After they have received, they must be careful to make good those holy Vows and Promises which they made to God in the Holy Sacrament.
HAving hitherto consider'd those Pleas which seem to be of most weight in hindring Men from the Sacrament, and possess them either with a Scruple that they dare not, or with an important Reason why they should not chuse to come to it; before I dismiss this Head, I shall take notice of some others, which, tho' of less moment, may yet seem fit to be considered.
Men oft-times give such Reasons for their Neglect of the Sacrament, as are Reasons to themselves for neglecting nothing else that is of half that moment. The Vnseasonableness of the Weather, the Sickness of a Child, the paying a Complement to a Friend, or the like, is thought a sufficient Hindrance from the Communion: Whereas it would not hinder them from any Business which either Friendship, their own Pleasure, or their Profit requires of them. For how cogent soever they may account them in keeping them back from it, they would not be with-h…ld by them from pursuing any Sport, or from driving an advantageous Bargain, or carrying on any End or Interest, or serving their Friend in any Business or Affair of moment. And can any Man now have the Face to give that for a Reason to Almighty God, which he would be ashamed to offer as a Reason to any one else? Can he expect to excuse the Neglect of a weighty Duty unto him, by such trifling Apologies as would not excuse the Neglect of a Bargain, nay of a Pastime to himself; nor of a Concern of weight, or, perhaps, of a Complement to his Companions? Those Men are surely in a sad Case, who are forced to seek shelter under such thin Pretences; and rather than make such trifling Pleas for any Act of Disobedience, it were by much their wiser course to be wholly silent, and not seek to defend themselves at all.
When these Pleas are made then, there is no Excuse in them. And indeed they would not be made by any Men, if once they were convinced how much it is both their Duty and their Interest to come to the Communion. For when they are detained by such frivolous Reasons as would not either be urged or admitted in excuse for any other Business; they shew onelyonly their great Indifference to it, and how they esteem it less than any other Matters: and this they could not do, if they held it either as a valuable Privilege, or as a Point of Conscience. The best way therefore to remove these Hindrances from the Sacrament, is to possess Men with a Belief that God has peremptorily injoyn'd it, and that 'tis infinitely their own Interest and high Privilege to be admitted to it. And having shew'd these very largely in the Second Part, I shall refer the Reader unto that, as a very likely way, not onelyonly to answer these, but also to prevent all other such like Pleas against it.
But that such Persons as are serious in these Hindrances, may not think themselves slighted, besides this general Answer, I shall say something to the Particulars.
1. One keeps away from the Sacrament because the day before either he himself has made a Feast, or has been treated by his Neighbour at a Noble Entertainment. But why, I pray, must this excuse it? For if at the Feast he was guilty of any incapacitating Fault, or any ways intemperate; 'tis not the Feast, but such Offence or Intemperance which is to be alledg'd for it. But if the Entertainment was Friendly in the Design, Temperate at the Table, and every way harmless and charitable, hurting no Man's Fame, nor disturbing any Man's Quiet in the Conversation; wherein was his Lord offended, or his Soul unfitted by it? The Primitive Christians received it as a Friendly Treat, for in those days their Love-Feasts always went along with it; so that an Hospitable Entertainment the day before, yea or the same day, doth not unfit Men to Communicate; but if in all things else they are duely qualified, they may worthily receive still.
2. Another abstains from this Holy Feast because his Child is sick, or because he has taken Cold himself, or has some aking in his Head, or is otherwise lightly indisposed.
But what if his Child is sick? Doth he attend it? Or is it advisable for him to be so far disturbed at it, till his Mind is unfit for those Religious Tempers which he is to exercise at the Holy Sacrament? Perhaps his Child fares the worse because of some Sin that he has committed; and will he not then instantly repent of it, and come to the Lord's Table, there to have his Pardon seal'd, that so this Load being taken off, it might be eased by it? But whether that be so or no, if he has any sense of Religion either in his Childs Case or his own, he will be earnestly desirous to make God his Physician, and call out to him for help; and that he cannot do so effectually, or prevail in it so certainly at any other time, as I have shewed, as in the Holy Sacrament. For God is never more inclined to hear us, nor are we ever more likely to have our Prayers granted for any thing that he sees fit for us, than when we send them up along with this Solemn Commemoration of our Saviours Death, which is the only Argument that has Authority and Power with him, to obtain any thing on our behalf. So that if a wise man longs to have his Child recovered, he cannot do a more unwise thing, than either to grieve so far till he is unfitted for this Feast, or, when he might be fit for it, to neglect it; since his Prayers there would a be most probable and prudent course to obtain it.
And then as for his own indisposition, if indeed it has brought upon him such heaviness as unfits him for any Spiritual Act, or if it is in that Degree, that 'tis not safe for him to stir abroad with it; God prefers Natural and Essential Duties before Positive Institutions, and Mercy before Sacrifice, so that it will be a just excuse for it. But if it cannot hinder him from looking after business, and going among his Neighbours, or venturing out upon any appearance of doing either himself or his Friend a kindness; why must it excuse him from attending upon God, and doing him this Service; except that be thought sufficient to excuse our attendance upon him which excuses nothing else, which is a thing, I presume, they would be loth to own, who stay away by reason of this hindrance.
2. Some again refrain the Holy Sacrament, because their Wife, or Husband cannot bear them Company, and join in it. One of them is either accidentally prevented that they cannot, or sinfully negligent and unprepared that they will not come to it; and therefore in Complyance and for Companies sake the other also keeps away at present, and defers it to another time when both together can partake of it.
This I think is a popular, but it is a very weak excuse. For the receiving the Communion is an indispensable Duty, concerning which every Person must give account of themselves unto Almighty God; so that one near Relation can no more talk of neglecting it for the others sake, than of neglecting to say their Prayers and serve God because the other doth it not, or of being irreligious to symbolize with some dear Friends, and casting away their precious Souls out of Complement. Nay, if he had not thus injoyn'd, but only Friendly invited us to Communicate; yet would it be a very rude and disobliging thing to refuse his Invitation upon this account, because some others, who are very dear to us, have not either the opportunity, or good manners to accept it. For if an Husband or a Wife will not receive, unless the other also will consent to joyn it; it is a sign they come not so much for their Lords, as for each others sake, so that they and not their Saviour have the Service and the Honour of it: and this is an odd account for any man to give to Christ of his neglecting this Feast, when he is most affectionately and earnestly invited to it.
When any Persons stay away from the Sacrament then, because they cannot have their Bosom-Friend to joyn in it: they are Guilty of a great sin, since they are bound to it whether the other come or not, and pass a great affront and dishonour upon their Lord; so that this is far from having any excuse in it. Nay, instead of being a Reason why they should abstain from it, the neglect of one dear Relation lays a greater obligation on the other to Communicate. For when one cannot come, so that there must be a defect on that part, that is too much already since neither ought to be wanting in it; and therefore there is the more need the other should receive, not only to shew their own Duty in it, but also to supply their Friends defect as well as they can, and make amends for it.
4. A Fourth absents himself from this Holy Feast, because that day he is to visit a Friend abroad, or has a Friend accidentally come in to dine with him, who must in all Civility be attended.
But why must our Respects to our Saviour and our other Friends be made thus to interfere, so that one must needs be a Temptation to omit the other? How comes it, that of all the days in the month we fix upon that for visiting or entertaining of our Friends, when our Blessed Lord invites us to his Table there to entertain us? Or if by accident a Friend then breaks in upon us, why must that detain us when Christ calls us? Is it any part of his Friendship to make us disobey our Lord, or to put us by embracing this high honour and most advantageous opportunity when 'tis offer'd? Or if he be Gods Friend too as well as ours, is it not very fit that he should go also and joyn with us? When to Communicate is a Duty in both of us, is it any wise Reasonable that he should make us stay away, and not go himself along with us? But if it happen that a Friend who is unwilling to Communicate falls in to be entertained, or a visit at that time would be expected: Since our Saviour and they cannot be attended too, which ought in Reason to be prefer'd? Is there any to whom we owe more Respect and Observance, than we do to Christ Jesus? should we Affect the Company, or Court the Conversation of any Person, more than his? Are there any who ought more highly to be valued by us, or have better deserv'd of us, or whom we should study more to make our Friend, than him who has gain'd us Eternal Life, and that by laying down his own Hearts Blood for the Purchase? When more Honourable Persons, or better Friends invite us, let us turn our backs upon his Table, and pay them Attendance: but since he can have no Competitors in this Case, where is the Justice, the Honour and Respect to him, when this is given as the Reason of our Absence?
5. A Fifth neglects the Holy Sacrament, because of a showr of Rain, or a sharp Air abroad; so that he must indure a piercing blast, or we… his Foot if he goes out in it.
But is he thus tender of himself in any other matters? a…d would these dreadful Scare-Crows put him by any other Concerns which frigh… him from this Ordinance? If they stood in the way of his Pleasures, would he r…frain th…m? If they lay between h…m and his worldly Interests, would he be discouraged by them? If th…y met him in the way as he were going to … Friend a kindness, would they cause him to turn ba…k again? Though they would not just…fie it, yet when they hinder him from th…se and such like matters, they may with more colour be pleaded in excuse of his absence from the Lords Supper. But are not men much at a Loss for excuses to shift off this Duty, when such as this, so full of palpable Contempt and a careless Spirit, must serve their turn, and be thought sufficient? And have not we an hard task to Conduct them on to Eternal happiness, which must▪ put them upon Fighting and Striving, and giving all Diligence, and denying themselve…, and taking up the Cross, and plucking out right Eyes, and cutting off right Hands, &c. when they stumble thus at Straws, and are beat back by the force of every Feather which is blown in their Faces; and such trilles as these can discourage their going on in the most weighty Duties, and make them recoyl again upon our Hands?
As for all these Excuses then, which careless men, who make no Conscience of the Sacrament, give for their Absence from it; they will not stand them in any stead, nay, they are such as no wise man dare own when once they are examined. They shew nothing else, but the dis-regard men have of Christ, their unaffect…dness with all that he has done and suffer…d, their absolute indifference to have it remembred, and their utter Contempt of this Duty which he has commanded them. They are a good Evidence of their own careless, undutiful, and irreverent mind, and manifest how little they set by their Blessed Lord; so that the urging of them is a ready way to give more offence, but not to make any excuse at all.
And thus I have done with all those Pleas, which are wont, I think, most generally to keep men from the Communion, and would be most apt to hinder those things which I have said about the Duty and Advantage of it in the second part, from having their due effect upon them. Among these there are some, perhaps, may seem to be little objections; but little as they are, they are an hindrance to some minds; and since it is not below them to stop at them, I am far from thinking it too trivial and low a thing for me to answer them. And upon the whole matter it appears, that to Communicate is a great Duty, and a great benefit, and that none of those Pleas which are ordinarily urged for it, can in any just sort excuse their neglect of it. For neither their unworthiness to partake in it, nor the danger of Damnation threatned to every unworthy Communicant, nor the Fear of breaking that promise of New Life which is made in it, nor the apprehended Difficulty and want of leisure to prepare for it, nor their being unbettered and unimproved by it, nor the wan… of that Charity which is to be profess'd at it, nor the having some Enemies, after all their Endeavours for Reconciliation, unreconciled, nor the seeming presumption of joyning in it, nor the Customary Absence of many good People from it, nor the Admittance of Vnworthy Receivers to it, nor the Imposition of Kneeling at it: neither these, I say, nor any other Impediment whereby Men are apt to excuse it to their own Minds, can justifie and bear them out in absenting themselves▪ when they are invited. No ill Man can be excused, and no good Man need to be h…ndred by them; so that every Man, as he tenders our Blessed Lord's Command, and his own Souls-Interest, must be careful reverently and devoutly to partake in this Holy Feast, when he has an Opportunity, and is called so to do.
And now I have gone thro' all those Particulars which I proposed at first, and which I thought most proper to be insisted on to ingage Men to a Worthy Reception of the Holy Sacrament. I have shewn what is the meaning of Eating and Drinking in this Feast, and wherein lies the Worthiness of doing it, and what strict Obligati…ns us we have to it, and how great Benefits we are like to receive by it, and answered th…se Pleas which are most generally given …ut to excuse the Neglect of it; and this with all honest Minds, who are desirous and free to hear, and will have the patience to consider, may seem sufficient to inforce a due Attendance on it. And when once Men are so disposed, and seriously resolv'd to communicate, I shall add a few things to assist them in a right Discharge of it, and so conclude this Subject.
When we come to the Holy Sacrament, to commemorate the Death of our Bleeding Lord, whose Body there is represented as broken, and his most precious Blood as shed, on our account; we are to shew forth an affectionate and hearty Thankfulness for so invaluable a Kindness, and an intire Resignation of our selves to his Vse, and Repentance of all our Sins, fully purposing to amend them all thenceforwards, and an universal Peace and Charity towards all our Neighbours; all which we must excite in our own Souls by due Considerations.
1. We must shew forth an affectionate a…d hearty Thankfulness for so invaluable a …ndness. And what Soul can be slow to … this, who considers how infinitely our … Lord has deserved of us? For he has got us the most precious and glorious things which Heaven it self could afford, that all our Sins should be freely pardoned, and that the Holy Ghost, that Immense, Eternal, and All-sufficient Spirit, should come in at all times to our help, and that we should be in no less Quality than the Sons of God, and Heirs of a Kingdom, who are assured of eternal Joys and Glories in another World: And ought not Gifts so august and superlatively excellent to be most affectionately acknowledged? He has bought all these, to bestow upon us, at the dearest Rate, not onelyonly taking the most unwearied Pains, but also paying the highest Price, and laying down his own most precious Blood for the Purchase. And must not such astonishing Kindness, which was affrighted by no Hazards, nor stopt at any Difficulties, nor declined any Sufferings, not the Suffering of Death it self, for our sakes, be always held in a most thankful Remembrance? And in all this he had no Ends of his own to serve of us, but was led on purely by the Pleasure he takes in our Happiness; he was not won by our Deserts; for, alas! we were his profest Enemies, who had nothing to shew but highest Provocations; he was not wearied out with the importunity of our Intreaties, for it came, as undeserv'd, so altogether unask'd, whatsoever he did for us: he was …ot moved by the Medi…ti…n of Friends; …or whom, alas▪ had we to intercede for … ▪ And shall not such amazing Love and Goodness, so frankly shew'd, without any Eye at … or Private Interests, without … or Deserts, nay, in spite of all Disc…u…ag…me…ts and highest Provocations, be entertain'd with greatest Joy and grateful Acclamations? He has been an infinitely endearing and entire Friend to us, without any Inducement but his own most generous Kindness, and against all Discouragements, and beyond all …, and under the most frightful Hazards, and at the highest Expences, giving his own Soul even to Death, for a Ransom to redeem ours: And whensoever we hear or think of this, I am confident it will not be difficult for any of us to embrace him with Hearts full of Love and high Desires, and pay him most intire Thanks, and burst out into Songs of Praise, and find it a most joyful Business so to do.
What am I, my dear Lord, will a devout Mind then say, that thou shouldest leave the Right-hand of God, and come to visit me? Hadji thou no Ease in thy own Breast, so long as I lay plunged in Misery? And couldst not thou be Happy in Heaven, nor enjoy thy self amidst all the Joys and Glories of that Blissful Pla…, unl…ss I were there too to b…ar th… Company? How …arnest thou, being so highly exalted, and the Eternal Son of God, to have any Affectionate Concern at all for me? Was n…t I a def…rred, p…lluted Wretch, and thy profest Enemy? And weren…t either of these enough to turn away thy Face from me? But if, notwithstanding all this, thy overflowing Goodness would put th… … something for my sake, why must thou come thy self upon the Earth, nay, come to bleed and die, to Redeem me? Am I dearer to thee than thy own Life, that thou shouldest part with it to save me? Dost thou love me better than thou lovest thy self, that thou wilt shed the last Drop of thy own Hearts Blood to make me happy? Blessed Jesus! how unfa…mable is thy Grace, and what an unsearchable Depth of Love is this which thou hast opened to us! O how happy do I think my self in it, and how doth my Heart rejoyce at the Remembrance of it! Lord! I love thee dearly, and long to love thee more. Would I had the Heart… of a Seraphin, that I might be all over Love, and neither wish nor think of any thing besides thee. Would I could feel my Soul affected to that degree which I desire, and thou infinitely deservest of me. I wish no greater Pleasure, than to be found perfect in thy Love, and to have thee so dear unto me, that I can contemn all the gilded Vanities and Allurements of the World at the thoughts of thee. O! do thou fill me with an Affection full and absolute, like thine own, that I may love thee infinitely, as I am beloved by thee! Possess me with such a Sense of thy Love, and such Thankfulness for all thy Favours, as is worthy of thee; tho' should I offer the utmost Acknowledgments which the most affected and enlarged Heart can pay, I should not give the thousandth part of what I owe thee. Let all the Angels adore thy glorious Goodness, and all the Sons of▪ Men, so long as they have a Tongue to speak, set forth thy Noble Praise: for thou, O sweetest Jesu, art the Son of the Blessed, the Joy and Glory of the World, the Lamb of God, and the Saviour of Mankind, who wast slain for our sakes, and art alive again, and sittest now for ever at the Right-hand of Power, in the Glory of the Father, that Angels may submit to thee, and all the World may worship thee, sing of thee, and praise thy Goodness, Power, and Glory, to all Eternity.
2. We must shew our selves reconciled to all who have any ways offended us, and that we are in Peace and Charity with all Persons. And this we shall not think much to do, if we consider how highly our dear Lord is concern'd for them, and how earnestly he sues in behalf of them; for then we shall be readily brought to it on his account, tho we might be more averse to it on their own. He has loved them so well, as to shed his precious Blood for them; and can we find in our Hearts to hurt any Person, when we see him giving his own Life to save him? He owns them as his Friends and Brethren; and is not that enough to make us kind, to see that he is so near akin to them? He has made them Members of his Body, and thereby Parts of his own self; and can we study Revenge against them, when he comes in at last to bear the stroke, and i… reach'd in so doing? He becomes a Petitioner to us in their behalf, and intreats us by vertue of all that he has done to be Friends again; and can we have the face to deny him, who has so infinitely obliged us, and ought to command us in every thing? Shall we refuse so small a Suit to him, who died for us? or stick to throw away a sinful Resentment for his sake, who has parted with his own Hearts Blood for ours? Tho' they are most unworthy to be pardoned, yet is he most worthy of it; so that when he intreats, we must not be backward in it. Nay, we stand daily in a thousand times more need of his Pardon, than they do of ours; so that we block up the way to our own Forgiveness, if we refuse it. For what if they have injured us? Have we been altogether innocent, and have offered him no Injuries? What if they have most ungratefully abused us, after they had received the most endearing Kindnesses? have we been duely thankful unto him, and never offended against all his Mercies? Do not we owe him *Mat. 18.24, 28.Ten thousand Talents? whereas their Debt to us is but a Trifle of an hundred Pence? And since we are daily asking him the Forgiveness of these vast Sums, can we at the same time stick at his Instance to remit these smaller Matters to our Neighbours? Have we the Face to ask Pardon, whilst we have not the Heart to grant it? Or can we hope that Christ should give it us, for the most heinous Sins, at our Request, when we deny it to our Brother, for the smallest Trespasses, at his? Or rather, since he most frankly forgives us, and that too without upbraiding us, shall not both our own Necessity, and the Example of his Mercy, engage us to forgive our offending Neighbour also?
Lo! here, my Blessed Saviour, will a Devout Heart then say, how I cast by all angry Thoughts, and am Friends with all the World as thou requirest me! They shall all be dear to me, because I see they are so to thee, who hast given thine own Life for their Ransom. Thou ownest them all as thy Brethren, and therefore they shall evermore be mine; for I desire to have the same Friends, and to go along with thee in every Relation. No Member of thine whom before I had never seen shall ever be a Stranger to me, but I will embrace him as a part of my own Body. Nay, even my bitterest Enemies shall have no hatred, or hard usage at my hands, but I am Friends with all the World since thou wilt have it so. Shall not I forgive other men, who am undone my self unless I be forgiven? Shall not I have pity on their Souls, as thou, Blessed Jesus, hast on mine; and freely Pardon them, when thou becomest their Advocate to sue and intercede for them? O! my Dearest Saviour, I do from my heart forgive them, and will never yield to return their Injuries or Vnkindnesses upon them. Nay, I most humbly beseech thee, and that by thy own most precious Blood, that thou wouldest forgive them also. Give them Grace to Repent of what they have done, and impute not their Trespasses unto them, but receive them, I earnestly intreat thee, into thy Favour, as here I do truly and unfeignedly into mine. Hear me, O Blessed Jesu! both for my self and them, that we may all be one with thee, and among our selves, being united to thee by a Spirit of Holiness, and to each other by a Spirit of mutual Charity and Brotherly-kindness, that so all the World may know we are thy Disciples by that Spirit of Love which thou hast given us.
3. We must Resign our selves up to our Saviours use, and Repent truly of all our sins, promising him Faithfully that we will amend them all thenceforwards.
We must Resign our selves up to our Saviours use, that he may dispose of us as he pleases. And what man can stick at this, who considers that he has bought us, and would put us to no use but what is infinitely for our own Advantage? Has any Person a better claim to us, than he who bought us with his Blood, and gave his own Life for the Purchase? Should not he have the benefit of all our Service, who has paid so dear for it, by dying himself instead of us? But if we were at Liberty, and he had no Power over us; is there any better way to dispose of our selves, or could we desire to be in other hands rather than in his? Can we hope for more Wisdom in any one to direct, or more Power to bring our Happiness about, than in him who knows and governs all things? Durst we trust more to the Faithfulness and Affection of any Heart, than of that which dyed for us? Or can we think our selves happier in any Hands than his, who is in all things studious of our Advantage? For our Blessed Lord seeks no other ends by us, but our own Eternal Happiness; he imposes no Duties on our Consciences, but what he has done himself before us, nay, what, had we the understanding to discern it, we should all have imposed upon our selves: So that in committing our selves to his Conduct, we do not give but seek a Benefit; and dispose of our selves in that way which is incomparably our highest Interest. We are absolutely his own Right, and 'tis infinitely our own Interest to be wholly given up to him, and govern'd according to his liking; and therefore every considerate man will freely resign his Heart to Christ, and never suffer the World, or his own Lusts to pull it back again.
Come then, my Dear and Rightful Lord, will a poor Soul say, and take Possession of me. Thou hast bought me with thine own Blood, a strange Price for so despicable a Purchase; and here I come in all Humility to present thee with what thou hast so dearly got, and without all reserve to give up my self unto thee. I know, O Lord, I am a Deformed, and Polluted Creature, most unworthy to be offer'd to so excellent a Majesty. But gladly would I be thine that thou may'st make me better, and so adorn me with thy Grace that I may be sitted for thy self, and therefore I earnestly beseech thee to accept me. I humbly beg to be delivered from my self, for I am my own most mortal Enemy. O! that thou wouldest give thine Holy Spirit Power over me, and not let my own Corrupt will any longer govern me, nor my false heart any more deceive me, nor my unbridled Passions any more to reign in me, which alas! have tyrannized too long already! O! that thou wouldst purge my understanding from all foolish Principles, and all darkness and Ignorance of Holy Things; and cure my will and affections of all their stubbornness, and opposition to thy Laws; that thou wouldest first take them as thine own Propriety, and then fit them for their Masters use, that I may never hereafter live to my self, but unto thy Glory! wilt thou throw back a Soul that would hang it self upon thee? wilt thou disdain an Heart that is desirous after thee, and would fain be no longer its own, but thine, that thou mightest use it as it may best serve and honour thee? O Blessed Jesu! do not reject it, for it is the Purchase of thy Blood. Let not all that be thrown away which thou hast already done for it, for want of thy further Care and Conduct of it. Accept me, Good Lord, who here unfeignedly devote my self unto thee, that both my Soul and Body, and all I have, may be employed as thou seest fit to order me. I am nothing, I have nothing, and I desire nothing but to be with thee, to be filled with thy Grace, and obey thee perfectly; that so I may have nothing of my self, but do all things thro' Christ dwelling in me.
And when we thus Resign our selves to our Saviour's Use, we must heartily repent of all our Sins, faithfully promising never more to yield to them, but to amend them all thenceforwards. To Repent particularly of all our Sins, we must first discover them, by taking some Catalogue of Christian Duties, and examining our own Hearts at every one, Whether we have consented to transgress them? And where we find we have, there we must bemoan our selves, and fully resolve, That if God will be pleased to pardon what is past, we will never yield to do the like again. And what Man will not thus stedfastly resolve to leave all his Sins, that has the patience to consider what will be the End of his Continuance in them? For by that we shall infinitely offend our Saviour Christ, who gave his own Life for ours, and whom therefore we are bound to please above all Persons; we shall certainly lose the Joys of Heaven, and Eternal Happiness, a Loss which the whole World put together cannot recompence; we shall unavoidably be d…med to Hell-fire and Eternal Torments, which is the utmost heighth of Misery that can possibly befal us. This will infal…ibly be the Effect of our Perseverance in any Sins we find our selves guilty of. And now let us ask our own Souls, Whether we love them so well, that we will …ndure all this, rather than for…go them? Shall I prize my Sin to that degree, as for its sake to act despite to my dearest Lord, who died for me? Must it be dearer to me than his Love, that I should dishonour and offend him whensoever it bids me? Is this the Return I make to my tru…st, dearest Friend, to side with his professed Enemy? Is this my Thankfulness for all his Kindness, to stick to a Lust that aims at nothing but my Destruction, rather than to him who gave his own Life to save mine? Thou lovest it dearly, O my Soul; but canst thou value it at such a Rate, as to part with Everlasting Life for it? Hadst thou rather have it, than enjoy the Face of God, and be for ever Happy? Art thou content, for the short and unsatisfying Pleasures it affords, to lose all the Joys and Glories of a Blessed Eternity? Wilt thou die sooner than be divorced from it? and accompany it even into the Flames of Hell, and the midst of Eternal Torment? God forbid, will every May say whose Heart is thus particularly posed, that ever I should be so desperately mad, and unaccountably wicked. I cannot despite so dear a Lord, or throw away the Eternal Joys of the Heavenly State, or endure the Smart of Hell, and the insupportable Load of Everlasting Torment. No Man can bear it, and I stand amazed to think of it: And therefore since this will be the Effect of my wicked ways, I am resolved from this Moment to renounce them, and by the help of God will never return to them any more.
Thus let the Drunkard think with himself on his Cups, the S…earer on his Oaths, the unjust Man on his unlawful Gain, the Contentious on his Quarrels, the unclean Person on his Fornication and forbidden Pleasures, the Revengeful Man on his spiteful Carriage, the Slanderer and Evil-speaker on his reproachful Words, Back-bitings, and Defamations, and every other Sinner on his particular Sins: and when they seriously consider that this Saviour must be lost, this Happiness of Heaven forfeited, and this eternal Anguish and Extremity of Pain endured, if they persist in it; they will instantly resolve to forsake it, and never yield to be guilty of it again.
*This may be used … a Penitential Confession of our Sins after Self-examination.O Blessed Lamb of God, who hast redeem'd me with thy Blood, will every Contrite Heart then cry out, I am utterly ashamed to look thee in the Face, considering all the cruel Usage I have brought upon thee. †This Sentence may be omitted, when this Confession is not before a Sacrament.I scarce know how to think of Feasting on thy precious Blood, now I am most earnestly invited to it, since mine own Sins have shed it. I am, alas! a most polluted Creature, who have daily offended, in Thought, Word, and Deed, against thy Divine Majesty. My *Here mention your particular Sins.Pride, and contempt of God, and Sensual Lusts, and Covetous Desires, and uncharitable Practices, have cried aloud for Vengeance on me, and that Cry would not be silenced, unless thou my dearest Saviour wouldst die in stead of me. Of all these Offences I am guilty, and the horrour of that Guilt would fright me from thee, were it not that thou freely callest me to accept of Mercy. I come, Lord, in obedience to thy Word, and with an humble and a penitent Heart most earnestly entreat thee to have pity on me. I am sensible of these, and all my Errours, and utterly ashamed that ever I committed them. I am weary of them, and fully purposed by thy Gra…e to become a New Man, or else I durst not ask to be forgiven. My Heart shall never more joyn with them, nor will I ever hereafter yield to live in such ungrateful and wicked ways again. They nail'd thy tender Hands and Feet to the accursed Tree, and thrust the Spear into thy Side; and can I then endure to see, or any longer side with them? They made God, who is the Author of all I have and hope to enjoy, my utter Enemy; and shall I then be still a Friend to them? They would bring me to eternal Destruction both of Body and Soul; and whilst I consider this, is it possible I should have any more to do with them? No, Blessed Lord, I hate them, and am utterly resolved from this time forth for ever to abandon them. They have been the Shame of my Life, and are now the Sorrow of my Heart, as, alas! when thou enduredst such Anguish for them on the Cross, once they were of thine. I loath my self by reason of them, and will never consent any more to live in them; and with an humble and a contrite Heart beseech my Heavenly Father, that thro' the Merits of thy Blood I may be forgiven. And wilt not thou, O God, who sentest to seek after me whilst I was an open Rebel, now meet me graciously, as thou didst the Prodigal Son, when I return again to my Duty? Wilt not thou, my sweetest Saviour, who diedst for me whilst I was thine unrelenting Foe, now intercede for me, when I come to serve thee? O speak Peace unto my poor Heart, and let me know and feel that thou forgivest me! Send thy Holy Spirit to take possession of it, to keep it true unto thy self, that it may never more start back from thee. Thou hast promised thy Grace to those that ask it, and endeavour in expectation of it: O! I desire it, and will do what I can to be assisted by it; and therefore humbly hope this Promise shall be made good unto thy Servant. Whatsoever thou doest in other things, deny me not this Grace, O Heavenly Father, for Jesus's sake, who is infinitely dear to thee, and who died for me. Amen.
Thus may we Discharge the Duties of this Feast, and excite and actuate in our own minds that Faith, and Thankfullness, and Charity, and Resignation, and Repentance, which are to render us fit and worthy of it. If any are destitute of other helps, they may make use of these Meditations and Prayers to affect their own Hearts, and to shew forth these Virtues of worthy Receivers. They will not always find room for all these Devotions whilst the Sacrament is Administring; but they may go thro' with all of them before they come, for then they may allot what space they please for them; and make use of such of them as the time allows when they are receiving. And for a more actual adorning of their Souls with them at that time, whilst the Minister himself, or others before them are Receiving, they may express them all in one Continued Devotion, by lifting up their Hearts to God in the words following.
O Blessed Jesu! who gavest thy self to die for my sake; how near have I lain to thy kind heart, when the precious Blood that streamed thence was not so dear to it! I am utterly ashamed of my self, that ever I should put thee to part with such a price, and to endure such exceeding smart and tortures to b…friend me. I blush to think of it, and abhor my sins which brought thee to it. But since my need required, and thy Boundless Love would make thee undergo what thou didst, in the utmost thankfulness of an humble heart, I gladly accept the inestimable benefit; for which I love thee most Affectionately, and will serve thee most Faithfully, and praise thee most joyfully, evermore extolling thy boundless Goodness and glorious Excellencies, and endeavouring that all others may do so too.
Thou hast Bought me with thy Blood; and here with an unfeigned Heart I give up my Soul and Body, my Goods, and all I have to be employ'd in thy Service, and disposed of as thy Providence shall order me. Take Possession of me by thy Spirit, that my Body may always be the Temple of the Holy Ghost, my Soul and all its Faculties intirely Devoted to thy Behoof and Interest, and all … worldly Goods acquired so inno…ntly, injoyed so thankfully, spent so …perately, and laid out so charitabl… …s becomes thy Faithful Steward. I … not hence forward call any things my own when once my Lord has need of them, I freely resign all up unto thee, since thou hast paid so dear for me.
I have grievously offended thee by many sins, particularly by †Here name such Sins as you know your selves most guilty of.&c. I am perfectly asham'd of them, and sorry at my heart that ever I committed them, and would never do it were they to do again; and faithfully promise, that wittingly I will never more yield to them; and humbly beg, that for Christ's sake, in whom thou offerest Pardon to every penitent Heart, thou wouldst forgive them.
Thou hast purchased the Holy Spirit for all those who are ready to labour in an Holy Life, and take pains with it; and offerest him to all such industrious Souls in this Sacrament. I desire, O Lord, to amend all these Sins which I have here acknowledged; I am fully bent upon it, and will endeavour what I can towards it, and depend upon thy Grace and Aid to carry me through it: Be it unto thy Servant according to thy Word.
I am at Peace, O Lord, with all Persons, and forgive all Offenders against me, as I expect Forgiveness of my own Offences at thy Hands, and am fully resolved to be kind to all the World, but especially to all the Members of thy Mystical Body, for thy sake, that by these Returns of Charity I may in some sort answer that Infinite Love and Kindness I receive from thee.
Thy Blood, O Blessed Jesus, has procured; and thou, Holy Father, for Christ's sake, hast promised, Pardon of any Sin to every one who repents of it, and the Assistance of thy Spirit to every one that endeavours with it, and Eternal Life to all that are entirely Obedient; and callest us to receive Assurance that thou art still of the same mind, and wilt make all this good, in this Holy Sacrament. Lord, I heartily repent me of all my Sins, for Christ's sake do thou pardon me; I am fully resolved to shew Care, and to labour in the Amendment of all my Faults, let thy Grace and Holy Spirit come in to assist and enable me; I am stedfastly purposed to keep thy Commandments, do thou then graciously accept me for the sake of my Crucified Saviour, whose Death I now most thankfully commemorate, and who is here offered unto thee as our Atonement, on this Table.
Or shorter, thus:
O Blessed Jesus, who diedst for my sake, and daily still renewest thy Kindness, by shewing thy self well-pleased with what thou hast done, and calling me to meet thee in this joyful Commemoration of it: I come at thy Command, to shew my self humbly and thankfully mindful of so Infinite a Benefit. Blessed, yea for ever Blessed be thy Love, which made thee think upon when I lay in misery; nay, forget thy self, and throw away thy own Life, to save mine. I humbly adore thy marvellous Goodness, which shall ever be the Joy and Praise, the Wonder and Astonishment of Men and Angels. And O that I may always love thee better than I do my Life, that so I may not flinch even to die for thee, as thou hast done for me, if ever thou shalt call me to it for thy Glory! I see in this Bread that is broken, and this Wine which is poured out, what cruel Pains my Sins brought to my dearest Lord, †Here name Particulars.and how they stand guilty of his Body and Blood. I come with shame and a troubled Heart to confess it; I utterly abhor them for what they have done, and declare, since they have proved th… …ruel Enemies, they shall evermore be m…e, and that I will never from this day admit of a Reconciliation. I am here to assure thee, that I will not live unto my self or them, but unto thee, and freely devote all I have to thy use, since thou hast bought me. I love all Men, and will embrace them as my Brethren, because they are thine; and freely forgive all the World, even as I desire to be forgiven. O Holy Jesus, according to thy boundless Mercy accept of these small returns of thy poor Servant, which though very mean, alas! are yet the best I have to offer thee, and supply me with a more abundant measure of thy Grace, that I may be able to pay back something more worthy of thee. Let this Holy Sacrament be the Comfort and Refreshment of my Heart, conveying Pardon and Peace to it, and the Enriching and Establishing of my Spirit with all the Benefits of thy Blood: make it a great increase of present Grace to me, and a certain pledge of Immortality, to assure me that I shall even live with thee, and be near to that Heart which Dyed for me. Be it even so for thine own sake, Blessed Jesu! Amen.
In these, or such like words, may we act over all those Virtues which are to render us worthy Communicants, before the Holy Mysteries are brought to us. And at the receipt of them, we may lift up our Hearts to God in these or the like Expressions.
After the Receiving of the Bread, we may say to our Dearest Lord with an Affectionate Heart.
I Receive this, O! my Lord, in remembrance of thy Death, and thank thee most intirely for laying down thine own Life for me. O! how I rejoyce in thy marvellous Love, and in this Remembrance of it! I will always live to thee, and utterly renounce every sin whereby I have most ungratefully pierced thy bleeding Heart, and am Friends with all the World for thy sake, and will extol thy matchless Bounty whilst I have a Tongue to speak, giving all Honour, Glory, and Praise to thee the Lamb of God, who wast slain, and now sittest upon the Throne for evermore.
And in like manner after the receiving of the Cup.
THe Remembrance of thy Blood-shedding, O! sweetest Saviour, is dear to me; I can never forget it, since it was altogether for my sake, and I owe my very Life to it. In all the Affection of an infinitely obliged heart I humbly thank thee for what thou hast done, and gladly consent to those Terms of Life and Mercy which were purchased by it, and will never willfully yield to do any thing that is unworthy of so great a Benefit, and embrace all my Brethren with open Arms, since thou so requirest it, and desire after this sort to fulfill thy will in all things, and adore thy Glorious Goodness, and shew forth thy boundless Praise to my Lifes end.
O! keep me unalterable in this mind, may a Devout Soul then go on, and never suffer my own Corrupt Lusts to turn me from it. I have now, O! Holy Saviour, taken thee into my Heart. O let thy Presence banish them away, that they may never pretend to it again, since now 'tis Holy to the Lord, nor ever appear to pollute that place wherein so Divine a Guest is lodged. Now thou art pleas'd to enter under my Roof, have me always in thy keeping, for I am safe in no other hands. Preserve the place thou hast taken possession of, and let not thy Enemies and mine any more invade it. Pour into my Heart all the Benefits of thy Crucified Body and Blood, since now by thy wonderful Grace I am made Partaker of them. Thy Blood was shed for the Remission of sins: O! let me know and feel that mine are all forgiven. It obtained the Assistance of thy Spirit and Grace; O! let me ever enjoy that as I stand in need of it! It was the Price thou payedst down for Eternal Life; O! let that finally be my Lot, since thou hast paid so dear for it! Bid me hope assuredly, O Blessed Jesu! that all this shall be made good unto thy Servant, because now thou hast given thy self to me, and fed me with thine own Body, whereby mayest thou ever dwell in me, and I in thee. Amen.
And when this is done, whilst others are receiving, we may employ our selves in some of the foregoing Devotions; or, when we have enough of them, joyn heartily in the Prayer which is made at the Delivery of the Bread and Wine to others; or strike in affectionately with the Psalm of Praise, which for the ease and exercise of all, but of those particularly who have already received, is wont at that time to be sung in most Places.
After this sort then may we lift up our Hearts to God, and discharge all those Duties which are required in every worthy Communicant. When we have no other helps, we may acceptably express them all in a Devout Concurrence with the Churches Prayers; since in them, as I have †Part …. Chap. 3.shewn, there is an actual exercise of all these Duties. But when we can do more, either by the help of Books or our own invention; we may act them over still more fully in these or such like forms of Devotion.
And when all this is done, and this solemn Feast is concluded, we must not think tho work of worthy Receiving is at an end; for one thing still remains that must employ us always afterwards, and that is a careful performance of all those Promises which we made to God in this Holy Ordinance.
In the Sacrament, as has been shew'd, we seek not only a Pardon for what is past, but also vow and promise Amendment for the Future, and these Promises must be made good afterwards, and it must be our care whilst we Live to fulfil them.
This we are higly concerned to do, and it will greatly increase our Guilt and Condemnation if we fall short of it. For if we return to our former sins again, after we have thus solemnly vow'd to forsake them: We are false to our Word, and treacherous where we seem to be most sincere, and seek more especially to be trusted. We break our Faith with God, and go about to delude his Expectation, had he been capable to be imposed upon and believed as we would have had him: which is as great an abúse as we can well put upon him. And this doubles the sin which we commit, and sets God further off from being intreated; for now we have not only the Fault it self to answer for, but also this Perfidiousness, and breach of Vows, which adds a new one to it, and makes it greater. So that after every Sacrament, if we still continue Impenitent, our Guilt is aggravated, and our Souls more endanger'd, and we are greater sinners than we were before.
Thus highly are we concerned to perform the Promises which we made at the Table of our Lord.
And this we shall be very like to do, if we think often of them every day, for some time especially, after we are gone from it. Indeed, if we forget all we did, and all the Vows we made there to Almighty God; we are like to be the same men still, and must not expect that it should amend us. For the Sacrament, as I have shewn, doth not better us without our own Care, but by helping and ingaging us to Good endeavours after it is over. It works not as a Natural, but as a Moral means, and improves none but such as remember what they did thereat, and labour after their own Improvements. So that if we think all our work was done at Church, and fall into a careless and secure state of mind when we get home again; we shall be held still in the same sins, and the matter is not like to be much mended with us by such Receiving. But if afterwards we frequently remember what we promised there; if we set our own Vows every day before our Eyes, and call to mind our own ingagements: that remembrance will give them Force, and make them have their effect upon us. For the thought of our having promised and solemnly undertook for any Duties, is the readiest way to have them all performed.
To reap that Benefit then which God design'd, and which we expect by it; we must dwell much in our own Thoughts upon what passed there after the Feast is ended. We must maintain that Acquaintance with our Blessed Lord which then we begun, and look upon it, not as a transient Act, but as an entrance on a lasting State, which ever after we are to continue in. We must bethink our selves daily, that when last we were with our Saviour, we cut out work for our whole Lives, and in that hour made many Promises, which through all the remainder of our days are most Religiously to be performed by us. This course will render it an Ordinance full of Grace and Heavenly Benefits, which will set us on mightily in our virtuous Attainments. And when we reap this profit by it, it will cure all our Indifferency and Aversation to it, and make us run to it the next time with edge of Appetite, as we would to a most delicious and enlivening entertainment. We shall no more account it a fruitless work, when once we have tasted these sweet and wholesome effects of it; but desire to share in it oftner as it can be had, and bless the time that ever we came thereto.
The End.