The Christian Sacrifice, Part 4 · January
January.
Meditation before the Sacrament.
COnſider with your ſelf, ſome time before you intend to Communicate, that you are invited to come, not only into the preſence but, unto the Table of God: to be one of the gueſts of the Lord of the whole world. What a grace; what an honour is this? Shall any buſineſs, any pleaſure on earth put by the thoughts of it? It is impoſſible, if you remember what the great God is who calls you to him; and that he ſets the body of his Son before you upon your Table; and that your Cup is filled with his Blood: That the Angels think it not below them to waite on you and miniſter to you; and the divine Spirit will be ready to breath upon you, and fill you with ſuch holy love, that you ſhall ſend up your ſoul in joyful hymns of Praiſe and Thanks to God our Saviour. With what admiration ſhould you receive the news of this invitation? With what reverence ought you to approach him? With what forwardneſs of love; with what gladneſs of heart ſhould you go to meet our bleſſed Lord? Was there ever any kindneſs (ſhould you think with your ſelves) like unto that of his? Did there ever ſuch a furnace of Love (if I may ſo repreſent it) burn in any heart? could he do more than die the bloody and ſhameful death of the Croſs for to ſave ſinners? How is it poſſible that the remembrance of this tender love and compaſſion ſhould ever die? or that any heart ſhould freeze over ſuch a fire? unleſs we be willfully careleſs, I ſee that he will have our love: he will not ſuffer any thing to rob him of the purchaſe of his blood. For leſt we ſhould prove ſo ungrateful as to let him ſlip out of our mind, he hath left himſelf ſtill among us in ſenſible ſigns and repreſentations. By theſe he ſhews us his bloody death and paſſion: he makes himſelf preſent to our faith: and we may ſee that he is deſirous to do more than die for us; having contrived a way to live for ever in us, and be firmly united to us.
What manner of love is this that Heaven hath manifeſted unto us? who can refrain from tears of grief and ſorrow to think of his own ingratitude; and from tears of joy to think of the wonderful kindneſs of the Lord? can you look on him who was pierced for our ſins, and not lament and mourn? can you ſee his bleeding wounds and not be troubled? no pious heart can be ſo hard. And yet when you conſider that by thoſe ſtripes you are healed; that he hath waſhed us from our ſins in this blood; that faithful ſouls may take ſanctuary in his wounds, and be ſecure and ſafe: you cannot chuſe but rejoyce in the Lord, and be glad in his Salvation.
Call to your Soul then and bid it awaken in it ſelf the livelieſt thoughts of him, and the devouteſt affections to him. Call to it, to put it ſelf in tune, to ſtring (as I may ſo ſpeak) the inſtruments of joy and praiſe; and to ſtir up all the graces of the holy Spirit. That ſo you may go with a deep humility; a godly ſorrow; a perfect hatred of all ſin, both of the fleſh and of the ſpirit; a ſtrong reſolution againſt them: with a lowly faith; and in the heights of love; with enlarged deſires, and great longings to this holy Feaſt. Ask your Soul, what doſt thou think of? what doſt thou love? what doſt thou long for? with what intentions art thou going to the Lords Table? are the Treaſures of Chriſtian wiſdom and knowledg, more in thine account than thouſands of gold and ſilver? Doſt thou heartily believe the holy Goſpel of Chriſt Jeſus; and love him and his Religion in ſincerity? Is all ſin already bleeding to death in thee, and hadſt thou rather die than willingly offend thy Saviour that died for thee? Art thou going to hang all remaining affection to them upon his Croſs; that there they may be perfectly crucified, and never taken down till by continued Meditation on it, they be quite dead? Reſolve then to go and tell him as much: to declare and ſhew to him that this is the ſenſe of thine heart. Only ask thy ſelf again; what appetite doſt thou feel in thee? Art thou going as a thirſty man to his drink; or a hungry man to his food; or a Bride to the marriage of a choſen ſoul, dearer than all the world beſide? or doſt thou feel ſomething like theſe things in thine heart? what is it that thou hungreſt and thirſteſt after? Is it the taſts of the love of God? Is it his Divine Grace and holy Spirit? Doſt thou long to be more like him, and made pertaker of his divine Nature? Art thou going to make a new reſignation of thy ſelf to him; to be made one Spirit with him, never any more to depart from him? Then think how the Bride-groom will welcome thee: how our Saviour, I mean, will declare and ſet forth his love to thee; and give thee aſſurances that his mercy indureth for ever; and bid thee rejoyce and be exceeding glad in what he hath done already, and in the hopes thou haſt of what he will do hereafter.
And here you may call to mind how the word was made fleſh, and dwelt among us: how he manifeſted forth his glory by his wonderful works: how he taught us the way to eternal life; and at laſt was betrayed and delivered into the hands of ſinful men, and was crucified and dyed for us: with all the reſt that concerns the knowledg of Chriſt. That ſo you may have it more ready in your thoughts, when you come to his Table; to do this in Commemoration of him.
In this manner alſo you may bewail the ſins of your former life; ſue for a pardon of what is paſt; and beſeech the grace of his holy Spirit, to aſſiſt your reſolutions of well doing for the time to come.
The Prayer.
O Eternal and moſt bleſſed God, the fountain of being and bliſs; infinite in perfection; and highly exalted above all our words or thoughts. I am aſtoniſhed at the thoughts of the brightneſs of thy glory: and juſtly afraid to preſent my ſelf before ſo great and holy a Majeſty. Even that abundant grace which invites me to thee, abaſhes me too; when I reflect upon my ſhameful ingratitude to ſuch undeſerved love. It becomes me to ly down in dejection of Spirit and mournful ſilence; rather than confidently to lift up mine eyes towards Heaven to ſpeak unto thee. But ſince thou art ſo rich in Mercy, as to require repenting ſinners to draw nigh to the Throne of Grace; I proſtrate my ſelf in the humbleſt reverence before the ſearcher of all hearts. Not to excuſe, thou knoweſt, but to aggravate my faults: to acknowledg the juſtice and equity of thy Laws; to condemn my ſelf for oppoſing thy Soveraign authority; and to vow to thee the moſt ſincere and hearty obedience for the reſt of my life.
I have done ſo much evil and ſo little good; been ſo eager in the purſuit of the things of this world, and ſo cold and unconcern'd many times about thoſe of eternity; ſo unmindful of my promiſes, unthankful for thy benefits, and unfruitful in the knowledg of the Lord Jeſus: that it is a wonder of thy patience, that I am ſtill alive, and not cut down like a barren tree that cumbers the ground. For ever adored be thy ſparing Mercy, which hath born ſo long with an unprofitable ſervant: who hath ſo many ways offended, in thought word and deed againſt thy divine Majeſty—*Here reckon up thoſe perticular ſins, you are conſcious of, I have not given thee that honour, worſhip and ſervice, which I owe to my Almighty Creator. Nor laid to heart, as I ought, thine infinite love in Chriſt my Redeemer. Nor duly followed the godly motions of thy holy Spirit; which thou haſt ſent to renew and ſanctifie my affections, and draw me to thine obedience. I have not lived according to the faith which I continually confeſs: But behaved my ſelf too oft as if I dreaded not the threatnings, and valued not the promiſes of my Lord Chriſt: as if I feared not his vengeance, nor cared for his glorious rewards; and as if he would not come to judg the world, and render to all men according to their works.
The ſtupid inſenſibleneſs of mine heart, even now that I remember theſe things, brings new accuſations againſt me. It teſtifies that I know not, as I ought, the terror of the Lord: but am apt raſhly to mention thy Name, without an awful and conſiderate regard to thy infinite greatneſs, power and holineſs, before which I approach. I am no more worthy to be called thy ſervant; much leſs to preſent thee with any offering; or receive the leaſt of thy bleſſings. Nothing but ſhame and confuſion of face belong to me: and it is only of thy tender mercy that I am not lamenting thoſe follies in weeping, wailing and gnaſhing of teeth; which I ſpeak of now with ſo little grief and bitterneſs of Spirit. Mercy, Mercy; ſtill more Mercy, good Lord, I moſt humbly beſeech thee. O that a greater fear and dread of thee may now fall down mightily upon me, and overſpread me! O that I may feel ſuch a ſtrong ſenſe of thine incomprehenſible Majeſty preſſing upon my heart, that may bear down all other thoughts; and ſink me low, and make me abhor my ſelf in thy ſight! I know the Sacrifices of the Lord are a broken Spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not deſpiſe. And Jeſus hath alſo offered himſelf a ſacrifice for us, in whom thou haſt declared that thou art well pleaſed. For Jeſus his ſake diſpoſe me now to offer unto thee that acceptable Sacrifice. And give me grace ever to fear thee, and to walk humbly with thee; to preſerve a tender ſenſe of my duty toward thee, and conſcientiouſly to obey thee: that ſo, by vertue of his Sacrifice of himſelf, all my ſins may be done away and remembred no more. Bleſſed be God, that I have any hope of that great mercy. Bleſſed be God, who by him hath given us everlaſting conſolation and good hope through his grace. By him I will offer up to thee continually the ſacrifice of praiſe, giving thanks to thy Name. Yea, the mercies of thee my God move me, to preſent my body a living ſacrifice, holy, acceptable unto thee, which is my reaſonable ſervice. I dedicate my ſelf abſolutely to thy obedience. I vow that I will never willingly depart from thy precepts. Aſſiſt and ſtrengthen me mercifully with thy grace that I may perform my vows: and never be ſo unreaſonable as to return to thoſe ſins, which are the burden of my heart, and grieve thy holy Spirit; which rent the fleſh and ſhed the blood of the Lord Jeſus; and which I have ſo often and ſo ſolemnly proteſted againſt.
And now that I am going to thine holy Table, to commemorate the Sacrifice of my Saviour; to give thee farther teſtimonies of my love to thee; and receive new tokens of thy love to me: O Lord, vouchſafe to make thy ſelf powerfully preſent to my mind. Repreſent thy ſelf and thy Son Jeſus ſo lively to my thoughts, in all thy wiſdom, power, goodneſs, holineſs and truth; that I may never forget thee any more: but moſt ſeriouſly reverence thee, and love thee, and rejoyce in thee, and truſt thee and obey thee, all the dayes of my life. Imprint the very image of thy Son upon me: that I may carry him ever in mine heart, and have his life and death continually before mine eyes; and in all things conform my ſelf to his will, and faſhion my ſelf after his holy example. Come, Lord Jeſus, and poſſeſs thy ſelf of my whole man. Purifie me from all remaining filthineſs either of the fleſh or of the Spirit. Bring in all thy heavenly graces along with thee into my ſoul. And be my perpetual defence, by giving me a fuller communication of thy holy Spirit, and more mighty aids to do my duty towards thee and towards all men.
And for that end, compoſe mine unſetled thoughts before I approach to receive the holy Myſteries. That I may attend thee with a full and clear conception of their meaning; with an actual belief of thy whole Goſpel; with moſt ſenſible love to thee, and deſire to be more like thee; with thy high praiſes in my mouth, and joy unſpeakable in mine heart. May I preſume, moſt gracious Father, to ask ſuch taſtes and relliſhes of thy wondrous love, that I may never be able to delight in any thing ſo much as in the remembrance of it. But mine eyes may be ever towards the Lord; and I may hunger and thirſt perpetually after thy righteouſneſs: till I am perfectly made pertaker of thy divine nature, and rendred meet to be tranſlated to that high and holy place; where I ſhall ſee thee not as now in myſterious repreſentations, but openly and face to face. Amen, Lord Jeſus: who art able to ſave to the uttermoſt all them that come to God by thee. In thy moſt bleſſed name and words I continue my humble prayers. Our Father, &c.
A Meditation after the Sacrament.
WHen you come home or ſome time after, ask your ſoul, what wenteſt thou out to ſee? where haſt thou been? and what haſt thou been doing? Bid it never forget, that thou haſt been with the Lord of life; and that before God, Angels and Men thou haſt acknowledged him, and devoted thy ſelf to his obedience. That he hath vouchſafed to repreſent unto thee his marvellous love, the pains he hath taken for thy ſalvation, and the great deſire he hath to ſee thee with him in immortal glory. Of which he hath given thee ſuch earneſts and pledges, by making thee pertaker of his body and blood; that thou mayſt ſay of that place where he was pleaſed to meet thee: This is no other than the gate of Heaven: I have been in the porch of his dwelling place, and begun to enter into the joy of my Lord [Here you may read over again, that which I ſaid our Lord might be conceived to ſpeak unto you there: and then go on and ſay] How ſhall I eſcape if I ſhould neglect ſuch great ſalvation! God forbid that I ſhould receive this grace in vain. As I have received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, Col. 2.6.ſo will I walk in him. I will endeavour to keep my ſelf holy and unblameable before him in love; and to have my converſation as becomes the Goſpel. There are no joys like to the joys of God. No pleaſures comparable to thoſe of Chriſtian piety. All his Commandments are ſweeter than the hony and the hony-comb; and in keeping of them there is great reward. Shall I ceaſe then to delight my ſelf in the Lord, and to do good? Shall I leave off to do the reſt of his will, now that I have done this in remembrance of my Saviour? Shall I go away from him, now that I am gone from the place where his honour dwelleth? Alas, whither ſhall I go, thou, Joh. 6.68.Lord, haſt the words of eternal life. Thou art the author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey thee. Heb. 5.9.I will go in the ſtrength of the Lord God: Pſ. 71.16.I will make mention of thy goodneſs, even of thine only. 1 Theſſ 4.1.As I have received how I ought to walk and pleaſe God, ſo I will abound more and more. Epheſ. 4.15, 24.I will grow up into him in all things who is the head; till I perfectly reſemble him in righteouſneſs and holineſs of truth.
Here you may meditate upon all the parts of his holy life, and the compleat example he hath ſet us of all divine vertues: more eſpecially thoſe which ſhone at his death. And, as I have known ſome do, you may ſingle out one or two, for your daily meditation all this month: that you may bring your ſelf to an habitual imitation of him [ſuppoſe in his great HUMILITY] and tread in his ſteps who did no ſin, 1 Pet. 2.22.neither was guile found in his mouth. And as you have begun the New year well, ſo reſolve you will continue it, and become a new man; by leading a more exactly holy courſe of life,Mat. 26.41. Watch therefore and pray, that you fall not into temptation. And often repreſent to your ſelf the great love of Chriſt, that it may conſtrain you, becauſe you thus judg; that if one died for all, then were all dead: 2 Cor. 5.14, 15.And that he died for all, that they which live, ſhould not henceforth live unto themſelves, but unto him which died for them, and roſe again.
The Prayer.
O Moſt Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty; Heaven and Earth are full of the glory of thy Majeſty. I moſt heartily joyn with all the Saints on earth, with the Angels in Heaven, and the holy ones that are above, in giving bleſſing, honour and praiſe unto thee. Glory be unto thee, O God moſt high, thou great Creator and poſſeſſor of Heaven and Earth; thou preſerver of all things; thou ſpring of an eternal Mercy: who haſt made Angels and men to know thee, and acknowledg thee, and praiſe thee, and love thee, and be beloved of thee for ever; who haſt ſo loved mankind, that thou haſt opened thy boſom, and ſent thy dear Son to convey thy charity to us. All laud and praiſe and thankſgiving be to thee, O Father of Mercies, who haſt now made me taſte how gracious and good thou art.
And glory be to the Son of God, who took on him the form of a ſervant; who died for us upon the Croſs; who purged away our ſins by his blood; who hath left us ſo many remembrances of his love; and given us his body and blood to preſerve our ſouls and bodies to eternal life: who lives for ever to make interceſſion for us; and hath promiſed to come again and take us up unto himſelf.
And bleſſed be the holy Spirit, the mighty power of God; the Author of all good thoughts; the inſpirer of all heavenly deſires; the light and comfort of our minds; the purifier of our hearts; the guide and ſtrength of our life; who hath given us the earneſt of the eternal inheritance.
Thus will I praiſe thee whilſt I live.Pſal. 63.4. I will ſing of the mercies of the Lord for ever.Pſalm 86.12.89.1.71.23.86.5. My lips ſhall greatly rejoyce when I ſing unto thee, and my ſoul which thou haſt redeemed. For thou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive: and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. I have now taſted of the abundance of thy grace and deareſt love: the ſavour of which, O that it may remain freſh for ever in my heart: that I may live for ever in thy love, and be ready to die for thy love: that I may delight to do thy will, O God, and be content to ſuffer it, as the bleſſed Jeſus did. And, O that I may never forget to feed on him daily by faith and love, till he indeed live in me and I in him; and all the powers of my ſoul and body be imployed by his counſels and not my own. O that my life may be an exact imitation of him, and expreſs his perfections, and ſhew forth his vertues, and declare to all how much I love him. Eſpecially endue me with great humility and modeſty of Spirit; that I may live in a conſtant remembrance of thee my Creator: and conſidering that thou art the author of every good gift, may never be puffed up, nor do any thing through ſtrife and vain-glory;Phil. 2.3, 4, 5. but in lowlineſs of mind eſteem others better than my ſelf. O that the ſame mind may be in me, which was alſo in Chriſt Jeſus: who being in the form of God, made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a ſervant; and humbling himſelf became obedient unto death, even the death of the Croſs. That ſo thou mayſt exalt me in due time to glory and honour, as thou haſt highly exalted him: and when thou ſhalt call me from this delightful imployment of worſhipping, praiſing and ſerving thee here on earth, I may paſs into the company of Angels and Saints: whoſe work it is with eternal joy to glorifie thee our Creator and Redeemer.
Let thy way be known upon earth,Pſal. 67.2, 3. and thy ſaving health unto all nations. Let the people praiſe thee, O God: Let all the people praiſe thee. Let the earth rejoyce, and the multitude of Iſles be glad, becauſe the Lord Jeſus reigneth, and governs the world in righteouſneſs and truth. O that all the kingdoms of the earth, may become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Chriſt. That Turks, Jews and all Infidels may be converted unto thee: and that all who name the name of Chriſt in every place may depart from all iniquity. Communicate eſpecially to all Chriſtian Kings, Princes and Governors a large meaſure of wiſdom, juſtice and goodneſs. That they may think it their greateſt Crown and glory to be thy faithful Miniſters: and imitate the charity of our Lord Jeſus, by imploying their power in doing good to all that are under their charge. O that thy Prieſts may be clothed with righteouſneſs, and thy Saints ſhout aloud for joy. That the poor may be ſatisfied with bread; the fatherleſs find mercy with thee; the widdows be comforted and protected; the diſconſolate refreſhed; the ſick eaſed and reſtored; the priſoners delivered; the captives redeemed; the oppreſſed ſupported and relieved; and all men, in every eſtate and condition of life, contented, bettered and amended. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, Epheſ. 3.20, 21.according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the Church by Chriſt Jeſus, throughout all ages, world without end, Amen.