The Christian Sacrifice, Part 4 · December
December.
The Meditation before the Sacrament.
NEed I be told after a whole years ſervice, at leaſt, of my bleſſed Maſter Jeſus, what that duty is I am now going to perform unto him? Am I not preparing my ſelf, according to his command, to make a ſolemn commemoration before God, Angels and Men, of his unheard of love in dying for us? To make a profeſſion of my ſincere love and affection to him? To engage to him my fidelity? To renew the Covenant that is between us? To open my heart to him, and to confirm to him the moſt abſolute poſſeſſion of my Soul and Body? To wait on him for his continued grace; and that I may feel the …ower of his Death and Reſurrection? To …ow him my willingneſs even to take up …is Croſs; and to be his Diſciple and follower to the very death? To teſtifie the …ove I bear unto, and the Communion I deſire to hold with all the Chriſtians that …re throughout the world? To exalt the …ame of the Lord, and to ſpeak his praiſes: who would give his Son for us, and who hath condeſcended to a treaty of peace with us, and upon ſuch eaſie terms to become friends with us, yea, reward us, and do great things for us? O how ſweet is the remembrance of theſe bleſſings! How happy am I that he will not let me forget them! But with a continued kindneſs invites me again to this delightful employment. I will go and give him thanks for all his benefits, and for this among the reſt; that he hath made me ſo often partaker of his bleſſed Body and Bloud, and now gives me a new opportunity to celebrate in this manner the memory of his love. And O that my heart were lifted higher than ever, after ſo long acquaintance with him, in admiration of his grace, in faith, in love, in joy, in praiſe and thankſgiving, in ſtrong and vehement deſires, and in cordial reſolutions to be his devout and faithful Diſciple. O that the hearts of all men elſe, who ſhall approach his Table, may be diſpoſed to the like zeal and fervent affection to his ſervice: and ſo many Souls as there are then preſent, ſo many living Sacrifices there may be to God; ſo many wills reſigned into his hands with ardent love. That ſo thoſe holy Spirits, which the Apoſtle tells us, were preſent in their Chriſtian aſſemblies, may be invited to come into ours. And beholding nothing but what is reverend, ſerious, pure, and full of true devotion, they may be excited to rejoyce and praiſe God together with us, for our ſincere affection to his Religion. And they may make report among their Heavenly company above, that Chriſtian piety is ſtill remaining in the world; and that we have made a great increaſe in growth in it this year, by our frequent remembrance of the Lord Jeſus: which may ſtir them up all to bleſs the great and glorious name of our God, which is exalted above all bleſſing and praiſe.
The Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens, and his Kingdom ruleth over all. Pſal. 103.Bleſs the Lord ye Angels of his: Bleſs him all his hoſts. Bleſs him all ye works of his in all places of his dominion: Bleſs the Lord, O my Soul. Stir up thy ſelf to bleſs the name of God our Saviour; who hath not caſt us out of his ſight, when we threw off our obedience to him: but ſent his Son to gather us again to him, to invite us by precious promiſes, to endear himſelf to us by ſhedding his heart bloud for us, to open the gate of Paradiſe again, and reſtore us to immortality; to make us equal with the Angels, and rank us among the eldeſt ſons of glory. Let us go, and, if it be poſſible, excite a greater love in our heart toward him, than ever we felt before. Let us offer up our ſelves to him with a ſtronger flame of devotion: which may always burn and riſe up higher and higher, till it touch heaven; and lift us up thither where our Saviour is in the high and holy place, God bleſſed for ever, Amen.
The Prayer before.
ETernal God: whoſe omnipotent word brought me and this whole world of creatures into being. Out of the fulneſs of whoſe goodneſs, we are all fed and maintained; and by whoſe rich and abundant grace it is, that our ſouls are not in a deſperate and forſaken condition: but may approach with ſome confidence to thee our Maker, who in thy Son haſt revealed thy ſelf unto us, a moſt merciful Father. I fall down before thee in an humble reverence, to perform that Religious duty which I owe thee as thy creature, and much more as thy redeemed one, through the purchaſe thou haſt made of us by the blood of Jeſus. I admire, adore and love all that I know of thee. I extol and praiſe thy wiſdom, thy bounty, thy holineſs and truth, which endureth for ever. I acknowledg my ſelf beholden to thee beyond all my words, or conceptions either. I reproach my ſelf for my baſe ingratitude, and all the wrongs I have done thee. I confeſs the juſtice of thy proceedings, ſhouldſt thou ſtrip me of all thoſe good things, thou haſt beſtowed on me. I give thee the glory of thy ineffable and never enough to be valued love in thy Son Chriſt. I diſclaim all oppoſition to thy will, as baſe, unjuſt and unaccountable. I vow to thee my intire ſervice and obedience: and approve all thy Commandments as righteous, wiſe and good. I lay new bonds upon my ſelf, to keep and obſerve them with my whole heart; and rejoyce in thy pretious promiſes accounting them better than thouſands of gold and ſilver. My hope, my ſatisfaction, my comfort is in thy word: which incourages me to wait on thee for the grace of thy holy Spirit; bleſſing thee for that portion of it, which I have already received. I thank thee for all thy other goodneſs to me, and truſt thee for the continuance of it, as far as thou ſeeſt profitable in thy wiſe providence; to which I heartily refer my ſelf. I hope thou wilt accept of theſe poor but ſincere acknowledgments, and not condemn me out of my own confeſſions: but pardon my errors and miſcarriages, confirm my holy purpoſes, pitty my infirmities, and ſtrengthen my pious endeavours. That I may perfectly mortifie all ſinful luſts and deſires, faithfully diſcharge my dutie in my ſeveral relations, thankfully and ſoberly uſe all thy mercies, patiently bear the heavieſt afflictions, and improve my ſoul in wiſdom and goodneſs, by all the helps thou affordeſt me: by thy holy Goſpel, by the good counſels of others, the inſpirations of the holy Ghoſt, thy many remarkable providences about me, and whatſoever courſes thou takeſt with me, to bring me ſafe through this world, into an happy eternity. And now that I am about to addreſs my ſelf to the Table of the Lord, O that I might have ſuch a ſweet remembrance of his love, as may revive my ſpirit, encourage my hope, excite me to all my duty, and put an humble confidence in me, to look up unto thee again for thy pardon; and for the grace of thy holy Spirit, to enable me to pleaſe thee better ever hereafter. Thou who knoweſt all things, ſeeſt that my ſoul waits for thee, O God, and longs to be more like thee; and is ready to offer up its underſtanding, will, and all its affections unto thee: That I may remain ſtedfaſt and unmoveable in juſtice and charity; meekneſs and humility; temperance and purity; contentedneſs and patience, devotion and piety; with all other fruits of thy good Spirit. Suffer nothing to appear in my ſoul before thee, but reverend thoughts of thee, moſt zealous love to thee, paſſionate deſires that Chriſt Jeſus may live in me, and appear in all the actions of an innocent, harmleſs and uſeful life. That ſo the day when I approach unto thee, may be a day of good tidings of great joy; a day of peace and reconciliation, of feaſting and refreſhment, of comfort and incouragement, to walk before thee with a perfect heart as long as I live. Whatſoever things are true, whatſoever things are honeſt, Phil. 4.8, 9, 19.whatſoever things are juſt, whatſoever things are pure, whatſoever things are lovely, whatſoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praiſe, help me alwayes to think on theſe things. And the God of peace be with me; and ſupply all my need according to his riches in glory by Chriſt Jeſus. In whoſe name and words, I ſtill recommend my ſelf to thy grace, ſaying, Our Father which art, &c.
The Meditation afterward.
THou art my portion, O Lord; Pſal. 119.57.I have ſaid that I would keep thy word. Why ſhould I repent me of my choice; or ſtart from my reſolution? Thy Counſels and commands are the ſureſt guide: thy power the ſtrongeſt defence: thy good providence the fulleſt ſtore-houſe: thy eternal juſtice and holineſs the beſt ſecurity: thy promiſes the richeſt treaſure: and good hopes in thee our higheſt happineſs. It is enough, enough, O Lord, to be beloved of thee, the all-ſufficient good; who comprehendeſt all things in thy mind, and canſt do all things by thy power, and delighteſt in raiſing ſuch monuments of thy wiſdom and greatneſs, as thy almighty love may diſpenſe endleſs bleſſings unto. I am well ſatisfied now that I can ſay,Pſa. 142.5. thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living. The Lord is my portion; whom ſhall I envy? The Lord is my portion; for what ſhall I be diſcontented? The Lord is my portion; of whom ſhall I be afraid? Why art thou caſt down, Pſ. 42.11.O my ſoul, why art thou diſquieted within me? How can his friends fail to partake of his bounty, who treats even his enemies with ſo much kindneſs?62.5. My ſoul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. Truſt in the Lord and do good; 37.3, 4, 34.and verily thou ſhalt be fed. Delight thy ſelf alſo in the Lord; and … he ſhall give thee the deſires of thy heart. Caſt thy burden on the Lord, and he ſhall ſuſtain thee: 55.22.he ſhall never ſuffer the righteous to be moved. Wait on the Lord and keep his way. For the eyes of the Lord are upon them that love him: Eccl…. 34.16, 17.He is their mighty protection and ſtrong ſtay, A defence from the heat, and a cover from the Sun at noon; a preſervation from ſtumbling and a help from falling. He raiſeth up the ſoul, and lightneth the eyes: He giveth life, and health and bleſſing. Judeth ult. 16.All ſacrifice is too little for a ſweet ſavour to him; and all the fat is not ſufficient for his burnt-offering: but he that feareth the Lord is great at all times. Ecclus. 34.13.The ſpirit of thoſe that fear the Lord ſhall live; for their hope is in him that ſaveth them. My heart ſhall rejoyce in him; becauſe I have truſted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O Lord, Pſal. 33.21, 22.be upon me; according as I hope in thee.
And I hope that I ſhall never forget thy word, which I have ſaid that I would keep: the revelation of thy wiſdom, the declaration of thy will, and the deſcription of thy moſt holy and happy life. My God, I have taken thy precepts as my heritage for ever: for they are the rejoycing of my heart. Pſal. 119.111, 112.I have inclined my heart to perform thy ſtatutes alway, even unto the end. This day I have added one vow more of conſecration to thee. I have made over my ſelf intirely to thee, to be thy portion. Whom ſhall I love, whom ſhall I ſerve; to whom ſhall I reſign my will and wayes? but only to thee, the Father of lights, and the Father of mercies: who haſt not thought thy Son too much to give to me. Never will I forget this happy day, which hath brought me a taſte of the joy and peace and ſerenity, which ſpring from the very beginning of a God-like nature. I will alway be devoted to him. Let his will be done on earth, as it is in heaven: for it is the will of my heavenly Father. Let theſe words remain upon record againſt me, if I endeavour not to make him my pattern: and not only in that place where I have now been, but in all my behaviour in this world (that great Temple of his) demean my ſelf holily and purely; with that humility, reverence, meekneſs and ſubmiſſion, which becomes his preſence. What have I here to do, but to ſhew forth the glorious perfections of righteouſneſs, mercy and truth, which I behold in him? and to declare the eſteem I have of him, and my ſatisfaction in my portion; by modeſty, contentedneſs, thankfulneſs, faith, patience, hope, joyful reſignation of all my concernments, with an equal mind, to his wiſe diſpoſal? This is my will: this is my reſolution. And I will declare from year to year, that this I take to be my happineſs.
And here it may be very fit to reſolve often all this Month, to reflect upon our Saviours CONTEMPT OF THE WORLD, when he had choſen to come and do the will of God. Riches, honour, glory and pleaſure, were nothing in his account; in compare with the ſatisfaction of doing the pleaſure of God, though it were by ſufferings. He did not regard the eſteem of men, nor what they ſaid of him. Though he dyed an ignominious and diſgraceful death, as well as lived a poor and deſpicable life; he was not aſhamed nor dejected: but rather gloried in both. Becauſe his buſineſs was not to pleaſe himſelf: but as it is written, Rom. 15.3.the reproaches of them that reproached thee, fell on me. Let the ſame mind be in us, that was in him.Ib. v. 2. Let every one of us pleaſe his neighbour for his good, to his edification. But overlook the cenſures and vain opinion of this world, with all the honours and preferments of it: ſo we may but approve our ſelves to God, and his will be fulfilled by us. For it is a faithful ſaying; 2 Tim. 2.11, 12.if we be dead with him, we ſhall alſo live with him: if we ſuffer, we ſhall alſo reign with him.
The Thanksgiving and Prayer afterward.
O Moſt high and holy Lord of Heaven and Earth; the Author of every good and perfect gift. Who art for ever to be humbly acknowledged, worſhipped, loved and obeyed, by me, and by all that know thee. I have often made thee my acknowledgments, for my being, and all the comforts of it; for the hopes I have both in this life and hereafter: And now I come to renew them, that I may be more firmly united to thee in hearty love and entire affection. I caſt down my ſelf before thee, being even oppreſſed with the great load of thy mercies and benefits; which will not ſuffer me to diſpoſe of my heart other-ways, than to thy obedience. As I owe my very being to thee; ſo all thoſe good things which have made it not to be a burden and uneaſie to me. I have enjoyed a long meaſure of health, and cannot tell that ever I wanted my daily bread, [yea, plentiful proviſion both for my neceſſity and my pleaſure.] The days of pain and ſorrow, which I have endured, have been but few, in compare with the many years of eaſe and joy which thou haſt vouchſafed me. I find now all my ſenſes entire and perfect, and I have a great many Friends and kind Neighbours: and alſo a great deal of time to think of all this, and to prepare my ſelf for thy eternal favour. How much am I indebted to thee, for the continued uſe of my underſtanding, reaſon and memory? that I can take notice of all thy goodneſs; whereby my heart may be excited to love thee; which is the greateſt happineſs and pleaſure of all*You may acknowledge what you may owe him alſo for good education, civil breeding, and that he hath perhaps enclined your heart early to be Religious, whereby your Conſcience hath been kept from many wounds, and both Soul and Body from much diſhonour, &c.. This, this, O Lord, is the greateſt of thy mercies, that thou haſt given me the knowledge of thy love in Jeſus Chriſt; which cannot but conſtrain me to the greateſt love of thee. And that thy holy Spirit hath ſhone ſo often into my mind, and breathed ſo often on my will and affections: that thou haſt pardoned ſo many faults; and waited ſo long for my amendment; and ſo earneſtly importuned my return; and afforded me ſo many helps, and ſuch a long time to perfect my repentance. Thou haſt added alſo now new pledges of thy love, and earneſt of that immortal life; wherein I may compleat my praiſes and thankſgivings to thee, in the company of the bleſſed. O how precious are thy thoughts towards me, how great is the ſumme of them! If I would go about to number them, they are moe than the ſand. I cannot count the leaſt part of them; nor ever ſee any end of thy goodneſs: for even whilſt I am thinking of it, I receive new favours from thee. Every moment is big with abundance of thy mercies, both to my Soul and my Body; for this life and that which is to come. But I know enough to make me admire and love thy goodneſs; and to make me aſhamed of my forgetfulneſs and ingratitude: enough to oblige me eternally to thee: enough to make me fully contented, and to rejoyce in thee, as my portion. Behold. O Lord, I here again ſincerely devote my ſelf to obſerve thy commands: and keep thy holy word. I have choſen it as the rule and the comfort of my life: and I will ever cleave unto thy teſtimonies with my whole heart. I would not abuſe thy mercies; nor grow careleſs, wanton and ſecure under the abundance of thy goodneſs: but look upon them as engagements, and mighty arguments to love, acknowledge and obey thee for ever. Bleſſed be thy goodneſs, that I have ſuch thoughts, and am ſo inclined. Accept of my good deſires, purpoſes and vows, which I have made: and accompany me alway by thy gracious aſſiſtance, that I may accompliſh what I have begun, and perfect holineſs in thy fear. To thee I recommend all mankind; eſpecially thy Church and choſen People: all the Rulers and Governours of them; that they may remember thou art higher than the higheſt, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: who wilt judge all men without reſpect of perſons. Give pure zeal and knowledge to thy Miniſters; the grace of contentedneſs to the poor of the flock; and of an open heart to the rich; wiſdom and diſcretion to thoſe that are in their younger years; and an holy hope to comfort the aged. And endue them all with an humble meekneſs, that laying aſide all malice, and all guile, and hypocriſies, and envies, and all evil-ſpeakings, 1 Pet. 2.1, 2, 5.as new born Babes they may deſire the ſincere milk of the Word, that they may grow thereby: and offer up continually ſpiritual Sacrifices, acceptable to thee by Chriſt Jeſus. Amen.