The Christian Sacrifice, Part 4 · Easter
Eaſter-day.
The Meditation before.
O Bleſſed day! which brought glad tidings of great joy. Our Saviours ſecond birth-day, to a more glorious life! The day of the firſt fruits of thoſe that ſlept! The day that brought life and immortality to light! and gave us aſſured hope in God, that it ſhall be to us according to Jeſus his Word. Why do we dream thus, my Soul, about theſe things? Awake, awake; and ſtir up in thy ſelf the moſt piercing belief and ſenſe of them. Thy Saviour is riſen, and calls unto thee with a mighty voice, ſaying,Rev. 1.1…. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of Hell and of Death. Need there any more words to perſwade thee to go and rejoyce in his love, which made him give himſelf to die for thee? And in the love of God which accepted of his oblation, and rewarded his ſufferings with a glorious Reſurrection to an endleſs Life? And in that power, might and majeſty wherewith he is crown'd? So that at the Name of Jeſus all things in Heaven and Earth, and under the Earth do bow and obey? It is too little to ſay, that I will go and thank him, at this holy Feaſt, for what he hath done for me, and for what I hope he will ſtill do: I will go and offer my ſelf abſolutely to him: I will make a vow of love to him, and charity to all the world: I will triumph in his praiſe, and glory in the ſervice of the Prince of life: I will dedicate my ſelf to be an everlaſting monument both of his Death and of his Reſurrection from the dead. I will ſo remember his death, as to die my ſelf to ſin: And ſo remember his Reſurrection, as to riſe again to walk before him in newneſs of life: And his dying no more; ſo that ſin ſhall have no more dominion over me, Rom. 6.12, 14.nor reign in my mortal body, that I ſhould obey it in the luſts thereof. His Humility ſhall be remembred ſo as to kill my Pride; and his Charity ſo as to kill my Covetouſneſs. I will remember his pains ſo, as to mortifie all inordinate deſires of pleaſure; and his patience ſo, as to ſubdue my anger, paſſion and peeviſhneſs. His love to his Enemies, ſhall make me forgive others, and do good to thoſe who do evil to me. And his abſolute obedience, make me take up my Croſs, and be obedient to the very death. Doſt thou not begin already to feel the remembrance of his free giving himſelf for thee, animate thee to a chearfulneſs, and forwardneſs in well doing? Doth not his full truſt in God, when he laid down his life, that he ſhould receive it again, raiſe in thee a ſtrong confidence in his Almighty word? Is not the power he hath over Hell and Death, of mighty force to encourage thy hopes, and make thee victorious over all thy enemies? How doth thy heart beat within thy breaſt? What thoughts and paſſions doth it travel withal? Doth it not begin to ſend up admiring thoughts towards Heaven where Jeſus is? Doth it not burn with ſtrong deſires? Is it not ready to burſt forth into the higheſt expreſſions of love and joy? Art thou not enraged againſt all thoſe ſins which murdered the Lord of life? Are they not all condemned to be crucified and ſlain? Doſt thou not reſolve to live like one, that believes in Jeſus, and profeſſes himſelf to be his faithful follower?
Then think when thou goeſt to celebrate the memory of his Death, that Jeſus ſtands in the midſt of you, as he did among his Diſciples when he was newly riſen from the Grave, ſaying, Peace be unto you. Joh. 20.19.Eat, O my Friends; rejoyce and be exceeding glad: As my Father hath loved me, ſo I have loved you: Joh. 15.9.continue ye in my love. Behold here, the ſenſible Signs and Seals of my love. By theſe I give my ſelf to you, as once I gave my ſelf for you. By theſe tokens I convey to you, all that I have. I make over to you that inheritance which I have purchaſed by my Bloud; and that is eternal life in the Heavenly places. For I am alive again; and behold I live for evermore. Amen, Lord Jeſus;14.19. live, live for ever. Becauſe th… liveſt, I ſhall live alſo. Thou knoweſt how to pity us, becauſe thou art he who was dead. And thou wilt never ceaſe to pity and help us, becauſe thou art he that liveth, …m. 6.9.and being raiſed from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over thee. Becauſe thou waſt dead and tempted in all things like unto us, thou art ſenſible of our infirmities, and able to ſuccour us in all the trials of life and death. And becauſe thou liveſt, thou canſt make thy death become powerful and effectual to us: thou canſt make good all thy own promiſes, and put us in poſſeſſion of the purchaſed inheritance.1 Pet. 1.3. Bleſſed be God, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto ſuch a lively hope, by the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt from the dead. Death is ſwallowed up in victory. O death where is thy ſting? O grave, 1 Cor. 15.54, 55.where is thy victory? Thanks be to God who hath not appointed us to wrath, 1 Theſſ. 5.9, 10.but to obtain ſalvation by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; who dyed for us, that whether we wake or ſleep, we ſhould live with him. Knowing that he which raiſed up the Lord Jeſus, ſhall raiſe up us alſo by Jeſus; 2 Cor. 4.14 Jude 24.and ſhall preſent us faultleſs before the preſence of his glory with exceeding joy.
The Prayer before.
O Moſt mighty Lord of heaven and earth, the Father of Spirits, the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: whoſe name is ever hallowed by an innumerable company of Holy ones, that are always burning with love to thee, and praiſing thy moſt beauteous perfections; thy incomprehenſible wiſdom, goodneſs, righteouſneſs and truth. The Sun ſhineth not before the brightneſs of thy Majeſty. The Angels are unclean, in compare with the purity of thy holineſs. What are we, O Lord, that thou wilt look down from the habitation of thy holineſs upon us! what manner of love is this, wherewith thou haſt loved us! in ſending thy Son down among us, and deſigning to take us up unto thy ſelf, that we may joyn with that holy fellowſhip of Angels and Saints, to love and praiſe thee for ever. We are the off-ſpring of rebellious parents, that have been tranſgreſſors from the beginning. Who have diſhonoured our nature, deſpiſed or undervalued thy grace in the Lord Jeſus, reſiſted or coldly entertained thy holy Spirit; and loved theſe little things here below, more than that eternal happineſs, which Jeſus hath revealed by his reſurrection from the dead. We are not worthy of the crumbs that fall from thy Table, which thou haſt ſpread for all creatures, or of the leaſt drop of thy mercies. We are not worthy to lick the duſt before thee; becauſe we deſerve not to live and breath any longer in this world. And yet thou letteſt us live in hope, that we ſhall live with thee: and thou giveſt us leave to breath forth our ſouls towards thee: and haſt thy ſelf ſpread a new Table for us, and furniſhed it with the richeſt of thy bleſſings: and inviteſt me moſt graciouſly, among the reſt, to come now and feaſt with thee, and eat of the bread of life which came down from heaven, and is able to nouriſh me to eternal life. I would fain, O Lord, approach into thy holy preſence there, and behold the wonders of thy love. But I am covered with ſhame and bluſhing becauſe of my ingratitude unto thee. I cannot with any confidence open my eyes towards thee, till I have ſome ſenſe in my heart that thou art willing to cover my ſins, and hide thy face from mine iniquities. Which I cannot reaſonably hope for, till I find them loathſome, grievous and hateful to me, more than death it ſelf. I ought to hang down my head in heavineſs of ſpirit, till a ſenſe that my heart is throughly changed and renewed, give me liberty to look up unto thee, ſaying, Thy will O Lord be done. Poſſeſs thy ſelf of my ſoul; for I abſolutely ſubmit my thoughts, deſires and paſſions to be ruled and governed by thee in all things. And what is it elſe, O my God, that I long for? What doth my ſoul thirſt after? But that I may know thee more,Epheſ. 1.19, 20. and the greatneſs of thy power to us ward, which wrought in Chriſt, when it raiſed him from the dead; and ſet him at thy right hand in heavenly places, and that I may be overcome and perfectly ſubdued by this mighty love; and that I may be transformed into thy image, and live according to the ſenſe I have of thy moſt adorable perfections▪ O that I may wholly follow the guidance of thy wiſdom; and ſubmit to thy ſoveraign Authority; and be obedient to all thy righteous and good laws: reverencing and fearing thy majeſty, approving my inward thoughts and deſires to thine all-ſeeing eye, depending on thy al-ſufficiency, hoping in thy omnipotent goodneſs, truſting to thy true and faithful word, delighting and rejoycing continually in thy Fatherly love and care of me, who haſt brought me into being, and preſerved me from ruin,Eph. 3.6. and made me partaker of thy promiſe in Chriſt; the beginning and firſt born from the dead; in whom it pleaſed thee, that all fulneſs ſhould dwell. Col. 1.18, 19.I count all things but loſs, for the excellency of the knowledg of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord: that I may be found in him, and have the righteouſneſs which is by Faith: Ph l. 3.8, 9, 10.that I may know the power of his reſurrection, and the fellowſhip of his ſufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I may attain unto the reſurrection of the dead. Begin now, good Lord, to raiſe up my heart above all theſe periſhing things, to thoſe joyes where thou art exalted. Make me feel that thou art an high Prieſt after the power of an endleſs life; ſtill ready and able to aſſiſt and ſuccour all thoſe that come to God by thee. O that my eyes might be ſo fixed on the high and holy place into which thou art entred, that ſome little glimps of thy glory may breakforth upon me; and I may ſee the treaſures and riches of thy kingdom, and what is the hope of my calling; that ſo I may be confirmed in my reſolutions, grow ſtrong in the Faith, and be more fervent in my deſires, more vehement and earneſt in my endeavours, unwearied in my pains, impregnable againſt all temptations, chearful under all difficulties and diſcouragements;Phil. 3.13, 14. and that forgetting thoſe things which are behind, and reaching forth unto thoſe things which are before, I may preſs toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus. Into thy hands, both now and ever,Pſal. ….5. I commit my Spirit: for thou haſt redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. I confide entirely in his Almighty and eternal love, to whom thou haſt given all power in heaven and in earth. Matth. 28.18.I wait on thee, who haſt not thought thy immortality too much to beſtow on us, for whatſoever thou ſeeſt good and wholſome for me in this world; referring my ſelf wholly to thy wiſdom, and looking for that bleſſed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt: Tit. 2.13.in whoſe prevailing name I am emboldned to make theſe addreſſes to thee, and ſtill to offer up my deſires in his holy words, ſaying.
Our Father which art, &c.
The Meditation afterward.
Pſal. 118.24, 22.THis is the day which the Lord hath made, I will rejoyce and be glad in it. The ſtone which the builders refuſed, is become the head of the corner. God hath raiſed up Jeſus, whom they ſlew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, Act. 5.30, 31.for to give repentance and remiſſion of ſins. It is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. God is the Lord, that hath ſhewed us light: offer unto him the Sacrifice of righteouſneſs, Pſal. 118.23, 27, 28, 29. Pſal. 4.5.and ſay, thou art my God and I will praiſe thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Could I ever ceaſe to rejoyce if I heard for certain that a dead friend, the deareſt in the world, was alive again: and not only alive, but preferred to the higheſt dignity and honour? O my dulneſs! that I rejoyce no more in God my Saviour! For that Jeſus whom I have now ſeen crucified before mine eyes, is alive from the dead. That Jeſus who was ſuch a friend that he died and hung on a gibbet for me; is revived again and ſits on the throne of glory. Without all doubt he lives and reigns for me alſo: and being reconciled by his death, Rom. 5.10I ſhall much more be ſaved by his life. For God having raiſed up his Son Jeſus, ſent him to bleſs us, in turning every one of us from his iniquities. Act. 3.20.And we wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raiſed from the dead, 1 Theſſ. 1.10.even Jeſus which delivered us from the wrath to come. He is the firſt begotten from the dead: and hath the keyes of the grave.Rev. 1.5. He will change this vile body, that it may be faſhioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to ſubdue all things unto himſelf. Phil. 3.21.For if we believe that Jeſus died and roſe again, even ſo them alſo which ſleep in Jeſus, will God bring with him. 1 Theſſ. 4.14.Lord what a bleſſed hope is this! ſeeing we look for theſe things, what manner of perſons ought we to be in holy converſation and godlineſs? 2 Pet. 3.11, 4.How diligent ſhould we be, that we may be found of him in peace, without ſpot and blameleſs? What can be more diſagreeing than a crucified Chriſt, and a carnal Chriſtian? What more contrary than a Saviour deſpiſing the world, and one that profeſſes friendſhip to him, loving it above God himſelf? A libe…al Saviour, and a covetous diſciple? A Saviour that indured pain and anguiſh and …orrow, and a ſervant that will live in nothing but eaſe and pleaſure? A Saviour weeping and bleeding, and a man acquainted with grief; and a world that nothing but laughs and ſports and maketh merry? A Saviour that ſuffered all things, and a world that will ſuffer nothing; no not the mortifying of unreaſonable luſts and deſires? A humble and lowly Saviour, and a proud, vain-glorious, ſelf-conceited people that profeſs him? A meek and patient Saviour, and a paſſionate, angry and revengeful generation, that pretend to be his followers? A Saviour that was ever thinking of our good, and men that call themſelves his lovers, who never to any purpoſe remember hi… love? A gracious Lord that did us the moſ… real courteſies and benefits; and ſervant… that only complement with him, and call him Lord, Lord, but do not that which he ſaith▪ A maſter that never quarrelled with any o… Gods Commands, no, though it were to die and ſuch ſchollars that count all his Commandments grievous, murmur at all his leſſons, and ſay that it is impoſſible to obe… them? O how unlike is a diffident diſtruſtful Chriſtian, to a Saviour that laid dow… his very life in hope? How il-favoured do theſe two ſound together, a conquering Chriſt, and a Chriſtian that is a ſlave? Jeſ… that hath conquered death, and a Chriſtia… that cannot conquer himſelf? An head that is in heaven, and a member of his, that only looks at things on earth? God forbid that having profeſſed my ſelf ſo often to be dead to ſin, I ſhould live any longer therein. I was buried with him by baptiſm into death; Rom. 6.4, 5, 6.that like as Chriſt was raiſed up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even ſo I alſo ſhould walk in newneſs of life. And now I am again planted in the likeneſs of his death, by partaking of his broken body and his blood that was ſhed: and therefore ſhall be alſo in the likeneſs of his reſurrection: knowing this that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of ſin might be deſtroyed, that henceforth we ſhould not ſerve ſin. God be thanked, that though I was the ſervant ſin, Ib. v. 17, 18.yet now being made free from it, I am become the ſervant of righteouſneſs. Henceforth, I will ſerve no other maſter.1 Cor. 5.7, 8. For even Chriſt our paſſover (by whoſe blood we are redeemed from everlaſting deſtruction) is ſacrificed for us. And therefore I will keep the Feaſt, not with malice and wickedneſs, but with ſincerity and truth. Building up my ſelf in our moſt holy Faith, praying in the holy Ghoſt, I will keep my ſelf in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt unto eternal life.
The Thanksgiving and Prayer of afterward.
O Moſt mighty Lord, the Creator and poſſeſſor of Heaven and Earth: who art every where and canſt not be excluded from any place, no not from the cloſeſt thoughts of any of our hearts. Who art always the ſame, and canſt no more change, than thou canſt ceaſe to be what thou art: unmoveably fixed in thy own eternal bleſſedneſs. Thou needeſt not go out of thy ſelf for any thing; and I am ſenſible that I cannot poſſibly make thee greater, or more happy than thou art: But it is my bounden duty to admire and extol, to laud and praiſe, to worſhip, love and honour thee: and it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and praiſe is comely. All the Hoſt of Heaven delight to ſing perpetual Hymns, to the glory of thy infinite Majeſty: with whom I beſeech thee to give me leave to joyn my poor and imperfect praiſes. The whole world was made out of Nothing by thy Power: and proclaims thy greatneſs, wiſdom and goodneſs in the multitude, variety, beauty, comelineſs and order of all thy works of wonder. The Heavens are the work of thy hands; the Earth ſtands faſt by thy appointment, and every thing keeps the courſe wherein thou haſt ſet it with admirable conſtancy. Thou governeſt all things without any trouble: becauſe at once thou knoweſt and canſt do what thou pleaſeſt; and thou doſt all things with the greateſt reaſon, juſtice, mercy and pleaſure to thy ſelf. Man was raiſed by thee out of the duſt of Earth; and thou didſt inſpire him with a wiſe and underſtanding Spirit; and placedſt him in a Paradiſe ſurrounded with thy bleſſings, and Lord over the work of thy hands. And when he had degraded himſelf, and forfeited, by his diſobedience, his garden of pleaſure; thou didſt not leave him without a remedy, but openedſt the way for him into the Paradiſe above. Thou didſt ſend thy holy Prophets, and meſſengers in all ages to thy people; and in the fulneſs of time, thine own dear Son, the brightneſs of thy glory: whom thou haſt made Heir of all things, and to whom thou haſt graciouſly committed the care of us. Bleſſed be thy unſpeakable goodneſs, who haſt made him in all things like unto us, ſin only excepted, ſo that we know and are ſure, that he will take care of us, and pity us, and relieve us. I adore thy unparalell'd love in giving him to die, that he might make expiation for our ſins; and that he hath overcome death by his riſing again; and is ſet down at thy right hand, becauſe he was obedient to the death. From thence we have received the gift of the Holy Ghoſt (thanks be to thy Grace) to confirm us in the belief of his Reſurrection, and of all his promiſes, by ſigns and wonders, and mighty deeds; and to give us power to perform our duty towards thee and towards all men. Thou haſt ſpread this Goſpel of Salvation into the furthermoſt parts of the Earth; and the light of it hath long ſhone upon this Kingdom where I live. I was born into this light, as well as into the light of the Sun, and had early aſſurances given me of thy love. In my very infancy I was devoted to thee; and all the engagements I was capable of, laid upon me to be happy, by being a faithful Diſciple of Chriſt Jeſus. Thou haſt not failed ſince to breath on me by thy Holy Spirit, and to move me to my duty; that I might be able to make the anſwer of a good Conſcience towards thee, 1 Pet. 3 21.and ſo be ſaved by his his Reſurrection from the dead. Many happy opportunities haſt thou put into my hands, to improve my ſelf in Chriſtian wiſdom and vertue: and engaged me to thee in many ſolemn vows, only to ſeek the glory, honour, and immortality, which Chriſt hath brought to light, by patient continuance in well-doing. I have now received the pledges of it, and commemorated his love in dying for us, and thy love in raiſing him to life again: that he might perfect our Salvation; and aſſure us he hath obtained an eternal redemption; and comfort us againſt the fears of death; and take care of us for ever; and receive the power and glory thou promiſedſt him, that he may be able to bleſs us and do us all good. O how hath thy love abounded in Chriſt Jeſus! Beſides a world of outward bleſſings, which thy bounteous hand hath poured on me, and ſtill continues merely out of thy goodneſs and liberality. How can I praiſe thee for all thy mercies to all mankind, who cannot comprehend all thoſe which thou haſt beſtowed on my ſelf alone? None can underſtand how much we are beholden to thee; but thoſe that know what thy Son Jeſus was, and what the bleſſing of the Holy Ghoſt, and what the Reſurrection of the dead, and the unſearchable riches of thy Kingdom and Glory are. Accept, bleſſed Lord, of ſuch acknowledgments as I am able to make thee. Accept of my whole ſelf, which I yield up unto thee with love unfeigned. Thou whoſe infinite underſtanding pierceth into the greateſt depths and ſecrets, knoweſt that I love thee. Do even what thou pleaſeſt with me; for it is but juſt and reaſonable, that I ſhould not live unto my ſelf henceforth, but unto him that died for me and roſe again. I am twice thy Creature: Thou haſt given me life a ſecond time by Chriſt Jeſus, through whom thou haſt created me to good works, in hope of a bleſſed Reſurrection from the dead. Inſpire me good Lord, with ſuch a ſtrong and laſting ſenſe of thy love, that I may alway live in ſincere obedience to him, and never forfeit the new title, thou haſt given me, to life immortal: But believing the Reſurrection of Jeſus from the dead, I may moſt heartily acknowledg him to be the Lord; and ſtedfaſtly believe his Doctrine; obeying his commands, hoping in his promiſes, and fearing his threatnings; and endeavouring thereby to prepare my ſelf, in all purity and holineſs of life, for the joys of the World to come.
And*The words of the Church Catechiſm explaining the Lords Prayer. I deſire my Lord God our Heavenly Father, who is the giver of all goodneſs, to ſend his grace unto me and to all people, that we may worſhip him, ſerve him, and obey him as we ought to do. And that he will ſend us all things that be needful both for our Souls and Bodies; and be merciful to us, and forgive us our ſins; and that it will pleaſe him to ſave and defend us in all dangers ghoſtly and bodily, and that he will keep us from all ſin and wickedneſs, and from our ghoſtly enemy, and from everlaſting death. Which I truſt he will do of his mercy and goodneſs, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Amen.
Now the God of peace, Heb 13.20, 21.that brought again from the dead our Lord Jeſus, that great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the Bloud of the everlaſting Covenant. Make us perfect in every good work to do his will; working in us that which is well-pleaſing in his ſight, through Jeſus Chriſt; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
This ſhort acknowledgment may be uſed ſometime that Week.
Acts 4.24, 25.LOrd, thou art God which haſt made Heaven and Earth, and the Sea, and all that in them is: who by the mouth of thy ſervant David haſt ſaid, Pſal. 2.7, 8.Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee. And I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the Earth for thy poſſeſsion. Thy word is true from the beginning. Pſal. 119.160.89.90.For ever, O Lord, thy word is ſetled in Heaven. Thy faithfulneſs is unto all generations. For thou haſt ſent thy holy Child Jeſus,Rom. 1.4. and declared him to be the Son of God with power, by the Reſurrection from the dead. Though he was Crucified through weakneſs, 2 Cor. 13.4.yet he liveth by the power of God. Thou wouldeſt not let thy holy one ſee corruption: Acts 2.27, 28.But haſt made known to him the ways of life, and made him full of joy with thy countenance. Thou haſt given him power over all fleſh, Joh. 17.2.that he ſhould give eternal life to as many as thou haſt given him. Adored be thine Eternal love, which appeared in the ſufferings of Chriſt, and the glory that followed after. Adored be thy love,1 Pet. 1.3.11. 2 Tim. 1.10 1 Cor. 15.20. Joh. 11.25. which hath given us a lively hope through the Reſurrection of Chriſt Jeſus, who hath brought life and immortality to light: being the Firſt-fruits of them that ſlept, and the Reſurrection and the Life. I rejoyce in the conſolation which thou has ſent unto us; and that we in this furthermoſt part of the Earth are become his inheritance. I praiſe thee; I bleſs thee; I moſt heartily devote my ſelf to the obedience of Jeſus, as is but juſt and meet. For to this end Chriſt hath died, Rom. 14.8, 9.and roſe, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. I reverence his Soveraign authority: I ſubmit my ſelf to his Laws: and depend upon his care and good providence. I refer my ſelf to his wiſe will and pleaſure in all things: deſiring nothing more, but that whether I live or die, I may be the Lords. O that thy Spirit which raiſed up Jeſus may dwell in me, guide and govern me:Rom. 8.11. that thou who raiſedſt up Chriſt from the dead, mayeſt alſo quicken my mortal body, by thy Spirit dwelling in me. O that the reſt of the World may become his poſſeſſion too; and all with one mind and one mouth glorifie thee, the God and Father of Jeſus Chriſt: Who is the faithful witneſs, and the firſt-begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth: Rev. 1.5, 6to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.