The Christian Sacrifice, Part 4 · Ascension Day
Aſcenſion-day or Sunday.
The Meditation before.
AH! how duskiſh are my thoughts in houſe of Clay! How dull my affections under this load of fleſh! My Saviour is in Heaven, crowned at Gods right hand with glory and honour: Heb. 2.9. Epheſ. 4.10 1 Pet. 3.22He is aſcended up far above all Heavens, Angels, Authorities and Powers being made ſubject to him. And I can ſcarce caſt a look thither; but am inſtantly pulled down to this Earth again. Bleſſed be his goodneſs who hath left us a lively Image of himſelf to help our infirmities. To repreſent his dying and departure from this World; and to be a pledge likewiſe unto us, that we ſhall one day aſcend up to Heaven, and be for ever with the Lord. O bleſſed news!1 Theſſ. 4. ult. the hope of it fills me with joy already, and raiſes me up a little toward that high and holy place where Jeſus dwells. I will go and bleſs the Father of mercies for his great charity towards us; that he would accept of an offering for ſin; and that he would be ſatisfied without demanding of us the debt: That he would grant new and eaſie conditions of Salvation for us through the Bloud of his Son; and ſeal a gracious Covenant in that ſame precious Bloud. I will go and teſtifie my love to him, even by my joy that he is gone unto the Father; Joh. 14.28and hath triumphed over his enemies,Coloſſ. 2.15. after he had overcome them, and ſpoiled Principalities and Powers. Epheſ. 4.8.He hath led captivity captive, Acts 2.33.and received the promiſe of the Holy Ghoſt; and is ſet down at the right hand of the throne of God; Heb. 12.2.and made the Lord of all. All the Angels of God worſhip him; Acts 10.36and in the Heavenly Sanctuary attend upon him; where he is an High-Prieſt for ever, Heb. 1.6.8.2.holy, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners, and made higher than the Heavens. … 6.10.13.There he makes interceſſion for us; from henceforth expecting, till his enemies be made his foot-ſtool. And we have boldneſs alſo by the Bloud of Jeſus, 10.19.6.20. Joh. 14.2, 3.to enter into the holieſt: whither he the fore-runner is for us entred; and gone to prepare a place for us: and will come again to receive us unto himſelf, that where he is, there we may be alſo.
Pſal. 24.3, …, 5.But who ſhall aſcend into the hill of the Lord? And who ſhall ſtand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lift up his Soul unto vanity, nor ſworn deceitfully. He ſhall receive bleſſing from the Lord, and righteouſneſs from the God of his Salvation. I will go then and offer him my heart, that it may be formed to his likeneſs; Who did no ſin, neither was guile found in his mouth. I will go and ſubmit my ſelf to him as the Lord of all; and renew my Covenant of love and friendſhip with him. I will vow again that I will fight valiantly under his banner, who is the Captain of our Salvation, Heb. 2.10.made perfect through ſufferings, againſt ſin, the world, and the Devil. I will be faithful to him unto the death, and no ſuffering ſhall deter me from following the Prince of life. For I doubt not but the Sacrifice he made was moſt acceptable to God; and that he by himſelf having purged our ſins, Heb. 1.3. H b. 2.13.ſat down on the right hand of the Majeſty on high; and will help and ſuccour all his faithful followers;1.14.2.10. and ſend forth his Angels to miniſter unto them; and bring them to glory, Rev. 2.10.and reward them with a crown of life. O lift up thy ſelf, my Soul, when thou comeſt to the Table of the Lord. Now, if ever, liſten to the Prieſt of God, when he calls, ſaying, Lift up your hearts. Now is the ſeaſon above all others to anſwer, with the whole Quire of pious Souls, in that joyful voice; We lift them up unto the Lord. Rear thy ſelf aloft, my Soul, and look beyond theſe ſhadows. Fix thine eyes on the ſplendor of that Majeſty, wherewith thy Saviour ſhines: and think thou heareſt him calling unto the whole company of believers, ſaying, Come, come, my beloved, for whom I died: Come, and dwell with me. It is ſtill my will and deſire, that you may be where I am, and that you may behold the glory, Joh. 17.24which my Father hath given me. Come on therefore: Whither I am gone you know, 14.4.and the way you know. Tread upon all the glittering temptations of the Countrey where you are, as dirt and dung, in compare with the Kingdom which I will give you. Make haſte unto me, and let nothing hinder you: for I expect you, and long, when you are meet for it, to ſee you. The travel of my Soul will not be ſatisfied, till you be with me.
O my Soul, why do we linger? Why do we look after any thing ſo much, as his Eternal life? Why ſhould we be diſcouraged or faint in our minds? This Lord of glory came to his Throne, out of as low a condition as we can poſſibly be in. He was once a ſervant, the meaneſt of ſervants: He humbled himſelf to be ſubject to the baſeſt uſage, and to ſuffer the greateſt deſpite and publick reproach. Let us be aſſured then, that he will not deſpiſe the pooreſt wretch, now that he is in his glorious ſtate. And let us not think it ſtrange if we be deſpiſed and reproached for righteouſneſs ſake. But rejoyce, in as much as we are partakers of the ſufferings of Chriſt; 1 Pet. 4.13that when his glory ſhall be revealed, we may be glad alſo with exceeding joy.
The Prayer before.
O Moſt bleſſed God, who dwelleſt in the higheſt heavens, and art adored by the higheſt creatures, who bluſh before the brightneſs of thy majeſty: but doſt not deſpiſe us poor worms that dwell upon the earth. Who art happy in thy ſelf, and yet makeſt ſute to us that we would love thee: who commandeſt us to do good to our ſelves, and entreateſt that duty from us which thou mayſt command: who takeſt it kindly when we give thee thine own, and rewardeſt us for that which by thy grace only we can perform; and pardoneſt us alſo when we fall ſhort in our performance; and giveſt us repentance that thou mayeſt pardon us and receive us into favour; and haſt ſent no leſs perſon than thine own Son to obtain a pardon for us; and exalted him at thy own right hand, that he might be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and forgiveneſs of ſins. Before thee, O Lord moſt High, I humbly proſtrate my ſelf; deſiring to be admitted to thy holy Table, that I may adore the riches of thy grace, and beg forgiveneſs for my unworthy returns to ſuch great love. Give me leave, O Lord, to come and make, at leaſt my acknowledgments to thee, of the duty I owe thee. Yea, I would take thy yoke upon me, with the greateſt thankfulneſs; and tye thoſe bonds faſter, wherein I ſtand already engaged to thee; and bleſs thee for ſuch eaſie and gracious terms of reconciliation, as thou haſt propounded to us; and expreſs my hearty conſent unto them; and declare my belief of thy pretious promiſes; and acknowledg thy goodneſs in making me ſo certain of their truth, by the reſurrection of Chriſt from the dead, and his aſcenſion to heaven; that he might ſit down at thy right hand to make good all that he hath ſaid. Bleſſed be the Lord, who hath rewarded his obedience, with ſuch honour, power, dominion, and authority; that we might be incouraged to follow him, and depend upon him, and have a ſetled hope of immortality by him. I rejoyce in the glory which thou haſt with the Father of all, O Lord Jeſus, whoſe throne is for ever and ever. A Scepter of righteouſneſs is the Scepter of thy kingdom: thou haſt loved righteouſneſs, and hated iniquity; H…b. 1.8, 9.therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladneſs above thy fellows. O God, that I could forget all other things, when I preſent my ſelf before thee, and aſcend up, in my thoughts and deſires and reſolutions, to heaven where Jeſus is: that when I come down again to converſe with theſe things here below, I may look upon them as objects of my contempt, or as proofs of my vertue, or as incitements to praiſe thee, the Creator of all; and as occaſions to manifeſt how much I love thee, by quitting the deareſt thing in this world, if thou requireſt it, for thy ſake, who haſt raiſed man to ſuch an height or glory and honour above all. O that I may hate every thing, that would not let me love thee, better than it. That I may fear to offend thee, and be very ſollicitous to pleaſe thee, and ſtudious in all things to approve my ſelf to him, whom thou haſt raiſed from the dead & promoted unto glory: ſo that he is able to prefer all his faithful ſervants to that glorious place where he is. Shew me, O Lord, that he is not held by death, but reigns with thy ſelf for ever, by the power of thy holy Spirit in my heart; raiſing me above my ſelf, and enabling me to comply with thoſe high and heavenly thoughts, deſires and deſigns which thou haſt wrought in my heart. O bleſſed Jeſus, who ſitteſt at the right hand of the Father, and haſt ſaid, thou haſt life in thy ſelf, and all power in heaven and in earth; John. 5.26 Matth. 28.18.that I and all others, who proſtrate themſelves before the throne of thy grace, might find thy power ſtill to remain as great as ever: chaſing away the darkneſs of our minds, warming and thawing our frozen affections, melting and diſſolving our wills into the will of God, inſpiring us with might and ſtrength to do that which we cannot but deſire; lifting up our hearts to have our converſation in heaven, and to live, above the love of riches, pleaſures and honour; a contented, humble, ſober, and thankful life. O that we may ever demonſtrate our belief of thy aſcenſion up on high, by our living and walking in the Spirit, and no longer fulfilling the luſts of the fleſh: and by improving all the grace thou ſendeſt down to us, till we be fit to be tranſlated from hence and come to ſee what we now believe, and behold thee in the glory of the Father. Amen, Lord Jeſus; where thou art, let us be alſo, rejoycing with thee for ever: and while we ſtay here, I will alway ſay moſt heartily,
Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, &c.
The Meditation afterward.
O The height of that glory wherein my Saviour is inthroned!1 Pet. 3.22 Heb. 7.26. Eph. 4.8. Eph. 1.21. Who is gone into the heavens: and made higher than the heavens: nay, is aſcended up far above all heavens: far above all principality, and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but alſo in that which is to come. What a comfort is it to duſt and aſhes, to ſee their nature ſhining brighter than the higheſt ſtars of glory? To behold their fleſh the greateſt beauty of the Paradiſe of God? Where ſhould my converſation be, but in heaven? Where ſhould the members and the heart be, but where their head, and their treaſure is? What ſhould I ſeek, but thoſe things above, Coloſſ. 3.where Chriſt is at Gods right hand? O ye little vanities! How contemptible are all your pleaſures? How …ow are all your dignities and honours? How baſe and vile the reſt of your temptations, when I look up to heaven, where my Saviour ſits in unmatchable glory and majeſty? Never ſpeak to me any more; never perſwade me to follow worldly luſts: thy thoughts are not now ſo mean; I am dead to all thoſe things, and my life is hid with Chriſt in God. When Chriſt who is my life ſhall appear, then ſhall I appear with him in glory.
But, is that eternal life with Jeſus the thing thou ſeekeſt? Is thy heart indeed ſet on things above, where he is at Gods right hand? Search and try; doſt thou in good earneſt travel with high and heavenly deſigns? Art thou ambitious of nothing ſo much, as to be like to Jeſus; and by the moſt ſelf denying wayes to obtain his glory? Doſt thou ſpare no pains to flatten thy too eager deſires towards the things on earth; to let out thy vain and aiery conceits; to ſharpen thy appetite after real righteouſneſs; to inflame thy love, to heighten thy deſire and hope, to ſtrengthen thy faith, to excite thy watchfulneſs, and ingage thy ſerious endeavours, that thou mayeſt poſſeſs the things above? Art thou ſure taht the wiſdom from above is the crown of thy glory?Jam. 2.17. Humility thy honour? To do good thy riches and treaſure? to be Religious thy buſineſs; and to rejoyce in God thy higheſt pleaſure? Doth the peace of God which paſſeth all underſtanding keep thy mind and heart? P…. 4.7.Art thou above the threats, the contempt, the hatred, the oppreſſion, the enmities and affronts of this evil world? Above thine own and other mens paſſions and peeviſh affections? So that thou returneſt good for evil, kindneſs for injuries, and prayers for curſes? Is that ſweet thing, that heavenly love to all thy Brethren, the darling of thy boſome; which is the very joy of Heaven? Then the Angels give thee joy of an happy reſurrection and aſcenſion with Chriſt Jeſus. He hath made thee already to fit with him in heavenly places. Eph. 2.6.The day ſtar is riſen in thy heart, foretelling thy approaching glory. Thou beholdeſt the morning of eternal joy, the dawning of the day of recompences. And thou mayeſt reſt aſſured, that God will not leave thee in the grave, nor ſuffer thee for ever to ſee corruption: but it ſhall deliver thee into the arms of thy Lord;1 Cor. 15.53. 2 Cor. 5.4. and corruption ſhall put on incorruption, and this mortality be ſwallowed up of life. Nay, thou mayſt now triumph and ſay, I am an heir; an heir of God, Rom. 8.17.and joynt-heir with Chriſt: who hath alſo given me the earneſt of the inheritance. Eph. ….14.For he hath formed already a model of the heavenly Sanctuary within thy breaſt: where Chriſt Jeſus himſelf is enthroned; and the name of God is continually honoured and glorified. And therefore thou mayſt humbly conclude in the words of Jeſus,Joh. 12.32. If God be glorified in me, God ſhall alſo glorifie me in himſelf. And O that the Father of glory would be pleaſed more and more to enlighten the eyes of our underſtanding, Epheſ. 1.17, 18, 19, 20.that we may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints, and what is the exceeding greatneſs of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power; which he wrought in Chriſt when he raiſed him from the dead, and ſet him at his own right hand in Heavenly places, &c. Amen.
The Thankſgiving and Prayer afterward.
O Moſt Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty; who art to be moſt humbly adored, worſhipped and admired: but thy perfections no tongue can expreſs, and thou art above the thoughts of the higheſt and pureſt of all Creatures. They all give glory to thee in their ſeveral kinds, and declare thy power, thy greatneſs, thy wiſdom and goodneſs, which ſpreads it ſelf throughout the world.Pſal. 113.3, 4. From the riſing of the Sun unto the going down of the ſame, the Lords name is to be praiſed. For the Lord is high above all Nations, and his glory above the Heavens. They ſound continually with the praiſes, which the holy Angels give thee; who know thee better than we, that are ſhut up in houſes of clay, and can ſee but little of thy glory. And yet thou art pleaſed not only to admit, but to invite us to lift up our hearts unto thee, and unite them with that Heavenly company; in rendring thee our poor praiſes and thanks, which are infinitely below thee. Accept, Good Lord, of ſuch as I have to give; and inſpire me graciouſly from above with ſuch a ſenſe of thy goodneſs, that I may offer thee an heart full of love; which may be ever making grateful acknowledgments unto thee. I bleſs thee, that thou haſt made man ſuch a noble Creature; capable to look back to thee, the Author of his being, and to be happy in loving thee, and bearing a likeneſs to thee. O how great was thy goodneſs, that when he forgot thee that formed him, and lightly eſteemed thy love and favour, thou wouldeſt not call him out of thy care: but mercifully and ſpeedily madeſt a promiſe of a Redeemer to him? I thank thee, O God, that in the fulneſs of time thou haſt ſent him, thy only begotten Son into the world; not only to converſe lovingly with us as our Friend and Brother: but alſo to die for us; and to die the accurſed death of the Croſs. Who can underſtand the greatneſs of thy love, O bleſſed Jeſus, that would hang in ſuch ſhame and pain; and bleed to death; and lie in the Grave for us wretched ſinners? And the greatneſs of thy love, O Father of mercies, who haſt raiſed him again from the dead; and exalted him with thy right hand to the Throne of Glory in the Heavens; and given him a name above every name: Phil. 2.9, 10, 11.that at the name of Jeſus every knee might bow, both of things in Heaven, and things on Earth, and things under the Earth; and that every tongue might confeſs, that Jeſus is the Lord, to thy glory? I confeſs his Sovereign power and authority, whom the Angels worſhipped and adored; and I give glory to thee, O Father of all, who haſt made him head of the Church, Epheſ. 1.22, 23.which is his Body, the fulneſs of him that filleth all in all. Glory be to thee, O Lord moſt high, who haſt put all things under his feet: and made Angels themſelves to be miniſtring Spirits, Heb. 1.14.ſent forth to miniſter for them who ſhall be heirs of Salvation. Glory be to thee,Acts 3.26. who haſt ſent him to bleſs us in turning every one of from our iniquities: 5.32.and haſt made him a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remiſsion of ſins: and made him able to ſave them to the uttermoſt, that come unto thee by him, Heb 7.25, 27.ſeeing he ever liveth to make interceſsion for them. To thy eternal praiſe and glory be it remembred, that we have ſuch an High-Prieſt, Heb. 8.1.who is ſet on the right hand of the Throne of the Majeſty in the Heavens: who needeth not daily to offer up Sacrifice; but hath done it once, when he offered up himſelf. I bleſs thee, that thou haſt now admitted me to partake of that Sacrifice; which is able to perfect for ever them that are ſanctified. Heb. 10.14And that to the bleſſings of thy houſe, thou haſt added alſo thoſe of my own. Thou feedeſt not my Soul only, but moſt bountifully provideſt for my Body too: not only thy Son, but a great number of thy Creatures loſing their lives continually to preſerve mine. There is all reaſon that I ſhould ſerve thee with unwearied diligence, who haſt made ſo many things conſtantly to ſerve me. And here I preſent my ſelf again before thee; to tender thee my hearty ſervice, to beſeech thy acceptance of the vows and promiſes I have already made to thee, and to expreſs my hope in thy mercy, for power from on high to aſſiſt and further my pious deſires and reſolutions. I believe in thee, O God, through Chriſt Jeſus, who haſt raiſed him up from the dead, 1 Pet. 1.21and given him glory, that our faith and hope might be in thee our God. I live in a full perſwaſion, that thou deſigneſt to make me everlaſtingly happy: and therefore humbly look to receive from thy Divine bounty, the communication of thy Holy Spirit; to help me to fit and prepare my ſelf for ſuch a glorious ſtate with Chriſt in the Heavens. That there my thoughts and my heart may be, where my hopes are treaſured up; and all things may ſeem little and mean in compare with the glory to be revealed; and I may think my ſelf exceeding high and great, in the humility, meekneſs, goodneſs, patience and contentedneſs of the Lord Jeſus, and in the holy hope he hath given me of Eternal life. Preſerve in my mind a conſtant ſenſe of that bleſſed hope, as incomparably beyond all poſſeſſions on Earth: that ſo I may walk worthy of my High and Heavenly calling; chearfully doing and ſuffering thy will; and believing that thou who haſt done ſo much for us, as to advance our nature to ſuch glory in the Heavens, will take care of us while we are here on Earth; and conduct us by humble ſubmiſſion to thee, and patient continuance in welldoing, to that place whither Jeſus the fore-runner is entred for us.
Pſal. 98.4.And let all the Earth make a joyful noiſe unto the Lord: make a loud noiſe, and rejoyce, 97.1.and ſing praiſe. For the Lord Jeſus reigneth: 29.10.He ſitteth King for ever. Let them praiſe his great and holy name: For the Kinds ſtrength loveth judgment, 99.3, 4.he doth eſtabliſh equity: He executeth judgment and righteouſneſs in the Earth. Pſal. 5.11.And let all thoſe that love him, be joyful in him. Rejoyce in the Lord, 97.11, 12.ye righteous: and give thanks to the memorial of his holineſs. For light is ſown for the righteous, and gladneſs for the upright in heart.
Now our Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, 2 Th ſſ. 2.16, 17.and God even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlaſting conſolation, and good hope through grace. Comfort our hearts, and eſtabliſh us in every good word and work. Amen.