The Christian Sacrifice, Part 4 · March
March.
Meditation before the Sacrament.
YOU may conſider that when God intended to make a new Covenant with Man of more abundant grace and mercy than was ever known before; he was pleaſed to do like a Man. The word was made fleſh, and he came and dwelt among us. He declared by the mouth of one taken from among our ſelves his great good will towards us. He entred into all imaginable bonds, to perform his part of that ſacred Covenant. He gave us his word and his oath (two immutable things in which it was impoſſible for God to lie) He gave us his Son for a pledg; and his Son gave his blood for a ſeal, and his holy Spirit for an earneſt of his eternal love. Adored be the goodneſs of God (ſhould you ſay within your ſelves) who hath done ſo much to aſſure the hearts of trembling and unbelieving ſinners. Adored be his goodneſs, who is ſo deſirous we ſhould be perſwaded of it. Is there no way for us alſo to ingage our ſelves, and paſs our word as ſolemnly to him? Can we find no bonds that are ſacred, wherein to ty our ſelves ſtrongly to his ſervice? Bleſſed be the Mercies of our God, who hath appointed two Sacraments: wherein we for our parts promiſe and ſeal to ſtand to the conditions of that Covenant of grace. But ſo exceſſive is his love, that he doth there again likewiſe ingage his fidelity to us, and ſecures to us the bleſſings which he hath promiſed in his holy Goſpel. O how excellent is his loving kindneſs, which hath given us ſuch ſtrong conſolation! And how long is it now ſince I was firſt devoted to him, and received the firſt aſſurances of his love? Theſe*Reckon from the time of … Baptiſm, 20, 30, 40, &c. — years have I been called by his name; and made pertaker of his grace. In my baptiſm he began to ſhew his love to me; and there I entred into Covenant with him, and vowed to keep his Commandments. What manner of perſon ought I to have been in all holy converſation and godlineſs; who am ſo deeply indebted to him; who have lived ſo long in his family; and been often likewiſe entertained at his Table, and received there the renewed tokens of his deareſt love? O how unwearied is his goodneſs, which calls me once more to pertake of that great favour! Canſt thou find in thy heart, O my ſoul, to admire any thing, to love any thing like unto him? Let us go with the forwardeſt affection to teſtifie how much we value his kindneſs: to profeſs the ſincerity of our faith in him; and moſt dutiful love unto him. Let us go and confirm the agreement that is between us, and make a new choice of him for our only Maſter and Saviour, and take upon us to be eternally his Servants. Nay, render him our moſt hearty thanks that he will admit us to that honour; and with the moſt paſſionate admiration make him our acknowledgments, that he would do ſo much to deſerve our Service. Is not this thy mind and intention in approaching to his Table? Doth it not grieve thee that thou haſt at any time offended ſo great love? Hadſt thou not rather die and be crucified as he was, than willingly break the leaſt of his Commands? Doſt thou not in heart and reſolution forſake every thing, that would hinder thee from doing his will? Art thou not purpoſed to follow Jeſus in all the actions of an holy, humble and mortified life? Let us go then and wait upon him; and ſhew him the love that we bear unto him. Let us give him thanks, even for this good mind which he hath put into us; and for all the hopes we have that he will continue it to eternal life. Be not diſcouraged; for when the wicked forſakes his way, Iſa. 55.7.and the unrighteous man his thoughts, he himſelf hath ſaid that, he will have mercy upon him, and multiply to pardon. He will pour more abundantly of his holy ſpirit on us to ſtrengthen our reſolutions. He will make us grow in grace, and bring forth all the fruits of righteouſneſs. He will abundantly ſatisfie us with the fatneſs of his houſe, Pſal. 36.8, 9, 10.and make us to drink of the River of his pleaſures. For with him is the fountain of life; in his light ſhall we ſee light. He will continue his loving kindneſs unto them that know him; and his righteouſneſs to the upright in heart.
The Prayer.
O Moſt holy and ever bleſſed God; the fountain of good, the higheſt object of our love, the reſt and ſatisfaction of all rational deſires; infinitely greater than all we can ſee, and all we can conceive. I bow my ſelf before thee, and humbly worſhip thy incomprehenſible Majeſty. It was thy goodneſs which brought me into being; and thy patience which hath continued me in it unto this time; and a greater mercy which hath not ſuffered my being to be miſerable to me; but heaped on me innumerable good things. But I have no fit name for that ſuperabundant love, which thought of making mankind ſo very happy by thy Son Jeſus. It is a wonder, O Lord, that thou wouldeſt be at ſuch expenſe about thoſe, who had choſen to be any thing rather than ſuch as thou madeſt them. None but infinite compaſſion could be ſo tender of thoſe who deſpiſed thy Image, and loved to live like the beaſts that periſh. None but thou, O merciful God, could think of beſtowing greater benefits on ſuch brutiſh ſinners. And nothing but a ſtupid negligence and unaccountable inconſiderateneſs, could ever refuſe to be made pertakers of ſuch endleſs happineſs as thou deſigneſt to us. I am one of thoſe ſtrange things that have forſaken thee, and know not why. Who was long inſenſible of thy grace, and unmoveable under thy greateſt importunities to return to thee. And ſince thou haſt prevailed with me, am too much inclined to content my ſelf with a ſmall degree of likeneſs to thee: and apt to find out little pretences and excuſes, for the doing of my own will, rather than thine. And that though I am ſo ſolemnly conſecrated to thee, and have been inſtructed in thy bleſſed Goſpel, and put in hopes of ſuch glorious rewards, and received ſuch incouragements at thy Table; where I have frequently promiſed chearful obedience in all things.
Bleſſed be thy inconceivable love, O moſt gracious Lord, who haſt ſhed thy blood for thoſe who ſin againſt that love; if with all their hearts and all their ſouls they return unto thee. For ever magnified be thy mercy, who haſt given us ſo many aſſurances of the truth of thy love to us; and ſo many opportunities to teſtifie the truth of ours towards thee. Thou art pleaſed not only by thy word, thy promiſe and oath to give us ground of hope: but even by outward and ſenſible ſigns to incourage our weak and juſtly fearful faith. For who can but tremble to think, that he hath at any time offended the majeſty of Heaven and earth? and yet who can but hope, that hears the voice of thy Son inviting us to come unto thee, and promiſing a pardon to returning ſinners? O thou who calleſt me now again to thy holy Table, and there haſt made ſuch rich proviſion for us: aſſiſt I moſt humbly beſeech thee all the Meditations, deſires and reſolutions of my ſoul in that holy action. That I may remember all that the Lord Jeſus hath done and ſuffered for me, with ſuch an humble admiration, a lively faith, and a thankful love; that I may feel my heart tied faſter to him with the cords of his love; and ſent up to Heaven, as the whole burnt offerings, to the Lord. Draw me, O God of love, more powerfully to thee and fill me more with wiſdom and goodneſs; that my mind may more clearly diſcern between things that differ; my will may become more eaſy to all that is good, and more obſtinate againſt all that is evil; and that every affection and paſſion may be more gentle and ſubmiſſive to the government of thy holy Laws. Poſſeſs my heart againſt all the force of temptations by a never dying ſenſe of thy goodneſs, and a remembrance of thoſe joys which thou haſt prepared for thoſe that love thee. O that all my graces may receive increaſe of nouriſhment: that I may more perfectly imitate the humility, the meekneſs, the patience, the charity, the reſignation and abſolute obedience of my Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt. He hath bidden us believe, that thou wilt give thy holy Spirit to thoſe that ask it; as readily as an earthly parent gives bread to his children. O let the power of that attend upon me; to fix my wandring thoughts, to raiſe up my heavy and dull affections, and to form all my holy purpoſes into a ſetled diſpoſition and temper of heart, to comply with thy bleſſed will in every thing. I am not worthy, I confeſs, of the ſmalleſt crumb of thy mercy: but thou haſt made me to hope for theſe great bleſſings, through thy grace declared unto us in Chriſt Jeſus. In whoſe words I further recommend my ſelf unto thy merciful kindneſs; ſaying, Our Father, &c.
The Meditation afterward.
WHen you have leiſure to retire alone by your ſelf, you may ſay to your ſelf as the people did, when they beheld the ſick man at our Saviours word take up his bed and walk (Luke 5.26.) I have ſeen ſtrange things to day. I have ſeen the marvellous love of Heaven to us ſinful duſt and aſhes. I have ſeen how the Son of God dyed for the love of us: how the bleſſed Jeſus was hanged and bled upon a Croſs for our Salvation. I have beheld him preſenting himſelf unto me; and offering to make me pertaker of all his benefits. With what affections did I meet and receive his ſtrange love? Did not my heart burn within me when he opened the Counſels of his heart to me? Did it not melt and diſſolve into love, when he ſhewed me how paſſionately he loved me? Did I not offer my ſelf both ſoul and body to him, and promiſe to be his faithful ſervant? Did I not remember that I was his already, and renew my vows to cleave unto him in loyal obedience? O what a transforming ſight was it, to behold Jeſus who was made a little lower than Angels for the ſuffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, and promiſing by patient continuance in well doing, to lift me up alſo at laſt unto glory! Lord what is man that thou takeſt knowledg of him! Pſal 144.….or the Son of man that thou makeſt account of him? How is it poſſible to forget this love, or my own ingagements? For what pleaſures ſhall I leave theſe, of Communion with God and my gracious Maſter Chriſt Jeſus? You offer too little, all ye flattering temptations upon earth, that would draw my affections from ſo great an happineſs. There can be nothing comparable, to being beloved of the undoubted Lord of Heaven and earth. One thing have I deſired of the Lord, Pſal. 27.4.that will I ſeek after; that I may dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the dayes of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. This is ſufficient to indear an holy life unto me; that I may be always fit to be one of his gueſts, to feaſt with him at his Table, to be filled with his comforts, and live in hope to live with him in endleſs joys. And could … but ſee what things he hath prepared for thoſe that love him; the height of his glory, the attendance of his Miniſters, the pleaſures that are at his right hand; there would be more ſpirit in me. This little that I have ſeen makes me ſay,1 King 10.8. Happy are thoſe thy ſervants, that ſtand continually before thee. Pſal. 65.4.84.3.Bleſſed are they whom thou haſt choſen, and cauſed to approach unto thee; that they may dwell in thy heavenly courts; they will ſtill be praiſing thee. I will never foregoe the beginnings of this bliſs. For a day in thy Courts is better than a thouſand. I had rather be a door-keeper in the houſe of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedneſs. For the Lord God is a Sun and ſhield: Pſal. 84.10, 11, 1…the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of Hoſts, bleſſed is the man that truſteth in thee.
And here it will be fit to remember, how every deliberate ſin after ſuch freſh experiences of Gods goodneſs, new obligations from him, and new reſolutions and vows to him; will be of a more crimſon die, and a bloodier nature. And therefore you muſt be ſober and watch unto prayer. And remember withal, on the other ſide, that every good action will be the more acceptable, when it proceeds out of mere love to our Maſter Jeſus, who hath loved us ſo much. And therefore always indeavor to quicken the one by reflecting upon the other. More particularly you may reſolve to meditate all the Month following upon the great MEEKNESS of the Lord Jeſus. Who was dumb as a ſheep before the ſheerers, Iſa. 53.7.and as a Lamb that is brought to the ſlaughter. He was oppreſſed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. When he was reviled, … Pet. 2.23he reviled not again: when he ſuffered, he threatned not; but committed himſelf to him that judgeth righteouſly. And ſo labour to tread in his ſteps and to imitate him in this lovely grace. To ſpeak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, ſhewing all meekneſs unto all men. For we our ſelves alſo were ſometimes fooliſh, Tit. 3.3, 2.and diſobedient, and deceived, &c. This vertue the Apoſtles, there and in other places*1 Pet. … 15., require us to exerciſe eſpecially toward Rulers and Governours. And S. Peter recommends this to Wives as the moſt handſome and becoming attire; even the ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit, 1 Pet. 3.4.which is in the ſight of God of great price.
The Thanksgiving and Praye…
PRaiſed be God. Let all … tures in Heaven and Earth praiſe the name of the Lord. For his name alone is excellent; his glory is above earth and heaven. Glory be to thee, O God moſt high, the Creator of all; the Father of mercies; who openeſt thy hand and filleſt every living thing with good. Bleſſed be thy name, O Son of the Father, the ever bleſſed Jeſus, to whom I humbly bow my ſelf, as the Image of God, the brightneſs of his glory, the redeemer of our ſouls, the Mediator of our peace, and our interceſſor at the right hand of the Majeſty on high. O thou holy Spirit of grace, the Almighty power of God, inſpire my heart, that I may know, that I may acknowledg, that I may love, delight in, obey and praiſe the Lord our God from henceforth and for ever.
Thanks be to the eternal goodneſs for the everlaſting Goſpel; for the conſtant ſervices of thy Miniſters; for the happy Communion of Saints; for all the comforts of food, and health, and peace, and friends; above all for the death, reſurrection, aſcention and exaltation of our Lord Jeſus; for all the fruits of them; and for the earneſts and pledges I have received, of forgiveneſs of ſins and immortal life. One day is too ſhort to recount thy Mercies. While I live I ſhall never be able to find out, how much thou haſt already loved me; how many bleſſings thou haſt loaded me withal ſince I came into this world. And yet in the careful improvement of theſe, thou intendeſt to bring me to higher and endleſs felicity. O that the remembrance of what I have ſeen and felt of thy love, may always cleave unto my mind: and that I may every day ſee and be made ſenſible of more. That the powerful operation of it in my heart, may defend me againſt all the allurements of the world and the fleſh: and nothing may be able to intice me from my duty, nor be hard and difficult to do for thy mighty love. Incline my heart, O Lord, continually towards thee; that I may know I love thee, by thinking often of thee, and delighting to be with thee, and ſtudying in all things, to conform my ſelf to thy bleſſed nature and will. That having thee always before mine eyes; thy holineſs and righteouſneſs may move me to purifie my heart thoroughly from all worldly and fleſhly luſts: thy greatneſs may breed in me, much reverence, fear and humility; and thy tender mercies, incline me to pitifulneſs, bowels of mercies, and readineſs to do all good. Give me ſuch apprehenſions of thy truth and faithfulneſs, that I may intirely truſt thee, and rely upon thy promiſes: of thine unerring wiſdom, that I may reſign my underſtanding to thee, and be perfectly contented with whatſoever thou appointeſt. Diſpoſe my ſoul ſo, that a ſerious ſenſe of thine omniſcience, may on all occaſions overawe every thought of my mind, and motion of my will into order and obedience: and thy patient goodneſs ſuppreſs all angry affections in me; and make me gentle, long-ſuffering, and forbearing others in love. Repreſent thine infinite fulneſs, O Lord, continually unto me; that it may ingage me in eternal thoughts of thee; and make me rejoyce in the happineſs of being one of thy children, and an heir of thy glory. There is nothing more my heart can deſire; but only that I may ſtill receive more pledges of thy fatherly love: and have grace to keep my ſoul ſo pure and undefiled, that our Lord may delight to manifeſt himſelf to me, and make his abode with me.
Reign in me, O bleſſed Lord, and in all the world. Subdue all the enemies of thy Croſs. Advance it above all the crowns of the Kings of the earth: that they may become thy obedient ſubjects. O that thoſe of them, who call upon thy name, may be nurſing Fathers to thy Church: and promote Chriſtian piety by their high authority and great examples. Illuminate all the Biſhops and Paſtors of thy flock; that they may feed thy people with wiſdom and underſtanding, and lead them in the ways of righteouſneſs. Bleſs all my Friends: pardon and change all my Enemies. Comfort and relieve all ſorts of miſerable people. And grant us ſeaſonable weather, that the earth may bring forth her increaſe.
Accept of my hearty thanks which I tender thee again for all thy mercies both to my ſoul and body; which are more than thought can number. Accept of the oblation of my whole ſelf, which I have devoutly conſecrated unto thee: deſiring to render all praiſe, thankſgiving, love and hearty ſervice to thee eternally.
Now the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Chriſt Jeſus, 1 Pet. 5.10, 11.make us all perfect, ſtabliſh, ſtrengthen, ſettle us. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.