The Christian Sacrifice, Part 4 · June
June.
The Meditation before the Sacrament.
IS it poſſible that the great God ſhould be manifeſted in the fleſh? 1 Tim. 3.16. Act. 20.28And that he ſhould purchaſe thoſe who were his Creatures, ſinful Creatures, with his own blood? Surely we do not believe this. How joyful, how thankful ſhould we be; how holily, how purely ſhould we live; if we thought our ſelves ſo nearly related to him? What faith, what hope ſhould we place in him? How confidently ſhould we truſt our ſelves and all we have with him? How willingly ſhould we reſign our ſelves to his pleaſure, who hath not thought this too much to do for us? And how contentedly ſhould we want what he pleaſes not to give, who hath done us ſuch an honour, as to marry us to himſelf? If he had taken hold of the Nature of Angels, and laid down that life, that pretious life which was ſpent for us, for their redemption; how much would thoſe heavenly creatures have loved him? And yet, now that he is deſirous of our little love, he cannot have it. O my ſoul, what is become of that love which thou lately profeſſedſt to him? I thought the laſt time we were at his Table, that thou waſt mightily ſenſible of his love, and wouldſt never ceaſe to love him. Didſt thou not proteſt, that nothing was ſo dear unto thee as thy Saviour, and his Commands and pretious promiſes? That thou hadſt rather loſe thy life, than loſe his favour? And didſt thou not reſolve that thou wouldſt preſerve it as thy life, by all the acts of love to God and man? O how eaſily do we forget the greateſt benefits? How apt are we to pay him only with liberal promiſes? If he had not made us this new invitation to his Table, it is poſſible we might have forgotten, that we have any obligations to him. But this ſweet voice of thy Saviour, which calls upon thee, ſaying, come, do this in remembrance of me, how doth it awaken and revive that love, which ſometime I felt in my heart to him? Thanks be to his goodneſs for this new opportunity to acknowledg his love, and to profeſs my own. I hope in time I ſhall love him to the height of my deſires: and by theſe frequent remembrances of him, become perfectly like him.
Though very unworthy therefore of this new favour, who have been ſo unmindful of the old, I will go into his houſe, and preſent my ſelf at his Altar: if it be but to declare that I belong to him; and am not willing to loſe his bleſſing. I will ſhew him, at leaſt, that I do not quite forget him; and have a mind to become a better Chriſtian. But how is it poſſible, that I ſhould ſee the repreſentation of his mighty love, that I ſhould behold his pains and agonies for my ſake; and do no more than tell him, that I keep him in mind, and intend to obey him. I cannot chuſe but vow my ſelf intirely to him. I muſt bind my ſelf, in the moſt ſacred Covenant, to keep his Commands. I can do no leſs than aſſure him again that I love righteouſneſs, and hate iniquity: and will chuſe death, rather than to diſpleaſe him. Nay, I will reſolve never to ceaſe to renew theſe vows; and multiply my ingagements: and then at laſt, ſure, I ſhall become ſtedfaſt in his Covenant,Pſa. 112.1. and delight my ſelf greatly in his Commandments. Pſal. 119.167, 48, 44, 162, 127, 72.My ſoul ſhall keep thy teſtimonies, and love them exceedingly. My hands alſo will I lift up unto thy Commandments which I have loved: and I will meditate in thy ſtatutes. So ſhall I keep thy Law continually, for ever and ever. I will rejoyce at thy word, as one that findeth great ſpoil. And love thy Commandments above gold, yea above fine gold. The law of thy mouth ſhall be dearer unto me, than thouſands of gold and ſilver. Let us go, my ſoul, and thank him heartily, as for other benefits of his paſſion, ſo for theſe hopes I have of becoming ſo perfectly in love with him, that I ſhall exactly reſemble him.Pſ. 42.11. Hope in God, for thou ſhalt yet praiſe him, who is the health of thy countenance, and thy God. If I regard iniquity in my heart; the Lord will not hear me. But verily God hath heard me: Pſal, 66.18, 19, 20.he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Bleſſed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
The Prayer before.
O Moſt high and Holy one; who canſt not be comprehended by our ſhallow thoughts, nor by any other thing, but only thy ſelf. Though inconceivably beneath thine infinite Majeſty, and alſo a miſerable ſinner, I make bold, in the name of the Lord Jeſus who is my hope, with humble reverence to proſtrate my ſelf before thee. Acknowledging that thou art my Maker, my Lord and Soveraign; and that I being the work of thy hands, muſt needs be thy ſervant and ſubject. Yea, thou haſt given me leave every day to call thee Father, and owneſt me for thy child. With what fear and aſtoniſhment, with what grief and ſorrow, doth it become me to ly in thy preſence? How heavily have I condemned my ſelf by theſe acknowledgments? For I have not always honoured and ſerved thee as my Creator, nor loved and delighted in thee as my moſt gracious Father, nor obeyed and ſubmitted to thee in all things, as my Soveraign Lord and Maſter. I have too oft rebelled againſt thine Almighty power and authority, and ſpurned againſt the bowels of thy love, and broken thy moſt holy Laws, and violated that faith which I profeſſed in my Baptiſm, and have many times ſince plighted unto thee. Thine Almighty mercy accuſes me. The paſſion and torment, the death and reſurrection, the threatnings and promiſes, all the love of my dear Saviour condemns me; and ſo do the mighty works and the gracious inſpirations of the Holy Ghoſt. And yet I have no whither to fly, nothing to truſt unto, but that Almighty mercy; the paſſion and love of our Lord; the power and grace of the Holy Ghoſt. How ſhall I hope for pardon from that love which I have offended? and look for mercy, from thoſe tender mercies which I have too much ſlighted? With what confidence can I expect a remedy from that power which I have reſiſted? O the long-ſuffering and patience of my God! O the infiniteneſs of thy mercy! and the pretiouſneſs of that blood, that can waſh away ſo many tranſgreſſions againſt it ſelf. I adore thee, I thank thee, O God, who haſt ſet forth Chriſt Jeſus to be a propitiation, Rom. 3.25.through faith in his blood. By his Croſs and Paſſion, Good Lord, I hope to be delivered: and wait on thy mercy for the power of his holy Spirit, to waſh me thoroughly from mine iniquity, Pſal. 51.and cleanſe me from my ſin. Aſſiſt me thereby, I moſt humbly beſeech thee, to purifie my ſelf from all filthineſs both of the fleſh and of the Spirit: 2 Cor. 7.1.to purge my mind, my affections, my paſſions, from whatſoever is offenſive to thy pure eyes, who canſt not approve of iniquity. For I would have no uncleanneſs, no inordinate affection, Col. 3.5, 8.no evil concupiſcence and covetouſneſs, no anger, wrath, malice or evil ſpeaking to be found any more within me. And now that I am about to remember the death of Jeſus, help me to mortifie all theſe more perfectly, and to hate them worſe than death. Behold, O Lord, I abandon all worldly luſts. My ſoul is open; and I have emptied my heart, to receive the fulneſs of thy grace. Take an abſolute poſſeſſion of me; rule in me by thy laws; guide me by thy counſels; fill me with thy love; ſatisfie me with the comfort of thy promiſes; and refreſh me with thy divine joys; that I may have a great delight to be thy faithful and obedient ſervant. O that I may feel, at thy Table, the livelieſt apprehenſions awakened in me of what thou haſt done for my ſoul. Hold my thoughts cloſe unto thee; inſpire me with devout Meditations; ſtrengthen and increaſe in me all good reſolutions; and inable me to bring them to good effect. I know thou never faileſt thoſe that heartily ſeek thee. Our Saviour hath bid us ask and we ſhall receive, ſeek and we ſhall find, knock and it ſhall be opened to us. Fulfil then, O Gracious Lord, all my petitions: ſo give unto thy ſervant what he humbly asks, let him that ſeeks find, open the gate to him that knocks; that I may be made partaker of Chriſts moſt bleſſed body and blood. And feeling the comforts of holy fellowſhip and friendſhip with him, and ſtudying to maintain it by a pure and blameleſs life; I may now and ever triumph in thy Salvation, and ſing thy praiſes in thy Church on earth, and among thy Saints and Angels in heaven: giving honour, bleſſing, power and dominion unto thee, O Father Almighty, and unto thy Son Chriſt Jeſus to all Eternity. Amen.
Our Father, which art, &c.
A Meditation afterward.
DOſt thou mind, O my Soul, wha… thou ſayeſt, when every day thou calleſt God, Father: thy Father which is in Heaven? How happy art thou, if thou art beloved of God Almighty? So beloved, that the Lord of Heaven and Earth is thy Father? What is there that thou canſt deſire, what canſt thou long for beyond this? How well ſatisfied and contented ſhouldſt thou be in the pooreſt condition; how well aſſured that all ſhall be well with thee, if thou art ſure of this one thing, that he is thy Father? And what ſhould make thee doubt of it, though ſo great an honour? Where haſt thou been now? what haſt thou been doing? Haſt thou not been with Jeſus? Haſt thou not profeſſed thy ſelf a Chriſtian?… Joh. 1.3. And truly their fellowſhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt. He hath ſhown thee the love which God bears to thee. He hath bidden thee, by thoſe tokens, reſt aſſured that he will never ceaſe to love thee. For he hath given himſelf to thee; and thou haſt given thy ſelf to him. The Covenant of friendſhip and eternal love hath been renewed between us. Thou haſt made oath again of fidelity to him, and he hath ſworn in his holineſs, that he will not take his loving kindneſs from thee, nor ſuffer his faithfulneſs to fail. O how rich is he, that poſſeſſes God; and is heir of his immortal glory! How chary ſhould we be of this ineſtimable wealth? How void ſhould we be of all other cares, but only this; to preſerve the love of our heavenly Father? What ſhould covetouſneſs do in that heart, which enjoys ſuch a Treaſure? What ſhould ambition, what ſhould vainglory do in him; that can boaſt of the honour, of having God for his Father? Need he fear that he ſhall want, who is ſo well provided? Should he murmur or repine, who hath ſuch fulneſs? Is there any cauſe of anger, if our Father be not angry? Shall we be uncharitable to any, who partake of ſuch great charity? Watch, O my Soul, and walk circumſpectly, that thou loſe not ſuch exceeding abundant grace, as this which is beſtowed on thee. Go forth in this new ſtrength and comfort which thou haſt received, and perfect thy conqueſts over the world, the fleſh, and the Devil: and reſolve that nothing ſhall ſeparate thee from the love of God in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord.
Well mayeſt thou ſtand to this reſolution, if thou remembreſt that he is thy Father. For what is it that hath tempted thee, and drawn thy heart at any time from him? Nothing but a little ſhort pleaſure. Nothing but a vain, and many times fooliſh, breath of a mortal man; whoſe breath is in his noſtrils, and muſt ſhortly die, and all his thoughts periſh. Nothing but that which the Moth can corrupt, or the ruſt conſume, or a Thief deſpoil us of. Nothing but a fading beauty, which ſickneſs or time will certainly bring to decay. What are all theſe to the pleaſure of pleaſing God? to the commendation and praiſe which comes from unerring and eternal wiſdom? to the durable riches, honour and beauty which our heavenly Father will give us for our portion? Our hopes in him now are infinitely better, than any thing elſe. The love of ſuch a Father is more worth, than all that the whole World can do for us. Value thy ſelf highly then, upon this account: and never call him Father more, but with the greateſt joy and contentment of heart. Be careful for nothing: Phil. 4.6, 7but in every thing by prayer and ſupplication with thanksgiving, let thy requeſts be made known unto him. Look often into thy heart, and ask if he be there: and ſay, it is enough; God is my Father, in this will I rejoyce. The peace of God which paſſeth all underſtanding, ſhall keep my heart and mind through Chriſt Jeſus.
And here you may reſolve all this month, to meditate often, upon the great FAITH and confidence which he repoſed in his heavenly Father, and expreſſed when he died, ſaying; Father, Luke 23.46.into thy hands I commend my Spirit. He truſted himſelf with him, that he ſhould have a bleſſed reſurrection. His fleſh reſted in hope, Acts 2.26.31.that he would not leave his ſoul in hell, neither ſuffer his holy one to ſee corruption. Though he was then ſcorned, abuſed, made the vileſt of men, and ſhamefully put to death upon a Gibbet; yet he took Gods word for it, that he ſhould riſe, and reign, and be glorified eternally; triumphing over all his enemies, Hell and Death it ſelf. Do thou labour to imitate him in this holy Faith, both for all the things of this life, and of that which is to come. Form thy ſelf to an habitual truſt in Gods careful Providence, and precious Promiſes; and commit thy ſelf unto him in well doing. Take care of that only; and leave all the reſt, with an aſſured confidence, to him. Let thy converſation be without covetouſneſs; be content with ſuch things as thou haſt: Heb. 13.5, 6.for he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee. So that we may boldly ſay, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man can do unto me. This is the promiſe that he hath promiſed us, 1 John 2.25.even eternal life. And theſe things ſaith the AMEN, the faithful and true witneſs, the beginning of the Creation of God; Rev. 3.14, 20, 21.If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will ſup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to ſit with me in my Throne, even as I alſo overcame, and am ſet down with my Father in his Throne.
The Thanksgiving and Prayer afterward.
I Return unto thee, O moſt great and glorious God, all praiſe and thanks, for thine infinite, unſpeakable Mercies to us the children of men. It is but juſt and reaſonable that I ſhould acknowledge thee with the heartieſt affection, and the greateſt chearfulneſs or Spirit, who haſt made us, and redeemed us, and ſent thy holy Spirit to ſanctifie us, and deſigned us to immortal glory. All the hoſt of Heaven is continually praiſing thee. The Thrones, the Dominions, the Principalities and Powers; the Apoſtles, the Prophets, the Martyrs and all the bleſſed, reſt not day nor night, ſaying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Rev. 4.8.Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Thou ever waſt, and ever wilt be the fulneſs of wiſdom, power, bounty, holineſs and truth: and therefore it is not only my juſt duty, but my happineſs to unite my heart with all that glorious company: and to bleſs thee, O Father of Mercies, who haſt brought me forth out of Nothing, and made me ſuch an excellent Creature; and ſent thy Son to ſeek and to ſave me when I was loſt; and purchaſed me to thy ſelf by his Bloud; and waſhed me in the laver of regeneration; adopted me for thy child; inſtructed me in thy holy Goſpel; guided me hitherto by thy faithful Miniſters; admitted me to the Communion of Saints; and fed me with the Body and Bloud of my deareſt Saviour. Bleſſed be that Goodneſs, which hath ſent the Holy Spirit ſo often to viſit me, to comfort, aſſiſt and conduct me through the dangers of this world: and which ſtill continues its grace unto me; though I have not always given that reverence, attention and obedience, to its heavenly motions, which I ought. Every day gives me new occaſions to ſpeak good of thy Name. And now, particularly, I am bound to render thee my thanks for the ſweet refreſhments of that holy Feaſt, of which I have been partaker; for the new reſolutions thou haſt wrought in my heart; for the freſh pledges of thy love; for the aſſurances thou haſt given me, that thou art my Father, who wilt ever take care of me;*Here pauſe a little, that your heart may be tranſported and overjoyed in the thoughts that God is your Father. — for the joys I feel in thy Fatherly love; for the comforts of Brotherly kindneſs; for all the pleaſures of thy Houſe; the fore-taſtes of Heaven, and the hope of Everlaſting life. I will greatly praiſe the Lord with my mouth, yea, Pſal. 109.30.I will praiſe him among the multitude. 116.1.I will love the Lord becauſe he hath inclined his ear unto me: I will call upon him as long as I live. 119.164.Seven times a day will I praiſe thee: becauſe of thy righteous judgments. I will truſt thee; and commit my ſelf entirely to thee. I will always hope in thy mercy; and depend on thy power and faithfulneſs; and ſatisfie my ſelf in thy kindneſs, care and fatherly Providence; and glory in this,Jer. 9.24. that I know and underſtand that thou art the Lord, which exerciſes loving kindneſs, judgment and righteouſneſs in the Earth: for in theſe things are thy delight. And therefore I wait on thee, from whom cometh my help and my ſalvation, for the conſtant ſupply of thy Holy Spirit, which I believe thou wilt give to thoſe that ask it, to ſtrengthen and enable me to pay thee my vows continually. Maintain, good Lord, ſuch a ſenſible remembrance in me, of thee and of thy love; that my heart may always be inclined to thy teſtimonies; …ſa. 119.36.and not unto covetouſneſs. That I may ſerve and pleaſe thee in all purity, heavenly-mindedneſs, ſimplicity, charity, humility, contentedneſs of ſpirit, faith, hope, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt.56.10. In the Lord will I praiſe his word. 119.114.38.In thy word do I hope. Stabliſh thy word unto thy ſervant, who is devoted to thy fear.
And I heartily deſire the Salvation and welfare of all mankind: eſpecially that all Chriſtian people may underſtand their happineſs; and walk worthy of the Lord, 1 Theſſ. 2.12.who hath called them to his Kingdom and Glory. And as thou haſt given Kings and Princes a Supream Authority over others: ſo their ſpirits may be raiſed to a greater height of Chriſtian wiſdom; that they may think it their trueſt glory to be like unto thee, in doing much good to all their ſubjects. Bleſs our Sovereign with a happy and proſperous reign; that in his days the righteous may flouriſh: and abundance of peace; Pſal. 72.7.12.that the needy may be delivered when he crieth; the poor alſo and him that hath no helper.
A Father of the fatherleſs, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. Pſal 68.5.Thou, O God, haſt prepared of thy goodneſs for the poor. Thou giveſt food to the hungry and looſeſt the priſoners; and preſerveſt … ſtrangers; and raiſeſt them that are … down; I recommend them, and … … ſerable people unto thy … and protection, who reg… … all for ever and ever. Let … ſeek thee, rejoyce, and be glad in the … ſuch as love thy ſalvation ſay continua… … God be magnified. Bleſſed be the … the Lord, from this time forth and for … more. Amen, and Amen.