Directions fo the Worthy Receiving the Blessed Sacrament, Title page – To the reader
DIRECTIONS WITH PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS FOR The Worthy Receiving The Blessed Sacrament.
By the Famous Mr. Charles Drelincourt.
Minister of the Reformed Church at Charanton.
Out of French.
London, Printed for Abel Swalle at the Unicorn at the West End of St. Pauls, and Samuel Tidmarsh at the Kings Head in Cornhil. 1680.
THE AUTHOR To the Christian READER.
READER,
THe Apostle St. Paul, writing to the Church of Corinth, declares to them that because of the Irreverence and want of Devotion, wherewith they approached the Lords Supper, many amongst them were sick and many dead.
I cannot tell if we may not attribute to the same Defect, most part of the Evils and Calamities which exercise our Churches; for all of us almost partake of that Holy Sacrament without examining our Consciences, and our Hearts not being touched with Repentance, we pro…ane the most Holy Things.
When we are to ap…ear before a great King, we put on our most suitable Apparel, we compose our Gestures, and consider long with our selves what we are to say. But we present our …elves before the King of Kings, without the Garment of Holiness, which alone is well…leasing in his sight. duplicate page duplicate page We speak unadvisedly and with uncomely Gestures: And when w… draw near to him with our Lips, our Heart many times is far from him.
We will not sit down to an ordinary Table with unwashen hands but we approach th… Table of the onelyonly begotten Son of God, an… have not washed our hands in Innocence.
In short, The mos… part put no differenc… betwixt common Bread and Wine, and this Spiritual Feast which God prepares for his faithful Servants.
As they come unto that Holy Table without convenient Preparation, so during the Celebration of that Ve…eral Sacrament, they meditate not upon the mistery of their Redemption, not having before their Eyes Christ Jesus Crucified.
Hence it is that the Heart is not moved nor inflamed with th… Love of God; and tha… finding no relish in thos… sacred Dainties, the… ruminate not upo… them in their Spirits not considering that a God of old, would hav… no Sacrifice offered … him of those Beast which chewed not th… Cud, so now in hi… Church he rejects thos… who meditate not upo… the greatness of hi… Mercies.
But as God reserves to himself always a remnant according to the Election of Grace; so there are some that acknowledge the necessity of this Preparation, because of the Apostle's express command; That every one try himself: And the Example of our Lord Jesus Christ, who washed the Feet of his Disciples before he administred to them the Holy Supper: But they find themselves at … great stand, when they would come to the exercise of it. And in effect there is nothing more difficult than to disengage our minds from worldly Affairs, and to clip the Wings of their Natural Levity, that we may captivate them to the Meditation of Heavenly Things. To rouse then some out of that profane Stupidity, and to help the Piety of others, many Learned Men have published their Prayers and Holy Meditations; but forasmuch as for most part they are bound up with other works, and that People stood in need of a Manual, which treated of nothing else, I have been often desired to publish a small Collection of my Studies and Meditation, which I composed some time ago for the particular use of my self and Famil…
I have long resiste that suit, no man knowing my Imperfection better than my self and besides that, th… continual Duties of ou… Calling suffered me no… to re-view that littl… Work, and give it it last strokes. But have at length yielde… considering that in thi… wretched Age, wher… in Zeal every wher decayes, and Charit… grows cold, it is goo… to gather together even the smallest Sparks of that sacred Fire; and that God having of old forbidden to carve his Altar, hath taught us that in Matters which concern his Service, Simplicity is pleasing unto him; and that the Prayers whereby we mount up to God in the Name of Christ Jesus, ought not to be elaborated with affectation of much Art.
God who was not displeased with th… poor Widows Mite will not despise thi… grain of Incense which I offer upon his Altar.
I doubt not, Christian Reader, but that you will take pleasure in that sweet swell. Such Meditations are of no relish to worldly Man. A brutish Man knoweth not, neither doth a Fool understand this; but if thou hast thy Senses exercised to discern Spiritual Things, and takest pleasure in the Reading & Meditation of Hevenly Things, thou wilt certainly profit thereby; and like the Blessed Ʋirgin, lay up in thnie Heart what ever is said of Jesus. Which that thou maist do, is the hearty Wish and Prayer of
Thine in the Lord.