The Christian Mans Calling, Treatise · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. What a Chriſtian ought to do after a Sacrament.
I Shall ſpeak to thy duty after the Supper. Thirdly,Which conſiſteth mainly in theſe two things, Thankefulneſs and Faithfulneſs.
1. Thankefulneſs. After ſuch a Banquet as this is, thou mayſt well give thanks. The Jews at their Paſſover, did ſing the hundred and thirteenth Pſalm with the five following Pſalmes, which they called the Great Hallelujah. A Chriſtian ſhould in every thing and at all times give thanks; but at a Sacrament, the great Hallelujah muſt be ſung; then God muſt have great thanks, then we muſt with our ſouls bleſs the Lord, and with all within us paiſe his holy name. O Reader, call upon thy ſelf as Barak and Deborah did; Awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, awake, Barak, utter a ſong and lead captivity captive thou ſon of Abinoam, Judg. 5. Awake my love, awake my joy, utter a ſong; a feaſt is made for laughter, and wine rejoyceth the heart of man. Friend, is not this a rare feaſt? where is thy chearful face? Is not here good wine, a cup of Nectar indeed, the blood of the Son of God? what mirth, what muſick haſt thou to this Banquet of Wines? Antiently it was the beginning and ending of Letters, Gaudete in Domino, Rejoyce in the Lord. It will be an excellent concluſion of this Ordinance, to rejoyce in the Lord. O let thy ſoul magniſie the Lord, and thy ſpirit rejoyce in God thy Saviour, Luk. 1.46, 47.
The cup in the Sacrament is called the Euchariſtical cup, or the cup of bleſſing; let it be ſo to thee. Let thy heart and mouth ſay, Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, who hath viſited and redeemed his people, Luk. 2.
Canſt thou think of that infinite love which God manifeſted to thy ſoul without Davids return, VVhat ſhall I render to the Lord for all his benefits! His heart was ſo ſet upon thy ſalvation, His Love was ſo great to thy ſoul, that he delighted in the very death of his Son, becauſe it tended to thy good. It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, Iſa. 53.10. Valde delectatus eſt, Junius reads it, He was exceedingly delighted in it. Surely the mind of God was infinitely ſet upon the recovery of loſt ſinners, in that (whereas other Parents (whoſe love to their children in compariſon of his to Chriſt, is but as a drop to the Ocean) follow their children to their graves with many tears, eſpecially when they dye violent deaths) he delighted exceedingly in the barbarous death of his onelyonly Son, in the bleeding of the head, becauſe it tended to the health and eternal welfare of the members: Friend, what manner of love hath the father loved thee with? He gave his own Son to be apprehended, that thou mighteſt eſcape; his own Son to be condemned, that thou mighteſt be acquitted; his own Son to be whipped and wounded, that thou mighteſt be cured and healed; yea his own Son to dye a ſhameful, curſed death, that thou mighteſt live a glorious, bleſſed life for ever. Glory to God in the higheſt, peace on earth, and good will to men. Alaſs how unworthy art thou of this ineſtimable mercy. Thou art by nature a child of wrath as well as others, and hadſt been now wallowing in ſin with the worſt in the World, if free grace had not renewed thee, nay thou hadſt been roaring in Hell at this hour, if free grace had not repreived thee. Thy conſcience will tell thee that thou doſt not deſerve the bread which ſpringeth out of the earth, and yet thou are fed with the bread which came down from heaven; with Angels food. O infinite love! Mayſt not thou well ſay with Mephiboſheth to David. VVhat is thy ſervant, that thou ſhouldſt look upon ſuch a dead dog as I am? For all my fathers houſe were as dead men before my Lord, yet didſt thou ſet thy ſervant among them that did eat at thine own Table; Lord, I was a loſt, dead, damned ſinner before thee, liable to the unquenchable fire, and yet thou haſt been pleaſed to ſet me among them that eat at thine own Table, and feed on thine own Son. O what is thy ſervant that thou ſhouldſt take ſuch notice of ſuch a dead dog as I am!
Look abroad in the World, and thou mayſt ſee others refuſed, when thou art choſen; others paſt by, when thou art called; others polluted, when thou art ſanctified; others put off with common gifts, when thou haſt ſpecial grace; others fed with the ſcraps of ordinary bounty, when thou haſt the fineſt of the floor, even the fruits of ſaving mercy. As Elkanah gave to Peninnah and to all her ſons and Daughters portions, but to Hannah he gave a worthy portion, becauſe he loved her; So God giveth others outward portions, ſome of the good things of this life; but to thee O Chriſtian, he giveth a Benjamins meſs, his image, his ſpirit, his ſon, himſelf, a worthy portion, a goodly heritage, becauſe he loveth thee.
Others have a little meat, and drink, and wages, but thou haſt the inheritance. Others, like Jehoſaphats younger Sons have ſome Cities, ſome ſmall matters given them, but thou like the firſt born, haſt the Kingdom, the Crown of glory; others feed on bare elements, thou haſt the Sacrament; others ſtand without doors, and thou art admitted into the preſence Chamber; others muſt fry eternally in Hell flames, and thou muſt enjoy falneſs of joy for evermore. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that choſe thee before the foundation of the World, for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that called thee by the word of his grace, for his mercy, &c. To him that gave his onelyonly Son to dye for thy ſins, for his mercy, &c. To him that entred into a Covenant of grace with thee, for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that hath provided for thee an exceeding and eternal weight of glory; for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.
Remember the poor on that day; Gods bounty to thee in ſpirituals, may well provoke thy mercy to others in carnals. The Jews at their Paſſover releaſed a Priſoner in remembrance of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Surely at the Lords Supper, when thy heart is warmed with Gods compaſſion to thee, thy hand ſhould be enlarged in contribution to the poor, in remembrance of thy redemption out of ſlavery to ſin and Satan. The Primitive Chriſtians had their collections for the poor, and the Lords Supper, both on a day, On the firſt day of the week: Becauſe the Saints like the wall being then heated by the Sun, ſhould reflect that heat on the paſſengers, on others, Acts 20.7. 2 Cor. 16.1. Thy cup runneth over, O let others drink with thee; Thy Charity may make thy Coffer lighter, but it will make thy crown heavier. It was a notable expreſſion of one, who having given much away, was like to want, and asked, what ſhe would do? I repent not of my charity, for what I have loſt in one World, I have gained in another.
2. Faithfulneſs. The Sacrament is a ſtrong engagement to ſanctity; Sacramentum eſt juramentum. At the Lords Supper thou takeſt a new Oath of Allegiance to the King of Saints, whereby every wilful iniquity after it becomes perjury. foreign; Septuam, a Hedge.The Greek word for an Oath, cometh from a word ſigniſieth an Hedge, to ſhew that an Oath ſhould keep men in, and prevent their wandering out of the field of Gods word. It is the character of an Harlot, She forgetteth the Covenant of her God. Prov. 2.17. I know that the Devil will come to ſit with thee after Supper. Flies love to ſettle on the ſweeteſt perfumes. When Iſrael had drunk of the Rock which followed them (which Rock was Chriſt) then Amalek fought them. When Jeſus Chriſt had received the Sacrament of Baptiſm, then the Devil purſued him with his fierce aſſaults. When thou haſt been at the Table, expect the Tempter. That ſubtle theif will hear of the new treaſure of grace which is brought into thy houſe, thy heart, and will uſe all his pollicy and power to rob thee of it; thy care muſt be by ſtronger Bolts and Locks then ordinary, by greater diligence and watchfulneſs then before, to ſecure it.
Surely Reader, If thou didſt but find the Saviour in the Sacrament, thou canſt not but fear ſin after the Sacrament. Thou haſt ſeen what ſin coſt Chriſt; didſt thou not at the Table ſee the Lord Jeſus hanging on the Croſs? Didſt thou not thus beſpeak thy ſoul? Look O my ſoul, who hangeth there! Alaſs, it is thy deareſt Redeemer. See his bloody head, bloody hands, bloody back, belly, his body all over bloody, But O his bleeding ſoul! Doſt thou not hear his lamentation. My God, My God, why haſt thou forſaken me? What thinkeſt thou, is the cauſe of all this? Ah tis thy ſins which is the ſource of all theſe ſorrows. And canſt thou joyn with them, or love thoſe luſts that hate the Lord? Canſt thou wound him whom God hath wounded, and crucifie the Lord Jeſus afreſh. Hath not thy Saviour ſuffered enough already! O here is a Medicine inſtar omnium, inſtead of all, to kill thoſe diſeaſes of thy ſoul. It is ſaid of the Souldiers of Pompey, that though he could not keep them in the Camp by any perſwaſion, yet when Pompey threw himſelf upon the ground and told them, If ye will go, ye ſhall trample upon your General. Then ſaith Plutarch (in the life of Pompey) they were overcome. Truely if nothing will diſſwade thee from ſin, yet this conſideration, that it is a trampling upon thy bleſſed Saviour, ſhould prevail with thee. Though thou ſhouldſt be marching never ſo furiouſly, yet (as Joabs Souldiers, when they ſaw the dead body of Amaſa, ſtay'd their march and ſtood ſtill) when thou ſeeſt the mangled, wounded, peirced, crucified body of thy Saviour, thou ſhouldſt ſtop & proceed no further.
How many arguments mayſt thou find in this ordinance, to be cloſe in thy obedience! The greatneſs of Chriſts love calleth for graciouſneſs in thy life. The love of Chriſt conſtraineth, 2 Cor. 5.14. Other Motives may perſwade, but this compelleth. If deliverance from the yoke of Pharoah were ſuch a bond to obedience, what is deliverance from ſin, & wrath, & hell? mayſt not thou Reader, ſay with the Jews, After ſuch a deliverance as this, ſhould I again break thy Commandements, woulſt thou not be angry with me till thou haſt conſumed me? Ezr. 9.13. They that receive ſuch courteſies (if any men the World) ſell their liberty, and ought to be Chriſts ſervants, … Friend, hath God wiped off the old ſcore? & wilt thou run again in debt? did Chriſt ſpeak peace to thee at the Table, and wilt thou turn again to folly? O Reader, when thou art tempted to ſin, ſay with the Spouſe, I have waſhed my feet, how ſhall I defile them? I have waſhed my ſoul, how ſhall I pollute it with ſin? I have given my ſelf wholly to God before Angels & men, and how can I do this great wickednes & ſin againſt my God, againſt my Saviour, againſt my Covenant. There is a beaſt (ſome write) which if ſhe be feeding, & doth but turn her head about, forgeteth what ſhe was doing. O do not thou after thou haſt fed on the bread of life forget what thou waſt doing; but as at the Sacrament thou haſt remembred Chriſts death, ſo do it after by dying to ſin all the days of thy life. O do not uſe this ordinance, as Papiſts do the Popes Indulgences, to purchaſe a new licence to ſin. Judas went from the Supper to betray his Maſter; Abſolom as arrant a diſſembler as he was, pretended to hate ſuch ingratitude; Is this thy kindneſs to thy friend (ſaith he to Huſhai) why haſt thou left him? when thou art by any finiſter carriage departing from Chriſt, give conſcience leave to ask thee, Is this thy kindneſs to thy friend? Ah why doſt thou leave him, & ſerve him thus? thy ſins will be more ſinful becauſe God is more merciful to thee then to others; The children of Iſrael have (onelyonly the Seventy read) done evil from their youth up, Jer. 32.30 As if there had been no ſinners in the world but they; their priviledges being greater then others, their provocations were more grievous. The unkindneſs of a friend hath much of an enemy in it. David was not much troubled at Shimei's rayling, but Abſoloms rebellion pierced his very ſoul; My ſon that came out of my bowels hath lifted up his hands againſt me. Wilt thou give thy Saviour cauſe to complain, He that did eat bread with me hath lift up his heels againſt me? Pſal. 41.3. He that did eat at my table, nay eat of my fleſh and drink of my blood, he hath lift up his heart, and his hand, and his heel againſt me? It was an aggravation of Sauls fall, he fell as though he had not been anointed, 2 Sam. 1. And it will be a ſad aggravation of thy fall, if thou ſhouldſt fin as if thou hadſt not been at a Sacrament.
It is reported of an Elephant that being faln down, and by reaſon of the inflexibleneſs of his legs, unable to riſe, a Forreſter came by and helped him up, with which kindneſs the Elephant was ſo taken that he followed the man up and down, did him much ſervice, and never left him till his dying day. Reader, the moral is plain, thou waſt faln, and never able to riſe of thy ſelf: The Lord Jeſus Chriſt forſook his Father in Heaven and his Mother on Earth, ſuffered unconceivable ſorrows to help thee up; what love ſhouldſt thou have to him? what ſervice ſhouldſt thou do for him? Thou canſt not do leſs, ſince he hath redeemed thee out of the hands of thine enemies, then ſerve him in holineſs and righteouſneſs all thy days. As the Hop in its growing follows the courſe of the Sun from Eaſt to Weſt, and will rather break then do otherwiſe; So ſhouldſt thou in all thy actions follow the courſe of the Sun of Righteouſneſs, and rather dye then deny him.
When Moſes came from the Mount where he had been converſing with God, his face ſhined, Exod. 34.30. When thou goeſt from the Table where thou haſt had ſweet communion with thy God, The face of thy converſation muſt ſhine ſo with holineſs that others may take notice of it.
Its ſaid of the High Prieſt and Elders that obſerving the language and carriage of Peter and John, They marvelled, and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jeſus, Acts 4.13. So thy words ſhould be ſo gracious, and thy works ſo exemplary after a Sacrament, that all thoſe with whom thou haſt to do, may marvel and take knowledge that thou haſt b…en with Jeſus; that at the Table thou didſt ſup with Chriſt, and Chriſt with thee.
I ſhall onelyonly anſwer a doubt or two from a troubled Conſcience; and conclude this Ordinance.
Object. 1. But poſſbly thou wilt ſay (O penitent Soul!) I have been at the Sacrament and found little joy, what ſhall I do?
Anſw. Though thou didſt not finde any raviſhing comfort at the Table, yet it may be thou mightſt receive more grace from Chriſt. When thou didſt not ſpring upward in Joy, thou mightſt root thy ſelf more downward in Humility. Here is no loſs; Heaven is the proper place for comfort, Earth for Grace. I expect my reward in another World; if I can but do my work well here, I ſhall be ſatisfied. A ſerious Chriſtian may well be contented with ſolid peace without extaſies. Therefore be not diſcouraged.
Object. 2. But I finde no peace, no calmneſs of ſpirit. I fear my heart was ſo dead and dull, that I did neither act grace in the ordinance, nor receive grace through the ordinance, for I ſaw never a ſmile in Gods face all the while.
Anſw. Didſt thou not go in thine own ſtrength? if ſo, no wonder that thou art diſheartned. Jacob told his Wives, I perceive that your Fathers countenance is not towards me as at other times; but what was the matter; This Jacob, ſay Labans ſons, hath taken away all that was our Fathers, he hath got his riches. The glory of God (as I may ſay) is his Wealth, his Treaſure, The riches of his glory, Rom. 9.23. Now if thou didſt rob God of any part, of his treaſure by thy ſelf-confidence, it is no marvil that thy fathers countenance was not ſo pleaſant towards thee as at other times. In brief, I would wiſh thee to reflect both upon thy preparation for, and carriage at the Ordinance, and if thou findeſt thy ſelf faulty, confeſs and bewail it; hereby thou mayſt yet attain the efficacy of the Ordinance. When Phyſick is taken down, and doth not work, Phyſitians often give their Patients ſomething to quicken it, and it proves exceeding inſtrumental for the diſeaſed perſons good; A ſincere lamentation of thy negligence before, or careleſneſs at the Table (ſuppoſing that thy heart be right with God) will much help forward the operation of the Sacrament. If thou findeſt that thou waſt faithful in the diſcharge of thy duty, then by no means deſpond, but wait. Food doth not nouriſh as ſoon as it is taken into the body, there muſt be time allowed for concoction. The ſtrongeſt meats are longeſt in digeſting, but they give the moſt and the beſt nouriſhment. Faith and Prayer will at laſt, like skilful Midwives, deliver the promiſes ſafely of thoſe bleſſings which did ſtick for a time in the birth. It is good that thy ſoul ſhould both hope, and quietly wait for the ſalvation of God. There is light ſown for thee, O thou child of light, who walkeſt in darkneſs, and be confident it will ſpring up.
A good Wiſh about the Lords Supper, wherein the ſormer Heads are Epitomized.
THe Lords Supper being one of the greateſt myſteries of the Chriſtian Religion, The Introduction.a lively repreſentation of my deareſt Saviours bleeding paſſion, and bleſſed affection, and a real taſte of that eternal Banquet which I ſhall hereafter eat of in my Fathers houſe at his own Table, I wiſh in general that I may never diſtaſte the perſon of my beſt friend by abuſing his picture; that I may not go to the Lords Table as Swine to their trough, in my ſin and pollution, but may receive thoſe holy elements into a clean heart. Motives to preparation. Chriſts inſpection.O that my lamp might be flaming and my veſſel filled with oyl, when ever I go to meet the Bridegroom! I wiſh in particular that my ſoul may be ſo throughly affected with Chriſts ſpecial preſence at this ſacred Ordinance, that I may both prepare for it, and proceed at it with all poſſible ſeriouſneſs and diligence. O let me never be ſo unworthy and impudent as to defile that holy Feaſt before the Authors face.
*The unworthy perſons dreadful condition guilty of Chriſts deathI wiſh that my heart may have an infinite reſpect for the blood of my Saviour, the ſtream in which all my comforts both for this and a better World come ſwiming to me, which hath landed thouſands ſafely at the Haven of eternal happineſs, one drop of which I am ſure is more worth then heaven and earth; that as all murder is abominable, being againſt the light of nature, ſo Chriſt-murder may be moſt of all abhorr'd by me, as being directly againſt the cleareſt light of Scripture, and the choiceſt love which ever was diſcovered to the children of men. Good Lord, whatever I jeſt with, let me never ſport or dally with the death of thy Son! Let me not give him cauſe to complain of me (as once of Judas) he that dippeth his hand with me in the diſh, is the ſame that betrayeth me! Let me never buy a Sacrament (as the Jews the Potters field with the price of blood) Deliver me from blood-guiltineſs O God, thou God of my Salvation, and my tongue ſhall ſing aloud of thy loving kindneſs.
I wiſh that true ſelf-love may be ſo prevalent with me, Of his own damnation.that ſince I beleive the prophanation of the moſt precious things will be moſt pernicious to my ſoul (as the whiteſt Ivory is turned by the fire into the deepeſt black, and the ſweeteſt wine becometh the ſharpeſt vinegar) I may tremble and fear before I receive, leſt I ſhould poiſon my ſelf with that potion which is intended for my health, and cut the throat of my precious ſoul, with that Knife wherewith I may cut bread, feed on it, Preparation, which conſiſteth in Examination of the good in us.and live for ever.
I wiſh that I may prepare my heart to meet the God of Iſrael at this holy Ordinance; and to this end that I may be impartial in the ſearch and examination of my ſoul, whether I come ſhort of the grace of God or no. Of the truth of grace.Phyſitians judge ſometimes of the inward parts by the tongue. The Roman Emperor Tiberius when one pretended to the Crown of a Kingdom, diſcovered him to be a counterfeit, by feeling his hands, and finding that they were not ſoft, as of a perſon tenderly bread, but hard as the hands of a Mechanicke. I deſire that both by my tongue and hand, by my words and works, I may know the ſtate and condition of my heart. In ſpecial, my prayer is, Of Faiththat I may never fail to try my faith which is to the ſoul, what the natural heat is to the body, by vertue of which the nutritive faculty turneth the food into nouriſhment, but may make ſure of an intereſt in the Vine, before I drink of the fruit thereof.
I wiſh that before I go for a diſcharge, Examination of the evil in us.I may look into the book of my conſcience, caſt up my accounts, and conſider how inſinitely I am indebted to my God, that I may conſider whence I am fallen, Humiliationand Repent, and like Tamar, though I am raviſhed and defiled by force, may yet rent my garments, my heart I mean with godly ſorrow, and ſelf-abhorrency. O that my ſoul might be ſo ſearched to the bottom, that none of my wounds may feſter, Reformationbut all may be diſcovered and cured. I pray that I may not dare to turn the Table of the Lord into the Table of Divels, by receiving the Sacrament in the love of any known ſin, but may go to it with an hearty deteſtation of every falſe way, and an holy reſolution againſt every known wickedneſs. Dependance on Chriſt.I wiſh that after all my pains in preparing my ſelf, I may look up to Chriſt alone for aſſiſtance, as knowing that I am not ſufficient of my ſelf ſo much as to think any thing, but my ſufficiency is of God; Bleſſed Saviour, be thou ſurety for thy Servant, and bound for my good behaviour at thy laſt and loving Supper.
I wiſh that when I come to the Table, At the Table Subjects to be conſidered. Chriſts paſſion.I may like the beloved Diſciple, behold the wounds of my Saviour, and ſee that water and blood which did flow out of his ſide, that as in the Goſpel I read a narrative, ſo in this ordinance I may have a proſpective of his ſufferings; how he emptied himſelf to fill me, and to raiſe my reputation with his Father, laid down his own; how he humbled himſelf, though he had the favour of a Son, to the form of a ſervant, and though he were the Lord of life, and glory to the moſt ignominious death, even the death of the Croſs.
I wiſh that in his ſpecial paſſion I may ever take notice of his affection, Chriſts affection.and eſteem the laying down his life, as the Hyperbole of his love, the higheſt note that love could poſſibly reach. Ah how neer did this High Prieſt carry my name to his heart, when he willingly vnderwent the rage of Hell, to purchaſe for me a paſſage to heaven. I will remember thy love more then Wine. Our own corruptions.I deſire that when I ſee Chriſt crucified before mine eyes, in the breaking of the bread, and pouring out of the wine, I may not forget the cauſe, my corruptions, but may ſo think of them, and my Saviours kindneſs, in dying to make ſatisfaction for them, that as fire expelleth fire, ſo I may be enabled by the fire of love to expel and caſt out the fire of luſt.
I wiſh that however my body be attired, Graces to be exerciſed. Faithmy ſoul may by faith put on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt at this Heavenly feaſt; that I may not onelyonly look up to him (as the Criple to Peter and John) expecting an almes, but may receive him by beleiving, and ſo banquet on his bleſſed body, and bathe my ſoul in his precious blood; that my ſpirit may rejoyce in God my Saviour, whilſt I am aſſured that though the pain were his, yet the profit is mine; though the wounds were his, yet the balm iſſuing thence is mine; though the thorns were his, yet the Crown is mine; and though the price were his, yet the purchaſe is mine. O let him be mine in in poſſeſſion and claim, and then he will be mine in fruition and comfort; Lord I beleive, Lovehelp mine unbeleif! I wiſh (ſince love is the greateſt thing my Saviour can give me; for God is love, and the greateſt thing which I can give my Saviour) that his love to me may be reflected back to him again, that my chiefeſt love may be as a fountain ſealed up to all others, and broched only for him who is altogether lovely, that I may hate Father, Mother, Wife, Child, Houſe and Land, out of love to him; that many waters of affliction may not quench this love, but rather like Snuffers make this lamp to burn the brighter. Beaſts love them who feed them. Wicked men love their friends and benefactours; My very cloaths warming me, are warmed by me; again, and ſhall not I love him who hath loved me, and waſhed me in his own blood! O that I could groundedly cry out with Ignatius, My love was crucified; and meet this Lord of Heaven, as Elijah went up to Heaven in a Chariot of fire, in a flame of love; RepentanceI deſire that I may follow Chriſt at this Ordinance, as the Women did to his Croſs, weeping, conſidering that my ſins were the cauſe of his bitter and bloody ſuffering; and O that as Saul eyed David, I might eye them all from that day forward, to ſlay and deſtroy them.
When my ſoul hath been thus feaſted with Marrow and fatneſs, After the Sacrament. ThankfulneſsLord let my mouth praiſe thee with joyful lips. Ah what am I, and what is my Fathers houſe? that when others eat the bread of violence, and drink the wine of deceit, I ſhould eat the fleſh and drink the blood of thine own Son! What is man that thou art ſo mindful of him, and the Son of man that thou doſt thus viſit him? I wiſh that I may ſhew my thankefulneſs to my God and deareſt Saviour, for theſe benefits (the worth of which men and Angels can never conceive) by the love of my heart, the praiſes of my lips, Faithfulneſsand the exemplarineſs of my life. At the Sacrament Chriſt gave his body and blood to me, and I gave my body and ſoul a living Sacrifice to him, and that before God, Angels, and Men; the Sacrament was Beerſheba, the Well of an Oath. Shall I pollute that heart which was ſolemnly devoted to God, and prophane that Covenant which I have ſeriouſly contracted with the moſt High? Should I like Sampſon, break thoſe bands aſunder and fetch that Sacrifice away from the Altar, which was tyed with ſuch ſtrong cords of Oaths and Covenants; muſt I not expect to bring the fire along with it! O let me never ſtart aſide from my vow like a deceitful bow. Lord I have ſworn and will perform, that I will keep through thy ſtrength thy righteous judgements. Laſtly I deſire that I may not onelyonly differ from them who like the Habaſſineſs, In Preſter Iohns Country.will not fpit on a Sacrament day, but will ſpue the next day; deny ſin at preſent, but afterwards Deifie it; that I may not onelyonly be faithful to my Oath of Allegiance, but alſo fruitful in obedience; that as Elijah walked in the ſtrength of one meal forty days, I may walk in the ſtrength of that Banquet, ſerving my Saviour, and my Soul, all my days. In a word, I wiſh that I may ever after walk worthy of my birth, having Royal, Heavenly blood running in my veins; worthy of my breeding, being brought up in the nurture of the Lord, fed at his own Table with the bread of Heaven, cloathed with the Robes of his Sons Righteouſneſs; and that my preſent deportment may be anſwerable to my future preferment: O that I might in all companies, conditions and ſeaſons, walk worthy of him, who hath called me to his Kingdom and glory! Amen.