SECT. I. The Introduction.

THOU hast here represented to thee, in a little room, I think, all that is necessary to render thee a meet and pro­fitable Receiver of the Holy and most Comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. And I suppose it is in such a Manner represented, as is most fit and likely, with the Blessing of God, to possess [Page 2] thee with all the Qualifications requi­site in him that comes to this Sacra­ment, if thou wilt afford this little Book a serious and frequent perusal. If thou hast been so unhappy, and so much mistaken in thy true Interest, as never to have laid these things to Heart before, and to have liv'd in the neglect of this Blessed Ordinance; I would advise, I would entreat thee of­ten to read and study these things till thou art familiarly acquainted, and deeply affected with them; that thou mayest to thy Advantage come well prepar'd to this Sacrament. If the things herein contain'd have already affected thy Heart, and had a good In­fluence on thy Life, and thou art a fre­quent Attendant upon this Sacrament, it may suffice to read this Book as of­ten as thou canst on the Week before thou comest to it, as a good Weeks preparation for it. And for those who Communicate every Lord's Day (as I wish all Christians did) it may suffice, commonly, to retire sometime on the [Page 3] Day before, or get up the sooner on the Sacrament-Day, and seriously Me­ditate on the Exercises herein propo­sed, which are design'd to excite him that has an habitual fitness for this Sa­crament into an actual one, and are usefull for that purpose. I say com­monly this may be enough for such; but yet even they also may find it ne­cessary and usefull sometimes, when leisure allows, to read the whole.

To make it as short as I could, and yet as comprehensive too, I have ven­tur'd to leave out what might have been said to justifie the Method and Parts of it; presuming also that this will not be necessary.

Because what is requisite to render a Man a meet Receiver of this Sacra­ment is also necessary, and is sufficient to constitute a good Christian, and to bring him to Heaven: Therefore I have said in the Title, that the whole Method and Way of our Salvation is herein plainly declar'd. So that if any Soul be solicitous about that Grand [Page 4] and most Concerning Question, What must I do to be saved? he may find it herein resolv'd. And whether this Ho­ly Sacrament may be accounted and used as a Means of Conversion to a Good Life or not; yet I hope that, by the Blessing of God, this little Book may be such a Means to many, if Men will but think it worth their while to do so much towards their own Ever­lasting Happiness, as to read and con­sider so small a Treatise.

That another Book should be pub­lish'd on this Subject, after so many which have gone before it, will not seem strange to any one who knows the Incomparable Pleasure of Devout Thoughts, and the peculiar aptness of this Subject to afford them, together with the Inclination both of Grace and Nature to endeavour to possess others with what-ever has made a great Im­pression on our selves. And I believe, when this Book is well consider'd, it may appear, after all the rest, to have its Necessity and Usefulness.

SECT. II. The Creation of Man.

WHEN it is said in the first Chapter of Genesis, that God saw every thing that He had made, and behold it was very good: This means, that the Creatour, upon the review of his Works, was pleased and delighted in them; and that He hated nothing [Page 6] that He had made: For, what we Hate, we wish that it were not, espe­cially not such as it is. If therefore the Creatour had hated any thing that He had made, He had made it to be such as He would not have it to be; Which is not to be supposed of Infi­nite Wisdom and Goodness, and of such Power as is able to make every thing what He pleases it shall be. Mankind therefore, among the other Works of God, were made very good, and were pleasing to our Maker. In­deed He made Man a very Noble and Excellent sort of Creature, such as must be peculiarly pleasing to Him­self above all things in this lower World: As we may judge by those words in Gen. 1. 27. God created Man in his Own Image. This was the pecu­liar Glory of Man, and that which chiefly advanced Him above the Crea­tures about Him: And it did princi­pally consist in these things following. That as He had Faculties capable of knowing, loving and obeying God, He [Page 7] was disposed to do so: He knew God to be the most Excellent Being, and did accordingly Reverence and Esteem Him: He knew Him to be the Foun­tain Good, and His chief Good, and did accordingly fix the choice of his Will upon Him; and valued His Fa­vour and Love, by which we enjoy God, as his greatest and only Felicity. There was then no Errour nor false Reasoning in his Understanding, no perverse Choice in his Will, no Inor­dinacy in any of his Appetites, no Mo­tions in them contrary to His Reason. In nothing was Man enclin'd to con­tradict his Duty to God, or any of the Eternal Laws of Righteousness. Up­on this account it was that Man was very good, and belov'd of His Maker. And being so belov'd, He liv'd in per­fect Peace and Happiness: He was not encombred with any Evil; He wanted nothing that He had occasion for. It appears His kind Creatour would not cease doing for Him, till He had pro­vided for all His Necessities, and De­sires; [Page 8] that so He might be compleatly Happy. Man then enjoy'd the wil­ling and ready Service of all the Crea­tures about Him. He enjoy'd Him­self, and could with pleasure consider and praise God for the Noble and Ex­cellent Nature which his Maker had given Him: He had an easie and a quiet Mind, had no conflicts within himself, had no occasion to rebuke or fall out with himself. He enjoy'd then his God too, being assur'd of his Fa­vour, and receiving the constant Com­munications of it. He could, with great delight, contemplate and praise the glorious Attributes of God; And the Divine Wisdom, Power, Righte­ousness, Goodness and Truth were ve­ry pleasant to Him, while he was as­sur'd that all these were friendly, and would be favourable to Him. This was Man's first Condition; a very Ex­cellent and Happy one; but, alas! through his own default it did not last long.

SECT. III. The First Covenant between God and Man.

IT is very probable that all the Par­ticular dealings of God with Man, in this condition, are not told us in that short account which Moses gives us of the Beginnings of the World. It being enough for us to know in Ge­neral what is the Spring and Source of all that Sin and Misery which is now found among Mankind; The knowledge of which is of some Use and Importance towards our getting free from both. But what is told us of the Transactions between God and Man in that state, we may think we shall most truly Understand, and most rightly Interpret, if we guide our selves herein by the Tenour of his dealing with Mankind since that. From what is told us, then, of that time, and from what appears since, we may learn, That [Page 10] it pleased the Creatour, when He had made Man, and had so highly oblig'd Him, to take upon himself the Rela­tion of a Governour to his Creature, as He had the undoubted Right of one; and he very justly thought fit to exercise a Dominion over him for his Good. It was therefore, we may sup­pose, promised to Man, that He should enjoy the Favour of his Maker, and a perfect Happiness both of Body and Soul, upon the Condition that He would continue in the due Reverence and Love of his Maker, and Obey his Commands. And it was made known to him that He should fall from the best of his Excellency, from that where­in He was so pleasing to His Maker; and from all his Happiness, if he did not continue steadfast in his Duty, and perfectly perform it, as God had ina­bled him to do. And this is that which is commonly call'd the First Covenant.

SECT. IV. The Sacraments of That.

MOreover God having made Man to consist of a Body and a Soul, and knowing that it is natural to Him, for the Objects of his Senses to make great Impressions, and to have a migh­ty Influence upon his Mind: His Wis­dom and Goodness order'd Matters so, as that his Senses might help to ad­monish him of his Duty, and to as­sure him of his Happiness in the per­formance of it. And this we may sup­pose was the Reason and Ground of God's separating two Trees, in the Garden where he had placed our First Parents, for a peculiar and uncommon Use: The One call'd the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; the O­ther call'd the Tree of Life. These we may reckon to have been the Sacra­ments of the First Covenant: For in these were Spiritual things by God's [Page 12] appointment represented by outward and visible Signs and Actions. Man was assisted to remember his Duty▪ and Obligations to his Maker by that Tree, call'd the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. For we may suppose that the Fruit of this Tree was set a-part by God wholly for the following pur­pose: Man was to take care to culti­vate this Tree as well as others; but he was to offer the Fruit of it at set­times solemnly and religiously to God, as a visible Acknowledgment that he owned Him the Maker of all things, and the Supreme Lord and the Pro­prietour of all. This was reserved, as we may say, by God, to be a devoted Thing, and Man's Thank-offering to Him for all the rest of his Gifts. And for this reason Man was forbid to eat of it himself. For we find in later Times, It was always held a very hei­nous and guilty Thing for Men to eat of, or use what God had separated and reserved to Himself. Now such a sen­sible, outward Performance, as the so­lemn [Page 13] offering of this Fruit to God, and the looking upon it and using it onely as a Devoted Thing, was an excellent and fit Means to admonish Mankind for ever to acknowledge their Maker and Preserver as the Supreme Lord and Proprietour of all things: As it was a sensible Declaration that they did make this Acknowledgment, so it was a sensible Obligation of themselves that they would continue to do so; and the more a help to them to con­tinue it, and to answer all the Obliga­tions which naturally result from it in the Course of their Lives.

And then the other Tree was ap­pointed to assure Man, upon his per­fect Obedience, of his Immortality and Everlasting Happiness. So that whilst he continued stedfast in his Duty, he had right to take and eat the Fruit of this Tree: And he might take it as God's visible and sensible Pledge, and as an Instrument of Conveyance of Eter­nal Life and Happiness to Him. In like manner, as now we have leave [Page 14] from God to look upon the Rain-bow, not only as the natural Effect of the Sun shining upon a falling shower, but, as God's visible pledge and assurance to Mankind, that He will never again destroy the World with a Deluge of Water.

SECT. V. The Sin and Fall of Man.

THIS account shows the exceed­ing great Guilt and Wickedness of the Sin of our First Parents. Their Sin was, that they did Eat of that For­bidden Fruit; and so they used and took to themselves what was reserv'd and devoted to God. It was the bring­ing to a Common use that which was separated by his appointment to a Re­ligious one, and was the profaning of a Hallow'd or Holy Thing. But let it be consider'd a little how monstrous and vile this Sin of our First Parents [Page 15] was! How soon had they forgotten the mighty Obligations which the Creatour had so lately laid upon them! How bountifull had he been to them! How much had he freely given them! And He with-held and reserv'd but one Fruit to Himself; and this, we may say, they grudg'd and envied Him: They would not be content with so vast a provision as he had made for them, but would needs have this af­forded too. The poor depending Crea­ture, that deriv'd his Being, and all he had, would needs be sole Proprietour and absolute Lord of all things on the Earth, and would acknowledge no Su­periour! They had no need of this Fruit, were perfectly happy without it; and might have continued so hap­py, if they would have abstained from this; But they most unreasonably de­spised their Happiness, and hazarded the losing it for the sake of the Satis­faction and Advantage which they ex­pected from this single Fruit. The Creatour indeed had been so good to [Page 16] them, they would not believe he would so severely punish their Eating this Fruit, as he had threatned to do; and so that which should have oblig'd them to be stedfast in their Duty, was most perversely turn'd into an Encourage­ment of Sin. Oh vile and shamefull Wickedness! Let us consider from what a vile Original we all spring, and be all humbled and asham'd.

In yielding to this foul Act, they lost that Holiness and Righteousness which they had been endow'd with, and by which especially they had been pleasing to their Maker. In this also they broke the Condition of the First Covenant, which requir'd that they should constantly Reverence and Love their Creatour, and obey Him in all things. And the sad Consequence of this was, That they hereby lost the Favour of God, and forfeited all their own Happiness. They lost all Right to the good things of this World; to the Obedience, and Serviceableness of the Creatures which God had made for [Page 17] them. They became liable to the Pe­nalty which God had threatned to in­flict, and immediately upon the Trans­gression did deserve to have been put to Death, and to be thrown into the place of Everlasting Punishment, pre­par'd for the Devil and his Angels.

SECT. VI. The New Covenant.

AND the utmost severity of the Threatning had been immedi­ately executed in that manner upon them, we may believe, according as it was said, In the day thou attest thereof, thou shalt surely die; If the Son of God had not become a Mediatour on their behalf. And He freely undertook to do what ever might be necessary to ren­der it consistent with the Honour of God to receive his Rebellious Crea­tures into Favour again, to release their Obligation to Everlasting Punishment, [Page 18] and restore them to perfect Happiness. What He then undertook to do to this purpose, we may learn and con­clude from what He did in the Ful­ness of Time: And that was; That He would unite Himself to the Humane Nature, and would become Man. In that Nature He would perform a per­fect Obedience to God the Father, that He might merit, for Mankind, the Happiness which was setled to be the Reward of perfect Obedience. And, to excuse Man from the Eternal Death, which He had deserved by his Sin, He undertook to suffer Death in his stead, and so to make his Death a Sacrifice for the Sins of Mankind. Thus much did He, very kindly and of his own accord, undertake to do for us; and he was accepted of the Father, and as­sur'd that He should, by doing thus, obtain the Favour for us which He de­sir'd. So He procur'd for Man that he should not be utterly cast off and thrown into endless Misery; but have other terms of Favour appointed him: [Page 19] And this Dispensation or Appointment is that which is called the New Cove­nant: And it is call'd the New Cove­nant in his Blood, because it was pro­cur'd by his Undertaking to shed his Blood in the Humane Nature as a Sa­crifice for Sin. Upon this our First Parents were permitted to live, to en­joy, in some measure, the Good things of this World for a while, and had space allow'd them to make their Peace with God; to recover his Favour, and their own Happiness.

We must know, that since it was a setled Law before the Fall of Man, that He should propagate such as Himself; and his Posterity should be reckon'd in the same state and relation towards God with their Father, who begat them: Therefore when the First Pa­rents of Mankind thus became pollu­ted by their Sin, and were fallen in­to the state of guilty Rebels against God; All their Posterity must needs come polluted into this World, as un­clean things out of unclean, and must [Page 18] [...] [Page 19] [...] [Page 20] be born Children of Wrath, as the Scrip­ture speaks. We therefore have the same task upon us which our First Pa­rents had; that is, To recover the Fa­vour of God and our Everlasting Hap­piness, by performing now the Terms and Conditions of this Second Cove­nant.

Let us see then, what the Tenour of this New Covenant is: What are the Duties which it requires to be per­form'd on our part: And what are the Promises of it on God's part; the Blessings which it offers to make us partakers of upon the Condition of performing those Duties.

SECT. VII. On Our Part.

FIrst let us take notice of our own part of this Covenant, and ob­serve what it is that God requires of us, to whom the Gospel is preached, [Page 21] which we must do to be saved. And because all Mankind are now consider'd by God as guilty and polluted Crea­tures; as having sinned, and being dis­posed to do wickedly; There is first re­quired of us, That we repent and turn from Sin. In the next place, because we must return to God; it is required, That we do believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith: And lastly, That we engage our selves, and endeavour to keep God's Holy Will and Com­mandments, and walk in the same all the Days of our Life. But because the Heart of Man is deceitfull and wicked, and we are so backward to do our Duty, that we are unwilling to know it; Therefore it will be requi­site to mention somewhat particularly, the Things contain'd under these three General Heads.

The First main Branch of our Duty is, That we repent and turn from Sin: To which purpose we must stand at a defiance with all the Causes of Sin, and resolve they shall not govern us. [Page 22] Therefore has the Church been wont to express this Branch of our Duty thus: We must Renounce the Devil, and all his Works; the Pomp and Va­nities of this wicked World, with all the covetous Desires of the same: And all the sinfull Desires of the Flesh, so as that we will not follow nor be led by them.

We must Renounce the Devil, and all his Works. It was by the Craft and Instigation of this Apostate Spirit, the Enemy of our Happiness, that Mankind were at first drawn into Dis­obedience against God. We must re­solve therefore never to have any Cor­respondence with him; to abhorr and abstain from all those guilty ways of consulting him, or seeking his Assistance, which the ungodly World have ever practised. We must never, knowing­ly, or willingly, obey any of his Com­mands, nor comply with his Tempta­tions. We must resolve to fight against all those Spiritual Wickednesses in our selves which he infects the Humane [Page 23] Nature with; such as Pride, Anger, Envy, Treachery, Lying, Malice and Cruelty. Must abhorr to imitate or follow him in the tempting of others to Wickedness; or in the Hatred and Persecution of Good Men, for the sake of their Goodness.

We must also Renounce the Pomp and Vanities of this wicked World, and all covetous Desires of the same: That is, We must resolve and engage, that we will not let the Love of the World rule in our Hearts, which is opposite to the Love of God. We will not let our Hearts fix on the Wealth, the Pleasures, or the Dignities and Ho­nours here below: Nor will make the getting of them the Aim and Scope of our chief Endeavour and Care; nor let the Enjoyment of them be our chiefest Delight and Satisfaction. That we will not be guided by the Customs of the World, nor follow a Multitude to do Evil: That our dearest Relati­ons, or our most necessary and most usefull Friends and Benefactours shall [Page 24] not be able to Influence us against the Will of God and the Dictates of our Conscience: That we will be ready to part with all that is dear, all that is necessary to us, and which we might otherwise lawfully keep and enjoy when they stand in Competition with our Love and Duty to God. And we will submit to any Inconveniences in the want even of necessary things, rather than do any thing to gain them, which is contrary to the Laws of Divine Love.

We must further renounce, mortifie, and abandon all sinfull Desires of the Flesh: All the irregular and disobedi­ent Inclinations of our corrupt Nature must be mortified and subdued. We must chace away those fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul; the Love of slothfull Ease and Idleness, all In­temperance and Lasciviousness. We must forsake and abstain from all those Sensual Sins, which abuse and prodi­gally waste God's good Creatures; which enslave the Thoughts and Fa­culties [Page 25] of the Soul to the Appetites of the Body; and which render the Soul unfit for the due Exercises and Opera­tions of its Faculties; and which tend to clog and encumber the Body with Diseases. We must renounce all these three Sources of Evil, the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, and must re­solve we will not follow nor be led by them. And this is the First main Branch of our Duty under the New Covenant.

The Second is this: That we must be­lieve all the Articles of the Christian Faith. And this requires of us to promise and perform the Things fol­lowing: That we will seriously apply our selves, as our leisure and opportu­nity will allow us, to make the best Improvement that we can of the Means of Divine Knowledge which the Pro­vidence of God affords us; that so we may gain as much of that inestimable Treasure as we can: That we will not through Negligence or Hatred of the Truth be ignorant of any important revealed [Page 26] Truth: That what-ever does appear to us to be revealed from God con­cerning Himself and our Way to Hap­piness, we will receive it as certain truth: Because it comes from Him, who is Infinite Wisdom, and cannot be deceived; and is a God of Truth, and therefore cannot deceive.

These Articles of our Faith are sum­marily comprehended in that Form of sound Doctrine, which is commonly call'd the Apostle's Creed; among which these are chief ones. That we believe in God the Father, who hath made us and all the World. That we believe in God the Son, who hath re­deemed us and all Mankind; which implies these things: We must believe that all Mankind are guilty before God, and obnoxious to his Eternal Wrath and Punishment. That Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died as a Sa­crifice for the Sins of Men: That He submitted to an accursed Death as the Punishment of Sin in our stead, and to excuse us from suffering it for ever: [Page 27] That his Death is accepted with the Father as an Attonement for Sin, and shall redound to the advantage of all those who repent and believe on Him: Who being heartily sorry for their Sins, and fallen out with them, do for­sake them, and turn to God; and do expect and rely upon the Merit of his Death, to find favour with God. We must believe, that as Jesus Christ died for our Sins, so He rose again for our Justification: Having made a full At­tonement, He was released from the Bonds of Death; and is ascended into Heaven; and that He ever lives there to make Intercession for us; that is, to obtain and bestow upon wretched Mankind all the Blessed Benefits which his Death has purchased for them. And we must believe in God the Holy Ghost, who graciously applies all those Blessings to us, and who sanctifies us and all the Elect People of God.

Further we also are bound and re­quired to make our open profession of the Religion contain'd in these Arti­cles; [Page 28] and to own it to the World, that we are and will be the Worshippers of the one onely true and living God, by one Mediatour between God and Man, the Man Christ Jesus. And we must chuse rather to suffer any loss, or to die, than to renounce or deny our Faith. And we are bound also to lead a Life suitable to these Articles of Faith, to let them govern our Con­versations as they ought to do: And our Faith must work or operate in the Exercises of Love. This is the Se­cond main Branch of our Duty under the New Covenant.

The Third is this: That we must Engage and Endeavour to keep God's Holy Will and Commandments, and to walk in the same all the Days of our Life. And this obliges us to the Things following. That we will dili­gently study and learn the Will of God, as it is express'd in the Laws which He has given us; will not cavil nor dispute against our Duty, when we should perform it; will endeavour to [Page 29] know our Duty, that we may do it. That we will love his Law, and it shall be our constant Aim and Endea­vour to conform to it in all things: We absolutely bind our selves, and are bound to live in no wilfull known and presumptuous Sin. That we will not deliberately and knowingly trespass a­gainst any Law of God. This Cove­nant indeed does not require of us to perform a perfect Obedience; for that is a thing now above our Power: But it binds us to endeavour a perfect Obe­dience; that is, Not to be willingly guilty of any known Sin. There is, alas, no meer Man now that can con­stantly and perfectly keep the whole Law of God, but in many Things we offend all. And 'tis one Blessing of the New Covenant, that it pardons Sins (as we shall see presently) which supposes defects in our best Obedience. There­fore also our Saviour has taught us to pray as daily for the Pardon of Sin, as for our daily Bread. But this Cove­nant bears with none but involuntary [Page 30] Sins; such as we commit through Ig­norance or Surprise, and, for want of Consideration, on a sudden; when our Ignorance and Inconsideration are not wilfull, nor due to the neglect of our selves. And as for known, wilfull and presumptuous Sins, and such as are de­liberately committed; They put us out of this Covenant, and lose us all right to the Favours and Blessings of it, till they are bitterly repented of, and ut­terly forsaken.

Thus much we must heartily and sincerely bind and engage our selves to do; and this is our part of the New Covenant. This is also called the Co­venant of Grace or Favour; And we may see that it has justly that Name, in that it admits of Repentance for Sin, and accepts of that poor imperfect O­bedience, which is all that we can now perform: And we shall see that Name further justified, in that it will appear to be one of the Blessings and Favours of it, that it affords us strength to per­form our Duty.

SECT. VIII. On God's Part.

AND now I come to represent and show what are the Favours and Blessings, or God's Part, of this New Covenant. What He offers, and pro­mises, and will bestow, upon our Per­formance of the Duties and Conditi­ons required of us. And these may be comprehended under these Three rich and important Heads.

The First is a full and free Pardon of all our Sins. God will blot our Iniquities, as it were, out of his Re­membrance; will forget that we were Sinners, and will treat us as Righteous: Will lay aside his most just Wrath a­gainst us, and embrace us with Arms of Mercy and Love. He that might most Righteously have destroy'd us with an Everlasting Destruction, will rejoice over us to do us good. He [Page 32] will pardon our most numerous Sins; will pardon the greatest Offences; will pardon even our known, wilfull and deliberate Sins, and our customs of Sin­ning upon our repentance and forsa­king of them. And a general Repen­tance and a humble Behaviour towards God, will obtain the Pardon of those Infirmities and Involuntary Sins which we do not observe our selves to be guil­ty of, and cannot be perfectly free from. And having thus pardon'd our Sins, the Course of Mercy is free; all Obstruction of it is remov'd, and we may address to God with Boldness in the Name of Jesus Christ, as to a re­conciled Father; and believe Him rea­dy to afford us all that is necessary to our Salvation.

The next Favour and Blessing of this Covenant is, The restoring of the Di­vine Image in us in our Sanctification. If upon the proposal of this Covenant to us we do accept of it, and are wil­ling to yield to the Conditions it re­quires, and to give up our selves to a [Page 33] Life of Holiness and Righteousness according to the Laws of God: He will give us Spiritual strength to per­form our Duty so far, as that we shall be accepted through the Mediation of Jesus Christ. If we will not under­take, we shall not be able to perform; but if we will undertake, and bind our selves to do our Duty, He will inable us to perform it. It might seem a strange thing that God should require of us to bind our selves, and under­take to do that which we cannot do of our selves, (as we do in obliging our selves to all those things fore-men­tioned,) if it were not that the very binding our selves to this does entitle us by the Tenour of this Covenant to Grace sufficient for us. In all the Ex­hortations of the Gospel to any In­stance of Duty, we may reckon there is comprehended also the Offer of Di­vine Assistance, which shall be afforded to. Him who yields, in the purpose, and desire of his Soul, to comply with those Exhortations. No Man there­fore [Page 34] shall have ground to complain, that he would leave his known Sins, and do the Duties which he knows he omits, but cannot do so: For if a Man sincerely desires to leave his Sins, devotes himself to his Duty, and dili­gently uses the Means that may inable him to do it: That is, If he waits on God for this Grace in earnest and per­severing Prayer, and a due attendance on the Preaching of the Word and the Sacraments, that Man shall infallibly come to be able to do what he thus wills and desires. For, He that hun­gers and thirsts after Righteousness, shall be filled, as our Saviour says; And God, will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. It is the Favour of this New Covenant to help us to do what it requires us to do.

The last Favour and Blessing of this Covenant, is an Everlasting Happiness both of Body and Soul in Heaven. We are left by it indeed subject to a natural Death; to mind us of our guilty Rebellion against God: That [Page 35] we may not forget we are Sinners, and do deserve an Eternal Death: On pur­pose that the sence of this might quicken our desire and concern to re­cover the Divine Favour, and make us the more ready and willing to submit to the Terms of recovering it. But Death shall not long have Dominion over us: God will not leave the Soul in Hell; that is, it shall not be always separated from the Body; nor shall the Body be always subject to the Ig­nominy and Punishment of its Dissolu­tion. Since the Sins are pardon'd which did deserve Death, the Crea­ture shall be released from it: And our Saviour's Resurrection from the Dead does especially assure the Re­surrection of those that believe on Him. He has also promised that he will give them Eternal life, and raise them up again at the last day. The Body, then, however scatter'd and dis­pers'd, and lost to all knowledge of Men, shall be gather'd together by the Wisdom of God, and be raised to [Page 36] Life by his Almighty Power: And it shall be raised with great advantage: It was sown a Natural Body, it shall be raised a Spiritual Body; It was sown in Corruption, but it shall be raised Im­mortal. And the Soul shall be again united to it, never to be separated more: But both shall be taken up to dwell in a glorious happy place, where is fulness of joy, and pleasures for ever­more: To live in the Fellowship and Communion of kind, happy, and glo­rious Angels: To dwell in the Pre­sence of God, and contemplate, and praise, and love Him, and rejoice in his Love for ever.

This is now the whole Tenour of the New Covenant, which was pro­cur'd for us by the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, our kind and powerfull Advocate.

SECT. IX. The Sacraments of This Covenant.

AND this Covenant also hath its Sacraments. God has appoint­ed sensible Actions and Signs in and by which it is to be made between Him and us. In the use of these Sacra­ments we must testifie our Consent to this Covenant, and signifie, that we own our selves engag'd in it. And in the use of these must we wait for and expect the Blessings and Favours on God's part to be afforded us. It is by these that He has determin'd to convey those Favours which we can at present receive; which are the Pardon of our Sins, and the Sanctification of our Natures; and also to assure that which we are to hope for, our Ever­lasting Happiness and Glory. These we must necessarily use, then, if Means and Opportunity be afforded us to do [Page 38] so, that we may be partakers of his Favours: And in using them, we must sincerely purpose and bind our selves to the performance of our Duty. The Sacraments appointed to be, as we may say, The Instruments of this Co­venant since the coming of Christ, which are all that nearly concern us, are Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord. These, and these only are now generally necessary to Salvation.

By Baptism we are admitted into this Covenant, and make our first so­lemn acceptance of it. By the Lord's Supper we renew it, if it has been bro­ken on our part by any wilfull Sin com­mitted since we were Baptized: Or else we therein testifie and declare our continuance still in it, and our purpose and desire to do so; If any of us have liv'd so happily since we were Bapti­zed, as never to violate or break this Covenant by any wilfull known Sin.

It is true, when we are Baptized in our Infancy, we are not capable ex­pressly to intend and design the per­formance [Page 39] of our part in this Covenant; because we cannot then understand or know it. But this Sacrament is in the purpose of God design'd for the Sacra­ment of our admission into this Cove­nant, since the Appearance of Jesus Christ in the World. And as that which was the Sacrament of this ad­mission under the Jewish Dispensation was by God's appointment administred to Children at Eight days old; so the Christian Church has been wont, even from the Apostles times, to administer Baptism to Infants, from whence it is not to be doubted but they learnt to do this from the Apostles themselves: And our Saviour gives a plain Encou­ragement to the practice, when he says, Suffer little Children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the Kingdom of God. Our Church there­fore, as without doubt it ought to do, administers Baptism to Infants, that they may partake of the Blessings of the New Covenant to their Salvation.

But because there is an engagement on the part of the Baptized person im­plied in his receiving Baptism; the Wisdom and Piety of the Church has thought fit that it should be express'd too: That so the Baptized person may be the better convinced afterwards, that he did thus engage himself at his Baptism. And because the Infant it self cannot express this, the Church has provided, that some Christian Friends should do it for us, who are also Witnesses that the thing is done: And they are bound to take care, that as we grow up to the Use of our Rea­son, we may grow also in the Know­ledge of our part in this Covenant, and may come to Understand what we are bound to.

And that the Baptized person him­self may ratifie and confirm his Baptis­mal Engagement, he must, when he can exercise his Reason, and know his part of this Covenant, readily chuse and consent to it, and solemnly renew it; And so he must make it his own [Page 41] Act and Deed to devote himself to God. This our Church has very just­ly ordered should be solemnly and pub­lickly done in the receiving of Confir­mation. A thing, alas, too much neg­lected, to the great decay of true Chri­stian Piety among us: But if this were duly and generally practised, we should in all likelihood see more persons live according to their Baptismal Vow, and as becomes Christians, than commonly do.

But this Discourse is design'd chiefly to bring Men prepar'd to the Lord's Supper, that they may worthily and profitably Receive that; And therefore it must not be diverted so as to in­sist long on any other Subject but what is necessary and serviceable to that de­sign and end of it.

SECT. X. The Lord's Supper a Confirma­tion of this Covenant.

I Shall now therefore bring the Dis­course more close to this Sacra­ment, of the Lord's Supper, which has been all this while leading and aiming towards it. And I shall begin to dis­course particularly of that, by showing, That it is appointed and design'd by God as a Faederal Rite, and is to be used as such by us; As a Ceremony wherein this New Covenant between God and Man is renew'd and con­firm'd. This, by a little search, we shall soon find to be very Evident in Holy Scripture.

Our Saviour Himself, when He first instituted this Sacrament, speaks thus of it, as He was delivering the Cup to his Disciples, This Cup is the New Covenant in my Blood, Luke 22. 20. For what our Translation renders Te­stament [Page 43] there, had been more exactly and properly render'd Covenant. Our Saviour's plain meaning is this: Take this Cup as the Instrument of Con­veyance to you of the Divine Blessings of the Covenant of Grace, which are the inestimable Purchases of my preci­ous Blood. Again, when our Lord says of the Bread in this Sacrament, This is my Body which is given for you; and of the Cup, This is my Blood of the New Covenant which is shed for many for the Remission of their Sins: He plainly means, That this Sacrament is intended to renew to us the Blessings and Favours, which are the Purchases of his meritorious Death, and his Sa­crifice which He offer'd to God in Dying for us. And the Apostle Paul plainly teaches us to understand our Lord thus; For He says of the Bread in this Sacrament, It is the Communion of the Body of Christ; and of the Cup, It is the Communion of the Blood of Christ, 1 Cor. 10. 16. By Communion, he means the Communication of these. [Page 44] It is faithfully intended by God, that in the Use of this Sacrament, those who are fit Receivers, shall partake of the Body and Blood of Christ; and this Bread and this Cup shall be the Communication of the Body and Blood of Christ to them: These outward Elements of broken Bread, and Wine poured out, shall bring with them, to those humble and prepar'd Souls which receive them, this Spiritual Grace: Which means they shall be partakers of the Benefits and Blessings purchased by the breaking or wounding of the Body, and the shedding of the Blood of our Saviour, the Blessings procur'd by the valuable Sacrifice of his Death; which are the Blessings of the New Covenant fore-mention'd.

This Sacrament is Ordain'd of God to be a Pledge and Conveyance of these Blessings, and shall actually and infal­libly be so to meet Receivers: God will never be wanting to his Sacra­ments, nor leave them without the Efficacy He designs them for, if the [Page 45] Receivers of them be not wanting to themselves. He faithfully intends the Renewal and Confirmation of this Covenant with us in this Sacrament, and will actually do it if we sincerely intend the same thing.

And that the Renewal of our part of the Covenant at this Sacrament is expected and required by God, cannot chuse but be very easily apprehended. When God offers good things upon Terms and Conditions, He requires the binding our selves to perform those Conditions, if we would partake of those Good Things; and our embra­cing the Offers He makes, implies, and ought to imply, the accepting of those Terms, and the engaging our selves to perform those Conditions. To be sure God never intends we shall be partakers of those Good Things, without performing those Conditions. When 'tis said, God gives the Holy Spirit to them that ask him, 'tis implied that asking is the necessary Condition and Means of having; When 'tis said, [Page 46] God gave his only begotten Son, that they who believe in Him should not pe­rish, but have Everlasting Life; 'Tis required that Men believe as a Condi­tion of their obtaining Everlasting Life. So when 'tis said, Jesus Christ is the Authour of Salvation to them that obey Him; and, Repent, that your Sins may be blotted out: These things evidently imply, that our Sins shall not be for­given, unless we repent of them; nor will the Blessed Jesus Himself be a Sa­viour to us, if we do not devote our selves to his Service, and give up our selves to follow his Example and Con­duct. Now this being the constant Tenour of the Gospel; We must needs conclude, that when we are offer'd to be made partakers of these Blessings in this Sacrament, it is required, that if we desire them, we must bind our selves to perform such Conditions.

Our receiving therefore of those things which are God's Pledges and Conveyances of those Blessings upon Conditions, is an outward profession [Page 47] and declaration that we bind our selves to do what is required of us: And if that outward Profession be not attend­ed with an inward and sincere Inten­tion, it is a horrid Hypocrisie, and makes a Man undoubtedly guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ: He is reckon'd to have abused and profan'd the Body and Blood of Christ, as did the wretched Men that slew Him. The receiving these Elements in the Sa­crament is an Outward Profession and Declaration that we accept of God's Covenant, and then it certainly binds us sincerely to intend our performance of the Conditions of it

The Apostle plainly gives us this In­struction in 1 Cor. 10 in that he inti­mates the partaking of this Sacrament to be a Rite of the same Nature and Signification with the Eating of the Sacrifices which had been offer'd to any God. As the Eating of those Sa­crifices therefore signified the Owning Him for God, to whom the Sacrifice had been made, and so the obliging of [Page 48] themselves to worship and obey Him; and the reliance upon that Sacrifice to find Favour and obtain a Blessing from Him; so the Eating of the Lord's Supper must be reckon'd to imply and declare the same Professions and En­gagements. This is the Eating of a Sacrifice made to God, even the great Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ; and therefore must be attended with Faith or a reliance upon that Sa­crifice to find favour with Him; the Owning Him to be God, and the binding our selves to Honour, Love and Obey Him. For this reason it is that the Apostle forbids in that Chap­ter those who would partake of this Sa­crament the eating of any Feasts upon Sacrifices which had been offer'd to the Heathen Idols; which Sacrifices he says were offer'd to Devils: Ye can­not drink the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devils; Ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's Table and of the Table of De­vils; says He, v. 21. Ye cannot, may mean 'tis impossible you should sincerely [Page 49] intend what is signified by both these things; that is, the owning the true God as God, and the owning those De­vils as Gods, for in owning one, you do imply the renouncing of the other. To be sure the True God requires, if you own Him, that you do renounce all other. Or it must mean, You ought not to do thus. If you partake of the Cup and Table of the Lord, you must sincerely intend thereby the owning of Him; and then you must not so much as seem to own those filthy Devils in eating of the Sacrifices which have been offer'd to them: Therefore he adds in the 22d. Verse, That in doing thus, they did provoke the Lord to jea­lousie; because they made a show and appearance of departing from, and of renouncing of Him herein. The Apo­stle then plainly teaches us, that in receiving this Sacrament, we do make a profession and show of Honouring and Covenanting with God; and therefore that we ought really and sincerely to intend it.

I might show that the Name of Sa­crament was given to this Ordinance by the first Christians, because they reckon'd the Celebrating this Supper to signifie the Binding our selves to Serve and Honour, Love and Obey, and Trust in God; to be His faithfull Subjects and Servants. And so noto­rious was it, that they used it as a Ceremony of Covenanting with God; that even the Heathens knew this, and therefore one of them speaking of the Christian Assemblies in his time for Worship (at which they always Cele­brated this Sacrament) says; They met together on a fixed Day before it was light (this was for fear of their Enemies) and did there bind them­selves by an Oath or Sacrament not to commit any Thefts or Adulteries, not to betray any Trust, or deal de­ceitfully with their Neighbour, and the like. They, then, took this Sa­crament as an Engagement to be of the Religion of Jesus, and so to per­form the Terms and Conditions of the [Page 51] New Covenant: We therefore must, when we receive it, sincerely intend the Confirmation of that Covenant.

SECT. XI. An Earnest Persuasive to come to the Lord's Supper.

I Shall now insist a little upon an Earnest Persuasive to the frequent attendance upon this Sacrament, which the wofull and deplorable Neglect of these times, and the sad Consequences of that Neglect, do make but too ne­cessary.

Let all Men know then, that when they are come to years, and are capa­ble to know and to renew their Vow and Covenant which they made in Baptism, they are Commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ in this way to renew and confirm it. They are in­dispensably bound to receive this Sa­crament in Confirmation of that Cove­nant. [Page 52] No Man is left at liberty whe­ther he will receive this Sacrament or not; but if the Providence of God affords him Means and Opportunity to do so, he is bound to prepare him­self for, and receive it. If a Man at any time neglects to prepare himself for it, and is therefore unfit, and ab­sents himself because he is unfit, in that Case he will be judg'd to have neglected the Sacrament it self. He that does not endeavour to be pre­par'd, and to receive it as often as Op­portunity is afforded him to do it in that Congregation of Christians, which the Order of the Church and Obedi­ence to the Governours of it does ob­lige him to join with; He does so of­ten neglect and refuse it, as he thus absents himself from it. But the neg­lect and refusal of this, we must know, is the neglect and refusal of the in­comparable Blessings of the New Co­venant; of having the Pardon of our Sins renew'd and sealed; the Blessed Influences of the Holy Spirit renew'd [Page 53] upon us; and our Title confirm'd to Everlasting Blessedness, and our Hopes of it encreased and strengthned; 'tis to neglect our own Interest, and to provoke the Displeasure of God, more than by any other Sins, in neglecting the Offers of his Grace and Mercy.

Let all those who never mind this Sacrament, nor do ever prepare them­selves for it, nor receive it, know, That they do therein intimate the re­nouncing of their Covenant with God, and do cut themselves off from all hopes and expectations of the Favours and Blessings of the Covenant of Grace, till they repent of this guilty Omission of their Duty, and so come to this Sa­crament prepar'd for it. Oh wretch­ed Creatures, they chuse to remain in a state of Damnation. To be sure a Man that has contradicted his Cove­nant, since he was Baptized, by living in any wilfull Sin; if that Man does not resolve to forsake his Sin, and come to this Sacrament, and hereby bind himself to his Duty, he will be, in the [Page 54] sight of God, accounted to renounce his Christianity, to deny the Lord that bought him, to trample upon the Blood of the Covenant; the Blood of Christ, and to despise his Dying Love: And as such a Man must in­evitably perish, so he will fall under the heaviest and the sorest Perdition.

What-ever pretended Wishes a Man may have to forsake his Sins, what-ever Regret and Remorse for them, and what-ever Resolutions he makes to forsake them, they will not be ac­cepted with God, nor bring him into a Title to the Favour of this Cove­nant, if he has opportunity and means to partake of this Sacrament, and re­fuses to do it: Because 'tis in and by this Sacrament that God expects and requires the renewal of this Covenant after we have broken it: Our Repen­tance is not compleated according to the Will of God till this is done, if he affords us means and opportunity to do this. We are not allow'd to expect that He will accept our Reso­lutions [Page 55] and Vows in any other way presented to Him, when He has ap­pointed us this way of presenting them.

Besides, Is it not a wonderfull thing that Men should forget that this Sa­crament is appointed by God as the means to convey to them the strength to perform their good Vows and Re­solutions? And then he that neglects this Sacrament, lays himself under the Power and Tyranny of his Sins, and neglects the mighty Help which Hea­ven kindly affords Him against it: And He binds upon Himself the guilt of all his Sins, and as it were seals Himself to Damnation in refusing and neglect­ing this Ordinance, whereby He might be sealed to the Day of Redemption.

Let all Men know, that the wilfull neglect and refusal of this Sacrament is a damnable Sin of Omission, and puts every Man that is guilty of it out of a state of Grace and Salvation: And they that neglect to come to this Ordinance, when 'tis prepar'd for them, [Page 56] may very justly fear that God will not bless any other to them▪ For what ground have they to think he will bless one of his Ordinances to them, while they neglect another, or let them ob­tain by Prayer and Hearing the Word what he has Commanded them to use this Sacrament for, too, that they might obtain it; And then they that live in neglect of this, are in great danger ne­ver to be saved by any other means of Salvation.

Men may perhaps think themselves very good if they keep their Church, attend the publick Prayers, and some­times hear, sometimes sleep away a Sermon: But if they neglect this Sa­crament, they must expect God will reject all their other performances: He that breaks the Law in one point, the Scripture says, is guilty of all; And then he that neglects his Obedience to any one of God's Commands know­ingly and wilfully, will be lookt upon and treated by Almighty God as if he fulfill'd none of them. Oh that Men [Page 57] would seriously lay these things to Heart, and consider the terrible Dan­ger which they put themselves into by this Neglect!

Let us be assur'd, that what-ever it is that hinders us from preparing our selves, and coming to this Sacra­ment, it is a Snare and Temptation of the Devil, the great Adversary of our Souls: Who knows the great and sa­ving Efficacy of this Sacrament, and therefore would not have Men use it: Who knows, that if we seriously and frequently attend upon this Means of our Salvation, he must despair of ever accomplishing our Destruction. Oh let us defeat the malicious design of our Enemy, and resist all Suggestions that would beat us off from this prac­tice.

Let us consider how kindly and lo­vingly the Lord Jesus, the great Lover of Souls, invites us to it: Come unto me, says he, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Let us not give him cause to complain [Page 58] of us, and say, Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have Life. Let us consider what noble and inviting En­tertainment he has provided for us at this Heavenly Feast: He designs to entertain us with assurances of his Love, with the Divine Influences of his Holy Spirit, with the joyfull pledges and fore-tasts of Heaven; and is this what is but fit to be despised! Consi­der at what a costly rate and price He has provided us this Entertainment! Even at the price of his own cruel Suf­ferings, and bitter Death, and of his most precious Blood. If we love our Souls then, and have any concern for their Salvation, let us prepare our selves and come to this Sacrament as often as we can: If we have any true Love to the Lord Jesus, our best Friend, our kind Saviour, who lov'd us and laid down his Life for us; Let us earnestly desire and seek the Purchases of his Blood, and seek to be made partakers of them in that way in which he has appointed us to do so; as we shall cer­tainly [Page 59] do, if we really and sincerely de­sire them.

I must not insist too long upon this matter. If what I have said cannot persuade any unwilling Soul to prepare and come to this Sacrament; I would wish that I could but obtain so much of such an one, as to read and consider a short Discourse to this purpose, writ­ten by His Grace the Archbishop of Can­terbury, call'd, A Persuasive to frequent Communion. There he should see the most subtle Insinuations which the Adver­sary can suggest to with-hold him from his Interest and Duty, in this Case ut­terly baffled and confuted. And, as there is reason to believe that Discourse has prevail'd upon many, so there is reason to expect both from that suc­cess, and from the strength of it, that none can consider it well, but it must prevail with him.

SECT. XII. Of Fitness to come to this Sacrament.

BUT the common pretence and excuse that hinders Men from coming to this Sacrament, is, That they are not fit for it: And they are afraid of Eating and Drinking unwor­thily, and of incurring their own Dam­nation thereby. It is therefore the design of this little Book to show what Fitness is requisite for a worthy and profitable Receiving of this Sacrament; and to help Men to that Fitness by the Blessing of God; which they shall not fail to obtain of Him by Earnest Prayer, and the serious and frequent perusal of what is here presented.

And since in Celebrating this Sa­crament of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are to re­new and confirm this Covenant which we have been speaking of between God [Page 61] and us; This will abundantly direct us what Preparation and Fitness is re­quisite, that we may be meet Partakers of it to our profit and comfort. And it is necessary that we know what the Terms and Conditions of it are which God requires to be perform'd on our parts, and what it offers and promises on God's part. This matter there­fore has been already for that reason distinctly and somewhat particularly represented.

In the next place we must unfeign­edly and sincerely chuse and lay hold on this Covenant; It must be the hearty desire, the sincere purpose of our Souls to be engag'd in it; To be bound in these happy Bonds which set our Souls at liberty from the Bonds of Sin and Death: We must desire the Blessings, and seek the Favours of it, and readily accept and submit to the Terms and Conditions; and declare, that we will expect our Salvation up­on those Terms.

And also we must, certainly, be ve­ry thankfull to the Son of God at this Memorial of his Death, since He be­came the Mediatour of this Covenant, and has by his Death procur'd the fa­vour of new Terms of Salvation, and the Offer of Peace and Reconcilement with God upon so gentle and easie terms.

And he who has that Knowledge of this Covenant, and this good disposition of Mind thereupon, that Man is fit for this Sacrament; and if he comes, he shall be a welcome Guest at the Lord's Table. Now as I have represented the Knowledge necessary to this, I shall go on to represent also more particu­larly the good Disposition of Mind which we ought to come with. And I shall represent this in such a way, as will be fit to form it in Men where it is not; or to excite and actuate it, and set it into Exercise where it is. I shall represent it in the following Acts or Exercises of it: Which you may take notice are a lively Description of a [Page 63] very meet Receiver of this Sacrament. So that he who would become fit for this Sacrament, must read and medi­tate on those things, till he finds those Dispositions and Affections rais'd in him which are therein express'd. And he that would know or find himself fit for this Sacrament, must examine him­self by them, and see whether they re­present the state and disposition of his Mind or not: And if a Man be habi­tually possess'd with such a good state of Mind, as these things will be, I be­lieve, very agreeable to him, so they will be of use to stir up that disposition into Exercise, and to an actual Fitness for this Sacrament; As Fire is wont to kindle Fire in matter that is apt, and disposed to receive it. Further, He that would behave himself rightly and duly at the Sacrament to his Com­fort and Benefit, as he must have his Mind then fill'd with such Thoughts and Affections as are here represented, so the reading of these things there, if he has leisure, will be usefull to possess [Page 64] him with such Thoughts and Affecti­ons. And lastly, He that would main­tain the good disposition of Mind which he has at the Sacrament, may very profitably, for that purpose, read and meditate on these things afterwards: Which will be as usefull to cherish and maintain, yea, and to improve in us this disposition of Mind, as they are to form it. All this use, I dare pre­tend, may be made of these Exercises following.

SECT. XIII. An Exercise of Thankfull Re­membrance of the Death of Jesus Christ.

LOrd, I am not worthy to live, if I do not always remember the exceeding great Love of my Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ in dying for me; and if I do not most affectionate­ly [Page 65] consider and observe the many in­comparable Benefits, which by his pre­cious Blood shed, he hath obtain'd for Sinners. My Soul; That thou mayest know, in some measure, the wondrous heighth, the breadth, the depth, the length of the Love of God in Christ Jesus: That thou mayest en­tertain the larger Apprehensions of that Love, which exceeds all finite Knowledge; Thou must enlarge thy Thoughts, and take in all thou canst of these Dimensions of it. Consider what a Depth of Wretchedness and Misery Jesus rescues poor lost Man­kind from! Consider what a glorious Height of Honour and Happiness he designs to advance them to! Consider who the Excellent Person is that has done all this for us! Consider what it cost Him to procure for us such a Redemption! Behold the most ama­zing, but the most pleasing Prospect in the World! Redeeming Love! Dwell in the Contemplation of this; for surely it is good to be here!

As for the Condition into which thou wert sunk, It was the vilest and the most miserable that a Creature could fall into: It was perfectly miserable, for thou hadst utterly lost the Favour of thy Maker, the Fountain-Good, and forfeited all Right, and lost all Hopes of ever being Happy: Thou wert be­come a vile Sinner, odious to the Pure and Holy God; and wert as con­temptible as miserable: Thou wert obnoxious to the Eternal Wrath and just Vengeance of the Almighty: Thou didst deserve to be thrown into the deep Lake of Fire and Brimstone, where is Eternal Woe and Sorrow, Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth; where the Wrath of God burns for ever, and the Fire will never be quench­ed: from whence there shall be no re­turning. Where wretched Creatures are Furies to themselves, and more than double all the Torments of Hell with this tormenting Thought, that they must all endure for ever: They will know no intermission or respite; [Page 67] they will never come to an End. This is the sad portion of Sinners; And this must all Mankind, after a few complaining days, spent in this low mortal Life, have been thrown into; And there was no Creature in Heaven or Earth could possibly have prevented this Doom; no, it could never have been avoided if Jesus had not concern'd himself to help us. And he has taken away the necessity of our Destruction; has render'd this Woe and Misery now an avoidable Thing! Is not this a glo­rious Benefit?

Look down, my Soul, in serious Thoughts into that horrid Dungeon and Lake of Fire; Imagine, as thou mayest well, that many wretched Souls are already plung'd into it, who squan­der'd away the day of Life, the preci­ous time allow'd them of making their peace with God, and to avoid these Miseries; Think thou seest them wal­lowing in Flames, pierced through with Fire, and in all parts themselves on a Flame! And be sure, if thou could'st [Page 68] hear them, thou should'st hear the most dismal Howlings, bitter Complaints; some cursing the day that ever they were born, and all, at times, cursing themselves as causes of their own ruine. And think now if one of these despair­ing Souls should have an Angel sent to it, that should open the Prison-doors and let him out, and send him into this World again to be in a condition and possibility of avoiding all this mi­sery, would he not account this a won­derfull Favour! Such as he could ne­ver praise enough: Such as could ne­ver be worthily requited: It is, in truth, not less than this that thou art be­holden to the Love of Jesus for: It is not a less favour to be kept from this misery, than to be deliver'd from it in­to the state wherein now thou art.

And thou art kept from this by the tender, compassionate, and most pati­ent Love of Jesus! Long ago, if thou hadst suffer'd thy deserts, thou hadst been thrown into this misery: Long ago have thy Sins deserv'd it: It is of [Page 69] the Lord's Mercy that thou art not consumed. Jesus has repriev'd thee by His powerfull Intercession: He has procur'd that thou art hitherto spa­red; yea, he has procur'd that thou mayest, if thou wilt, be pardon'd; and mayest for ever be exempted from en­during these intolerable Miseries. Oh, how much art thou oblig'd! Say how usefull, how necessary, how great is your Redeemer's Love! Oh, what Love, what Praise can reach it! Oh, compassionate Love, how shall I find Expressions suitable to thy kindness! Why was my Life so dear to thee! Why hast thou not suffer'd me to pe­rish! Me, who am as unworthy of thy Favour, as I am in distress, and the need of it!

And does this engage thy Wonder so much, my Soul? It may indeed well do so; but this alone must not detain it: There are yet more Occasions for thy admiration and praise in the Re­deemer's Love! And this thou wilt see, if thou consider what a glorious Height [Page 70] of Honour and Happiness He designs to advance poor, vile, contemptible Sin­ners to. Those that have render'd them­selves unworthy of this Earth, and even of this low, mortal Life, he intends to advance them to Heaven, and give them an Eternal Life. Those that are unworthy of any thing that is good and comfortable, He intends to make them perfectly Happy. Those that deserve the utmost contempt of their Maker; that are fallen under the In­sults and Scorn of the abject Devils, He intends for the Honour of seeing God, and dwelling in His blissfull Pre­sence for ever. Oh rich and bounte­ous Love! Nothing less will serve him, but that where He is, we also should be. Think, my Soul, if thou canst, what Heaven is.

Think of a bright and glorious Place, where this Sun would be ashamed, and even disappear, as now the Stars do at his rising. Think of an innumerable Company of glorious Creatures, each of them more bright than He. Think [Page 71] thou seest them all in Joy, all ravisht and transported with Pleasure, and thy self among them partaking of that Joy and Pleasure. Think thou wert now in the Presence of the Fountain-Good, receiving immediately from Himself the Testimonies and Communications of Infinite Love! That thou wert there, where no Fear or Sorrow can ever come! Where the Joy is pure without allay! Where the Pleasure is solid and abiding, not likely to leave thee in discontent and distast! Where the Joy and Pleasure shall never End! Oh, how glad would'st thou be to find thy self there! Thou mayest believe it is not possible for thy Heart now to conceive the mighty Joy, which would possess thee: And to this Happiness, even to this, does the Redeemer's Love design to bring thee. He would have thee attain this Happiness: He offers it thee on gentle terms: He offers to guide and help thee thither, if thou wilt but give up thy self to his kind and gracious Conduct. And is not this ama­zing and obliging Love!

All the Joy and Happiness of Hea­ven may be my Eternal Portion if I will; and shall be so if I am not want­ing to my self. Jesus has not been, nor will be wanting to do all that in Him lies to bring me to it. He does not grudge me the highest Bliss that my Nature is capable to attain, or that my own kindest Wishes to my self can desire. He loves me, then, as much as I can love my self, and is willing to make me as Happy as I can desire to be; and more Happy than I can con­ceive or imagine. Such is the Love of Jesus to a Wretch that deserves on­ly his Hatred and Contempt.

But dost thou know, my Soul? Canst thou think who the Person is that has done these great Things for thee? I am sure, if thou hadst not been told, thou could'st never have imagin'd it. Infinite Love indeed might be suppo­sed to be in the Son of God; but He has Infinite Greatness, Majesty and Glory too; He is exalted so far above us, that it were even Infinite Conde­scension [Page 73] for him to regard or concern himself about the Misery which such low things as we had pull'd upon our selves. Besides, He is infinitely pure and Holy too, and has an Eternal Ha­tred of all Sin and Wickedness; and we became miserable by our Sin. And He loves the Father with an Infinite Love; and He made Mankind to Love, and Honour, and Praise the Father; but they have forsaken the End of their Being, and turn'd to Hate, and despise even the Good and Glorious God. And could it be imagin'd, that ever such Persons should be Redeem'd, then, by the Son of God?

But be astonisht, Oh ye Heavens! Sing Praises, Oh ye glorious Hosts of Angels! Produce your loftiest Hymns, and help! Oh help poor feeble Mor­tals to praise the Son of God! For it was He that became our Mediatour: He took upon Him the kind Office of being our Saviour: It was the Son of God that did us this kindness; The Eternal, the Onely-begotten Son of [Page 74] God; Who is the express Image of the Father's Person, and the brightness of his Glory. This Person, my Soul, whom thou must own to be the true and eter­nal God, by whom the Worlds were made; who sustains all things; who is the Glory of Heaven, and the Stability of Earth; who is Incomprehensible in his Greatness; and, to be sure, Mighty to save, is He who regarded us in our vile Misery, and most despicable Condition.

Who pitied us in the Misery which we had madly pull'd upon our selves which we had deeply deserv'd! Who lov'd Sin­ners, the most hatefull things that are! Oh the wonder! that He should retain Kindness, and think Thoughts of Love towards us after the abuse of great Cre­ating Love! To us who are altogether unprofitable to Him! Whose Happi­ness is not at all necessary, nor can make any addition to his! He had been Eternally happy if all we had been for ever lost and miserable, yet he would not see us lost. He afforded his Help, when all other help utterly [Page 75] fail'd us, and we must have perish'd, if He had not helped us.

But go on, my Soul, for the Way is still pleasant, and strow'd with new and various Delights; and consider too, in what Way and Method this Glorious Person the Son of God ac­complisht this great Salvation: What He undertook to do, and what to suf­fer, that He might save thee.

Thou must know, then, that this Excellent Person meditated and de­sign'd no less Condescension, when He undertook to save thee, than to become Man for thy sake. He intended it then, and in the fulness of time sub­mitted to it. The Word was made Flesh. The Son of God took a Humane Na­ture, and became the Son of David: For he was born of a Virgin, who was of the House and Family of David: A Royal Family indeed; but in this branch of it, at least, sunk into Po­verty and Contempt. He who made the Worlds, condescended to be made of a Woman! He who is Lord of [Page 76] Life and Glory, became subject to the Law that obliges Creatures! He whom the Angels account it their Ho­nour to attend and worship, made Him­self of no Reputation, took upon Him the form of a Servant, and exposed Himself to the Contempt and Scorn of Men. Oh Son of God, how could'st thou endure to live upon this Earth so defil'd with Sin! To converse with odious Sinners! We must needs won­der, that when thou wert in our guil­ty World, thou didst not show thy ter­rible Hatred and Resentment of the Sins of Men in sending Plagues and De­solations about the Rebellious World. It is an amazement that thou shouldest here go about doing good! But this was thy constant practice: It was glo­rious Love, Oh adorable Son of God, which brought thee down among us; and Love spake in every Word of thine; Love attended all thy steps; Love to Mankind was exercised in all thy Actions. What exceeding Ho­nour, Gracious Lord, hast thou done [Page 77] our mean Nature, in taking it into a Personal Union with thy self! Thus hast thou exalted it above the Angels, and abundantly vindicated it from the contempt of Devils; Who first de­fil'd, and then utterly despised it! So low and mean is thy Condescension, and so glorious our Exaltation! Be­hold, my Soul, the Son of God become our Brother! And as He is our Bro­ther, He does exalt us to become Sons of God, together with Him; and his Father becomes our Father. Oh, what manner of Love is this, that we should be called the Sons of God!

But this is not all the Condescen­sion of the Son of God to save Man­kind; That He took to Himself the Humane Nature: No; though this was much, yet He did more; much more than this. He undertook to die a Sacrifice for the Sins of Men, which, as God, he could not do; and there­fore He became Man, that He might be capable of Dying: And in Hum­bling, He humbled Himself, and became [Page 78] obedient unto Death, even the Death of the Cross. And here, if ever, my Soul, thou wilt be lost in Astonishment; In considering thy Saviour's Love to Man­kind: Thou wilt surely despise all things beside: Thou wilt, like his Great Apostle and Lover, be forced to value no Knowledge but that of Christ and Him Crucified; and to ac­count all things but dross and dung, that thou mayest gain an Interest in this Love. That it may thus engage thee, consider now the Death which Jesus underwent for thee.

Was it the Death of the Cross? Was my Saviour crucified? And what a kind of Death was this? His Ene­mies, the Unbelieving Jews, chose it for Him, and the Heathenish Roman Souldiers executed it. And this Death was the vilest and the most ignomini­ous one in the account of the Romans; such as they put none to but the most contemptible Abjects, and the bafest Malefactours. And this Death was, in the account of the Jewish Law, an [Page 79] Accursed one: He was reckon'd ac­cursed of God that was hanged on a Tree. But let me consider the Indig­nities, the Contemptuous usage which attended my Saviour's Death, and how painfull and afflicting it must needs have been to Him.

As soon as the Blessed Jesus was condemn'd to die, He was committed to rude Souldiers, who made it their sport to injure and abuse Him. They stript Him of his Cloaths, tied Him to a Pillar, and cruelly scourged Him on his naked Back. Oh Jesu! I love and adore Thee, whom these Wretches thus vilely abused! I grieve for thy Injuries, and am afflicted with thy Pain! After this, they platted a Crown of Thorns, and forced it, to make it sit fast, upon his Head; wounding and tearing thereby his Sa­cred Temples; And then, my Soul, had I been there, I might have seen his own Blood running down, and dis­guising his Blessed Face. Oh what a disguise of that Majesty and Meekness, [Page 80] of that venerable sweetness; that aw­full Goodness which had always dwelt there! They then found out some contemptible purple Garment, and put it on Him, and put a Reed in his Hand to imitate a Scepter; and then mockt Him with bowing the Knee before Him, and crying, Hail King of the Jews. And, to show how little Honour or Reverence they in­tended Him in this, they most disdain­fully spit in his Face, and buffeted Him about among them from one to ano­ther: And, without doubt, he thought himself the wittiest of the Company, who could devise the greatest Affront. Thus was He injur'd and abus'd, who came into this World on the kind de­sign of saving lost Sinners: Thus was the King of Glory, the King, not of the Jews only, but of Heaven and Earth, mockt and despised, by the vi­lest of Men.

When they had tired themselves with this Barbarous sport, and how much rather Him? They put his own [Page 81] Cloaths on Him again, and led Him away to Crucifie Him. And on Him they laid the heavy and ignominious Burden of his Cross, and he must car­ry, a long way, the Instrument of his Shame and Death to the place of Exe­cution: But they had used him too ill before, to leave him still able to car­ry so heavy a Load; and after He had hardly carried it a little way, He fell under it I see, O Son of God, in this thy fainting under the Cross, a manifest proof that thou didst really take our Nature upon Thee, with the innocent Infirmities of it: And I can­not chuse but admire and praise so wondrous a Condescension of the Al­mighty for our sakes. They who used Him so cruelly before, I must needs imagine, did not exercise any Com­passion to Him upon this occasion. I abhorr to think how inhumanely 'tis probable they used Him now. But they laid at last the burden upon other. Shoulders; for now their Malice was in haste to be rid of Him.

When He was come to the place of Crucifixion, they stript Him of all his Cloaths, and exposed the fresh Wounds which the rude Scourge had given Him, to the cold Air. They laid Him upon his Cross, and violently stretched out his Arms, and then drove a great Nail through each Hand: Thus fastening to the Transverse Beam of the Cross, those blessed Hands which had been used in the working many a kind Mi­racle, but had never done any harm, and certainly deserv'd a better Usage. Then they drove one or two great Nails through his Feet, and fastened them to the Upright Beam of the Cross; Those Feet which had carried Him di­ligently about upon his kind business in the World; which was to seek and to save lost Sinners. This being done, they set the Cross upright, that He might hang upon those Nails, drove through those very sensible parts of his Body, in exquisite Pain and Torture, and expo­sed to the view and scorn of the Spec­tatours: And many of these revil'd, [Page 83] insulted over him, and derided him here. It would even wound a Heart that has any tenderness to think that any one should be used so cruelly: And one could scarce forbear to feel some pity and trouble at seeing even the most odious Malefactour in such a condition. But this was not a Male­factour, my Soul, but as thy Sins had made Him one!

This was the Innocent Jesus, who had done no Iniquity, neither was guile found in his Mouth! This was thy Lover, thy Saviour, thy Friend that hung here; and all this he endur'd for thee. My Soul, if thou hadst seen the Loving Jesus thus hanging upon these Nails, and bleeding from his Head, and from his Hands, and from his Feet; and heard his Enemies reviling Him there, what Resentments would'st thou have felt! Would not so sad an Object have made thy Tears keep pace at least with the drops of his most pre­cious Blood? Would it not have made thee also smite thy Breast as some of [Page 84] the Spectatours did? Could'st thou see this, and not feel those Wounds, and sympathize with those Pains he en­dur'd? When every Wound might be understood to say; Sinner, behold how I love thee! All this I endure for thee!

How then should this Sacrament affect thee, which is a lively Memorial of his Death! What a deep sence of thy Saviour's Love and Sufferings should this create in thee! When he is here as it were evidently set forth Crucified before thee! I see here his pale, wounded, bloodless, broken Body; I see his Blood poured out, and sepa­rated from it. Canst thou see this, and say my Love is Crucified, and think thou seest Him crown'd with Thorns, all over daub'd with Dirt, and his Enemies filthy Spittle, and his own Blood, and not be fadly griev'd to think He was put to endure all this by His Love of thee. Oh, Crucified Jesus, there was never Grief, there was never Love like thine! All this endur'd [Page 85] for me! This commands and deserves; Oh let it cause my great Grief for, and my ardent Love to thee.

But all this which afflicted his Body, was the least part of the Sufferings He felt; He suffer'd more, abundantly more, than all this in the Sufferings of his Soul: For I must consider further, that this Death of His was an Accur­sed one in the account of the Jewish Law; that is, in the account of God Himself; for it was He that had or­der'd and taught them to account it so; on purpose, that it might fore-tell and signifie before-hand, That the Re­deemer of the World should bear in his Death the Curse and Punishment which the Divine Law had justly threatned against the Sins of Men. This then must call to thy Mind the mighty Sufferings of His Soul, He was made a Curse for us; and God laid on Him the Iniquities of us all. By Men was He treated as a Malefactour, and by God too. The Light of his Fa­ther's Countenance, and the pleasing [Page 86] Aspects of his Love, which had been always the Joy of his Soul, and the Reward of all his Labours in his Ser­vice, and till now had been constantly enjoy'd, was now, when He wanted it most, withdrawn; when He was un­der His sharp outward Sufferings, and when He was at the point of Death. And in making his Soul an Offering for Sin, He was afficted and terrified with God's Almighty Wrath and Dis­pleasure. This made Him cry out, who was silent before, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? He felt the Wrath which our Sins had de­served. Oh terrible thing! Who can conceive what He endur'd! We may believe no Torments can exceed those He felt in his Soul, except it be those of Hell, if they do.

Oh wounding Thought! This stabs and pierces my Soul: This tells me, It was not so much the Cruel Jew or Barbarous Roman Souldier that tor­mented, and kill'd the loving Jesus, as the vile Sinner: It was I, among the [Page 87] rest of Sinners, that gave Him his cru­ellest Wounds, his sharpest Sorrows: It was I that wounded, that kill'd my Saviour and Friend: I shed his Life's most precious Blood. Was there ever such a thing known besides this? O Jesu, there was never any Love like thine; and there is nothing so vile, so base as a Sinner! Greater Love than this hath no Man; that one lay down his Life for his Friend: But thou hast laid down thine for Enemies, for those that hated thee, yea for those that kill'd thee: Thou art there on the Cross despised, that I might be ho­nour'd: Thou art there in pain, that I might be at ease: Thou art there hungry and thirsty, that I might be supplied with all good things: Thou art there accursed, that I might be blest: Thou art there deserted by the Father's Favour and Love, that I might enjoy the Everlasting delights of it: Thou art there dying, that I might live an Everlasting life in Joy, and Glory unspeakable and Eternal. Oh Jesu! [Page 88] Was I more dear to thee than thine own Life! Was I to be rather indulg'd than thine own Ease, and more to be respected than thine own Honour! What am I, Lord! Oh, what is Man that thou art thus mindfull of him! There was never Love like thine; None but a God could love thus! Oh Adorable Mystery! Oh Wonder of Wonders! Thy Greatness is unsearch­able, thy Love is incomprehensible, and thy Ways are past finding out! With profoundest Reverence I Adore thy Incomprehensible Love: I leave off to fathom what I can never reach, and will give up my self to Praise, and Admire for ever.

SECT. XIV. An Exercise of Repentance.

HAve I indeed given my kind and compassionate Saviour so much Grief by my Sins, and shall they give me none? Oh that my Head were Waters, and my Eyes a Fountain of Tears to drench my filthy polluted Soul! But, alas! it is not all the Tears that I am able to shed which could ever make me clean, or wash out the stain of any, the least of my Sins! Oh, I am become, it seems, so exceeding foul, and have contracted stains of such a nature, that nothing but this preci­ous▪ stream, my Saviour's life's Blood, can cleanse me! How am I fallen from the Dignity and Honour of my Crea­tion! I was made little lower than the Angels by my Bounteous Creatour; but I have made my self more vile than the Beasts that perish. I was made subject to no Creature, not bound to [Page 90] pay any Homage or Service towards the Glorious Angels, though made lower than them; but, alas, I have made my self a slave to the abject Devil. I have refused to serve God my Ma­ker and Friend, and have drudg'd for my mortal Enemy. Oh wretched Man that I am! I have sought his Service, while I have declin'd thine; and run after his Temptations, while I have endeavour'd to evade thy Commands. Oh, I have been forward to do Evil, and backward to all that is Good: I have combin'd with my Soul's great Enemy to hasten and encrease my Damnation.

Infinite Goodness! How unjustly, how basely art thou requited for all thy bounteous Love to Mankind! Who can conceive or express the Vile­ness, the Enormity of Sin! Which is a Contempt of thy infinite Majesty, a Rebellion against thy unquestionable Authority, an Abuse of thy free Good­ness, a Defiance of thy Almighty Power, a Denial of thy incomparable [Page 91] Wisdom, and an Affront to all thy glorious Attributes: Which is con­trary to that Honour and Homage which I owe thee as thy Creature. Wo is me that I should ever offend my Maker! so liberal and so gracious a Father! Wo is me that I should slight and affront the Love of Jesus my Redeemer, as I have done it in cherishing those vile Sins that He came to destroy! O Jesu, at what a costly rate hast thou lov'd me, and merited my Love! And how loth, how slow am I to entertain the Love of thee: Thou hast Loved, where thy Hatred has been deserv'd; and I, vile wretch, have hated Him that has infinitely de­serv'd my Love. Thy Love to me has been a vast Condescension, and has caused thy Humility and Abasement; yet wouldest thou love the Unworthy: But my Love to thee would have been my Honour and Glory, my Everlasting Advancement; yet have I been un­willing to love thee. Wo is me, I have been obstinate in Wickedness! [Page 92] Oh, how have I griev'd the Holy Spi­rit, in neglecting, resisting, and oppo­sing his good and kind Motions in my Soul; turning a deaf Ear to his gentle Admonitions, and refusing to be con­verted and healed. Oh my God, in our Sins we despise thy Will, and do our own! We disown thee, and make Gods of our selves. In our Sins we believe the great Deceiver before the God of Truth: and follow his delu­sive Temptations, rather than thy rich and faithfull Promises. In our Sins we preferr Earth before Heaven, the Creature before the Creatour; and reckon there is more Happiness in the Enjoying some of them, than in the Enjoyment of Thee, the Infinite Foun­tain of Good.

Oh how vile, how enormous a thing is Sin! Who can sufficiently hate it! I see, O Lord, in the terrible Suffer­ings of my Saviour, thy mighty Dis­pleasure against the Sins of Men, and it terrifies me to think of it. I plain­ly see how odious they are to the Di­vine [Page 93] Purity; In that so worthy and great a Person, He who is so well and so justly belov'd of the Father, was sorely afflicted by the Father Himself, when He bore the Sins of Mankind. I see thy Hatred, O Lord, against my Sins; I believe it very just, and I can­not chuse but hate them too. I will henceforth hate every false way, but thy Law will I love. I will love thy Righteousness and Holiness, and ut­terly abhorr what is so contrary to it, as my Sins. I will account it my great­est Honour to conform to thee, and will abandon and be asham'd to be found in the most creditable, or the most applauded Sins in the World. Henceforth will all Sin have a most deform'd and ugly Visage to my Eye; I shall never think any one charming; I shall never account any one worthy to be desired.

But when I consider, O Lord, the Course of my past Life; when I look into thy Commands, and compare with them my Thoughts, and Words, [Page 94] and Actions, Oh what a mortifying View does this Examination present me! Oh wretched Creature, I am confounded, I am fill'd with Indigna­tion against my self, when I see how much I have had to do with this vile, this odious thing! Wo is me, how ma­ny are my Transgressions! They are, alas, more in number than the Hairs of my Head, and my Heart even fails me when I review them. I have sinned in every Age of my Life, ever since I could know or chuse my Actions! Oh, wretched Creature, how early did I begin to sin against thee! How many have been the unheeded Actions of my Life! the most of which, I must fear, have been wicked, since they have pro­ceeded from one so prone to do Evil as I. And how many more must the Sins of my Words in all likelihood have been, especially while I did not set any watch upon my Tongue, nor keep the door of my Lips. And when I think how easily and abundantly the light Mind multiplies Thoughts, I tremble [Page 95] to think how much my vain, foolish, vicious Mind has multiplied Trans­gressions too. Lord, who can under­stand his Errours! I am amazed at the Number of my Sins! I have sinned, alas, against thee in every Circumstance and Condition of my Life! I have sin­ned in every Relation towards Men; Not doing that Honour, not paying that Justice, not exercising that Cha­rity to my Neighbour which I ought. I can view none of thy Commands, but it calls to mind many Sins I have been guilty of. Very often have I repeated the same Sins; returning to them, as the Dog to the filthiness of his vomit; and, as the Swine wallowing in the mire. I have sinned against thy Law, and a­gainst the Gospel: Oh, how cold a reception have I given to the Offers of thy Grace and Mercy! How have I neglected the great Salvation! Tram­pled upon the Blood of the Covenant, and despised my Saviour's dying re­deeming Love! Oh, how many of o­ther men's Sins have I been guilty of! [Page 96] By my ill Example; by giving them needless and unjust Provocation; by tempting and alluring them to Sins; by assisting what I ought to have hin­dred; by conniving where I ought to have bestow'd reproofs; and by coun­tenancing and abetting what I ought to have corrected and discouraged. I cannot, alas, pretend to have done any good Action without a mixture of Evil in it: My best Works need the Blood of Christ to cleanse them, and make them fit to be presented unto thee: and indeed I want that Blood to wash even the Tears of my Repentance. What a mighty Charge am I able to draw up against my self! [Here thou mayest particularly mention those Sins thou art sensible of.] But thou, O Lord, knowest me better than I do my self; And I dread to think how much more thou canst add to the heaviest Charge that I can bring against my self.

I have been so vile as to sin delibe­rately against thee; to do Evil, know­ing [Page 97] that I did Evil. I have been easi­ly induced to Sin; the slightest Temp­tations have prevail'd with me! I have been, alas, accustomed to do Evil. O Lord, thou hast Exercised wonderfull Patience and Forbearance towards me in a long train and course of Sinning; and I have been so base and ungratefull as to encourage my self to transgress by that Patience which should have led me to Repentance.

Oh wretched and vile Creature that I am, I have greatly sinned, I am be­come exceeding guilty! What shall I say unto thee, Oh thou preserver of Men. I will lay my self down in the Dust before thee. I am at thy Mercy, O Lord, and must own that I have deserved the utmost severity of thy Wrath. In the sad Sufferings of Je­sus I see what my Sins have deserved. I see in his Contempt how I have de­serv'd to be despised. I see in his Thirst upon the Cross how I have deserved the want of all things comfortable. I see in his Agony, and by his Groans [Page 98] under the Divine Wrath, what Dis­pleasure and Punishment I have de­serv'd to suffer. I see in his accursed Death that I have deserv'd to die, and be Eternally accursed and cast out of the Divine Favour. O Lord, I am unworthy, utterly unworthy to breath in this Air of thine, to inhabit this Earth; to enjoy this chearfull Light. I am less than the least of all thy Mer­cies. I must judge, I must condemn my self, I must own thou wert Just, and I should have but my deserts, if I were now shut up in gloomy darkness; if I were now wrapt in Everlasting Flames; if I were feeling the Torments of the never-dying Worm, and of Endless bit­ter Despair.

Lord, I will punish, I will take vengeance on my self for my Sins. I will lead a Life of Mortification ra­ther than Indulgence; I will never allow again any high or admiring Thoughts of my self. It shall always keep me humble to think, how great disparagement and vileness I have con­tracted! [Page 99] to consider my self a Sinner, and that there is Imperfection and Sin mixed with the best of my Actions.

But, O Lord, I beseech thee do not thou enter into Judgment with thy Servant, for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified. Oh deal not with me after my Sins, neither reward me after mine Iniquities. Blessed is the Man whose Iniquity is forgiven, whose Sin is covered. Spare me, good Lord; spare thy Creature whom thou hast re­deem'd with thy most precious Blood! Oh spare the miserable Wretch that confesses his Faults; restore thou Him that is Penitent. Pity thou Him that is Contrite: Revive the Spirit of the Humble; chear the contrite Heart: A broken and a contrite Heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Give me, then, the joy of thy Salvation; uphold me with thy free spirit: Then will I teach Trans­gressours thy ways, and Sinners shall be converted unto thee. Open thou my Lips, O Lord, and my Mouth shall shew forth thy Praise.

SECT. XV. An Exercise of good Resolutions.

OH Crucified Jesus! Great Mar­tyr of Love! I cannot chuse but acknowledge, and admire and praise the exceeding Greatness of thy dying Love! Much it is, O Lord, that I reckon my self beholden to thee: And what, Oh what shall I render unto the Lord for all his Kindness and Benefits! Lord, when I ransack my store, I am asham'd, I am utterly abasht to find how poor it is. Oh, what can a Crea­ture return to his Maker? What can I give, that have nothing to give; Who am nothing but what I have de­riv'd from thee? Thy Goodness in­deed is such, that thou requirest no more than we are able to render, and with that thou art well-pleased: But that, O Lord, is so little, that I can­not be satisfied with it. Oh let thy [Page 101] Fulness of all Excellent Grace, thy Ful­ness of Love fill me with all true Ex­cellency and Love, that I may be the better and the worthier Gift to thee.

Dearest Jesu! For the Love of thee I readily renounce all the flattering Vanities of this World, all the most necessary Enjoyments of it, that I may steadily Honour and Enjoy thee: I ac­count all things but Loss and Dung, and will not count my Life dear, that I may finish my Course of Duty with joy, and may win Christ.

But especially, O Lord, for love of thee I do here utterly renounce, ab­dicate and abhorr all my most darling Sins. And it grieves me exceedingly that I should ever be so base as to en­tertain any Rivals of the Loving Jesus in my Heart. O Lord, I hate them so much the more now, by how much the more I have formerly lov'd them. I will utterly cast them out of my Heart; no more shall they harbour there; no longer will I entertain, no longer cherish those thine Enemies. [Page 102] What! Can I be kind to the bloody Crucifiers of my Lord! See, my Soul; see these Murderers all daub'd with the Blood of thy Saviour. Away from me, ye hatefull Things: We will now instantly part, never, I hope, to meet again, never to be acquainted more. Begone without delay; I will thrust you out of my Soul, you have no right to abide here. Jesus alone has right to possess and rule me. Away vile Envy, I cannot endure the sight of thee: Begone my Covetousness: My Malice I hate thee: My Sensuality I will starve thee: My Pride I will hum­ble thee: My Idleness thou hast made me so much work to do, that I am re­solved, I see it absolutely necessary, to banish thee for ever from me. All my Lusts and vile Affections begone; ye shall have no more kind usage here; do not expect it.

Jesus has all my Love, I have none for you. I am all his, I am no more for ye. Begone, ye hatefull Tyrants of my Soul. Jesus, a kind and gracious [Page 103] Master, imposes gentle Tasks, but you lay heavy Burdens upon me: His Yoke is easie, and his Burden light; but your Commands are rigorous and intolera­ble. Jesus has shown me great and wondrous Love: Ye promise me much satisfaction and kindness, but perform nothing. No, ye have cheated and deceiv'd me: Ye have robb'd me of my Peace, robb'd me of my Dignity and Glory, and, which is more, ye have robb'd me of the Favour of my God. What can you do for me, if you should do all that you promise, which is never to be expected, that is comparable with what He can do for me; what He is willing, and has faith­fully promised to do for me, if I will but hate and forsake you; or with what Jesus has already done to testifie his God-will and Kindness to me. Je­sus made Himself of no reputation for my sake, and that He might advance me to the highest Honour; But ye would expose me to the utmost Con­tempt of God, Angels and Devils: [Page 104] Jesus has died for me that I might live for ever, but ye would kill me; Jesus rules to save, but you to destroy. His Rewards are Eternal Life and Happiness, but your Wages is Death and Misery everlasting▪ When I come to die, what fruit, what comfort can I expect from you? Alas, all that you could ever gain will leave me then, if it be not gone before, and I must go a poor, naked friendless Stranger into the Eternal World; yea, for your sakes I must, if I do not cast you off, appear a hated guilty Rebel before my Lord and Judge, and be exposed to all the Terrours of Divine Wrath. But the Love of Jesus will not then forsake me: Neither Tribulation, Distress, Persecu­tion, nor Death it self shall ever sepa­rate me from the Love of Jesus if I will but be divorced from you. And Jesus is King of the other World, and will send his kind Angels to receive my de­parting Soul, out of the mean Taber­nacle of my Body, and to conduct it to a glorious Mansion: To welcome it [Page 105] from the Miseries of this sinfull World, to congratulate my happy Victory over you my Enemies, and carry me in Tri­umph to a place of Bliss, and to be with Christ. Can I then so much a­bandon my Reason, so much mistake my Interest, as to have any more to do with you?

O Lord, the Great Redeemer have Mercy upon me, and deliver me from these tyrannous Masters. Thy Service is perfect Freedom; in keeping thy Commands there is great Reward. Set my Soul, I pray, at liberty to run the Ways of thy Commandments. As for these thine Enemies and mine, bring them forth and let them be slain be­fore thee: Root them perfectly out of my Heart. Let them from henceforth be in a decaying, languishing Conditi­on, never thrive more, and quickly die. I will never be satisfied till I see them utterly deprived of all Motion, Sence and Life. O Jesu, thy Cross, thy Nails, thy Spear are due to these: Let them from thence receive many mortal [Page 106] Wounds, that thou mayest never be displeased, nor I troubled or dispara­ged with them any more for ever.

O Crucified Love, thou hast pre­vented me by thy Love, and infinitely exceeded all that I can return; But I will learn of thee to Love, and follow thee as well as I can. Thou hast gi­ven thy self for me on the Cross, and givest thy self to me in this Sacrament: Behold, O Lord, I offer my self to thee, my whole self. I offer and bring thee all the Faculties of my Soul, all the Members of my Body: I offer my Sences and my Passions: I offer all my Thoughts, my Words, and my Actions: I offer all my Designs and Endeavours: All the Labours of my worldly Calling; all the Adoration of my Worship and Devotions. I offer thee all my Possessions in the World; all the Persons that I can command and influence to worship, honour and serve thee. I offer thee all the Days of my Life; I offer thee my Death when thou wilt please to require it; [Page 107] and both Living and Dying I desire to be thine. I desire to be entirely thine. Oh how dearly hast thou bought this poor Gift! Never was so great a Price, beside this, paid for any Creature. I will live to my Love that died for me. I will henceforth look upon my self as a devoted consecrated Thing, and will ever endeavour to remain so, and to carry my self as such. I will never be willingly employed, but as thou com­mandest, and as thou allowest. Lord, for thy sake I will love thy Law, and it shall be my Meditation all the day. I will love thy Commandments above Gold, and all false ways I will utter­ly abhorr. Dearer shall thy Command­ments be to Me than Thousands of Gold and Silver, and sweeter than Ho­ney from the Comb. I will love no­thing but what thou lovest, and will hate what-ever is displeasing to thee.

I am heartily griev'd, O Lord, that I have ever lov'd any thing but thee, while I neglected to love thee. I am heartily ashamed to think that I should [Page 108] place no Affection where all I could▪ offer is but due, and bestow all where little or none was due Especially does it vex and grieve me that I should be so monstrously ungratefull and mista­ken, as to love any thing more than the loving Jesus. Hereafter, dearest Lord, I purpose to love nothing but far be­low thee, and for thy sake what-ever I do love: And what is most like thee, or most serviceable to thy Honour and Glory, shall have the most of my Love.

Henceforth it shall be my Honour that I am a Servant of Jesus; It shall be my delight and pleasure to be a lover of Jesus; it shall be my most va­lued Wealth that He is mine, and I am His. Whom have I in Heaven but thee, O Lord, and there is none on Earth that I can desire in comparison to thee. And therefore nothing can be so sweet to me; nothing can afford me so much satisfaction and joy, as to be able to say of thee, My Beloved is mine, and I am His For me to be thine, O Jesu, is my Honour, my Security, my Peace [Page 109] and Happiness everlasting. For thee to be mine is health to my Soul, strength to do thy Commandments; it is Joy unspeakable and full of Glory; it is Heaven on Earth, and the Heaven of Heaven; it is Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption to me, O rich and bounteous Love. I am thine, O Lord, with all my Soul, that thou mayest be mine. Oh how much shall I gain by giving my self to thee! I shall gain my self and be saved from Everlasting Perdition, and I shall gain Everlasting Happiness in the Enjoy­ment of thee.

I am thine, O Jesu; save me, I have sought thy Precepts. Lord sancti­fie me wholly, that in Body, Soul and Spirit I may be thine: Take a full pos­session of me for the future; and let not any other Lords have Dominion over me. O Lord, I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy Righ­teous Judgments. I purpose to be sted­fast, unmovable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, as knowing that my [Page 110] Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. I am thine, dispose of me as thou plea­sest: I will bear thy Yoke, I will not decline thy Cross▪ I will not despise thy shame: The reproach of Christ shall be to me greater Riches than the Prospe­rity of this World. Let but thy Grace be sufficient for me, and then call me to what thou pleasest: I can do all things through Christ strengthening me. Lord, I shall not, I hope, fear or decline to suf­fer for thy sake: No, though I should die with thee, I purpose not to deny thee. But, alas, it troubles me to think how weak and vain all my Resolutions are, and how soon they will come to nothing without thy continual support and assistance. This troubles me; but it is my comfort, that thy Grace is ea­sily obtain'd; it may be now had for asking of it; O shield me by thy Grace against all Temptations: Hold up my go­ings in thy Word, that my footsteps slip not: Guide thou me by thy Counsel, till thou hast brought me to thy Glory.

SECT. XVI. An Exercise of Faith.

I Believe there is onely one true and living God; who is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: An In­finite, Eternal, Perfect Being; the Ma­ker and Preserver, Owner and Gover­nour of All things. Who has right to the Homage, Worship, and Obedience of Mankind: Who has laid upon us his Laws, and takes notice of our Be­haviour; That his Eyes behold all the Dwellers upon Earth, and try the Chil­dren of Men; That He is always nigh to every one of us, for it is in Him that we live, move, and have our Being. I believe, O Lord, that thou art and art a Rewarder of those that diligently seek thee: Thou hast appointed a Day where­in thou wilt Judge the World in Righ­teousness, and render to every Man ac­cording to his Works: That those who are found wicked in that Day, shall go [Page 112] away into Everlasting Punishment, but the Righteous into Life Eternal.

But I believe also, that to the Lord our God belong Mercies and Forgivenes­ses, though we have rebelled against Him, if in the way of his appointment we seek his Pardoning-Mercy. Thou hast, O Lord, Blessed be thy Name, pre­claim'd thy self a God, forgiving Iniqui­ty, Transgression and Sin: And decla­rest, that thou desirest not the Death of a Sinner, but had rather that he should turn from his Wickedness, and live. O wonderfull Condescension and Good­ness! Oh how sweet is thy Mercy! How glorious and great! The exceeding vile­ness, and the unreasonableness of our Sins, do magnifie thy Mercy beyond all Comprehension and Praise. Favour and Forgiveness to a base Sinner is that the Sinner could not expect till thou hadst declar'd it should be obtain'd, and didst graciously offer it.

When we were sunk into the most abject Misery by a vile Rebellion against thee; had render'd our selves obnoxious [Page 113] to thy Eternal Hatred and Wrath, and deserv'd to follow the Apostate Angels in their Fate and Damnation, as we had follow'd them in Rebellion: Then did thy Infinite Wisdom contrive how to show us Favour in a way consistent with thine own Honour: Thou didst find out a way to spare Us, and to pu­nish our Sins; to glorifie thy Justice in taking Vengeance on our Inventions, and thy Mercy in saving the wretched Sinners: And God so lov'd the World, that He gave his onely-begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not pe­rish, but have Everlasting Life. Thou gavest, O Father, thine Onely-begotten Son to the Condescension and Mean­ness of taking our Nature upon Him; and to die a Sacrifice for our Sins; and on him, thy well-beloved Son, didst thou lay the Iniquities of us all. And in his Death thou hast receiv'd a full, perfect and sufficient Sacrifice, Oblati­on and Satisfaction for the Sins of the whole World. Thou hast laid our Help on one that is Mighty, and able to save [Page 114] to the uttermost all that come into God by Him. We adore thy Incom­prehensible Goodness and Compassion to Sinners! Thou art abundant, Oh God, in Goodness and Truth!

Thy Mercy is over all thy Works: In Mercy thou hast great delight: We remember the glorious Exercises of it; We know, O Lord, thou canst pardon the greatest Offences; For thou hast pardon'd very great Sinners: David was forgiven his base Murder and A­dultery; Manasseh his horrid Idolatry, and filling Jerusalem with innocent Blood: The vile Adulteress Mary Mag­dalen; The Apostle Peter, who denied and disown'd thee with an Oath; The Furious Saul, who blasphem'd thee himself; and being exceedingly mad a­gainst thee, compell'd others to Blas­pheme: All these are Monuments of thy glorious forgiving Mercy. Oh what comfortable, what joyfull Hopes have we in such Goodness!

We know, that having given us thy Son, thou wilt not deny us any thing [Page 115] that is necessary to our Salvation: But if we ask, we shall receive; if we seek, we shall find; if we knock, it shall be opened to us. On that Ransome which my Saviour has paid for me, and on all thy gracious Promises which for his sake thou hast made, I do wholly and firmly rely. With an humble Confi­dence, O Lord, that we may find fa­vour with thee, we remember before thee in this Sacrament the bleeding Wounds of thy dear Son, and his pre­cious Death, our rich Sacrifice for Sin. We remember before thee, and pre­sent unto thee, Him whom thou hast set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood. And in his Name, relying upon the Value and Acceptance of his Sacrifice, I thy poor unworthy Servant humbly present my self before the Throne of thy Grace to seek thy Favour, begging leave that I may claim thy gracious Promises, which in Him are Yea, and in Him Amen; and that I may now entertain and delight my self with the glorious Hopes which they afford.

I desire, I hope that thou wilt fully forgive my manifold and great Trans­gressions. I desire, I hope thou wilt give me thy Holy Spirit, which thou hast promised to give to them that ask Him. Oh grant me that Spirit to cleanse me from all Unrighteousness, to purifie my polluted Soul; to take a­way all the filthy stains of my Sins; to strengthen my weakness in Temptati­ons; to be my support and comfort me under Discouragements and Afflicti­ons; to assist me in all my Duties; to guide my Way, and secure my Perse­verance to the End. Thou, O Lord▪ who searchest the Hearts, and triest the Reins of Men, well knowest, I had almost said too well, wherein my great­est weakness lies; Lord strengthen me in particular, I beseech thee, against mine own Iniquity. I desire, I hope thou wilt graciously keep me unspot­ted from the World: keep me from following any of the Errours and Vices that shall ever be in vogue with the giddy and wicked Multitude. I desire▪ [Page 117] I hope thou wilt mercifully defend me against the Wiles and Devices of my Soul's great Adversary the Devil. I humbly commit my self to thy graci­ous keeping, Oh faithfull Creatour.

I desire, I hope, O Lord, that thou wilt bless me with Health, and with a competent Provision of what is need­full for me of the good things of this World; and defend me, if it please thee, from Poverty, Dependance and Contempt. Give me neither Poverty nor Riches, but feed me with Food convenient for me. I know, O Lord, Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward; that Sin entring into this World, has brought Misery and Af­fliction with it; And that our folly and perverseness commonly needs such Discipline to make us wise and good. I desire to submit to what-ever it shall please thee to order for me; to say al­ways after the Example of my Saviour, Lord, not my Will, but thine be done. I hope thou wilt deal with me accord­ing to thy Mercy, and lay upon me [Page 118] no more than thou wilt inable me to bear. I believe thou mayest do me great good by my Afflictions; I pray thee sanctifie them all to the promo­ting my Soul's Health, and my Ever­lasting Happiness: And give me, I pray thee, an humble Resignation, and an invincible Patience, that I may nei­ther despise the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when I am rebuked of Him: Let me always encourage my self with this Assurance, That these light Af­flictions, which are but for a moment, if they be patiently born, shall work for▪ me a far more exceeding and an eternal weight of Glory. I desire, I hope thou wilt direct and inable me so to pass through things Temporal, as that I may not finally lose the things Eternal. That by thy Conduct and Guidance I may at last arrive safely to that happy World where the Weary are at Rest; where the Wicked cease from Trou­bling; where Sorrow and Sighing, and Pain and Vexation, and Fear and Care shall all be banish'd; all Tears shall be [Page 119] for ever wiped from our Eyes, and we shall enjoy thee, and all that we can de­sire in perfect Bliss, and Eternal Safety and Quiet.

This is a true Saying, and worthy of all Men to be received, That Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sin­ners. Lord I receive it; Lord I be­lieve, help thou my unbelief. I believe, O Jesu, thou art Christ the Son of the living God, that should come into the World. Oh tender and condescend­ing Love, how dear is that Blessed Name to me! Jesus my Saviour! Oh how full of sweetness is it, as a rich Perfume! Thy Name is as Ointment poured forth! Oh be thou ever Jesus to me. To thee, O Lord, I fly as a refuge from the just Wrath of God I have deserv'd; as able to conquer all my spiritual Enemies; as willing to receive into thy protection all that come unto thee. Oh Lamb of God, that takest away the Sins of the World, have Mercy upon my poor Soul; grant me thy Peace. Thou invitest those that [Page 120] are weary and heavy laden to come in­to thee: Behold, Lord, I come, let me find Rest to my Soul.

I come to partake of the Happiness of being united to thee in this Sacra­ment. I believe, O Lord, the Truth of all thy Promises, and the Vertue and Power of all thine Ordinances: And that the Bread we break, and the Cup we drink in this Sacrament, be not bare Signs, but real Instruments of Conveyance, and the Communications of thy Body and Blood: I come, then, that I may receive thy Body and Blood; may be interested in the Merits of thy Passion; that I may partake of the Spirit, and be intitled to the Heavenly Inheritance, which thou hast purcha­sed for poor lost Sinners. I come to make a Thankfull Remembrance of thy Death, which thou didst kindly submit to for the Advantage of Man­kind: And by thy Death I hope to have Life everlasting.

I gladly embrace, O Lord, the Of­fers of thy Gospel. I desire thee to [Page 121] subdue in me all my rebellious Lusts and vile Affections, and as a King to rule over me. I will account it my Honour to be thy meannest Subject. I desire thee to afford me thy Heaven­ly Instructions; teach me as a Prophet, and make me wise to my Salvation through Faith that is in thee. I de­sire thee to intercede for me as Priest in the Vertue of thy most valuable Sa­crifice; and to bestow upon me the large Blessings which thou hast pur­chased for Sinners. I believe, O Lord, thou hast died for our Sins, and art ri­sen again for our Justification. I de­sire thy Death may utterly crucifie and till all my Sins; and that thy Resur­rection may revive my Hopes. By thy Resurrection I desire, I hope for mine: By thy Ascension into Heaven I desire thee to draw my Heart and Affections from this vain empty World, to the hearty Love and earnest Desire of Hea­venly Things: And I hope thou wilt raise me up at the Last Day, and bring me to be where thou art, and give me [Page 122] an Everlasting Life. I take this Sacra­ment as a Pledge of thy Everlasting Love; as the Evidence of great Love already shown me, and the Earnest and Assurance of yet greater Communica­tions to come.

My Soul thirsts for God, even for the Living God: Oh, when shall I come and appear before God! When shall I see thy Face, O dearest Jesu, without a Veil, be kiss'd with the Kis­ses of thy Mouth, enjoy thy self im­mediately? When shall these short and faint Glimpses of thy Glory be ex­chang'd for a full abiding sight of thee? When shall I have leave not onely to visit, but to dwell with thee; and to receive not transient Tasts, but drink large Draughts of Delight and Joy from an Infinite Fountain of Bliss and Joy: For in thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. Oh how I long that this my weary Pilgrimage were done: That I were absent from the Body, that I might be present with the Lord: [Page 123] That I might have no necessary diver­sion, dearest Jesu, from perpetual con­templating, praising, loving and enjoy­ing thee. For this however I do wait; This I do through thy Merits, and from thy Infinite Love expect; and that Ex­pectation shall encourage me to labour in thy Service, to bear thy Cross, and to follow thee whithersoever thou shalt call me.

SECT. XVII. An Exercise of Charity.

O Jesu, thou art Infinite Love! I cannot but with great delight and wonder Contemplate thee; and when I do so, I feel a pleasing Con­straint upon me to Love. I must ac­count this a most excellent and divine Qualification, which is so eminently in thee: I must reckon it my greatest Honour to be conform'd to the Son of God; and therefore I must utterly [Page 124] dislike and hate my self for any defect of Love I find in my self. Besides▪ When I think how much I am lov'd▪ How much thy free and bounteous Love has given, and how much it has forgiven to me, I am forced to account my self basely and extreamly unworthy of this if I do not love much.

I will put on, then, the most exten­sive Charity that I can: I will wish well, and do good to all Men as far as I have power, and as oft as I have op­portunity to do it: I will love my Neighbour as my self; and account him my Neighbour, who has any need of my kindness, and to whom I have it in my power to do any Office of kindness, whosoever he be. Thou, O Blessed Jesu, hast lov'd the most un­worthy Wretches! I, then, will ac­count none unworthy of my Love and Good-will. Thou hast lov'd those that were infinitely below thee, and hast mightily condescended to do them kindness. I will never account it be­low me therefore to do an Office of [Page 125] Kindness to my meanest Neighbour; but rather the greater the Condescen­sion is in the doing it, the more I will value the opportunity, of showing therein the greater Likeness and Gra­titude to thee. Thou, Lord, hast lov'd those that are altogether unprofitable to thee; and from whom thou canst never receive a parallel return of Love: I will be asham'd, then, as I most justly may, to bestow no Benefits but where I have receiv'd, or expect to receive some.

Thou, O Jesu, hast lov'd even thine Enemies, and pray'd for those that de­spitefully used and persecuted thee: And this is a glorious Pattern which I in­tend, by the Assistance of thy Grace, to imitate. As for all that have in­jur'd me by Word or Deed, O Lord, I forgive them, and I pray thee to forgive them. I am more sorry for their Errour and Sin, than I am for any Loss and Damage which is come, or may come to me by their Injury: Lord have Mercy upon their Souls; [Page 126] Forgive my Enemies, Persecutours and Slanderers, and turn their Hearts. I desire no harm to any that are my Ene­mies, if any be so: Nor will I rejoice over them when they fall, but rather grieve to see it; much less will I ever seek their harm and mischief. And I purpose on the contrary, notwithstand­ing all their unkindness, to do them all the good Offices which I can; consi­stently with a due care of my own safe­ty, and with other Obligations and Duties to thee, or to others of my Neighbours. I purpose to study, and seek to do them good: To return Blessing for Cursing, Respect for Con­tempt, and Good for Evil: That I may, if it be possible, overcome Evil with Good.

As it is the Character of Charity not to be forward to think Evil, I will take care that no uncharitable Jealousies or Suspicions of my Neigh­bour may represent him my Enemy who is not so: I will take care not to interpret a mistake into a malicious [Page 127] design; or that which is intended as a kindness, into an injury: But will always endeavour to take all his Words and Actions in the best Sence, and to put the best Interpretation upon them all that I can: Especially will I do thus by the Magistrate, as being bound to it by the Obligation to Reverence, and Honour him as well as by the Laws of Charity; and because it is necessa­ry and usefull to the Publick Peace and Welfare, and so is in its Effects a Charity to others of my Neighbours too.

I thank thee, O Lord, for all the kindness of my Friends, and for those that have done me any good: I pray thee, O bounteous Love, abundantly to requite them in this World and the next; in Temporal and Eternal. Bles­sings Continue or encrease their Store and Worldly Prosperity, if it may be good for them; and especially Bless them with Spiritual Blessings in Hea­venly Things. I will endeavour, as far as lies in my power, in what I can [Page 128] do for their outward Estate, or for their Souls, always to express a most gratefull Sence of their kindness. I will not despise the Love of the mean­est person, much rather will I thank­fully resent the condescending Favours of those that are above me.

I make my humble Supplications to thee now, O Lord, at a good time, for all Mankind: I recommend to thy Infinite Mercy all Jews, Turks and Infidels. Oh let them that sit in Dark­ness see thy marvellous Light, and be turned from the Power of Satan unto God: That the Earth might be filled with Knowledge of the Lord as Wa­ters cover the Sea. Let thy Gospel of Holiness, Peace and Love, O Jesu, run and be glorified from the rising of the Sun, to the going down of the same.

With great Trouble and Concern, O Lord, I consider how much of the wretched World lies in Wickedness▪ O how sad a Thought is it, that such a Saviour should be offer'd to Men, and so few receive Him! How sad is it to [Page 129] think that so many Thousands of Souls for whom Christ died, are likely to go down into the dismal Caves of Hell; that so many who might be Eternally happy, and praise thee for ever, will destroy, and throw themselves into E­verlasting Misery. Rivers of Waters run down mine Eyes, because Men make void thy Law: A Law so rich in Love, and so condescending in Grace. I am troubled, O Lord, because they do not love thee, and because they will destroy themselves: Because they af­front and rebell against thy most obli­ging Goodness, and neglect so great Salvation as it offers them.

Oh that I could save many precious Souls from their Destruction; Oh that I could pluck them as Brands out of the Burning. As far as I am able, and as becomes me to do in my place and station, I will endeavour to cure the Epidemical Wickedness of the Times I live in. I will earnestly endeavour to keep those Souls that are under my Authority and Power, and that are of [Page 130] my Neighbourhood and Acquaintance, and whom I can have any influence over from going down to Everlasting Perdition. I will follow all that I may with Advice and Counsel; and those that I may not pretend to advise, I will endeavour to entreat, that they would be saved: And those whom I ought to do this to, I will reprove and correct for any Wickedness that I ob­serve in them. I will propagate, as well as I can, the saving Knowledge, and the Love of thee among the Igno­rant and Careless, and those whom their Poverty hinders from providing for themselves; By giving among them, according to my Ability, such means of their Instruction and Reformation as thy Favour has afforded the Pub­lick.

I am greatly troubled and concern'd at the Miseries and Calamities which I hear of or see in the World: That thy Creatures whom thou didst make, that thou mightest love them, and that they might be happy, should pull upon [Page 131] themselves so much Misery from thy just Wrath, and deserved Vengeance. Oh how sad is it to think of Thou­sands of People going down alive into the Pit, swallow'd up by sudden Earth­quakes; and in a moment snatch'd hence into Eternity, without any time to prepare for their Departure. How it grieves me to think of the sad Ef­fects of Pining Famine in some places; of Infectious and Pestilential Diseases in others. It wounds my Soul to con­sider the wofull Calamities and Deso­lations that attend Horrid Wars▪ Oh how deplorable a thing is it that Men should seek to spill the Blood of Men; and give the Carkasses of their own Kind for a Prey to Birds and Wild Beasts. Lord, rebuke the proud Di­sturbers of the World; abate their Pride, asswage their Malice, and con­found their Devices: Grant that Wars may cease in all Lands, and gentle Love and happy Peace abound! Pro­sper, good Lord, those that Endeavour for a just and safe Peace, that they [Page 132] may attain it; and scatter thou the People that delight in War. Oh that thy Judgments which are abroad in Earth, might make the Inhabitants of the World to learn Righteousness, and turn themselves to thee who hast smit­ten them, that thou mayest head them.

As a Member of thy Blessed Church, I am particularly concern'd for the Tranquillity and Peace, and the true Spiritual Glory and Prosperity of that. O Lord, purge out of thy Church what-ever does displease thee, and is destructive to the Souls of Men. Purge out of it what-ever is an Offence to those without: Possess all Christians with this, That they are oblig'd to En­deavour, that their Carriage may a­dorn and recommend their Religion in the sight of the Infidels; and to take care their Light may so shine before Men, that they seeing their Good Works▪ may Glorifie their Father which is in Heaven. Purge thy Church, we pray thee, from all false Doctrines and He­resies; [Page 133] from Prophaneness and Perse­cution; from Superstition and Cruel­ty; from Envy, Hatred, Malice, and all Uncharitableness. Bring into the Way of Truth all such as have erred, and are deceived: Raise up them that are fallen; confirm, and strengthen those that stand in Piety and Vertue, and Profession of the Truth. Com­fort those parts of thy Church that mourn, and are oppress'd under a Bar­barous Persecution; And let thine own Right-hand, and Holy Arm, in thy due time, give them a mighty Salva­tion.

O God of Love, O Prince of Peace, and God of Order, we pray thee let thy Gospel abundantly promote these good things in thy Church. Grant that there may be no hurting nor de­stroying in all thy Holy Mountain: That all the Members of the Church, as Members of the same Body, and of one another, may have a Cordial Af­fection to each other: Carrying them­selves with all lowliness and meekness to [Page 134] each other; and with long-suffering, forbearing one another in Love. Grant that as there is but one Lord Jesus Christ, whom we all pretend to Love and Reverence, as there is but one true Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may all with one Mind and one Mouth glorifie thee our God. Grant that every Member of the Church may so know and keep its pre­per place, that there may be no Schism in the Body.

O Jesu, King of Love, fill with thy kind and gentle Spirit all Christian Kings, Princes and Governours. Let no proud Wrath; no malicious Envy; no greedy Covetousness; no turbulent Ambition reign in any of them: Grant that they all, knowing whose Ministers they are, may above all things seek thy Honour and Glory: And that they may study to preserve the People com­mitted to their Care in Wealth, Peace, and Godliness: That they may truly and indifferently administer Justice, to the Punishment of Wickedness and [Page 135] Vice, and to the Maintenance of thy true Religion and Vertue.

Especially, O Lord, we intreat thee to regard with pecullar Favour, thy Servants, WILLIAM and MARY, our most Gracious King and Queen. Let thy Wisdom direct them in all their Administrations; Thy Almighty Power promote their Good Designs, that under them we may be Godly and Quietly Govern'd. Let thy Bounte­ous Goodness shower upon them abun­dantly all Personal Blessings, for their Bodies and for their Souls, to their long Prosperity in this Life, and their Everlasting Happiness in the next. Since by their Wisdom and Care, by their Love to Thee, and Goodness to Us, with thy Blessing upon their En­deavours, we enjoy the happy Liberty of thy House, and these thy Blessed Ordinances, to the joy and comfort of our Souls, we will never fail to re­member them in all our Prayers and Supplications unto thee.

Pour down an Abundance of thy Spirit, we pray thee, O Gracious Je­su, upon all Bishops and Pastours of thy Church. Replenish them all with right and sound Knowledge, and a true Understanding of thy Word. Oh let not their Hearts be govern'd, or their Actions be guided by the De­signs of Covetousness or Ambition: But do thou possess and rule them by a great Zeal for thy Glory, and for thy great Design the Salvation of Souls: Grant that they may by their Holy Doctrine, and Answerable Lives, be mightily successfull in turning ma­ny to Righteousness; and that they may save Themselves, and many of those that are committed to their Charge.

Since my Goodness, O Lord, ex­tends not to thee; and thou art a­bove the receiving of any Advantage by the best Returns that I can make for all thy Bounty to me: It shall be my Charge and Care to requite thy kindness upon thy Servants to whom [Page 137] I may be profitable. I will love them, O Lord, that love thee, and do all the good I can to those especially that are of the Houshold of Faith: I will gladly relieve the Necessities of thy Servants which are made known to me; will Feed the Hungry, Cloath the Naked, Instruct the Ignorant, Re­duce the Wandering, Visit the Sick and Imprisoned, Comfort and Help the Weak-hearted, and Vindicate and Assist the Fatherless and Widows in their Distress, according as I have Opportunity and Power to do so. And give me, I beseech thee, O lo­ving Jesu, a just and large Notion of the Houshold of Faith, that I may not confine this my Charity within too narrow Bounds. Let me be always afraid of restraining it within too nar­row Limits, never of extending it too far among Christians.

I love thee, O Lord Jesus, for ma­king so sweet and pleasant a thing as Charity my Duty, and do account even this an Instance of thy Charity [Page 138] to me. If there be any other Exer­cise of this Divine Vertue, O Lord, which I have not thought of, I desire Thee, the great Fountain of Love, to admonish me of it, and always to dis­pose me to it. Grant that in the pleasing Exercise of Love I may pass the time of my sojourning here in this Malicious, Miserable World; till I come at length to that Happy One, where sincere, abundant, and unalter­able Love, and Joy, and Glory dwell for ever.

SECT. XVIII. PRAYERS for Preparation.

SECT. XIX. Directions for a Devout Be­haviour at the Communion.

THanks be to God we have so good provision made by our Church for the Administration of this Blessed Sacrament; That any good Soul may receive it with great Devotion and Comfort, who will but seriously at­tend to what is appointed to be said and done in that Administration; as indeed many such Souls, accustomed to it, have found by very comfortable Ex­perience: Upon which account it were much to be desired, and very advisa­ble, That those who are wont to at­tend this way but once in a Year, when they enter into an Office, would per­suade themselves to come more fre­quently to it; That they might do so with the more comfort and advantage to their Souls, when that Occasion re­quires [Page 148] them to do it: For the whole Business is so order'd, that 'tis very Apt and Fit to stir up in us the lively and vigorous Exercise of all those Gra­ces which are required to Attend it. So that the best Advice which can be given for our due and profitable Be­haviour at the Holy Communion is this: That the Communicant do very closely Attend to what is order'd to be said and done by Him that Ministers, or by the Communicant Himself, while they are upon this Duty.

But because the Communicants, e­specially where the Number is great, (as I wish it were every-where) will have some Spaces wherein they may employ themselves in some private E­jaculations and Devotions; I shall not think it contrary to the proposed Bre­vity of this Book, to afford them some such Devout Prayers and Ejaculations as they may use; and I shall put them in their proper Places. But these must be commonly very short, that they may not be diverted from joining with the Publick Office.

To begin then, where we usually be­gin this Administration.

When He that Ministers is reading those Sentences of Holy Scripture which are design'd to Exhort and Encourage the making our Offerings to Almighty God: While you have your Offering in your Hand, or when you have gi­ven it, say,

O Lord of Heaven and Earth, Maker and Owner of all Things! All that I have and am is from Thee, and all is Thine. Thou dost give, and Thou hast right to take and use what Thou pleasest of it: I humbly present This according to my A­bility; as an Acknowledgment of thy right in me, and in all that I have; and of thy Bounty in giving it. I present, and I humbly intreat Thee to accept This as a Token and Pledge of the Dedication of my self, and all that I have, to serve and honour Thee. Sprinkle me, O Lord Jesus, and this my Duty with thy preci­ous Blood, and obtain for me, by thy Merits, a great Encrease of all Spiritual Gifts and Graces, to thy Glory and my Salvation. Amen.

When the Offerings are all receiv'd, and set upon the Altar: He that Mi­nisters proceeds to make Intercessions to God for the Whole State of Christ's Church Militant here on Earth: In which it becomes every Devout Soul, as a Living Member of that Church, to join with him, with very hearty Af­fections.

After this He proceeds to an Ex­hortation, which is design'd to deterr all those from drawing near to this Holy Ordinance, who are conscious to Themselves that they have been negligent to prepare for it; and who live in any known Sin. And then it goes on to Encourage those Humble Penitents, and Faithfull Souls, who have been carefull to prepare Them­selves; and to excite in them those Dispositions with which they ought to come. It will be very proper for the Communicant, while the Minister is reading this, to join with Him, and to turn it into a Prayer, thus:

O God that searchest the Hearts, and triest the Reins of Men; and who hast commanded us to come to the Holy Communion of the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ: Thou knowest I have diligently Examin'd my self before I would presume to eat of this Bread, and drink of this Cup; and have endeavour'd, that I might with a true penitent Heart and lively Faith receive this Holy Sacra­ment, that so I may to my great Benefit and Consolation spiritually eat the Flesh of Christ herein, and drink his Blood; that I may be one with Christ, and Christ with Me: And that I might not receive the same unworthily, nor, which I dread to speak, be guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ my Saviour, and so eat and drink my own Damnation, not considering the Lord's Body: That I might not kindle thy Wrath against me, but find favour in thy sight; That I might not provoke Thee to plague me with Temporal Af­flictions, but obtain the continuance of such Comforts as I enjoy, and the be­stowing of such as Thou seest most con­venient for me; That I might not pro­voke Thee to cut me off by an untimely [Page 152] Death, I have, according to the direction of thy Apostle, seriously judg'd my self. Do not thou enter into Judgment with thy Servant, O Lord, for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified. I have repented my past Sins, and do repent of them: I have endeavour'd to be possest of a lively and stedfast Faith in Christ my Saviour; Lord encrease my Faith. I resolve to a­mend, by the Assistance of thy Grace, what-ever Evil I shall be convinced of in my Life: And I heartily seek thy Favour upon this just and reasonable Condition of being in Charity with all Men. O Lord I forgive, let me be forgiven: And after all, I most humbly pray Thee, who alone canst do it to make me a meet par­taker of these Holy Mysteries. Above all, I give most humble and hearty Thanks to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, for the Redemption of the World, by the Death and Passion of our Saviour Christ, both God and Man; Who did humble Himself even to the Death upon the Cross for us miserable Sinners; Who lay in Darkness and the shadow of Death, that He might make us the Children of God, and Exalt us to Everlasting Life. I de­sire at this time with all Thankfulness to [Page 153] remember the Exceeding great Love of our Master and only Saviour in his thus Dying for us; and the Innumerable Be­nefits which by his precious Blood-shed­ding He hath obtain'd to us. I heartily give Him thanks too, for that He hath further shown his Love to wretched Sin­ners in his Instituting and Ordaining Ho­ly Mysteries for Pledges of his Love, that we might have the move full Assurance of it, and for a continual Remembrance of his Death to our Great and Endless Comfort. To Him therefore with the Father and the Holy Ghost, I gave, as I am most bounden, continual Thanks, submitting my self wholly to his Holy will and Pleasure, and purposing that I will study to serve Him in true Holiness and Righteousness all the Days of my Life.

Amen.

In the next place you are to join with the Minister with all Humility and true Godly Sorrow in a Confession of Sins, and to receive by Him God's Absolution.

To the Sentences of Holy Scripture which. He next recites to encourage our Faith and Hope in God, it may be proper to make in your Hearts some such Answers as these.

To those Words of our Saviour, Come unto me, &c.

Answer. Behold, O Lord, I come: Je­sus, thou Son of David, have Mercy up­on me.

To those Words, God so loved the World, &c.

Answer. O Father of Mercies, have Mercy upon me, and give me that Faith in thy Son, that I may not Perish, but have Everlasting Life.

To the Words of St. Paul, This is a true Saying, &c.

Answer. Lord, I believe the Truth of this, and thankfully embrace so Impor­tant a Truth: O Christ, save me, one of the chiefest of Sinners.

To the Words of St. John, If any Man sin, &c.

Answer. Be Thou, O Jesus, the Righ­teous, my Powerfull Advocate with the Father: O Father, accept of his Death as a Propitiation for my Sins.

To what the Minister says next, you are to make the Answers directed, and to join with Him in the Praises and Prayers following.

After that the Bread and Wine is by the Prayer of Consecration set a­part to represent the Body and Blood of Christ; and while the Ministers are receiving, you must look upon the E­lements with an Holy, Awfull Reve­rence, and sadly call to Mind the Scourging, the Buffetings, the Crown of Thorns, the cruel Nails and Spear which wounded and bruised, which tore and kill'd the Loving Jesus: You may remember the more terrible Suf­ferings and sharp Agonies of his Soul; which He endur'd especially when He made his Life an Offering for Sin. And you should call to mind it was your Sins that gave Him all these Sufferings and Griefs; that yet He endur'd them [Page 156] for your Advantage; And He was Scourg'd, that by His stripes you might be healed; He shed His Blood to ran­some you from Hell and Misery; and died, that He might obtain for you Everlasting Life and Happiness. And while the rest of the Company are re­ceiving, if they are a good Number; you will have leisure, and may very profitably entertain your self with read­ing over the foregoing Exercises of Thankfull Remembrance, Faith, &c. And in reading them, you may Exer­cise those Graces as you ought to do. If there will not be time to repeat them all, you may do well to chuse some such a one or more of them as is most suitable to the present State, and disposition of your Mind. For the De­vout Soul may be at one time more taken up in Admiration and Praise of the Dying Love of Jesus Christ: At another time it may be especially pos­sest with a deep Humiliation and Re­pentance; at another time it may be elevated with the Hopes and Joys of [Page 157] Believing; Or engag'd in making Ear­nest Resolutions of Love, Obedience, and Gratitude to the Great Redeemer: Or in Exercises of Charity to the mi­serable and sinfull World; And your Entertainment at this spare time may be chosen accordingly. Only this must be advised, in relation to this matter, That you should make Observation of your self, whether you do not too com­monly fix your Meditations upon one and the same of these Exercises, and so neglect the rest: For this must not be allow'd; But you must constrain your self, if need be, to use sometimes one, and sometimes another of these, that so you may at times Exercise every Grace, and by the Exercise encrease in all.

When you go to Receive, and see the Minister approaching with the Sacred Bread, which represents the broken Body of our Lord, look on it, and say:

Behold, my Soul, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the Sins of the World. [Page 158] Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to re­ceive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength, and Honour, and Glory, and Bles­sing. Oh come Lord Jesus, take possession of my Soul, and dwell Thou for ever with me; that I may be the more fit for such a Happiness, transform me into thy Like­ness, by the renewing of my Mind. Open ye everlasting Doors of my Heart, that the King of Glory may come in.

When He delivers it to you, join with Him, and say:

The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for me, preserve my Bo­dy and Soul unto Everlasting Life.

And as you are eating it, say within your self:

O Jesu, Thou art the Living, and Life, giving Bread, which cometh down from Heaven; which, whosoever eateth, he shall live for ever. Thy Flesh is Meat indeed, and thy Blood is Drink indeed: On Thee my hungry Soul shall feed, by my Faith, with hearty Thankfulness. Let me tast and find, that Thou, Lord, art Gracious; Thou that fillest the Hungry with good things, replenish me abundantly with thy [Page 159] Grace. Oh let this Divine and Spiritual Food afford me much Spiritual Strength and Refreshment.

When He delivers the Cup, join with Him, and say:

The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for me, preserve my Body and Soul unto Everlasting Life.

And when you have drank it, say:

Thy Love, O King of Saints, is better than Wine. As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood, so is my Beloved among the Sons: We will remember thy Love more than Wine: The Remem­brance of thy wondrous Love shall be the frequent, and the most pleasant En­tertainment of my Life: Thy Love, O Je­su, shall comfort me in my Sorrows; shall strengthen me in my Weakness; shall quicken and cure my Sloth, and Backward­ness to my Duty: Oh let thy Love even transform me into Love. Amen.

O Father of Mercies, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom thou hast set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood, behold, I beseech Thee, this precious Sacri­fice of thy Son! Behold it, I pray Thee, [Page 160] and turn away from me, thy poor feeble Creature, all the Wrath and Vengeance which my Sins have deserv'd. This is that on which I firmly and solely rely to find favour with Thee; and this is that in which I know. Thou art well-pleased: Oh Father of Mercies, have Mercy upon me. Deal always with thy Servant ac­cording to thy Mercy; And teach me thy Statutes, that I may hereafter serve and please Thee in Newness of Life: And I humbly hope and desire to be accepted with Thee, through the Merits and Medi­ation of thy beloved Son, who died for our Sins, and rose again for our Justification; is now set down at thy right hand, and ever lives to make Intercession for us. Amen.

Taking notice of the Sacrament de­liver'd to others, you may thus im­prove it.

Jesus, the rich and bounteous Lover, has good things in store for as many as come unto Him: Jesus is able to save to the uttermost all that come un­to God by Him. Of his Fulness do all we receive, and Grace for Grace. See, my Soul! see here thy Master's [Page 161] Bounty and Love! See Him here gi­ving even Himself to His Friends.

My Soul, if Jesus so lov'd us all, we ought also to love one another. This Commandment has He left us, that He, who loves God, should love his Brother also. Study, then, what Offices of Love and Kindness it may lie in thy Power to do to any of these thy fellow Communicants, and resolve upon it, for the Kind Jesus will take it as even done to Him. If thou love Him truly, thou must needs love those whom He loves: Thou must pity them in all their Distresses, Spiritual and Temporal, whom He has pitied in their Misery at so costly a Rate: Thou must learn to forgive those whom He forgives: Thou must be liberal accord­ing to thy Power, and their Necessities to those whom thou seest the Objects of his Bounteous Love. And especi­ally thou must charge thy self not to Hate, not to do any Despite or Injury to any of these; for even that too would He take as done to Himself: [Page 160] [...] [Page 161] [...] [Page 162] Thou must not despise any of these for their mean Condition in this World: He may have made the poor of this World rich in Faith: Thou must not envy nor grudge at any of them whom the Providence of God has favour'd more than He has done Thee in the Blessings of this World. Thou must take heed always that thy Carriage be not a Scandal and Occasion of Sin to any of these; that thou destroy not Him whom Christ died for. And bles­sed be thy Name, O Lord, for these sweet and pleasant Laws. I willingly bind my self, O Jesu, to Observe these thy Laws of Love. Oh thou great Pattern of Love, learn me to Love.

O Kindest Jesu, thy Body was broken▪ and is divided amongst us to unite us to Thee, and to one another. Let it be a­mongst us a Common Incentive of Mu­tual Charity: Let it be, in its Effects, Uni­ty of Spirit among us, a Bond of Peace, and all Righteousness of Life in our Car­riage one towards another. O Thou the Great Fountain of Love, pour it abun­dantly [Page 163] into my Heart, and into the Hearts of all thy Faithfull People; That we may abound in Love one towards another; and by thus bearing thy Glorious Cha­racter and Likeness, in Love, may show to all Men that we are indeed thy Disci­ples. Amen.

When all have Communicated, and the Minister begins the Prayers that re­main, you are to leave off all private Devotions, and to join with Him and the Congregation to the End.

After He has pronounced the Bles­sing, you may privately say:

To Him that loved us, and wash'd us from our Sins in his own Blood, and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father: To Him with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be Glory and Dominion for ever, and ever. Amen.

Then rising from your Knees, kind­ly and courteously salute your Fellow Communicants at the parting of the Congregation.