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 Section .^ 
 
I 
 
 I Monthly Trematiom^ 
 
 FOR Tk^ 5>fcr 
 
 Holy Commtrmon; 
 
 ByjRftijatu starter- 
 
 To which is added, 
 
 Suitable Meditations* before 
 
 in, and after Receiving. 
 
 IV ITli 
 
 Divine Hymns, 
 
 In Common Tunes. 
 
 (Fitted for Pubiick Congregations, 
 or Private Families. *„. 
 
 
 
 The Third Edition Ccrrefoi. 
 
 BOSTON: Printed -fnr D Henchman, at 
 the Corner Shop oveM^inlt the Brick Meet 
 ing-Roule in Corniiilf. 1718. 
 
2. £./*£*• 
 
 '■'•6 
 
 iZVl 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO TH E 
 
 READER. 
 
 £*i Acramenta^Work is folemn Work 
 ^^ indeed: And all thofe helps are 
 Vj valuable &defirable, whereby the 
 Furniture of our Minds, the temper of 
 our Hearts,and the conduft of our Lives 
 may be anfwerable to the folemnity of 
 a Sacramental Table. A Mind that is 
 barren or perplext-, an Heart that is 
 ialfe or ftupid ^ and the Conference of 
 a difordered Converfation,are badCom- 
 panions to attend us to the HolySupper 
 of our Lord. The Lord'sBody is to be 
 difcerned, his Death fhewed forth, his 
 tender'd Self & Benefits received, and 
 his next Coming ferioufly thought on, 
 and throughly prepared for,and joyfully 
 expected by us ; and all this is to b$ 
 influenced and a&uated by this Memo- 
 rial which Chrilt hath left with us: 
 A 2 Such 
 
 N 
 
The PREFACE 
 Such helps as thefe,are rhe moreufeful 
 by being brief, if brevity do not render 
 them defective and ohfcure, as here I 
 think they will nor. No Directory 
 can be better. than the Inliitution, if 
 well difcerned & attended to. 
 
 7. The Memorable Per/on is the Lord 
 Jefus, in his Perfections, Relations, and 
 Defigns, Here therefore let him be 
 eonfidered, 
 
 ?. As MM % to render him capable of 
 Sufferings,SerVice,3nd Contending with 
 that Enemy of God & Man, who once 
 deceived and enflaved us. 
 
 2. As the Son of Alan, the chief of 
 Humane Race, for Tryals, Fair hiulnefs 
 and Advancement. 
 
 3. As the Son of God, as efTenrially 
 and molt intimately one with God 5 as 
 Lord of the (Jniverfe, Head over all 
 Things to His Church, and of theChurch 
 itfeife The brightnefs of his Fathers 
 Glory, the one Mediator 5 and lb God's 
 wiy to Man, and Man's way to God, 
 and one deputed to undertake and per- 
 fect our ConduQ, Government, and 
 Salvation,. f 
 
 11 Hisk 
 
to the READER. 
 11 His Sufferings are the things here 
 nexr to be commemorated. Great were 
 his Trials from God, from Hell, 8c from 
 this World. With great compofednefs 
 I and magnanimity, did he endure them, 
 ; and work his paflage through themto x 
 that exalted ftate, wherein he had fo 
 f much to do with God for us : In all 
 thefe,and in his Preparations for them, 
 deth he appear moft exemplary to us, 
 claiming and urging our Conformity to 
 his obedient, fubmiflrve, and refolute 
 felf. And in hisMeritorious Sufferings 
 and Expiatory Death, mult we difcern 
 and think intently on, what there 2nd 
 thence was evident ^ viz. God's Wifdomy 
 Majefty, Hoiine's, and his Governing 
 Juftice, and Prerogatives; the finfulnefs 
 of Sin, theMifery of revolted Man, the 
 Equity 8£ Power of Gods violated Law, 
 and the eminence of the Divine above 
 the Animal Life, Nature, & Concerns, 
 III. Our Intereftin, and Benefit by 
 thefe his Sufferings, are next to exer- 
 cife our Thoughts. He died to let us 
 fee, 
 
 i. How glorious a God we have ta 
 do with. 
 
 h% 2* Hearts^ 
 
We PREFACE 
 
 2. What wife and righteous Confti* 
 rations we had violated. 
 
 3. What dreadful Evils we had 
 brought upon our felves. 
 
 4* What Spirir, firengrh and reach 
 {there is in Divine Threat ning-s* 
 
 5. How hard It is to be recovered, 
 when we are fallen from God, and f6 
 what an Enemy Satan is to Man j and 
 |k>w unwilling to let his Captives go. 
 
 6. To fliew us the riches of God's* 
 Grace in him, and his own Dignity ^ in 
 that his Sufferings could,and did, merit. 
 and obtain of God our Pardon, Adaption, 
 Acceptance^ Eternal Blifs thro 5 him,, 
 
 7. To-raife and cherifh holy end.ea* 
 vours to return to God in hope* 
 
 8. To make us dread the Thoughts 
 of ever falling off from God again, 
 
 9. To juftifie our Claims to all the 
 Benefirs of our Gofpel-ftate- and day. 
 
 10. To obtain of God for us theSpirit 
 and Means of Grace, thereby to fit usl 
 for our prefent Work & Trials in this] 
 our Probationary State y and to fuit and 
 bring us to his Father and Himfelf in 
 Glory, £t that with univerfalSatisfaQi^ 
 ^a i *«qd.Ad.vantage> i .aa4:A]^pJiinfetf 
 
 of 
 
To the REAVE R. 
 
 ii. To puc himfelf into a capacity 
 of interceding for us in Heaven, and. 
 biefling us from Heaven as our High- 
 Prielt upon his Throne. 
 
 12. To put us into,& to keep us in a 
 Govenant-Itare & frame, that thus we 
 may deal 8£ walk withGod,asChildjen, 
 as interefted in his Son, as inhabited 
 and actuated by his Spirit, & as united 
 with all the Family of God and Ghrift, 
 in the fame Principles, Pra&ices, Con-* 
 cerns, and Hopes, in order to the Exer- 
 cifes of all the fympathiesand fervices, 
 of mutually ChriltianLove,Eph,iv.i, 6 8 , 
 
 IV. Our Commemoration of Chriltt 
 thus reprefented to us as upon the 
 Crofs, and as determining to come- 
 again, is our next work. 
 
 i. The Sacramental Elements/Sc the 
 Obferved Inftitution, is the Memorial, 
 
 2. The Remembrance contains, 
 
 i. head-work, in difcerning, remem* 
 
 bring and: believing the Sacramental 
 
 Doftrine of this Supper to be true,and 
 
 of great confeqaence to us : Chrift Cruci* 
 
 fiH^rsl. determining to cone cgain, 
 
 2. heart aw/^in forming the temper, ; 
 pyrppfes, hope§,ar<d. comforts^of our- 
 
 Hearts^ 
 
The PR EFA CE; &c. 
 Hearts unto whit this Supper imports, 
 and our acceptance of what is tendered 
 here* and our obliging our felves to do 
 'and be asChrift would have us. 
 
 3. Life work ; in keeping up our 
 Chriltian Practice and Profeflion as we 
 are here dire&ed and obliged to -, for 
 a more full Account whereof, and 
 greater firnefs for lr r thou art commend- 
 ed to this helpful Treatife, by Thine 
 to his poor Power for Chrift. 
 
 Matthew Sjhejler. 
 
 Feb. 3. i69%,6.. 
 
Ci ) 
 
 A Monthly Preparation for 
 ourHoly Communion with 
 CHRIST and His Church, 
 in the Lord's Supper. 
 
 THIS is a holy Fealt that is pur- 
 pofely provided by theKirgof 
 Saints, for the Entertainment 
 of his Family \ for the refrefhingof the 
 " weary,ai.d the making glad the mourn- 
 ful Soul, The Night before his bitter 
 Dea^h, he inltitured this Sacramental 
 Feall \ He caufed h\sDifcipfes to fit down 
 wishlfMjnd when they had pa naked of 
 tie Paflbver, the Sacrament of Promife, 
 and had their talte of rhe vlaWwe^.z gi- 
 veththem thetf*a>,even the Sacrament of 
 the better Covenanted of the fuller Gof* 
 f el Grace : He teacherh them that his 
 Death is Life to them : And that which is 
 his bitiere]1f.'jferh7g,\s theirJWZ: And 
 hhjnrrouos are their foys\ as out finfui 
 fie fur es were hxsforrows .The flainLamb 
 of God our fojjover that was Sacrificed j or 
 
 us, 
 
 I 
 
2 A Monthly Preparation for 
 us, tbattaketb away the fins oj the Worlds 
 was thepleafant food} wh\chSacrawen* 
 tally he himfelf then delivered to them, 
 and fubftantially the next day offered 
 for them. The Bread of God it be which 
 cometb down from Heaven, and givetb Life 
 unto the world, Joh.6.33. He it the living 
 Bread which came down from heaven : If 
 any Man eat vj this Bread he fhall live for 
 ever : And the Bread which he givetb it 
 his flefh which he hath given for the Life of 
 the World. Ver. 50,5; 1. Except we eat tb\ 
 fiejh of the Son oj Man, and drink bis 
 Blood,we"have no Life in us : Whofo eatetb 
 his flefh iff dri/nketb his Bloodbath eternal 
 1-.ifefi? he will raife htm up at the la ft day : 
 For his Flefh is meat indeed, & bis Blo«d 
 it drink indeed : He that eatetb his flefh, 
 and drinking his Blood, dwellctb in Chn3, 
 and Chrifi in him : As the living Father 
 bath Jen t the Son, & be livethby the Father. 
 So be that eatetb him, fhall live by hint. 
 This it that Bread that came down from 
 Heaven : Not as the Fathers did eat Man- 
 na & are dead : He that eatetb this Bread 
 flmtl live J or ever. 
 
 I fhall here only give you fome brief 
 Dircftions for your private duty herein. 
 
 Duea 
 
the Holy Sacrament] % 
 
 Direft. i. Vnderfland well the proper 
 ends jo which this Sacrament was institu- 
 ted byCbrill, iff take heed thai you ufc it 
 not to ends, for which it never was appoin- 
 ted. The true ends are thefe, i. To be a 
 folemnCemmemoration of theD^/& and 
 Paffian of Jefus Cbrifi, Mat.26.28. Mar. 
 14- 24. Luk. 22, 20. To keep it, as it 
 were, in the Eye of the Church, in his 
 bodily abfence 'till he ccme, 1 Cor. 11. 
 24,25,26. 2. To be a folemn renewing 
 of theHolyCovenant which was firft en- 
 tred in Baptifm, between Ghrijt and the 
 Receiver \ and in that Covenant it is on 
 Chritt's parr, a folemn delivery of him- 
 felf firft, and with himfelf the benefits 
 of Pardon ^ReconcUiation,Adoptionfix.x\^\\t 
 to Life Eternal Heb. 9. 15, 16, 17, 18. 
 I Cor. 10 16, 24. And on Man's part ;, 
 it is our folemn acceptance ofC6n'f?,witk 
 h\sBe n efts, upon his terms, & a deliver- 
 ing up ourfelves to him,as his Redeemed 
 ones,Qven to the Father as our reconciled 
 Fathered to the Son as our Lord (S> Savi- 
 our, and to the Holy Spirit as our Sanfti- 
 fier, with Profejfed Jhankfulnefs for fo 
 great a benefit. 3. It is appointed to be 
 a liv ely objeQive means ,by which theSpi- 
 
 creife 
 
4 A Monthly Preparation for 
 
 rit of Chr>fi (hould work to ttir up €t ex- 
 ercife, 8c increaie he liepentanceJFaub, 
 Dcfire,Love,Hope, Joy, Tbankjulnefs, and 
 Kew Obedience of Believers $ by a lively 
 Reprefemation of the evil oj Jin, the infi- 
 nite Love of God in CV//?,thefirmnefsof 
 the Covenant or Promife, the great nefs 
 andjurenejs of the Mercy given, & the 
 Blejjednefs purchafed & promifed to us, 
 and the great Obligations that are laid 
 upon us. Arid that herein Believers might 
 be folemnly called out to the molt fe- 
 rious exercife of all thefeGraces, \Cor. 
 11.27,28,29,31. 1 Cor. jo. 16, 17,21. 1 
 Cor. if, 2?, 26. 2 Cor. 64. And nvght be 
 provoked Sc ailiftedtolHr upthemlelves 
 to this Communion with Gcd in Cbrift, 
 and to pray for more as through a facri- 
 ficed Cbrifi. 4, It is appointed to be 
 the folemn Profeffion of Believers, of 
 their Faith,&Love,K Gratitude, 3nd O- 
 bedience to God the father, Son and Holy 
 -GboS 9 and of continuing firm in the 
 Cbriilian Religion. And a Badge of the 
 Church before the World. Alls 2. 42, 
 46. & 20. 7. 5, And it isappointed to 
 be a ftgn H. means <fi \\\z\Jnity^Love&xA 
 Communion of Saints, &their readinefs to 
 -Communicate to each other. The 
 
to the Holy Sacrament] 5 
 
 The Falfe miftaken ends, which you 
 muft avoid, are thefe, i. You muft not 
 with thePapifis think that the end of it 
 is to turn Bread into noBread, 8c Wine 
 into noWine,& to make them really the 
 true Body & Blood of fefus (Shrift. For 
 if fenfe (which telieth all Men that it 
 9 is ftill Bread &C Wine) be not to be be- 
 * lievedjthen we cannot believe that ever 
 there was a Go/pel, or an Apoftle, or z 
 Tope, or a Man, or any thing in the 
 World. And thsApofile exprefly callethit 
 Bread three times, in 3 Verfes together, 
 after theConfecr at ion, iCor.n. 26 ,27,28*1 
 And he telieth us, that the ufe of it is 
 (not to make the Lord's Body really pre^ 
 fent but) to /hew the Lord's Death till he 
 come \ that is, as a vifible reprefenting 
 and commemorating fign, to be infiead 
 of the Bodily prefence till he come* 
 
 2. Nor muft you with the PapiJIs ufe 
 this Sacrament KofacrificeChrift again real- 
 ly unto tie Father, to propitiate him for 
 the quick 8c dead,and eafe Souls inPurs 
 gatory,8c deliver them out of it. For 
 Chrift having died once dieth no more* 
 and wirhour killing him, there is no fa- 
 crificinghim ;By once offeringuphlmtelf, 
 B be 
 
6 A Monthly Preparation for 
 he bath perfelled for ever them that arc 
 fandified^ now there rematnetb no more 
 Sacrifice for fin : Having fin ifh ed the 
 facrificing work on Earth, he is now 
 paHed into theHeavens y to appear before 
 God for his Redeemed ones+Rom.6.9.iCor m 
 IS. 3. 2 Cor. 5.14,15. Heb. 9. 26. and 10. 
 12,26. and 9. 24. 
 
 3. Nor is it any better than odious 
 impiety to receive the Sacrament ,to con- 
 firm fomeConfederacies orOat hs of Secre* 
 fie 9 for rebellions or other unlawful de- 
 fignSiZSthePowderP/ottersinEng/and&id. 
 
 4. Nor is it any other than impious 
 prophanation of thefe facred Mifteries 
 for the Prieft to conftra'w ovfuffer noto- 
 rioufly ignorant, & ungodly Perfons, to 
 receive them,either to make themfelves 
 believe that they are indeed the Chil- 
 dren of God, or to be a means which 
 ungodly Men fhould ufe to make them 
 godly ^ pr,which Infidels or Impenitent 
 Perfonsmult ufe tohelp them toRepen- 
 tance & Faith in Cbrifi. For th# there 
 is that in it which may become a mean* 
 of theirConverfion,(as aThiet that fteal ' 
 eih'aBible oTSermnBookjmy be convert ! 
 ed by lu) Yet it is not to be ufed hy xh< I 
 
 Receive; 
 
ibt Holy Sacrament] 7 
 
 Receiver to that end. For that were to 
 tell God a lie,as the means of theirCon- 
 verfion * for whofoever eometh to re-. 
 ceive a fettled pardon,doth thereby pro* 
 fefsRepentance,asalfoby the words a'd- 
 joyned he muft do $ and whofoever t;k- 
 eth, 8£ tattth, & drtnketb the Br tad and 
 IVine.doth actually profefs thereby, that 
 he taketh 8c applieth Cbrift himfelf by 
 Fiith ? And therefore, if he do neither 
 of thefe, he lierh openly to God 5 and 
 lies & falfe Cavenants are not the ap- 
 pointed means of Converfion. Nor that 
 the Minifttr is a Her in his delivery of 
 it : For he doth but conditionally feal 
 and deliver God's Covenant & Benefits to 
 theReceiver,to be his, if he truly Repent 
 and Believe : But the Receiver himfelf 
 lieth, if he do not aftually Repent & Bc- 
 Jieve i as he there profefTeth to do. 
 
 ?- Alfoit is an impious prophanatioa 
 of the Sacrament, if any Prieft for the 
 Love of filthy Lucre, (hall give it to 
 thofe tjhat ought not to receive it, that 
 he mry have his Fees orOfferings -, or, 
 that thePrieft mav have fo much Money 
 that is bequeathed for the faying a Mais 
 for fuch or fuch a Soul. 
 
 B 2 6. And 
 
 ■ 
 
8 A Monthly Preparation for 
 
 6. And it is odious prophanarion of the 
 Saeramenfyo ufe it as a League or Bond, 
 of Faftion, to gather perfbns into the 
 party ^ tie them faft to it,that they may 
 depend upon the Prielt, & his Faftion 
 andlnterelt may thereby beltrengtbned, 
 gc he may feem to have many followers. 
 
 7. And it is a dangerous abufe of it, 
 to receive it,thar you may be pardoned, 
 or fanEtified, or faved, barely by the 
 work done, or by the outward exercife ' 
 alone. As if God were there obliged 
 to give you Grace, while you Itrive not 
 with your own Hearts, to ftir them up 
 to love,or defire,or faith, or obedience, 
 by the means that are before you $ or 
 ss if God would pardon & fave you for 
 eating Co much Bread and drinking for 
 much Wine when the Canon biddeth 
 you * or, as if the Sacrament conveyed 
 Grace, like as Charms are fuppofed to 
 work, by faying over fo many word?. 
 
 8. Lilt ! y, Ic is no appointed end of 
 thisS3crament,thattheReceiver thereby | 
 profefs himfeif certain of the finceruy 
 of his own Repentance & Faith: (For ic 
 is not managed on the ground of fuch 
 certainty only by the Receiver \ much 
 
 lefs 
 
 t 
 
iht Holy Sacramenrl 9 
 
 lefs by the Miniiter that delivereth it.) 
 Bar only he profefleth that as far as he 
 qan difcern byobfervinghis ownHearr,he 
 istruly willing to haveChrift,&:hisbene- 
 fits on the terms that they are offered 5 
 &: that he doth content to the Covenant 
 
 • which he is there to renew. Think not 
 therefore, that the Sacrament is inftitu- 
 ted for any of thefe (miftakenj ends. 
 
 * DireCt 2. Diftlnltly under fan d the 
 > p art s of the Sacrament, that you may dif* 
 
 tintfly kfc them,. Of not do, you know not 
 txhat. This Sacrament container!) thefe 
 three parts, 1. The Confecration of the 
 Bread & Wine,wh\ch maketh it the Re- 
 prefentativeBody &Blood of Chri ft, 2 The 
 Reprefentation & Commemoration of the 
 Sacrifice of Chrift. 3. ThzCommuxicn : 
 O^Commumcaticn by Chrift, and Recep- 
 tion by the People. 
 
 *■ I/i theG/z/^.r^^theChurch doth 
 firlt offer theLieatures of BreadU. Wine, 
 to be accepted of God, ro thisSacred ufe: 
 And God aecepreth them, and bleffeth- 
 thern to this ufe 5 which he fign'fieth 
 both by the words of his own Jriiiru- 
 tiovad by the Attion of hisMiniffers, 
 ind 1 heir EtntliHhn. They being the 
 B 3 Agents 
 
jo A Monthly Preparation for 
 Agents of God to the People, in this Jfef 
 ccptingZl Ble fling ^s they are the Agents 
 ot the P*0/?/* to G^i, in cfierwg or rff#& 
 «;//^ the Creatures to this ufe. 
 
 2« This Confccration having a fpecial 
 tefpett to God the Father, in it we ac- 
 knowledge his three grand Relations, 
 i. That he is the Creator &L ioxhcOwner 
 of all the Creatures $ for we offer them 
 to him as his own* 2. That lie is our 
 Righteous GvvernourjNhoU Law it was, 
 that Adam & we have broken, and who 
 required fatisfaftion,and hath received 
 the facrifice and atonemenr,& hath dif%. 
 penfed with the ftrift & proper execu- 
 tion of that Law -, and- will rule us 
 hereafter by the Law of Grace- 3 That 
 he is our Father orBenefa&or who hath 
 freely given us a Redeemer, and the 
 Covenant of Grace,whofeLove &Favour 
 we have forfeited by fin, but defire&nd 
 hope to be reconciled by Chiift. 
 
 ?• As Chrilt himfelf was Incarnate 8C 
 true Chrilt, before he was facrijiced to 
 God.znd was facrijiced toGod.hzfoxz that 
 facrifice be communicated for life and 
 nourifhment to; Souls: So in the Sacra- 
 ment, Confecratkn mull ftrft make the 
 
 Creature 
 
the Holy Sucr$mert> I? 
 
 Creature to be the Flejh £? BlocdofCbnft 
 rcprefcntativc\ 8c then t lie facrificing of 
 thai Fiejh & Blood mult be reprefenred 
 and commemorated -, Et chen the facri* 
 ficed flefh and blood communicated to 
 the Receivers for their fpirirualiife* 
 
 Ii. TlxzCommemoration chiefly (but not 
 only J refpe&eih God the Son : Fur he 
 hath ordained, that t\\$teconfccratcdRe- 
 prefentations fhould in their manner and 
 meafure, fupply the room ef his bodily 
 prefence,while his body is in Heaven i 
 And that thus as it were//; effigy in 
 reprcftntation, he might be ftilL Cru- 
 cified before the Churches eyes $ and 
 they might be afft&ed, as if they had 
 feen'him on the Crofs. . And that by 
 FaitbSz Prayers, they might as it VJere 9 
 offer him up toGod^that is,Might fheiv 
 the Father that facriftce once made for 
 fin, in which they trult - y and for which 
 it is,that they expeft all the acceptance 
 of their perfons with God,and hope for 
 audience when rhey beg for mercy,and 
 offer up prayer or praife to him. 
 
 HI. In the Communication, though the 
 Sacrament have fefpefl to the Father , 
 as the principal Giver ^6£ to the 5^ as 
 
 both 
 
1 2 A Monthly Preparation for 
 both the Gift K Giver , yet hath it a 
 
 fpeciai refpe£t to the HolyGhoS^s being 
 that 5//W; given in the Flcjh and&W, 
 which quickenethSouls * without which 
 theFleJh will profit nothing : Andwhofe 
 operations muft convey KappIyChrift's 
 laving benefits to us- John 6-63- &: 739. 
 Thefe three being the parrs of theSa* 
 crament in whole, as comprehending 
 that facred ii#/0tf,&participationwhich 
 is effentiai to it. The Material parts, 
 called theRelate & Correlate,zxe, 1 Sub- 
 ftantial ^Qualitative- 2 Afiive&PaJJive. 
 1. £he firlt are the Bread and Wine as 
 figns, and the Body ar-d B/W ofCbrift, 
 wich hisGr^rr andfirtf^/^asthethings 
 fignified and given- The fecondare the 
 Ailions of Breaking, Pouring out,2n&Deli- 
 veringon the Minilters parr, ("after the 
 Consecration) and the Taking, Eating, 
 and Drinking, by the Receivers, as rhe 
 figT : And the fignified is,theCrucifying 
 or Sacrificing of Chrift,& theDelivering- 
 himfelf with hisBenefrts to theBeliever 
 and the Receivers thankful Accepting* 
 and iifiag the laid gift- To thefe add 
 the Relative ¥onn$L the Ends, and you 
 have the definition of this Sacrament. 
 
 Duett* 
 
the Holy Sacrament* i3 
 
 * Dire£t. 3. Look upon the Minijier as 
 
 r the Agent or Officer of Cbrift, who U Com- 
 
 * pi'JJioned by him to feal & delivtr to yon 
 the Covenant & its benefits : And take the 
 
 . Bread i$ Wine as if you heard Chriji him* 
 ■f elf faying to you, Take my BodytSf Blood, 
 Ekand the Pardon fit Grace which it thereby 
 
 * fur chafed- It is a great help in the 
 'W\ppIication,to have mercy and pardon 
 Ibroughr us by the hand of a Commiflio- 
 
 ncd Officer of Chrift. 
 
 Direft- 4- In your preparation before*. 
 *hand, take heed oj thefe two extreams, v 
 That you come not prophanely & carefrfly, 
 with common hearts, as to a common work: 
 ForGod will be fa notified in them that 
 draw near ro him, Lev* 10 3, And they 
 that eat and Drink unworthily, not 
 difcerning theLordsBody frbmcommon 
 Breadjbut eating as if it were acommon 
 meal, do eat Death to themfelves," 
 inftead of Life- 2- Take heed left your 
 mft.ikcs of the nature of this Sacrament ', 
 fhould pfffs you with fuch fears of un- 
 worthy receiving^ the following dangers, 
 is may quite difcompfe & 'unfit yourSouls 
 r or the joyful exerafes 0/ Faith, £7 Love, 
 : S> PraifepThanksgivingjo which you are 
 
 invited. 
 
1 4 A Monthly Preparation for 
 invited' Many that are fcupulous of re- 
 ceiving it (n *v>J 7 tive a f rafting gefturc, 
 are too little carefuS&fcrupulous of re- 
 ceiving ir in any.fave z fcafiing frame of 
 mind* The firft excresm is caufed by 
 profanenefs and negligence, or by grofs 
 ignorance of the nature of the Sacra- 
 mental woik. The latter extream is' 
 frequently ciufed as folio weth -, i By 
 fating this S.icrament at a greater 
 diftance from other parts oj God's wor- 
 /hip y then there is caufe : So that the 
 excefs of Reverence doth overwhelm 
 the minds of fome with terrors- 2- By 
 ttudying more the terrible w r ords of 
 eating and drinking damnation to tbcm- 
 fclvcs, if they do it unworthily^ than all 
 the expreillons of Love &Mercy,which 
 that Bleffed Feaft is fumifhed with* 
 So that when the views of infinireLove 
 fhould ravifh them,- they are ftudying 
 .wrath and vengeance ro terrify them, 
 as if they cime to Mofcs, and not to 
 (Shrift. 5 By not underftanding what 
 maketh a Receiver worthy or'unwortby, 
 but taking their unwilling infirmities 
 for condemning unworthinefs. 4. By 
 receiving it fo feldom, as to make it 
 
 ftrange 
 
the Holy Sacrament. i 5 
 
 ftrange to them,and increafe their fear, 
 whereas, if it were adminiltred every 
 Lord's day, as it was in rbe Primitive 
 Churches, it wauld better acquaint 
 them with it, and cure that fear that 
 cometh from thangenefs. f* By ima- 
 gining, that none that want affbrance 
 of their own fincerity, can receive in 
 Faith. 6. By contracting an ill habit 
 of miftaken Religioufnefs,placing it ail 
 in poring on themfelves, and mourning 
 for their corruptions, and not infludy- 
 ing the Love of God in Chrift, and 
 living fn the daily praifes of his Name, 
 and joyful thankfgiving for his exceed- 
 ing Mercies. 7- And if befides all 
 thefe the Body contract a weak or ti- 
 morous melancholy diiiemper, it will 
 leave the mind capable of almoft na« 
 thing, but fear and trouble, even in the 
 fweeieft woiks. From many fuch cau- 
 fesit cometh to pafs, that tie Sacra- 
 ment of the Lord's Supper is become 
 more terrible, and uncomfortable to a- 
 bundanceoffuchdiftemperedChriltians, 
 than any other Ordinance of God ; and 
 that which fhouid molt comfort them 
 doth trouble them moit. 
 
 Qjiefc 
 
1 6 A Monthly Preparation for 
 
 Que ft. r. But it not this Sacrament 
 trior e holy and dreadful, and fbould it not 
 have mure. preparation, than other parts of 
 wifh.p ? 
 
 * if. For the degree ?ndeed,it fhould 
 have ve y careful preparation : And we 
 cannot well compare it with other' 
 paus of worihip 5 as Praife, Thankfgiv, * 
 i g Covenanting with God, Prayer,£?V. 
 Betaufe that ail thefe other parts are 
 here c mprifed and performed, But 
 d'ubtlef , God muft alio be fanftifted 
 in ail his other worfhip, and his Name 
 mult not be t;iken in vain. And when 
 this Sacrament was received every 
 Lord's-day, and often in the Week be- 
 fides, Christians were fuppofed to live 
 continually in a ftate of general prepay 
 ration, and not to be fo far from a due 
 particular preparation, as many poor 
 Chriftians think they are. 
 
 Quelt. 7. How of ten fhould the Sacra* t\ 
 went be now adminijlred. that it neither^ 
 grow into contempt n^rUrangenefs ? M 
 
 Anfw. Ordinarily in wellDifciplined&i 
 Churches it fhould be ftill every Lord's-?, 
 day- For, i. We have no reafon tcic, 
 prove,that the^pofiles example 8t apf ;; 
 
 pointmenfj 
 
 S 
 
£ 
 
 the Holy Sacrament] 17 
 
 pointment in this cafe, was proper to 
 thofe times, any more than that praife 
 and thankfgiving daily is proper to 
 .them : And we may as well deny the 
 obligation of other Institutions or A- 
 pcftolicalOrdersasthat. 2. It is a part 
 of the fettled order for the Lord'sDays 
 worfhip * and omitting it, maimethand 
 alterab the worfhipjortbeday^ and occa- 
 iioned the omiffion of the thankfgiving 
 nd praife, and lively commemorations; 
 ofChrift, which fhould be then moll 
 performed ; And fo Chriftians by ufe t 
 grow habited to fadnefs,and a mourning 
 melancholy Religion, and grow unac- 
 quainted with much of the Worfhip 
 and Spirit of the Gofpel. ?. Hereby 
 the Papifis lamentable corruptions of 
 ^his Ordinance have grown up,even by 
 an excefs of reverence and fear, which 
 feldom receiving doth increafe * till 
 they are come to woifhipBrai as thek 
 3pd< 4. By feldom communicating, 
 Men are feduced to think all proper 
 [Communion of Churches lieth in that Si- 
 yranent, and to be more prophanely 
 o>oid in abufing.many other parts of 
 j-voifhipt ?. There are better means 
 % ~ G (bjr 
 
'i8 A Monthly Preparation for 
 
 (by Teaching and Difcipline; to keep 
 
 the Sacrament from contempt, than the 
 omitting or difplacing of it. 6. Every 
 Lord'sDay is no oftner than Chriftians 
 need it. 7. The frequency will teach 
 them to live prepared, and not only to 
 make much ado once a Month or Quar- 
 ter, when the fame work is negietted 
 all the Year befide 5 even as one that 
 liveth in continual expe&ation of death, 
 will live in continual preparation : 
 When he that expe£teth it but in fome 
 grievous ficknefs,will then be frightned 
 into fome feeming preparations, which 
 are not the habit of his Soul, but laid 
 by again w£en the difeafe is over. 
 
 3. Bur yet I muft add, that in fome 
 undifciplined Churches, and upon fome 
 occafions ic may be longer omitted, or 
 feldomer ufed * no duty is a duty at 
 all times: And therefore extraordinary 
 cafes may raife fuch impediments, as 
 may hinder us a long time from this, 
 and many other Priviledges. But the 
 ordinary faultinefs of our imper*e9| 
 hearts, that are apt to grow cultcmarjr 
 and dull, is no good reafon why \r 
 ffioqM be fel&cm $ any more than mi) 
 
 other 
 
the Holy SacramnK >e 
 
 other fpeciai duties of Worfhip and 
 Church Communion fhould be feldom. 
 Read well the Epiflle of Paul to the 
 Corinthians, and you will find that they 
 were then as bad as the true Chriftians 
 are now, and that even in this Sacra- 
 ment they were very culpable, andyet 
 Paul feeketh not to cure them by their 
 feldomer communicating. 
 
 Q. 3. Are all the Members ofthevifible 
 Church to be admitted to this Sacrament ? 
 Or Communicate. 
 
 Anfw, All are not xofeek ir,or xotake 
 it, becaufe many may know their own 
 u ifitnefs, when the Church or Paftors 
 know it not : But all that come and 
 feck if,are to beadmitted by thePaftors, 
 except fuch Children, Idiots, ignorant 
 Perfons, or Ueriticks, as know not what 
 they are to receive or do^ and fuch as 
 are notorioufly wicked or fcandaious^ 
 and have nor manifelted their Repen- 
 tance. But then it is prefuppofed,thac 
 none fhould be numbred with the adult 
 members of the Church, but rhofe thac 
 have perfonally owned their Baptifmal 
 Covenant, by a Credible ProfcJJijnof true 
 Cbrittianity % 
 
 C 2 • Q. 4; 
 
r 2o A Monthly Preparation for 
 
 Q; 4. May a Man that bath knowledge, 
 and civility, and common gifts t come and 
 take this Sacrament, if he know that be 
 if yet void of true repentance, and other 
 faving Grace ? 
 
 Anfw. No j for he then knoweth 
 Mmfelf to be one that is uncapable of 
 it in his prefent ftate. 
 
 Quelt. 5. May an ungodly Man receive 
 this Sacrament, who knovceth not himjelf 
 to be ungodly ? 
 
 Anfw. No^ For he ought toknowity 
 and his finfdl ignorance of his own con- 
 dition, will not make his fin to be his 
 duty h nor excufe his other faulrs be- 
 fore God, 
 
 Queft. 6. Mutt a fincere CbriJJian re- 
 ceive that is uncertain of his fincenty, and 
 in continiul doubting ? 
 
 Anf. Two preparations are neceflary 
 to this Sacrament •, the general prepare- 
 fr'tf/r, which is a (tare ot Grace, and this 
 xhe doubting Chriitian hath ; ar.d the 
 particular 'Preparation, which confifteth 
 in his prefent actual fitnefs : And all 
 the Queltion is of this. And to know 
 this, you muft further diftinguifh, be- 
 tween immediate duty and more remote $ 
 
 and 
 
the Holy SacramenK 2 1 
 
 \ and between the degrees of doubtful- 
 nefs in Chrifttans, i. The near eft, 
 immediate Duty of the doubtingChriftian 
 is, to ufe the means to have his doubts 
 refolved, till he know his Cafe ; and 
 . then his next duty is, to receive the 
 \ Sacrament \ and both thefe ftill remain 
 jj his Duty, to be performed in this order. 
 And if he fay, J cannot be refolved, when 
 1 have done my heft. Yet certainly it is 
 fome Sin of his own, that keepeth him 
 in thedark,andhindereth hisAfTurance; 
 and therefore duty ceafeth not to be 
 duty : The Law ofCbritt Itfli obiigeth 
 hm, both to get Aflurarce, and to re- 
 ceive 5 and the want both of the 
 Knowledge of his State, and of the 
 Receiving xhcSacrawent, are his continual 
 Sin, if he lie in it never lb long thro' 
 thefe fcruples, though it bean infirmity 
 that God will not condemn him for. 
 ("For he is fuppofed to be in a "a:e of 
 Grace.) But you will fay, What if ftill 
 he cannot he rejolvcd whether he his ff*ue 
 Fauh & Repentance, cr not ? What 
 Jhould he do while he is in doubt ? I 
 anfvver, It is one thing to ask, what is 
 his duty in this cafe ? And another 
 C 3 ' thirg 
 
22 A Monthly Preparation for 
 think to ask, Which U the f mailer or lefs 
 dangerous Sin ? Still his duty is both 
 to get the Knowledge of his Hearty and 
 to communicate : But while he finneth 
 ('through infirmity) in the failing of the 
 JirS, were he better alfo omit the other, or 
 not ? To be well refolved of thatjou 
 niuft difcem, I. Whether hisjudgment^ 
 of himfelf, do rather incline to think 
 and hope that he is fincere in his Repen- 
 tance & Faith,ox,that he is not ? 2. And 
 whether the confequents are like to be 
 good or bad to him. If his hopes that 
 be is fincere, be as great or greater than 
 his fears of the contrary, then there is no 
 faeh ill confequent to be feared as may 
 jhinderhis communicating \ but it is his 
 fceft way to do ir, and wait on God in 
 she ufe of his Ordinance. But if the 
 Perfwafionof his gracelefnefs be greater 
 than the hopes of his (incerity, then 
 lie mult obferve how he is like to be 
 affetted, if he do communicate. If ht 
 find that he is like to clear up hi 
 mind, and increafe his hopes by th 
 mftaatling of his Grace, he had ye 
 %eft to go : Bat if he find that hi 
 Heart is like to be overwhelmed wit I 
 
 horro 
 
to the Holy Sacrament] 2£ 
 
 horror 8c funk into defpair, by running 
 into the fuppofed guilt of unworthy 
 receiving, then it will be worfe to do 
 ir, than to omit it. Many fuch fearful 
 Chriftians I have known, that are fain 
 many years to abfent themfelves from 
 the Sacrament $ becaufe if they fhould 
 receive it while they are perfwaded 
 of their utter unworthinefs,they would 
 be fwaliowed up ©f defperation, and 
 think that they had taken their own 
 damnation (as the Twenty Fifth Article 
 of the Church of England faith, the un- 
 worthy Receivers do.) So that the chief 
 Sin of fuch*a doubting Receiver, is not 
 that he rtceivetb though he doubt ; for 
 doubting will not excufe us for the 
 finful omiilion of a duty (no more of 
 this than of Prayer or Thankfgiving :) 
 But only Prudence requirechfuch a one 
 to forbear that, which through hisown 
 Diftemper would be a means of his 
 defpair and ruine: As that Phyfick or 
 Food (how good foever) is not to be 
 taken which would kill the taker: 
 God's Ordinances a^e not appointed for 
 our deliru£lion, but for our edification- 
 and fo muft be uied as tendeth there- 
 unto* 
 
24 A Monthly Preparation for 
 untcu Yet to thofe Chrillians, who are 
 in this cafe, and dare not communicate, 
 I mult put this Queltion 5 How dare you 
 fo long refufe it ? He that confenterh 
 to the Covenant, may boldly come and 
 fignify his confenr, and receive the 
 fealed Covenant of God - 5 for conftnt 
 is your Preparation, or the neceflary 
 Condition of your Right: If you con-* 
 fent not, you refufe all the Mercy of 
 the Covenant. And dare you live in 
 fuch a ftate ? Suppofe a Pardon be of- 
 fered to a condemned Thief,but fo,that 
 if he afrer caft it into the dirt, or turn., 
 Traytor, he (hall die a fbier Death 
 will he rather chufe to die than take 
 it, and fay, I am afraid I (hail abufe it > 
 To refufe God's Covenant is certain^ 
 Death ; but to conftnt is your Prepare? 
 tion and your Life. 
 
 Quelt, 7. Wherein lietb the Sin of an 
 Hypocrite, and ungodly Ferfon y if he do 
 receive ? 
 
 Anf. His Sin is, i. In Lying & Hypo- 
 
 < trifie ^ in that he profeflcth to repent 
 
 urjcignedly of bis Sin, and to be rejolve I 
 
 for a hcly Life, and to believe in Cbrifl, 
 
 and to accept him on his Covenant- 
 
 terms, 
 
the Holy Sacrament* 25 
 
 terms,an* to give up himfelf toGod,as 
 his|Father,his Saviour, & hisSanftifier, 
 and to forfake the Flefh, the Wor/d^nd. 
 the Devil •, when indeed, he never did 
 any of this, but fecretly abhorrerh it 
 at his Heartland will not be perfwaded 
 to it : And fo ail this ProjeJJion, and 
 Iris very Covenanting icfeif, and his Re* 
 ce\ving^% it is a Prof effing, covenanting- 
 ftgn,\s nothing but a very lie. And 
 what it is to lie to the Holy Gbofi, the 
 cafe of Ananias and Safphira xzlleth us* 
 2. It is Ufurparion to come and lay 
 claim to thofe Benefits, which he hath 
 fio Title to. 3. it is a Propha^aiion of 
 thefe holy Myfteries, to be thus ufed j 
 and it is a taking of God's Name in 
 vain, who is a jealous God, and will 
 be fan&ifiedof all that draw near unto 
 him. 4. And it is a wrorg to the 
 Church of God, and the Communion of 
 Saints, and the honour of theChriftian 
 Religion, that- fuch ungodly Hypocrites 
 intrude as Members : As it is to the 
 Kings Army, when the Enemies Spies 
 creep in amonglt them 5 or to his Mar- 
 riage feaft to have a Gueft in rags, Mat. 
 22. 11, 12. 
 
 ObjeCt; 
 
26 A Monthly Preparation for 
 
 Obje£t. But it h no lie, becaufe tie) 
 think they Jay true in their Profejjion* 
 
 Anfw % That is through their finfu] 
 negligence and felf-deceit ; And he h 
 a lier that fpeaks a falfliood, whict 
 he may and ought to know to be a fal 
 fliood, though he do nor know it. There 
 is a lier in rafhnejs and negligence, as 
 Well as of fet purpoje. 
 
 Queft. 8, Doth all unworthy receiving 
 make a man liable to damnation ? Or, what 
 unworthinejs ii it that is Jo threat ned ? 
 
 Anf. There are three forts of unwor- 
 thinefs (or unfitnefsj and three forts of 
 Judgment anfwerably to be feared. 
 i. There is the utter unworthinefs of 
 an Infidel, or impenitent, ungodly Hy 
 pocrite.. And damnation to Hell-fire. 
 is the punifhment that fuch mult expeft, 
 if Converfion prevent it not. 2. There 
 is an unworthinefs through fome great 
 and fcandaious crime, which a regene 
 rate Perfon falleth into -, and thi 
 (houid flop him from the Sacrament 
 for a time, till he have repented ane 
 caft away his Sin. And if he com< 
 before he rife from his fall by a parti) 
 cular Repentance, (as the Corinthian 
 
 tha 
 
the Holy Sacrament. 2 J 
 
 *fhat finned in the very ufe of theSacra-' 
 ment it feitj they may expe& fome 
 notable temporal Judgment at the 
 prefentj (and if Repentance did not 
 prevent it, they might fear Eternal 
 Punifhment) 3. There is that meafure 
 of unworthinefs which confifteth 
 in the ordinary infirmities of a Saint 5 
 and this fhoLld not at all deter them 
 from the Sacrament, becaufe it is ac- 
 companied with a greater worthinefs* 
 yea, though their weaknefs appear in 
 tlfe time and manner of their receiving ; 
 3ut yet ordinary Corrections may 
 follow thefe ordinary infirmities. (The 
 grojjcr abufe of the Sacrament it fclf, I 
 join under rhe fecond rank ) 
 
 Queft. 9. What ii the particular Prepa- 
 ration needful to a Jit Cmmunicant ? 
 
 Anfw. This briogeth me up to the 
 next Direttion. 
 
 5* Let your Preparation to this Sacra* 
 
 ment conftjl 0} tbefe particulars following^ 
 
 \i. In your Duty with your ovonConfciences 
 
 and hearts. 2. In your duty towards Qcd* 
 
 (. And in your duty towards your Neigb* 
 
 vur. 
 
 I. Your duty with your iisans *con: 
 
 h 
 
28 A Monthly Preparation for 
 fifteth in thefe Particulars, i. That 
 you do your beft in the clofe Examina* 
 tion of your Hearts about your States, 
 and the lincerity of your Faith, Repen- 
 tance, and Obedience : To know whether 
 your Hearts are true to God f in the 
 Covenant which you are to renew and 
 feal. Which may be done by thefe In« 
 quiries, and difcerned by thefe Signs. 
 i. Whether you truly loath your felves 
 for all the Sins of your Hearts &Lives, 
 and are a greater offence and burden 
 to your felves, becaufe of your Impel* 1 
 fe&ions and Corruptions, than all the. 
 World befides is ? Ezek.6. 9 & 20, 43. 
 fS 36. 31, Rcmj. 24, 2. Wherher you 
 have no Sin but what you are truly 
 defirous to know ^ and no known fins 
 but what you are truly defirous to 
 be rid of * ard fo defirous, as that 
 you had rather be perfe&iy freed 
 from Sin, than from any Affli&ion in 
 the World ? R0/0.7.22, 2?, 24 i5 8. 18. 
 3. Whether you love the fearchingand I) 
 icforming Light, even the mcft fearch- h 
 ing parts of the Word of God, and their 
 mull: fearching Books, ard fearchingl 
 Sermons, that by tiiem you may be 
 
 brought 
 
the Holy Sacrament] 2> 
 
 brought to know your felves,in order to 
 your fettled Peace and Reformation? 
 7^6.3.19,20,21. 4. Whether you truly 
 love that degree of Holinefs in others 
 which you ha?e not yet attained your 
 felves* and love Chrift in his Children* 
 with fuch an unfeigned love, as will 
 caufe you to relieve them according to 
 your abiiities,and fufFer tor their lakes, 
 when it is your Duty ? 1 706,3. 14,1 5. 
 I Pet. 1 22 67 3.8. Jam 2- 12, 13, 14,^ 
 Mat 2-s« 40, 0V- 5. Whether you can 
 truly fay, that there is no degree of 
 Holinefs fo high, but you defire it, and 
 had rather be perfect in the loveofGod, 
 and the Obed ; ence of his Will, than 
 have all the riches and pleafures of 
 this World, Rom 7. 18,21,24. ?Jal\\^ m 
 5 Mat- ?.6- And had rather be one of 
 the holielt Saints, than of the molt re- 
 nowned profperous Princes uponEarth? 
 jyW.15.4. & 16. 2. Pfai 84. 10 £7 6;. 4. 
 6. Whether you have fo far laid up 
 your treafure, and your hopes in Hea- 
 ven, as that you are refolved to take 
 that only for yoar Portion 5 and thac 
 the hopes of Heaven, and inteieft of 
 youj Souls, hath the preheminence in 
 D your 
 
fi A Monthly Preparation for 
 your Hearts againft all that Itands in 
 Competition with it £60/3.1, 3,4-ilW.6.- 
 ao,2i. 7. Whether the chiefeft care 
 ot your Hearts, and endeavour of your 
 Lives, be to ferve and pieafe God, and 
 , *o enjcy him for ever rat her than for 
 ' any worldly thing > Mat,6.zi. foh.5 *>6. i 
 2 C<?r. ?. 1,6,7,8,9. 8. Whether it be 
 your daily defire and endeavour to 
 mortifie the flefh, and matter its rebel* 5 
 lious Opposition to the Spirit ^ and you 
 fo far prevail,as not to live, ard walk, 
 and be led by -the flefh,, but that the 
 courfeK drift of your life is fpiritual > 
 Rom. 8.1,6,7,8,9,10,13. Gal$ 17,21,22. 
 9. Whether the World, and all its 
 Honour, Wealth, a d Pleafures, appear 
 to you fo fmali and contemptible a 
 thing, as that you efteem it as dung, 
 and nothing in comparifonof Chrift,and 
 the Love of God and Glory ? And are 
 refolved, that you will rather let go 
 ill, than your part in Chrift ? And, 
 which ufeth to carry it in the time of 
 Trial, in your deliberate Choice ? Ph'tl, 
 3*7>8,9,i3,i4, 18,19,20. %Job2.i^Luk. 
 14.26,30,33. Mat 13 iy,2i 10 Whether 
 you are lefolved upon a courfe of Ho- 
 
the Holy Sacrament, 3 1 
 
 linefs 8c Obedience, and to ufe thofe 
 means which God doth make known to 
 you, to be the W3y to pleafe him, and 
 to fubdue your corruption 5 and yet 
 feeling the frailties of your Hearts,and 
 the burden of your Sins, do truit in 
 Cbrifl as your RighteoufnefsbeforeGod, 
 and in the Holy Gfof7,whofeGrace alone 
 -can illuminate, fanftifie, and confirm 
 you? Aft. ik 2?. PfaL'119. 57, 63, 6 9> 
 106. 1 Cor.' 1. 30. Ro?n. 8. 9, John 
 1?, $. 1 Cor. 12. 9. By thefe Signs 
 you may fafely try your ihtes. 
 
 2. When this is done you are alfo to 
 try the ftrength and meafure of your 
 Grace •, that you may perceive your 
 weaknefs, and know for what help you 
 fhould feek to Chrift. And to find out 
 what inward Corruptions and finful In- 
 clinations are yet ftrongeft in you, that 
 you may know what to lament, and to 
 »sk forgivenefs of, and help •againft. 
 My Book called Directions for weak 
 Chri[iians > will give you fuller advice 
 in this. 
 
 ?• You are alfo to take a ftr?£l ac- 
 count of your Lives, and to look over 
 your dealings withGjd and Men, in fe- 
 D 2 crec 
 
%i A Monthly Preparation for 
 cret and publick,efpecially of late,fince 
 the lalt renewal of yourCovenant with 
 God,and to hear what God and Confid- 
 ence have ro fay about your fins and all 
 their aggravations, Pfal. 139 23 1 Cor. 
 11 28. 
 
 4- And you muft labour to get your 
 Hearts affHted with your condition, as 
 you do difcover it. To be humbled for 
 what is finful 3 and to bedefirousof help 
 againft your weaknefs, and thankful 
 for the Grace which you difcern. 
 
 5. Laftly^ You mult confider of all the 
 work that you have to do, and alt the 
 mercies which you are going to receive, 
 and what Graces are neceflary to all 
 this, and how they muft be ufed ^ and 
 accordingly lock up all thofe Graces, 
 and prepare them for the exercife to 
 which they are robe called out- 1 fhalt 
 name you the particulars anon* 
 
 II. Your duty towards God in your 
 preparation for thisSacramem is, 1 To 
 caft down your felves before him in 
 humble penitent ConfefFion,and Lamen- 
 tation of all the Sins which you difco- 
 ver 5 and to beg his pardon in fecrer, 
 before you come to have it publickly 
 
 fealed 
 
the Holy Sacra went] 33 
 
 fealed and delivered 2 To look up to 
 him with lhankfuineTs, Love;* and Joy, 
 as becomes one that is goi= g ro receive 
 fo great a Mercy from him 5 and hum- 
 bly to beg thatGracewhich may prepare 
 you, & quicken you to,and in the work, 
 III. Your duty towardsothers in this 
 your preparation, is,i. To forgive thofe 
 that have done you wrong, and to con- 
 fers your fault to thefe whom you have 
 wronged,.and ask them forgivenefs, and 
 make them amends and reltitution fo 
 far as it is in his power* & be reconciled 
 to thofe with whom you are fallen out j 
 and to fee, that you love your Neigh- 
 bours as your felves, Mat- 5. 2 5,24, 2?, 
 26,44. /*/#• 5 16. 2- That you feek 
 advice of your Palters, or fbme fit Per? 
 fans, in cafes that are roo hard for your 
 felves to refolve, and where you reed 
 their fp^ciai help 9 That you loving- 
 ly admonifh them th3t you know do 
 intend to communicate unworthily, and 
 to come thither in their ungodlinefs, 
 and grofs Sin unrepented of; That you 
 (hew not fuch hatred of your Brother* 
 as to fuffec Sin upon h : m, Lev. ig 
 But teii him his faults, as Chrift hath 
 1) 3 direlUd 
 
34 ^ Monthly Preparation for 
 dire&ed you, -/W*m 8.15,16,1 7. And do- 
 yourparts to promoteChrift'sDifcipline, 
 and keep pure the Church, See 1 Cor. 
 5. throughout. 
 
 Dirett. 6. When you come to the holy 
 Communion, let not the overscrupulous- 
 regard of the Ferjon of the Mtnijier, or 
 the company, or the imperfeQions oj the 
 miniftration, difturb your meditations, nor 
 call away your minds from the high and 
 ferious imploywent oj the day. Hypo* 
 crites who place their Religion in bodi- 
 ly exercifes, have taught many weak 
 Chriftians to take up unneceffary fcru- 
 pies, and ro turn their eyes & obferva« 
 tion too much to things without them. 
 Queft. But Jhould we have no regard to 
 the due celebration of theje f acred My tierics, 
 and to the Minifier, & Communicant s^and. 
 wanner of Admin ijira tion ? 
 
 Anfw. Yes : You fhould have fo much 
 fegaid to them, 1. As to fee that no- 
 Thing be amifs through your defaulr, 
 which is in your power to amend. 2. 
 'And that you join not in the commit- 
 ting any known fin* Bur, 1, Take not 
 every fin of another for your fin, and 
 think not that you are guilty of that 
 
 in 
 
to the Holy Sacrament. 35 
 
 in others, which you cannot amend \ 
 or 7 that you mult forfake the Church, 
 and Worfhip of God, for thefe corrup- 
 tions which you are not guilty of 5 or 
 deny your own Mercies,becaufe others 
 ufurp them orabufe them. -2. If you 
 fufpeft any thing impofed upon you to 
 be finful to you, try it before you come 
 thither $ and leave not your minds 
 open to difturbance, when they fhould 
 be wholly imployed with Chrilt. 
 
 Que ft. But what ij my Confcience be 
 not fatisficd,but 1 am ft ill in doubt, muft I 
 notjorbear ? Seeing he that doubt etb is con- 
 demned if he- e*t, bccaufe he eatetb not in 
 Faith $ for vobatfcever k notoj Faith kSin. 
 
 Anf. The Apoftle there fpeakethnot 
 of eating in the Sacramenr 9 b\}t of earing 
 meats, which he doubteth of whether 
 they are lawful 3 but is fure,thatir is law- 
 ful ro forbear them- And in cafe of 
 doubling about things indifferent, the^ 
 farer fide is to forbear them, becaufe 
 there may be Sin in doing 5 but there 
 can be none on the other fide in for- 
 bearing. But in cafe of Duties, your 
 doubting will not difvb'ige you $ clfe Men 
 might give over praying^nd btaringGod's 
 
 Word, 
 
;5 A Monthly Preparation for 
 Word, and believing, and obeying tbdr 
 Rulers, and maintaining their Families, 
 when they are but blind enough to doubt of • 
 it. 2. Your erring Confcience is not a 
 Law-maker, snd cannot make it your" 
 duty to obey ir, For God isyourKing, 
 and the Office of your Confcience is to 
 difcern his Liw, and urge you ro obedi- 
 ence, and not to wake you Laws of its ; 
 own : So that if it fpeak falfly, it doth 
 not oblige you, but deceive you. It 
 dotri only Ngare,Qt infnare you, but not 
 obligate, ox make a fin a duty, it calteth 
 you into necefluy of finning more or 
 lefs till you reli> quifh the error: But 
 in cafe of fuch dunes as thefe, ir is a 
 fin to do them with a doubting Confci- 
 ence, but (ordinarily) it is a greater 
 fin to forbear. , 
 
 Object. But fome Divides write, that 
 Confcience being God's Officer % when it 
 ttrm}\ God bmfelf doth bind vie by it to 
 jo How that error, & the evil which it re- 
 quiretb becowetb my duty. 
 
 An/. A dangerous error tending to 
 fubverfion of Souls and Kingdoms, and 
 highly difhonouiable ro God. God hath 
 made it your duty to know hisWill,ar-d 
 
 do 
 
the Holy Sacrament. 3l 
 
 do if, And if you ignorantly miftake 
 him, will you lay the blame on him,and 
 drawn him into participation of your 
 fin, when he forbiddeth you both the 
 error and the fin ? And doth he at once 
 forbid and command the fame thing? 
 A? that very moment,God is fo far from 
 obliging you to follow your error, that 
 he (till obiigeth you to lay it by, and 
 do the contrary. If you hyjLoucannot $ 
 I anfwer, Your impotency is a finful 
 impotency -, and you can ufe the means, 
 in which his Grace can help you: And 
 he will not change his Law, nor make 
 you Kings and Rulers of your felves 
 infleadofhim, becaufe you are igno; 
 rant or impotent. 
 
 Direft. 7. In the time of a&mnlflration 
 go along with the Minifler throughout the 
 work, and keep your he iris clofe to Jefus 
 Chrilijn the exercife of all thofe Graces, 
 which are fuited to the fever al parts cf 
 the a&minitlrathn. Think not that all 
 the' work muft be the Minifters. It 
 fhould be a bufie day with you, 8t yout 
 4earrs fhould be taken up with as 
 nuch diligence, ds yoiu: hands be in 
 L our common labour ; but not in 3 
 
 toilfome 
 
§8 A Monthly Preparation for 
 
 toilfbme weary diligence, bur in fuch 
 delightful bufinefs as becomerh fie 
 guelts of rheGod of Heaven, at fo fweec 
 a feaft, and in the receiving fuch inva- 
 luable gifts. 
 
 Here I fhoiald diftinfrly fhew you, 
 
 1. What Graces they be that you muft 
 there exercife. 1L What there is ob- 
 jectively prefented before you in the 
 Sacrament, to exercife all thefeGraces. 
 Ill At what feafons in the adminiltra- 
 tion each of thefe inward works are to 
 be done. 
 
 I. The Graces to be exercifed are 
 thefe (befides that h >ly fear & reverence 
 common to ali woifhip) I. A humble 
 fcni'Q of the odiouf iefs ofj#tf,3ndof our 
 undone condition as in our felves, and 
 a difpleafure againft our felves, and* 
 loathing of our felves, and melting Re- 
 pentance for the fins we have commit-* 
 ted ; as againft our Creitor^ and as a- 
 gainlt the Love & Mercy of a Redeemer, 
 and as agmlt the holy Spirit of Giace. 
 
 2. A hungring and tbirjiing defire after 
 the Lord Jefus, and his Grace, and the 
 favour of God and communion with 
 him, which are there reprefented and 
 
 offered 
 
the Holy Sacramenf. 3? 
 
 offered to the Soul. ?. A lively Fau b 
 i/i^urRedeemer,hisDeath,Refurre£tion, 
 and Interceffion ^ and a trutting our mi- 
 ferableS^uls upon him, as our fufficient 
 Saviour and help 5 and a hearty accep- 
 tance of him and his benefirs upon his 
 offered terms. 4. A joy and gladnefs in 
 the fenfe of that unfpeakable Mercy 
 wive 1 is here offered us. J. A thank- 
 ful Heart towards him, from whom we 
 ; do receive it. 6 A fervent Love to him 
 that by fuel) Love d oih feek our Love. 
 7, A Triumphant life of Life Eternal, 
 which is purchjfed for us, and iealed 
 to us. 8. A willing fiefs gnd refolution 
 to deny our fclves, and all this World, 
 and fuffer for him that harh fuffered 
 for our Redemption. 9. A Love to our 
 Brethren, our Neighbours and our Ene- 
 mies, with a readinefs ro relieve them, 
 and to forgive them when they do us 
 wrong,- ic. And a firm Refolution for 
 future Obedience, to our Creator, and 
 Redeemer, and San&ifier, according to 
 our Covenant, 
 
 II. In the naming qJ thefe Graces, I 
 
 have named their objeQs : Which you 
 
 j fhould cbjfervt as diftinftly as you can, 
 
 3 that 
 
 u 
 
40 A Monthly Trepamion for 
 that they may be operative* l. To 
 help your Humiliation and Repentance, 
 you bring thither a loaden miferable 
 S ul, to receive a pardon and relief; 
 And you fee before you the Sacrificed 
 S n of G d, who made his Soul an of- 
 fering for Sin, and became a Curfe for 
 us to fa ve us who wereaccurfed 2. To 
 draw out your defires, you have the molt 
 excellent gifts and the moll needful 
 Mercies prefenred to you thar this 
 World is capable of : Even the pardon 
 of fin, the Love of God, the Spirit of 
 Grace, and the hopes of Glory, and 
 Chrift himfelf with whom ail this is 
 given. 3. To exercife your Faith you 
 have Chrift here fiift reprefented as 
 Crucified before your Eyes: And then 
 with his benefits, freely given you,and 
 offered to your Acceptance, with a 
 Command that you refufe him nor, 
 4. To exercife your delight and glad- 
 nefs, you have this Saviour and this Sal- 
 vation tendered to you ; and all that 
 your Souls can well aefire fet befor< 
 you. 5. To exercife yourThankfuInefs 
 what could do more than fo great 
 Gift, fo dearly purchafed, fo furelj 
 
 yoi 
 
the Holy Sacrament. 4t 
 
 fealed, and fo freely offered ? 6. To 
 exercife your Love to God inChiitt,you 
 have the fulleft manifeltation of his 
 attractive Love, even offered to your 
 eyes,and talte,and heart, that a Soul on 
 Earth can reasonably expeft : in fuclt 
 wonderful condefcenfion,that the great- 
 nefs and ftiangenefs of it furpaffeth a 
 natural Man's belief. 7. To exercife 
 your hopes of Life Eternal, you have 
 the prize of it here fet before you $ you 
 have the Gift of it here fealed to you 5 
 and you have that Saviour reprefented 
 to you in his fuffering,who is now therfr 
 reigning, thai you may remember him, 
 as txpeftants of his glorious coming ra 
 judge the World, and glorify you with 
 himfeif. 8. To exercife yourfelf-denial 
 and refolution for fuffering, contempt: 
 of the World and fiefhly Pleafures, you 
 have before you both the greateft ex-* 
 ample & obligation, that ever could be 
 offered to the World $ when you fee and 
 f eceive'a crucifiedChrift,that fo firange-j 
 ly denied himftflf for you •, and fet fa 
 iittlt by theWorld & flefh, 9. To ex* 
 crcife your love to Brethren, yea, and 
 Enemies, you have his example before 
 E your 
 
4 2 ! A Monthly Preparation for 
 your eyes, that loved you to the Death 
 when you were Enemies: And you have 
 his holy fervants before your eyes,who 
 are amiable in him through the work- 
 ings of his Spirir,and on whom he will 
 jaave you (hew your love to himfelf. 
 $&': And to excire your Refolution for 
 future Obedience, you fee his double 
 Title to theGovernment of you,asCrea- 
 tor and as Redeemer * and you feel 
 she Obligations of Mercy &Gratitude * 
 and you are to renew a Covenant wirh 
 jhim to that end $ even openly where 
 £11 the Churches are witneffes. So that 
 vou fee here a rePowerfulobje&s before 
 you to draiv out all thefe Graces, and 
 xfcat they are all but fuch as the work 
 ftQuirexhyou then to exercife. 
 
 III. But that you may be the readier 
 ivhen it eometh to praSice,I (hall as it 
 were lead you by the hand through all 
 the parts of the Adminiftration,and tell 
 fba when and how to exercife every 
 Grace, and thofe that are to be joyned 
 together I fhali take together,that need- 
 Ids diftinftnefs do not trouble you. 
 
 i. When you are called up axid going 
 
 to 
 
the Holy Sacrament. 4? 
 
 to the Table of the Lord, exercife youc 
 Humility, Defire and Thankfulnefs, and 
 fiy in your Hearts, What Lord, dofl thou 
 callfucb a wretch as I ? What ? Ale that 
 have Jo oft dejptjed thy Mercy ? And wil- 
 fully offended thee, and preferred tie filth 
 of this World, andthe pleafure cf the fiefh 
 before thee ? Alas, it is thy wrath in hell 
 that it my due : But if hove will chorje 
 fuh an unworthy guett.and Mercy will be 
 honoured upon fucb Jin and mifery, I come 
 Lord at thy call : I gladly come, Let thy 
 mil be done $ and let that Mercy which in» 
 vitetb me, make me acceptable^? gracioufly 
 entertain me, and. let me not come without 
 the weidingGirment,norunreverently rufb 
 on holy things^ nor turn thy Mercies to 
 my bane ! 
 
 2. WhentheMinifterisconfeffingfin; 
 proftrare your very Souls in the fenfe 
 of your unworthinefs,and let your par* 
 ticular fins be in your eye, with thei* 
 hainous aggravations 5 the whole need 
 not thePhv fician,but the tick. But here 
 I need not put words into your mouths 
 or minds, becaufe the Minifter goerli 
 before you, & your hearts mult concuf 
 with his Confellions, and put in alfg 
 £ 2 tha 
 
7|4 ^ Monthly Preparation for 
 
 the fecrec fins which he omitteth. 
 
 3. When you look on the Bread and 
 Wine which is provided and offered 
 for this holy ufe, refnember that it is 
 the Creator of all things, on whom 
 you live, whofe Laws you did offend $ 
 
 'and fay in your hearts, Lord \bow great 
 it my fence ? Who have broken the Laws 
 cf bim that made me^nd on whom the whole 
 Creation doth depend? lhad my Being jrom 
 the, and my datlyBreod; andfbouldlbave 
 required ihee with dif obedience ? Father , I 
 have finntd vgainft Heaven & before tbee f 
 and am no more worthy to be called thy Son. 
 
 4. When the words of the Inftitution 
 are read,and the Bread & Wine arefo- 
 lemnly confecrated,by feparatingthem 
 to ihat facred ufe, and the acceptance 
 a ad blefling of God is defired, admire*, 
 the mercy that prepared us a Redeemer, 
 and fay, God bow wonder j ul it tbyW if* 
 dom and thy Love ? How ftrangely dofl 
 ibou glorijj thy Mercy over fin that gave 
 advantage to glorify tbyjujiice? Even thou 
 Pur God whom we have offended, haji out 
 0/ thy own Tresfury, fatisfied thy own 
 juftice, and given us a Saviour by fucb a 
 Miracle oj Wjfdom y Love, WQondefctntion y 
 
 4U 
 
the Holy Sacrament* 4$ 
 
 Oi Men or Angels fhall never be able fully 
 
 to comprehend : So didji thou love the fin* 
 Jul world, as to give thy Son, that voho/oe* 
 v*r believe ih in him, (bould not pertfh.but 
 have everhflmg Lijc. that thou baft 
 prepared us Jo jull a remedy, and Jo 'pre- 
 cious a gijt^fanctijie iheje Creatures to be 
 the Reprefentative Body & Blood ofCbrift> 
 and prepare my Heart for fo great a gift, 
 end Jo high and holy £7 honourable a work* 
 
 5. When you behold the Conftcrated 
 Bread & Wine.dijcem the Lord's Body ,and 
 reverence h «s the Reprejentative Body 
 eni Blood of Jcfus Chrifi •, and take heed 
 cf Prophaning k 5 by looking on it as com- 
 mon Bread & Wine \ Though it -fee not 
 Tranfublfantiare, but (till is.v^ry Bread 
 and Wine in its Natural being y yet it :s 
 Chrijls Body and Blood in reprefentation 
 and ejfetf. Look on it as the confecra^ed 
 Bre-jdof Lifa which with the quicknir.g 
 Spirit mult nourifh you to Life Erernal, 
 
 6. When you fee the B,ejk:*g of the 
 Bread, and jhe Pouring out of the Wine, 
 let Repentance^nti Love, and Dejire, and 
 Tbankfulnefa thus work within you. 
 •wondrous Love ! hateful Sin ! Hw 
 merciful. Lord, ha ft thou besn toftnntrs > 
 
 E 5 And 
 
'4$ A Monthly Preparation for 
 
 And bow cruel have we been to our felvn 
 and tbei ? Gould Love floop lower ? Could 
 God be merciful at a dearer rate ? Could 
 my fin hive done a more horrid deed y than 
 put N* Death the Son of God } How Jmall 
 a mister hath tempted me to that, which 1 
 might have avoided at a cheap rate ? At fl 
 bom low a price have I valued his Blood, 
 when 1 have finned and finned again J or 
 nothing ! This is my dowg ! My fins 
 ners the Thorns, the Nails, the Spear ! 
 Van a murderer ofChriJi be a Jmall offender^ 
 O dreadjuljuSice ! It was 1 andjuch other*" 
 Jinners that defcrved to bear the punijh* 
 jnent who were guilty of the fin $ and to 
 have been Jewel jor the unquenchable 
 flames j or ever. precious Sacrifice ! 
 bat (Jul fin ! gracious Saviour ! How 
 can mans dull iff narrow heart, be duly 
 tijfefted with fuch tranfeendent Things ? 
 Or Heaven mi fie its due imprejfion upon 
 an inch oj flrjhl Shall I ever again 
 tevl a dull Apprebenfion of fuch Love> 
 Or ever have a favourable thought of fin ? 
 Or ever have a f tariffs thought of juflice ? 
 O break or melt this hardened heart, this 
 it may be feme what conformed to my cruel- 
 $ed Uri ! ^Thc tears of hovt and trine 
 
 Re*), n* - 
 
the Holy "Sacrament. H 
 
 Repentance are eafier xban ibt flames from 
 which I am redeemed. bide me in theft 
 wounds, & wajh me in this precious Blood ! 
 This U the Sacrifice in which I truft : this 
 is the Right eoufnefs by which I muft be 
 jufiified, and faved from the Curfe #/ thy 
 violated Law 1 As thou haft accepted this, 
 Father, for the World, upon the Crofs, 
 behold it flill on the behalf oj [inner s \ 
 and hear his Blood that cryctb unto thee 
 for, mercy to the miferable,and Pardon us, 
 and accept us as thy reconciled children, 
 for the fake of ibis Crucified Chrifi alone. 
 We can offer thee no other Sacrifice for fin j 
 and we need no other. 
 
 7. When the Minifter applyeth hin> 
 felf to God by Prayer, for the efficacy 
 of this Sacrament, that in it he will give 
 us Chritt and his benefits, and pardon, 
 a'nd juttifie us, and accept us as his re- 
 conciled Children ; join^ heartily and 
 earneltly in thefe requefts, as one that 
 knoweth the need and worth of fueh a 
 Mercy. 
 
 8. When the Minifter delivereth yon 
 the confecratedBread &: Wine, look up- 
 on him as the mefFenger of Chrilt, and 
 hear him as if Chritt by him faid tQ, 
 
 
#8 A Monthly Preparation for 
 you, Take this my broken Body & Bloody 
 and feed on it to everlafimg Life. And 
 take mib it my fealed Covenant £f tber tin 
 the fealed teSimany of my love, and the 
 fealed Par dan of your fins ^ and a fealed 
 gift of Life Eternal^ Jo be //, you un» 
 fe/gnedly cenfent unto my Covenant % and 
 give up your f elves to me as my redeemed 
 ones. E^n as in delivering the pofleiii* 
 on of Houfe or Lands,the deliverer giv- 
 eth a Key, &c. and faith, / deliver you 
 this Houfe, and I deliver you this hand : 
 So doth the Minifter by Chrift'sAutho- 
 f try deliver you Chrift and Pardon and 
 Title toEtemal Life. Here is an Image 
 of a facrificed Chrift of God's own ap- 
 pointing,which you may lawfully ufe: 
 and more than an Image * even an in- 
 verting lnftrument, by which thefe 
 foigheft Mercies are folemnly delivered 
 to yoa in the name of Chrift. Let your 
 hearts therefore fay with Joy &Thank- 
 iulnefs,with Faith and Love,C y mat chiefs 
 bounty of the Eternal God ! What a gift 
 h this ! And unto what unworthy /in- 
 ner s I And will God jioopfo low to man I 
 And come Jo near him } And thus recon- 
 cile his- wrtklefs enemies ? IV ill he freely 
 
 Pardon 
 
the Holy Sacrament. 4* 
 
 'Tar don all that I have done > And tak* 
 tnc into bis Family and hove, and feed rn& 
 with the Flejh and Blood of Cbrifl} 1 be* 
 lieve ; Lord help mine unbelief. I bum* 
 bly and thankfully accept thy gifts ! Open 
 thou my heart, that I t*ay yet more joy* 
 fully 6? thankfully accept them : Seeing 
 God will glorify bis love & mercy by juch 
 incomprehendble gifts oj tbefe \behold ,1-ord, 
 * wretch that needeth all this mercy ! And 
 feeing it U the offer of thy Grace & Cove- 
 nant, my Soul doth gladly take thee for 
 my God & Faeber, for my Saviour & my 
 Sanfiifier. And here I give up my J elf 
 unto thee, a* thy Created, Redeemed, & (I 
 >hcpe) Regenerate one-, as thy Own ^thy Sub- 
 jell and thy Child, to befavedtf/anfiifitd 
 by thee, to be beloved by thee, and toLove 
 thee Evcrhtting : Jeal up tbis&vendnt 
 and Pardon, by the Spirit, which thcujeal- 
 eft & delivered to me in thy Sacrament : 
 That, without referve, I may be entirely 
 and for ever thine ! 
 
 9 When you fee the Communicants 
 receiving with you,ler your very hearts 
 be united to the Saints in Love, & fay, 
 How goodly are thy Tents, Jacob / How 
 amiable h the. Family of the Lord ! Mow 
 
 good 
 
To A Monthly Preparation for 
 good XfpUafant is the unity of Brethren > 
 How dear to me are the precious members 
 of my Lord ! 1 bough they have yet all 
 their /pots & uoeaknejjes, which he par* 
 donetb, & fo mujl we. My goodncfs O 
 Lord extendeth not unto thee $ but unto 
 thy Saints, the excellent ones on Earthen 
 tub mi* my delight. What portion of my 
 e/Iate thou required I willingly give unto 
 the Poor, & if I have wronged any man, I 
 am willing to rettore it : And feeing thou 
 biji loved me as an enemy, and forgiven 
 me Jo great a debt, I heartily forgive thofe 
 that have done me wrong, (J? love my ent* 
 mies. keep me in thy Family all my 
 days, for a day in thy Court it better than 
 a thou/and, & the door- keepers in thy 
 boufe are happier than the moR profperous 
 0} the wicked, Numb. 24. 5. Pfal. 133, 
 and 15- 4, and 16. j, 3. Luk. if, i8„ 
 Pfal. 84, 10. 
 
 jo. When the Minifter returneth 
 Thanks and Praife to God, ftir up your 
 Souls fo thegreareft alacrity ; and fup- 
 pofe you faw the Heavenly Hafts of 
 Saints and Angels praifing the fame 
 God in the prefer ce of his Glory ; and 
 think with your feives,that you belong 
 
 to 
 
tto Uoly Sacramtnt. 51 
 
 to the fame Family & Sojciety as they; 
 and arc Learning their Work,and mutt 
 fhortly arrive at theirPerfe&ion -Strive 
 therefore to imitate them in Love and 
 Joy v and let your very Souls be pour- 
 ed out in Praifes BcThanksgiving: And 
 when you have the next leifure for 
 your private thouhts fas when the Mi- 
 nilter is exhorting you to your duty) 
 exercife your love & thanks and Faith 
 and Hope and feifdenial & refolution 
 for future obedience, in fome fuch 
 breathings of your Souls as thefe •; 
 € my gracious God, thou halt fur- 
 c pafTed all humane comprehenfion in 
 
 * thy Love / Is this thy ufage of un- 
 1 worthy Prodigals' I feared left thy 
 4 wrath asa confumingFire would have 
 4 devoured fuch a guilty Soul ^ & thou 
 c wouldeft have charged upon me all 
 
 * my folly : But while I condemned 
 
 * my felf, thou haft forgiven & juftified 
 4 me ^ and furprized me with the 
 
 * fweeteft embracements of thy Lew f 
 4 I fee now that Jhy thoughts are above 
 
 * our thoughts, and thy ways above our 
 1 ways, and thy Love excellethrhelove 
 I of Man, even mure than the Heavens 
 
 4 are 
 
f2 A Monthly Preparation for 
 
 * are above the Earth, With how dear 
 c a price haft thou redeemed a wretch, 
 
 * that deferved thy everlafting Ven- 
 geance ! 'With how precious 
 
 * and fweet a Feaft haft thou 
 € entertained me, who deferved to be 
 1 caft out withthe workersof Iniquity ! 
 
 * Shall I ever more flight fuch Love 
 •as this? Shall it not overcome my 
 
 * Rebeliioufnefs * and melt down my 
 4 cold and hardened heart ? Shall I be 
 c faved from Hell and not be thankful h 
 € Angels are admiring thefe Miracles 
 
 * of Love? And fhall not 1 admire them? 
 
 * Their Love to us doth caufe them to 
 
 * rejoyce, while they ftand by and fee 
 
 * our Heavenly Fealt ? And fhould it 
 
 * not befweeter to us thatare the guefts 
 
 * that feed upon it ? MyGod how dearly 
 4 haft thou purchafed my Love ? How 
 
 * Itrangely haft thou deferved {£ fought 
 ' it ? Nothing is fo much my grief and 
 Vfhame, as that Icananfwer fuchLove, 
 
 * with no more fervent fruitful Love* 
 
 * O what an addition would it be to all 
 
 * this precious Mercy, if thou wouldft 
 
 * give me a heart to anfwer thefe thine 
 t lnvitations,that thy Love thus poured 
 
 Joul 
 
MP— — — — — iiMfm i p ■ ^ 
 
 The Holy Sacrament! 53 
 
 out, might draw forth mine, and my 
 Soul might flame by its approaching 
 unto thefe thy flames ? And that Love 
 draw out by the fenfe of Love, mighc 
 be all my Life > O that I could 
 Love thee as as I would Love 
 thee ? Yea as much as thou wouldeli 
 have me Love thee? But this is too 
 great a Happinefs for Earth ! Bug 
 thoi^ haft fhe wed me the place where 
 I may attain it ! My Lord is here, in 
 full pofleflion : Who hath left me thefe 
 pledges,- till he come and fetch us to 
 himfelf, K feaft us there in our Mas- 
 ters Joy jj O blefled Place ! O happy 
 Company that fee his Glory, and are 
 filled with the ftreams of thofe Rivers 
 of confolation ! Yea happy. we whom 
 thou haft called from our dark and 
 miferabie ftare, and made us Heirs o£ 
 that Felicity, and paflengers to it, and 
 expectants of ir, under the conduct of 
 fo fure a guide 1 O then we fhallLove 
 thee without thefe finful paufes and 
 defeats/ In another meafure, and ano- 
 ther manner than now we do: When 
 thou (hair reveal and communicate 
 thy auiaftive Love, in another mca- 
 F l fure 
 
?4 A Monthly Preparation for 
 
 * lure and manner than now ! Till then, 
 
 * my God, I am devoted to thee; by right 
 c and Covenant I am thine / My Soul 
 
 * heie beareth witnefs againft my felf, 
 c that my defetts of Love have no ex- 
 c cufci Thou defervelt all, if I had the 
 
 * Love of all. the Saints in Heaven and 
 
 * Earth to give thee. What hath this* 
 c World to do with my affe&ions > And 
 
 * what is this fordid conuprible Flefh, 
 ? that its Defires and Pleasures fhould 
 e call down my Soul, and tempt it to 
 c neglect myGod?Whac is there in alhhe 
 bufferings that man can lay upon me, 
 e that I fliould not joyfully accept them 
 
 * for his fake, that hath Redeemed me 
 
 * from Hell, by fuch unmatched volun- 
 
 * tary fufferings? Lord, feeing thou re- 
 c gardeft, &ib regardeft, fo vile a worm, 
 
 * my heart, my t@ngue,my handconfefs, 
 1 that I am wholly thine. O let me 
 4 live t& none but thee, and to thy fer» 
 ♦vice, find thy Sairus on Earth! AndO 
 € tez me no more return unto iniquity ! 
 
 * nor venture on that (in that killed my 
 \ Lord! And now thou haft chofen to 
 e low a dwelling, O be not If range to 
 I ^hs Heart that thou haft fo freely cho* 
 
 c fen! 
 
I ~. A - ili rf li i Vfrl -^ J i '■£«h i r i l p l ni 
 
 fT** //^/y Sacrament* 55 
 
 c fe i ! O make it the daily refidence of 
 
 4 thy fpirit! Quicken it by thy grace 5 
 
 4 adorn it ivirh thy gifts ^ employ it ir> 
 
 * thy Love, delight in its attendance 
 
 4 on thee •, refrefh it with thy joys and 
 
 1 the light of thy countenance^ and de- 
 
 4 ftroy this carnality, felfifhnefs and un- 
 
 P belief-, And let theWorld fee thotGod 
 
 U will make a Palace of thelowelt heart, 
 
 P when he choofeth it for the place of 
 
 # his own abode, 
 
 Direft. 8. When you cowebowe, review 
 the Mercy which you have received, and 
 the duty which yru have done, and the Co- 
 venant you have Made : And, I. Bctak* 
 your f elves 10 Gcd in Praife and Prayer 
 for the per jelling of his work : And, 2. 
 Take heed to your hearts that they grow 
 not cold, and that worldly things or 
 diverting trifles, do not blot out the faciei 
 mp r 'M~n*i which Chriji hath made y and 
 if)jt t'oty cool net qwek'yinto their former 
 du! and fl epy frame. 3. And fee that 
 your Lives be otfuited by the grace that 
 youhive here received, that even they th.'t 
 you cenverfe with may ferceive that you 
 been wiih God. Efpecially when 
 Temptations would draw you aguin to 
 F a finj 
 
5 6 The Authors Solemn 
 
 fin; and when the injuries of Friends 
 or Enemies would provoke you, & when 
 you are called to reftifie your love to 
 Chrilt, by any coltly work or fuffering^ 
 temember then what was fo lately be- 
 fore y >ur eyes, and upon your hearty 
 and what you refolved on, and what a 
 Covenant you made with God. Yet 
 ^lidge not of the fruit of your Receiv- 
 ing, fo much by feeling, as by Faith; 
 For more is promifed than you yet pof- 
 
 dizre follows the Authors folemn ReJ?gna- 
 iion nj Him f el} to Father, Son and Ho- 
 iy Gfof.- 
 
 My God, I looH-.to Thee, I come 
 toThee,toTheealone! NoMan, 
 f no worldly Creature made me; none 
 
 * of them did redeem me; none of them 
 
 * did renew my Soul, none of them will 
 %juitifie me at thy Bar, nor forgive my 
 
 n, nor fave me from the penal Juf- 
 
 6 rice : None of them will be a full or 
 
 * a perpetual felicity or portion for my 
 c Soul. lam not a (hanger to their 
 •Pxomifes and Performances; I have 
 
 *tpited 
 
 c 
 
Refignation of himfelf, &c. fj 
 *trufted them too far, andfollowed 
 4 them too long/ O that ic had been 
 4 lefs, (though I muft thankfully ac- 
 
 * knowledge, that Mercy did early fhew 
 *me their deceit, and turn my enquir- 
 T ing thoughts ro thee.-; To thee i re* 
 ;< fign my felf, for I am thine ovos ! To 
 f thee I fubjeft all Powers of my Soul 
 
 > • and Body, for thou art my rightful 
 4 fovercign Goyemoui: From thee I 
 % thankjully accept of all the Benefits 
 
 ■* and Comforts of my Life .- In thee -I 
 ** expett my true Felicity and Content ; 
 
 * To know thee, and love thee, and de---- 
 1 light in thee, muft be my bkfTednefs, 
 
 c or I muft have none. The little taifes 
 'of this fweetnefs. which my thirfly 
 \ Soul hath had, do tell me that rfiwfe- 
 c is no other real Joy. J feel rhat thou 
 
 * haft made my mind to know thet, and' 
 ? I feel thou haft made my heart to love 
 *thee, my tongue to praife thee, aha? 
 T ail that I am and have to ferve riv-e / 
 'And even in the panting languifif'-ns*- 
 % defires and morions of my Soul, 1 fil 3D 
 1 that thou, and only thou, art itsieft- 
 *" ; ng place. / And rhoug-i L ve do novir 
 I \Mifmtbiiti$fray; and cry, and ***$* 
 
#38 Tbi Authors Solemn 
 
 * and in reaching upward, but carina 
 k reach, the glorious lighr, the bleffed 
 ■ knowledge,the perfett love,for whici 
 f it lorgeth; yet by its eye, its aim, it! 
 
 * motions, its moans, its groans, 1 knot* 
 
 * its meaning, where it would be, and 
 •I know its end. My difplaced Soul 
 
 * will never be well, till it come neaj 
 *to thee, till it know thee better, till 
 *it love thee more. It loves it felf, 
 
 * and julfifieth that felf love, when ii 
 
 * can love thee: It loaths it felf, and ii 
 
 * weary of it felf as a lifelefs burden, 
 
 * when it feels no pantings after thee, 
 
 * W«rt thou to be found in the moftfa- 
 *Ktary defart, it would feek thee 5 oi 
 *in the uttermoff parts of the earth, ii 
 P. would make after thee: Thy prefencc 
 
 * makes a croud, a Church.- Thy con- 
 
 * vei£emakethacIofer,orfolkary wood 
 *or field, to be kin to the Angelica] 
 >* Chore. The Creature were dead, U 
 *£hou wen not its Life r and ugly, il 
 f. thou wert not its beauty y and infig 
 *nifieant, if thou wert n®t its fenfe; 
 
 * The Soal is dsformed, which is with- 
 *om thine Imjge^ and lifelefs, whieli 
 
 * iiveth not ia jjpve to thee,> if km hi 
 
 '■aw 
 
Reftgnation of him/elf \ tec. 59 
 1 not its pulfe, and prayer, and praife, 
 
 * its conftant breath: The Mind is un- 
 1 learned which readeth not thy Name 
 f on all the World, and feeth not HO* 
 
 * L1NESS TO THE LORD engraved up- 
 1 on the Face of every Creature. He 
 € doteth that doubteth of thy Being or 
 
 * Perfe£lions,andhedreamethwhodoth 
 « not live to thee. O let me have no 
 e other Portion \ No reafon, no love, 
 1 no life, but what is devoted to thee, 
 
 * employed on thee, and for thee here, 
 c and fhall be perfected In thee, the on- 
 c ly perfeft final objeft, for evermore. 
 
 * Upon the holy Altar erefled by thy 
 4 Son, and by his hands, and hisMedi- 
 
 * tation, I humbly devote and offer 
 « thee THIS HEART: O that I could 
 c fay with greater feeling, This fiam\ng % 
 ' loving, longing Heart I Bur the iacred 
 
 * firewiiieh muft kindle on my facrifice, 
 f muft come from thee ^ it will not elfs 
 
 * aftend unto thee : Let it confume this 
 t drofs y fo the nobrer part may know its 
 1 home. All that I canfay to commend 
 Ht to thrne acceptance, is, that I hope 
 
 * k*s waf&'d m previous Bloocf,, that 
 I fcksie is femetfting In it that is thine 
 
 
66 Th& Authors Solemn 
 
 c own-, it Itill looketh towards t'fieei. 
 find gioaneth ro rhee, and tolloweth 
 € after thee, a* d will be content wirh 
 « Gold; and Mirth, and Honour,, ard 
 c fuch inferibur Fooleries no more: It 
 c lie? h at thy doors, and will be enter* 
 1 tain'dorperifh. Though alas, it loves 
 4 thee not as It would, I boldly fay, it 
 
 • longs to love thee, it k>ves to love 
 
 • thee^ it feeks, it craves no greater 
 
 • bleflednefs than perfeft endlefsmutu* 
 
 • ai love: It is vowed to thee, even to 
 f thee alone; and will never take up^ 
 ■ with fhadows more$ but is refolved 
 c to lye down in forrow and defpair, if 
 1 thou wih nbr/be its REST and JOT. 
 \ It hateth it felf for loving thee no 
 « more y accounting no want, deformity, 
 € fhame or pain To g*eat and grievous 
 « a calamity. 
 
 < For thee the glorious HeffedGODJ 
 'if is that I come to fe/r^CbriJi. If he 
 c did not reconcile my guilty Soul to 
 '.thee, and did not teach it the heaven- 
 
 • ly Art and work of Love, by the fweet 
 1 Communications of thy Eove, he could 
 \ be no Saviour for m^ Thou art my 
 J only ultimas end-, it is qhlf a guide 
 
 'and 
 
Refignatlon of DwftJJ^ &c.' 61 
 
 * and way to thee thar my anxious Soul 
 € hath fo much ftudied: And none can 
 c teach me rightly to know thee, and to 
 1 love thee, and to live to thee, but thy 
 
 * felf ; It muft be a Teacher ferif from 
 ? thee, that muft conduct me to thee* 
 c I have long looked round about me in 
 c the World, to fee if there were a more 
 1 lucd Region, from whence thy Will 
 c and Glory might be better feen, than 
 \ that in which my Lot is fallen : But 
 1 no Traveller that I can fpeak with, 
 c no Book which I have turn'd over, no 
 c Creature which I can fee, doth tell 
 4 me more than JefusChrift. I can find 
 « no way fo fuitable to my Soul, no me- 
 'dicine fo fitted to myMifery, no bel- 
 « lows fo fie to kindle Love, as Faith in, 
 'Chrift, the Glafs and Me'flenger of 
 4 thy love. I fee no Dottrinefo Divine 
 4 an'd Heavenly, as bearing the Image 
 4 and Superfcripiion of God ^ nor any 
 ft fully confirmed and delivered by the 
 c Atteftatibn of thy ownOmnipotency ^ 
 4 nor any which fo purely pleads thy 
 1 Caufe, & calls the Soul from Seff and 
 ' Vanity, and condemns its Sin and pu- 
 
 * rifieih it, and leadcth ic directly unto 
 
thee; and chough my former Igno : 
 ranee d» fabled me to look hack tot lie 
 Ages pift, and to fee the Methods of 
 thy Providence, and whe'i I look into 
 thy Word, difabled me from feeing. 
 the beauteous Methods of thy Truths 
 thou haft given me a glimpfe of clear- 
 er light, which hath difeovered the 
 Reafons and Methods of Grace, which 
 1 thendifcerned not: And in fhe midft 
 of my molt hideous Temptations and 
 perplexed Thoughts, thou kept alive 
 the root of Faith, and kept alive 
 the Love to thee and unto Holbefs 
 which it had kindled. Thou haft mer- 
 cifully given me the Witneft, in my 
 felf y not an unreafonable Perfwtfion in 
 my Mind, but that renewed Nature* 
 thofe Holy and Heavenly Defires and 
 delights, which fure can come from 
 nonebutthee. And O how much more 
 have I perceived in mmy of thy Ser- 
 vants, than in my fe!f ! Thou haft cdt 
 my lot among the Souls whom GbriR 
 hath healed. I have daily converfed 
 with thofe whom he hath raifed from 
 the dead. I have feen the Po/vver of 
 thy Gulps! upon Sinners: All the love 
 
 • that 
 
Keftgnati n of hiwfe!f, &c. S| 
 c that ever 1 perceived ki- d ed towards 
 
 * ihee; and all the true Obedience that 
 
 < ever I fiw performed to thee, hath 
 4 been effected by the Word of Jefus 
 cChrilt: How oft hath his Spirit help* 
 c ed me to pray / And how often haft 
 c thou heard thofe Prayers / Whac 
 
 Pledges haft thou given to my ftag- 
 *gering Faith, in the works which 
 € Prayer hath procured, both for my 
 '* felf and many others ? And if Confi- 
 € dence in C h r i It be yet deceit, muft I 
 
 < not fay that thou haft deceived me > 
 
 < Who 1 know canft neither be deceiv- 
 c ed, or by any faifliood or fedu&ioa 
 , deceive. 
 
 * On thee therefore, O my dear Re- 
 « decmer, do I caft and truft this finful 
 
 * Soul ! With Tbee and with thy Holy 
 
 * Spirit I renew my Covenant ; I know 
 c no other , I have no other \ I can have 
 « no otherSaviour but thyfelf : To thee 
 « I deliver up this Soul which thou haft 
 
 * redeemed, not to be advanced to the 
 
 * wealth, and honours, and pleafures of 
 « this World \ but to be delivered from 
 « them, and to be healed of Sin, and 
 
 * brought to God * and to be faved 
 
 M "- / iflGttl 
 
* from this prefent evil World, whic! 
 Ms the Portion of the Ungodly anc 
 € Unbelievers : To be wafhed in th} 
 
 * Blood, and iiluminated,quickned anc 
 c confirmed by thy SPIRIT •, and con 
 1 du£ted in the ways of Holinefs and 
 f Love ; And at laft to be prefented 
 € jultified and fpotlefs to the Father o\ 
 
 * Spirits, and poffefled of the Glory 
 .- c which thou haft promifed. O thou 
 m c that haft prepared fo dear aMedicine 
 
 c for the cleaning of polluted guilty 
 ? Soulsjeave not this unworthySoul in 
 
 * guilt, or in its Pollution ! O thou 
 c that knoweft the Fatherland hisWill, 
 c and art neareft to him,&moft beloved 
 1 of hirrbcaufe nae in my degree to know 
 ? theFather; acquaint me with io much 
 c of his WilLas concerneth myDuty, or 
 c my juft Encouragement : Leave not my 
 c Soul to grope in Darknefs, feeing thou 
 c art the Sun and Lord of Light, O 
 c heal my eftranged Thoughts of God / 
 
 * Is he my Light, and Life, and all my 
 'hope? And muft I dwell with him 
 
 * for ever ? And yet fhall I know him 
 c no better than thus? Shall I legtn no 
 € moie that have fuch a Teacher? And 
 
 " rfhall 
 
Re fig nation of himfelf, Kt. 6% 
 1 fhali I get no nearer him, while I have 
 ' a Saviour and a Head fo near ? O give 
 'my Faith a clearer profpeft into thac 
 c better World \ And let me not be fa 
 
 * much unacquainted with the Place in 
 1 which I molt abide for ever ! And as 
 J thou haft prepared Heaven for Hoi/ 
 c Souls, prepare this too unprepared 
 
 * Soul tor Heaven, which hath not long 
 1 to thy on Earth. And when atDeath 
 
 * I refign it into thy Hands,receiveit as 
 \ thine own, and finifh the Work which. 
 4 thou halt begun, in placing it among 
 1 the bleffedSpirits^who are filled with 
 « the fight & love of God # I truft thes 
 c living i let me trult thee dying, and 
 c never be aftiamed of my truft, 
 
 4 And unto Thee, the Eternal Holjr 
 1 Spirit, proceeding from rhcpather and 
 'the Son, the Communicative LOVE 
 4 who condefcendeft to make Perfttf the 
 4 Ele£t of God,do I deliver up this dark 
 
 * imperfect So^to be further renewed, 
 4 confirmed and perfected, according to 
 4 the holyCovenanr. Refufenot toblefs 
 1 it with thine indwelling S£operations, 
 4 quicken it with thy Life-, irradiate ic 
 I by thy light ; fanStifig it by thy love- 
 
 G • actuate 
 
66 The Authors Solemn 
 
 <afruate it purely, powerfully and con 
 'fta-ntly by tby holy motions* Anc 
 
 * though the way of this thy facrec 
 1 influx be beyond the reach of human< 
 
 * Apprehenfion ^ yer let me know th< 
 ' reality and faving Power of it, by th< 
 € happy Effetts. Thou art more tc 
 f Souls,than Souls to Bodies,tbanLighi 
 
 * to the Eyes, O leave not my Soul as 
 c a Carrion deftitute of thy Life ; noi 
 c its Eyes as ufelefs, deftitute of thy 
 c Light 5 nor leave it as a fenfelefs 
 4 block without thy Motion* The re- 
 
 * membrance of what I was without 
 
 * thee, doth make me fear left thou 
 
 * flVouldeft with-hold thy Grace. Alas, 
 
 * 1 feel, I daily feel that 1 am dead to all 
 
 * good,and all that's good is dead to me, 
 
 * if thou be not the Life of all. Teach- 
 
 * ings and Reproofs,Mercies&Corre£H- 
 
 * ons, yea, the Gofpel it felf,and all the 
 
 * liveiieft Books and Sermons, are dead 
 
 * to me,becaufe I am dead to them : Yea, 
 
 * God is as no God to me> and Heaven as 
 s no Heaven 5 andChriftas noChrift,and 
 6 the cleareft evidences of Scripture- 
 
 * verity as no Proofs at all, if thou re- 
 
 * prefent them not with Light &Power 
 
 'to 
 
Eejlgnatlon of himfelf^Hc. 6 J 
 % to my Soul : Even as all the Glory of 
 c the World is as nothing, to me with- 
 c o.uttheLighc by which it's feen. O 
 | thou that haft begun, and given me 
 c thofe heavenly Intimations &c Dejites, 
 | which Flefh and Blood could nevet 
 'give me,fuffer nor myFolly toquencii 
 'thefe fpark?, nor this brutifh Fltfh to 
 c prevail againlt thee, nor the Powers 
 I of Hell to ftifle and kill fuch a hei- 
 | venly Seed. O pardon thai Jolly and- 
 c Wilfulnefs,which hath too often, too 
 'obdurately, and too unthankfully 
 ■ € ftriven agalnft thy Grace ; and deparc 
 c not from v an unkind and finful Soui I 
 ' I remember with grief 8t fhame, how 
 
 * I wilfully bore down thy Motions ^ 
 
 * punifli it not with Defertion,and give 
 c me not over to myfelf. Ait thou not 
 $ in Covenant with me, as my Sanflifier, 
 \ and ConJir^er,zndCcmfcr:er ? 1 r.ever 
 1 u^derrook to do thefe things for mvt 
 c felf } but I content that thou/houldelt 
 'work them on me. As thou art the 
 ' Agent andAdvocare of Jefus my Lord, 
 ' O plead his caufe effcftually in mjr 
 j Soul, againft the S-uggeftions of Satan 
 I and my Unbelief-, and fiaifh his heal- 
 
 G 2 I ing 
 
68 The Authors Solemn 
 
 * ingfaving work; & let not theFIefh e 
 ' World prevail. Be in me (he refiden 
 « witifefs of my Lord, the Author of m 
 € Prafers, (he Spirit of Adoption, thi 
 € Seal of God, srr.d the earneft of mini 
 € Inheritance. Let nor my. Nights hi 
 
 * io long and my Days fo fhorr, no: 
 c Sin eclipfe thole beams* which havi 
 
 * often illuminated my Soul. Without 
 c thee, Books are fevSeltfs Scrawls, 
 
 * Studies are Dreams, Learning is a 
 € Glow- Worm, and Wij is bur'wanron- 
 
 * ncfs;iiT;perriner:cy & folly, Tranfcribe 
 
 * thofe fscred precepts on my ft cart, 
 ' which by thy dictates snd Inspiration 
 
 * 'are recorded' in thy Holy* Word. I re» 
 € fiife hot thy help for rears & groans ; 
 ' But O fihed abroad that love upon my 
 c Heart, Which may keep it in 3 conti- 
 c nual Life of Love. And teach me the 
 
 * wofk which I muff do in Heaven : 
 } Refiefh my Soul with the delights of 
 6 holinefs, and the Joys which arife 
 f from the believing Hopes of theever- 
 
 * laltingjoys: Exercife my Heart and 
 
 * Tongue in the holyPraifes of myLord. 
 € Strengthen me in Sufferings ; and 
 c conquer the terrors of Death and Hell. 
 
 ! Make 
 
Rejignaticn of him/elf, &ei 69 
 9 Make m^he more heavenly, by how 
 4 much the fafter I am haftning to Hea- 
 1 ven: And let my laitThoughts,Words 
 j I andVVorks on Earth, be.like.ft to thefe 
 « which fhali be my firft in the itateof 
 
 * glorious Immortality ^ where the 
 1 Kingdom is delivered up to theFather, 
 € and GOD will for ever be All, and In 
 4 all: Of whom, and through whom,'. 
 1 and to whom areallThingSjTo whom 
 
 * be Glory for ever. Amen. 
 
 A Pathetical Meditation on the PoJJiin of 
 Cbriji 5 to be read. by Communicants be- 
 fore :bey partakz of the Sacrament of the 
 . Lord's, Supper. By another Hand, 
 
 Q^eft.¥7|7#<// ie-tle Sacrament of the* 
 * V V Lord's Supper ? 
 
 Artfw. h confiftsof two vifible 5'gn^ 
 Bread and Wins* which by the Lords ap- 
 pointment was to reprefent to the Re- 
 ceiver his bloody Death, that fo his 
 D'fciples may keep it firefly in Jheir 
 Memories, 
 
 Queft. But k it only to remember ton 
 there was- a Cbrigtfjtd ibat be ms-cTHdJadj \ 
 *nd no mors p 
 
 G 3 Anfvv 
 
70 A Pathetkal Meditation 
 
 Anfw % Experience tell as^that fuch'S 
 bare, remembra nee as that, doth little 
 move upon cheHeartand upon the Af- 
 ffeftions^and fo wilido little or no good. 
 It is not the remembrance of any Mans 
 Death that doth of it felf affeftme,but 
 as I confider him as Fathers as a Hus? 
 hand jOt as a Friend, with many other 
 Ixprelfions of his love to me when li'v 
 log, this will exceedingly Work upon 
 sha Heart, foastocaufe Sorrow and 
 Grief, and the like. 
 
 Que ft. What is it then that I tnufl call 
 „9o mind, when 1 think upon a bleeding and 
 dying Gbriji./o a* to affrfl my Heart ? 
 
 An/to. I. Trhe cruel and bloody nature 
 $>f his Death y here you may confider 
 the whole ftory of his Arraignment, his 
 feeing hetrayed x by his own Apoftle, his 
 fceing- fpit upon and crowned with 
 thorns, his being mocked and jeered by 
 patting a reed into his Hand inltead of 
 a Scepter, afterwards his bearing of a 
 Crofs, and bis being nailed to it in his 
 Hands and Feet$ after that, his beirrg 
 pierced through with a Spear $ this 
 Mat. 27. willfully acquaint you with, 
 2» TJw. Gaufcs of his Death 5 it. was no 
 
m-tHeTaffion ofCbrifi Ti 
 
 natural Difeafe, neither was it for any 
 evil done of his own, but for us. tie 
 bore our iniquities* upon the Grofs* g. 
 The Effe8*of his Death, which was to 
 obtain Power of his Father to conquer 
 theDevil,and pull us out of his Hands*, 
 to break our Hearts, and to conquer us 
 to himfelf, to pardon our Sins, and to 
 give unto us Eternal Life with himfelf 
 in Glory, and this upon our Faith and 
 lincere Repentance. Now from all 
 thefe Things are your Meditations to 
 be raifed, before you come to this Sa- 
 crament, and when you are receiving 
 of in 
 
 Ail Example of Meditation ,1 have here 
 fet you down as folioweth. 
 
 Away thefe wanton wanderingworld- 
 ly Thoughts, you are clogs to my Soul. 
 Away all trifling worldly Bufinefs,\ can- 
 not now attend yourcall,royHeart hath 
 now fomething elfe to do. Adieu my 
 Friends, farcwel my Husband, Wife- and, 
 Child, I mult go fee my bleeding Lor d $ 
 that's dearer to me than you all. Come 
 now mySouljthou art ak>ne,thou know* 
 clt the way,make hafts, and fpeed •, I00M 
 yonisr r fee how. the Beopl'e flock> croft 
 
 but 
 
72 ^ A Pathetic jI Meditation 
 but this va/e,&c climb but up this mount, 
 thou wilt foon arrive ar bloody Go/gotbaJ 
 where thou (halt fee thy bleeding and 
 dying Saviour to figh and linger out 
 dying Life on theCrofs in love for thee. 
 This, this might, Ob my 5^/,have been 
 thy Day, that thou might'ft Ii3ve been 
 the Prifoner •, this I fay might have been 
 the Day in which thou might'ft have 
 drunk the bitter cup'of the fierce anger 
 of Gad. But look yonder ! There he 
 gees that mult drink up the dregs, and 
 all for thee. Look again I There he 
 goes that mult lay down his Life that 
 thou maiit be reprieved. But come,*^ 
 Soul, draw up a little nearer,thou canft 
 not fee him well at fo great adiftance^ 
 ifand here 8c thou wilt lee him palling * r 
 look, there he goes with a train of Vir- 
 gins following. But fee how cruelly 
 thefe barbarous Jews do ufe him, they 
 mike him bear hisCrofs himfelf, and 
 prefs his wearied fainting Limbs above 
 his ■ftreng.th* fee how they laugh and 
 fcoff,and wag their Heads as if he were 
 their May game* Met hi oka- my Heart 
 boils up with rage to fee thefe cruel ries 
 Kvenged^ Qh\ How could th^bU-fTed 
 
or) i 7* 
 
 God forbear r. i sfTed S 
 
 wronged ? Why -dr. he 
 Legions or Angel'sTof his refcue 
 doth he nor fend d?oWn fire from I 
 upon the Ffads of thefe his S ns ene- 
 mies, and fo consume them ? Bur flay 
 nty joolifh He*rt 9 thou knowefi not what 
 Sftrir thou art of $ this debt was owing, 
 aVsd ir muft be paid 5 God requires fo 
 ittkcl); and ir muft begiven,or ihouc^rit 
 nor be faved. Thy Lord did know this 
 well enough, for this he came fromHea- 
 ven, and committed himfelf ro the rage 
 of Men i he knew he muft endure all. 
 thefe reviling?, and doth ir grieve thy 
 S )trl to fee him thusahafed > Sray but 
 a while, and thou (halt fee him more $ 
 look up, my S^v/, come, rell me what 
 thou fecit ? Oh I cannot, forrow ties 
 my Tongue, 1 cannot fpeak ; 1 fee and 
 h.ar thofe things that I want a Power 
 t) ut;ter. 1 fee a troop of Virgins fol- 
 lowing bim, their weeping Eyes \ their" - *] 
 blubbering LipsAheirfigbs and tbrobbings 
 fpeak them mourners. I fee my Lord 
 locks towards them, and kindly chides 
 their loving forrow, Why vceep )*, ye 
 Daughters */ Jerifahm ? Weep not jor 
 
74 -A Pathetic al Meditation 
 
 7?je. My Lord ! What need was there 
 for that Queflion ? Should not they 
 weep when thou muft bleed ? Would noc 
 their Eyes have been flints, if that then 
 they (hould not drop Tears for thee, 
 when as thou were about to pour out: 
 thy Life and Blood for them ? Ah ! 
 Could they chufe,or do Iefs than weep 
 to fee thine innocent felf among a herd 
 of Tygers-! WhatfhouldaL^/w3 do there? 
 They faw thee in their ravenous Jaws 
 about to tear thy Heart, to fuck out 
 all thy Blood,& leave thee dead. Have 
 I not fat and read, and read and wepc 
 viewing over the Itory j and could they 
 forbear that with their watryEyes faw 
 this fcene then aUel ? Bat whither, O 
 whither, O ye blinded fews, are ye 
 dragging this my Lord ? My Spirit be- 
 gins to fainr,I now can look no longer, 
 my Heart now begins to fwell witty 
 grief, it muft now bre.ik 5 or I muft vent 
 it at mine Eyes in dreams ! Look ! See 
 the H.mmer and Nails, the Hammer 
 lift up to (hike. Bloody Man! Thou 
 durft not fure ; furely thou doft not 
 know wft^Handsand Feet thou art now 
 piercing r is is the Prince and Saviour 
 
on tbe ToJJion of Cbrifl. 7? 
 
 of tbe World. Foolifh Heart / See how 
 thou art miftaken $ look, fee it's done, 
 the Nails are driven to the Head 7 See 
 Jhow the criwfon Tears ruj? trickling 
 £own his hands and Feet, atr3 fee how 
 hardened Hearts be laughing at it ! Oh 
 filly foolifh blinded Men ! What laugh 
 you at ? This veryC^r/ff whom now you 
 mock, (hall be your fudge $ this very 
 Man Jefus whom you have thus abujed 
 fhali come attended with thoufands of 
 Angels,with the found of Trumpets,and 
 fhail fir upon your Life &. De-Jtb. Hm 
 whom you now have nailed to a Crofs, 
 bath Gcd exalted to be a Prince and a Savi- 
 our. What then will youdo when that 
 great and terrible day of theLord fhali 
 come > How will you lock him in the 
 Face whom you have//?// on ? How will 
 you dare to fpeak a word for your felves 
 to him whom you have nailed to a Tree 
 2nd crucified} His wounds in Hands y 
 Side and Feet fhali all bear witnefs a- 
 gainft you 9 and his innocent Blood that 
 youhave fpiit fhali cry aloud about the 
 Throne for vengeance againft you; your 
 Flouts fhali then be turned into Tears, 
 and your Taunt $ inioLamentations* And 
 
 bow 
 
7 5 A Pathetic a! Meditation 
 
 how will you then look an I cry when 
 God paffeth fentence on you, & thrufts 
 you down -to Hell to bear the puniih* 
 pient of your Sins ? This is the Lord 
 that came tofpare yoqr Lives,yer your 
 wicked neis fpased not his* and how at 
 length can you think to efcape with 
 yours. 
 
 But once again, look up my $£#/,and 
 fee what is become of thy nailed and 
 crucified Lord : Ah me / He is not quite 
 dead, look how he gafps and pants for 
 Life / Oh how his Looks are changed/ 
 How pale and wan do 1 fee hisCheeks / 
 The Blood and all the Spirits are quite 
 drawn from them. Methinks hefhould 
 be dead, for fee how weak his Keck is 
 grQWn,that.it is notable tofupporthis 
 head that lies a dying on his bleeding 
 Breaft. What yet not dead! See how 
 he (hakes and (firs his dying Limbs ! 
 What gafps and groans do I hear him 
 fqtch, as if his Soul were Itruggling to 
 get our? Hark,hark,hey/>rtf&r / Oh let 
 me catch the leaft breath of my dying 
 Saviour. What faith my Lord ? Hark, 
 what doft thou not hear ! What ? My 
 God, my God, why baft thou forfcifon me ? 
 
on the Vajfion of Cbrift. 77 
 
 I am amazed to hear thefeWords. How 
 couldft thou fufpe£t thy Fathers Love > 
 How could he be far from 16^, who was 
 one with tbyfelf ? But Oh ! This is but 
 the voice of his JUanbood^ni not of his 
 Godhead. It was the voice of the dying 
 and bleeding Man fejus^ not the voice 
 of the God Jefus. 
 
 But >Ob my Lor d,whzt are thofe pains 
 and gripes thou feeleft^that brings f brtht 
 thefe complainings ? But why do 1 ask 
 this Queftion ? Hath he not been all 
 this while drinking up the cup his Fa- 
 ther gavehim,the bitter, and fow'r,ancL 
 poyfonous cup of his Fathers wrath, 
 which I and all the World had elfs 
 irank of? He juft now fwallowed down 
 the laft mouthful the dregs, whofe bit- 
 ter noifomc tafte hath fent forth thefe. 
 fateful Lamentations -, fdr mark,he had 
 no fooner fpoke thofe words,, but he 
 gafped his laft. 
 
 The Gaujes of his Death. 
 And muft the Son of God be humbled 
 thus ? Muft he that was from everlaft- 
 ing, raifed and advanced above every 
 Man in Heaven and Earthy he that lay- 
 in the arms and breaftof God,loved b\' 
 H ~ the* 
 
t. 
 
 7 8 A Patbetical Meditation 
 
 the Fathered his only Son ^ honoured, 
 adored, admired and beloved of ten 
 thoufand times ten thoufands ofAngels^ 
 but mult this God leave all this Glory, 
 and change that fweet Heavenly and 
 delighifome Palace for fb mean,fo low, 
 fo dirty a cottage^ as to be born a Man, 
 And muft his entertainment at firlt be 
 no berrer than a Stable or a Manger 
 could give him ? No fooner muft he 
 begin to live,bu t muft an enemy affault 
 his Life i Mult he travel up and down 
 the Earthjand fpend his time&ttrergth 
 in preaching glad tidings to miferable 
 undone Men, and fill the World with 
 Jigr.sandwonders.Sc not defer ve fomcch 
 of Men as a houfe to dwell in, or a hole 
 to put his head in ? And after all this 
 humble, holy, long-fuffering Life, mult 
 ha be thought of by this unthankful and 
 unbelieving World as orntf not worrhjr 
 to Iive v and not have a breathing in that 
 Air which he both made & gave them 
 to breathe In ? But mult heat length 
 be laid hold of by a traiterous Judas 
 fiur he had once taken for one of his 
 Apoilleg | and m it he fuffer all this > 
 But ah / Alas / What Is this ? Mult he 
 
 be 
 
on the Vojjion ofCbrift. ?V 
 
 be alfo crowned with thorns, and m u ft he 
 jmat and bleed? Oh far more t ham 
 Tongue can utter ! Oh alionifliing 
 Condefcention ! Thus did the Son he* 
 come a Servant, and learn'd Obedience 
 by his fufferings, and ferved a three and 
 thirty years apprenticejbip in rhe pain and 
 travel of his foul here on earth, a longe* 
 time than Jacob ferved for his beloved 
 Rjche/^nd that becaufe he loved us bet* 
 ter, and therefore gave a better dowry 
 for us. But had 1 lived to have feea 
 this Prince of Glory thus difguis'd, this 
 Eaflern Sun thus benighted in a Cloud, 
 this glorious God thus wrapped up in 
 rags of flcfh, fhould I have known hm, 
 or not ? my fenfual heart, I doubt thee 
 Jfiuch * wouldft thou have cleaved to 
 hm &: loved him better than thy life, 
 and have faid, Though all leave tbeejzvill 
 not \ and with Paul J am willing & ready 
 not only to be bound, but to die for thee. 
 What thinkft thou, Oh my foul I couldft 
 thou have leftHusband, Wife. Far her and 
 Mother, and all the reft of thy friends, 
 and have fold all that thou haft, aid 
 followed him? what him whom the 
 Prophet foretold, Ifai. 53,23, -he bmb no 
 H 2 (orm 
 
So A Pathctical Meditation 
 
 form or comeliness in bim, that you fhould 
 drfite him : he U defpifed 12 re jelled of 
 men^ a man of Jorrows and acquainted 
 with griefs. Tell me, tell me, couldft 
 xhou have divorced thy felf, from all, 
 and have taken this feemingly uncome- 
 ly 4)erfon for thy Lord, and only Bus- 
 land? Ah me/ I do not know my 
 'heart ^ but lately had I known him 
 as I do now know himj fhould not have 
 iluck at any thing for him. For what 
 ii his Face did want comelinefs ,feeing it 
 camefo with tears and grief for thee ? 
 and wilt thou love thy friend the worfe 
 foecHufe he fhares in forrow with thee? 
 for thou canft not but know that ha 
 came from Heaven to take to himfelf a 
 Spoufe on Earth \ and if I was one that 
 3ie loved, and grieved for to fee my 
 itubborn heart fo hard toyield ? was this 
 the caufe he wanted beauty ? Gh fuch 
 a want as this is lovely, and methinks 
 my heart could have cleaved the clofer 
 to him : There was no bciuty or ccnieti- 
 vefs in him\ and what of that ? my ugly' 
 and deformed foul deferves more loath- 
 ing •, my rigbteoufnefs,\\iZ comlieft p3rt 
 sbouc me is but rtfgs, or a Menflruous 
 
 flotbi 
 
on the Vajfton of €hffc- r " 
 clotb^if- there were no more deferable* 
 nefs in him than in me 5 Gh had I loved 
 him then, and left all for him, ir were 
 no wonder : but that he (hould love 
 me, I rather ftand amazed ! There was 
 no beauty in him, it may be fo *. buz 
 .could it be otherwife expe£ted from 
 him who came to work in Jirc (Stjftekf, 
 who came to quench the flames of Hell, 
 a-nd to fatisfy Gods wrath and julfice ? 
 to pull out filthy fouls from the jaws 
 of luftful fenfual flefh and blocd ? it 
 was not beauty but ftrengtb that wgs 
 here needful. A glance of an amercus 
 tye would not have wounded Satan jnd. 
 made-him fall from Heaven like a ffjfli 
 of Lightning- A comely countenance 
 could not have inchanted and unbai'd 
 hell gates, and made them fall,& break 
 before him into (hatters. What need a 
 lair band 10 touch our filthy rotten fouls, 
 and take them up in menftrous bleed, 
 and wafh them clean ^ or what need 
 fuch clean hands: to clafp about the 
 rutty iron gates wherein I and all the 
 World lay bound- in chains. and to pull 
 them down, to take our cankered bolts 
 and knock them eff* to take us by the 
 H 3 hand 
 
$2 *. A Pathetical Meditation 
 ihand to help us up, and lead us out ? 
 LAlas ! there needs no fuch eye, jacc^ or 
 Xiand for fuch a work. It is powerful, 
 all-conquering ftrength that is here re- 
 quired. It was a powerful vi&orious 
 arm that here was needed, and fuch a 
 tint he had. But what fhouldhedo with 
 sa beauteous body that muft be fo abafed 
 S£ abufed as his was ? an uncomely face 
 •will ferve where it muft be /pit on s 
 Whit muft he do with a jair Jojt deli* 
 cate tender band 7 wh\ch mult he pierced? 
 another kind of hand is good enough to 
 knock a nail into. And wharneeds his 
 body be of a clear, white, thin tranfpa- 
 jrertt skin ? will not any ferve that body 
 shat muft be bruifed and wounded as 
 Ifcis was l nay, as it was necefTary his 
 ihould be ? But why thus neceffary > 
 cither he muft be thus dealt with, or 
 ^ife my fin cannot be pardoned* Either 
 Sie muft be defpifed of men, or I mufi 
 t>e of G*d. Oh he muft drink up this 
 foicrer cup with alt its dregs, or elfe I 
 Biufi: have drunk it up my felf. It was 
 5 that finned,and I muft have fu ffercd> 
 this curfed, proud and earthly hea?t of 
 ■Bine rebelled and broke the Laws^and 
 -filOUld 
 
on the TaJJlon of €bri&: 8$ 
 
 fhould have fuffered and born the pu- 
 nishment h had jiot he ftept in and born 
 the Itroke off from me, I had been now 
 burning in everlasting flames,and have 
 been lingering out this timein torment,' 
 which I am now fpending in the fweet 
 thoughts of my efcape. And is not 
 all true > fpeak out, my foul \ hath not 
 the Prophet faid as much > Surely (faith 
 -he) be hath born our griefs, and carried 
 our for rows : be was wounded for our 
 tranfgrc/Jions, be wasbruifed for our ini- 
 quities, the cbaflifement of our peace lay 
 upw bim, and by bi stripes we are healed. 
 All we like /beep hre gone aftray, we art 
 every one turned to his own way, and the 
 Lord bath laid upon him the iniquities of 
 us all.- He was opprcJfed,be was affiitlcd, 
 yet be opened not bis mouth $ be was 
 brought as a lamb to the /laughter, and a* 
 afoccp before the /hearers was dumb, fa 
 be opened not his mouth. He was taken 
 from prifon & judgment \and who [hall de* 
 clare bis generation > for he was cut off 
 from the land of the living. And for the 
 tranfgreffionoj my people wasbcfmittcnl 
 Thou feeft thy debt, and thy Saviours 
 f aymtnt of it 5 shefe ate no fittions-, 
 
 thoa 
 
$4 •& Vatheticd Meditation 
 
 thou halt jolt now read a Jure word of 
 Fropbccy that hath confirmed it. Thofe 
 wouttds,xhote ilripes.xhqfQ bruifes which 
 thou readett of, he bore for Thee, and 
 which were due to thee. It was thou 
 rhat ftiouldft have been led j rom pri Jon 
 tp Judgment, from prifon to the Judg- 
 ment-feat of the great God, who fhould 
 have fat as Judge •, he fhould have ar- 
 raigned thee, fentenced thee, and have 
 fent thee to the /laughter boufe of hell, 
 where thou fhouldit have been weeping, 
 and wailing,and gnafhing of thy teeth. 
 But Oh amazing 18ve and grace ! the 
 Son of God that loved me betterthan 
 his life, ftept ofFhisThrone and took 
 my nature on him, and became a man 
 irke to me fonly fin excepted) he came 
 and bid me comfort my trembling heart, 
 fre would put himfelf into my condition, 
 and become the prifoner \ and if my 
 fin would eolt his life, he would freely 
 part with ir. Methinks I feel my bowels 
 turn, my fpirits meit within me •, was 
 ever love like to his love ? He was as 
 a ftranger to me : why did he not let 
 me die > It was hisF&rher 1 did wrongs 
 why did he not let me fuffer ? What 
 
 " * if 
 
on the Ptjfion of GhriJI. 8? 
 
 if my punifhment was as great asHell? 
 finely I did deferve ir. What if my 
 pains and fcreeches were eternal ? Ah ! 
 I was a creature ? a worm,a fly,a nothing 
 to him, and what need he haveoared? 
 but he loved me ± and could he love a 
 pWoner at the Bar? I was zfinner, a 
 vile polluted one^ethlnks hefhould havfe 
 ioaihed me$ but he did vaajh thee,& make 
 thee clean again. I, but J was hisFathers 
 enemy.zod fo no friend to him ; or would 
 he love an enemy ? or did he not know 
 fo much > hut how eouid that be, when 
 he fjw my heart, and the enmity that 
 was in it? yes, hedid 5 andyet beloved 
 thee ^ even while we were enemies he died 
 for /#. But why did he love an enemy? 
 or how could he do it ? / know not 
 why, itis paft my reafon to imagine it : 
 Oh inexprejjihk hovel Oh love paft 
 thought ! /cannot fathom thee with my 
 reafon, thy ways are unaccountable * 
 he loves becaufe he will love. And though 
 his love difpleaferh its, yet it pleafed 
 him to love us, Whar ails my heart ? 
 /cannot fir.d it ftir, What,dead under 
 the reviving thoughts of thy deareft 
 Redeemer ! I jult now laid, he loved 
 
 thee 
 
86 A fuhetital Meditation 
 thee though anQnziny, and when thou 
 loved It not him * 1 fee the enmity is 
 not quite removed, thou can It not love 
 him yet ; Arife, (hake up thy felf, and 
 look about thee, thou dolt not fure fee 
 thy meicy $ finely thou underftandefl 
 not what thou oughteft to understand. 
 Come away, Oh come away, lift up 
 thy drowfie head,/ will make thee look 
 andlove,while 1 fet thee all on homing, 
 and make thee ere I leave thee confefs 
 thou iovelt him. Think, think, my 
 fou! f that thou hadft juit now finned 
 and broke that law which threatned 
 death, and upon the breach doth find 
 thee guilty. Think that thou faweft a 
 filming Cherubim, amefTengerof the 
 Co art o* Heaven flirt in at that door 
 and arrelt thee for High treafon, and 
 give thee a fummons to rife from the 
 feat thou fit reft on, to make a fudden 
 anfwer for thy life. Look then, my 
 foul, Ah ! I lookt.juft now, 1 fee that 
 door wide open: What's this! zfp'ir'n? 
 Ah me, I am undone,for I have finned i 
 I think the room (hakes under me, or 
 elfe 'tis my heart that's trembling. 
 What's this/ hear J /mult now anfwer 
 
 for 
 
on the Poffion of ChriB, 87 
 
 for my life : Oh what fhaii I fay M 
 know not what -, / have finned, my 
 Confcience tells mo that I have finned, 
 the wirnefs within will caft me, I fee 
 the lnditement«writ with blood on my 
 heart-, the pride, fenfuality, and the 
 earthlinefsof which lam charged with, 
 I am not able to deny one tittle. Oh 
 for a mountain to cover me : Oh whi- 
 ther (hall 1 go,whither fhall I fly ? That 
 Bed^thefe Curtains, this Gofer cannot 
 hide me. My Mother, Fat her,Wife or 
 Child cannot help me : O who then 
 fhaii? t run whither know rot 5 ven- 
 geance will find me out where ever 1 
 go. Oh curfed and fultil Satan ! arc 
 ail thy fair promifes and inticements 
 come to this / O my wicked curfed 
 foolifh heart ! that ever 1 fhould believe 
 him before my Creator, that told me, 
 the day I finned 7 fiouldfurely die. Oh 
 that for a little fimple traniient pleafure 
 I fhould fo madly hazard my erernal 
 life / And now / muft be caft ro Hell to 
 hszt the punifhment of my folly. Think 
 once again. think r hat this were the day, 
 Ihisthe very place in whichG* d fhould 
 fcoms and fit in judgment on tine Ml* 
 
 thinks 
 
88 A Pathetical Meditation 
 
 thinks I fee theHeavens bow themfelves; 
 Oh what a crackling do I hear in the 
 Clouds * look yonder! Seewho^omes! 
 It is rny Judge 5 his countenance is as a 
 fiameoffire, heutterihis voice like 
 Thunder, the mountains skip,or rather 
 fhake,or rather tremble. Now,now, is 
 the time of my utter deftruftion neat 
 at band- Oh how (hall I look him ia 
 the face ! His looks do already affright 
 me! Ifhallnotfayone word,and I have 
 not one Friend that will fay one word 
 for me. It's true, I fee a terrible glori- 
 ous Troop of Angels that do attend 
 him, but they are ail his friends, and 
 therefore all my enemies : I dare not 
 fpeak a word to them $ and alas ! if I 
 fhould, they are all but his ferva-nts, 1 
 and fellow-Creatures with my felf \ 
 Alas ! They cannot, yea they will not 
 help me. It's true, there is ove, that 
 crrc that feemsdtf^* a?i/b G^thebeams 
 oi whofe countenance are far brighter 
 than all the Hoft of Heaven : Befides, 
 if God have a Son, it may be it is he * 
 methinks he is a mirrour of his Fathers 
 Glory * but this I know not \ be what 
 he will, he cannot pity me afinner,the 
 
 doors 
 
on the Death of Chriji. 89 
 
 loots oF hope are all fhur up, and now 
 is a miferable wretch I muft prepare to 
 hear my fentence * the Judge isfet,and 
 ivich trembling heart and joints I itand 
 a prifoner at the Bar for my Life, and 
 now I muft attend his call. 
 
 God fpeaks,] Sinner \ where art thou ? 
 
 The Sinner an/veers'] Lord here am I. 
 
 God fpeaks] How dare]] thou thus a* 
 bufe my Grace fi? kindk up my zealagainft 
 thee that novo a* ftubble it mil conjumt 
 thee ? Is this the thanks that thou hall 
 returned for all the love that I have 
 ihewed to thee > Mult J make a whole? 
 World and give it to thee, and as if 
 that was too little, I bid thee freely 
 take my felf and all, and would not this 
 content thee ? Was 1 not as a Father to 
 thee,tfce time thou lovedlt me,and didft 
 obey me ? Did I not make thy feat a 
 Paradice, and ftrewed thy paths with 
 pleafure ? Did I not rejoyce over thee 
 as a young man over his bride ? What 
 evil haft thou found in me, that thou 
 fhouldft thus rebellioully revolt and 
 my Laws, and for a trifle fell my fa- 
 vour, and hazard myEternal pleafures? 
 Speak finner, was it not fo ? 
 
90 A Fatbetical Meditation 
 
 The firmer anfmrs 3 My God, thefe 
 weeping eyes and bended knees confefs 
 fo much. 
 
 God [peaks ] Had I not told thee that 
 fin would coil thee thy Life, then thou 
 hadft had fome excufe 2 Have I faid it, 
 and will the greatGod change ? Sinner, 
 thou muft die \ I told thee fo before, 
 and now I tell thee again, the God of 
 Heaven cannot lie. Get thee gone thou 
 curfed wretch into eternal flames, and 
 keep that Devil company in chains and 
 torments,with whom thou haft rebelled 
 againft me, and go fee what pleafures 
 thou halt in finning. 
 
 The Sinner anfweretb'] Thou greatGod 
 and terrible Judge \ 1 do confels thy 
 lehtence juft^but if there be any bowels 
 of mercy in thee, pity me, or I die for 
 even Mercy, Mercy, Lord / for 1 am 
 thy creature, the workmanfhip of thy 
 hands. If there be any thing in the 
 trembling heart 2nd hands, and knees 
 of this thyfentenoed prifoner.that will 
 move compafficD, O pity, pity a con-j 
 demned Sinner. 
 
 God /peaks] What / Stays he longer! 
 tq trouble my patience / I fay, begone^ 
 
 thou! 
 
A Patberical Meditation 9 1 
 thou curfed 5 though thou art my crea- 
 ture,know that my wrath hath kindled 
 00 better creatures than thou art ; get 
 thee to Hell, and the howling Devils 
 will tell thee as much. 
 
 The firmer /peaks} Ah, wo, wo, wo to 
 me, for ever curfed / am, and curled 
 moft I go for ever, My righteousjudge, 
 and ye glorious Angels adieu for ever : 
 Live, live for ever blefled 3nd happy 
 in his love •, / might have lived, ard 
 joyed* and gloryed in that God that 
 made both ye & me \ but like a wretch 
 that / am, wo that ever / was born, f. 
 fold his favour, and fo my erernalLife, 
 for a thing of nought, a vain luft, a 
 finful pleafure that lafted but for a fea- 
 Con, and / g^, / go into eternal flames. 
 What fays myHearr this ? Methinks 
 the very thoughts >f it do make my 
 hearr to quiver, and my flefh to fhake 
 all round about me* ( r eel no itrength 
 in all my joints. 
 
 G id /peaks} So, fo, Jam glad feme* 
 thing moves thee. 
 
 But think again, that the Devil did 
 taks hold of thee, and drag thee frc m 
 the place thou fitteft or 3 to Hell 5 fop- 
 
9 2 A Pathetic al Meditation 
 
 pofe the Father frowning on thee, and 
 all the Angeb flioating thee down tc 
 Hell, and glorying in thy damnation : 
 fcu tii k again thou fjweft when all 
 yvej* joying to fee ihee fentenced tc 
 Hell, that he that far juft by rhejudge. 
 vvhrm thou thougbreit even now to he 
 liis Son, but k«eweit it nor. Look 
 Look ! Methiiiks I fee him rffe oft' hii 
 Throne ♦, fee, fee, how the Angels fall 
 to adore him, methinks he is a coming 
 near thee. Oh how my heart dorfc 
 ttffllble, Oh what will he torment 
 me before my time / Ah me ! My doom 
 is great enough already. 
 
 Sinner JfwksJ] Thou wilr not fend 
 me to a worfer place than Hell ^ my 
 Judge hathpaffed myfentence,rhoucanH 
 not fend me into worfer than flames, o\ 
 punifh me longer than everlallingly. 
 
 Cbrifi Art/icersj Oh how my bowels 
 turn ! This lioner knows not what is ir 
 my heart -, he thinks I am his enemy 
 Sinner, fluke off thy tears, and wip* 
 thine eyes, thou (halt not die. 
 
 Ttx fin net f pea As again.'} Oh thou glo 
 lious God or Angel, or J know not wha 
 to call ihee 7 do not delude 01 deride t 
 
 pooj 
 
on the Vaffion of Cbfift. 9) 
 
 poor Caitiff wretch in the midft of mi- 
 fery : Why wilt thou raife me to fuch 
 a pinacle of hope, to caft me down,and 
 make my fall the greater ? My Judge 
 hath palled the fentence, I mull die ; 
 and who can reverfe the doom ? Ah / 
 I muft go i fee my prifon door wide 
 open •, the fmoke and flafhes come to 
 meet my defpairing Soul halfway. 
 
 ChnS fpeaksl^ And now my heart be- 
 gins to break, my love can keep no lcn- 
 ger in * how cauflefly doth this wretch 
 torment his heart! He knows not who 
 !am.- I mult reveal my felf. Sinner, 
 1 love thee •, I fay thou fhalt not die : 
 Come, feel my heart and pulfe how 
 they beat, and tell how ftrong my, love 
 within doth aft them : Dolt thou not 
 fee I have left myThrone,and am come 
 down to the Bar where thou Itandefl 
 condemned > But why doft thou weep? 
 Come,let me wipe thine eyes,and bind 
 up thy bleeding and defpairir g heart : 
 1 tell thee thou (hair not die: If Hea- 
 ven will have blood, it (hall have mine, 
 fo it will but fpare thine. Sinner, if 
 thou kneweft who I am, thouwouldeft 
 j>ot doubt one tittle; 1 tell thee 1 am 
 1 3 his 
 
$4 A Tatbetlcal Meditation 
 his Son, his only Son, that but now con- 
 demned thee: 1 know he is juft, and 
 jultice muft be fatisfied. But do not 
 thou Jcar, if one of us rnuft die,ir fhall 
 l>e I : I will pour out my blood a Sacri- 
 fice for fin, and appeafe his wrath, and 
 make you Friends again. Ye innume- 
 rable company of Angels, fyet feivants 
 at my Fathers will) why do yerejoyce 
 to fee my Prifoner fent to he//? This 
 cuifed Soul over whom in Glory you 
 do bow triumph, I do refolve to die 
 for,and to buy her to my felf a Spoufe, 
 *nd to make her blefled with your 
 Telves, and give her a Prtnces's placeon 
 a Throne that is by my felf. 
 
 Sinner /peaks'] Is this a dream / Or 
 ami waking ? The goodnefs.greatnefs, 
 glory of this fudden unexpefted bleffed 
 scbafige, tempts me to doubt whether 
 it be true,or whether it be fomc unruly 
 izney that doth delude this wretched 
 Heart of mine? What for the Son of 
 God to debafe himfeif io low as to rake 
 my nature, and fo my eanle, & become 
 the Prifoner ! What /And though he 
 knows he fhall be cafi ! Will he hear 
 the fentence, and quietly bea* boh-, 
 
 and 
 
in the PaJJion of CbriJI. 9? 
 
 and fhackels,and chains, which fiould 
 have fettered me ! Yet more than this, 
 Doth he know it is impoffible to get a 
 reprieve from his Father and judge 5 
 And that he mult mcft affuredly drink 
 the bittereft dregs of Death, more bit- 
 ter thanBeviis or damned Souls inHeli 
 has yet ever rafted of? For it is im- 
 poffible the Cup fhould pafs : And can 
 he, will he, dare he venture ? But 
 ttay,l mutt be a Spoufe/ To be exalted 
 from this dunghill to be a Frincefs to 
 the Son & Heir of Glory / Hold, hold, 
 here's enough/it is a dream,an idle fancy 
 of a diftempered brain •, I (hall rcever 
 find a heart to believe one Syllable. 
 But yet, methinks, if it be_a dream, 
 5 ii$* a Golden one. Is it poflible that 
 fuch a "damned wretch as I, could har- 
 bour fuch fiiken gilded Thoughts of 
 fuch Love, Grace, Mercy &Tendernefs 
 of t he Son of God ? Oh my Heart / If 
 they were not true,how came they into 
 my mind, or how came they to ftay ? 
 Or could they, if but meer Fiftioos, 
 make fuch a change in my Heart \ 
 Could they fo vlttorioufly conquer all 
 my Fear, filence all my Doubts, allay 
 
 the 
 

 $6 A Patbetical Meditation 
 
 the heats of a fcorched and be-helled 
 Conference? But why a dream, poor 
 wretched Heart ? Didft thou not fee 
 him Itepoff his Throne ? Was it a 
 time to dream or fleepin, when thou 
 wert before the Judgment feat, while 
 God was frowning, and the Devils 
 dragging thee to and fro to get thee 
 away to Hell ? O then, juft then, % hs 
 Kept down, drew near and took thee 
 by the hand, and fpoke thefe reviving 
 Words to thee i Doubt this,and doubt 
 thy Judgment. But why a Dreami 1 
 am not now in Hells Torments,whither 
 I was juft now fentenced ; My Heart is 
 now at eafe and quiet •, furely fome* 
 thing muft be -the reafon why the 
 Devil that bucnow had hold of me, 
 hath left me. Where is theConfcience 
 that but now was burning in me j But 
 Oh, cannot the prefence of the Lord 
 put me out of Doubt ? Do not his 
 Words that were fo kind, his tender 
 dealing with me, doth not his ftooping 
 to me, taking me by the arm, and the] 
 gentle Lifts that he gives to my droop- i 
 ing Soul, fpeak him /-*fent I Oh/ 
 Do notmyhead 3 eyes,arms,heait,breaft t 
 
 audi 
 
on the Vajjicn of Chrijf, ^ 91 
 and the eafe of every joint and limb 
 about me, whnefs the fame > Away 
 my unbelieving Hearr, what a flir is 
 here to mike thee believe a thing fo 
 evident ? D »ubt my mind, and freely 
 doubt, III give thee leave, when thou 
 halt any rccjfion or reafon for it. But 
 why fh ^u!d # l doubt that which is pa ft 
 all doubt ? May I not believe mySenfes? 
 I both faw and heard him fpeak the 
 Words 5 or Hull I mifdoubt his faith- 
 fulnefs ? 1 know he is the Son of God % 
 he cannot lie, but it is true ? Yer, my 
 God, 1 pray thee be not angry wich my 
 fcrupulous Heart ^ thou feett in Tears 
 I mike the doubrjct it be an argument 
 to me of Sincerity : 1 do not ask that 
 TQutftiw as one that would fain be 
 perfwaded it's true: Canft thou think, 
 my Lord, that I would not bereconcil- 
 ed, and cheerfully accept of Grace 
 when thou fo freely offeiedlt it ? O 
 but Lord, fpeak thefe words ro my heart 
 which thou haft already fpoke to my 
 €Jt, and thou wilr melt it intolove and 
 thankfulnefs, and I (hall never doubt 
 it more. 
 
 OHje£V But yet, but what can Heaven 
 love Jo much I Anjw* 
 
98 A Patbetical Meditation 
 
 An/to. Thou filly Worm ! How idl> 
 doft thou queftion ? Muft Heaven, and 
 fo its love, be bound up to fo narrow 
 and contra&ed Thoughts as thine ate; 
 What, can God love no more than thou 
 canft ? Love is a Perfection, and God 
 is infinitely perfe&,fomuii<be infinitely 
 & comprehenfively loving. Thou fool,go 
 found the Sea, and tell me its greateft 
 depths; give me the height of yondei 
 Stars, this poifibly thou may It do*, foi 
 the Seas are net fodeep but they have 
 a bottom, nor the Stars fo high, but 
 they may by art be known. But, Oh 
 the heights, and depths, and breadths, 
 and lengths of the love of our Redee ; 
 mer l He is God, and his breaftsare fc 
 full of love, that they flow and over 
 flow with love ^ they have no bottom, 
 D) but try, my Soul, call thy felf intc 
 this botromlefs lovely Ocean, into thi: 
 endlefs BtfoM.y and when thou haf 
 been finking millions of millions o 
 Years, teit me whether you come t< 
 ground. Ye glorious Angels, and y"\ 
 blefled Spirits of juft Men made per 
 fe&, that live above, you that hav 
 
 bee. 
 
on the Vaffien of Gbrifi. 99 
 
 been wading downward thefe five Thou- 
 fands of Years, do ye feel a bottom > 
 Or are ye near one ? Away, away, my 
 foolifh Heart $ if this be all thou haft 
 to plead, he may redeem thee, 8c take 
 thee for his Spoufe, and betroth thee 
 to himfelf, notwithftanding all this* 
 
 Objefch *)tit Ob this filthy loathfom 
 flefhlyfelf, this bafe unthankful earthly 
 heartjhat can prefer a dunghil,droJs,and 
 dirt, before him that can freely lay out his 
 love to a creature like my f elf : But Ob 
 bow bard, and ft iff, and unrelenting am 1 to 
 my God. But Oh he will flight m$^ be- 
 caufe I have often put him off, iff flighted 
 him ^ he cannot love and die for Jucb a 
 one as I am. 
 
 , An/. Ceafe fool, thy reafonings 5 he 
 cannot love an enemy,becaufe thou canft 
 not , he cannot die, becaufe thy co- 
 wardly heart will not fuffer thee ! 
 Why fhould he fear the Grave, that' 
 had Power over it ? And what though 
 thou art unworthy of his love, if he 
 will have thee and make thee worthy ? 
 Thy Heart is bafe, and what of that, if 
 be will mend it ? Thy filthy rotten 
 and polluted Soul he intends to wafh 
 
 and 
 
ICO A Patbetical Meditation 
 
 aim cleanfe ic till it is without ip t and 
 wrinkle, or any fuch thing. Thy Hub- 
 born proud earthly and luftfui heart, 
 he can make humble, tender, foft and 
 yielding. And when he hath made 
 thee as he would, why may not he take 
 thee to himfelf, and lay thee next his 
 heart, ar.d delight over thee everlaft- 
 ingly ? 
 
 Obje£l, But will bis Father yield to 
 this ? I am too poor <* match /or the Sort 
 and heir of a! I things : But will he fan be 
 fuffer his Son to dicjobuy jucb a beggarly 
 thing to limfelj at I am* 
 
 AnJ\ Away thefe filly fimple childifh 
 Thoughts; how like an Inhabitant of 
 this earthly fenfual World dolt thou 
 reafon ? Thou wilt not under-match, 
 and therefore will not God his Son ? 
 Thou Fool, thou wilt not hecaufe thou 
 canftfind another equal. But dolt thou 
 not know that God can find none equal 
 to his Son 5 he muft Itoop, or elfe go 
 wit hour. It's true, he might have gone 
 without,but what if he would nor,why 
 fhould notHeaven haveits will as well as 
 thou? Thou haft no dowry, and he 
 doth need none, and yet thou argued 
 
 as 
 
on the PaJJion of Cbrift. lot 1 
 
 as if Heaven would make Traffick with 
 his Son and his iove,as we filly Worms 
 do here •, but we arc Beggars, and fa 
 ate Angels, and all the glorious Hoft 
 above, they are hisCreatures,hangand 
 flepend upon him, and cannot fubfift 
 3ne moment happy without fuppiies 
 and helps of his Grace * and why majr 
 he BOt bring a beggarly Man as near 
 to himfeif, as a beggarly Angel, if 
 ft it pleafeth him ? 
 
 Object Bui doth it Jo pleafe bim ? 
 
 Anfw. How often have I told thee 
 t doth pleafe him and haft thou noc 
 jelieved > Come, if thy bearing wilt 
 lot fatisfie, let thy feeing doit. Look, 
 f thou haft Eyes. Come tell me, dork 
 lotHeaven look as though it was pleafc 
 d with the offer of his Son? What 
 loud or darknefs doit thou fee about 
 he Throne ? What fign or token of 
 Ufpleafure canft thou at all difcover ? 
 )pen thine eyes, view the God of 
 ilory. Do his looks befpeak him ta 
 >e thy Father or thy Judge ? And canft 
 hou not read both Husband,Father and 
 ,ord, and all in his Countenance? 
 Vhat not fee it ! Surely thou art blind ; 
 
I ©2 A Patketical Meditation 
 If he had not told as much from his 
 own mouth, his eyes and looks befpeak 
 his love and favour loud and clear & 
 rough to thee. But doth he not tell 
 thee, to put thee out of all doubt, this 
 is my well beloved Son, hear him, hear 
 him.- What's that? Believe him what- 
 foevef he fays, why, what faith he ? O 
 dull and ftupid Heart ! Halt thou for- 
 got already / He faid he will pay his 
 Life for thine * and doth not hisFather 
 bid thee hear him? He faid he would 
 reconcile thee, love thee, 8t make thee 
 Friends again •, and is it not Comfort 
 ivhen the Father bids thee believe him 
 He faid he will paidon, wafh 8c cleanfe 
 thee,and take thee tohimfelf,& betroth 
 thee to him for ever, and after all 
 will give thee to fee his Glory,even the 
 ftme Glory which he had before *h« 
 World. And the Father is willing t< 
 all this, for he tells thee his Son, is hi 
 well-beloved Son, and bids thee believ< 
 him, and mifdoubt not one Syllable 
 And cantt thou after all this doubt tha 
 the Father is not willing ? But d 
 not his Angels likewife, who are mini 
 thing Spirits, with voice and lookl 
 
 proclairj 
 
en the Papon of Cbnjt. 1 C$ 
 
 proclaim as much/hat Heavep is well- 
 pleafed wirh the Son, and with his 
 Dea'h and Paffion, and fo with thee 
 in him ? Do nor the Angels admire 
 the Myftery of redeeming Grace, that 
 Bikes them fo defirous to peep into 
 it ? Why d;d they proclaim his c< filing 
 into the World, and fiog for j y mac 
 there was good-will in Heaven to Men 
 on Earth ? Or why do they fo diligent- 
 ly attend thee by night and day ? Thou 
 feel* them not keep guard about thy 
 Chamber door, and round about the 
 Ctmains af thy Bed, Why do they 
 attend thee from room to room, and 
 Follow thee down-ftairs, & out of doors, 
 if it were not but that thou art fome 
 great Princefs, nearly allied to their 
 Lord and Matter? Thou doit not fee 
 this, blame then thine Fve->, and the 
 infidelity of thy Heart - 5 fhall it be lefs 
 true, beciufe thy bafe infidelity cannot 
 digelt it ? Thou might doubt God, Hea- 
 ven, and every thing elfe on that fcore-, 
 but halt thou not it from his own Mouth 
 that the Angels are minUtring Spirirs 
 for the heirs of Glory ? Come, tell me, 
 I fay, tell me quickly, I mult have an 
 K 2 anlwer 
 
I #4 ^ Pathetic al Melitatwn 
 anfwer, can this, and all this be true; 
 and Heaven yet not be pleafed? If God 
 with his Son and Angels be all content 
 that thou fhouldft be reltored, and fa 
 exalted to fuch dignities as to be heir 
 unto the Crown of Heaven ; if thefe be| 
 pleafed, who is there in Heaven that 
 can elfe be difpleafed? What faith my 
 Heart ? What not yet one Word ? Oh 
 how long fhall I be troubled 8c pelter-, 
 cd with my unbelief! Oh my God> 
 itrik#, chide, and break this flint, re? 
 prove thisftubborn-8c unbelievingHearr,. 
 I cannot perfwade it that thou lovelt 
 me, or art willing to love me: I urge 
 thy Word, and my beft reafon to pr ve 
 it, but Icannot make it yield. Oh break, 
 I pray thee, this Flint or Adamant up* 
 on the downy Bread of Love vftrike, and 
 one blow of thine will make it fall in 
 pieces, and confefs at length that thou 
 art well pleafed with thy Son, & fully 
 fatisfied that he ftiould bleed and die 
 for me. Bat le* me try thee once again, 
 if thoti haft loft thine Eats and Eyes -, 
 I'll fee if thou haft loft thy feeling too* 
 Tfiou fayft thou canft not believe that 
 €j0d is willing to accept the Son for 
 
 *ihee, 
 
on the PuJJion ofCbrift* io> 
 fhee, or that thou fo vile a wrerch canlt 
 be accepted of by the Father through 
 the merits of his Death and Sufferings. 
 Come,teil me,isnot this thy Language? 
 J know thou dareft not to fpeak fo muclx 
 in Words. But ah / my Heirt, I find 
 thou haft got a Tongue as well as my 
 Mouth, that often mutters and fpeaks a 
 different language. But tell me if thy 
 unbelief hath any ground for it? What 
 makes it then that thy felfis fo free 
 from fears and terrors, when thou 
 fhouldelt believe the Almighty, of thy 
 Bodies Death, Refurrettion, and com- 
 ing to Judgment, if thoughreit him not 
 thy Friend, and reconciled to thee in 
 his Son ? If nor, methinks thy fears 
 fhould fright thee, and tremblingfeize 
 on every joint •, and yet thou wile fool- 
 ifhly mutter agiintt thine own feeling, 
 Swlfpejkq blefled God ! I feel 
 thou halt overcome y I yield, I yield, I 
 have not left a word to fpeak againlt 
 thy love-, thy Son hath offered Satis- 
 JM&on, and thou hilt accepted if ^ tho« 
 hill laid dowj, O my Sjviour,rhyLlf<e 
 for mine * a :d thy FJther, aid m/ 
 Bliher is well pleifei with-it : Btoxl 
 K 3 U 
 
A Pathetic*! Meditation 
 is paid, Juftice is fatisfied, Heavens 
 doors are widened, thine arms open to 
 receive me j nothing is wanting but 
 my Hiart -, make it fuch as thou wilt 
 have ir, and then take it to thy felf* 
 Come up, my Soul, thou haft an Heart, 
 and there is a Chrift* the Father thou 
 feeft is willing, and the Son is willing, 
 give but thy confent, and he is thine 
 for ever. Fear not thy hardnefs, blind* 
 rftfe, dead nefs, loathfomnefs, all thefe 
 cannot binder, if thou be but willing* 
 He hath been in the world to ask the 
 worlds confent already, and alfo thine-, 
 thou cinft not doubt of his Good- will y 
 fpeak but the word, and he hath thine 
 too. What fiickeft thou at ? » Surely 
 thou art a floggifh Spirit h what doft 
 t-hou ail ? Half of this ado would find 
 a Heart for a little mire or dirt, ox 
 fomething elfe that is worfe,and is not 
 Chrift better > But ah ! yet I feel a 
 piece of unbelief (till working in thy 
 very Bowels, as if that Jefus that died 
 at Jerufa'cm were not the Son of God y 
 and the Redeemer of the World. And! 
 is this all ? O were I certain thou 
 wouldft n«ter doubt *Qie,. huW fret's* 
 
 &ould 
 
en the Tnjjion of Cbrift. Y07 
 hould I make Satisfaction ? But Oh/ 
 [ faint and tire with the trips & ftum- 
 clings of my unbelief. But mount,my 
 Soul, thou muft refolve to tire and put 
 tofilence all thy unbelieving bablings, 
 Drtbey will thee * which, if they do* 
 never expert an hours peace or quiet 
 more \ thou muft refolve to conquer 
 thy unbelief, or to be conquered •, thou 
 knoweft her tyranny too well to let her 
 g ■) away the vi&orefs. He was not the 
 Chrift, thou fayeQ, but tell me why > 
 
 Objeft. His Parentage was too low and 
 mean I what the Saviour of the World a 
 Carpenters Son ! How can it be ! 
 
 Anf. My unbelief, in the frrft place, 
 thou liett, his Mother was a Virgin,and 
 her Conceprion knew no Father but the 
 Almighty Power of the overshadowing. 
 Holy Gholt ^ he was more truly theSon 
 of God than fofepVs Son* And was 
 his Birth, think'lt thou,fo mean,whofe 
 Parentage was fo glorious ? 
 
 Gbjeft. His Birth but me<in& beggarly \ 
 nofooner born^ but cradled in a Manger \ 
 hut could Heavm fuffer this i 
 
 An/. It confifts. But yer it was as 
 glorious ., For did not a Stir proclaim 
 
 him 
 
him born ? And did not a whole Hoi 
 of Angels fing, and (hour it up for Joy 
 And did nor wife Men, yea and Kings 
 bring Licenfe, Myrrh, and Frankincenfe 
 being but as fo much Tribute, unto th< 
 new born King,and heir of all things,a< 
 if by inftin&they knew they held theii 
 Crowns of him > A greaterHonour thai 
 ever any new bom Prince hath yet re 
 ceived before him, or ever fliall or wili 
 do after him. 
 
 Methinks, my unbelieving Heart, 1 
 could dare to tell thee, that room was 
 no Stable, it was a palace * and did noi 
 the coft, prefents,and glorious Prefenc* 
 of Kings fpeak as much ? 
 
 Ohjett. But bis Days were Jfent h 
 Poverty, Meannrfs and Difgrace * ant 
 can /, dire /, truft my Soul with fucb c 
 ene, and take ban ?v be /fcf Son oj God\ 
 
 £mf. And now I wonder at thee 
 It's true what thou fayefl,if thop lock 5 - 
 ett upon him one way \ his 15 fe was 
 fuch as thou telleft me of-, but 'tis $ 
 ftrong argument agai \\\ thy felf* tot 
 juft fuch a one was the Chritt ro be 
 according ti> the Prophets \ the 53d 
 
 Ckaptei 
 
fe s 
 
 an the Vajjion of €brijf. 109 
 apter of lfaiab (hews as much. But 
 [yet if you truly underftandeft what true 
 >']Pomp and Glory means, even to an 
 tfeyQ of Senfe as well as to that of Faith, 
 iSo/omoa'% Life imbroidered with all his 
 jgiorious Afts, was not comparable to 
 ]this Lifeof his. Was it not filled with 
 ]Miracles and Wonders ? Was he not 
 proclaimed the Son of God withVoices 
 f'Cm Heaven ? Did he not conquer 
 Devils, and therefore the Kingdom of 
 Hell > Was ever Prince on Earth ho- 
 noured with fa great aConqueit* Wete 
 not his miraculousFeaftsmorefplendid 
 than thofe of Princes ? The fare was 
 biM poor and mean, but the miracles 
 made it rich and glorious. Had I been 
 prefent,fhould I not have wondered and 
 gaz^d more at the Matter of this Feaft; 
 and have taken more Pleafure to have 
 fec-i him fit down with rhefe fiveThou- 
 fands, than wirhaTable full of Princes 
 and g^e.u Men? Alasjr wereatriflirg 
 fight to 1 h is. Methinks my unbelief 
 that pleads fo much for fenfe, fenfe it 
 fslf pleads too ltro-gly againft rhee,for 
 thou canft not argue one Syllable. 
 Objeft; But would tbc Son pf God be 
 
 banged 
 
*ro A Pathe'ical Meditation 
 
 hanged and crucified ? Couid Heaven have 
 Suffered this ? £ou!d not the Saviour of 
 the World Jave hlmfdf ? How could he 
 thenfave mc ? 
 
 Anf. Hadft thou not the blindnefs of 
 
 the Jews, thou could ft not reafon thus 
 
 like them.-, but was it not neceflary it 
 
 Ihould be fo ? Dd not the Prophets 
 
 foretel his Dearh, and fuch a Death ? 
 
 Had he not died, and died as he did, I 
 
 might then have had fome ground to 
 
 doubt him whether he were theMeffias 
 
 or not, for it was needful that tbePro- 
 
 phecies (hould be fulfilled, Dan.9. Bat 
 
 yet as wretched and as contemptible a 
 
 going out of the world as he^had, and 
 
 his manner of dying on theCrofs, how 
 
 vile foever it feemed tobejet was there 
 
 not enougb to filehce all the doubtsj 
 
 that could polfibly from thence arifeJ 
 
 and much for the Confirmation of myj 
 
 Faith, in the wonderful Fclipfe of the 
 
 Sun, the rending of the Veil of the 
 
 Temple, the opening of the Graves, 
 
 railing of the Dead, and afterwards his 
 
 own rifingthe third day, and afcending 
 
 up toHeaven in a Cloud > IfmyFauh 
 
 mighi have liagjjered in feeing him on 
 
 the 
 
on the Vojjion of Cbrijf. 1 1 1 
 
 rofs dying, ir could not when it faw 
 im riren,and in the Clouds afcending. 
 
 Ohjeft, But mre tbofe wonders trut 
 id certain ? 
 
 Ar.fw. But haft thou any ground to 
 oubt them ? Are they not written in 
 )y Bible l And art thou not certain 
 lat it is the Word of God > Or haft 
 lou not fufficient Reafon to believe it 
 > be fo? But halt thou not a whole 
 ation, yeaNations that do believe the 
 me ? And before this age, did not 
 ir Fathers,and Grandfathers.and great 
 randfathers, and fo continued a refti- 
 ony of Ages from the time that they 
 ere done, to this day, witnefs to the 
 r uth of them,and that fo unanimoufly 
 id refolutely that ten thoufands have 
 ther chofen to lofe their lives, than 
 ie Truth of them. Now pur ail thefe 
 gether, and tell me,canft thou doubt > 
 way, I fee thou doit but trifle * con- 
 fs the trutb 3 or 1 am refolved to heed 
 iee no longer. Come,take 2c embrace 
 lat crucified Jefus, account all things 
 fe but as lofs, and drofs, and dung in 
 pmpatifon wirh him ; (tick not at his 
 itwaid' meannefs, fcruple not at his 
 
 ignominious 
 
ignominious dying, ir is the veryChril 
 the Saviour of the World. Oh wh; 
 fcouldeft thou thus torment me ? Dof 
 thou not fee ail thy fellow Chriftian 
 to Glory in thatCrofs,and in thatChril 
 that died on it ? Do they not bear it a; 
 a badge of honour. & (hall it be to the< 
 asfliame* Do not ail theChriftianWoric 
 sat and drink as often as they can th( 
 Symbols of this their dyingLord? Anc 
 do they not all fing,and joy,& triumpl 
 in it ? And wilt thou the while lie 
 vexing thy felf over a company o! 
 needlefs fears and fcruples ? Farewel 
 ail needlefs doubts and tormenting 
 Queftions, I fee my Faith is built on \ 
 Rock, blow winds, beat waves, yot 
 cannot now move me. BlefTed God | 
 I thank thee, for thy Son, tbou hafl 
 given his Life fox the fpoiler,thou haft 
 bowed his back to the enemies, lonj 
 furrows have they plowed upon i^and 
 the day of his calamity they laugher 
 at. Lord": Thcu haft wounded hin 
 for my fins,and bruifed him-for my ini; 
 quities. Thefe fpeak the depth of thj 
 counfds, and the ways of thy mercj 
 part finding out, and the tendernefs o 
 
en the V<fjion rf Cbriji. II J 
 :hy bowels. Thou halt made him my 
 Rock, and my fhield, and my thong 
 Tower, and in the day of my forrow 
 through him thou wilt hear me. To 
 thee, OGod, will I make my vows, and 
 to thee will I pay them 5 I will hum: 
 ble my felf before thee. I will always 
 lie at the feet of my Redeemer. lord! 
 His Crofs and his fhame fh all be no 
 more a ftumbling-blcck to me, I will 
 take it up and follow him, it (hall be 
 my Crown, my Song, and the glory of 
 my rejoycing. I will enter into thy 
 
 [Courts with joy, and in the Congrega- 
 ions of thy Saints (hall be my delight; 
 will remember thy loving kindneffes 
 ^f old, & the days in which thou didft 
 (jfflift thy only Son for the fins of my Soul. 
 i will call to mind theCovenant of thy 
 3race$ and my heart fhall praife thee,' 
 fvhen I fee it founded on blood. Then 
 will I betrorh my felf to thy Son; join 
 thou, Lord, both our hands and hearts,' 
 ind we will ftrike up a ma'ch forever; 
 ?raife thou the Lord, Oh my foul, and 
 ill you that love and iear him, praife 
 lis holy name. 
 
 L The 
 
ii4 A Vaibetical Meditation 
 
 The SACRAMENT, 
 
 The DreJS. 
 
 Lord, where am i! What! All th< 
 Children of the Bride-chamber up and 
 dreft, and I {lumbering in my bed! Tell 
 me ye fairelt, what make you up fc 
 early ? Alas our Lord was up before ui 
 all. He called us up by break of day 
 and wondered that we were not trim 
 ming our lamps, knowing with whorr 
 we are to fealt this day. Oh well thei 
 I will rife up too. Oh what a fhew dt 
 thefe bright and glittering Saints mak< 
 in mine eyes ? What a brightnefs d< 
 thefe pearls and diamonds caft in mini 
 eyes! They do Itrike me into amaze 
 ment. Oh what a lovely humble iool 
 doth crown their brow ? And what \ 
 comely Countenance hath joy and Hea 
 venly delight caft on their cheeks 
 Surely they did not thus drefs them 
 feives, it was myFather that made then! 
 thus prepar'd ro entertain his Son. BuJ 
 where are my Cloaths ? Now for th! 
 •faiieft, fweetelt robe of thoughts an<| 
 
 wifhei 
 
on the TaJJion of Cbriji. 1 1 5 
 
 wifhes that can be found, or that the 
 tfardrope of my Father can afford me. 
 3h how naked am I ? But where are 
 my filken golden twifis of Faith to bang 
 'be jewels, of joy and love^and humility up- 
 \n f I am never drelt till they he on. 
 3h where, where are they ? I faw 
 :hem by me hue jult now. I laid them 
 ay my heart before I went to bed. Oh 
 what was I fo long a reafoning about ? 
 Oh what long and many threds did 
 my reafon fpin even now, but to make 
 Ihefe twines to tye up my joy- and to 
 raife up my love, and to hang my hea* 
 ve ily delight upon ? But ah ! I feat 
 this envious world hath with her va- 
 nities fto-Ien them away, or hid them 
 From me: or the envious Devil, or un- 
 belief have been ravelling or fnarling 
 of then , that now I am as far to feek 
 is ever. Whither, O whither fhall I 
 m to find them out ? Now, will the 
 bridegroom come, and I am not ready ? 
 1 cannor,dare nor goto day. Now will 
 ny Lord be angry, and ask me why I 
 :am a nor, arc! I have no anfiver to make 
 iim. And if I go undrelt, he will ssk 
 ue,where is my Wedding garment, ar.d 
 L 2 i then 
 
St 6 A Pathetica! Meditation 
 
 then I fhjll be fpeechlefs. Ah foollffl 
 fimple heart / that thou fhouldeft rake 
 no more care but to let thefe thought! 
 of earth fo entangle themfelves witf 
 thy fo pure and heavenly contemplati- 
 ons / Now how to get them looft 
 again, thou knoweft not \ this thoi 
 mighteft by heed & care have prevent 
 cd 5 but now tvhar help > Lord, I have 
 finned 5 O holy Father pardon thii 
 time, and I will take more heed, Oi 
 come and unne my thoughts from thii 
 earth, and come and drefs me up as bef 
 pleafeth thee. Come, be not difcou« 
 raged, Oh my Soul ! Let but thy attire 
 of Grace be whole, that is, fincere, thj 
 G d, and fo thy Saviour will accep' 
 thee % Though thy garments are not fc 
 much perjumei with Hetven, as thy bre- 
 threns are, bur yet if jr href are bu< 
 white and free from the fpots of fieff 
 and fpirir, thou wilt be looked on anc 
 liked of well enough. Thy Lord dot! 
 know that all have not Talents alike 
 and where he gives but lirtle,he expeft 
 but liffle. A faith that is richly im 
 broiderel over with love and delight, i 
 not given to all ^ and is not expeftet 
 
 iron 
 
on the Vaffion of Cbrift. U? 
 from any bur from thofe to whom it is 
 given. Thou halt an honelt, willing/ 
 ferious hearr, that thinks it doth dcf- 
 pife and trample under feet, the near* 
 elt, dearelt pleafures, profits & gL ries 
 in the world f in compare with him that 
 gave himfelf to death for thee \ and 
 hadlt rather anger iiefh and blood, the 
 dearelt friends, and all than him, by 
 finning againft him in the lealt. If this 
 be true,fear not, thou halt thy wedding- 
 garment on, thou art well clad •, as 
 mean foever as it is, it is fuch a ore as 
 heaven gave thee, and fucha oneasthy 
 dear Redeemer can, and will embrace 
 thee in. 
 
 The FrefencrChmhr* 
 
 Fear nor, O my foul, I charge thee 
 Jo not faint. Let nor thy weiknefs, 
 ihd the poverty of thy grace, dilcourage 
 rhee : See how thy Lord draws nigh. 
 Feafr nor,- 1 fiy, he will not ask thee, 
 Friend, hvvo ci?nefl thou hither not havirtg 
 >/? thy Wedhng.garment ? He fees thy 
 Hem, and lees thou halt it on. Oh he 
 I0B&-3 l And it is but to whifper th^§ 
 ij a- 
 
I r 8 A Tathetical Meditation 
 a welcome in thine ear^ it isbut tofalj 
 abour thy neck and kifs thy be reai'd 
 cheeks, and bid rhee a kind welcome 
 lo thy bleeding Lord. 
 
 Sou!. On did i think to be thus much 
 jnade of ! I thought be would not 
 have mil ded me $ but I did no foorei 
 appear & let my feet within the dcois, 
 bur he ran «o meet me ^ he took me in 
 liis arms, he brought me hither, and 
 fet me here. Is this a houfe, or is it a 
 Palace ? Is this a Court for Princes, or 
 for Angels ? Never did place more 
 favifh me into amazement than this 
 p!?cs / Beautiful are thy gates ', Zion I 
 
 how pleajant it the habitation of the moji 
 high I Is it the place or the company 
 that Itrikes m* into alionifhment ! Now 
 
 1 can f3y,moit feelingly fay wtihDavicf. 
 My delights are with the Sai&ts of the moji 
 l)igh, and the mo ft excellent of tie tank 
 Their poverty,their difgrace, jheir cor. 9 
 senipt amongit whom they live, do not 
 puzzle my quick ey'd Faith ; thefe ar<| 
 the Kings Daughters that are all ghriouk 
 with in, their garments are of needle w rk. 
 2)%hfQi&creA over with fur e gold, fine f$ui 
 
on the Tajjion of Chrijf. i T 9 
 
 nean foever they are, or may fcem to- 
 >e, thefe (hail fee v^ith Chilt to Judge 
 he World, Ob./ How my S ul is ra- 
 fifhed wich delight, to fee. and lock on 
 hofe with whom / fhall live for ever ! 
 f they are fo lovely now, what will 
 •hey be hereafter, when our God fhall 
 ake them, and fcowr off their rult, and 
 wafh their Garments bright in the Sun- 
 shine of bis countenance, H. change thofe 
 mortal and corruprible bodies into im- 
 mortal and glorious ones ; and fet them 
 upon thrones, about himfelf, and lade 
 their heads with crowns of mafly gold j 
 and when I fhall hear them warbling 
 ouc the everiafting Praifes of the Lamb, 
 whofe Body and Blood we fhall fi$ 
 down to feed on ! 
 
 Communion Plate. 
 
 Kevar voasGold or Si her graced thus before] 
 To bring thisBodyiS 'ibis Blood to us, h more 
 than to Crown Kings, 
 or be mode Rings 
 ' Star like Diamonds to glitter in* 
 
 Ike 
 
12© 
 
 A Patbetica! Meditation 
 
 The Brcjd. 
 
 Welcome FaijrefK take anS tat ; h\ 
 the fWeetcit dainties, deceit morfe 
 Heaven c^n afford rhee. Welcome vc\\ 
 Dear, ro the Fable of mv Lord. Wei 
 c< me a thoufand times 3 I bid thee \ ycz 
 welccmer than thine own heart car 
 IKifli. Take, eat this morfel,it coft raj 
 life y it's a portion thy Father ient unt'C 
 thee by me, ad bid me remem- 
 ber thee of his love ro rhee. He bid* 
 thee remember a Fathers love, Ay 3 a 
 Saviours. He hath a heart to give thee 
 and fo have f. Take this inearnelt oi 
 them both in one. Take freely ; if 
 thou were not welcome, I would have; 
 told thee $ I would have asked thee 
 for thy Wedding garment, knew 1 not 
 thy heart ; or if I were urieerra in of 
 thy love, / wouM havefcorn'd rhee as 
 unworrhy of my prefence v did / know 
 thou lb v eft any thing above me I would 
 have hid my face,and never have fpr ke 
 thee a welcome fo feelingly &.-Vjndly 
 fo thy S-trl. Tell me O felftnfe $> ft 
 thou not love me ? i &now thou- dolt -, 
 
 moiei 
 
on the TaJJhn ofCbriJf. i*f 
 
 more than Father or Mother, Wife or 
 Child, Lands orLiving.orCredir * I knov? 
 thou doft. And wilt thou not take the 
 Crofs and follow me ? I know thou wilt, 
 I fee and know the labour of thy love ^ 
 I remember the pairs and travel of thy 
 Soul h I fa w rbee follow me on thy knees 
 Jn tears, and begged my life rather than 
 thy lite. I know thy heart, I faw it 
 Weeding before my Throne-, I rook it 
 in my arms and bound it up, and in that 
 breaft 1 remember I put it up again $ I 
 faw thee when no eye faw thee^ 1 heard 
 thee, and had companion on thy groan- 
 ings.whilft thou- wert complaining that 
 f nad (hue out thy prayers ; I well* re- 
 member fince thy heart did firft fall fick 
 with love, fince the time thy flefh be- 
 gan to die, and fince thou laidlt thy felf 
 in the gravedovvn by me, and wert will- 
 ing to die to ail this vain emp*y glory 
 of the world, becaufe 1 died and left it. 
 J know thee well enough, Thou art mine y 
 and I am thine. Take ir, 1 charge thee*, 
 eat it as thou loveft me * and whilft 
 thou feedeft, remember the love of thy 
 deareft Redeemer. 
 
 Sou!, 
 
122 A Patbetical Meditation 
 
 Soul Oh 'tis the fweeteft meat that 
 ever tongue did taft $ it fends a relifh 
 to my very heart -, / find it digefts as ic 
 defcends, I feel my nerves a d finews 
 Itrengrhen ; I never knew that bread 
 was the fiffoflilc till now; Oh how 5 
 fie is my foul now for Chrifi.' Howeafie^ 
 do I now- find his yoke-, how light h's 
 burden! Met hinks I could warchor pny, 
 or read more earneftly, refolvedly, be- 
 lievingly, than even Oh / Methirks 
 I can take his Crofsand bear it ftrongly, 
 and take the fhameand defpife it fully* 
 Oh > ris a fealt of fat t-hings! The rich- 
 eft binquet of Love that ever 1 was ar j.| 
 ic was but a lictle that I rook, and ic 
 fills me full, my hungry ftomach now 
 erys, Vis enough, 1 find it now verified 
 tomy Soul and Spirit, that he that eats 
 of this bread (hall never: hunger m >re. 
 Well, I need not ftarve when there is 
 fuch bread in my Fathers houfe. I 
 need not, I will not, 1 cannot feed any 
 longer on husks with the fwine of the 
 world, J fed on air and fmoke before; 
 I never tafted fubftantial Brecid till / 
 taftedofthis. This is theftjffofmy 
 life, and upon this will / fupport my 
 felf to my very Grave. lb* 
 
en the Vajjion of Cbrift. 123 
 
 The Wine. 
 
 ChriR. Come my Deareft, I have 
 Irunk, and thou (halt pledge me: 1 
 teve broached my fide, and drew it vti 
 Durpofe for thee. This is a Wine of 
 nine own makirg, when I trod the 
 ftHneprefs of my Fathers wrath. It is 
 T)y blood $ but rake and drink ir 5 it 
 was the caufe of my wounding, but to 
 
 Ihy Soul ic fhall prove healing. I died 
 nd bled, ir was but co make this Ban^ 
 [uet for thee. / have brought thee in- 
 o my Wine-Cellar, and my Banner o- 
 er thee fhall be love. Fear nor, take 
 nd drink, the u haft an ulcer in thy 
 heart, and this fhall cure ir ^ fpots and 
 ftains of guilt on thy Soul, and this 
 fhall pujge them away * thy Spirits 
 ire fainr, this fhall revive thee, thou 
 irt afraid to fee thy Fathers face, this 
 (hall make thee to draw near ihe 
 Fhrone of Grace with boldnefs. Drink, 
 I charge thee * drink on thy love and 
 loyalty to me. 1 command thee as thou 
 wilt have thy heart to mend, thy 
 bound* to cure, thy Soul to love and 
 
 obey 
 
obey me, take, O take this cup into thy 
 han^ caft it, and praife my love. 
 
 SouL Lord ! / have taken, / have 
 drunk as thou haft bid me, /neither 
 could, or dare deny thee. Can / refufe, 
 thy blood when / have accepted thy 
 felf } Or can / accept my pardon at thjr 
 hands, and refufe the Seal thereof? / 
 know /am vile, /am vile, but thou 
 haft pardoned me. Lord, 1 have abuf- 
 ed thy love, athoufand times refufed 
 thy offered felf and withftood the ten- 
 eers of thy Grace •, but thou haft cover* 
 ed all my fins, thou haft freely juftified 
 me by thy Grace, and made a full atr 
 tonement for me by thy blood h this is 
 that thou freely biddeft me take, and 
 I have freely drunk it. Never was 
 Wine fo full as this is. Never was 
 Bowl fo full of pleafure as this. I 
 have fwallowed down my life and par- 
 don at one draught : took it from my 
 Saviours hand,it was a cup of his own 
 preparing. If ever drink was fugared, 
 this was / 1 never tailed better reliflit 
 Wine in all my life / 
 
 " Tb$ 
 
on the rajjton oj Lor i If. t2% 
 
 The ricbefi Cordials cannot match this 
 
 {draught Divine, 
 Spirits of pearls dijfolvcd would but dead 
 
 (ibu Wme. 
 Ob when my hopes but kifl the purple dews, 
 ( they bung and cleaved fo 9 
 As if they were loth to let thee go. 
 Tbey flroveU firuglcd to get near my beart± 
 As ij intending there to take apart. 
 I dare not Jay them nay 5 blood from that 
 
 (Bowl 
 May the beft room command within myzouU 
 
 Whatafudden ftrange, yet happjr 
 alteration do I find within ! My lan- 
 guid fpirits are revived $ my winter is 
 over. Methinks I feel my life and joy 
 to fpring amain. My Aaron's Rod (a 
 dry flick but now ) doth bloom and 
 flourifh. My newly ingrafted Soul is 
 full of Infant-clufters. 
 
 Blood at the root oj Vines 
 
 Tbey fay produce the ricbeft Wines. 
 
 Oh / If my Lord will, undertake x6 
 
 drefs this Vine, and trickle down his 
 
 blocd into my root, then draw it up in- 
 
 to each branch of Grace by the warm-, 
 
 M ing 
 
l'j5 A Vatbetical Me&itatwn 
 
 ingbeam of his reviving love* then 1 
 
 my Deareft come, let him come as 1 
 
 jhath promiied, and bring my Fath 
 
 and his Father with him, and ftfpboi 
 
 ( with me and in me. Let them com 
 
 and / will did them a welcome, 7 (ha 
 
 have a fruit to prefent them with, whi< 
 
 jthey themfelves (hall fay is pleafam 
 
 ^ (hall not fend my Father away no 
 
 fo oft complaining, I came to feekji 
 
 grapes and fruity but behold wild ones. 
 
 The Gonclufion. 
 
 Oh! Howunwillingly do / rife!M( 
 
 thinks I could fit here and fealt m 
 
 heart and eyes for ever. What ru; 
 
 ing .Banquets doth my Lord afford it 
 
 there ! Surely he fhould not need tofe; 
 
 1 fliould furfet on himfeif. But alas 
 
 I mult be gone, what (hall 1 do in yoi 
 
 der hungry foul ftarving world again ?\ 
 
 have been feeding on my Pafchal Lamj 
 
 and now I muft go and eat my fowl 
 
 herbs-, but if it be fo, I muft arife | 
 
 fcn&*r thou haft prepared the endlcl 
 
 Jteaft above, where 1 (hall ever fit' ail 
 
 cn^oy thy Love, and glut my hungf 
 
 ey^e and heart on the Banquet of til' 
 
 •yecUftingfelf. As vet I am now <l 
 
 earn 
 
§n the TaJJion of CbriH. 127 
 g trth, my toil and work lies heavy oa 
 ,iy hands, / have yet an afternoon to 
 ? hour our,God knows my work is hard; 
 >o hard for me my felf to perform, I 
 arcely fliould havelafted our fo long, 
 at that fomtimes at fuch feafons as 
 lis is, he repaired my finking fpirirs 
 i pouriigin the Cordialsof his Blood, 
 fowl mult go and perhaps find as 
 larp confli&s with myfelf as ever. I 
 iow rhe World and Hell have been 
 lying the fnares and gins to catch my 
 'wflcJg'd Souh, and allconfpireagainit 
 ly welfare.' Now it is well if 1 efcape 
 fall, a bruife, a breaking of my bones, 
 1 which fad plight 1 have fo often 
 in, thar my Lord might have took 
 e for dead, but that my groanings 
 )ld him loudly I lived. Lord! Mult 
 leave this fealt ? Mull / go? Take me 
 len by the hand, and lead mejif'I 
 vA\ walk, let me fee thee by me, ihac 
 may know I walk with my God. Lead 
 te away, and / will go with thee j 
 id let me nor go till thou bringeit me 
 it-he r again $ I cannot, will nor live 
 irhoutthee. And do thou Loid ; fay 
 mul\ nor, fhall nor. 
 
 M 2 If 
 
128 'A Patbetical Meditation 
 
 If both our hearts in love Jo well agree] 
 What tbsnjhallfeparate my ChriHfrom me} 
 
 M I i .. u i n . i nn i «♦' ■! v ii , 9 <* 
 
 A Meditation on the Death of Cbritt, Pre- 
 parative to the Sacrament : Fend for 
 bis private nfe. 
 
 BU T is he dead ? Oh fad ! Yet joy. 
 fulnews! How ftrangely is my 
 Soul amazed, and diverfly mov'd and; 
 troubi'd by thefe contrary paflions / Me- 
 thinks I could pull up tine flood-gates 
 • of my forrow, and vent it out in tears, 
 Jbut fomething bids me hold. Shall 
 mourn for him that's juft now pall his 
 itate of mourning? he's dead ! Ani 
 what of that? And fo are all his g'riefs ( 
 his bloody fweats, his fighs and groan? 
 concluded,//* hath drunk on the brook in 
 the wiy * bitter while they were in hb 
 mouth, and he was living - 5 but fwee 
 ■now they have funk into his belly, anc 
 he in-Heaven. Sweet to him, lecauf 
 it was his wotk,and he hath finifh'd it 
 and fweet to me, becaufe ir was th 
 portion of forrow, death, hell, that 
 njuli have taken. And caift tho 
 
 nioun 
 
 i 
 
on tbeF.ffion rf Chnjf. 12? 
 mourn! Methinksif thou didft: love, 
 the heart fhould rather fympathizs 
 With his : He is firging, and fhalr thou 
 be fighing ? He is joying that his Woik 
 s done, and now is welcomed into Hea« 
 /en by God his Father, and fhouting up 
 )jr Angels Voices, as the great Can* 
 jaeror of the Hearts of Men nn Earth, 
 ind that now in triumph he is return- 
 ed. And will a mournful weed, a wee 
 jye, and a cloudy brow, become thee 
 it thefe times of Feliivals? Shall rh^ 
 leavenly Angels be joyful, and :hcu 
 ad ?HowftrangeIy will'this be conUm- 
 bd ? Will it not be faid, Thou doit not: 
 ove him? Or thou doft envy his reco- 
 vered Glory rhar he had left, and now 
 igatn hath take* .? Or that thou « n ft 
 lot endure to fee him wear his Princes 
 £rown in Heaven, that for a time ho 
 lad laid a fide to comedown to the carib 
 o fetch thee thence to Heaven ? Bur an/ 
 tfy Lord, thou wilt not fuie interpret: 
 brrow thus \ thou haft not lure foigot 
 o give a meaning unro tears, to tench 
 figh to fpek, and then ro know its 
 anguage! Hath my Lojd forgot fofud- 
 liiljf chat he was on earib, & 1 bar he 
 M 3 iwear,. 
 
*3o A Tathetkal Meditation 
 
 lwear,&nd groan'd, and wept,and bled, 
 • as well as I do noiv? What though! 
 Jiow all tears, and farrow, and fighii g 
 Is done away, and he ceafeth to be any 
 longer fubjefct to our infirmities ? Yet, 
 lure he knows it is not thus with usJ 
 I am nor yet in Heaven, nor am I yet! 
 quite pait the vale of farrow^ and it] 
 cannot then be range to him, if he: 
 lees fomti tries our faces look of a ladder 
 hue than thofe that are inHeaven. Bu 
 why fhould thus my tears be checked 
 and my throbbing heart be chidden 
 were it for a thing of nought I migh 
 be counted fool or .child* but fhall in 
 Saviour die, and vent his Soul in 
 ftream of Blood, & ali ; in love to me 
 And fhall he thus forfike the world 
 and die and thten be laid in the grave, 
 anil be denied the liberty of following 
 him thither as a mourner? Shall it bd 
 Faid' of the Prince of Glory, that he did 
 ed and had the burial of an Afs ? Be<| 
 caufe there was none to farrow forth 
 thofe words of, Ah my Lordl What* 
 S nail ic be granted to a Wife to mourn 
 for .the. death of a beloved Husband 
 And ta a Child at the burial of a belovjc 
 
on the VojTt-n of Chrft l ?i 
 
 jBFarher? Shall not fuch be blamed, 
 lit rather pitied? A-d(hill their friends 
 corns in and bonfefs (he lofs and the 
 ground of their forrow jult, and rather 
 fit them down ad hear thern company* 
 in their grief > Ad mufti of all be 
 thuscenfur'd > \way with an Husband, 
 Wife, or Child to me: Is he- nor more 
 to me than ten Husbands ? Mghc I not 
 have had an hundred chat would have 
 never done hal fo much for me as he 
 hach done ? Tha< fiift left his glory 
 for my fake, and laid down his life,. 
 and took the ftroke upon himfelf that 
 I my fdtdeferved,8£allbecaufeheiov'd 
 me? Was ever friend like this Friend ! 
 And ever Love, like this Love/ Many 
 waters cannot quench love^ but neither 
 waters, blood, death, nor many deaths 
 could quench his love to me. But (halt 
 he love, & die inlove,8e:rhus be forc'd to 
 leave me,becaufe he lov'd me, and I not 
 mourn the abfence of my belt Beloved ? 
 How unreafonable may any this deny 
 me.' Bur ah! What a bitter worded 
 check, did. I even now receive ; as if my 
 forrow would arife from the envying of 
 4as now glorious Hate, aa& not" from 
 
I %1 A Tatbetica) r Meditation 
 
 any lore I bare him/ Oh / What needle- 
 pointed .words are thofe/ Methinks 
 they have pierc'd mine heart in every 
 parr, and from each prick hath Raited 
 forth a drop, that Jiarh fet ito'ie 
 with a bloody dew ! But how can 
 it once be thought that envy fhould 
 get a room in an heart that's 
 full of love, with which it fwells, it 
 bubbles up,and runs all over? h cannot 
 be. Bear witnefs heavens ! I do not 
 grieve that you contain him, bur that 
 I on earth have loft him ! Oh my God / 
 1 am not forry that thy Son bath part 
 his fufferings, and is arriv'd to reft, ard 
 got again into thy bofom, his ancient 
 neft of love and pleafure. Oh you 
 blefTed Orders of Seraphim & Cberubims, 
 and you innumerable company oj tiejpirits 
 oftbejujlmenmadeperjett! I da not 
 envy that you have my Lord with you, 
 that you fee his face, and live and walk, 
 and joy in the light of hiscountenance : 
 Alas ! We your poor Brethren could 
 not make him fo welcome hereon eanb, 
 as you can there .• We lov d him as fin- 
 cerely as you, and believed in him,and 
 took delight in him too •, but yet no- 
 thing 
 
on the TaJJion of Cbrlfl. 1 3 * 
 thing near fo much as you. You know 
 him better than we do •, for jrou know 
 tlim as you are known, ard therefore 
 know better how to prize him. We 
 know him but in parr, and the value, 
 price, and love could but be in the like 
 proportion. He is therefore far much 
 fetter there than here $ and how (hall 
 [ then either envy him or you / And 
 what, my Soul ! Should I with him 
 jack again ? What if I thought 1 could 
 prize and love him more, and could 
 promife the like for all his beloved 
 iifciples ? I could not alike engage for 
 :he wicked, envious, malicious, unbe- 
 lieving world •, I could not promife he 
 fhould meet with no othcrBeroitoUtk 
 lis Life, or that the hatd-hearted/at^ 
 would give him better entertainment, 
 whom they dare yet curfe with the 
 name of Conjurer, though Wrfij and 
 their Propoetsbore vvirnefs ro him, and 
 (hough they received a' feal from Hea- 
 iren in voices, thunders, fign£,and an in- 
 numerable company of real Miracles. 
 Oh no / my I ord / Though I could wifh 
 to fee thy face again on earth, yet not in 
 fucli a Itaie of mifery in the midlt of a 
 
 den 
 
f?4 A Tatbet teal Meditation 
 
 den of Bears, and Lions, as not long 
 fincethou wait. Ah ! Thou knoweft I 
 took no delight to hear that traiteroas 
 news of thine own Apojile that had be- 
 tray'd thee; and that ic fill'd mine heart 
 with anguifh to hear how fhamefully 
 and fcornfully thou wait abufed. Thou 
 faweft me biufh when I heard thy face 
 wasfpiton \ my head did ake when 
 thine was crowned with Thorns. An- 
 giitis: indignation did Ioofe my nerves, 
 and with a palfie fhook mine Hands, 
 when thine had a mockScepter put into 
 them, a reed, and a feoff, Hail Jefus 
 King of the Jews. And did not mine 
 Heart break 8c bleed to hear that thine 
 was pierced / Ah my Lord ! And fhali 
 I yet find an Heart ro wifh thee here 
 again / No,no, I am glad that thou halt 
 efcap'd their bloody Hands, and now 
 got quite without their reach. I am 
 glad thou halt got to perfect eafe and 
 reft ; and know'ft no pains, nor griefs, 
 nor forrows. Oh! Take a fullPofTeffion 
 of thy Fathers Bre3ft 5 and fit thee down 
 upon his Throne, Thou art a King jvr 
 ever. And take delight in thefe, thy 
 Soul did travel, die £nd bleed for on 
 
 Eanh.- 
 
 
on the TaJJion of Chriji. 135 
 Earth. I will repine at nothing that 
 (hall advance thy Glory. But Oh ! 
 Thou cruel bloody unbelievingWorld / 
 You wicked murtherous bloody Jews ! 
 Though I rejoice myLord is fafearrived 
 home, and quietly landed within his 
 Haven •, yet from you I cannot hold 
 mine anger, that made his Sea a Sea of 
 Blood, and drain'd his Heart, to make 
 it deeped, fill'd h\sSai/s with fighs and 
 groans, that caus'd his Voyage to be fo 
 doleful. What good got you to fland 
 and laugh to fee him forrowful? To 
 feoff & jeer to hear his Lamentations ? 
 Wh* r curfed rage was that to make 
 fach hafte to fetch him vinegar and gall 
 to prolong his life, to lengthen out his 
 dolors > How could you find fuch bar- 
 barous hearts to triumph over a bleed- 
 ing dying Lamb, that was fo innocent ? 
 How could you taunt at him when you 
 heard him praying for you, Father for- 
 livethem! And fo tenderly excufing 
 jrou, for tbey know not what they do ! 
 Methinks that kindly harmlefs carriage 
 " ould have pierced your Hearts ; thofe 
 elting Words fhould haye diffolv'd 
 iem i and inltead of piercing him, I 
 
 DiQuld 
 
1 36 A Patbetlcal Meditation 
 fliould have thought you pierced. And 
 ah ! But that 1 know an unbelieving 
 Heart my felf, and underltand what 
 hardnefs means, I fhould itand and won- 
 der ! Oh! It's too hard an Adament for 
 downy words, and doleful founds, and 
 tender carriages to break and (hatter / 
 Howoften have Iout-ftood all thofe my 
 felf/ And when I ferved my fiefh, hovr 
 little did I mind them/ And when 
 they have been prefented to me in the 
 Gofpel, or in a Sermon told that all 
 ihefe Tortures he endur'd for me, and 
 J in part believed it too, yet, was I not 
 as a man bereft of my fenfes, and / waS 
 no more mov'd in mine Heart, as if I had 
 not heard or underftood, and were 
 quite bereav'dof SenfeandReafon. Bui 
 had /thus continued in my fenfelefs 
 unbelieving State, and as / liv'd fo diedj 
 yet how defervedly fliould I have born 
 the wrath of God, and have been feni 
 to Hell as a recompence of mine unbe 
 lief? And yet, youcarelefsfecure/'ww 
 can you think to efcape when God 
 comes to make Inquifition for Blood 
 how will you do if this Sin fhould fine 
 you out? IfGod requiiesBloodforBlood 
 
 wha 
 
<m the Tajjion of Cbrift. 137 
 
 tfhat will become of yours? If he had 
 >een no more than a common Man, the 
 jw would then have required your 
 ives for payment. But how if in the 
 ?nd he prove a Prophet ? Nay more than 
 hat, the Son of themott high God, the 
 *rince and Saviour wbomGodhad pro«f 
 nifed to raife, the Mejjiab whom Mofet 
 »nd the Prophets bare witnefs to, and 
 jim that you fo long'd & wifht to fee ! 
 low will you look ! What will you 
 ay! What anfwer will you make when 
 
 II thefe Truths are cleared ? Where, 
 rill you hide your felves for fhame > 
 ,nd what will you do when Confufion 
 nil thus take hold upon you ? What/ 
 i^ili you then confefs the Fa£t, or 
 
 III you deny it ? With what face can 
 ou do the firft ? And if you do the 
 :tter, the curfe you and your Fathers 
 rew upon your felves, Let bis Blood 
 
 I upon us, and our Children ! itand ftilt '. 
 
 record againft you, and will cry you 
 
 ilty. Will you excufe it with your 
 
 ibelieving ignorance ? But how will 
 
 >u be able to rub your brows into fo 
 
 h confidence > How dare you fay 
 
 were ignorant of him, when you 
 
 N fay* 
 
' r?S A Vatbeticat MedUathnpc. 
 fay you know both Mofes and the Fro* 
 pbets, and they tear wicnefs oi him ? 
 You askt a figrc, and did he not give 
 you both figns and wonders? Howofren 
 did he cure your Lame > How won- 
 derfully did he heal your Lepers, and 
 thofe fick of thePalfie,yea of all manner 
 ofDifeafes? How did he open the 
 Eyes of the blind ! And give light to 
 them that was born blind! Yea, reftore 
 the withered Hand, and make the 
 Crooked [traighr, and open the Ears 
 of the deaf, and calt out Devils, and 
 riife the Dead I Therefore let all tM 
 ilonfc of l/rael know cffurt&ly, that God 
 bath made that fame fefus whom- ye have \ 
 cnicificd % both Lord and Ghriji* 
 
i?9 
 
 A Prayer before the Receiving the Holy 
 
 Communion. 
 
 MOST Holy God, J am at flubbh be- 
 fore thee, the conjumng Fire, Hw 
 iball I (land before thy Holinefi, for 1 am 
 tfinfulCt enure, laden with Iniquity, that 
 hive gone bickvoird, and provoked the Ho* 
 f y One of Ifrael 5 when I vta* loll, thy 
 Son did feek and Jive we \ when 1 war 
 it ad in Sin, thou tnadefl me alive. The* 
 r aweji me polluted in my Blood, H? faidft 
 into me live. In that time 0) love fhtw 
 % overedfl my nakednefs.and eriltredil into 
 r Covenant with me^ afid I became thine 
 *von. Thou didfi df liver me from theRw- 
 r of Darknefs, and tranflate me inw the 
 < ' ngdom of thy detr Son ; and gaveft me 
 emfjton of Srn, through hti B'ood. But I 
 m a grievous Revolter, 1 have forgotten 
 be Covenant of the Lord my God, I war 
 ngagel to love thee with ail my Hetrt, and 
 9 hue iniquity, and ferve thee diligently^ 
 nd thankfully t<> Jet forth thy pro if e. But 
 have departed from thee, and corrupted 
 V fclf h f e f love > an & h loving the 
 for Id) $ the things that are in ths World % 
 N a and 
 
54-0 A Pathetical Meditation 
 
 and have fulfilled the dt fires of the Flejb, 
 which \ fhouldhave crucified. I have neg-± 
 lefled my Duty to thee, and to my Neigh* 
 hour, and the neceffary care of my own Sal- 
 vation. I have been an unprofitable Ser* 1 
 vant, and have hid thy Talents, and have 
 difl)onoured thee, whom in all things Ifhculd* 
 have pleafed and glorified. I have been] 
 negligent in hearing and reading thy Holy\ 
 Word, and in meditating and conferring* 
 of it j in Public k and Private Prayer and} 
 Thanksgiving, and in my Preparation to 
 this holy Sacrament, in the examining of 
 myfeif, and'repenting of my bins, and 9 
 fiirring up my Heart ta a believing and 
 thankful receiving of thy Grace, and ta 
 love& jo)fu J nefs, in my Communion with 
 ihee^ and with one another of thy PeopleJ 
 1 have not duly difcerned the Lord's Body, 
 hut hive prophaned thy Holy Name andy 
 Ordinance, as if the Table of the Lord had 
 been contemptible. And when thou haft- 
 Jpoken Peace to me, I returned agiin to. 
 Folly | have deferved, Lord, to be caft< 
 cut of thy Prefence, and to be forfaken, 
 Of I have for/a ken thee, and to hear to m% 
 Confufion, Depart from me, lknjwthe.tr 
 not, thou worker of Iniquity, ^bou.m^y* 
 
the Holy Communion* t$t" 
 
 tjf juflfy tell me, thru bofi no Plefurein 
 me, nor wilt receive an offering at my bond. 
 But with thee there is abundant Mercy. 
 And my Advocate Jffus Chri/i the Righ- 
 teous, is the Propitiation j or my $inH\ 
 who hire them in bis bdy on the Crfs y 
 dnd made hivfelf an Offering jor ib ni % 
 that be might put them away by the Sacri- 
 fice oj bimjelj 5 have Mercy upon me, and 
 wajh me in bis Bloody c loath me with bis 
 Right eoufnefs ^ take away my lnquities y 
 and let th m not be my fuiitt\ jorgive 
 them, and remember them no mor$ ; 
 thou that delight efl not in the Deaib of 
 Sinners, heal my backflidings, love me 
 freely, W Jay unto my Soul, that thou art 
 my Salvation. Th:>u wilt in no wife c,Jl 
 cut them thit come unto thee, receive me 
 gracioufly to the Feafl thou hall prepared; 
 for me y caufe ?ne to hunger & thirfi a) er 
 Cbnft, and bis Right eon jn fs y that 1 may 
 be fat u fed : Let his Fitlh & Blord be to 
 me meat and drink indeed, an I his Spirit 
 be in me a well of living Water 1 fringing 
 up to ever ailing Life. Gtve ftfa /" know 
 thy Lave tn Chnft, which psjfrth Know- 
 ledge J) 1 hav± {riot fee n htm let me 
 And- though now I fee Vwt. n r ) 
 

 ?42 A Prayer before the Receiving 
 yet believing let tne rejoice with joy utt- 
 fpiakablC) and full oj Glory h though I 
 am unworthy oj the Crumbs that fall jrotn 
 thy Table, yet jeed me with the Bread oj 
 Lije, and /peak and jeal up Teau 
 to my fin Jul wounded Soul. Sojten 
 my Heart that is hardened by ihe deceit* 
 fu/nefs vj Sin h mortijie the F/ffb, and 
 ftrenghen me with might in the inward 
 Man % that I may live r d glorifie tbjC Wact \ 
 through J ejus Cbriji our only Saviour. 
 
 & Prayer after tfie Receiving of th« 
 Holy Communion. 
 
 MOST Glorious Gcd, bow wonderful h 
 thy Power, andWifdom^ thy Hotinffs ana 
 zfnjtics, thy Love and Mercy in this Work of out 
 JRtdnnption, by the Incarnation. Life % Deatb^ 
 jR furr edion Inter ceffUn, and Dominion cftb) 
 Son ! No Power or Wijdom in Heaven or Earth. 
 sou f d have delivered me but thine The Angel, 
 d fie to pry i n to this Myfrery, the Heavenly 
 Jlof} d> celebrate it with Praifes^ joying^ Glor ' 
 f* to God in tb* Higb'll, on . Earth Psa 
 Goodwill towards Men The wbvle Great io 
 
 
 fiail prod iim thy Prifes, EUJJing^ Honou 
 Glory and Pwer be unto him that fiiteth vpo 
 J be Thron\ and unto the Lamb for ever an 
 *v*r. Worthy ist h ' 3 Lamb that w^fiain to^r 
 *3iv& Pw3t^ and Hmour % and Gfoty $ for h i 
 $ti$A wd*m:d:u &j3:dfy i'h Blood, and m-d \ 
 
 U 
 
 L 
 
the Holy Communion.' 141 
 
 us Kings and Pnefts unto our God. JPbereSin 
 abounded Grace hath abounded much more. And 
 baft thou indeed forgiven me fo great a debt, by 
 fo precious a Ranfo/a? Wilt thou indeed give 
 me to reign with Chri ft in Glory, and fee thy 
 Face, and love thee, and be beloved vf thee for 
 tver ? Tea Lord, thou b ft forgivenme % and thou 
 wilt glorifie pie, for thon art faithful that baft 
 promifed. With the Blood of thy Son, with the 
 Sacrament, and wiib thy Spirit, thou haft feal- 
 td up to me thefe precious Promifes. And 
 i)aQ I not love thee, that baft thus loved vie? 
 SbaU I not love thy Servants, and forgive my 
 "Neighbours their little debt I After aU this 
 UfaU I again for fake thee^and dealfalfely in thy 
 Covenant ? God forbid, 0\ Bel my Affetiions 
 mtbe things above, where Cbrift Jitteth at thy 
 nght band. Let me no more mind eaithIyTbings 9 
 iut let myConverfution be\in Heaven, from whence 
 I expeti my Saviour to come and change me in* 
 \o the lihncfs of bis Glry. Teach me to do 
 \by will) O God! And to follow bimjvbo is the 
 Author of Eternal Salvation, to all them that 
 fo obey him. Order my fteps by thy Word.and 
 Ut n)t any Iniquity have Dominion over me. Let 
 ne not henceforth live unto my felf but unto 
 him who died for me and rofe again. Let 
 tie have n* fetlovfiip with the unfruitful Works 
 f Dar k* fi t but reprove them. And let my 
 ight fo fbi*e before Men, that they may glorify 
 K hee In Jimpli city and godly fencer ity,& not 
 n flefih Wifdom % h t me have my Converfation 
 it theWorld O that mv Ways were Jo dnetted t 
 mil T might keep thy Statutes \ Though Sat an 
 t?iU be djlrous again to ft ft me M and feek as a> 
 
 roaring 
 
144 ■ m A divine Soliloquy. 
 roaiing Lion to d vour, ftrengthen me to Han 
 againjt his Wilts, andfh>rtly bruije him unds 
 my feet. Accept me y O Lor d who rejign m 
 fclfunto the as thine oun-, and wilh myTbank 
 and Praif§,.pTefent4>iy Jtlf a living Sacrifice t 
 be accrpt able thro' Lhrift Ujeful for thin 
 Hon ur. Being made free fromsin, and becom 
 thy Servant let me have my Fruit untoHoiinefs 
 and the End Everlaji'wg Life, Through Jeju 
 Chrijt our Lord and Saviour. 
 
 A Divine Soliloquy* 
 
 OMy S*ul! Thou haft been feafled with th 
 Sen of God, at his Table, upon his Flei 
 and Blood-in Preparation for the Feajf of End 
 hfs Glory ; thou haft feen there reprefinted 
 v>h at Sin defer velh, what Chrijl f ffered f wba 
 vender f J -Love, the God of infinite GoodneJ 
 hath cxprejt to thee. Thru haft hadCommnnioi 
 tpilh the Saints ; thou haR renewed tbyCovenan 
 of Faith and thankful Obedifrice^ unto Chrif 
 l*bcu half received his renewed Covenant of Pat 
 don, Grace and Glory to thee ,0 carry bene 
 th^lively S(7tfe of the fe great and excellent thing 
 upon thy Htait, Pnnnnbcr . O my Soul ! Th-)} 
 came ft not (to that holy. Table ) only toinjo 
 th? Mercy of an Hour, b t that which ma 
 Jpr in? Tp to end icf J n y. Twu cm eft not o>;J 
 to do the Out y of an Hour, but to Promifi tha 
 which thou mufl per form white thou live ft r 
 Earth Pan mhtr da i ly ,efpeciatt-y wh . n I '< vij 
 tatfons to unbelief and Ji if ui he*vhi>fs off **} 
 
A Divine Soliloquy. 1 T4? 
 
 thee, what Pledges of Love thu haft received* 
 Remember daily, efptciaUy whenFleJb, and JDevH i 
 and World, would draw tby Heart again from 
 God-, and Temptations to Sin are laid before 
 tbee^ what Bonds God and thy own Confent have 
 laid upon thee. Remember , O my Soul \ If thou 
 art a Penitent Eeleever^ thou art now for given , 
 andmofyedinthe Blood cfCbri/l. 0\ Go your 
 \ rvay^ and Sin no more ; no more thro* wilfulness, 
 and Srivi again l~i your Sins of weaknefs, Wal- 
 low no more in the Mire, and return not to thy 
 Vomit. Let the exceeding Love of Ch rift con. 
 Jtrain thce } having fuch Promifes, i. Cor . 6. iji 
 18 O cleanfe thy f elf from all filthinefs ofFUfb 
 undSpir it, perfecting Holinefi in the Fear cf 
 God, Amen. 
 
 HYMNS fuited to the Sacrament 
 of the Lord's Supper* 
 
 To be Sung in common Tunes* 
 HYMN I. 
 
 I. 
 
 A New and well compofed Sotf^P 
 With raptures fill'd of Love, 
 And exrafie's of Joy -, leis Tune 
 
 Unto our Lord above. 
 iftwake my drowfie fkepy Soul, 
 Awake dull heavy Hearr, 
 
 And,- 
 
146 Sacramental Hymns. 
 
 And all my Faculties and Powers," 
 Join, in and bear a part. 
 II. 
 Let Judgment weigh the Argument, 
 
 Let Fancy it adorn, 
 Let Memory bring forth its ftore, 
 Thoughts, offer your firit-bom. 
 God did aflame the fhape of Man, 
 
 With Flefh his Glory vail'd, 
 Himfelf he humbled unto Death, 
 He to the Crofs was nail'd. 
 ' III. 
 Made Sin, us to acquit from Sin s 
 
 Accurfcd, us to blefs. 
 Of Righteoufnefs he wrought a Robe 
 
 To hide our Nakednefs. 
 Darling of He3ven he was and is, 
 
 The Father's chief Delight : 
 Angels wonder, the Saints above 
 Are ravifli'd at his fighr. 
 IV. 
 Array'd he is with Majefty, 
 
 Angels do him attend * 
 AH Pow'r is his in Heaven and Earth, 
 
 All to his Scepter bend. 
 A glorious Crown is on his Head, 
 
 Moft lovely is his Face, 
 Treafures of Wifdom are with him, 
 For us he's ftor'd with Grace. V 
 
Sacrcmtntal Hymns. 14.7 
 
 V. 
 
 flis Love doth pafs Dimenfions£ 
 
 His Love exceeds all thought, 
 Stronger than Death, this Love to US 
 
 Salvation hath brought. 
 Bence all the Clouds away, away, 
 
 Darken no more mine Eye, 
 ?ain would I lee this lovely One, 
 
 Whofe dwelling is on high. 
 VI. 
 'ypen thine Eye, here Jefus ftands, 
 
 He looks, he breaths, he moves.* 
 Jy Faith thou may'it difcern him plain, 
 
 In this fweet Feaft of Loves, 
 ind art thou here indeed, ray Lord ! 
 
 Draw nearer yet to me, 
 ind nearer, nearer, my dear Lord j 
 
 Too near thou canlt not be. 
 
 VII. 
 lome my Beloved, let me view 
 
 Thy beauteous lovely Face-, 
 hee I would fold in arms of love^ 
 
 Fain I would thee embrace, 
 feel, I feel a flame within, 
 
 Pear Lord, 1 thee admire; 
 
 hy fparkling Beauty which I fee,' 
 
 Hath fee me all en Fire. 
 
 VIIK 
 
H 8 Sacramental Hymns] 
 
 VIII. 
 Thy kind looks have me overcome,' 
 
 The glances of thine Eye, 
 Sweerly my Soul tranfported havej 
 
 I feel an Extafie. 
 Unutterable Joys I feel, 
 
 How fweet ! How fweet ! How fw 
 Is this talte of thy Love, whilft I 
 
 And my beloved meet ! 
 IX. 
 Sure this the Gate of Heaven is," 
 
 Methinks I'm entring in, 
 Where I (hall always fee thy Face," 
 
 And no more grieve or fin. 
 Ten Thoufand Praifes let us give 
 
 tinto our Lord on high; 
 Let Heart, and Lip, and Life comb 
 
 To make the Melody. 
 
 HYMN IL 
 I. 
 
 OCome let us join all like one; 
 The Lord to magnifie j 
 Let us together lift his Name 
 In fweet founds to the Sky. 
 Sweet Hymns of Love come let usfi 
 
 Let Love us a£t and move > 
 Let Love our voices tune to praif£ 
 Our God, for God i$ Love. 
 
 It Go 
 
Sacramental Hjmml 145* 
 
 IL 
 
 God c s Love the lofty Heav'ns ab6ve, 
 
 In height doth far tranfcend : 
 Its depih,theSea;its breadth andlengtfc 
 
 Is without bound 01 end. 
 God's love to us is wonderful; 
 
 To us who Rebels were, 
 God gave his only Son to die,' 
 
 That Rebels he might fpare. 1 
 III. 
 From guilt and reigning power offing 
 
 And Satan's fl3very $ 
 Frrm fire of Hell us to redeem, 
 
 God gave his Son to die. 
 Chrift fuffer'd in our ftead, he was •• 
 
 More harmlefs than the Dove: 
 That God (houid lay our fins on him j 
 
 This, this indeed h Love. 
 IV 
 O come let us give God our Loves, 
 
 L^t every heart take fire; 
 Let fl<rnes come forth and join in one, : 1 
 
 And unto Heaven afpire. 
 Sweet Spirit come, like Southern Gales, 
 
 Within us brearhe and move * 
 Blow up ouv fpark into 3 fl me, 
 
 That we nflav burn with 1 
 
 O ~\ V, That 
 

 x 5 ^ Sacramental By mns. 
 
 V. 
 
 That we with all our hearts may love, 
 
 Our hearts Lord circumeife: 
 Of Love perfum'd with fweet Incenfe, 
 Accept the Sacrifice. 
 VI. 
 Draw near, God, unvail thy felf, 
 
 Our cloudinefs remove: 
 O mine / And fmile on us, that we 
 May fee thy face and love, 
 VII. 
 Dtnr Jefus, come and vifit us,' 
 
 h ftrangerdo not prove* 
 Meal wounds of fin, fpeak peace that we 
 Thy voice may here and love. 
 V1IL 
 Our felves we offer with our heart, 
 
 Qtff whole felves we re%n 
 To thee who art the God of Love, 
 We are and will be chine. 
 HYMN JIL 
 I 
 
 GOD hath us brought into bfsCourts 
 ' And Chambers of his Love, 
 Tftai he might fe§& and feaft uj here, 
 
 With dainties from above, »f 
 llevra cpen'd is Jbefbre our Bye, 
 The v r aii Is lent, that ws 
 
Saaramental Hytnrit] i fi 
 
 Mav upward look, and his dear Soa 
 
 Crowned with Glory fee* 
 II. 
 This Jefus crowned was with Thorns, 
 
 Scourged with cruel hands, 
 His flefh was torn, when to iheCrofs 
 
 Hetyed was with Bands, 
 Tears trickled from his mournful eyes; 
 
 Sweat dropped from his face, 
 Blood flowed from his hands and fe-er, 
 
 And fide, in itreams apace. 
 Ill 
 Hisgroanswere ftrong,b?s cryswere loud 
 
 Preflures of wrath did lie 
 Upon his Soul, with fenfe of which 
 
 In anguifh he did die. 
 He harmlefs was, and innocent ^ 
 
 No guilt upon him lay, 
 Bur as our Surety he our debts 
 
 Did by his fuffenngs pay. 
 
 IV. f 
 
 Thus did he Jufticefatisfie, 
 
 By dying in our room. 
 That we might juftified be 
 
 By F*> * h, that to him come. 
 T*\° J; e fid we eat at this great Feaft* 
 
 C^.iVsflefh is, and his blcod 
 Is reprefented by the Wine-, 
 
 This, this indeed is food. V. 
 
IJ* 
 
 Sacramental Hymnu 
 
 V. 
 
 Here is the heavenly Manna, which 
 
 Our God to us doth give: 
 Who eateth other bread flialldie-, 
 
 In eating this we live. 
 A hidden life of Grace we have, 
 
 Breathing defires and love •, 
 CHriit is our Life, the Author, Spring, 
 
 By whom our Graces move. 
 VI. 
 Come let us look unto our Lord 5 
 
 This Glafs will fhow his face, 
 Not veiled over with daik Types, 
 
 As heretefofi ir was. 
 God-man, that name is wonderful - 3 
 
 So is his beauty 3 fo 
 His love is full of wonders, both 
 
 Beyond our reach to go. 
 VII. 
 Yet where we cannot comprehend, 
 
 Looking, let us admire, 
 Admiring love, loving rejoyce, 
 
 And to enjoy afpire- 
 Oiir Lord is prefent at this lyeaft-, 
 
 He looks, let's meet his E- 
 With ours} fvveer glances, look* - love, 
 
 It may be we fhall fpy. 
 
 VIII. Ccme 
 
Sacramental Uymnf. iff 
 
 VIIL 
 Come Lord draw near,we long, we long 
 
 Thy face ro fee, thy love 
 To tafte, thy voice to hear, within 
 
 To feel thy Spirit move. 
 Thou art all fair, thou halt no fpot* 
 
 Thy beauty is divine : 
 Thou art all love, embrace us Lord 
 
 In t&ofe fweet Arms of thine. 
 IX. 
 We look, we wait, we hope, we truity 
 
 We long, we love, we bum. 
 Ravifh thou doft our hearts,whilft thot* 
 
 To us thine Eye doft turn. 
 With all the powers of our Souls 
 
 Dear Jefus we thee praife, 
 In fongs of joy and thankfuinefs 
 
 Our voices we do raife* 
 X. 
 Hofinna\ we, Mfunn<?§ we 
 
 D ) fi g with one accord 
 In HaJ/elujjWs of triumph 
 
 We jojrn ro praife the Lord, 1 
 Ye Angels and triumphant Saints^. 
 
 Praife ye our Lord above r 
 Whiift we his Servants* here below 
 
 Do fing his praife with love. 
 
 O 3 HYMN 
 
#£$ Sacramental Bymns. 
 
 HYMN IV. 
 I. 
 
 THoufandsofthoufandsftand around 
 Thy Throne,0 God, molt high ! 
 Ten thoofand times ten thoufand found 
 
 Thy praife, but who am I > 
 Thine arm of might, molt mighty King 
 Both Rocks and Hearts doth break ^ 
 My God, thou canft do every thing 
 But what would (how thee weak. 
 II. 
 M ^ft pure and holy are thine Eyes, 
 
 Molt holy is thy Name $ 
 Thy Saints, and Laws, and Penalties^ 
 
 Thy holinefs proclaim. 
 Mercy is God's Memorial, 1 
 
 And in all Ages prais'd ; 
 My God, thine only Son did fall; 
 That Mercy might be rais'd. 
 HI. 
 Thy bright back parts, God of Grace; 
 
 I humbly here adore j 
 Shew me thy glory and thy face, 
 
 That I may praife thee more. 
 Myfterious depths of endlefs love 
 
 Our admirations raife. 
 My God, thy Name exalted is 
 Fat atove ail our praife. 
 
Sacramental Hymns. i J * 
 
 HYMN V. 
 I. 
 
 TO whom,Lord,fhouldIfing,butthee 
 The maker of my Tongue? 
 Lo, other Lords would ieize on me* 
 
 But I to thee belong. 
 As thou Lord, an immortal Soul 
 
 Haft breathed into me, 
 So let my Soul be breathing fof th 
 
 Immortal thanks to thee. 
 II. 
 Sing and triumph in boundlefs grace^ 
 
 Which thus hath fet thee free $ 
 Extol with fhoutsmy faYedSoui 
 
 Thy Saviour's love to thee. 
 SweetChrift,thou halt refxelht ourSouIs 
 
 With thine abundant grace, 
 For which we magnifie thy Name, 
 
 Longing to fee thy face, 
 III. 
 Down from above the blefled Dove 
 
 Is come into my brealt, 
 To witnefs God's Eternal Love^ 
 
 This is my heavenly Feaih j 
 
 This makes me Abba Father cry f 
 
 With confidence of Soul ! 
 It makes me cry, my Lord, my God,' 
 
 And that, wirhout conwoul. 
 
 IV. Thou 
 
Thou art all power, thou art all love. 
 
 And To thou art to me $ 
 Bleft be my God now and henceforth 
 
 And to Eternity. 
 
 HYMN VI. 
 I 
 
 LORD' give me a -believing hearf, 
 Advance it more and more ^ 
 Rebuke thofe doubts and fcruples thai 
 
 Are crowding at my door. 
 Lord let thy Word and Spirit guide 
 
 Thy. Servant in thy way * 
 May I walk clofely with my God, 
 . And run no more aftray. 
 IT. 
 AH tjvey that fit down with thee mull 
 
 Be decked with thy Grace -, 
 Thou fmil'ft on fuch Communicants, 
 
 A«ci rhey behold thy face. 
 Come holy Spitir, come and .take, 
 
 My filthy Garments hence, 
 The guilt, the ftain, the love of Gn r 
 Will give my Eajd oftence.- 
 1IL 
 Eet nothing that is- not divine, 
 Within ih# pretence move, 
 
 What 
 
Sacramental Hymns. i S7 
 
 What e're would caufe thee not to fhine 
 
 In tokens of thy Love, 
 Awake Repentance, Faith and Love, 
 , Awake O every Grace ! 
 Come, come attend this glorious King, 
 And bow before his face. 
 IV. 
 Let not my Jefus now be ftrange, 
 
 And hide himfelf from me$ 
 caufe thy face to fhine upon 
 The Soul that longs for thee. 
 HYMN VII. 
 I. 
 
 WE to our heavenly Father give 
 The tribute praife we owe, 
 Who by bis purifying Grace 
 
 Prepares us here below. 
 Lo here's the molt amazing proof 
 
 Of great and matchlefs Love ! 
 Nor that our Early love to God 
 
 Did his prevent and move. 
 * //. 
 
 His motives all to pity us 
 
 From his own bowels flow • 
 rhence came the ticheft gift of Heav'n 
 
 To guilty Men below, 
 rhar to his glorious grace all praiff 
 
 Might be intirely paid ; 
 
 Who, 
 
 l 
 
i?8 Sacramental Hynmsl 
 
 Who, that he mig. r forgive our fins," 
 
 Chrift's Blood our Ranforn made •> 
 III 
 Let then this glorious gift of God 
 
 Yet more our Souls refine, 
 That his pure Image may in us 
 
 With greater glory fhioe. 
 Draw us, dear Lord, and towards thee 
 
 We with fwift wings will move, 
 Thou Objeft 6f our higheft hopes, 
 
 And of our deareft Love. 
 IV. 
 Tbankfgiving is an heav'nly work, 
 
 Ic's all in Heaven they do, 
 To thank and praife theLord mod higb, 
 
 On Eirth is fweet work too. 
 O ! Bleffed are ye Saints above, 
 
 How a&ive is your Rare ! 
 You ever blefs the Lord our God, 
 
 Not at our broken rate. 
 V, 
 Bu%0 ! How weak are era wlingWormsV 
 
 How fhort our Sabbarh days > 
 We die more hours by far in fbep, 
 
 Than we do live in praife* 
 O Glorious God ! Accept our wills, 
 
 And weaknefTes forgive ; 
 We w:fh our Souls were like theSaints, 
 
 Unlike them as we live. Vi, 
 
Sacramental Hymns. i J £ 
 
 VI. 
 
 !ut, O ray God ! Reach down thy hand, 
 
 Ard rake us up ro thee, 
 'hat we about thy Throne may ftand, 
 
 And all thy Glory fee. 
 M glory to the faced Three, 
 
 One Everlaftirg Lord, 
 is at the firlt, ftill may he be 
 
 Belov'd, obey'd, ador'd. 
 HYMN Vili. 
 /. 
 ^Ome let's adore the King of Love^ 
 
 The King of fuffriogs too, 
 or love it was that brought him down* 
 
 And fee him here below. 
 ove drew him from his Paradice, 
 
 Where Flowers that fade nor grow, 
 nd planted him in our poor dult, 
 
 Among us, Weeds below. 
 //. 
 
 narrow thogghr,and narrow fpeech* 
 
 -Here your defeats confefs. 
 
 he life nt G d, the death of Chrifl*, 
 
 HLdw faintly you exprefs. 
 
 thou ! Who from a Virgin root 
 
 Mad'ft this fair Flower to fpring, 
 
 eip uu to raife both heart and voice, 
 
 And with more fpiric dug, 
 
 III To 
 
l6o Sacramental Hymn si 
 
 III. 
 To Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, 
 
 One undivided Three, 
 AH higheft praife, all humbleft thanks 
 
 Now and fox ever be. 
 
 HYMN. IX. 
 To the Tune of the i co Pfatm. 
 
 i (high; 
 
 TXJnt nowyourfelvesmyfrtfar/ttrings 
 Let us aloft our voices raife, 
 That our loud fong may reach theSky, 
 And there prefent to thee our praife. 
 
 To thee, Melt Jefus, who cam'lt down 
 From thofe bright Spheres of Joy above, 
 To purchafe us a dear bought Crown, 
 Afld woe our Souls V efpoule thy Love. 
 
 Long had the World in darknefs far, 
 Till thou with thy all glorious light 
 Began to dawn frrm Heav'nsfair Gire, 
 And with thy beam difpeJl their right. 
 
 We to, Alas! Still here had ftood 
 As common flaves in this fame (hade 
 But Jefufrcame, and with his Bioud 
 Our general Ranfitn freely paid. 
 
 And now, my Lord, mvGod, my AH, 
 What (hail i moll in thee admire, 
 
 That 
 
Sacrament aI Hymntl iSi 
 
 Thit Pow'r which made ihtWarfd&fhzll 
 rhe Woild again diTolve with Fixe ! 
 
 Oh no! Thy fhargeHumUiry, 
 
 rhy wounds,thypains,thy crofsjhy death 
 
 rhefe (hall alone my wonder be, 
 
 My health, my joy,my ftaff,my breatW 
 
 Fp thee, great God, to thee alone, 
 
 Three Perfons in One Deity, 
 
 &s fbrmei Ages ftill have done^ 
 
 &11 glory now and ever be. 
 
 ttwnson the Inter cejjion of Cbrijfl 
 
 HYMN X. 
 i. 
 
 THE Mighty Jefus, fiil'd with Love 
 Did.thefe dark Regions leave : 
 rhe heav'nly Hofts all wondring Hood 
 
 King Jefus to receive, 
 rhp great Jehovah fets a Throne, 
 
 Inltals our glorious King •, 
 Both Heaven and Earth mult him adore^ 
 And loud HofanitaV% ling. 
 II. 
 There firs the King of Peace and Love,' 
 
 A Saviour is his Name, 
 Mercy his Nature and Delight, 
 
 And ever fo the fame. 
 Corneal! that fear, come all/that want, 1 
 And fpeedy fuccour find j 
 
 ? He 
 
l£f Sacramental Hymns] 
 
 He ne're denies a praying Soul, 1 
 He is fo good and kind. 
 
 111. 
 
 Behold and wonder at his Love* 
 
 We are his daily care, 
 Jrlis ear, his heart, is always fixt 
 
 To hear and anfwer Prayer. 
 Be not afraid to bring your Suit, 
 
 Come with a chearful Heart : 
 Weak cries, mixr Prayers cannot bat 
 
 A gran: to his own part. 
 IV. 
 Satan, it's m*e, prefents his Plea* 
 
 And Juftlce brings its claim $ 
 Byjt all are filent when he pleads,' 
 
 His Blood, his Love, his Nanse ! 
 Let holy Souls then daily go 
 
 To'Jefss on his Throne, 
 Andiove that all-prevailirg Friend 
 
 Who fays we are his own* 
 
 HYMN XL 
 As iho (Tjtb PfalsMo 
 
 OTIiis ungrateful Wmld ! 
 To kill fo kind a Friend; 
 t made the Lord of Glory die^ 
 What might this aS portend ? 
 
Sacramental Hymns] 163 
 
 Sat wonder, holy Souls, 
 
 G d's -h^ught s all'rbo'ts tranfcendc 
 [Thrift murdefd by a Rebel World, 
 
 And yet he is our Friend* 
 IK 
 't's true, Chrift leftthe Earthy 
 
 Bat is entbron'd above, 
 ^v to revenge this cruel Afr, 
 
 But lives and reigns in Love. 
 Jweet is his work on high, 
 
 Peace is the charming Voice 1 
 
 et but a Soul-embrace his Call, 1 
 
 The heavenly Hoft rejoice* 
 
 111 
 If bold he ftands and calls; 
 
 Come Sinners, come to me," 
 <ly Love, my Kingdom ftull be your£ 
 
 To all Eternity. 
 
 elleve n)y faithful Word, 
 
 All my defigns are Grace, 
 'ake now the Earneft of my Love 
 
 Before yoif fee mv Face* 
 
 JV. 
 lever be ftrange to me, 
 
 1 wait to hear your cry^ 
 
 er me but know your preffing wants? 
 
 And you (hall have (apply, 
 lever diltruli my Love, 
 
 i am, this is my Name > Sio 
 

 1^4 'Sacramental Hymn el 
 
 Sin' makes me hide my Face a while^ 
 
 When yer my L' ve c s the fame. 
 Never regard your Foes, 
 
 Thev are no mitch for me; 
 Ple*d ftillmvConqijeRswith your God 
 And you (hill V.itWs be. 
 
 HYMN XII. 
 L 
 
 Flll'dwith thefenfeof&nand wratt 
 And black defpair drew nigh, 
 To Chnft I fled for free'ring Grace, 
 
 He heard my mournful cry : 
 Under his pleafant fhade 1 fare, 
 Sweet notes of Love I heard $ 
 My welcome was above my thought,' 
 How was 1 lov'd and chear'd. 
 11. 
 8ie came to me, but not alone^ 
 D'vine Fruits were my fak 5 
 1 waited what he fitft would fay, 1 
 
 Your (ins now pard n'd are : 
 Jeace with Jehovah is mf gift, 
 
 No frowns appear above -, 
 £0 boldly to my Father's Throne, 
 Love waits your Soul to love. 
 HI. 
 
 The Book of Life, your Name is the* 
 And ever there (hail be a 
 
 Lo< 
 
To all E'emity. 
 Ask what you will, I have God's Ear, 
 
 He never me deny'd i 
 Come wirb your fears, come with youi 
 
 And you /hall be fupply d. (wants, 
 
 * 
 
 IV. 
 
 I give xny Angels for your Guard, 
 
 You are their daily care, 
 Let Satan tempt and ffcoot his Darts, 
 
 They can prevent the fnare. 
 © Lord ! What can 1 now reply, 
 
 What Love at fuch a rate !* 
 But this I'll pray, O let my Lovej 
 
 Bear an Eternal Date. 
 
 Another, 
 I 
 
 The time Is pall when humane Race 
 
 ' Became God's Enemy : 
 The World ne're Uw f bbck a Night, 
 
 When Adam eat the Tree. 
 waft gulf of Woes becjme his d-?e, 
 Which had' no bounds nor erd * 
 'Wh it e re he did,what e're he thought, 
 Still guilt did him attend. 
 
 F 3. 11 Got 
 
God faw this fad tremendous Fall, 
 
 His Truth faid, might thy Woid 
 Juittcc requir'd, the Sinner's Blood 
 
 Nopiry him afford -> 
 But Love, that charming Attribute 
 
 Prepaid a kind reply, 
 iThe Pleas of Juftice I'll adjuft^. 
 
 JMy OiJy Son ffaail die. 
 
 1IL 
 B T eft was the Day when A&am heard 
 
 That chearing Word of Grace, 
 1 11 fend the Lord of Glory here, 
 
 And hide my angry face. 
 Hear what he fays, he knows my Hearr, 
 
 My Mercy (hall rejoice, 
 Peace hel proclaim,the War will ceafc. 
 
 If you obey his Voice. 
 
 W. 
 Go trembling Sinner, go to hin^ 
 
 Fear not your former guilt, 
 His Death has aflfwer'd my demands^. 
 
 And I will you acquit. 
 Come- take the Pledge, believe mySaa 
 
 I am your own, your All, 
 I have a Father's Hand and Hearty 
 
 To hear you when you call. 
 
Sacramental Uymnil %§& 
 
 V. 
 
 My Chriftdid lovingly invite 
 
 Me to his charming Fealt $ 
 Be added to his wondrous Love» 
 
 Made me a willing Gueft. 
 Lcame and found a Banquet rar^ 
 I He brought me Angels food; 
 He bid'me rake and eat my fill, 
 
 For my Eternal good, 
 
 VL . 
 He fpoke fuclr chearingWords oFGrace, 
 
 What do you want, my Friend ? 
 Wtiar, can you doubt my kind defigrrf 
 
 Conijder, and attend. 
 Sin cannot now defeat my Love/ 
 
 Since Pardons i will give -. 
 Siafeemsan unrefitled Foe,] 
 
 It Hull not always live* 
 
 VII. 
 You Feel a dreadful War witfiirr; 
 
 Lufts claims a righdefs Throne^ 
 But this united force 111 break, 
 
 Since now you are my own. 
 Satan with all his Darts and Snares 
 
 Shall'prove a fruitlsfs Foe ; 
 you are defign'd for Heaven's Blif% 
 
 He to Eternal Woe* 
 
 Vlll 
 
i£8 ^ Sacramental Hymntl 
 
 VIII. 
 Never diflurft my wond'rous Love, 
 
 The belt is yer behind, 
 No Tongue nor Thought can reprefen 
 
 How good I'll be, and kind v 
 Refrefh your Souls with what I give* 
 
 Wait till you come on high ; 
 I long till all my Members fee 
 
 JW- hat's in Eternity^ 
 
 Aaotberi 
 
 h 
 
 What made the Lord of Glory die > 
 
 Shall God the anfwer make > 
 Our guilty Souls may Trembling Rand 
 
 To hear Jihovab fpeak : 
 But God has fpoke, he Fent bis Son*. 
 
 But Itay de jetted Heart, 
 Not to condemn a Rebel World; 
 
 But to regain his parr. 
 II. 
 The Death ©f Cfrrift no vengeance cries 
 
 It is a figfi of Peace r 
 It pardons Sins* and pays our Debts, 
 
 And gives our Souls releafe * 
 LetLtfio ^iCcnfcienca bring their charge 
 
 Let JutlLce plead our guilt s 
 
 "" Tm 
 
 : 
 
 i 
 
Sacramental llyititt) i&$ 
 
 The Death of Chrift can filence all, 
 And God will us acquit. 
 
 , III. 
 
 3h Soul / Shall baniffi'd fears return; 
 
 When you can pardon plead : 
 Hold faft this charming Pledge ot Love* 
 
 For yra it is decreed * 
 Let Angels fiog their higheft Note^ 
 
 Let Earth triumph below, 
 Let the Redeemed of the Lord 
 
 Their Saviour's Glory fhow* 
 
 j 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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