And let us remember, for our comfort, that Jesus Christ Himself pronounced all His disciples (the traitor excepted) to be clean, that is, qualified to receive this Sacrament which He was going to administer to them, although He knew them to be subject to very great failings and infirmities; which soon appeared, when then they all forsook Him, contrary to their solemn promises; but this they repented of, and were forgiven by their compassionate Redeemer. If, therefore, you love God and your neighbour, though not so fervently as you could wish; if you have a real desire of being better than at present you find yourself to be; if the fruits of the Holy Spirit, though in a very low degree, do appear in your life; lastly, if you do daily pray for God's grace that you may, in His good time, be what He would have you to be, and do not live in any known sin, by no means forbear to go to this Ordinance as often as you have an opportunity; and depend upon God's blessing and an increase of His graces. The Prayer. Grant, O God, that I may never draw down Thy judgments upon myself, either by turning my back upon this Ordinance, or by going to it without thought, and unworthily. May Thy mercy pardon what is past, and give me grace for the time to come to consecrate my life to Thee, and to embrace every occasion of remembering my Redeemer's love, and thereby securing Thy favour and my own salvation! And if it be Thy will, grant that I may always find such comfort and benefit in this Ordinance, as may encourage me to observe it with joy unto my life's end. Give me leave to recommend to Thine infinite mercy the miserable condition of all such as neglect so great means of grace and salvation. Awaken all Christian people into a sense of this duty; open their eyes, and correct their mistakes, that they may be convinced that this is the only means of making their peace with Thee, and of rendering their persons and their prayers acceptable to Thy Divine Majesty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. SECTION X Meditations on several texts of Scripture, proper to be used a little before receiving Εν ness. VERY well-disposed | used in the midst of busiChristian, after he has thus far prepared himself for this Sacrament, will endeavour to keep the thoughts of his duty, and the blessing he hopes for, warm in his heart until the time of receiving. Such of the following Scriptures, and meditations upon them, may, through God's grace, answer that end; nor will they take up too much time, because some or more of them, as occasion offers, may be devoutly And this method of devotion is here proposed, to lead Christians to make proper reflections upon other parts of Scripture which they read or hear. Rev. iii. 17. Thou sayest, I am rich, and have need of nothing: and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable. and poor, and blind, and naked. This is the sad condition to which, as sinners, we are subject, and it is of Thy mercy, O God, that any of us are sensible of it. Preserve me, I beseech Thee, from that blindness which would hinder me from seeing my own misery; and from that pride which would keep me from acknowledging it before Thee, who alone canst help me. O give me a true sense of the maladies I labour under, and keep me for Thy mercies' sake, and for the sake of Jesus my Redeemer. Psalm li. 17. The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart God will not despise. But most unfit is mine to be presented to God, until I have obtained His pardon for the many sins by which it has been defiled. Jer. iii. 12, 13. I am merciful, saith the Lord: and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God. I do acknowledge_my sin unto Thee, O God, and mine iniquities will I not hide; I do, therefore, implore Thy pardon, and plead Thy gracious promise, with full purpose of heart never again to return to folly. Jer. xvii. 9. The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked: who can know it? I cannot, indeed, answer for my own heart; but there is nothing, O Lord, impossible with Thee; in Thee do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion ;—keep it ever in my heart, what an evil thing, and bitter, it will be to forsake the Lord. I John iii. 8. He that committeth sin (who abandons himself to live in known sin) is of the devil: is under his power and government. Preserve me, gracious God, from so fatal a blind ness, to choose Satan for my lord and governor, instead of Thy blessed Son, who laid down His life to redeem us from the dreadful tyranny of the devil. I John ii. 25. This is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life. How infinitely good is God, to give us so great encouragement to save ourselves from ruin! Give me, I beseech Thee, a firm faith in this promise, that no fears may terrify me, no pleasures may corrupt my heart, no difficulties may discourage me from serving Thee. Matt. xvi. 24. If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. O my Saviour! who pleadedst not Thyself, but tookest upon Thee the form of a servant; let me not profess to follow Thee without endeavouring to follow the blessed steps of | Thy most holy life: Thy patience, meekness, and humility: Thy great disregard for the world, its pleasures, profits, and all its idols: Thy sensible concern for the miseries of men: Thy unweariedness in doing good: Thy constancy in prayer, and resignation to the will of Thy Father. Let me part with anything as dear as a right hand, or a right eye, rather than not follow Thee. Matt. vi. 24. No man can serve two masters: ye cannot serve God and mammon. May I never set up any rival, O God, with Thee, in the possession of my heart! May I never attempt to reconcile Thy service with that world which is enmity with Thee! Give me, I beseech Thee, the eyes of faith, that I may see the world, what in truth it is; the danger of its riches, the folly of its pleasures, the multitude of its snares, the power of its tempta tions, its deadly poison, and certain danger of drawing my heart from the love of Thee. Matt. xxii. 37. 39. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart,and thy neighbour as thyself. O that the love of God may be the commanding principle of my soul: and that I may have this comfortable proof of His love abiding in me, that I study to please Him, and to keep His commandments; that my love to my neighbour may be such as God has commanded; that I may give, and forgive, and love, as becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ! I John iii. 14. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the breth ren. What it is to love my neighbour as myself, Thou, O Lord, hast taught me in Thy holy Word; never to wrong or deceive him; never to grieve him, or without a cause to create him trouble; never to treat him with contempt and scorn; never to be pleased with his misfortunes and faults; but to rejoice in his happiness, and help him in his wants. Give me, O Lord, this proof of my having passed from death unto life. Gal. iii. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: that is, He was treated as one under the curse of the law.1 How Blessed God, how great was our misery! great was thy mercy! When nothing could save us from ruin, but the death of Thy Son! I see by this, how hateful sin is to Thee. Make it so to me, I beseech Thee. May I never flatter myself that Thy mercy will spare me, if I continue in sin, when thou sparedst not Thine own Son, when He put Himself in the place of sinners! May I never 1 Deut. xxi. 23. |