The Christian sacrifice a treatise shewing the necessity, end, and manner of receiving the Holy Commvnion : together with suitable prayers and meditations for every month in the year, and the principal festivals in memory of our Blessed Saviour : in four parts.

The Prayer before.

O Eternal God; the Soveraign Lord of all creatures, both in hea∣ven and earth: who art before all things, and on whom they all depend. To whom we owe all honour and homage, all love and dutiful affection, all praise and thanks, service and obedience, throughout our whole life. I acknow∣ledg, O Lord, that I am never more unjust, than when I do not render all this most freely and chearfully unto thee. I cannot deny the debt wherein I stand engaged; though I have too often denyed to pay it. For thou hast raised me out of the dust; and preserved me from returning thither again. Thou hast richly loaden me with thy benefits; endued me with principles of wisdom, righteousness and goodness; made a world of good things to wait upon me and minister to

me; and expectest only reasonable ser∣vice, and an easy obedience from me: which thou hast sent thy Son to demand, and to entreat, and to give me an ex∣ample of. This is the surpassing heighth of thy love, that thou wast pleased not to despise and reject us, when we had despised all thy former favours: but even to assume our Na∣ture into an inconceivable nearness to thy own; and send thy Son Jesus to seek and save us, when we were lost. I adore thine infinite condiscention, O blessed Jesus, who art not ashamed to call us Brethren. And for as much as we are partakers of flesh and blood, hast also thy self likewise taken part of the same: that through death thou mightest destroy him that had the power of death; that is, the devil. Blessed be thy goodness, that in all things thou wast made like unto us; that thou might∣est be a merciful and faithful high-Priest, to make reconciliation for our sins. Let all the Angels in heaven still praise him; for

as high as the heaven is above the earth, so great is his mercy above our thoughts. We were not worthy, that thou shouldst so much as look up∣on us, or speak unto us: and then in thine unbounded love, thou wast plea∣sed to dwell in our nature, and to send thy Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, that by a Sacrifice for sin he might condemn sin in the flesh. I see, O Lord, in that Sa∣crifice, how hateful sin was to thee, when thou wast so full of love to us: and am going to thy Table, to renounce utterly every evil way, and devote my self to an holy and god-like life: to acknowledg thy wise good∣ness, who wouldst dwell in our flesh to sanctifie and cleanse it; and give thy Son Jesus to die for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. Accompany me, O God, by that mighty spirit, through which he was conceived, and offered

himself without spot unto thee: that I may have a lively conception of him and his holy Gospel in my mind, and be made conformable to him in every thing, and offered up intirely soul and body, to be ordered and disposed of as pleaseth him. It is but just and reasonable that his will, not mine, should be done. And it is no less my happiness than my duty, to be govern∣ed by him, who is the wisdom of thee our God. I deliver up therefore my understanding, my will, my affections and passions, to be guided, directed and ruled by his supream and immutable counsels. Work in me a stedfast ad∣miration and love of his purity, lowli∣ness, meekness, patience, contented∣ness and charity: that nothing may be so desirable to me, as to have Christ Jesus, in all his divine virtues, formed in me. Hold, O Lord, this image of him alway before mine eyes: that my life may be nothing else but a constant

imitation of him, and both body and soul become the Temple of the holy Ghost; wherein thou mayst be truly honoured, heartily loved, highly prai∣sed and exalted, and purely worship∣ped and served. O that my mind may be ever employed in pious or ho∣nest thoughts; that my will may chuse the better part, which can never be taken away from me; that I may set my affections on heavenly things, and not on things upon the earth; that I may use the world, as one that seeks a better countrey; being chearful and yet composed; diligent in my calling, and yet working out my salvation; doing good to my self with all the comforts of this life, and likewise unto others. Give me the grace, good Lord, never to be weary of well-doing; to be just in all my dealings; faithful in my promises; mindful of my vows; upright in the discharge of my trust; inoffensive in word and deed, and an useful and

peaceable Member of Church and state. Dispose me to be good in all my relati∣ons; obedient to those who are over me; kind to all my equals; compassio∣nate and pittiful to those that are in mi∣sery; meek and lowly towards all men. O that riches may never make me for∣get my self, nor poverty tempt me to forget thee; that health may not make me confident and secure, nor sickness make me dejected and discontented. But I may be patient and constant in all adversities; Religious and thankful in prosperity; and go through fulness and emptiness, honour and disgrace, good report and bad, with the same evenness of mind; till I come to receive praise and commendation as a good servant of Jesus Christ, at the great day of his appearing. In whose most powerful Name I continue to make my suits unto thee; saying as he hath taught me.

Our Father, &c.

Notes

• Heb. 2.11, 14.
• v. 17.
• Rom. 8.3.