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.

A Meditation afterward.

DOst thou mind, O my Soul, wha•• thou sayest, when every day thou callest God, Father: thy Father which is in Heaven? How happy art thou, if thou art beloved of God Almighty? So belo∣ved, that the Lord of Heaven and Earth is thy Father? What is there that thou canst desire, what canst thou long for beyond this? How well satisfied and contented shouldst thou be in the poorest condition; how well assured that all shall be well with thee, if thou art sure of this one thing, that he is thy Father? And what should make thee doubt of it, though so great an honour? Where hast thou been now? what hast thou been doing? Hast thou not been with Jesus? Hast thou not professed thy self a Christian? And truly their fellow∣ship is with the Father, and with his Son Je∣sus Christ. He hath shown thee the love which God bears to thee. He hath bid∣den thee, by those tokens, rest assured that he will never cease to love thee. For he hath given himself to thee; and thou hast given thy self to him. The Cove∣nant of friendship and eternal love hath

been renewed between us. Thou hast made oath again of fidelity to him, and he hath sworn in his holiness, that he will not take his loving kindness from thee, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail. O how rich is he, that possesses God; and is heir of his immortal glory! How chary should we be of this inestimable wealth? How void should we be of all other cares, but only this; to preserve the love of our heavenly Father? What should covetousness do in that heart, which enjoys such a Treasure? What should ambition, what should vain∣glory do in him; that can boast of the ho∣nour, of having God for his Father? Need he fear that he shall want, who is so well provided? Should he murmur or repine, who hath such fulness? Is there any cause of anger, if our Father be not angry? Shall we be uncharitable to any, who par∣take of such great charity? Watch, O my Soul, and walk circumspectly, that thou lose not such exceeding abundant grace, as this which is bestowed on thee. Go forth in this new strength and comfort which thou hast received, and perfect thy conquests over the world, the flesh, and the Devil: and resolve that nothing shall separate thee from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Well mayest thou stand to this resoluti∣on, if thou remembrest that he is thy Fa∣ther. For what is it that hath tempted thee, and drawn thy heart at any time from him? Nothing but a little short pleasure. Nothing but a vain, and many times fool∣ish, breath of a mortal man; whose breath is in his nostrils, and must shortly die, and all his thoughts perish. Nothing but that which the Moth can corrupt, or the rust consume, or a Thief despoil us of. No∣thing but a fading beauty, which sickness or time will certainly bring to decay. What are all these to the pleasure of plea∣sing God? to the commendation and praise which comes from unerring and eternal wisdom? to the durable riches, honour and beauty which our heavenly Father will give us for our portion? Our hopes in him now are infinitely better, than any thing else. The love of such a Father is more worth, than all that the whole World can do for us. Value thy self highly then, upon this account: and never call him Fa∣ther more, but with the greatest joy and contentment of heart. Be careful for no∣thing: but in every thing by prayer and sup∣plication with thanksgiving, let thy requests be made known unto him. Look often in∣to

thy heart, and ask if he be there: and say, it is enough; God is my Father, in this will I rejoyce. The peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep my heart and mind through Christ Jesus.

And here you may resolve all this month, to meditate often, upon the great FAITH and confidence which he reposed in his heavenly Father, and expressed when he died, saying; Father, into thy hands I com∣mend my Spirit. He trusted himself with him, that he should have a blessed resurre∣ction. His flesh rested in hope, that he would not leave his soul in hell, neither suffer his holy one to see corruption. Though he was then scorned, abused, made the vilest of men, and shamefully put to death upon a Gibbet; yet he took Gods word for it, that he should rise, and reign, and be glo∣rified eternally; triumphing over all his enemies, Hell and Death it self. Do thou labour to imitate him in this holy Faith, both for all the things of this life, and of that which is to come. Form thy self to an habitual trust in Gods careful Provi∣dence, and precious Promises; and com∣mit thy self unto him in well doing. Take care of that only; and leave all the rest, with an assured confidence, to him. Let

thy conversation be without covetousness; be content with such things as thou hast: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man can do unto me. This is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. And these things saith the AMEN, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the Creation of God; If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his Throne.

Notes

• •• Joh. 1.3.
• Phil. 4.6, 7
• Luke 23.46.
• Acts 2.26.31.
• Heb. 13.5, 6.
• 1 John 2.25.
• Rev. 3.14, 20, 21.