A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian Politics

The HymnThe First Part

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and healeth all thy diseases; who redeemed thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Behold, what love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God. Because thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live; I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, all that are far from thee shall perish; but it is good for me to draw near to God. I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.252

The Second Part

How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore do the sons of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures: for with thee is the fountain of life. In thy light we shall see light. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth. My flesh also shall rest in hope. Thou wilt show me the path of life. In thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. O continue thy loving-kindness to them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. To the end that my glory may sing praise unto thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I give thanks to thee for ever.253

The Third Part

Glory to God in the highest: on earth peace, good will towards men. Praise ye the Lord: sing to the Lord a new song; his praise is in the congregation of saints. For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people; he will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory. Let the high praises of God be in their mouths. All thy works praise thee, O Lord, and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; to make known to the sons of men thy mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of thy kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion is through all generations. The elders and saints about thy throne, rest not day nor night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. They sing unto thee the song of Moses, and of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name; for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made manifest. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory. For thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, and made us kings and priests to God.254

The Fourth Part

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad before the Lord; for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth. With righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity. Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening to the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominions. Bless the Lord, O my soul. My mouth shall speak the praises of the Lord; and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.255

THE ORDER OF CELEBRATING THE SACRAMENT OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST

This, or the like Explication of the Nature, Use, and Benefits of this Sacrament, may be used at the Discretion of the Minister, when he seeth it needful to the Instruction of the Communicants.

That you may discern the Lord's body, and understand the nature, use, and benefits of this sacrament; you must know that God created man in his own image, to know, and love, and serve his Maker; that man fell under the guilt of sin and condemnation, and left his holy fitness for the work for which he was created. That hereupon the wonderful love and wisdom of God provided us a remedy in our Redeemer, to the end he might not lose the glory of his creation, that he might pardon and save us upon terms; securing the honour of his justice, and attaining the ends of his law and government, and recover us to his love and service, by appearing to the world, in the greatest demonstrations of goodness, love, and mercy. By the greatest miracle of condescension, he first promised, and then gave his only Son, the Eternal Word, to take man's nature into personal union with his Godhead; that being God and man, he might be a fit Mediator between God and man, to restore us, and reconcile us to himself. Thus Jesus Christ, conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary, became the Second Adam, the Physician and Saviour of undone sinners, the Captain of our salvation, to be the glorious King and Head of all that are sanctified and saved. He revealed the holiness, the goodness, and the love of God, by the perfect holiness, goodness, and love of his blessed person, doctrine, and conversation, and by suffering for us all the afflictions of this life, and at last the cursed death of the cross, as a sacrifice and ransom for us. That all this might be effectual to our recovery, he made for us a new and better covenant, and preached it himself, undertaking the pardon, justification, and sanctification of all that by unfeigned faith do take him for their Saviour, repenting of their sins, and consenting to be sanctified by his word and Spirit (by which also he inviteth and draweth men to himself, and giveth them to believe): into this blessed, pardoning, saving covenant, we are first solemnly entered by baptism. And when Christ was ready to leave the world, and to give up himself a sacrifice for us, and intercede and exercise the fulness of his kingly power, and the church's Head; and by his grace to draw men to himself, and prepare them for his glory; he did himself institute this sacrament of his body and blood at his last supper, to be a continued representation and remembrance of his death, and therein of his own and his Father's love, until his coming; appointing his ministers, by the preaching of the gospel, and administration of these sacraments, to be his agents without, and his Spirit within, effectually to communicate his grace.

[The Lord's supper, then, is a holy sacrament instituted by Christ, wherein bread and wine being first by consecration made sacramentally, or representatively, the body and blood of Christ, are used by breaking and pouring out to represent, and commemorate, the sacrifice of Christ's body and blood, upon the cross once offered up to God for sin; and are given in the name of Christ unto the church, to signify and solemnize the renewal of his holy covenant with them, and giving of himself unto them, to expiate their sins by his sacrifice, and sanctify them further by his Spirit, and confirm their right to everlasting life: and they are received, eaten, and drunk by the church, to profess that they willingly receive Christ himself to the ends aforesaid, (their justification, sanctification, and glorification,) and to signify and solemnize the renewal of their covenant with him, and their holy communion with him, and with one another.]

It being the renewing of a mutual covenant that is here solemnized, as we commemorate Christ's sacrifice, and receive him and his saving benefits, so we offer and deliver to him ourselves, as his redeemed, sanctified people, to be a living acceptable sacrifice, thankfully and obediently to live unto his praise.

Before the receiving of his holy sacrament, we must examine ourselves, and come preparedly; in the receiving of it, we must exercise holy affections suited to the work; and after the receiving of it, we must, by consideration of it, endeavour to revive the same affections, and perform our covenant there renewed.

The holy qualifications to be before provided, and in receiving exercised, and after receiving, are these. 1. A true belief of the articles of the christian faith concerning Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; the person, offices, works, sufferings, and benefits of Christ. 2. The sense of our sinful and undone condition, as in ourselves, and of our need of Christ: so as humbly to loathe ourselves for our transgressions, with the sense of our present weaknesses to be strengthened, and sins to be forgiven. 3. A true desire after Christ for pardon, and spiritual nourishment and salvation. 4. A thankful sense of the wonderful love of God, declared in our redemption, and in the present offers of Christ, and life. 5. The exercise of holy love and joy in the sense of this unspeakable love. (If these two be not felt before we come, yet in and after the sacrament we must strive to exercise them.) 6. A love to one another, and forgiving wrongs to one another, with a desire after the communion of saints. 7. The giving up ourselves in covenant to God, with resolution for renewed obedience. 8. A patient hope for the coming of Christ himself, and of the everlasting kingdom, where we shall be perfectly united in him, and glorified with him.

Those only are to be invited to the Lord's table, and to come, that truly repent and believe, and unfeignedly consent to the terms of the covenant (though all are not to be invited thus to believe and repent, and so to come). But those are to be admitted, by the pastors, if they come, who, having the use of reason to understand what they do, and examine themselves, have made a personal profession of faith, repentance, and obedience; and are members of the church, and not justly for heresy or scandalous sin, removed from its present communion.

The benefit of the sacrament is not to be judged of only by present experience and feeling, but by faith. God having appointed us to use it, and promised his blessing, we may and must believe, that he will make good his promise; and whatever we feel at present, that we sincerely wait not on him in vain.

The Exhortation

You are invited hither, dear brethren, to be guests at this holy table, by the Lord's command, to receive the greatest mercy, and to perform the greatest duty. On Christ's part, all things are made ready. The feast is prepared for you, even for you that by sin have deserved to be cast out of the presence of the Lord; for you that have so oft neglected and abused mercy. A feast of the body and blood of Christ, free to you, but dear to him. You were lost, and in the way to be lost for ever, when by the greatest miracle of condescending love, he sought and saved you. You were dead in sin, condemned by the law, the slaves of Satan; there wanted nothing but the executing stroke of justice to have sent you into endless misery; when our dear Redeemer pitied you in your blood, and shed his own to wash and heal you. He suffered that was offended, that the offender might not suffer. He cried out on the cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" that we who had deserved it, might not be everlastingly forsaken. He died that we might live. Oh how would the mercy of redemption have affected you, if you had first lain one year, or month, or day in hell! Had you but seen your dying Lord, or seen the damned in their misery, how do you think you should have valued the salvation that is now revealed and tendered to you? See here Christ dying in this holy representation. Behold the sacrificed Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world. It is his will to be thus frequently crucified before your eyes. Oh how should we be covered with shame, and loathe ourselves, that have both procured the death of Christ by sin, and sinned against it! And how should we all be filled with joy, that have such mysteries of mercy opened, and so great salvation freely offered to us! O hate sin, O love this Saviour: see that you come not hither without a desire to be more holy, nor with a purpose to go on in wilful sin. Be not deceived, God is not mocked; but if you heartily repent, and consent to the covenant, come and welcome; we have commission from Christ to tell you, that you are welcome. Let no trembling, contrite soul draw back, that is willing to be Christ's upon his covenant terms, but believe that Christ is much more willing to be yours. He was first willing, and therefore died for you, and made the covenant of grace, and sent to invite and importune you to consent, and stayed for you so long, and gave you your repentance, your willingness, and desire. Question not then his willingness, if you are willing. It is Satan and unbelief that would have you question it, to the injury both of Christ and you. Come near, observe, believe, and wonder at the riches of his love and grace; for he hath himself invited you to see and taste, that you may wonder. You are sinners, but he inviteth you to receive a renewed, sealed pardon of your sins, and to give you more of his Spirit to overcome them. See here his broken body and his blood, the testimonies of his willingness. Thus hath he sealed the covenant, which pardoneth all your sins, and secureth you of your reconciliation with God, and your adoption, and your right to everlasting blessedness. Deny not your consent, but heartily give up yourselves to Christ, and then doubt not but your scarlet, crimson sins shall be made as white as wool or snow. Object not the number or greatness of them against his grace. There is none too great for him to pardon to penitent believers. Great sins shall bring great glory to his blood and grace. But strive you then for great loathing of your sins, and greater love to such a God, and greater thanks to such a Saviour. Unfeignedly say, I am willing, Lord, to be wholly thine, and then believingly take Christ, and pardon, and life, as given you by his own appointment in the sealed covenant. And remember that he is coming. He is coming with thousands of his mighty angels, to execute judgment on the ungodly, but to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all that do believe. And then we shall have greater things than these. Then shall you see all the promises fulfilled, which now are sealed to you, on which he causeth you to trust. Revive now your love to one another, and forgive those that have wronged you, and delight in the communion of the saints; and then you shall be admitted into the church triumphant, where with perfect saints you shall perfectly rejoice, and love and praise the Lord for ever. Receive now a crucified Christ here represented, and be contented to take up your cross, and follow him. And then you shall reign with a glorified Christ, in the blessed vision and fruition of that God, to whom by Christ you are now reconciled. Let faith and love be working upon these things, while you are at this holy table.

Then shall the Minister use this or the like Prayer.

Most holy God, we are as stubble before thee, the consuming fire. How shall we stand before thy holiness, for we are a sinful people, laden with iniquity, that have gone backward and provoked the Holy One of Israel. When we were lost, thy Son did seek and save us; when we were dead in sin, thou madest us alive. Thou sawest us polluted in our blood, and saidst unto us, Live. In that time of love thou coveredst our nakedness, and enteredst into a covenant with us, and we became thine own. Thou didst deliver us from the power of darkness, and translate us into the kingdom of thy dear Son; and gavest us remission of sin, through his blood. But we are grievous revolters, we have forgotten the covenant of the Lord our God. We were engaged to love thee with all our hearts, and to hate iniquity, and serve thee diligently, and thankfully to set forth thy praise. But we have departed from thee, and corrupted ourselves by self-love, and by loving the world, and the things that are in the world, and have fulfilled the desires of the flesh, which we should have crucified. We have neglected our duty to thee, and to our neighbour, and the necessary care of our own salvation. We have been unprofitable servants, and have hid thy talents, and have dishonoured thee, whom in all things we should have pleased and glorified. We have been negligent in hearing and reading thy holy word, and in meditating and conferring of it, in public and private prayer, and thanksgiving, and in our preparation to this holy sacrament, in the examining of ourselves, and repenting of our sins, and stirring up our hearts to a believing and thankful receiving of thy grace, and to love and joyfulness, in our communion with thee and with one another. We have not duly discerned the Lord's body, but have profaned thy holy name and ordinance, as if the table of the Lord had been contemptible. And when thou hast spoken peace to us, we returned again to folly. We have deserved, O Lord, to be cast out of thy presence, and to be forsaken, as we have forsaken thee, and to hear our confusion, Depart from me, I know you not, ye workers of iniquity. Thou mayst justly tell us, thou hast no pleasure in us, nor wilt receive an offering at our hand. But with thee there is abundant mercy. And our advocate Jesus Christ the righteous, is the propitiation for our sins; who bare them in his body on the cross, and made himself an offering for them, that he might put them away by the sacrifice of himself: have mercy upon us, and wash us in his blood, clothe us with his righteousness, take away our iniquities, and let them not be our ruin; forgive them and remember them no more. O thou that delightest not in the death of sinners, heal our backslidings, love us freely, and say unto our souls, that thou art our salvation. Thou wilt in nowise cast out them that come unto thee; receive us graciously to the feast thou hast prepared for us; cause us to hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousness, that we may be satisfied. Let his flesh and blood be to us meat and drink indeed; and his Spirit be in us a well of living water, springing up to everlasting life. Give us to know thy love in Christ, which passeth knowledge. Though we have not seen him, let us love him; and though now we see him not, yet believing let us rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Though we are unworthy of the crumbs that fall from thy table, yet feed us with the bread of life, and speak and seal up peace to our sinful, wounded souls. Soften our hearts that are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin: mortify the flesh, and strengthen us with might in the inner man; that we may live and glorify thy grace, though Jesus Christ our only Saviour.256 Amen.

Here let the Bread be brought to the Minister, and received by him, and set upon the Table, and then the Wine in like manner, (or if they be set there before,) however, let him bless them, praying in these or the like words.

Almighty God, thou art the Creator and the Lord of all things. Thou art the Sovereign Majesty whom we have offended; thou art our most loving and merciful Father, who hast given thy Son to reconcile us to thyself, who hath ratified the new testament and the covenant of grace with his most precious blood; and hath instituted this holy sacrament to be celebrated in remembrance of him till his coming. Sanctify these thy creatures of bread and wine, which according to thy institution and command, we set apart to this holy use, that they may be sacramentally the body and blood of thy Son Jesus Christ.257 Amen.

Then (or immediately before this Prayer) let the Minister read the words of the Institution, saying,

Hear what the apostle Paul saith: "For I have received of the Lord, that which also I deliver unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me; for as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come."258

Then let the Minister say,

This bread and wine being set apart, and consecrated to this holy use by God's appointment, are now no common bread and wine, but sacramentally the body and blood of Christ.

Then let him thus pray:

Most merciful Saviour, as thou hast loved us to the death, and suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust, and hast instituted this holy sacrament to be used in remembrance of thee till thy coming; we beseech thee, by thine intercession with the Father, through the sacrifice of thy body and blood, give us the pardon of our sins, and thy quickening Spirit, without which the flesh will profit us nothing. Reconcile us to the Father; nourish us as thy members to everlasting life.259 Amen.

Then let the Minister take the Bread, and break it in the sight of the people, saying,

The body of Christ was broken for us, and offered once for all to sanctify us. Behold the sacrificed Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.

In like manner let him take the Cup, and pour out the Wine in the sight of the Congregation, saying,

We were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish, and without spot.

Then let him thus pray:

Most Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son, by whom Christ was conceived, by whom the prophets and apostles were inspired, and the ministers of Christ are qualified and called, that dwellest and workest in all the members of Christ, whom thou sanctifiest to the image and for the service of their Head, and comfortest them that they may show forth his praise; illuminate us, that by faith we may see him that is here represented to us. Soften our hearts, and humble us for our sins. Sanctify and quicken us, that we may relish the spiritual food, and feed on it to our nourishment and growth in grace. Shed abroad the love of God upon our hearts, and draw them out in love to him. Fill us with thankfulness and holy joy, and with love to one another: comfort us by witnessing that we are the children of God. Confirm us for new obedience. Be the earnest of our inheritance, and seal us up to everlasting life.260 Amen.

Then let the Minister deliver the Bread thus consecrated and broken to the Communicants, first taking and eating it himself as one of them, when he hath said,

Take ye, eat ye; This is the body of Christ which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of him.261

In like manner he shall deliver them the Cup, first drinking of it himself, when he hath said,

This cup is the new testament in Christ's blood, [or Christ's blood of the new testament,] which is shed for you for the remission of sins; drink ye all of it in remembrance of him.262

Let it be left to the Minister's choice, whether he will consecrate the bread and wine together, and break the bread and pour out the wine immediately; or whether he will consecrate and pour out the wine, when the Communicants have eaten the bread. If he do the latter, he must use the foregoing Prayers and expressions twice accordingly. And let it be left to his discretion, whether he will use any words at the breaking of the bread, and pouring out the wine, or not; and if the Minister choose to pray but once, at the consecration, commemoration, and delivery; let him pray as followeth, or to this sense:

Almighty God, thou art the Creator and the Lord of all. Thou art the Sovereign Majesty whom we have offended. Thou art our merciful Father, who hast given us thy Son to reconcile us to thyself; who hath ratified the new testament and covenant of grace with his most precious blood, and hath instituted this holy sacrament to be celebrated in memorial of him, till his coming. Sanctify these thy creatures of bread and wine, which, according to thy will, we set apart to this holy use, that they may be sacramentally the body and blood of thy Son Jesus Christ. And through his sacrifice and intercession, give us the pardon of all our sins, and be reconciled to us, and nourish us by the body and blood of Christ to everlasting life. And to that end, give us thy quickening Spirit to show Christ to our believing souls, that is here represented to our senses. Let him soften our hearts, and humble us for our sins, and cause us to feed on Christ by faith. Let him shed abroad thy love upon our hearts, and draw them on in love to thee, and fill us with holy joy and thankfulness, and fervent love to one another. Let him comfort us by witnessing that we are thy children, and confirm us for new obedience, and be the earnest of our inheritance, and seal us up to life everlasting; through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen.