A39680:18
Sacramental meditations upon divers select places of scripture
Sacramental meditations upon divers select places of scripture wherein believers are assisted in preparing their hearts, and exciting their affections and graces, when they draw nigh to God in that most awful and solemn ordinance of the Lords Supper / by Jo. Flavel ...
London: printed for Jacob Sampson, 1679
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
To assist thee in this work, some help is offered in the following Meditations. 'Tis true, it is not the reading of the best Meditations another can prepare for thee, that will alter the temper of thy heart, except the Spirit of God concur with these truths, and bless them to thy soul: But yet these helps must not be slighted, because they are not self-sufficient. Man lives not by Bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God; yet it were a fond Vanity and Sin for any man upon that ground to cast away Bread, and expect to live by a miracle without it. We must lift up our hearts to God for a Blessing, and then eat; do the same here, first pray, then read, and the Lord quicken thee by it for duty.
There are two things of special concernment to the Reader, when thou art to address thy self to any solemn duty, especially such as this:
1. Prepare for thy duty diligently.
2. Rely not upon thy preparations.