A treatise concerning the Lords Supper: with three dialogues for the more full information of the weak, in the nature and use of this sacrament. / By Tho. Doolittel [sic].
Thomas Doolittle 1632?–1707printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1700
[8], 212 [i.e., 206], [2] p. ; 15 cm. (12mo) · 55k words · Wing D1905A
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.
But yet consider, what thy sins have been since thy Lord hath applied his Death to thee, which should have engaged thee to be more holy, and to walk m•re closely with him; but since thy sins in some respects, have been worse than all thou didst before thou wast converted; for thou hast sinned against dearer love, and clearer light: thou hast sinned against that Lord that died for thee, and after by his Spirit he hath applied his death unto thy Soul; thou hast sinned after thou hast had a Pardon of thy sin, and after he did assure thee of thy Pardon: thou hast sinned against the Father who did ordain thee unto life; against the ⟨p. 100⟩Son that did redeem thy Soul from death, & purchase for thee eternal life; against the Ho•y Spirit, that hath been fitting and preparing thee to be partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in light; thou hast sinned after rich and large Experiences of God's Goodness and Mercy to thy Soul; after thou hast tasted the bitterness of sin, and sweetness of the love of God; after thou hast resolved against thy Sin, and promised unto God upon thy knees, that if he would pardon thee, and tell thee he had pardoned thee, thou wouldest be more watchful for the time to come: God did what thou didst desire, but thou hast not done that which thou didst promise. Let all this then awaken thee to sorrow and repentance, before thou goest to the Table of the Lord.
Thirdly, Then next proceed to solemn, s••rious, fervent Prayer, and make thine Addresse• to thy God: For all that thou canst think upon, and all the course that thou canst take, will not affect thine heart, except the God o• Heaven shall work▪ them on thy heart, and cause them to make some Impression on thy Soul: Then go to God, and say, O Lord, I am ashamed to think how dully I do think of these great affecting things: With what an hard and stupid heart I roll over in my mind the Death & Sufferings of thy Son: O Lord, it is time that I should come to thee, that I might have some warmth from thee, that I might he inflamed with love; and wer it possible, might be turned into love, that I might be made up all of Love. O Lord, I have been trying to get my heart affected
with the Death of Ch••st, and with thy love and his manifested unto my Soul therein; but, Lord, my heart is dull: And sometime when the Coal begins to glow, it is covered with ashes before I am aware, It is too great a work for me to raise my heart to him who condescended to come down for me; if I could, I would Lord, I would, but cannot: but this I know, that if thou wilt, thou canst: Yea, Lord, I do believe that both thou canst, and wilt; and therefore it is that I am come to thee, O Lord, the time draws near in which I am to go unto thy Table, but shall the time of receiving come, before thou comest into my heart, to stir up thy graces in me, that I may be fitted to receive? True, Lord, I am unworthy, altogether unworthy of what I do desire; but what thou dost to any, it is not because they be worthy, but because it pleaseth thee to do for thine, what they ask of thee according to thy will: I am vile, I am vile, O Lord, I am exceeding vile; but if thou wilt clothe me with the righteousness of thy Son, and look upon me through his wounds, then thou wilt love me. Remember not my sins against thee, but remember what thy Son hath done and suffered for me; thou commandest me in the Sacrament to remember what thy Son hath suffered that I may be thankful unto thee; do thou remember what thy Son hath suffered, & be thou gracious unto me: that I might see thy smiles, and perceive thy love, when I am there;
Thirdly, Then next proceed to solemn, s••rious, fervent Prayer, and make thine Addresse• to thy God: For all that thou canst think upon, and all the course that thou canst take, will not affect thine heart, except the God o• Heaven shall work▪ them on thy heart, and cause them to make some Impression on thy Soul: Then go to God, and say, O Lord, I am ashamed to think how dully I do think of these great affecting things: With what an hard and stupid heart I roll over in my mind the Death & Sufferings of thy Son: O Lord, it is time that I should come to thee, that I might have some warmth from thee, that I might he inflamed with love; and wer• it possible, might be turned into love, that I might be made up all of Love. O Lord, I have been trying to get my heart affected ⟨p. 101⟩with the Death of Ch••st, and with thy love and his manifested unto my Soul therein; but, Lord, my heart is dull: And sometime when the Coal begins to glow, it is covered with ashes before I am aware, It is too great a work for me to raise my heart to him who condescended to come down for me; if I could, I would Lord, I would, but cannot: but this I know, that if thou wilt, thou canst: Yea, Lord, I do be•ieve that both thou canst, and wilt; and therefore it is that I am come to thee, O Lord, the time draws near in which I am to go unto thy Table, but shall the time of receiving come, before thou comest into my heart, to stir up thy graces in me, that I may be fitted to receive? True, Lord, I am unworthy, altogether unworthy of what I do desire; but what thou dost to any, it is not because they be worthy, but because it pleaseth thee to do for thine, what they ask of thee according to thy will: I am vile, I am vile, O Lord, I am exceeding vile; but if thou wilt cloath me with the righteousness of thy Son, and look upon me through his wounds, then thou wilt love me. Remember not my sins against thee, but remember what thy Son hath done and sufferd for me; thou commandest me in the Sacrament to remember what thy Son hath suffered that I may be thankful unto thee; do thou remember what thy Son hath suffered, & be thou gracious unto me: that I might see thy smiles, and perceive thy love, when I am there;
that I might come from thence with my pardon sealed, my sins subdued, my Soul strengthened to run the ways of thy Commandments, till thou shalt come and take me to thy self, where ⟨p. 102⟩I shall see my Saviour in his glory, and behold my Lord that dyed for me on the Cross.
that I might come from thence with my pardon sealed, my sins subdued, my Soul strengthned to run the ways of thy Commandments, till thou shalt come and take me to thy self, where ⟨p. 102⟩I shall see my Saviour in his glory, and behold my Lord that dyed for me on the Cross.
Fourthly, Next I would advise thee (i• thou hast opportunity) to discourse with others of such things that may tend to raise, and not to damp thy heart. When thou hast been taking pains with thy self in secret; when thou comest from thy Chamber, take heed with whom thou dost Converse, and what thou sayest: For if in secret thou didst find thy love excited, thy desires enlarged, thy faith fastening upon Christ; frothy and unseasonable discourse before thou goest, might damp all again: or if in secret thy heart were dull, yet God might bless a word or two in holy discourse for the quickening of thy heart, and raising of thy affections towards him: when thou s•ttest at thy Table, or by the fire the Night before the Sacrament, by speaking of the wonderful grace of God, the Death of Christ, of the benefits thereby, of hope of Heaven, of the coming of the Lord, of the glory there is above, of the Sabbath the redeemed of the Lord shall keep above in the Kingdom of their Father ▪ When the two Disciples were discoursing of Christs Death and Sufferings, Christ came and joined himself unto them, Luk 24▪13, 14, 15. If you be two discoursing together, Christ might come and make the third, and •hen your hearts will burn within you.
Fourthly, Next I would advise thee (i• thou hast opportunity) to discourse with others of such things that may tend to raise, and not to damp thy heart. When thou hast been taking pains with thy self in secret; when thou comest from thy Chamber, take heed with whom thou dost Converse, and what thou sayest: For if in secret thou didst find thy love excited, thy desires enlarged, thy faith fastning upon Christ; frothy and unseasonable discourse before thou goest, might damp all again: or if in secret thy heart were dull, yet God might bless a word or two in holy discourse for the quickning of thy heart, and rassing of thy affections towards him: when thou s•ttest at thy Table, or by the fire the Night before the Sacrament, by speaking of the wonderful grace of God, the Death of Christ, of the benefits thereby, of hope of Heaven, of the coming of the Lord, of the glory there is above, of the Sabbath the redeemed of the Lord shall keep above in the Kingdom of their Father ▪ When the two Disciples were discoursing of Christs Death and Sufferings, Christ came and joyned himself unto them, Luk 24▪13, 14, 15. If you be two discoursing together, Christ might come and make the third, and •hen your hearts will burn within you.
Having thus▪ endeavoured to get thine heart prepared as thou passest from thine house to the House of God, from thine House ⟨p. 103⟩unto this Ordinance, watch over thy thoughts as thou walkest along, and let thine heart be working towards God and Christ. Oh that I might feel the Power of Christs Death this Day! Oh that I might have my Pardon Sealed to […] this day? That I might be made conformable to Christs Death, see his smiles, taste his love, and be strengthened with strength in my •oul: And when thou comest to join in the Public Solemn Worship, with others of Gods people, then mind the Work that is before thee, and labour so to behave thy self in the Duty, th•• thou mightest not lose thy pains thou hast taken in preparing for the duty. And this brings me to the next Conclusion, to answer to this Case or Question.
Having thus▪ endeavoured to get thine heart prepared as thou passest from thine house to the House of God, from thine House ⟨p. 103⟩unto this Ordinance, watch over thy thoughts as thou walkest along, and let thine heart be working towards God and Christ. Oh that I might feel the Power of Christs Death this Day! Oh that I might have my Pardon Sealed to 〈…〉 this day? That I might be made conformable to Christs Death, see his smiles, tast his love, and be strengthned with strength in my •oul: And when thou comest to joyn in the Publick Solemn Worship, with others of Gods people, then mind the Work that is before thee, and labour so to behave thy self in the Duty, th•• thou mightest not lose thy pains thou hast taken in preparing for the duty. And this brings me to the next Conclusion, to answer to this Case or Question.
Under what Consideration should a believer eye the blood of Christ in the Lords Supper, and have his Graces drawn forth into act, when he doth so consider it?
A Believer should eye the Blood of Christ in the Lords Supper in the several properties, virtue and efficacy of it, till suitable Graces thereby are drawn forth into Act
A Believer should eye the Blood of Christ in the Lords Supper in the several properties, vertue and efficacy of it, till suitable Graces thereby are drawn forth into Act
For your help in the first of these, I would advise you to eye the Blood of Christ in these properties, which also set forth the virtue and efficacy thereof.
For your help in the first of these, I would advise you to eye the Blood of Christ in these properties, which also set forth the vertue and efficacy thereof.
1. Eye the Blood of Christ in the Sacrament as it is a precious Blood, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19 We were not redeemed with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, but with the precious Blood of Christ, &c.
1. Comparative, by way of Comparison, being more precious, than all the precious things in nature, as Silver and Gold, which are vile, corruptible, and contemptible in comparison of the Blood of Christ; of no worth and value to redeem Souls, as this is.
2. Absolute; Consider it absolutely in it self: and so the dignity and excellency of his person makes it so exceeding precious, being the Blood of that person that was God as well as Man, Acts 20.28.
