Refiner of Souls, the Health of the whole Man, the Refforative of Spiritual Decays, the Cure of Vice, the Curb of Paffions, the Antidote against Troubles and Temptations; the Conveyancer of greater Grace; the Increase of imperfect Virtue; the Stay of Hope, the Support of our Faith, and the mighty Incentive of pur Charity. To you ode of 10 alice ad lo 01 Who can exprefs the manifold, the aftonishing Benefits, which thou frequently impartest to thy Beloved and Religious Servants, by communicating in this bleffed Supper? Even thou, my God, the Cherisher of my Soul, the Repairer of my Breaches by Infirmity and Sin, and the Restorer of my inward Comfort and Peace By this thou fuftaineft them in Sadness and Affliction, and enableft them to walk upon the Waves of a troublesome World. By this thou.cheareft their Melancholy and Diftruft, and raifeft up their finking Spirits with Affurance of thy Gracións Protection and Affiftance. By this thou renewelt their Nature, and purifieft their Affections; that They, who came at firft to this Table, with great Lothness and Dulness, feel a new Warmth within, and by Degrees are brought to frequent it with unfpeakable Relish and Delight, Thefe happy and glorious Effects thou produceft, by fuch uncommon, unlikely Means, that Men may find Experimentally their own Infirmities; how little they are able to do of themselves, and how much, when ftrengthened by thee. That they are cold, infenfible, ftupid and dead to all Religious Duties, is from their own Difpofition; that they are zealous in good Works, chearful in thy Service, devout in thy Wor hip, is purely thy Gift. And fure none can come hither with stolerable Attention, but he must return with fome Improvement. For who can lie at the Fountain-head, and not receive fome Tincture.from the Sweetness of the Spring? Who can fand close to the Fire, and feel no Heat But thou art a Fountain

ever

ever full, ever over-flowing. Thou art the Fire, whofe Flames are conftantly expanding themselves, to kindle holy Affections in all thofe, who are careful to approach, and put themselves in the Way of their Activity. Pomi fotoqrai to Sanset It may be I am not worthy, to drink at the Head of this Spring, or to take my Fill of its refreshing Streams; but yet at least I will apply my Mouth to fome of its diftant Pipes, and spreading Rills, to catch a few of the Drops, as they flide by, that I be not utterly barren, nor die with Drought and Thirft. I may not be able to approach this Flame so near, that it fhould refine and brighten me to a Degree equal with the Purity of the Cherubim and Seraphim; but yet I will not despair of being fo far cherifhed and warmed by it, that my Zeal may be exalted according to the Brightnefs of Human Virtues; And my enlivened Heart fhall feel fome Glowings, if it do not flame out heavenly clear. Defects and Infirmities I know, I cannot be exempted from: But what is wanting, I beg my merciful Jefus would fupply. His Kindness will not fail to make all equitable Allowances, and his Wifdom knows where they are proper to be made. Forgiven and made up they may be; and I, unworthy as I am,, may be accepted. But that Unworthinefs must not be made a Pretence for detaining me from this Sacrament. For fure the most unworthy are comprehended, and they who fee, and lat ment, that they are fuch, can leaft of all be excluded when he pronounces that general Invitation, Come unto Me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and will refresh you.

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The oftener defcend into myfelf, the more I am convinced, that this: Defcription exactly fuits my mona State. 1fulfil the Primitive Sentence ups Gen iil bron fallen Man, and labour in the Sweat of my Face. The Sorrows of my Heart perplex and

diftract me, the Burthen of my Sins preffes me down, the Multitude of my Temptations are a perpetual Torment and Vexation; the Variety and Exhorbitance of my corrupt Affections entangle and confound,andover power my Reafon. And in the Midft of thefe Calamities and Dangers, I have no Succour, no Defence, po Supporter or Deliverer, but only thee, my God; and therefore into thy Hands, my merciful Maker and Saviour, 1 commit myself, and all my Affairs; and beg, that thou would't keep what is thus depofitedwith thee, fafe unto Life Eternal. O take me therefore into thy Cuftody, and, as thou haft ordained thy Body and Blood to be the Food of Immortality; fo grant, that it may have its proper Efficacy upon my Soul in particular to the Glory of thy Name, and the hos nour of fo bleffed an Inftitution. And, that no Neglect or Unfruitfulness of mine may obstruct its kindly and powerful Operations; Grant, I beseech thee, my God and Saviour, that I never may be guilty of fuch Dif respect, as wilfully to turn my Back upon thy Table but may earnestly long for, heartily rejoice in, and die ligently comply with, every Opportunity of receiving this mighty Bleffing; and may fo frequent, and fo im prove under, thy merciful Difpenfation; that I may, conftantly return, with greater Care and Zeal, more fettled Refolutions,more irreconcileable hatred against Sin, and more fervent Love for God and Goodness, than before. So fhall I approach nearer to thee indeed, and each facrament prove a fresh Advance toward Heaven. So fhall my Soul be filled with ths Treafures of thy Mercy, the Delights of thy Secret ones, and the ravishing Foretaftes of that Blifs which fhall be always growing till it be confummated at laft in that Eternal Feaft above, the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb in thy Kingdom. Amen.

CHAP

eweb am 2: n aditong snid you to as krulledegom Br tol damage CHAP. V. Soobune! Joonasidvorad ban rbiu.

The Dignity of the Sacrament, and Honour of the sledi to nbi Priesthood. motsad qo abwer【

Chrift.TF thou feeft the Table richly furnished, Bas 132 and art defirous to feast upon these dainty Meats, let that Defire be duly tempered with Reve fence and holy Fear For know, that if thou hadft the Purity of an Angel, or the mortified Piety of John the Baptift, yet even thou could'st not deserve so Divine a Bleffing, but ought'st to acknow. ledge it a mighty Favours and Condefcenfion, that thou art admitted to receive, and tafte, or even to touch this Bleffed Sacrament. That Man fhould confecrate thofe Elements, and by pronouncing a fet Form of Words introduce a new Efficacy, and give them a myftical Power, which Nature neither did, nor could provide them with before; that the Perfons prefent fhould eat the bread of Angels, and be filled with hea venly Food, by virtue of fuch Cónfecration: Thefel are not the Effect of any extroardinary Merit in them who fanctify, or who receive, thofe Creatures of Bread and wine, but the pure and fole Effect of Meroy and Grace. The Greatness of the Mystery does indeed magnify the Prieftly Office; and Men ought to pay a more then common Respect to thofe Perfons, whom God hath honoured with a Privilege, not imparted to the very Angels themselves. For they who are regularly ordained in the Church, are the only Perfons, by whofe Miniftry God gives the Body of his Son to us. They are the Perfons acting by his Commiffion, they use the Form appointed by Christ himfelf, and have a conftant mighty Effect attending. upon their due Adminiftration. But ftill our thoughts and Wonder muft not terminate in Them, as if by

their own Power and Holinefs they could bring fuch Things to pafs. For they are only Inftruments; and therefore they must carry their Meditations further, up as high as God himself, for he is the first and principal Caufe. he the invifible Worker of this Miracle of Mercy. It is his Word, which made, and governs all Things, that only can command material and common Elements to produce fpiritual and extraordinary Effects and ftrengthen and refresh the Souls of the faithful by the Body and Blood of Chrift; at the fame Time, and with as certain Operation, as their Bodies are ftrengthened and refreshed by the Bread and Wine.

When therefore thou approachest the Chriftian Altar, reft not in the Teftimony of thy Senfes, nor dwell upon the outward and vifible Signs; but let thy Faith carry thee on to the inward and fpiritual Grace, and' exercise itself in contemplating the almighty Power of God. And thou, to whom the invoking this Power and its efficacious Prefence is committed, fee that thou do it with awful Reverence and godly Fear: Confider whofe Servant thou art, and what a glorious Character thou haft received by Impofition of the Bishop's Hands. For thou art ordained a Prieft for noble and religious Purposes. The Excellence of thy Office confifts in giving thy Mafter's Family their Portion of Meat in due Manner and Seafon. Be faithful therefore in the Execution of this weighty Truft; proceed in it with a fervent and exemplary Devotion, and let it by thy first Care to offer up thyfelf an unreproveable Sacrifice to God. Do not imagine any Part of thy Privilege to confift in an Exemption from the Duties incumbent upon common Chriftians. Alas! thy Burden is not lefs, but greater; thy Temptatations more and fiercer, thy Danger more imminent, for be ing thus diftinguifhed, For it will be expected, that the Sanctity of thy Manners, the Severity of thy VirDd

tue