Sacramental Symbols as a direct consignation of pardon not that it is them compleated for it is a work of time it is as long in doing as repentance is in perfecting it is the effect of that depending on its cause in a perpetual operation but it is then working and if we go on in duty God will proceed to finish the methods of his grace and snatch us from eternal death which we have deserved and bring us unto glory And this he is pleased by the Sacramental all the way to consigne God speaks not more articulately in any voice from Heaven than in such real indications of his love and favour 14. Lastly since the Sacrament is the great solemnity of prayer and imitation of Christs intercession in Heaven let us here be both charitable and religious in our prayers interceding for all states of men and women in the Christan Church and representing to God all the needs of our selves and of our Relatives For then we pray with all the advantages of the spirit when we pray in the faith of Christ crucified in the love of God and of our neighbour in the advantages of solemn piety in the communion of Saints in the imitation of Christs intercession and in the union with Christ himself Spiritual and Sacramental and to such prayers as these nothing can be added but that which will certainly come that is a blessed hearing and a gracious answer SECT III. Devotions preparatory to this Mystery Ejaculations I. 1. I Will praise thee with my whole heart before the Angels will I sing praise unto thee 2. I will worship towards thy holy Temple and praise thy Name for thy loving kindnesse and for thy truth for thou hast magnified above all thy name the word of thy praise 3. In the day when I call upon thee thou shalt answer and shalt multiply strength in my soul. 4. How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the sum of them The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me Thy mercy O Lord endureth for ever 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope 6. My soul doth wait for the Lord more than they that keep the morning watches that they may observe the time of offering the morning sacrifices 7. O let my soul hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption he shall redeem his people from all iniquitie II. 1. Our Lord is gentle and just our God is merciful 2. The Lord keepeth the simple I was humbled but the Lord looked after my redemption 3. O my soul return thou unto thy rest because the Lord hath restored his good things unto thee 4. He hath snatched my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling I will therefore walk before the Lord in the land of the living 5. I have believed therefore will I speak in the assemblies of just men I will greatly praise the Lord. 6. What shall I return unto the Lord all his retributions are repayed upon me 7. I will bear the chalice of redemptions in the Kingdom of God and in the name of the Lord I will call upon my God III. 1. I will pay my vows unto the Lord I will then shew forth his Sacraments unto all the people 2. Honourable before the Lord is the death of his holy one and thereby thou hast broken all my chains 3. I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments 4. I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth yea I will praise him among the multitude 5. For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor to save him from them that condemn his soul. 6. His work is honourable and glorious and his righteousnesse remaineth for ever He hath made his wonderful works to be remembred 7. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion he hath given meat unto them that fear him he will ever be mindful of his covenant he hath shewed his people the power of his works blessed be God The Prayers to be used in any day or time of preparation to the Holy Sacrament I. O Thou shepherd of Israel thou that feedest us like sheep thou makest us to lie down in pleasant pastures and leadest us by the still waters running from the clefts of the rock from the wounds of our Lord from the fountains of salvation thou preparest a table for us and anointest our heads with the unction from above and our cup runneth over let the blood of thy wounds and the water of thy side wash me clean that I may with a pure clean soul come to eat of the purest sacrifice the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world II. THou givest thy self to be the food of our souls in the wonders of the Sacrament in the faith of thy Word in the blessings and graces of thy Spirit Perform that in thy Servant which thou hast prepared and effected in thy Son strengthen my infirmities heal my sicknesses give me strength to subdue my passions to mortifie my inordinations to kill all my sin increase thy Graces in my soul enkindle a bright devotion extinguish all the fires of hell my lust and my pride my envy and all my spiritual wickednesses pardon all my sins and fill me with thy Spirit that by thy Spirit thou maist dwell in me and by obedience and love I may dwell in thee and live in the life of grace till it pasâ— on to glory and immensity by the power and the blessings by the passion and intercession of the Word incarnate whom I adore and whom I love and whom I will serve for ever and ever III. O Mysterious God ineffable and glorious Majesty what is this that thou hast done to the sons of men thou hast from thy bosom sent thy Son to take upon him our nature in him thou hast opened the fountains of thy mercy and hast invited all penitent sinners to come to be pardoned all the oppressed to be eased all the sorrowful to be comforted all the sick to be cured all the hungry to be filled and the thirsty to be refreshed with the waters of life and sustained with the wine of elect souls admit me O God to this great effusion of loving kindness that I may partake of the Lord Jesus that by him I may be comforted in all my griefs satisfied in all my doubts healed of all the wounds of my soul and the bruises of my spirit and being filled with the bread of heaven and armed with the strength of the Spirit I may begin continue and finish my journey thorow this valley of tears unto my portion of thy heavenly kingdom whither our Lord is gone before to prepare a place for every loving and obedient soul. Grant this O Eternal God for his sake who died for us and intercedes for us and gives himself daily to us our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Amen CHAP. II. Of
Religion as if they were things fit only to be talked on and to be the subject of Theological discourses but not the rule of our lives and the matter of our care It is expresly said by St. Paul He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself Now if we observe what crouds of people in great Cities come to the holy Communion good and bad penitent and impenitent the covetous and the proud the crafty Merchâ—nt from yesterdays fraud and the wanton fool from his last nights lust we may easily perceive that not many men believe these words He that sayes to me drink not this for it is poyson hath given me a law and an affrightment and I dare not disobey him if I believe him and if we did believe St. Paul I suppose we should as little dare to be damned as to be poyson'd Our Blessed Saviour told us that with what measure we mete to others it shall be measured to us again but who almost believes this and considers what it means Will you be content that God should despise you as you despise your brother that he should be as soon angry with you as you are with him that he should strike you as hastily and as seldom pardon you and never bare with your infirmities and as seldom interpret fairly what you say or do and be revenged as frequently as you would be And what think we of these sayings Into the heavenly Jerusalem there shall in no wise enter any thing that defileth or prophaneth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie Do men believe God and yet doing these things hope to be saved for all these terrible sayings Now the works of the flesh are manifest adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness c. of which I tell you before that they which do such thâ—ngs shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Certainly if we did believe that these things are spoken in earnest we should not account fornication such a decent crime so fashionable and harmless or make such a maygame of the fearful lectures of damnation For if these words be true will men leave their sins or are they resolved to suffer damnation as being lesse troublesome than to quit their vain Mistresses surely that 's not it but they have some little subterfuges and illusions to trust to They say they will relie upon Gods mercy Well they may if in well doing they commit their souls to him as to a faithful Creator but will they make God their enemy and then trust in him while he remains so That will prove an intollerable experiment for so said God when he caused his name to be proclaimed to the host of Israel The Lord God merciful and gracious he caused to be added and that will by no means quit the guilty By no means No by no means let us believe that as well as the other For the passion of our Redeemer the intercession of our high Priest the Sacraments of the Church the body and blood of Christ the mercies of God the saying Lord Lord the priviledges of Christians and the absolution of the Priest none of all this and all this together shall do him no good that remains guilty that is who is impenitent and does not forsake his sin If we had faith we should believe this and should not dare to come to the holy Communion with an actual guiltiness of many crimes and in confidence of pardon against all the truth of Divine relations and therefore without faith But then here we may consider that no man in this case can hope to be excused from the necessities of a holy life upon pretence of being saved by his faith For if the case be thus these men have it not For he that believes in God believes his words and they are very terrible to all evil persons For in Christ Jesus nothing can avail but a new creature nothing but keeping the Commandments of God nothing but faith working by charity they are the words of God Wicked men therefore can never hope to be saved by their faith or by their faith to be worthy Communicants for they have it not Who then can He only by his faith is worthily disposed to the Communion and by his faith can be saved who by his faith lives a life of grace whose faith is to him a magazine of holy principles whose faith endears obedience and is the nurse of a holy hope and the mother of a never failing charity He shall be saved by his faith who by his faith is more than conquerour who resists the Devil and makes him flie and gives laws to his passions and makes them obedient who by his faith overcomes the world and removes mountains the mountains of pride and vanity ambition and secular designs and whose faith casteth out Devils the Devil of lust and the Devil of intempeâ—ance the spirit that appears like a goat and the spirit that comes in the shape of a swine he whose faith opens the blind mans eyes and makes him to see the things of God and cures the lame hypocrite and makes him to walk uprightly For these signs shall follow them that believe said our blessed Saviour and by these as by the wedding garment we are fitted to this heavenly Supper of the King In short for what ever end faith is designed whatever propositions it intends to perswade to what duties soever it does engage to what state of things soever it ought to efform us and whithersoever the nature and intention of the grace does drive us thither we must go that we must do all those things we must believe and to that end we must direct all our actions and designs For â—he nature of faith discovers it self in the affairs of our Religion as in all things if we believe any thing to be good we shall labour for it if we think so we shall do so and if we run after the vanities of the world and neglect our interest of heaven there is no other account to be given of it but because we do not believe the threatnings and the Laws of God or that heaven is not so considerable as those sottish pleasures and tâ—ifling regards for which all pains is too much though we think all labour and all passion is too little Plutarâ—h tells that when poverty desired to have a childe she lay with the God Porus their God of plenâ—y and she proved with childe and brought forth Love by which they intended to represent the nature of the Divine love it is born of a rich Father and a poor mother that is it proceeds from a contempt of the world and a value of God an emptiness of secular affections and a great estimate of wisdom and Religion But therefore it is that God and the fruits of his garden and the wealth of his treasure and the meat of his Table and the graces of his spirit are not gustful and
violence not only to the laws and manners but even to the very nature of men Lions indeed and Tygres do with a strange curiosity eye and observe him that struck them and they fight with him above all the hunters to strike again is the return of beasts but to pardon him that smote me is the bravest amends and the noblest way of doing right unto our selves whilest in the wayes of a man and by the methods of God we have conquered our enemy into a friend But revenge is the disease of honour and is as contrary to the wisdom and bravery of men as dwelling in rivers and wallowing in fires is to their natural manner of living and he who out of pretence of valour pursues revenge is like to him who because fire is a glorious thing is willing to have a St. Anthonies fire in his face 2. He that is injured must so pardon as that he must not pray to God to take revenge of his enemy It was noted as a pitiful thing of Brutus that when his army was broken and himself exposed to the insolencies of his enemies and that he could not revenge himself he cryed out most passionately in the words of the Greek tragedy to Jupiter to take vengeance of young Octavius But nothing is more against the nobleness of a Christian spirit and the interest of a holy communion than when all meet together to pray for all and all for every one that any man should except his enemy that he who prayes for blessings to the whole mystical body of Christ should secretly desire that one member should perish If one prayes for thee and another prayes against thee who knows whether thou shalt be blessed or accursed 3. He that means to communicate worthily must so forgive his enemy as never to upbraid his crime any more For we must so forgive as that we forget it not in the sense of nature but perfectly in the sense of charity For to what good purpose can any man keep a record of a shrewd turn but to become a spie upon the actions of his enemy watchful to do him shame or by that to aggravate every new offence It was a malicious part of Darius when the Athenians had plundered Sardis he resolving to remember the evil turn till he had done them a mischief commanded one of his servants that every time he waited at supper he should thrice call upon him Sr. remember the Athenians The Devil is apt enough to do this office for any man and he that keeps in mind an injury needs no other tempter to uncharitableness but his own memory He that resolves to remember it never does forgive it perfectly but is the under officer of his own malice â—or as rivers that run under ground do infallibly fall into the sea and mingle with the salt waters so is the injury that is remembred it runs under ground indeed and the anger is head but it tends certainly to mischief and though it be sometimes lesse deadly for want of opportunity yet it is never lesse dangerous 4. He that would communicate worthily must so pardon his enemy that though he be certain the man is in the wrong and sinned against God in the cause yet he must not under pretence of righting God and Religion and the laws pursue his own anger and revenge and bring him to evil Every man is concerned that evil be to him that loves it but we cozen our selves by thinking that we have nothing to do to pardon Gods enemies and vile persons It is true we have not but neither hath any private man any thing to do to punish them but he that cannot pardon Gods enemy can pray to God that he would and it were better to let it all alone than to destroy charity upon pretence of justice or Religion For if this wicked man were thy friend it may very well be supposed that thou wouldest be very kind to him though he were Gods enemy and we are easie enough to think well of him that pleases us let him displease whom he list besides 5. He may worthily communicate that so pardons his enemy as that he endeavour to make him to be his friend Are you ready to do him good Can you relieve your enemy if he were in want Yes it may be you can and you wish it were come to that And some men will pursue their enemy with implacable prosecutions till they have got them under their feet and then they delight to lift them up and to speak kindly to the man and to forgive him with all the noblenesse and bravery in the world But let us take heed lest instead of shewing mercy we make a triumph Relieve his need and be troubled that he needs it Rescue him from the calamity which he hath brought upon himself or is fallen into by misadventure but never thrust him down that thou mayest be honoured and glorious by raising him from that calamity in which thou art secretly delighted that he is intangled Lycurgus of Sâ—arta in a tumult made against him by some Citizens lost an eye which fact the wiser part of the people infinitely detesting gave the villain that did it into their Princes power and he used it worthily he kept him in his house a year he taught him vertue and brought him forth to the people a worthy Citizen To pardon thy enemy as David pardoned Absalom that 's true charity and he that does so pardon needs no further inquiry into the case of conscience It was an excellent saying of Seneca When thou doest forgive thy enemy rather seem to acquit him than to pardon him rather excuse the fault than only forbear the punishment for no punishment is greater than so to order thy pardon that it shall glorifie thy kindness and upbraid and reproach his sin 6. He that would be truly charitable in his forgiveness and with just measures would communicate must so pardon his enemy that he restore him to the same state of love and friendship as before This is urged by St. Bernard as the great imitation of the Divine mercy God hath so freely so intirely pardoned our sins that he neither condemns by revenging nor confounds by upbraiding nor loves lesse by imputing He revenges not at all he never upbraides and when he hath once pardoned he never imputes it to any evil purposes any more And just so must our reconciliation be we must love him as we loved him before for if we love him lesse we punish him if our love was valuable then he is forgiven indeed when he hath lost nothing I should be thought severe if I should say that the true forgiveness and reconciliation does imply a greater kindness after than before but such is the effect of repentance and so is the nature of love There is more joy over one sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance and a
sins frequently and repents frequently gives great reason to believe that his repentances are but pretended and that such repentances before God signifie nothing yet that is nothing to us it may be they are rendred ineffâ—ctual by the relapse and that they were good for the present as Ahabs was but whether they be or be not yet if he be not ashamed to repent so often we must think it no shame and no imprudence to forgive him and to forgive him so that he be restored intirely to his former state of good things that is there must be no let in thy charity if there be in prudence that 's another consideration But his second repentance must be accepted as well as his first and his tenth as well as his fifth And if any man think it hard so often to be tied to accept his repentance let him understand that it is because himself hath not yet been called to judgment he hath not heard the voice of the exactor he hath not yet been delivered to the tormentors nor summed up his own accounts nor beheld with amazement the vast number of his sins He that hath in deepest apprehension placed himself before the dreadful Tribunal of God or felt the smart of conscience or hath been affrighted with the fears of hell or remembers how often he hath been spared from an horrible damnation will not be ready to strangle his Brother and afflict him for a trifle because he considers his own dangers of perishing for a sum which can never be paid if it never be forgiven Question III. What indications and signs of repentance are we to require and to accept as sufficient I answer that for this circumstance there is as proper an use and exercise of our charity as in the direct forgiveness We are not to exact securities and demonstrations Mathematical nor to demand the extremity of things If thy enemy be willing to make an amends accept of his very willingnesse for some part and his amends for the other Let every good act be forwardly entertained and persuade you heartily that all is well within If you can reasonably think so you are bound to think so for after all the signs of repentance in the world he may deceive you and whether his heart be right or not you can never know but by the judgment of charity and that you may better use betimes For when ever your returning enemy saies he does repent that is gives humane and probable indications of his repentance you cannot tell but that he saies true and therefore you must forgive The words of Christ are plain if he returns saying I do repent then it is a duty and we can stay no longer for he that confesses his sin and praies for pardon hath done great violence and mortification to himself he hath punished his fault and then there is nothing left to be done by the offended party but to return to mercy and charity But in this affair it is remarkable what we are commanded by our blessed Lord Agree with thine adversary quickly c. lâ—ft thou be constrained to pay the utmost farthing Plainly intimating that in reconcilements and returns of friendship there is supposed alwaies something to be abated something clearly forgiven for if he pay thee to the utmost farthing thou hast forgiven nothing It is merchandise and not forgivenesse to restore him that does as much as you can require Be not over righteous saith Solomon that is let charity do something of thy work allow to her place and powers and opportunity It was an excellent saying of St. Bernard God is never called the God of revenges but the Father of mercies because the original of his revenges he takes from us and our sins but the original and the causes of his forgivenesse he takes from himself and so should we that we restore him that did us wrong to our love again let it not be wholly because he hath done all that can be required but something upon our own account let our mercy have a share in it that is let us accept him readily receive him quickly believe him easiy expound all things to the better sense take his word and receive his repentance and forgive him at the beginning of it not to interrupt his repentance but to incourage it and that 's the proper work of charity in the present Article Question IV. Whether after every relapse must the conditions of his pardon be harder than before I answer that I find no difference in the expression of our blessed Saviour It is all one after seven times and after seventy times and after seventy times seven times If he shall return saying I repent that 's all is here required But then because by saying I repent is not meant only the speaking it but also doing it must at least be probable that he does so as well as say so therefore although as soon as he does so so soon you must forgive him yet 1. After the first forgivenesse and at the second and third offence we are not obliged so readily to believe his saying as after the first offence at which time although he did violence to justice and charity yet he had not broken his faith as now he hath and therefore the oftner he hath relapsed the more significations he ought to give of the truth of his repentance He that is pardoned and sins again cannot expect so easily to be acquitted the third time as at the first saith S Basil. At the first fault we must believe his saying because we know nothing to the contrary but when he hath often said so and it is seen so often that he did not say true he that is forgiven and then relapses is obliged to do more the next time he pretends repentance 2. Altâ—ough we â—re bound to forgive him intirely even after a thousand injuries if he does truly repent yet this person cannot expect to be imployed or to be returned to all his former capacities of good because it is plain he hath not cured the evil principle the malicious heart or the evil eye the slanderous tongue or the unjust hand his covetous desire and his peevish anger and then though we must be ready in heart to receive him to all the degrees of his former condition when he shall be capable and is the same man that ought to be imployed yet till he be so or appears so in prudent and reasonable indications he must be pardoned heartily and prayed for charitably but he must be handled cautiously It must not be harder for thee to pardon him after ten thousand relapses and returns but after so much variety of folly and weak instances it will be much harder for him to say and prove he does repent But in this our charity must neither be credulous nor morose too easie nor too difficult but it is secure if it pardons him and prayes for him whether he repents or no. 3.
a capacity of doing this action For it is not Lent nor the Epiphany which makes us worthy to approach to the Son of God But the sincerity and purity of the soul with this come at any time but without this never In fine it is the general doctrine of the holy Fathers and the publick practice of the Primitive Church that no impenitent person should come to these divine Mysteries and they that are truly penitent should practice deep humility and undergo many humiliatioÌ„ns and live in a state of repentance till by little and little they have recover'd the holinesse they had lost and must for a long time live upon the word of God before they approach to the holy Table to be nourished by his body For so should every prodigal child cry unto his Lord Drive me not O Lord out of thy doors lest the enemy espying a wanderer and a vagabond take me for a slave I do not yet desire to approach to thy holy Table thy mystical and terrible Table for I have not confidence with my impure eyes to behold the holy of holies Only suffer me to enter into thy Church amongst the Catechumens that by beholding what is there celebrated I may by little and little enter again into the participation of them to the end that the Divine Waters of thy Word running upon me may purifie my ears from the impressions which have been made upon them by ungodly songs and from the filthinesse they have left behind and seeing how the righteous people partake by a holy violence of thy precious jewels I may conceive a burning desire to have hands worthy to receive the same excellencies I end this collection of the ancient Doctrine of the Church with recitation of the words of Gennadius I perswade and exhort Christians to receive the Communion every Lords day but so that if their mind be free from all affection of sinning For he who still hath will or desires of sin he is burdened and not purified by receiving the Eucharist And therefore although he be bitten or griev'd with sin let him for the future renounce all will to sin and before he communicate let him satisfie with prayers and tears and being confident of the mercy of our Lord who uses to pardon sins upon a pious confession let him come to the Eucharist without doubting But this I say of him who is not pressed with capital and deadly sins for such a person if he will not receive the Eucharist to judgment and condemnation let him make amends by publick penance and being reconcil'd by the Bishop or Priest let him communicate I doubt not also but such grievous sins may be extinguish'd by private satisfactions but this must be done by changing the course of his life by a professed study of Religion by a daily and perpetual mourning or contrition that through the mercy of God he may do things contrary to these whereof he does repent and then humbly and suppliant let him every Lords day communicate to the end of his life This advice of Gennadius declares the sentiment of the Church that none must communicate till they have worthily repented and in the way of piety and contrition made amends for their faults as well as they may and have put themselves into a state of vertue contrary to their state of sin that is have made progression in the reformation of their lives that they are really changed and become new men not in purpose only but actually and in the commencement of holy habits And therefore it is remarkable that he advises that these persons who do not stand in the place of publick penitents should upon the commission of grievous faults enter into Religion he means into solitude and retirement and renunciation of the world that by attending wholy to the severities and purities of a religious life they may by such strictnesses and constant piety be fitted for the communion Now whatever ends besides this the Divine Providence might have yet it is not to be neglected that when the ancient discipline of the Church of penances and satisfactions was gone into desuetude the Spirit of Religion entred more fully into the world and many religious orders and houses were instituted that at least there the world might practise that severity in private which the change of affairs in the face of the Church had taken from the publick ministeries Penance went from the Churches into desarts and into Monasteries but when these were corrupted and the manners of men were worse corrupted it is hard to say whither it is gone now It may be yet done in private and under the hand of a spiritual guide or by the spirit of penance in the heart of a good man and by the conduct of a wise counsellor but besides that the manners of men are corrupted the doctrines also are made so easie and the Communion given to sects and opinions or indifferently to all that it is very rare to see them who have sinn'd grievously repent worthily who therefore can never be worthy communicants for no impenitents can partake of Christ who as S. Hierom cals him is the prince of penance and the head of them who by repentance come unto salvation But this was his advice to them that commit grievous sins such which lay the conscience wast and whose every single action destroyes our being in the state of grace But as for them whose sins are but those of dayly incursion and of infirmity or imperfection such which a great diligence and a perpetual watchfulness might have prevented but an ordinary care would not these must be protested against they must not joyn with our consent our will must be against them and they must be confess'd and deplor'd and prayed against before we may communicate This is the sense of the Church of God Having established this great general measure of preparation it will not be very difficult to answer that great question often disputed amongst spiritual persons viz. Question I. Whether is it better to communicate seldom or frequently To this I answer That it is without peradventure very much better to receive it every day than every week and better every week then every month Christiani omni die carnes agni comedunt said Origen Christians every day eat of the flesh of the sacrificed lamb And St. Basil expresly affirms that to communicate every day and to partake of the body and blood of Christ is excellent and very profitable Christ himself having manifâ—stly said it he that eats my flesh and drinks my blood hath life eternal For if the Sacrament does no benefit to souls and produces no blessings then a man can institute a Sacrament for he may appoint any thing that shall be good for nothing But if it be an instrument in the hand of God to procure blessings to us and spiritual emolument if it be a means of union with Christ who would not willingly
uâ—certain evils none at all or very excusable And â—herefore it was to very great purpose that thâ— Apostâ—e gave command that eveâ—y man should examine himsâ—lf and so let him eaâ— that is let it be done as it may be done thorowly lâ—t him do it whose case it is and who is most concerned that it be done well let it be done so that it may not be allayed and lessened by the judgment of charity and therefore let a man do it himself For when the Curate comes to do it he cannot do it well unless he do it with mercy for he must make abatements which the sinners case does not often need in order to his reconciliation and returns to God where severity is much better than gentle sentences But the Minister of Religion must receive in some cases such persons who ought not to come and who should abstain when themselves give righteous judgment upon themselves For if it be lawful for Christian people to communicate with evil persons it is lawful for Christian Priests to minister it it being commanded to the people in some cases to withdraw themselves from a Brother that walks inordinately but no where commanded that a Minister of Religion shall refuse to give it to him that requires it and is within the Communion of the Church and is not yet as an heathen and a publican and it is evident that in the Churches of Corinth the Communion was given to persons who for unworthiness fell under the divine anger and yet no man was reprov'd but the unworthy Communicants and themselves only commanded to take care of it For he that says the people may not communicate with wicked persons falls into the errour of the Donatists which St. Austin and others have infinitely confuted but he that says the people may ought not to deny but that the Priest may and if he may communicate with him it cannot be denied but he may minister to him But this was the case of the Sons of Israel who did eat Manna and drank of the rock and yet that rock was Christ and that Manna was also his Sacrament and yet with many of these God was angry and they fell in the wildernesse And if Baptism was given as soon as ever men were converted in the very day of their change and that by the Apostles themselves and yet the same Christ is there consigned and exhibited we may remember that in Scripture we find no difference in the two Sacraments as to this particular But in this there needs not much to be said they that think things can be otherwise and have tried have declar'd to all the world by the event of things that although the guides of souls may by wise and seasonable discourses persuade and prevail with some few persons yet no man can reform the world and if all were rejected whose life does not please the Curate some will not care and will let it quite alone and others that do care will never the more be mended but turn hypocrites and they are the worst of men but most readily communicated Some other evils do also follow and when we have reckoned schisms partialities reproaches animosities and immortal hatreds between Priest and People we have not reckon'd the one half 6. When to separate Criminals can be prudent and useful and is orderly limited and legal it ought not to be omitted upon any consideration because it is the sinews and whole strength of Ecclesiastical discipline and is a most charitable ministery to souls and brings great regard to the holy Sacrament and produces reverence in the Communicants and is a deletery to sin and was the perpetual practice of the best Ages of the Church and was blest with an excellent corresponding piety in their Congregations upon which account and of other consideraons S. Cyprian S. Basil S. Chrysostom and divers others call upon Prelates and people to exercise and undergo respectively this Ecclesiastical discipline But this hath in it some variety 1. For if the person be a notorious a great and incorrigible Criminal refusing to hear the Church proceeding against him upon complaint confession or notoreity and consequently to be esteem'd as a Heathen and a Publican then comes in the Apostolical rules with such a one not to eat and withdraw from such a one for there is no accord between Christ and Belial between a Christian and a Heathen or an Unbeliever that is one who is thrust into the place and condition of an Infidel and give nâ—t thâ—t which is holy unto Dogs 2. But if he be within the Communion of the Church and yet a Criminal not delated not convict not legally condemned and yet privately known to be such or publickly suspected and scandalous the Minister of Religion must separate him by the word of his ministry and tell him his danger and use all the means he can to bring him to repentance and amends before he admits him if the Minister of Religion omits this duty he fals undâ—r the curse threatned by God in the Prophet If he does not warn him if he does not speak to the wicked to give him warning to save his life his blood shall be upon him 3. If there be a regular jurisdiction established and this spiritual authority be backed with the secular it must be used according to the measures of its establishment and for the good of the Church in general and of the sinner in particular that is although the person be not as a heathen and excommunicate by the Churches sentence yet he must be rejected for a time and thrust into repentance and measures of satisfaction and as he must not refuse so must not the Minister of the Sacrament otherwise admit him and in this sense it was that S. Chrysostom said he would rather lose his life than admit unworthy men to the Lords Table 7. But because piety hath suffer'd shipwrack and all discipline hâ—th been lost in tâ—e storm and good manneâ—s have been thrown over board the best remedy in the world that yet remains and is in use amongst the most pâ—ous sons and daughters of the Church is that they would conduct their repentance by the continual advices and ministery of a spiritual guide for by this alone or principally was the primitive piety aâ—d repentances advanced to the excellency which we often admire but seldom imitate and the event will be that besides we shall be guided in the wayes of holiness in general we shall be at peace as to the times and manner of receiving the holy Sacrament our penitential abstentions and seasonâ—ble returns and we shâ—ll not so frequently feel the effects of the Divine anger upon our persons as a reproach of our folly aâ—d the punishment of our unworthy receiving the Divine mysteries And this was earnestly advised and pressed upon their people by the holy Fathers who had as great experience in their conduct as
they had zeal for the good of souls Let no man say I repent in private I repent before God in secret God who alone does pardon does know that I am contrite in heart For was it in vain was it said to no purpose whatsoever ye shall loose in earth shall be loosed in heaven we evacuate the Gospel of God we frustrate the words of Christ so S. Austin And therefore when a man hath spoken the sentence of the most severe medicine let him come to the Presidents of the Church who are to minister in the power of the Keyes to him and beginning now to be a good son keeping the order of his Mother let him receive the measure and manner of his repentances from the Presidents of the Sacraments Concerning this thing I shall never think it fit to dispute for there is nothing to inforce it but enough to perswade it but he that tries will find the benefit of it himself and will be best able to tell it to all the world SECT VII Penitential Soliloquies Ejaculations Exercises and preparatory Prayers to be us'd in all the days of preparation to the Holy Sacrament I. ALmighty and eternal God the fountain of all vertue the support of all holy hope the Author of pardon of life and of salvation thou art the comforter of all that call upon thee thou hast concluded all under sin that thou mightest have mercy upon all Look upon me O God and have pity on me lying in my blood and misery in my shame and in my sins in the fear and guilt of thy wrath in the shadow of death and in the gates of hell I confesse to thee O God what thou knowest already but I confesse it to manifest thy justice and to glorifie thy mercy who hast spared me so long â—hat I am guilty of the vilest and basest follies which usually dishonour the fools and the worst of the sons of men II. I have been proud and covetous envious and lustful angry and greedy indevout and irreligious restless in my passions sensual and secular but hating wise counsels and soon weary of the Offices of a holy Religion I cannot give an account of my time and I cannot reckon the sins of my tongue My crimes are intolerable and my imperfections shameful and my omissions innumerable and what shall I do O thou preserver of men I am so vile that I cannot express it so sinful that I am hateful to my self and much more abominable must I needs be in thy eyes I have sinn'd against thee without necessity sometimes without temptation only because I would sin and would not delight in the ways of peace I have been so ingrateful so foolish so unreasonable that I have put my own eyes out that I might with confidence and without fear sin against so good a God so gracious a Father so infinite a Power so glorious a Majesty so bountiful a Patron and so mighty a Redeemer that my sin is grown shameful and aggravated even to amazement I can say no more I am asham'd O God I am amaz'd I am confounded in thy presence III. But yet O God thou art the healer of our breaches and the lifter up of our head and I must not despair and I am sure thy goodness is infinite and thou dost not delight in the death of a sinner and my sins though very great are infinitely less than thy mercies which thou hast revealed to all penitent and returning sinners in Jesus Christ. I am not worthy to look up to heaven but be thou pleased to look down into the dust and lift up a sinner from the dunghil let me not perish in my folly or be consumed in thy heavy displeasure Give me time and space to repent and give me powers of Grace and aids of thy spirit that as by thy gift and mercy I intend to amend whatsoever is amiss so I may indeed have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same Inspire me with the spirit of repentance and mortification that I may always fight against my sins till I be more than conquerour Support me with a holy hope confirm me with an excellent operative and unreprovable faith and enkindle a bright and a burning charity in my soul Give me patience in suffering severity in judging and condemning my sin and in punishing the sinner that judging my self I may not be condemned by thee that mourning for my sins may rejoyce in thy pardon that killing my sin I may live in righteousness that denying my own will I may always perform thine and by the methods of thy Spirit I may overcome all carnal and spiritual wickednesses and walk in thy light and delight in thy service and perfect my obedience and be wholly delivered from my sin and for ever preserved from thy wrath and at last passe on from a certain expectation to an actual fruition of the glories of thy Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Amen Amen 1. I am in thy sight O Lord a polluted person sin like a crust of leprosie hath overspread me I am a scandal to others a shame to my self a reproach to my relations a burden to the earth a spot in the Church and deserve to be rejected and scorn'd by thee 2. But this O God I cannot bear It is just in thee to destroy me but thou delightest not in that I am guilty of death but thou lovest rather that I should live 3. O let the cry of thy Sons blood who offers an eternal Sacrifice to thee speak on my behalf and speak better things than the blood of Abel 4. My conscience does accuse me the Devils rejoyce in my fall and aggravate my crimes already too great and thy holy Spirit is grieved by me But my Saviour Jesus died for me and thou pittiest me and thy holy Spirit still calls upon me and I am willing to come but I cannot come unlesse thou drawest me with the cords of love 5. O draw me unto thee by the Arguments of charity by the endearments of thy mercies by the order of thy providence by the hope of thy promises by the sense of thy comforts by the conviction of my understanding by the zeal and passion of holy affections by an unreprovable faith and an humble hope by a religious fear and an increasing love by the obedience of precepts and efficacy of holy example by thy power and thy wisdom by the love of thy Son and the grace of thy Spirit Draw me O God and I will run after thee and the sweetnesses of thy precious ointments 6. I am not worthy O Lord I am not worthy to come into thy presence much less to eat the flesh of the Sacrificed Lamb For my sins O Blessed Saviour Jesus went along in confederation with the High Priests in treachery with Judas in injustice with Pilate in malice with the people 7. My sins and the Jews crucified thee my hypocrisie was the kiss that betrai'd thee my covetous
do thou relieve him and never communicate but be sure to give thy alms for one part of thy offering St. Cyprian does with some vehemency upbraid some wealthy persons in his time who came to the celebration of the Lords Supper and neglected the Corban or the ministring to the Saints Remember that by mercy to the poor the sentence of dooms-day shall be declared because what we do to them we do to Christ and who would not relieve Christ who hath made himself poor to make us rich And what time is so seasonable to feed the members of Christ as that when he gives his body to feed us and that when his members are met together to confess to celebrate to remember and to be joyned to their head and to one another In short The Church alwaies hath used at that time to be liberal to her poor and that being so seasonable and blessed an opportunity and of it self also a proper act of worship and sacrifice of religion and homage of thankfulness and charity it ought not to be omitted and it can have no measure but that of your love and of your power and the other accidents of your life and your religion 12. As soon as ever you have taken the holy Elements into your mouth and stomach remember that you have taken Christ into you after a manner indeed which you do not understand but to all purposes of blessing and holiness if you have taken him at all And now consider that he who hath given you his Son with him will give you all things else therefore represent to God through Jesus Christ all your needs and the needs of your relatives signifie to him the condition of your soul complain of your infirmities pray for help against your enemies tell him of your griefs represent your fears your hopes and your desires But it is also the great sacrifice of the world which you have then assisted in and represented and now you being joyned to Christ are admitted to intercede for others even for all mankind in all necessities and in all capacities pray therefore for all for whom Christ dâ—ed especially for all that communicate that day for all that desire it that their prayers and yours being united to the intercession of your Lord may be holy and prevail 13. After you have given thanks and finished your private and the publick devotions go home but do not presently forget the solemnity and sink from the sublimity of devotion and mystery into a secular conversation like a falling star from brightness into dirt The Ethiopians would not spit that day they had communicated thinking they might dâ—shonour the Sacrament if before the consumption of the Symbols they should spit but although they meant reverence yet they express'd it ill It was better which is reported of St. Margaret a daughter of the King of Hungary that the day before she was to communicate she fasted with bread and water and after the Communion she retired her self till the evening spending the day in meditations prayers and thanksgiving and at night she eat her meal Her imployment was very well sitted to the day but for her meal it is all one when she eat it so that by eating or abstaining she did advantage to her spiritual imployment But they that as soon as the office is finished part wiâ—h Christ and carry their mind away to other interests have a suspicious indifferency to the things of God They have brought their Lord into the house and themselves slip out at the back-door Otherwise does the Spouse entertain her beloved Lord I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go He that considers the advantages of prayer which every faithful soul hath upon a Communion day will not easily let them slâ—p but tell all his said stories to his Lord and make all his wants known and as Jacob to the Aâ—gel will not let him go till he hath given a blessing Upon a Communion-day Christ who is the beloved of the soul is gone to rest and every secular imployment that is not necessary and part of duty and every earthly thought does waken our Beloved before he please let us take heed of that 14. But what we do by devotion and solemn religion that day we must do every day by the material practice of vertues we must verifie all our holy vows and promises we must keep our hearts curiously restrain our passions powerfully every day proceed in the mortification of our angers and desires in the love of God and of our neighâ—â—urs and in the patient toleration of all injuries which men offer and all the evil by which God will try us Let not drunkenness enter or evil words go forth of that mouth through which our Lord himself hath passed The Heathens used to be drunk at their Sacrifices but by this sacrifice Eucharistical it is intended we should be filled with the Spirit If we have communicated worthily we have given our selves to Christ we have given him all our liberty and our life our bodies and our souls our actions and our passions our affections and our faculties what we are and what we have and in exchange have received him and we may say with St. Paul I live but not I But Christ liveth in me So that we must live no more unto the world but unto God and having fed upon Manna let us not long to return to Aegypt to feed on Garlick For as when men have drank wine largely the mind is free and the heart at liberty from care so when we have drank â—he bloud of Christ the cup of our salvation the chains of the old man are untied and we must forget our secular conversation So St. Cyprian But the same precept is better given by Saint Paul But the love of Christ constraineth uâ— becuase we thus judge that he died for all that thâ—y which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away bâ—hold all things are become new He that hath communicated and does not afterwards live by the measures of that daies duty hath but acted a scene of Religion but himself shall dearly pay the pâ—ice of the pompous and solemn hypocrisie Remember that he is sick who is not the better for the bread he eats and if thou dost not by the aids of Christ whom thou hast received subdue thy passion and thy sin thou hast eaten the bread of idleness for so saith St Hierom does every one who when he hath taken of the Sacrificâ— of the Lords body does not persevere in good works imitating that in deed which he hath celebrated in mystery Let us take heed for the Angels are present in these mysteries to wait upon their Lord and ours and it is a matter of great caution
of thy Cross reconcile me to thy eternal Father and bring to me peace of Conscience let the victory of thy Cross mortifie all my evil and corrupt affections let the triumph of thy Cross lead me on to a state of holiness that I may sin no more but in all things please thee and in all things serve thee and in all things glorifie thee 7. Great and infinite are thy glories infinite and glorious are thy mercies who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high and yet humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and earth Heaven it self does wholly minister to our salvation God takes care of us God loves us first God will not suffer us to perish but imployes all his attributes for our good The Son of God dies for us the holy Spirit descends upon us and teaches us the Angels minister to us the Sacrament is our food Christ is married to our souls and heaven it self is offered to us for our portion 8. O God my God assist me now and ever graciously and greatly Grant that I may not receive bread alone for man cannot live by that but that I may eat Christ that I may not search into the secret of nature but inquire after the miracles of grace I do admire I worship and I love Thou hast overcome O Lord thou hast overcome Ride on triumphantly because of thy words of truth and peace load my soul in this triumph as thy own purchase thy love hath conquer'd and I am thy servant for ever 9. Thou wilt not dwell in a polluted house make my soul clean and do thou consecrate it into a Temple O thou great Bishop of our souls by the inhabitation of thy holy spirit of purity Let not these teeth that break the bread of Angels ever grind the face of the poor let not the hand of Judas be with thee in the dish let not the eyes which see the Lord any more behold vanity let not the members of Christ ever become the members of a harlot or the ministers of unrighteousness 10. I am nothing I have nothing I desire nothing but Jesus and to be in Jerusalem the holy City from above Make haste O Lord Behold my heart is ready my heart is ready Come Lord Jesus come quickly When the holy Man that Ministers reaches the consecrated Bread suppose thy Lord entring into his Courts and say Lord I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roof but speak the word Lord and thy servant shall be whole After receiving of the Bread pray thus Blessed be the Name of our gracious God Hosannah to the Son of David Blessed is he that cometh in the name of our Lord. Hosannah in the highest Thou O blessed Saviour Jesus hast given me thy precious body to be the food of my soul and now O God I humbly present to thee my body and soul every member and every faculty every action and every passion Do thou make them fit for thy service Give me an understanding to know thee and wisdom like as thou didst to thy Apostles ingenuity and simplicity of heart like to that of Nathanael zeal and perfect repentance like the return of Zacheus Give me eyes to see thee as thy Martyr Stephen had an ear to hear thee as Mary a hand to touch thee as Thomas a mouth with Peter to confess thee an arm with Simeon to embrace thee feet to follow thee with thy Disciples an heart open like Lydia to entertain thee that as I have given my members to sin and to uncleanness so I may henceforth walk in righteousness and holiness before thee all the days of my life Amen Amen If there be any time more between the receiving the holy Body and the blessed Chalice then add O immense goodness unspeakable mercy delightful refection blessed peace-offering effectual medicine of our souls Holy Jesus the food of elect souls coelestial Manna the bread that came down from heaven sweetest Saviour grant that my soul may relish this divine Nutriment with spiritual ravishments and love great as the flames of Cherubims and grant that what thou hast given me for the remission of my sins may not â—y my fault become the increase of them Grant that in my heart I may so digest thee by a holy faith so convert thee into the unity of my spirit by a holy love that being conformed to the likeness of thy death and resurrection by the crucifying of the old man and the newness of a spiritual and a holy life I may be incorporated as a sound and living member into the body of thy holy Church a member of that body whereof thou art head that I mâ—y abide in thee and bring forth fruit in thee and in the resurrection of the Just my body of infirmity being reformed by thy power may be configured to the similitude of thy glorious body and my soul received into a participation of the eternal Supper of the Lamb that where thou art there I may be also beholding thy face in glory O blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Amen When the holy Chalice is offered attend devoutly to the blessing and joyn in heart with the words of the Minister saying Amen I will receive the Cup of salvation and call upon the Name of our Lord. After receiving of the holy Cup pray thus It is finished Blessed be the name of our gracious God Blessing glory praise and honour love and obedience dominion and thanksgiving be to him that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever I bless and praise thy Name O eternal Father most merciful God that thou hast vouchsafed to admit me to a participation of these dreadful and desirable mysteries unworthy though I am yet thy love never fails and though I too often have repented of my repentances and fallen back into sin yet thou never repentest of thy loving kindness Be pleased therefore now in this day of mercy when thou openest the treasures of heaven and rainest Manna upon our souls to refresh them when they are weary of thy infinite goodness to grant that this holy Communion may not be to me unto judgment and condemnation but it may be sweetness to my soul health and safety in every temptation joy and peace in every trouble ligâ—t and strength in every word and work comfort and defence in the hour of my death against all the oppositions of the spirits of darkness and grant that no unclean thing may be in me who have received thee into my heart and soul. II. Thou dwellest in every sanctified soul she is the habitation of Sion and thou taâ—est it for thine own and thou hast consecrated it to thy self by the operation of glorious mysteries within her O be pleased to receive my soul presented to thee in this holy Communion for thy dwelling place make it a house of prayer and holy meditations the seat of thy Spirit the repository of graces reveal to me
Spirit of mercy and justice prudence and diligence the favour of God and the love of their people and grace and blessing that they may live at peace with thee and with one another remembring the command of their Lord and King the serene and reconciling Jesus 4. Give an Apostolical Spirit to all Ecclesiastical Prelates and Priests grant to them zeal of souls wisdom to conduct their charges purity to become exemplar that their labours and their lives may greatly promote the honour of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus O grant unto thy flock to be fed with wise and holy shepherds men fearing God and hating covetousness free from envy and full of charity that being burning and shining lights men beholding â—heir light may rejoyce in that light and glorifie thee our Father which art in heaven 5. Have mercy upon all states of men and women in the Christian Church the Governors and the governed the rich and the poor high and low grant to every of them in their several station to live with so much purity and faith simplicity and charity justice and perfection that thy will may be done in Earth as it is in Heaven 6. Relieve all oppressed Princes defend and restore their rights and suppress all violent and warring spirits that unjustly disturb the peace of Christendom Relieve and comfort all Gentlemen that are fallen into poverty and sad misfortunes Comfort and support all that are sick and deliver them from all their sorrows and all the powers of the enemy and let the spirit of comfort and patience of holiness and resignation descend upon all Christian people whom thou hast in any instance visited with thy rod And be graciously pleas'd to pity poor mankind shorten the days of our trouble and put an end to the days of our sin and let the Kingdom of our dearest Lord be set up in every one of our hearts and prevail mightily and for ever 7. I humbly present to thy Divine Majesty this glorious Sacrifice which thy servants this day have represented upon earth in behalf of my dearest Relations Wife Children Husband Parents Friends c. Grant unto them whatsoever they want or wisely and holily desire keep them for ever in thy fear and favour grant that they may never sin against thee never fall into thy displeasure never be separated from thy love and from thy presence but let their portion be in the blessing and in the service in the love and in the Kingdom of God for ever and ever 8. Have mercy upon all strangers and aliens from the Kingdom of thy Son let the sweet sound of thy Gospel be heard in all the corners of the earth let not any soul the work of thy own hands the price of thy Sons blood be any longer reckon'd in the portions of thy Enemy but let them all become Christians and grant that all Christians may live according to the Laws of the holy Jesus without scandal and reproach full of faith and full of charity 9. Give thy grace speedily to all wicked persons that they may repent and live well and be saved To all good people give an increase of gifts and holiness and the grace of perseverance and Christian perfection To all Hereticks and Schismaticks grant the Spirit of humility and truth charity and obedience and suffer none upon whom the Name of Christ is called to throw themselves away and fall into the portion of the intolerable burning 10. For all mankind whom I have and whom I have not remembred I humbly represent the Sacrifice of thy eternal Son his merits and obedience his life and death his resurrection and ascension his charity and intercession praying to thee in vertue of our glorious Saviour to grant unto us all the graces of an excellent and perfect repentance an irreconcilable hatred of all sin a great love of God an exact imitation of the holiness of the ever blessed Jesus the spirit of devotion conformable will and religious affections an Angelical purity and a Seraphical love thankful hearts and joy in God and let all things happen to us all in that order and disposition as may promote thy greatest glory and our duty our likeness to Christ and the honour of his Kingdom Even so Father let it be because it is best and because thou lovest it should be so bring it to a real and unalterable event by the miracles of grace and mercy and by the blood of the everlasting Covenant poured forth in the day of the Lords love whom I adore and whom I love and desire that I may still more and more love and love for ever Amen Amen SECT III. An Advice concerning him who only Communicates Spiritually THere are many persons well disposed by the measures of a holy life to communicate frequently but it may happen that they are unavoidably hindred Some have a timerous conscience a fear a pious fear which is indeed sometimes more pitiable than commendable Others are advis'd by their spiritual Guides to abstain for a time that they may proceed in the vertue of repentance further yet before they partake of the Sacrament of love and yet if they should want the blessings and graces of the Communion their remedy which is intended them would be a real impediment Some are scandalized and offended at irremediable miscarriages in publick Doctrines or Government and cannot readily overcome their prejudice nor reconcile their consciences to a present actual Communion Some dare not receive it at the hands of a wicked Priest of notorious evil life Some can have it at no Priest at all but are in a long journey or under a Persecution or in a Country of a differing perswasion Some are sick and some cannot have it every day but every day desire it Such persons as these if they prepare themselves with all the essential and ornamental measures of address and eanestly desire that they could actually Communicate they may place themselves upon their knees and building an Altar in their heart celebrate the death of Christ and in holy desire joyn with all the Congregations of the Christian world who that day celebrate the holy Communion and may serve their devotion by the former Prayers and actions Eucharistical changing only such circumstantial words which relate to the actual participation And then they may remember and make use of the comfortable Doctrine of S. Austin It is one thing saith that learned Saint to be born of the Spirit and another thing to be fed of the Spirit As it is one thing to be born of the flesh which is when we are born of our mother and another thing to be fed of the flesh which is done when she suckles her Infant by that nourishment which is chang'd into food that he might eat and drink with pleasure by which he was born to life when this is done without the actual and Sacramental participation it is called spiritual Manducation Concerning which I only add the pious advice of
which was said by Vincentius Ferrerius The Angels that assist at this Sacrament would kill every unworthy Communicant unless the Divine mercy and long sufferance did cause them to forbear a speedy execution that the blessed Sacrament might acquire its intention and become a favour of life unto us SECT II. Acts of Vertues and Graces relative to the Mystery to be us'd before or at the Celebration of the Divine Sacrament I. The Address IT is well O sweetest Saviour Jesus it is very well that thou art pleas'd to be a daily Sacrifice for us and to become our daily supersubstantial bread to feed our souls Certain it is that we by our daily failings and the remaining pollution of our sins frequently sink down to the bottom of thy displeasure But do thou grant that being refreshed by the Sacrament and recreated by thy grace strengthened by thy spirit and comforted with thy miraculous sweetness my heart and my affections may be lifted up on high II. O grant that by thee my soul may be lifted up to thee and from her self may pass into thee with a pure mind with an unfeigned Religion with an unblameable faith and burning devotion with filial piety and a profound reverence For thou art the true God the word of life the bright Image and splendour of thy Fathers Glory the reward of the Saints and the Lord of Angels the brightness of eternal light the unspotted mirrour of eternal purity An Act of Love Thee alone O Lord my soul desires thou art eternal sweetness in my soul. If the perfume of thy oyntment be sufficient to all the the world what is the refection of thy Table If we live by every word proceeding out of thy mouth what felicity and joy is it to live upon thee the eternal Word chewing thee by faith and digesting thee by love and entertaining thee in our hearts for ever How shall not my bowels melt into thee the Sun of righteousness How is it that I do not forget all deliciousness besides thee A single pleasure poor and empty wearying and unsatisfying hath often made me to forget thee Now that thou art truly and effectively present with me how can any other pleasure in the world seem pleasant to me any more I will forget all the world I will quit all the world to live on thee if thou pleasest O dearest Saviour but do thou open thy ark and repositories of sweetness and fill my soul and all my desires that there may be no room for any thing else Thou hast called unto me to open my hand and thou wouldst fill it But I would not open it I held the world fast and kept my hand shut and would not let it go But do thou open it for me not my hand only but my mouth not my mouth but my heart also An Act of Desire after Jesus O blessed Jesus that hast said it is thy delight to be with the sons of men Thou hast made thy self the companion of our journeys the light of our ignorance the remedy of our infirmity Dwell with me sweetest Saviour and delight in me It is no small thing I ask O my God can it ever be that my God should delight in me That 's too much O God Grant that I may delight in thee and do thou delight to pardon me to sanctifie and to save me Grant that I may never offend thee that I may never grieve thy Holy Spirit that I may not provoke the Angel of the everlasting Covenant to anger But thou delightest in the works of thy hand in the graces of the Spirit in thy own excellencies and glories Endue me with thy graces fill me with thy excellencies let me communicate of thy spirit and then enjoy these thy delights with thy servant for thou canst not else delight in me Thou art thy own essential joy and everlasting blessedness and inseparable felicity But this thou hast said that thou delightest to be with the Sons of men because thou truly lovest us Blessed be thy Name for ever and ever An Act of Thanksgiving O Blessed Saviour Jesus I adore the secrets of thy eternal wisdom I admire the mysteriousness of our salvation and I love and praise and give all possible thanks to thee the Author of our spiritual life the Deliverer that came out of Sion the Redeemer of thy people the spoiler of all spiritual wickedness in heavenly places the conqueror over sin and death the triumpher over Devils thou hast taken from our strongest enemies all their armour and divided the spoil Grant that I may know nothing but thee account all things loss in comparison of thee and endeavour to be made conformable to thee in the imitation of thy actions and obedience of thy Laws in the fellowship of thy sufferings in the communion of thy graces and participation of thy glories that beginning here to praise thy Name according as I can I may hereafter for ever rehearse and adore thy excellencies according to the measures of glory for ever and ever Amen Ejaculations and Meditations to be us'd at any time but particularly after the Consecration of the Symbols when the holy Man that ministers is bringing the Sacrament 1. O holy Jesu I behold thee stretch'd upon the Cross with thy arms spread ready to embrace and receive all mankind into thy bosome 2. I come Lord Jesus I come O take me to thee in the comprehensions of an unalterable of an everlasting love for thou hast opened thy heart as well as thine arms and hast prepar'd a lodging place for me in the seat of love 3. I see the Symbols the holy bread and the blessed cup but I also contemplate thy authority establishing these rites I adore thy wisdom who hast made these Mysteries like thy own infancy I see thy self wrapt up in swadling clouts and cover'd with a vail I hear thy voice blessing these Symbols thy mercy reaching out my pardon thy holy Spirit sanctifying my spirit thy blessed self making intercession for me at the eternal Altar in the heavens 4. Thy infinite arm of mercy is reached unto us and our arm of faith reaches unto thee Blessed be Jesus who will be joyned unto his servants 5. This is thy body O blessed Saviour Jesus and this is thy blood but these are not thy wounds My Lord had the smart but we the ease his were the sufferings but ours the mercy he felt the load of stripes but from thence a holy balm did flow upon us He felt the thorns but we shall have the Crown and after he had paid the price we got the purchase Holy Jesus Blessed be God 6. I adore thy unspeakable goodness I delight in thy unmeasurable mercy I rejoyce in thy cross I desire to know nothing but the Lord Jesus and him crucified O let the power of thy Cross prevail against all the powers of darkness let the wisdom of thy Cross make me wise unto salvation let the peace