their Zeal and Devotion, by all the Marks of Reverence and profound Refpect, to thofe Figures of the Divine Prefence, and Shadows of Good Things to come; fhall I be negligent in my Preparations to meet my God himself; Shall I not indeed as much exceed the great Solicitude and pious Affection, which Kings and Peasants, Rich and Poor, univerfally exprefs'd; as the Spiritual Participation of my Lord's Body and Blood, and the most precious Pledges of his Love and my Salvation, excel the Carnal Difpenfation of a figurative Tabernacle, and the very diftant and dark Significations of future Bleffings? They adored the Representation; and fhall I difregard the Subftance, the End, thePerfection, of all the Levitical Inftitutions, the Sum of all God's Mercies, and Man's Hopes? If even David thought it no Disparagement to his Royal Character, to lay out his Time, his Study, his Strength, in the Service of the Tabernacle; to compofe Pfalms for the Worship of God, to ftring his own Harp, and himfelf join and prefide in the Confort; Nay, even to dance before the Ark, when brought up to its Place, and, by his own Example, to teach his Subjects to exert their utmost Might, and employ every Faculty of Body and Soul, in expreffing their Zeal and Joy: What holy Gladness then is due, what inflamed Devotion, to Him, whom David in Spirit called Lord? What Songs of Praise and Thanks fhould adorn that Solemn Feaft, where Chrift exhibits to us the Heavenly Manna, the Food of Souls? How fhould we labour to omit no Teftimony of our Reverence, no Sign of a hearty Welcome, and an humble Sense of the unspeakable Honour this King of Heaven does us, when he vouchfafes, to : come home, and dwell in our Hearts; and, by the confecrated Elements, verily and indeed to give and unite himself to every Faithful Soul?

See with what eager Zeal vain Men make long Pilgrimages, and fly to the remotest Corners of the World,

World, only to gain a Sight of the Boafted Reliques of fome celebrated Saint; to be entertained with long Accounts of Miracles, to kifs a Silken Rag, or proftrate themselves before a Bone fet in Gold! But alas! were all the Legends, these fond Men give credit to, most true, yet what is here, that can deferve their mighty Pains, or tedious Journeys? What Shrine can pretend to fanctify, or command Veneration, in any degree comparable to that faving and myftical Prefence of God himself upon the Altar? The poor Ef fects of fuch mistaken Zeal are but too manifeft. Men generally go for Curiofity and Diverfion, not for the Improvement of their Minds; and they return accordingly: Better in no refpect, except in having seen a thing much talk'd of, which they had never feen before. "Tis to be hoped, but few are fo blind, fo wretchedly deluded, to imagine, that fuch Penances and Painful Travels can do them Service, without true Contrition, and ferious Reformation of Life. And where these are, much more substantial Advantages may be had a great deal nearer home. For lo! the King of Saints invites us, He gives the fure and bleffed Fruits of Righteoufnefs and Salvation to all, who worthily receive him: An Invitation, in compliance with which, Levity and Senfuality, a Roving Head, or a Gadding Humour, have no part, but all is done, by the wife and well-weighed Grace of a stedfaft Faith, the comfortable Affurances of a Devout Hope, and the Affectionate Zeal of a Sincere and Holy Love.

O mighty Maker of the World, whom though we plainly fee in all thy Works of Wonder, yet Thou thy felf remaineft invisible; how aftonishing are thy Difpenfations to the Sons of Men? How sweet, how comfortable, how full of Efficacy, yet ftill how unaccountable to Senfe and Reafon, are the Methods, by which thou art pleafed to communicate thy felf to the Faithful in this Bleffed Sacrament? Here thy

cho

chofen and worthy Servants partake of that Heavenly Food, which nourishes their Souls to Life immortal; while reprobate and bold Intruders take empty Elements, void of Spiritual Substance, and Saving Power. This is a Mystery above our Comprehenfion. This kindles in us holy Zeal, and engages our devoutest Affections. And by receiving Creatures, in themselves of mean and common Efficacy, we find our Weaknesses ftrengthned, our Decays recruited, and our Love of Thee and Virtue ftrangely heightned and confirmed. Who can exprefs, who can conceive, that hidden, that amazing Distinction made in this Holy Supper; whose Graces and good Effects are fo liberally diftributed to the Faithful; and yet Unbelievers and Impenitent Men have no Portion, no Experience at all of them? Who can difcover thofe myftical Methods, by which Spiritual Grace is conveyed with Bodily Suftenance? How Bread and Wine fhould be made Inftuments of ftrengthning the Soul; of purging away the Blemishes and Reproaches of Nature; healing her Deformities and Diseases; taking out the Stains of Sin and vicious Habits, contracted by converfing with a naughty World; fubduing furious Paffions; rectifying and moderating irregular Defires; and invigorating both the Body and Mind of feeble Sinners at once.

Such is the new Life, and Health, and fprightly Vigor, which good and godly Men experimentally find upon thefe Occafions. And who then can fufficiently lament the general Lukewarmnefs, the cold Neglect, the fenflefs Stupidity of Mankind upon this Occafion? How regardless are They of Chrift? How hardly prevailed upon to accept their own Mercy, their Sanctification, their Redemption, in the Ways prescribed by himself for imparting thefe glorious Advantages? How rudely do they turn their Backs upon that Feaft, which creates Joy in Heaven, and preferves Earth and its Inhabitants from Mifery and Ruin?

Oh! the wretched Blindness, the inflexible Obftinacy and Hardness of Mens Hearts, which will not fee, or feeing, will not value fo ineftimable Benefits; which turn their very Happiness into an Occafion of Deftruction, by fuffering the frequent Opportunities, and the very Eafinefs of attaining thefe precious Privi leges, to bring them into a general Difefteem; which make the Greatnefs of their Mafter's Love, the abundant Provifion for their Health and Support, a Pretence for Starving in the midst of Plenty.

For I can fcarce perfuade my felf, but that, if this holy Sacrament could be had in One Place, and from one fingle Hand only, Men would with eager Zeal repair thither, and vaft Crowds of People strive to partake of fo rare a Bleffing. But now, when every Church, and every Festival, when every Prieft, and almost every Lord's Day, exhibits this Delicious Food, brings it home to our Doors, and offers it to as many as are religiously and devoutly difpofed to accept the gracious Tenders; when every Sermon exhorts, intreats, conjures us to be thus happy; we turn our Backs, and flight the cheap, the eafy Favour. Yet manifeft it is, that the Kindnefs of our Lord is not the lefs, but much the greater, for putting the Terms of our Salvation within our own Power, and leaving the whole Blame and Condemnation at our own Doors, if we refufe to take what without our Fault we can never want. And shall we then proceed to naufeate and difdain our greatest Bleffings? To think them lefs valuable for being more common? No, bleffed Jefus! We will acknowledge thy unfpeakable Bounty; we will moft thankfully confefs thee the good Shepherd, who haft provided such rich Sustenance for thy Sheep, and leadeft them out into Fat Paftures. Bleffed be thy Eternal Mercy, who vouchfafeft to give thy Body, not only for, but to thy poor Servants in this difconfolate State: Who not content to facrifice it

once

once upon the Crofs, offereft it daily in the Sacrament; and haft filenced all the Fears and Melancholy Mifgivings of our own Guilt and Unworthiness, by that most tender and compaffionate, that most extenfive and univerfal Invitation; Come unto me all ye that labour and are beavy laden with the Burden of your Sins, and I will refresh you.

CHA P. II.

The Love of God to the Soul manifefted in this

Chrift:

Sacrament.

Ehold, Lord, thus encouraged, thus invi ted, I come; but I do not prefume to do fo, trusting in my own Righteoufnefs, but in thy manifold and great Mercies. I feel, alas! my Weakneffes and Wants; and betake my felf to Thee for Relief; fick and diseased, I fly to the Phyfician of Souls; hungry and thirsty, to this Fountain of Living Water, and Bread of Life; poor and needy, to the Bountiful King of Heaven; a Servant to his kind Mafter; a Creature to his compaffionate Creator, who hateth nothing that he hath made; and a forlorn difconfolate Wretch, to Thee, the Holy, the Eternal, the Only Comforter. But whence is this to Me that my God fhould vouchfafe to come unto me? Or who am I, that thou should'ft communicate to me thy own felf? How fhall a wicked Sinner dare to appear before thee? Or how can'ft Thou, who art of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity, endure to make fuch condefcending Approaches to a Soul polluted with Sin and with Uncleannefs? Thou feeft my very Inward Parts, and knoweft I have nothing in me that is good, nothing to invite fuch Mercy, nothing fit for

the