and I hope in thy good time thou wilt, vifit me with more abundant Measures of thy Grace, and fulfil all my Defire. This Confidence I cherish, because my very Defires are from thee. And it is fome Comført to me, that, tho' I am fenfible of my Weakness and my Wants, yet I long and pant after Supplies and Strength; that I am not content with my Mifery, but labour, and pray, against my Defects, and would fain be bet ter. And thus I will continue to do, till thou remove and vanquish my Frailties, infpire a bright and ardent Zeal, and make me a happy Partaker, firft of the virtuous Difpofition of thy devouter Saints, and then of their Reward and Happiness.

Grace is the Reward of Humility and Self-denial.

Christ.]

Ince thy Wishes are fo commendable, and thy Defires of Grace fincere, I will inftruct thee, how thou fhalt obtain it. Know then, this Bleffing is fufpended upon certain Conditions. It must be fought inftantly, asked fervently, waited for patiently, received thankfully, preferved by Humility, improved with Diligence, and the Time and Meafures of it fubmitted entirely to the Wisdom and Goodness of the heavenly Giver. If thou feel few or no Sparks of it in thy Mind, this is a proper Subject, to exercife thy Meeknefs and Godly Sorrow, but not to provoke Defpair, or immoderate Concern. For God frequently gives that in an Inftant, and with a liberal Hand, which Men had long expected without Success: He gratifies their Conftancy and Patience, their Importunity and Perfeverance in Prayer, with Benefits, which excellent Reasons mov'd him

to deny to their firft Requefts, for the Petitioners mighty Advantage.

Should Mens earliest Expectations be anfwered, or prevented, the mighty Bleffing would be too exquifite for frail Nature to bear. And therefore holy Raptures, and exalted Virtue, are wifely made the flow Fruit of long Time, and much Patience. But, when thy Defires are not fulfilled, when thou receiveft no Increase, or when the Grace thou once enjoyedft is infenfibly withdrawn; charge not God foolishly, but lament thy Sins, as the Occafion of this Unhappiness. A fmall Provocation may fometimes be a Bar to great Advantages. Tho' nothing indeed ought to be reputed fmall, which intercepts and hinders fo valuable Bleffings. But be it little or great, let it be thy Care to vanquish and remove this Obftruction, and then thy Heart's Defire shall be performed.

When once corrupt Self love is fubdued, and thy Soul entirely fubmitted and refign'd to God, Peace and Satisfaction will flow in apace upon thy Mind. For nothing can be grievous or unpalatable, to one, who hath renounced all Interefts of his own, and hath no Inclinations or Defires left, but only, that he may be made an Inftrument of God's Glory, and have all the Counsel of the Divine Will, which is always beft, fulfilled in and upon him. This Man, fo weaned from private Respects and all created Comforts, is in a proper Pofture for receiving Grace, and tafting the Spiritual Delights of Contemplation and Devotion. The Veffel must be empty, before Grace can be poured in; and when it is perfectly fo, God delights to fill it up to the Brim. The more a Man is dead to the World and himself, the more heavenly-minded, the more mortify'd and humble; the fwifter are the Motions of heavenly Grace towards him, the more liberal are its Distributions, the more fenfible, and delightful, and wonderful, its Comforts and Effects upon his Heart.

Then

Then fhall he fee the Loving- Kindness of the Lord, then fhall he feel his Soul and all its Powers enlarged, and even stand amazed at the happy Change. Lo! Thus fhall the Man be bleffed that feareth, and seeketh the Lord with all his Strength, and fuffereth not his Heart to wander after Vanity. This Man fhall receive the Bleffed Sacrament with wondrous Efficacy. He fhall as truly be united to Chrift in his Soul, as the Bread and Wine, which represent him, are incorporated with the Substance of his Body. And that, which inclines God to be fo particularly propitious and bountiful to fuch a one, is that refigned Temper of Mind, which propofes the Advancement of God's Honour and Glory, rather than his own Profit; and comes, more out of a Senfe of Duty and juft Homage to his Saviour, then with a Profpect of Comfort and Satisfaction to himself.

С НА Р. XVI.

A Prayer for Relief in our Wants and Spiritual

Difciple.]

Diftreffes.

Ear me, O fweetest kindeft Jefus, whom

I now approach, with moft hearty Defires of receiving thee into my Soul. But how can I expect, that thou wilt not defpife a Place fo unfit to entertain thy pure, thy glorious Majefty? Thou knoweft, Lord, my Weakneffes and my Wants; how great my Sufferings, and how black my Sins; how I am oppreffed and afflicted, tempted and overpower'd; diforder'd with Paffion, and ftained with Pollution. To Thee I fly for Succour against my Infirmities, for Phyfick against my Difeafes, for Support under my Calamities and Diftreffes. I cannot diffemble my Con

Rev. iii.

dition, I need not publish it, when addreffing to One who knows all Things, to whom my very inward Parts are naked and open; To Him, who alone can give effectual Relief to my Sorrows, and fupply my crying Neceffities. Thy Wisdom knows, what Succours are most seasonable and proper for my Circumftances, and how very flender and low my Stock of Virtue is. Behold I ftand before thee, a helpless Creature ; Miferable, and poor, and blind, and naked, and weak, imploring thy Grace, or at least fome Fragments of it, to this hungry ftarving Beggar. O let me not be famifh'd, but revive this finking Wretch, with fome Crumbs of heavenly Sustenance. Let me not perish with Cold, but warm me with thy Love; Let me not fall into the Pit, but enlighten my blind Eyes with the Shine of thy gracious Presence. Give me a fettled Difrelish of Worldly Pleafures, and makeall here below infipid and bitter to me Reconcile me to Croffes and Afflictions, by Submiffion and fteady Patience; and leffen every thing in this World, whether Enjoyment or Suffering, by teaching me to defpife and forget it. Raife my ftupid Heart up to Heaven, and fettle my Affections there, that they may no longer wildly rove after the trifling Objects of Flesh and Senfe. Let me henceforth tafte delight in nothing but Thee, nor spend my Money and Labour Ifa. iv. for that which is not Bread; for thou alone art Meat indeed, and Drink indeed; my Love and Joy, my Delight and exceeding great Reward, my perfect and fole Good.

O that, now I am approaching the Throne of Grace, thou would'st command thy Divine Fire to defcend from Heaven into my Soul! O that my Sins and corrupt Difpofitions might be the Burnt-offering confumed by it! that it might flame, and burn, and melt me down, purge away all my Drofs, and, by the violence of its powerful Heat, refine, and change, and

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incorporate me with thy felf. Let me not, I beseech thee, be fent empty away: Let me not return hungry and thirfty from fo fplendid an Entertainment; but work in me mightily, and deal bountifully with thy Servant, as thou useft to do unto thofe that love thy Name. I hope to find a wondrous Alteration, and cannot think it strange, if I feel my benummed Heart all fublimated, when I come to that Fire, which ever burns without confuming; Or, if I find an entire Separation of all my worldly and grofs Affections, when heated thoroughly with that Love, whofe Excellence it is, to purify the Heart by the Activity, and to enlighten blind Understandings by the Brightness of its Flame.

Difciple.]

L

CHA P. XVII.

An Act of Praife.

Ook down, O Lord, with Favour and good Acceptance upon thy poor unworthy, but fincere Servant, now proftrating himself before thine Altar, with a moft devout Zeal, and all the paffionate and tender Refentment, of which my Heart is capable: Wishing still, that these good AffeЄtions were greater and more worthy of thee, and that I might meet and embrace my Lord, with all that Perfection of Holinefs and eager Joy, by which thy best and dearest Saints recommended their Prayers and Praises, and fo eminently signalized themselves, in the Celebration of this Bleffed Sacrament. O God! my Love and Life, my only and eternal Bliss; Were but my Power proportioned to my Will, None of those excellent Patterns ever exprefs'd more awful Reverence, more ardent Devotion, more eager Love, more

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