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story tells, that she was chastised by a miracle, and was not cured but by a long and severe repentance.

10. He that watches for the effects and blessings of the sacrament, must look for them in no other manner than what is agreeable to the usual dispensation. We must not look for them by measures of nature and usual expectation: not that as soon as we have received the symbols, we shall have our doubts answered; or be comforted in our spirit, as soon as we have given thanks for the holy blood; or be satisfied in the inquiries of faith, as soon as the prayers of consecration and the whole ministry is ended; or prevail in our most passionate desires, as soon as we rise from our knees; for we enter into the blessings of the sacrament by prayer, and the exercise of proper graces; both which, being spiritual instru→ ments of virtues, work after the manner of spiritual things; that is, not by any measure we have, but as God pleases; only that in the last event of things, and when they are necessary, we shall find them there: God's time is best, but we must not judge his manner by our measures, nor measure eternity by time, or the issues of the Spirit by a measuring line. The effects of the sacrament are to be expected as the effect of prayers: not one prayer, or one solemn meeting, but persevering and passionate, fervent and lasting prayers; and continual desire, and a daily address, is the way of prevailing. "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand, for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they shall be both alike good "."

11. He that looks for the effects and blessings told of to be appendant to the sacrament, must expect them upon no other terms, but such as are the conditions of a worthy communion. If thou dost find thy faith as dead after the reception as it was before,-it may be, it is because thy faith was not only little, but reprovable; or thou didst not pray vehemently, or thou art indisposed by some secret disadvantage, or thou hast not done thy duty; and he shall imprudently accuse that physic for useless and unfit, that is not suffered to work by the incapacity, the ill diet, the weak stomach, or some evil accident of the patient.

P Eccles. xi.

sacraments. But however, be it so or otherwise, yet one ordinance ought not to exclude the other, much less to disparage the other, and least of all to undervalue that which is the most eminent: but rather let every Christian man and woman think, that if the word ministered by the Spirit is so mighty, it must be more, when the word and the Spirit join with the sacrament, which is their proper significatory. He that is zealous for the word of God, does well; but let him remember, that the word of God is a goodly ring, and leads us into the circles of a blessed eternity; but because the sacrament is not without the word, they are a jewel enchased in gold when they are together. The ministries of the Gospel are all of a piece; they, though in several manners, work the same salvation by the conduct of the same Spirit.

8. Let no man, in the reception of the sacrament, and in his expectation of blessings and events from it, limit his hopes and belief to any one particular; for that will occasion a littleness of faith, and may make it curious, scrupulous, and fantastical:- rather let us adore the secret of God, and with simple expectations receive it; disposing ourselves to all the effects that may come, rather with fear and indefinité apprehensions, than with dogmatical and confident limitations; for this may beget scruples and diminution of value; but that hinders nothing, but advances the reverential treatments and opinion.

9. He that guesses at the excellency and power of the sacrament, by the events that himself feels, must be sure to look for no other than what are eminently or virtually contained in it; that is, he must not expect that the sacrament will make him rich, or discover to him stolen goods, or cure the toothach, or countercharm witches, or appease a tempest, if it be thrown into the sea. These are such events that God hath not made the effects of religion, but are the hopes and expectations of vain and superstitious people. And I remember that pope Alexander III., in the council of Lateran, wrote to the bishop of St. Agatha for advice how to treat a woman who took the holy sacrament into her mouth; and ran with it to kiss her husband, hoping, by that means, to procure her husband's more intense affection. But the

Concil. Lat. part. 50. cap. 30.

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delightful relishes, we examine the causes of the want, and suspect ourselves in these things, where our own faults may be the causes, and there make amends, or if we submit our selves in those particulars, where the causes may relate to God, we shall do well, and receive profit. But unless our own sin be the cause of it, we are not to make any evil judgment of ourselves, by reason of any such defect; much less diminish our great value of the blessings consequent to a worthy communion.

13. But because the pardon of sins is intended to be the great effect of a worthy communion, and of this men are more solicitous, and for this they pray passionately, and labour earnestly, and almost all their lives, and, it may be, in the day of their death, have uncertain souls: and, therefore, of this, men are most desirous to be satisfied, if they apprehend themselves in danger; that is, if they be convinced of their sin, and be truly penitent, although this effect seems to be least discernible, and to be a secret reserved for the publication and trumpet of the archangel at the day of doom; yet in this we can best be satisfied. For because when our sins are unpardoned, we are under the wrath of God, to be expressed as he pleases, and in the method of eternal death;-now if God intends not to pardon us, he will not bless the means of pardon; if we shall not return to his final pardon, if we shall not pass through the intermedial, if he will never give us glory, he will never give us the increase of grace. If, therefore, we repent of our sins, and pray for pardon; if we confess them and forsake them; if we fear God and love him; if we find that our desires to please him do increase, that we are more watchful against sin, and hate it more; that we are thirsty after righteousness; if we find that we increase in duty;-then we may look upon the tradition of the holy sacramental symbols as a direct consignation of pardon. Not that it is then completed; 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 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 sacrament, all the way, to consign: 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 Christ's intercession in heaven; let us here be both charitable and religious in our prayers; interceding for all states of men and women in the Christian church, and representing to God all the needs of ourselves 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 Christ's 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.

SECTION VI.

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-kindness, 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.

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delightful relishes, we examine the causes of the want, and suspect ourselves in these things, where our own faults may be the causes, and there make amends, or if we submit our+ selves in those particulars, where the causes may relate to God, we shall do well, and receive profit. But unless our own sin be the cause of it, we are not to make any evil judgment of ourselves, by reason of any such defect; much less diminish our great value of the blessings consequent to a worthy communion.

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13. But because the pardon of sins is intended to be the great effect of a worthy communion, and of this men are more solicitous, and for this they pray passionately, and labour earnestly, and almost all their lives, and, it may be, in the day of their death, have uncertain souls: and, therefore, of this, men are most desirous to be satisfied, if they apprehend themselves in danger; that is, if they be convinced of their sin, and be truly penitent, although this effect seems to be least discernible, and to be a secret reserved for the publication and trumpet of the archangel at the day of doom; yet in this we can best be satisfied. For because when our sins are unpardoned, we are under the wrath of God, to be expressed as he pleases, and in the method of eternal death;-now if God intends not to pardon us, he will not bless the means of pardon; if we shall not return to his final pardon, if we shall not pass through the intermedial, if he will never give us glory, he will never give us the increase of grace. If, therefore, we repent of our sins, and pray for pardon; if we confess them and forsake them; if we fear God and love him; if we find that our desires to please him do increase, that we are more watchful against sin, and hate it more; that we are thirsty after righteousness; if we find that we increase in duty;-then we may look upon the tradition of the holy sacramental symbols as a direct consignation of pardon. Not that it is then completed; 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 methods of his grace, and snatch us from eternal death, which we have deserved, and bring us unto glory. And

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