refufe to believe our God, becaufe his mercies transcend our capacities. None but infinite wifdom could ever have i

fo ftrange and high, and prodigious a mystery. None but an inconceivable infinite goodness would ever have imparted fo dear, and tender, and rich a bleffing.

3. When the impiety of men was at the height, and their treacherous heads plotting to betray thee; then did thy wifdom mercifully confult to overcome our malice with thy bounty. Immediately thou contrivedst an admirable way to invite all the world to a feaft of wonders: à feaft! where thy facred body fhould be our food, and thy precious blood our drink. A feaft! in which are continually wrought new miracles of love for us. Thus, as if it had not been love enough to have given thyfelf on the crofs for us; thou haft found out a way to give thyfelf to us in the holy facrament: to unite us with thyself by the most intimate union that is poffible for us to conceive, and which we can better feel than -exprefs: to become the life, the strength, the fupport and comfort of our beings: nay, to become even one with me, and be unto me the foul of my foul. O Lord my God! this is

very

fo

fo inconceivable a bleffing, this is fo divine a union, that the very angels, with awful admiration, contemplate thy wonderful condefcenfion in it.

4. Lord, who are we, unworthy finners, that thou thus regardeft our wretched duft? what is all the world compared to thee, that thus thou seemeft to difregard thyself? it was for our fakes, and to draw us up to thy love, that thou haft commanded us to commemorate and represent thy paffion; and present the merits of it before thy father, on earth, as thou doft present them to him in heaven. It was for our fakes, and to help the infirmities of our nature, that thou didst appoint a commemorative facrifice, of that one oblation of thyfelf once offered upon the crofs; and bread and wine fo offered and bleffed as fymbols of thy body and blood. What great bleffings are thefe, O Jefu! that demand my praises!!

5. Yet more bleffed is the heart that defires thy coming, and longs to fee thee in thy glorious felf. O my adored redeemer! when will that happy day appear, when mine eyes may behold thee without a veil? when will the clouds and fhadows pafs away, that thy beams fhine on me in their full brightnefs? ob

may

ject

ject not against me, deareft Lord, that none can fee thy face and live. Thofe fears thy love has changed, and my fixed hope is now to live by feeing thee. Say not, O thou mild and gracious majesty, if I approach thy prefence I muft die. Rather inftruct me fo to die, that I may live for ever in thy presence.

Here, if thou defireft to know the reafon why Chrift ordained this Sacrament, confult the em WHOLE DUTY OF Man, Sunday 6. Section I.

The Prayer on Monday Morning, to implore God's afftance in the courfe of this week's preparation for receiving the holy facrament.

I acknowledge my faults, and my fin is ever before me. P. li. 3.

Moft glorious and ever-bleffed God in

whofe prefence is fulness of joy, and at whose right-hand there are pleafures for evermore; vouchfafe, I befeech thee, to discharge my mind of all fuperfluous cares, and immoderate defires of the things of this world, and enable me fo to employ my time this week, as may effectually prevent or refift all temptations. Let thy grace, O Lord, fo powerfully affift my endeavours, and direct my will, and strengthen my intentions, that I may do fuch things as are agreeable to thee, and fuitable to the dignity of a christian: and that I may fill

up

up all the spaces of this week with meditations upon the most holy facrament, with acts of religion, and fervent charity, so that when the devil a faults me, he may not find me idle, and that my dearest Lord, at his fudden coming, may find me improving the talent committed to my care, that I may enter into the joy of my Lord; to which, I beseech thee bring me, thro' the merits and interceffion of thy dear fon, Jefus Chrift, our Lord and Saviour. Amen. Sos tint Sidib Directions. luni,vo dandish

Now repair to the publick fervice at the church; or if you have not that opportunity, spend your leisure time in a devout perusal of that pious treatife, neceflary for all families, as well as every private chriftian: lately published, By the KING'S Authority, viz.

THE BEW WHOLE DUTY OF MAN, &C.* And I heartily with that every Poor (as well as Rich) Family in the Kingdom was furnished with one of thefe Books: it's great Pity they should be any where wanting, Great Charity therefore it would be for rich Landlords and others of eafy Fortunes, to beftow this pious and useful Book upon their poor and uninftructed Neighbours, Tenants, and Servants, that the Know ledge of God and Religion may be promoted amongst make greatly for the Good and Welfare both of them; which would State: For tho brain-fick Opinions and falfe Principles may make Men proud and headftrong, and troublesome to their Governors and Superiors; yet folid Knowledge and fincere Godliness, will make Men humble and meek, quiet and peaceable, obedient

Work,

Neighbours, and ready to do verors and Minifters, full of Charity to their →Be Be sure to retire foon this evening to examine thy confcience. Hyviů Bhalqa minh to quod

* This New Whole Duty of Man is printed in Octavo, price 5 s. in large Treelives at 35.36 d. and (in finiall Troues at a 6 d. and is fold with the fame allowance as the are difpofed to allo be bad with a Set of a

them away. Toldy of Man, to thole fine Cuts, at 75.

The

The Meditation for Monday Evening.

Upon the vanities of the world and the goodness of God, in order to a worthy receiving of the most holy facrament.

He that loveth his life fhall

I.

A

fhall lose it: and he that hateth his life in this world, fhall keep it unto life eternal. John xi. 25. Wake thou, O my foul, from the fleep of fin; for, behold, life and death are fet before thee; chufe while thy gracious Lord allows thee time and day, left the night and darkness overtake thy neglect: chufe, but remember thy eternity is concerned, and deli'berate e'er thou makeft thy choice.

2. Survey all the pleafures of the world before thee, and afk if any of them be worth fuch pains: afk if the vain forbidden things thou loveft, deferve thy affection better than thy maker. Are they more worthy in themfelves, or beneficial to thee, that thou mayest juftly prefer them before thy redeemer ? doft thou expect to be at reft, and fatisfied by enjoying them, or everlastingly happy by their procurement? can they protect thee at the hour of death, or plead thy caufe at the day of judgment? Oh no. They only deceive me with a fmiling look, which I too often have proved by dear experience,

3. It