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out all the secret foulness and defilements that it hides within it; and, by the aid of true penitence, strips it of all those loathsome clouts, wherewith it was polluted. Sin may not be clothed upon with grace. Joshua's filthy garments must be plucked off, ere he can be capable of precious robes. Here may be no place for our sinful lusts, for our covetous desires, for our natural infidelity, for our malicious purposes, for any of our unhallowed thoughts. The soul, clearly divested of these and all other known corruptions, must, in the next place, instead thereof, be furnished with such graces and holy pre-dispositions, as may fit it for so heavenly a work.

(1.) Amongst the graces requisite, Faith justly challengeth the first place, as that which is both most eminent, and necessarily presupposed to the profitable receipt of this sacrament; for, whereas as the main end of this blessed banquet is the strengthening of our faith, how should that receive strength which hath not being? To deliver these sacred viands to an unbeliever, is to put meat into the mouth of a dead man. Now, therefore, must the heart raise up itself to new acts of believing, and must lay faster hold on Christ, and bring him closer to the soul; more strongly applying to itself, the infinite merits of his most perfect obedience, and of his bitter death and passion, and erecting itself to a desire and expectation of a more vigorous and lively apprehension of its omnipotent Redeemer. Neither can this faith be either dead or solitary; but is still really operative, and attended, as with other graces, so especially with a serious repentance; whose wonderful power is, to undo our former sins, and to mould 1 Zech. iii. 4.

the heart and life to a better obedience; a grace so necessary, that the want of it, as in extreme corruption of the stomach, turns the wholesome food into poison. An impenitent man therefore, coming to God's board, is so far from benefiting himself, as that he eats his own judgment. Stand off from this holy table, all ye that have not made your peace with your God, or that harbour any known sin in your bosom: not to eat is uncomfortable, but to eat in such a state is deadly; yet rest not in this plea, that ye cannot come because ye are unreconciled; but as ye love your souls, be reconciled that you may come.

Another grace necessarily pre-required, is charity to our brethren, and readiness to forgive; for this is a communion, as with Christ the head, so with all the members of his mystical body. This is the true love-feast of God our Saviour; wherein we profess ourselves inseparably united both to him and his. If there be more hearts than one at God's table, he will not own them. These holy elements give us an emblem of ourselves: this bread is made up of many grains, incorporated into one mass; and this wine is the confluent juice of many clusters; neither do we partake of several loaves, or variety of liquors, but all eat of one bread, and drink of one cup. Here is then no place for rancour and malice; none for secret grudgings and heart-burnings: 'Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Neither may we do as those two emulous commanders of Greece 1 Matt. v. 23, 24.

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did, who resolved to leave their spite behind them at Mount Athos, and to take it up again in their return here must be an absolute and free acquitting of all the back-reckonings of our unkindness, that we may receive the God of Peace into a clear bosom.

(2.) Besides these graces, there are certain holy predispositions; so necessary, that without them our souls can never hope to receive true comfort in this blessed sacrament.

Whereof the first is a hungering and thirsting desire after these gracious means of our salvation. What good will our meat do us without an appetite? Surely without it there is no expectation of either relish or digestion. As, therefore, those that are invited to some great feast care first to feed their hunger, ere they feed their body, labouring by exercise to get a stomach ere they employ it; so it concerns us to do here: and, as those that are listless and weak stomached, are wont to whet their appetite with sharp sauces; so must we, by the tart applications of the law, quicken our desires of our Saviour here exhibited. Could we but see our sins, and our miseries by sin; could we see God frowning, and hell gaping wide to swallow us; we should not need to be bidden to long for our Deliverer; and every pledge of his favour would be precious to us.

Upon the apprehension of our need of a Saviour, and so happy a supply thereof presented unto us, must needs follow a renewed act of true thankfulness of heart to our good God, that hath both given us his dear Son to work our redemption, and his blessed sacrament to seal up unto us our redemption, thus wrought and purchased.

And with souls thus thankfully elevated unto God, we approach, with all reverence, to that heavenly table, where God is both the feast-master and the feast. What intention of holy thoughts, what fervour of spirit, what depth of devotion, must we now find in ourselves! Doubtless, out of heaven no object can be so worthy to take up our hearts.

What a clear representation is here of the great work of our redemption! How is my Saviour, by all my senses, here brought home to my soul! How is his passion lively acted before mine eyes! for lo, my bodily eye doth not more truly see bread and wine, than the eye of my faith sees the body and blood of my dear Redeemer: thus was his sacred body torn and broken; thus was his precious blood poured out for me. My sins, wretched man that I am! helped thus to crucify my Saviour; and, for the discharge of my sins, would he be thus crucified.

Neither did he only give himself for me upon the cross; but lo, he both offers and gives himself to me in this his blessed institution. What had this general gift been without this application? Now my hand doth not more sensibly take, nor my mouth more really eat this bread, than my soul doth spiritually receive and feed on the bread of life. O Saviour, thou art the living bread, that came down from heaven. Thy flesh is meat indeed, and thy blood is drink indeed. Oh, that I may so eat of this bread, that I may live for ever! He that cometh to thee, shall never hunger: he that believeth in thee, shall never thirst. Oh, that I could now so hunger and so thirst for thee, that my soul could be for ever satisfied with thee! Thy people of old were fed with nanna in the wil

derness; yet they died; that food of angels could not keep them from perishing; but oh, for the hidden Manna, which giveth life to the world, even thy blessed self! Give me ever of this bread, and my soul shall not die, but live. Oh, the precious juice of the fruit of the vine, wherewith thou refreshest my soul! Is this the

blood of the grape? Is it not rather thy blood of the New Testament, that is poured out for me? Thou speakest, O Saviour, of new wine, that thou wouldest drink with thy disciples in thy Father's kingdom: can there be any more precious and pleasant than this, wherewith thou cheerest the believing soul? Our palate is now dull and earthly, which shall then be exquisite and celestial; but, surely, no liquor can be of equal price or sovereignty with thy blood. Oh, how unsavoury are all earthly delicacies to this heavenly draught! O God, let not the sweet taste of this spiritual nectar ever go out of the mouth of my soul. Let the comfortable warmth of this blessed cordial ever work upon my soul, even till, and in, the last moment of my dissolution.

Dost thou bid me, O Saviour, do this in remembrance of thee? oh, how can I forget thee? how can I enough celebrate thee, for this thy unspeakable mercy? Can I see thee thus crucified before my eyes, and for my sake thus crucified, and not remember thee? Can I find my sins accessary to this thy death, and thy death meritoriously expiating all these my grievous sins, and not remember thee? Can I hear thee freely offering thyself to me, and feel thee graciously conveying thyself into my soul, and not remember thee? I do remember thee, O Saviour: but, oh, that I could