a AS the living Father hath fent me, and I live by the Father: fo he that eateth me, even he shall live by me, John vi. 57. The faithful Christian, in receiving the Flesh and Blood of JESUS CHRIST, is made Partaker of his divine Nature, his Life, his Inclinations in, by, and for JESUS CHRIST himself. O my God! what wilt Thou bestow upon Man in Heaven, fince, even here on Earth, Thou causeft him to live fo divine. Life: O divine Life of a Chriftian Soul, which haft thy firft Original in the Bofom of the living Father, who lives of himself, and communicates his Life to the Son, and by him to the Flesh and Blood to which he is united, and by this adorable Flesh and Blood, to the Flesh and Blood of his Members, conveying it by this Channel into their Hearts! This is not the ingenious Thought of a myftical Divine, who lets his Fancy take a Flight; it is a plain experimental Truth delivered by the eternal Truth itself, and which alone ought to difengage us from every Thing which is capable of rendering us unworthy to receive this Life, of caufing us to lofe it, or of weakening it in us. Stupendous Miracle of Love, Archangels cannot tell me how I live by Thee my Life above, As by the living Father Thou! But fure as Thee thro' Faith I eat, A ND Thomas anfwered, and faid unto him, My Lord and my This Elevation of the Heart, and this fhort, ready, fervent and perfect Confeffion, which we ought to make every Moment, if poffible, and which nothing hinders us from renewing on all Occafions St. Thomas was the last in believing, but he is the first of the Apoftles, who diftinctly confeffes the Divinity of Chrift fince his Death. It is in this Effect of the Refurrection, that Chrift makes his Divinity evidently appear under his Humanity itfelf. St. Thomas beholds him in his human Nature, and he therein difcovers his Lord; -Thou, O Jefus, art truly the Lord of my Soul, fince thou haft redeemed it by the Sacrifice of thy human Nature. Thou art its God, because thou art its Sanctification by thy Grace and thy Spirit, and its chief Good and eternal Happiness by thy Glory. Come our indulgent Saviour, come Illuftrious Conqu'ror o'er the Tomb, Here thine affembled Servants blefs, And fill our Hearts with facred Peace. O come thyfelf, moft gracious Lord, THIS is that Bread which came down from Heaven: not as your Fathers did eat Manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this Bread, fhall live for ever, John vi. 58. The Eucharift is the Manna of Chriftians in the Defart of this World. Wretched is that Perfon, who either through Difguft or Slothfulness feeds not on it; but more wretched still is he, who receiving it in Sin, or under the Habit and Love thereof, eats his own Judgement and Condemnation. If we eat this adorable Manna with the Ingratitude, Infidelity, Disgust, Mur. muring and Untractableness of the Jews, this Manna, instead of preserving us from dying, will give us a double Death, and instead of leading us toward the promised Land, and introducing us thereinto, will carry us at a farther Distance, and exclude us from it. O living Bread, caufe me to live upon and in Thee! Bread of Heaven vouchsafe to conduct me thither. O eternal Bread, infpire me with a true Defire of Eternity, 'till Thou art pleafed to put me into Poffeffion of that blessed Life. Come, O my Comfort and Delight, My Joy, my Glory, and my Crown, My Gofpel Hope, my Calling's Prize, My Tree of Life, my Paradife. HE hath blinded their Eyes, and hardened their Heart; that they should not fee with their Eyes, nor understand with their Heart, and be converted, and I should heal them, Johnxii.40. The voluntary Inability of a blind and obdurate Heart has three Causes. 1. The Devil who fuggefts. z. Man who confents. 3. God, who either leaves the Sinner to his own corrupt Inclination, or heaps up Benefits upon him, which to him are no other than fresh Occafions of Sin, as both Admonitions and Miracles were to Pharoah, and here to the Jews. Blindnefs and Obduracy have feveral Degrees; whoever either does not fee and understand the Truths, which are neceffary to his good Conduct and Behaviour, or is not directed by thofe he does understand, on fuch Occafions wherein they ought to be his Rule and Guide, is blind and hardened with Refpect to them. Let us take Care that thefe Words do not induce us to murmur against God, or to prefume to cenfure his Proceedings, inftead of humbling ourselves, and adoring him with Fear and Trembling. Why is my Heart fo dark and void, WithChrift,my fuffering Lord,oneHour TAKE heed, Brethren, left there be in any of you an evil Heart of Unbelief, in departing from the living God, Heb. iii. 12. Let every one fearch his own Heart, and examine his Faith. Some Perfons think they have a great deal, and yet fcarcely adhere to God. What fignifies it, as to Eternity, whether a Man reject the Doctrine, or the Life of Faith, if he fhall be damned by becoming unfaithful either to the one or to the other ? My Jesus, while in mortal Flesh On thy dear Cross I fix my Eyes, |