Book IV. of J E s u s Christ. 293

my Ambition is to bring thee Home to my tloufe -; and, with Zachaus of old, to be bleffed, and reckoned by thee among the true ^\\{\t\\\\Sijnscf Abraham. My Soul defires to be fed and Itrengthened by thv Body, and my Heart to be entirely knic^ infeparably united, to Thee.
Give me but thy felf, and, whatever elfe thou with- holdeft, I am fatisfied. For all things befides are mife- rable Comforters, and rather aggravate tiian abate my Wretchednefs. Without thy Conlblations I am not able to fbbfift : And therefore feel an abfoluce ne- cefiity of coming to thee often, for frefh iupplies of Grace and Strength. My Spirits JanguiHi and fmk, and, if 1 faft too long, I perifh for want of fcafonable Recruits from this heavenly Suftenance. Thy Bowels heretofore yearned over the Multitudes, who came from far to hear thy Saving Dodrine, and be healed of their Bodily Diitempers. Thou would'lt not fend them away empty,buc wer'c pleafed to i^tdi ^y;^, ^^ them by a Miracle, left they fhould faint by the way. Extend the lame Ccmpaffion towards me, and let this Sacrament fuftain my fainting Soul, in this Wildernefs, barren and remote from any true Comfort. For thou art the fweet, the reviving Food of fmking and weary Spirits, and they^ who worthily partake of this Repaft^ are nouriflied unto Life Eter- nal. I am fadly fenfible of my Infirmities, and fre- quent Relapfes into Sin, and how urgent m.y Occafi- ons are for thefe repeated Refreihments. I quickly- cool after my warmeit Relblutions j my Purpoi'ci of Goodnefs ncken and languifh apace ,• and thele Decays mud end in Spiritual Death, did not my Prayers, my Self-examinations, my Confeflions and Holy Sorrows, preparatory to this holy Feaft, often return : Did not this Divine Suftenance cleanfs and renew my AlFed:i- cns,* confirm my Purpoles of doing well, excite and ia%a:e my Zeal and Love for God and good Works.
U Ob.
294_____€)f tlje gimitatioiX Book IV.
Obftinare Failing would not more certainly quench all my Viral Heat^ and deftroy my Body^ than too long Abftinence from this Spiritual Food will wafte and quite extinguifli the Soul and all its Powers of Li- ving well.
I fmd^ and heartily bewail, a fatal Tendency to Evil 3- and my Experience, from my very Cradle^fhews me how ftrongly I incline to Sin^and fall from bad to worfe, except a Remedy from above check this Indi- fpofition, and (liccour and fupport me from plunging into Hell. This Holy Communion is that Remedy, It calls back my wandring Steps, prevents my falling by Relapfe orNegled-, and ftrengthens me in Grace and Goodnefs. And, if even in my Itudied and moft la- boured Devotions,! am fo often cold, fo lukewarm at the beft,* how frozen fhould I be, how infenfible and dead, were thefe Helps laid afide, and no fuch Ap- plication ufed to warm and quicken me ? Though therefore my Life be not fo perfed:, that I am always in a fit Difpofition to communicate, yet it fliall be my Care, at folemn and proper Seafons, not to lofe the Benefit of thefe holy Mylleries, or ever to refufe my ovv'n Happinefs. For this is the Sovereign Balm of wounded Confciences ; the great Prefervative of de- caying Souls, the cheering Comfort of the Faithful, mourning their prefent State of Banifbment, and groaning earneftly for a Releafe from the Afflidions and Infirmities of thofe Mortal Bodies, to which thy Providence hath for a time confined them. And the oftner they thus remember their God, the greater is that AfFecHoiiL , and humble Devotion, with which they court and embrace their beloved Spoufe and Lord.
But oh ! how amazing is thy Love ? and what is Man whom thou thus vouchfafeft to vifit ? when the gi eat God, the Creator of the World, and Father of the Spirits of all Flefh does not difdain to defcecd
into