Book IV. Of J E S U S C H R I S T. 311

good ProviJence, and with thankful Hearts rejoice in thy Mercy.
In a more particular manner, accept, I befeech thee, my mod hearty Prayers , and Peace-offerings, for All, who have injured me in Word or Deed, created me any Diflurbance by ill Treatment, ilander'd orre*^ viled me with ill Langu«ige, or given me any manner ofUneafinefs, or angry Refencment. And likewife^ for all whom I have injured, grieved, or offended, by Word or Deed, knowingly or ignorantly, with, or without defign : Intreating thy Fcrgivenefs for all that hathbeen done or taken amifs on cither fide. Take away. Thou who lovedil and died ft for thy Enemies^ all Rancour and Malice, all Grudges and revengeful Thoughts, all Paffi^nate Remembrances and Difpofi- tion to Strife and Debate, all that may be inconfiltent with true Charity, or tend to the decay of Brotherly Love. Have Mercy, Lord, on all, who fuefor Mer- cy ,• fupply the Needs of all that want; and grant us all fuch Meafures of thy Grace, and fo firm Perfeve- rance in ic; that we may grow up to liich Degrees as this Mortal State is capable of here, and receive our perfedConfummationandBlifs,both in Body andSoul^ in thy Eternal and Everiaffing Glory. ^?vefi.
Chap. X.
The Shi and Mtfchief of Abfentingfrom the Lor is
Supper,
Chrlfi,'] T T is by no means fufficient^ that Men 66 X Once, or very Rarely, repair to this Holy Sacrament; but^ as their' Occafions and Neceflities are frequent, fo (hould their Care in feeking Supplies be^ Thg PafEons of the Soul are daily incomniotion, and
X * >/5
jiz Of tijt limitation Book IV.
itsDifeafesand evil Habits get ground by their malig- nant fpreading Quality. Tne Temptations of the Devil are feldom intermitted^ or, if they be, *tis only out of wicked Subtilty , that even thofe intervals of Quiet may contribute the more efFedually to Mens ruin. And if this be, as moft affuredly it is, thy Cafe ; think then, how urgent thy Wants are, and how fre- quent thy Returns ought to be to this Fountain of Di- vine Grace. That here thou may 'ft drink living Wa- ter, and quench the raging Fevers of thy Soul, that here thou may 'ft recei-ve Balm into thy Wounds, and apply proper Remedies to thy feveral Indifpofitfons ^ that thou may 'ft grow more wife and v/ary by fuch Recolledions, more clearly underftand thy own State, by thofe Examinations, which prepare thee for my Table jand, by repeating this holy Meal,be flrength- fied againft the AfTaults of the Enemy, and more upon thy Guard againft his Subtle Infinuations. And one of his Inllnuations it certainly is, to hinder and draw men off from communicating often; As being very fenfiblehow greatand happy Advantages they reap by doing fo ,• And, that this is the very bett Courfe tkey can poffibly take, of fecuring themfelves, and defeating his maliciousEndeavours to debauch and deftroy theirSouk For thisReafon Men arc not to think it ftrange, if they find the Devil then more efpecially bufie, when they fet themfelves with more than common Earneft- nefs to the Preparation for, or the Exercife of, the moft folemn and exalted Ads of Religion. For this ^^^ . Wicked Spirit, as the Hiftory of Joh inti-
mates, is always induftrious to mingle him- felf with the Sons of God, when they appear before their Heavenly Father. He contrives then to gire them great Difturbance, to damp their Joys, and break their holy Purpofes, by fuggefting many Fears, anddiftra(5ting their Minds with unneceffary Scruples, He terrifies them with easing and drinking thtir eo^n