Book IV. OfjESUSCHRIST. 3 2j

eat the PaiToverat thy Houfe with my Difciples.Purge out thy old Leaven, and drefs up every Corner of thy Heart ; fweep it clean from the World, and all its corrupt AfFec5lions • throw out the Lumber and the Filth of thy Sins ; if thou defire that I fhould come and make my abode with thee. Sit as a Sparow alone up- on the Houfe-top, and mourn in thy Clofet for all the Tranfgreffions wherein thou haft exceeded ,• fo will I be with thee, and comfort thee, in the Bicter- nefs of thy Soul. This careful Preparation will be the natural Confequence of thy Sincerity and Refpe(5V for Me. For every Lover provides his beft Apart- ment to entertain his Friend, and beft beloved ,• and, by his Diligence to receive fo defired a Gueft, ex- preftes the Truth and Greatnefs of his AfFedion.
But know withal, when thou haft done thy utmoft, that even whole Years employed in Preparation can- not cffcd what in ftrid Juftice is my due. That thou art admitted to my Table, and received kindly there, is owing, after all, not to thy own Defert, but to My Grace and Mercy, which accepts thy weak Endea- vours , and pafles by thy Sin and Unworthinefs. Il Beggars, with their Nakednefs and Sores, have leave to fit and feaft with Princes ; their Duty is, with Hu- mility and Thankfulnefs, to acknowledge the mighty Favour. Do then thy part, and do it in the beft ma% ner thou canft ; do it diligently and heartily ; Corrfe not as by compulfion, but come willingly and gladly ; come not for Fafhion's liike, but come with Reve- rence, and godly Fear, and fervent Zeal When th^ Saviour condefcends to come to thee, refufe him not, nor turn thy Back and flee from his Table. I have invited, I have commanded thee, to come ; Let not thy Infirmities difcourage thee, for they are all per- fectly known to Me, and I will confider and allow for them , and what is wanting in Nature fhall be fupplied by Grace.
When
jx4 ^f ti)t ^mitatton Book IV.
When thou feeleft thy Heart burn with Love and Devotion^ return thy Thanks to God for kindling thefe holy Fires. I did it^ not bccaiife thou art wor- thy of fuch Grace, but becaufe I had Compaffion on thy Weaknefs and thy Wants. When thou findeft thy felf cold and infcnfible in Religious Duties, double thy Matth. vii. Diligence and thy Prayers, lament thy
and XV. * Deadnefs, and continue knocking. For if
thou perfevere, and Wilt take no Dehial, thou (halt not ask in vain, but be fed, at lealt, with the Crumbs that fall from thy Mailer's Table. Thoii ftandeft in need of Me, but 1 have none of Thee. It is for thy Benefit, not my own, that I vouchfafe to meet thee at this Sacrament. Thoucomeft hither to be filled, and ftrengthned, and fandified, to return better than thou cameft, to receive increafe of Grace, to be One with me, and dwell in me,* and thofe who come fincerely difpofed to receive me, and a- mend their Lives, I will in no wife fend empty away^ Do not then negled thofe precious Opportunities ; Do not abfent, or come carelefly ; but make me rooni in thy Heart, and let it be a clean and fit Reception for fo pure a Guefl, and He whorn thou loveft , will go home with thee to thy Houfe,
But then obferve, that there is the farhe N^ceffity of Care and Watchfulnefs after this Sacranlent, as of Prayer and Preparation before it. For a conftant Vir- tuous Life, and ftrid Guard over a Man's felf, is the beft and molt efFedual Preparation to every Sacra- me/it, and the fureft Means of obtaining more and greater Degrees of Grace. A Man, who prefently returns to the World, and gives himfelf a loofe to' the Liberties and AfFe(5i:ions, the Bufmefs and the Pleafures of it, undoes what he had taken Pains to do before; and defeats the good EfFeds of his molt folemn Preparation. Be not fond of variety of Com- pany and Divsffions ; nor lavifia and unwafV in thy