Instruction concerning penance and holy communion the second part fo the instruction of youth, containing the means how we may return to God by penance, and remain in his grace by the good and frequent use of the sacraments. By Charles Gobinet, Doctor of Divinity, of the house and Society of Sorbon, principal of the college of Plessis-Sorbon.

PART I. Of the Doctrin, that is to say, of the Truths which it Imports us to know concerning the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

A Christian Communicant, that he may re∣ceive worthily (if as yet he know them not distinctly) ought to be well instructed in three things; of which two are generall, the third is particular to this Sacrament.

First, he must be instructed in Faith in Gene∣rall, without which it is impossible to attain to the knowledge of this great Mystery of the Eu∣charist. He must understand perfectly well, what God hath reveal'd concerning this Virtue, which is the Basis and ground-work of Salvation. As Saint Paul saith, Heb. 11.1. The Substance of the things to be hoped for.

Secondly, He must have a true Notion of the Principal Mysteries of Faith in Particular; as of the Blessed Trinity, the Incarnation, the Re∣demption,

the Catholick Chuch: for except he believe these Truths, it is impossible ever to come either to the knowledg or belief of that of the Holy Eucharist.

Thirdly, He must be throughly informed in what concerns this Sacrament in particular; viz. in the principal truths which appertain unto it: as the real presence of the Son of God in the Cou∣secrated Host: The change of the substance of the Bread and Wine, into that of his Body and Blood: The great wonders, which meet in this Mystery: The effects, which it produces in the Soul of the worthy receiver. The dispositions, with which it ought to be received.

Following this order, I shall divide this First Part into three Chapters, whereof the First shall treat of Faith; the Second of the Principal My∣steries of our Faith; the Third of what concerns this Sacrament in particular: And we shall divide the Chapters into Articles, or Questions, as ne∣cessity shall require.

CHAP. I. Of Faith.

FOR your greater ease, we shall treat of this Subject by way of Question, and Answers immediately subjoyn'd.

Question I. What is it we are obliged to know concerning Faith in general?

SEven things; viz. What Faith is; who is the Author of it; what its action; its ob∣ject; its motive; its rule; and what the condi∣tions it requires, that it may be perfect.

Quest. II. What is Faith?

IT is a gift of God, or a light from above by which man being illuminated doth firmly believe all those things, which God hath revealed, and proposed to his Church to be believed; whe∣ther written, or unwritten.

In this definition is comprised all whatsoever, as is abovesaid, we are obliged to know con∣cerning Faith.

And first it teacheth us, that Faith is a Super∣natural light proceeding not from us, but from God; and which makes us assent to those truths, the belief whereof is necessary for Salvation.

It teacheth us also, who is the Author of Faith, what its action, & the rest, as we shall see by the Replies to the following Questions.

Quest. III. Who is the Author of Faith?

I Answer, God alone. Faith is a gift of God, saith the Apostle, Ephes. 2.8. and there is none but he can give it. He bestows it upon us

by enlightning our understanding in a superna∣tural way, and inclining the will to follow by her consent the light which is proposed unto her. The will indeed concurrs, and doth well in ac∣cepting and agreeing with the truth, which is proposed unto her: but it is God alone, who is the first and principal cause; wherefore it is very necessary that we beg and require it at his hands.

Quest. IV. What is the Action, Object, and Motive of Faith?

TO believe, that is to hold a truth for cer∣tain and assured, without the least doubt thereof, is the proper act of Faith.

The object, that is, the things which we are oblig'd to believe, are all the truths which God hath revealed, and which are therefore proposed that we may assent unto them.

The motive or reason why we ought to be∣lieve, is the divine revelation: For one believes a truth, because God, who neither can deceive us, nor be deceived in what he reveals unto us, hath revealed it. And this revelation for this reason is always infallible.

Quest. V. By what ways hath God revealed the Truth unto us?

BY two: By the Holy Scripture, and by Tra∣dition. These are the two ways, whereby God hath been pleased to manifest his holy truths; and both of them are equally infallible, because both are equall, the one written, the other the unwritten word of God.

Quest. VI. Which is the Rule of Faith?

WE call that the Rule of Faith, whereby we discern the revelations which come, from those which do not come, from God; for it is certain that there are some false revelations, and which the Devil, the Author of Lies, pro∣poses by his Ministers; and therefore, that we may not be be deceived, we have a certain rule.

This rule is the judgment, or the interpreta∣tion of the Holy Church, to which God hath gi∣ven that Power, and promised the assistance of his Holy Spirit, that it also may never be decei∣ved.

The Proofs are manifest in the Scripture; Be∣hold, Mat. 28.20. (saith he) I am with you even un∣till the end of the World. He also said, Mat. 16.18. Ʋpon this Rock will I build my Church, and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. And the Apostle saith afterwards, 1. Tim. 3.15. that the Church is the House of God, and that it is the Pillar and Ground of Truth. The Son of God commands us to hear∣ken to it even as to himself. Luc. 10.16. He, that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me. And he saith, Mat. 18.17. he who will not hear the Church, let him be accounted as a heathen or Publican.

Without this Rule we can have no Faith, be∣cause without it we can neither be assured of the Divine Revelation, nor of the true Scriptures, nor of their true Sense; wherefore Hereticks, who refuse to follow the Judgment of the Church, have neither Faith, not even any cer∣tainty

of any thing they believe.

They say indeed that they follow the Scrip∣ture, but they deceive themselves.

For first, How do they know, that there is such a thing as Scripture, but by the Testimony of the Catholick Church, which assures us of it, and hath conserved it from time to time, even untill their times. Did not St. Augustin, contra Epist. fundam. c. 5. say, and with good reason, that he would not believe the Gospel, except he were moved unto it by the authority of the Catholick Church: and that if we believe the Church, when it tells us that we must believe the Gospel, why should we not be∣lieve it, when it forbids us to believe Manicheus or Hereticks.

Secondly, It is not enough to follow the Scrip∣ture, except also they follow and be assured of the true Sense of Scripture; for as St. Augustin, in tract. 18. in Jo. saith, Heresy springs from no other source, but from good Scripture ill understood, and boldly maintained: And St. Hilary, l. 2. ad Con∣stant. August. saith excellently well, That there is no Heretick but maintains his Blasphemies by the Scrip∣ture.

If they fay that the Holy Ghost inspires them with the true Sense of the Scriptures, and the right understanding of the Mysteries therein contained.

The Answer is impertinent; for there was never any Heretick, who had not this same Plea.

Secondly, If it be so, why are there so many different Sentiments amongst them, and that in Points of Faith? Can the Holy Ghost be contra∣ry to, or contradict himself? Is it possible that

he should inspire both truth and falshood?

3ly. who is it that doth not perceive that this answer, were it good, would authorize as many religions, as there are men? for every one will easily say that he hath the Holy Ghost.

Lastly, why do they desire, that others should believe them, whilst they affirm that they have the H. Ghost, having nothing besides there own assertion to justify what they say; since they them∣selves refuse to believe the Church, which requires their assent by so just a title, as is the promise made her by the Son of God of the continuall as∣sistance of his H. Spirit, even to the end of the world.

We must then conclude, and hold for a cer∣tain truth, that it is neither our private judgment, nor our interiour perswasion, however we may, believe it comes from the Holy Ghost, which is capable to serve us as a rule in points of Faith, or can make us see which is a true, and which a false revelation: but it is the sole Testimony of the Catholick Church, and the judgment which she forms of the divine truths, which is and ought to be the rule of our belief. For whilst we submit our selves to her judgment we cannot fall. As we cannot but mistake and err, when tho' never so little we depart from the doctrine of the Church.

We find in the Church four conditions requi∣red for the rule of saith: To be a rule, it must at one and the same time be One, Certain, Mani∣fest, and Visible.

The Church is One, for as there can be but one Faith, so there can be no more then one true Church, as it is said in the Nicene Creed, Et unam Sanctam Catholicam, & Apostolicam Ecclesiam.

The judgment of the Church is Certain in points of faith, since she can never fail being, as the Apostle saith, the Pillar and ground of truth.

It is Manifest, because clearly proposed, and by word of mouth explained upon occasion of any Emergent difficulty in matters of faith.

The Church for this reason was Established by the Son of God: his will is, that we have re∣course unto her in these occasions, according as it was also practiced in the Old Testament, where it is said Mal. 2.7. that the lips of the Priest do con∣serve knowledge, and one must seek the Law from his mouth.

And the Apostle assures us, that the same me∣thod is to be observed in the New Testament, when he saith, Ephes. 4.11. that the Son of God hath established some Apostles, some Pastours, and other some Doctors for the administration of his word, & for the building up of the body of Jesus Christ, that is his Church. That we may not be like Children wavering in uncertainty, and carried away with every wind of Doctrine. And for this reason also St. Augustin affirms, that in all difficulties which occurr con∣cerning any questions or matters of Faith, we must make our addresses to the Church. If any one, saith he, cont. Crescon. fear to be deceived in the obscurity of this question, let him consult the Church. Si quis falli metuit hujus obscuritate questionis, Eccle∣siam. de illâ consulat.

Lastly, the Church is Visible, as consisting of Pastours, who have succeeded one another ever since the Apostles, even unto this present time; and as in all ages one might, so at this very time one may easily address himself unto them to be instructed in all what concerns our faith. This

is the City, whereof the Son of God speaks Mat. 5.14. which is built upon a Mountain to which all the World may have access, as it was foretold by Isaias. Chap. 2.3. Come and ascend to the moun∣tain of our Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob. It will teach us his ways, and we shall walk in his paths, for the Law will come forth of Sion, and the word of our Lord from Jerusalem. It was to this City that St. Augustin, de Ʋnitat. Eecles. c. 14. sent the Donatists, when he said to them, you have the City whereof he himself, who built it, said, that it was a City built upon a Mountain, and could not be hid∣den.

I have staid and dilated my self on set purpose upon this Subject of the Rule of Faith, because it is of great concern in this affair, and upon which all the rest, as far as concerns us, depends; it is a Principle and Fundamental Maxim in mat∣ters of Faith, That we must hearken to, and o∣bey the Church; we must receive the Divine Revelations from her alone, and the Interpreta∣tion she gives of the Holy Scripture and Traditi∣on; which are the two ways by which as is a∣bovesaid, God hath been pleased to convey his Divine Truths, the Mysteries of our Holy Faith, unto us.

Quest. VII. What Qualities or Conditions ought our Faith to have?

IT follows from what we have already said, that Faith to be perfect must have three qua∣lities or Conditions; it must be Humble, Ʋni∣versal, and Firm or fixed and steddy.

Humble, that is, in matters of Faith we are to submit our selves to the judgment of the Church, and not to be wedded to our proper sense, nor to our interiour persuasion, nor to the judgment of any particular Person, as we have shew'd a∣bove. Thus God ordained it in the Old Testa∣ment, Deut. 17.8. where he commanded, that in the difficulties which should occurr concerning the performance of the Law, every one should have recourse to the Priests, & follow exactly their decision: and that under pain of Death, in case one should be refractory or disobedient. And in the New Testament he hath decreed, that he who will not hear the Church, shall be accounted as an In∣fidel.

Ʋniversal, that is, it ought to comprehend, and believe generally all the truths which are propo∣sed by the Church to be believed without ex∣cepting any; and the reason is evident; because the Church, which proposeth them, by reason of the assistance of the Holy Ghost, which is promi∣sed her without restriction, is equally infallible in all her Judgments, and can be no more decei∣ved in the least, then in the greatest Mystery of our Faith: and as St. Augustin, contra Epist. fun∣dam. speaking of the Books of the Sacred Scrip∣ture, saith excellently well, If I believe the Gospel, I must also necessarily believe the Acts of the Apostles, because the same Authority of the Catholick Church obliges to believe them both. We may say the same of all the other truths, which are proposed by the Church; for if we believe one, we ought al∣so to believe the others; because it is the same Authority and the same Church, which propo∣ses, and gives us assurance of them both. And the

same St. Augustin l. 16. cont. Faust: c. 3. speak∣ing of Hereticks, and those, who would give credit to nothing, but their own will. You (says he) who in the Gospell believe, what you please, and what you like not, reject. You rather give credit to your selves, then to the Gospell; because when led by your private Spirit you approve, what pleaseth, and disap∣prove what displeases you in Scripture; you do not at all submit your selves to the authority of holy writ there to find out your faith; but rather you subject the Scrip∣ture to your selves, to judge of it according to your will.

In fine, Faith ought to be firm, that is fixed, steddy and free from any at least voluntary doubt. And this also for the same reason; the infallible authority of the Church, which proposes unto us the divine truths the objects of our Faith, and cannot be deceived in what she proposes to us. So that there is no more reason to doubt of any one truth, then of all the rest. And there is not a better way to dispell with ease the doubts which arise against any one article of our faith, then to reflect upon the others which one believes with all the certainty imaginable; which yet are no o∣therwise grounded then upon the same authority of the Church: for if we do not doubt of those, neither ought we to question these. In all the doubts, which may occur, concerning any point or points of faith, whether they arise from our own imaginations, or spring from occasion of Heresy, new doctrins, or scandall given in the Church, we ought to have recourse to this au∣thority as to a secure refuge. A refuge where we shall find the divine Protection against the contradi∣ction of evill tongues; as the Psalmist hath it and after him St. Augustin in those excellent words,

which he delivers upon that passage of Psa. 30. ex∣posi. 2. Serm. 3. Preteges eos in tabernaculo tuo a con∣dictione linguarum. If you find tongues which contra∣tradict you, heresies raised up against you, and divisions, which oppose you, have recourse to the Tabernacle of God; adhere and stick fast, to the Catholick Church: do not depart from this rule of Truth, and you shall be protected, and guarded from the contradiction of tongues in the Tabernacle of God.

Behold not only a wholsome but also a neces∣sary advice, which ought to be practised upon oc∣casion of any doubts in faith, and especially in the beginning of any heresy. And had the here∣ticks of our time follow'd this good councell, they would never so unfortunately have continued ob∣stinate in their errour, or drawn others into the same ruin, as they have done.

CHAP. II. Of the things we are obliged to believe.

WE shall reduce them to four heads. 1. The Divinity or what we are obliged to believe of God. 2. The Incarnation, or the Humanity of the Son of God, which shall com∣prehend what we are to be believe of Jesus Christ. 3. The Church. 4. The Sacraments. These four things are all contained in the Apostles Creed.

ARTICLE. I. What are we oblig'd to believe of God?

FOur things.

The First, I believe in God, that God is: that is, that there is one only true God, who is an un∣created Being, Eternall, Independent, Infinite in perfections, in Knowledge, in Power, in Wis∣dom, in Goodness, in Justice, and in all other things.

Secondly, The Father Almighty, and in his only Son, I believe in the Holy Ghost, that in God there are three Persons, The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. That all these three are but one true God, having the self same divine Essence, the self same Wisdom, the self same Goodness, the self same Power, and so of the other divine perfections. That the Son the Eternal Word proceeds from the understanding of the Father by a perfect Knowledge, which the Father con∣ceives of himself; by which he expresses his I∣mage in the Son. And the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son by a Mutuall love, which they bear one another. That these Pro∣cessions do not cause any inequality, or depen∣dence or priority amongst the Divine Persons, who are all Equall and Eternall; as being all but one only true God; One in Nature, and three in Persons.

Thirdly, Creator of Heaven and Earth. That God is the authour and creator of all things, that he hath made both Heaven and Earth and all the

creatures therein, whether visible or invisible, of nothing by his only word. That he conserves them by his power, and governs them by his wisdom.

Fourthly, Life Everlasting. That as he is the be∣ginning and first cause, so also he is the end of all things, and particularly of Men and Angels: whom he created to adore and serve him; and for whom he hath prepared eternall happiness, which will consist in this, that the blessed shall see him perfectly, and enjoy him as he is in himself, and this enjoyment shall endure for all eternity: it shall never, no never end.

ARTICLE II. What are we obliged to believe of Jesus Christ?

FOR the greater facility, and distinctions sake, we shall divide this Article into Que∣stions.

Quest. I. What is Jesus Christ? And in Jesus Christ his only Son.

HE is the Son of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, who was Incarnate, that is made Man for us men and for our Salva∣tion. But

Quest. II. Why was he made Man?

TO redeem man from the Sentence of ever∣lasting death, which we had all incurred by disobedience of the first man; and to give full sa∣tisfaction to the Divine Justice, as well for that first, or Original Sin, as for all the rest, which have been committed ever since by other men.

Quest. III. This Incarnation in what doth it consist? Who was conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary.

IT consists in the strict and personal union of the Eternall word with human nature: that is, with a mortall body and an immortall Soul, such as we have; from which union there results a compound, whom we call Jesus Christ, true God, and at the same time true man.

Whence it plainly follows that in Jesus Christ there are two Natures, and one only Person, viz. the one divine, the other humane nature, both united in one & the same Person of the Son of God, or the eternal word: whereas on the contrary in the divinity there is but one Nature, & three Persons.

By this Union the Divinity was neither chan∣ged into the Humanity, nor the Humanity into the Divinity of our Lord; for that is impossible: But both natures enjoying either of them their own perfections, were strictly united in the per∣son of the Son of God. So that continuing what he was, that is God, he became what he was not, viz.

Man, as St. Leo, Sermone, de Nativ. Dom. expresses himself, Manens quod erat, assumpserat quod non erat.

Quest. IV. How was this Divine Ʋnion accomplished?

WHen the fulness of time was come that God had decreed to send his Son for the redemption of Mankind, he dismis'd from Heaven an Angell Messenger to the Blessed Virgin (whom above all others he had chosen, and in whom he had ordain'd, this adorable mystery should be perform'd) to declare unto her it was his will, that she should be the temporall Mother of the Son of God.

She had no sooner yielded, and concurr'd with her consent to the accomplishing of the will of God thus manifested unto her, but the Almighty power frames in her Virginal womb an humane body out of her purest blood, creating in the same instant a rationall Soul to animate and in∣form it; and in that same moment the Word, who from all eternity terminates the Divinity, began in time to terminate the Humanity of our Lord, Uniting in his Person the two, divine & humane, Natures. And thus was fulfill'd that divine truth recorded by St. John, Verbum caro factum est. The word was made Flesh.

The Blessed Virgin having thus conceived the Son of God, by the speciall work of the Holy Ghost, at the end of nine months she brings him forth into the world, nourishes, maintains and breeds him up as other mothers use to do their Children: and the Son of God lived with her thus unknown to the world untill the age of

thirty years; thenceforward only he began to manifest himself, and to commence the work of our redemption for which he came.

Quest. V. What is it that the Son of God hath done for our Redemption.?

HE did four principall things, first he preach∣ed publickly his Gospell during the space of three years and some months, confirming the truth of his Doctrine, his Mission, and his Divi∣nity by an infinite number of miracles.

Secondly, he Suffer'd under Pontius Pilate a most bitter Passion and death upon the Cross; upon which he offer'd himself a Sacrifice in satisfaction to the divine Justice for the Sins of all mankind, and recompensation for the infinite injury, which thereby was done to the divine Majesty & Good∣ness; and by this means to open the gates of E∣verlasting life for man to enter, which till that time were shut against both Adam and all his Po∣sterity: Having performed this duty, the third day he rose again from the dead; and after that by fre∣quent apparitions he had proved the truth of his Resurrection for the space of forty days, he Ascend∣ed glorious and triumphant into Heaven, from whence at the end of the World he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead, all men according to their merits; who for that end shall be raised from death to life and appear before him, never more to die, but receive either an Eternal Re∣ward for their good, or everlasting Punishment for their evil works.

Thirdly, he establish'd and confirm'd his

Church consisting of almost innumerable men, Pastors and their Flock, who should believe in him, and continue in an uninterrupted Succession to the end of the world; which Church, Act. 20.28. he purchased with his blood.

Fourthly, he instituted the Sacraments as the means to convey unto us the merits of his Passi∣on; and as so many pretious Vessels, wherein is preserved the price of that adorable blood, which he hath so abundantly shed for us; to the end it might be applied unto us, according as the neces∣sity of our Salvation should require.

And for as much as these two last heads require a larger Explication; we shall treat of them here in two distinct Articles.

ARTICLE III. What are we oblig'd to believe concerning the Church?

I Believe the Holy Catholique Church, the Commu∣nion of Saints.

We must first believe that it is the Mysticall Body of which Jesus Christ is the Head; or a Congregation of the Faithfull holding the same Doctrin or Faith, which he taught, using the same Sacraments, which he instituted, living un∣der the conduct of the Apostles and succeeding Pastours, and acknowledging the same visible Head, the Vicar of Jesus Christ, the Chief Bishop and true Successor of St. Peter.

Secondly, that there is but one Church, as there is but one God, one Faith, one Baptism, as

St. Paul, Ephes. 4.4. saith, unum corpus, & unus Spiritus, unus Dominus, una Fides, unum Baptisma, unus Deus & Pater omnium. He that doth not conserve this Ʋnion, saith St. Cyprian, de unitat. Eccles. how can he believe that he hath Faith? he who opposes and resists the Church; who abandons the Chair of St. Peter, upon which the Church is built, how can he hope that he is in the Church? since the blessed Apostle teacheth this same thing, and shewing the sacred tye of Ʋnity, affirming, that there is but one body, (that is the Church) as there is but one Spirit, who governs it.

Thirdly, that this is that only Church, which acknowledgeth the Pope for her visible head, whom Jesus Christ hath appointed to govern her, and to be the source and Center of her Unity here on Earth: which made St. Cyprian say, ibid. that Heresies and Schisms spring from hence, that some will not acknowledge in the Church one whom Jesus Christ constituted head over the rest in those words, which he spoke to St. Peter, Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church: and I will give to thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and in ano∣ther place, feed my Sheep: Ʋpon one man, con∣tinues St. Cyprian, Ibid. he builds his Church, and gives him charge to feed his Flock. And although he bestow'd an equal authority upon the Apostles as far as concerns the remission of Sins: Yet that the Ʋnity of the Church might more clearly appear, he hath ordain'd one Chair; and it was his will that the Ʋnity take its Original and beginning from one man: and a little after he saith, that the Primacy was given to St. Peter, to shew that the Church of Christ, and the Chair was one. St. Hierome L. 1. in Jovinian, says the same thing, viz. That St. Peter

was preferred before the other Apostles, to be the head of the Church; to the end that the head being one, all occasion of division in the Church might be removed.

Fourthly, we are obliged to believe that there is no Salvation for any one out of this one true Church. It is an Article of Faith, which hath been held constantly in the Church; this having always been an unquestion'd and current Maxim; that he who will not have the Church for his Mother shall not have God for his Father. Which was the reason why St. Hierome finding himself in the East, where there was some division upon this Subject, the names of the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity, writ to Pope Damasus, Epi. 57. that he was resolved never to depart from him, but inseparably to unite himself unto him, as to one, who held the Chair of St. Peter, upon which says he, I know that the Church is built. Adding that the Church thus built is the only house, where it is lawfull to Eat the Paschal Lamb, the Ark of Noah out of which during the Flood none were saved, he, that doth not gather with the Pope, scattereth that is, he who is not united to Jesus Christ, doth associate himself with Anti-Christ.

Fifthly, we are also obliged to believe that this true Church is Infallible in her judgments in matters of Faith and Doctrine concerning man∣ners: whether she be or be not assembled in the persons of her Pastours and Head: viz. the Pope, and Bishops, she holds universally one and the same Doctrine. This is also an Article of Faith grounded upon the word of the Son of God, who hath promised that the gates of Hell shall never prevail against her, his Church: from whence it

follows that she never either fell, or ever shall fall into the least error in points of faith: she being as the Apostle affirms the Pillar and ground of truth. But we have already prov'd this truth above in the first Article.

Now from all what we have said, both in the first Article, and in the present question, it fol∣lows that we must conclude and hold this for a certain and infallible truth, that all saithfull Christians, whosoever desire to be assured in points of faith, and sound Doctrine concerning Manners, and to avoid error in a matter of so great concern, must of necessity adhere and stick close solely & inseperably to the Holy Catholick, Apostolick, and Roman Church, and hear and follow her Judgment and Doctrine in all things.

ARTICLE IV. What are we obliged to believe concerning the Sacraments?

I Believe the Remission of Sins. We are obliged to believe what the Church hath always taught concerning the Sacraments, viz. First, that they are the means instituted by God, thereby either to confer his Grace upon us, or to augment, what we have already received, or to restore what we had lost, as it is expressed in the Coun∣cill of Trent, Sess. 7. Proaem.

Secondly, that a Sacrament may be rightly de∣fined in this manner; a Visible signe of invisible grace instituted by God for our sanctification.

3. That this Visible sign consists, and is, as it

were composed of two parts, viz. the sensible thing, which is applyed in the Sacrament, as water in Baptism: and the words which are pronounced, as in the same Beptism these words. I baptize thee &c. according to that received doctrine delivered by St. Augustin, Accedit verbum ad Elementum & fit Sacramentum. By the joyning of the words with the Element, or Material thing, the Sacrament be∣comes compleat. One of these two parts is called the matter, the other the form of the Sacrament.

4. That the Sacrament being applyed by a lawfull Minister, either gives or augments Sancti∣fying Grace in the Soul of the worthy receiver.

5. That there are Seven Sacraments: viz. Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Order, Matrimony.

Baptism makes us the Children of Jesus Christ, Washing us from the Stains of Original sin, and enlivening our Soul with the Life of Grace, whence St. Paul calls Baptism, Tit. 3.5. the laver of regeneration, and the renovation of the Holy Ghost.

Confirmation strengthens us, and conserves, and confirms us in the faith we received in Baptism.

The Holy Eucharist is the nourishment of the Soul, for as by Meat and Drink our decayed Spirits are revived; so by the use of the Blessed Sacrament those damages, which Charity dayly suffers from humane frailty are repaired.

Penance restores us to the Grace of God, which we had lost by sin.

Extreme Unction gives us strength at the hour of death, that we may be the better able to fight against our Ghostly Enemy in that last Moment, upon which Eternily depends; it is a remedy a∣gainst

Spirituall weakness contracted by our for∣mer Sins.

Order consecrates the Ministers of Christ, and gives them power to conferr the Sacraments.

Matrimony sanctifies the contract betwixt man and woman, and gives them grace to comply with the obligations which they draw upon themselves by that indissoluble Bond instituted by God for the propagation of Mankind; and raised to the dignity of a Sacrament by our Sa∣viour Christ.

Altho' all or every one of the Sacraments do cause sanctifying grace, yet they do not every one produce it in the same manner; for there are two, viz. Baptism and Penance, in∣stituted for the remission of Sins, which conferr it upon those, whom they find void of grace; from whence it is that they are called the Sacraments of the dead; that is to say of those, who are dead in the sight of God in the state of Mortal Sin, whom they raise up from that death to the life of grace; whereas all the rest are called the Sacraments of the living, in as much, as they en∣crease the grace they find precedently in the Soul; and to receive any one of these worthily it is necessary that we be in the state of grace.

The Soul by each Sacrament is not only sancti∣fied by habitual, but also endowed with actual grace, that is, with a vigour and strength to∣wards the compassing of those particular effects, for which it was first instituted and ordained.

Moreover there are three, which imprint a character in the Soul; Baptism, Confirmation, and Order: this Character is a Spiritual Mark or Seal which God makes in his Soul, who receives

any of these three Sacraments; which impressi∣on, because it can never be rased out, none of these three Sacraments can be reiterated, or recei∣ved the second time by the same Person without a Sacrilege.

CHAP. III. Of the Holy Eucharist.

ALL what we have said hitherto, whether of Faith in general, or in particular of the Divinity it self, of the Incarnation of the Son of God, of the Holy Church, and of the Sacraments, serve only as so many steps or dispositions to the belief of the Blessed Sacrament of the Al∣tar, and to render the understanding of this a∣dorable Mystery more easy to us; which there∣fore we shall here endeavour to explain as brief and short, as possibly we may.

I shall reduce all whatsoever we are obliged to know concerning it into four heads. 1. The re∣al prefence of the Son of God in the Sacrament. 2. The Wonders inseparably annext unto it. 3. The effects, which it is capable to produce. 4. The dispositions necessary to receive it.

ARTICLE I. Of the real presence of the Son of God in the Holy Eucharist, and of what we are to believe concerning this Sacrament.

WE are obliged to believe, that it is a Sa∣crament instituted by Jesus Christ, wherein he gives us really and truly his Body and Blood under the species or exteriour appearance of Bread and Wine for our Spiritual nourish∣ment and refection.

There is not any one particle of this general Assertion or Tenet of our Faith, which doth not require to be well and distinctly understood; and for this reason I shall explain every one of them in order, as they lie.

First then, we believe that it is a Sacrament; that is, a visible sign of invisible grace instituted by God for our sanctification.

Secondly, we believe that this Sacrament con∣tains really Jesus Christ all whole and entire, that is, his Body and Blood, his Soul, and Divinity.

Thirdly, that under the Species, in the Sacra∣ment, there remains nothing of the substance, but only the appearance of Bread and Wine; both substances being truly changed into the Body and Blood of the Son of God: so that what we see of Bread and Wine, as bigness, figure, co∣lour, smell, taste, &c. are only the accidents and the outward and sensible appearance of Bread and Wine.

Fourthly, that it is He, God by his Almighty

Power, who works this wonderfull change by vertue of the words of Consecration, This is my Body, this is my Blood, in that very moment, in which the Priest in the Person of Jesus Christ makes an end of the pronunciation of them.

Fifthly, That in vertue of these Divine words the Body of the Son of God becomes really pre∣sent under the species of Bread, not by it self, or all alone, but together with his Blood, his Soul, and Divinity: and his Blood also under the spe∣cies of Wine, not singly by it self, but accom∣panied with his Body, his Soul, and his Divini∣ty; with this difference that the Body becomes present there under the species of Bread precise∣ly and directly by the vertue and signification of the words, and the rest, that is to say, the Blood, Soul, and Divinity, are there by concomitance only, and by a necessary consequence: because the Son of God being alive, and the Divinity al∣ways inseparably united to his Humanity, where∣soever his Body is, there also is his Blood, his Soul, and his Divinity.

The same is to be said of his Blood, which be∣comes present under the species of Wine di∣rectly by the signification of the words; and his Body, his Soul, and his Divinity are also there by a necessary sequel and concomitance.

Sixthly, That Jesus Christ continues whole and entire under the species of Bread and Wine, in a Spiritual manner, that is, without his Quantity and natural extension, after the manner of a Spi∣rit, that is, whole in the whole Host, and whole in every part of the Host; so that he is there invisible, indivisible, and impassible.

And therefore when the Host is divided, the

Son of God is not divided, nor broken; but he continues entire in each small particle of the Host, as he was before the division in the whole; and he who receives any tho' the least part of the Host, receives Jesus Christ whole and entire, as much as if he had received the whole.

ARTICLE II. Of the Wonders which occurr in this Sacrament.

MAny and almost innumerable are the Won∣ders, and Miracles, which God works by his Almighty Power in this great Mystery, whereof seven are more remarkable.

The First is, that the Son of God in that very moment the words are pronounced becomes re∣ally present in the Eucharist: and without de∣parting from Heaven where he still remains, his Body becomes truly present in the Sacred Host, where before the Consecration it never was.

The Second which follows from the First, is, that the Body of the Son of God is at one and the same time truly in many places; and in as many, as there are Consecrated Hosts.

The Third is, this admirable change of the substance of Bread and Wine into the substance of the Body and Blood of the Son of God; so that at the moment of Consecration the Bread is no more Bread, and the Wine is no more Wine. Before Consecration, saith St. Ambrose, l. 4. de Sa∣cram. c. 4. the Bread is Bread, after Consecration, of Bread it becomes the Body of Christ.

The Fourth Miracle is, that the accidents of

Bread and Wine after the Consecration subsist separate from their proper substance, which 'till then sustained them, God by his Omnipotence preserving them thus in being.

The Fifth is, that the Body of the Son of God is all whole, entire and perfect in the Host, yet without taking up any place as other Bodies do, but after a Spiritual manner; so that it is whole and totally entire in the whole Host, and also whole and totally entire in each part of every Host, after the manner of Spiritual things; as for example, the Soul, which is all whole and en∣tire in the whole, and all whole and entire in e∣very part of the Body: from whence it follows of necessity that the body of the Son of God, is as entire under the least, as under the greatest part of the Host, and he, who receives but one part of the Host, receives as much, as he who re∣ceives the whole.

The Sixth which follows from the former, that tho' the Host be divided or broken into ma∣ny Parts, the Body of the Son of God is neither divided nor broken, because being Indivisible he continues in each part, as he was before.

The Seventh is, when the Host is consumma∣ted, the Body of the Son of God is not consum∣mated nor corrupted; that altogether divine Body being incapable of any alteration: what happens to it in that moment is only this; it leaves or ceaseth to be in the Sacrament, when the accidents of Bread or Wine are Corrupted and cease to be any longer the Accidents of Bread and Wine.

All these and innumerable other wonders with which this Sacrament abounds, and which it is

impossible to relate, much more to comprehend, oblige us to look upon it, as an Abridgment of all the wonderfull effects of the Almighty Power, according to that of David. Psalm. 110.4. (where so long before by a Prophetick Spirit he foretold, that God, as a speciall token of his Mercy, had made an abridgment of his Marvells in giving Meat to them that fear him) and to behold it as the most endearing pledge, which our Redeemer, as the Council of Trent hath it, Sess. 13. c. 2. being ready to depart from this World to his Father, sum∣ming up, as we may say, all the riches of his divine love to men, most liberally bestowed upon us.

ARTICLE III. Of the Effects of the Holy Eucharist.

FRom what hath been said, it is easy to judge of the great effects this Sacrament is capable and ordain'd to produce in the Soul of every re∣ceiver. For as God hath wrought all these so im∣mense, and so incomprehensible wonders for our sakes; it must needs be that they were de∣sign'd to work in us most powerfull effects of his Grace.

The Son of God by his infinite wisdom hath comprised them all in one word, saying Jo. 6.56. that his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed, and that he who eateth his body and drinks his blood remains in him, and he, Jesus, interchange∣ably remains in him who eats him.

From these divine words it follows that the flesh of the Son of God, as a Divine nourishment works in the Soul of the worthy receiver, the

same effects Spiritually, which the best Cor∣poral nourishment produceth corporally in the body of those, who take it. Now the ef∣fects of corporal nourishment are four or five. 1. It conserves life. 2. It makes one grow or en∣crease. 3. It fortifies us. 4. It preserves us against distempers. Infine, it gives us strength to be able to labour, and to comply with all our respective duties.

By these we may judge of the effects of the Holy Eucharist.

The first is to conserve Grace, which is the life of the Soul, and therefore it is called the Bread of Life, the Bread which gives Life unto the World.

The Second, is to augment the same grace, and encrease the Christian Virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity. This effect however it be common to all the Sacraments; yet it is more peculiar to this, as being more particularly instituted for the nou∣rishment of the Soul, and to make us increase and proceed from Virtue to Virtue till we come to the house of God.

The third, is to strengthen us against sin, and the temptations, which incline that way, hence the Councill of Trent affirm'd, Sess. 13. c. 2. that this Sacrament is a preservative against Mortal, and a remedy against Venial Sin.

The fourth effect is, that it heals the distem∣pers, that is, the passions, and disorderly affecti∣ons of the Soul. It weakens concupiscence, or gives new strength to overcome it. It diminishes Choler, Envy, Pride, and other Vices, as St. Ber∣nard, Serm. de Coena Domini, excellently well ob∣serves: If any one, says he, does not find so frequent,

or so violent motions of Anger, Envy, Impurity, or of other like passions, let him give thanks to the body and blood of our Lord; for it is the vertue of the Sacra∣ment, which produces in him these effects: and let him rejoyce, that the worst of Ʋlcers begin to heal.

Lastly, the Holy Eucharist gives perseverance in the grace of God, and in the way of Salvation, in the midst of the various & imminent dangers, which we encounter in this Life, and particularly when we draw near death; whence it was given sometimes to Martyrs when they were ready to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ: and the Church always takes care to Communicate the sick, when they are in danger of Death, that so they may be Strengthened in that dangerous passage, and happily arrive at the haven of Salvation by means of this divine nourishment, then called the Via∣ticum, which is as much as to say, the Provision for that voiage.

All these admirable effects evidently prove the greatness and excellence of this divine Sa∣crament, and ought effectually to move us fre∣quently to approach unto it, and not neglect so many and so signal favours, as God there pre∣sents unto us. Yet we are to take notice, that it doth not produce these Effects, except in such persons, as are rightly disposed to receive it, as it deserves.

Of these dispositions we will now discourse.

ARTICLE IV. Of the dispositions required to Communicate well and as we ought.

WE shall inferr the dispositions from the same principle, from which we gathered the effects, viz. from the nature of the nourish∣ment and Spiritual food we receive in the Holy Euchrist: and as it produces the same effects in the Soul, that food doth into the Body, so also it requives proportionable dispositions in the Soul, that nourishment doth to be beneficial to the Body.

Now Corporall nourishment, we know re∣quires three dispositions, Life, Health, & Action; for a dead body is uncapable to be nourished, an infirm Stomack can never make a good digestion, nor is it possible to convert the food into our sub∣stance except that health be accompanied with our action; which is the reason, that the body to be nourished requires to be alive, to be sound and well, and to have an action of its own.

Thus the Eucharist, that Celestiall food re∣quires three dispositions in the Soul, and without them it doth no good, but harm.

The first is Sanctifying Grace, which is the life of the Soul, as mortall Sin is the death incom∣patible with it, depriving us of this Supernatu∣ral life of the Soul: Without this life the Soul not only receives no benefit from Communion, but suffers also much detriment from this holy Table; inofmuch as she becomes guilty of a new

mortall Sin, a Sacriledge, which she commits by inviting the Authour of Life into the habitation of Death, the author of Light into the place of Darkness; and Jesus Christ into the company of the Devil. This made St. Paul 1 Cor. 21.28. ad∣vertise all Communicants to examen themselves well, when they approach to this holy table; be∣cause, saith the Apostle, he who eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself.

The Second disposition is the interiour Health of the Soul, which requires 1st, that she be free from any affection to veniall Sin. 2ly. that she be not actually moved either with Passions or Af∣fections, which may hinder her in her applica∣tion, and address to Jesus Christ. And altho' these defects do not render the Communicant ab∣solutely unworthy, or the Communion Sacrile∣gious, yet they cause very ill effects and consider∣ably diminish the fruits, which otherwise it would produce. They hinder the Soul from digesting this sacred food by good thoughts and holy affe∣ctions. And as nutriment, which lies indigested upon the Stomack, begets crudities, and causes Sickness in the body; so this divine sustenance by means of these indispositions becomes preju∣dicial to the Soul. Thereby we contract tepidity and coldness in devotion, Charity and other Vir∣tues are considerably diminish'd, our good acti∣ons weak and feeble, our selves by degrees insen∣sible of all good things which conduce to Piety. And thus by degrees at last we are often brought into mortall Sin.

The Third disposition is Action, that is actual devotion. To receive the fruits of this Sacrament, it is not sufficient that we be not indisposed, or

that we do not put any obstacle to its effects; it is necessary also that in this so religious an action, wherein we receive the Holy of Holys, and the Author of Holiness it self, we concur with dis∣positions of our own; which consist in the pra∣ctice of Christian Virtues. Of which we shall speak below in the Second Part of this Instruction.

ARTICLE V. Of an Ʋnworthy Communion.

AN ancient Lawgiver being ask'd why he had made no Laws against Paricides, made answer, because he esteemed that crime impossi∣ble; that there could not be found Children, so degenerate and unnaturall, as to attempt the life of their own Parents.

I would to God we could say the same with truth in the point of Instruction concerning un∣worthy Communion, or that we could truly say that it is not necessary to advertise Christians to avoid that so horrid Sacriledge, because it is im∣possible for a man professing himself a Christian ever to be guilty of so enormous a crime against our Saviour Jesus Christ.

But Alas! the contrary is too true: and this crime tho' a thousand times greater, yet is much more common amongst Christians then that of Paricide: They have an horror (and with good reason) to deprive those of breath, from whom they receiv'd their life; yet they are not appre∣hensive to Murder and Crucifie again, as much as in them lies, our Saviour Christ, by receiving

him into an impure & perfidious Breast. Nature hath imprinted in them a profound and lasting respect for those from whom they have received only a Mortal and fading life; But they easily forget the Reverence they owe to Jesus Christ, notwithstanding he nourisheth them with his own substance, his pretious Blood, and offers them by his presence a Spiritual and immortal, and a pledge of everlasting life.

O God, Theotime, is it possible then that there should be found Souls capable of so black a deed, so horrible a Crime? Surely they are only those, who either have no Faith; or such as have never considered the enormity of the Sin, who can commit it; for he must surpass the very Devils in malice, who falls into such a Sin, if he have but the least knowledge, how grievous and great it is; and what dreadfull consequences do follow from it. Two points I therefore design to dis∣course of in this place.

I will set forth the enormity of this Sin from three heads.

1. From that remarkable saying of our Lord himself, Mat. 7.6. Do not give that which is Holy unto Dogs. If it be a great Sacrilege to give to Dogs things consecrated to God; what Crime must it needs be to give the Holy of Holies unto a Soul an enemy of God, more impure and filthy then the very Dogs? and what Sin must it be in those to receive the Body of our Lord, who being no better then Dogs, as it is said in the A∣pocalypse, and under this notion excluded from the Sanctuary: Foris canes & impudici, yet have the impudence to eat the Bread of Children, the Bread of the very Angels themselves. Ecce panis Angelorum,

vere panis filioram non mittendus canibus.

2. From that so famed Doctrine and signal admonition of St. Paul, 1. Cor. 11.27. Whosoever ones the Bread, and drinks the Chalice of our Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of our Lord. This Sentence is a Thunder, which ought to terrify all those who are so miserably unfortumate as to Communicate in Mortal Sin: For he saith they are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Son of God: that is, they despise and treat in juriously this adorable Body and Blood, whilst they receive it in a profane place, in the Temple of Satan, in a Soul polluted with Mor∣tal Sin.

It is particularly verified in this occasion what St. Paul relates elsewhere, Heb. 6.6. this is to Crucisy Jesus Christ again; to scoff at him, to trample him under ones feet, and contemn his Blood in that very action by which one ought to sanctify his holy name. Can we think of these things without trembling and horror? We ne∣ver call to mind without a certain horror and eversion the inhumane methods the Jews and Sol∣diets a sed against our Saviour Jesus Christ in the time of his bitter Passion; and can we be so in∣sensible in our own case, as not to detest those affronts we offer him even worse then the Jews did whilst we unworthily receive him? For be∣sides, that they Luo. 23.34. knew not what they did; we know and confess him to be the Son of God, whom we offend.

St. Chrisostome explaining these words of St. Paul. 1. Cor. 11. Whosoever shall eat the Bread or drink the Cup of our Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of our Lord. Why so? suith

this Holy Father, hom. 27. and his answer is, be∣cause he hath spilt the Blood, and by that action he hath not offered a Sacrifice, but committed a Mur∣ther; for he who approaches unworthily to this Divine Table and receives no Fruit from thence, resembles them, who formerly pierced the Body of our Lord, not to drink but to shed his Blood. And, hom. 60. Consi∣der, saith he, what just Indignation you conceive a∣gainst him who betrayed Jesus Christ, and against those who Crucified him: therefore consider lest you also be equally culpable and guilty of the Body and Blood of the Son of God. It is true, they kill'd his most Sacred Body, but you after so many and so often re∣peated benefits bestowed upon you, receive him into an unclean and polluted Soul.

St. Cyprian before him had said that unworthy Communicants offer Violence to the Body of Jesus Christ, and that this sin is a more grievous offence in the sight of God, then it is for a Chri∣stian to abjure him in the presence of Infidels.

The Third from hence, which you ought ne∣ver to forget, that the sin of an unworthy Com∣munion is the sin of Judas. It was he who first committed it, and those who fall into it since imi∣tate his Example and become his Disciples. They receive him, as he did, in a Criminall and guilty Soul: They betray him not indeed to the Jews, but which is worse to the Devil, who in∣habits in them. What punishment ought they not to dread from such an Enormous Crime? Ought they not to remember how that perfidi∣ous Apostle was immediately possessed by the De∣vil in the moment, that be received Jesus Christ? for since they imitate him in his Sin, they cannot avoid being partaker of his punishment, as we are about to shew you.

The dammages which follow from an unworthy Communion.

SUch a mischievous cause cannot but produce most fatal effects.

The death of the Soul, which infallibly it brings with it, is the first evil which follows from it: Mors est malis, vita bonis. This death is an en∣crease or extension of that other, wherein the Soul lay buried before by the Sin in which he re∣ceiv'd the Sacrament: It is a further banishment from the grace of God, and a further disheart∣ning and exposing her to the Power of Satan.

From this Death follow other most dismal & lamentable effects: as the fall into new Sins; the blindness of Spirit; the encrease of vices and passions, which makes a Soul to groan under the Yoke of her Captivity, and hinder her from re∣turning again to God by true Repentance.

The Prophet hath comprised these effects in few words, Psalm. 68.23. when speaking a∣gainst the enemies of Jesus Christ, he prays to God, that their Table may prove a snare to them, and an occasion of scandal: That they may become blind, so that they may not see their own good: That they may always stoop under the Yoke of a miserable Servitude.

If those, who persecuted Jesus Christ without knowing him, are punished so severely, what ought not Christians to expect, when they treat him so ill in his own Person whom they know?

Histories are full of examples of divers pu∣nishments which God hath laid upon this so de∣testabie a Sin.

Saint Paul the first of all 1. Cor. 11.30. attri∣butes, as the effects of unworthy Communions, the great number of distempers, Sicknesses, and Deaths with which the Corinthians were afflicted.

Saint Cyprian delapsis, affirms that in his time there were many, whose bodies were delivered over to be possess'd by the Devil, for that they had Communicated unworthily; and also that many had lost their judgment, and become distracted and mad upon the same account.

And Saint Chrisostome also assures us that the same thing happen'd in his time.

The same St. Cyprian reports that a Christian woman having partaken in private of the Sacri∣fices of the Idols, and coming not long after to Communicate with the Christians, she had no sooner received the Son of God, but she found her self tormented, as if she had taken poyson, and dyed in the presence of all there.

He speaks of another who being willing to re∣ceive the precious body of the Son of God, her self being in an evil state, as she open'd the ves∣sel in which it was enclosed, there issued out a flame of fire, which hindred her, so that she was not able to receive it. And another Christian go∣ing about to do the same, instead of the Con∣secrated host, which he expected to have found in the place, where he had reserved it, he found nothing else but ashes.

He himself also recounts this Passage, how that a little Child, to whom his Pagan nurse had caus'd a little wine consecrated to the Idols to be given, being afterwards carried by his mother unto the Church at the time of the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, was not able to swallow one drop of the

consecrated wine, which the Deacon had put in∣to his mouth. The Sacred Eucharist, saith this ho∣ly Father, ibid. could not endure to stay in a body and mouth defiled and profaned, by the only touch of a forbidden drink. But if it could not stay in this body, whose Soul was altogether innocent; what may we say of those, whose Souls are altogether guilty and polluted.

I could relate a vast number of other examples; but it would be too long & tedious, & these are sufficient to make every one reflect, as the same St. Cyprian considers, that if he have not as yet received the same punishment for his unworthy Communion (if he have been guilty of it) he hath nevertheless deserv'd it, as much as they. Let every one consider, saith this Holy Father, not so much the punishment, which another hath received, as what he himself hath deserved; and that he do not believe he hath avoided the chastisement, because as yet it is something delayed; since he ought rather to be much more afraid, to whom God in his just judg∣ment hath deferred the punishment of his Sins to a longer time.

ARTICLE VI. Of the end we ought to propose to our selves in the Holy Communion.

BEsides the purity of Conscience, it is necessa∣ry, that we have that of rectitude of Inten∣tion to Communicate well: for it is most cer∣tain that an action how good soever it may be in it self, looseth its worth and value by the default of a good Intention: and it becomes evil and vi∣tious,

if the Intention be such, and if it be done for an evil end.

This being true in all good actions, whatsoever, it is still much more in this of Communion; forasmuch as it is certain, that nothing, but what is pure and holy, ought to draw near and receive purity and holyness it self: and that it is a contempt of the greatness and sanctity of God, to approach unto him upon any other mo∣tive, then that of pleasing him and meriting his grace and favour.

For this reason in the Old Testament it was his will that none should serve himself upon his Altar of any other then Holy Fire, which he had ordained for the use of the Sacrifices: And he punished with sudden death the two Sons of Aaron, who were so rash as there to make use of Prophane Fire; by this figure we learn, that for one to approach unto him, it is not sufficient to be holy, but it is also necessary that one bring with him an Intention altogether pure and holy, and that an evil and Prophane Intention doth grievously offend him upon this occasion.

We must then approach unto the Holy Com∣munion with an Intention totally pure, and pro∣pose to our selves an end altogether holy in this so great and so august an action: Now that we may perform this duty, two things are necessary.

The first is, that one propose to himself no evil thing, as the motive and cause of his Com∣munion; as Hypocrisy, to dissemble and con∣ceal some fault with an appearance of Piety; Va∣nity, to be esteemed virtuous; Humane respect, lest he should displease any one, or to please men rather then God. These three motives are but

too frequent amongst those, who are not suffi∣ciently instructed concerning the Intention, which we ought to have in our Communion, and par∣ticularly among young People. Wherefore they ought to have special care to avoid them. The first is the greatest fault, and ordinarily speaking renders the Communion Sacrilegious, the other two deprives one of the best part of the fruit, it otherwise would produce.

Secondly, This intention must be directed to the Service of God, and our Salvation. to God, to please him the more, and to unite our selves thereby more strictly to him; to our Salvation, to promote it by obtaining by means of the Holy Communion the Graces, which we stand most in need of, as to amend our faults, to resist temp∣tations; to fix and confirm us more in the pra∣ctice of Virtues.

The two ends we find in our Lords prayer; where the three first Petitions contain what we can wish, for the greater honour and glory of God; and the other four comprehend, what is necessary for our Salvation. And it is a very pro∣fitable exercise to propose to our selves for the end of our Communion, the obtaining of the grace of God, for the accomplishment of the Seven demands, which make up, & compose it, or of which this divine Prayer consists.

It is also good to add to this general intention, some particular end, according to our present necessities; as to obtain some particular grace we stand in need of, to correct in our selves some fault, and to advance in some particular Virtue.

Lastly, The right and Religious intention,

which we ought to have in Communion, is the very same, which Christ proposed to himself, when he first instituted this divine Sacrament. Now his intention was, as he himself declared, that he might remain in us, and we in him. He dwells in us by his Grace, and the assistance of his holy Inspirations; and we remain in him by love, and the obedience we render to him: pro∣pose to your self this end, and you shall Commu∣nicate according to the Intention and Will of Jesus Christ.