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tial words as relate to the actual participation.

"Concerning which I only add the pious advice of a religious person: Let every faithful soul be ready and desirous often to receive the holy Eucharist to the glory of God; but if he cannot so often communicate sacramentally as he desires, let him not be afflicted, but remain in perfect resignation to the will of God, and dispose himself to a spiritual Communion; for no man, and no thing, can hinder a well-disposed soul, but that by holy desires she may, if she please, communicate every day.

"To this nothing is to be added, but that this way is never to be used but upon NECESSITY; not upon peevishness and spiritual pride; not in the spirit of schism and fond opinions; not in despite of our brother, or contempt or condemnation of the holy congregations of the Lord; but with a living faith and an actual charity, and great humility, and with the spirit of devotion, and that so much the more intensely and fervently as the person (thus administering to himself) is really troubled

for

for the want of actual participation in the communion of saints; and then that is true which St. Austin said, (crede et manducâsti,) "Believe, and thou hast eaten."

That the above doctrine is countenanced by our Church may be concluded from a liberal construction of the Rubrick affixed to the office for the Communion of the Sick in the Liturgy.

"If a man either by reason of sickness, or for want of warning in due time to the curate, or for lack of company to receive with him, or by any other just impediment, do not receive the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood, the curate shall instruct him, that if he do truly repent him of his sins, and stedfastly believe that Christ hath suffered death upon the cross for him, and shed his blood for his redemption, earnestly remembering the benefits he hath thereby, and giving him hearty thanks therefore, he doth eat and drink the body and blood of our Saviour Christ profitably to his soul's health, although he doth not receive the Sacrament with his mouth.

"

The

The excellent BISHOP WILSON has supplied a short Form of Spiritual Communion, as he terms it, in his very useful book on the Lord's Supper; a book which perhaps has done more good to society in promoting religion and virtue among the mass of the people, than the lucubrations of the most learned Theologians*.

*Persons engaged in the business of the WORLD, and of high rank and consequence in the WORLD, are often, from inattention, wonderfully IGNORANT of all that concerns Religion.

And here I may introduce a distinction of the schools between NESCIENTIA and IGNORANTIA.

The NESCIENTES are such as know notmany things, which either they are not bound to know, or have not the means of knowing.

The IGNORANTES are those who know not what it is their duty to know, and what they have also the means of knowing.

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In this sense of the word " IGNORANT, some of the most knowing and learned of the age are IGNORANT; that is, they are well acquainted with things which they are not bound in duty to know, but destitute of due information in things which they and every man is bound in duty to know; THE THINGS WHICH BELONG UNTO THEIR PEACE. In the language of the schools, they are not nescient, but they are IGNORant. Nescientia est simplex CARENTIA Scientiæ; Ignorantia est Nescientia corum quæ quis scire debet.

To increase their misfortune they are ignorant of their THOMAS AQUINAS.

IGNORANCE.

SECT.

SECTION XXX.

The Spirit and Circumstances of the present Times render Zeal and Diligence in defending and diffusing the great and mysterious Doctrines of Christianity peculiarly expedient.

THAT these are not times for diminishing the force of religious principle among mankind, will be readily acknowledged by all who form a just estimate of them. The adversaries of the Church and its doctrines are numerous and indefatigable. They multiply their publications, and, as a Writer frequently quoted in this volume observes, characterize them" with a profligate intrepidity of assertion, which bears down the native diffidence of young minds, imposes upon their candour, and, precluding all suspicion of doubt, induces them to believe propositions which have neither truth nor the colour of truth."

"And

"And possibly," he proceeds, "it never was more expedient, or more necessary, I do not except any period of time in this kingdom, to inculcate, to explain, to enforce, the great truths of religion in public and in private, in season and out of season; to make them the topics of domestic intercourse, of academic instructions, the occupation of the pulpit, and the ultimate scope of all our learned labours. It is now again become eminently incumbent on those who believe the plain truths of the Gospel, to profess their belief, and of those who profess, to give a reason of their hope, as well as to manifest its existence by that animated zeal which is its genuine effect; returning again, as often as occasion shall make it necessary to the principles of the doctrine of Christ, and laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith towards God, lest under the present security of our Establishment, we suffer the HERESY OF SOME, whilst it flatters the broad INFIDELITY of others, to make gradual and individual depredations upon the subjects of our holy faith,

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