Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 2.djvu/37

Rh and from God, with attention, with love, with respect, with fear, with purity of heart, and with unpolluted lips. Amen.……

Reflect seriously what a dreadful account you have to give, if you say, "Peace, peace, when there is no peace;" or if you give the children's bread to dogs, that is, admit to the Lord's Table those that are unworthy of such a favour.……

Endeavour to leave some impression of piety upon the minds of those with whom you converse. Jesus Christ did so always. Make no distinction betwixt the rich and poor, as to converse with one, and not with the other.……

As to the disposal of the Church's revenues, the suggestions of avarice, of vanity, of pleasure, and of the world, ought not to govern me. I am only a steward, not a proprietor, and should be as criminal as those laymen that invade them, if I convert them to lay and secular uses; which side of sacrilege, very probably, took its rise from others observing the Church's revenues put to secular uses.……

He, and especially that Minister, "that hath not the spirit of Christ, is none of His." He ought to perform all his duties in Christ's name, by His authority and power; and offer all to God through Him. Adore Jesus Christ as preaching, praying, absolving, and comforting, by you His Minister.……

"The Priest's lips should keep knowledge." Whence this knowledge, but from the Holy Scriptures, which alone makes us sound in doctrine, and able to convince gainsayers.… Men read the Gospel rather as judges than as disciples, which is the rise of all errors both in life and doctrine.……

Purity of soul and body is a most necessary qualification in a Minister of Jesus Christ. To offer the prayers of the faithful to God with polluted lips, to break the bread of life with unclean hands, to receive that bread into a soul defiled with unchaste thoughts, how dreadfully provoking must it needs be.

A blindness of spirit, an alienation from divine things, an incapacity to receive them, are the necessary effects of impurity.……

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

A Priest, who, in the exercise of his function, has an eye to the grandeur, repute, esteem of great men, presumptuous