3. What can I do for my sins, but humbly confess and bewail them, and incessantly entreat thy favour? I beseech thee hear me graciously, when I stand before thee, O my God!

All my sins are very displeasing unto me; I will never commit them any more; but I bewail, and will bewail them as long as I live, and am purposed to repent, and, according to the utmost of my power, to please thee.

Forgive me, O God, forgive me my sins, for thy holy name's sake! Save my soul, which thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood! Behold, I commit myself to thy mercy; I resign myself over into thy hands. Do with me according to thy goodness, not according to my wickedness.

4. I offer up also unto thee whatsoever is good in me, although it be very little and imperfect, that thou mayest amend and sanctify it :

That thou mayest make it grateful and acceptable unto thee, and always perfect it more and more ; And bring me also, who am a slothful and unprofitable creature, to a good and blessed end.

5. I offer up also unto thee all the pious desires of devout persons, the necessities of my parents, friends, brethren, sisters; and of all those that are dear unto me, and that have done good either to myself or others; and that have desired me to pray for them and theirs; that they may all receive the help of thy grace, protection from dangers, deliverance from pain; and, being freed from all evils, may joyfully give worthy thanks unto thee.

6. I offer up also unto thee my prayers, especially for them who have in any thing wronged, grieved,

or slandered me, or have done me any damage or displeasure; and for all those also, whom I have at any time troubled, grieved, or scandalized by words or deeds, wittingly or at unawares; that it may please thee to forgive us all our sins and offences, one against another.

Take, O Lord, from our hearts all jealousy, indignation, wrath, and contention, and whatsoever may impair charity and lessen brotherly love. Have mercy, O Lord, have mercy on those that crave thy mercy; give grace unto them that stand in need thereof, and grant that we may be counted worthy to enjoy thy grace, and to attain to life everlasting. Amen.

CHAPTER IX.

That the Body of Christ, and the Holy Scriptures, are most necessary unto a faithful Soul.

THE VOICE OF THE DISCIPLE.

O SWEETEST Lord Jesus, how great sweetness hath a holy soul that feasteth with thee in thy banquet, where there is set no other food to be eaten but thyself, the most to be desired above all the desires of the heart! And verily it would be a sweet thing unto me to pour out tears from the very bottom of my heart in thy presence; and with holy Magdalene to wash thy feet with my tears.

But where is this devotion? where is this plentiful shedding of holy tears? Surely, in the sight of thee and thy holy angels, my whole heart should be inflamed, and even weep for joy.

For I enjoy thee in the sacrament truly present, though hidden under another representation.

2. For to behold thee in thine own divine brightness, mine eyes would not be able to endure it. Neither could the whole world stand in the brightness of the glory of thy Majesty. I enjoy and adore Him, whom the angels adore in heaven: But I, as yet, by faith, they by sight, and without a veil. I ought to be content with the light of true faith, and to walk therein until the day of everlasting brightness break forth, and the shadow of figures pass away. But when that which is perfect shall come, the use of sacraments shall cease.

For the blessed in glory need not any sacramental remedy, but rejoice without end in the presence of God. Beholding his glory face to face, and being transformed from glory to glory into the image of the incomprehensible Deity, they taste the Word of God made flesh, as he was from the beginning, and as he remaineth for ever.

3. Thou art my witness, O God, that nothing can comfort me, no creature can give me rest, but thou, my God, whom I desire to behold everlastingly.

But this is not possible while I remain in this mortal life. Therefore, I must frame myself to much patience, and submit myself to thee in all my desires. For thy saints also, O Lord, who now rejoice with thee, while they lived, expected in faith and great patience the coming of thy glory. What they believed, I believe; what they hoped for, I also hope for; whither they are come, I trust, I shall come by thy grace. In the meantime I will go forward in faith, strengthened by their examples. 4. I perceive two things to be especially necessary for me in this life, without which it would be in

supportable. Whilst I am kept in the prison of of this body, I need two things, food and light.

Thou hast therefore given unto me, a weak creature, thy sacred body and blood for the nourishment of my soul and body; and thou hast set thy word as a light unto my feet: without these two I could not well live. For the Word of God is the light of the soul, and thy sacrament the bread of life. These also may be called the two tables, set on the one side, and on the other, in the storehouse of the holy church. One is the holy altar, having the holy bread, that is the precious body of Christ. The other is the divine law, containing holy doctrine, teaching the true faith, and leading to that within the veil, where is the holy of holies.

Thanks be unto thee, O Lord Jesus, the light of everlasting life, for the table of holy doctrine, which thou hast offered us by thy servants the Prophets, and Apostles, and other teachers.

5. Thanks be unto thee, O thou Creator and Redeemer of man, who, to manifest thy love to the whole world, hast prepared a great supper, wherein thou hast set before us (not the typical lamb, but) thy most sacred body and blood:

Rejoicing all the faithful with thy holy banquet, and replenishing them with the cup of salvation, in which are all the delights of paradise; and the holy angels feast with us, but yet with a more happy sweetness.

O how great and honourable is the office of God's ministers! to whom it is given, with sacred words to consecrate the sacrament of the Lord of glory; with their lips to bless, with their hands to

hold, with their mouth to receive, and also to administer it to others!

O how clean ought to be those hands, how pure that mouth, how holy that body, how unspotted that heart, where the Author of purity entereth!

Nothing but what is holy, no word but what is good and profitable, ought to proceed from his mouth, who receiveth the sacrament of Christ.

6. Simple and chaste ought to be the eyes that behold the body of Christ. Pure and lifted up to heaven should be the hands that receive the Creator of heaven and earth. Unto the priests especially it is said, "Be ye holy, for I the Lord your God am holy."

7. Assist us, Almighty God, with thy grace, that we who have undertaken the office of priesthood, may serve thee worthily and devoutly, in all purity and good conscience. And if we cannot live in so great innocency as we ought, grant us at least duly to bewail the sins which we have committed, and in the spirit of humility, and with full purpose of heart, to serve thee hereafter more fervently.

CHAPTER X.

How he who is to communicate, ought to prepare

himself.

THE VOICE OF THE BELOVED.

I AM the lover of purity, and the giver of all holiness. I seek a pure heart, and there is the place of my rest. Make ready and adorn for me the guestchamber, and I will keep with thee the passover among my disciples.

2. Know thou, notwithstanding, that no merit of