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this sacrifice to God faithfully and devoutly, and at fit opportunities, and conduct thyself so as thou mayest be without reproof.

Thou hast not lightened thy burden, but art now bound with a straiter band of discipline, and art compelled to a more perfect degree of sanctity.

A priest ought to be adorned with all graces, and to give example of good life to others.

His life and conversation should not be in the common ways of man, but with the angels in heaven, or with the perfect on earth.

3. A priest clad in sacred garments is Christ's deputy, that with all supplication and humility he may beseech God for himself and for the whole people.

Neither ought he to cease from prayer and holy oblation, till he prevail to obtain grace and mercy.

When a priest doth celebrate the holy eucharist, he honoureth God, he rejoiceth the angels, he edifieth the church, he helpeth the living, he remembereth the departed, and maketh himself partaker of all good things.

CHAPTER VI.

AN ENQUIRY CONCERNING SPIRITUAL EXERCISE BEFORE COMMUNION.

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HEN I weigh Thy worthiness, O Lord, and mine own vileness, I tremble, and am confounded within myself.

For if I come not unto Thee, I fly from life, and if I unworthily intrude myself, I

incur Thy displeasure.

What therefore shall I do, O my God, my helper and my counsellor in all necessity.

2. O teach Thou me the right way, appoint me some brief exercise, suitable to this holy communion.

For it is good for me to know how I ought reverently and religiously to prepare myself for Thee, for the profitable receiving of this sacrament, and for the celebrating so great and divine a sacrifice.

CHAPTER VII.

OF THOROUGHLY

SEARCHING OUR OWN CON

SCIENCE, AND OF HOLY PURPOSE OF AMEND-
MENT.

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BOVE all things, with very great humility and with reverential supplication, with a full faith and a dutiful regard for God's honour, God's priest ought to come to celebrate and to receive this holy sacrament.

Examine diligently thy conscience, and to the utmost of thy power purify it with true contrition and humble confession; so as there may be nothing in thee, that may be burdensome unto thee, or that may breed in thee remorse of conscience, and hinder thy free access to the throne of grace.

Be grieved at the recollection of all thy sins in general, and in particular bewail and lament thy daily transgressions. And if thou hast time, confess unto God in the secret of thine heart the wretchedness of thy disordered passions.

2. Lament and grieve, that thou art yet so carnal and worldly, so unmortified in thy passions, so full of the motions of concupiscence:

So unwatchful over thy outward senses, so often entangled with many vain fancies :

So much inclined to outward things, so negligent in things inward and spiritual:

So prone to laughter and unbridled mirth, so indisposed to tears and compunction :

So prompt to ease and pleasures of the flesh, so dull to strictness of life :

So curious to hear what is new, and to see what is beautiful, so slow to embrace what is humble and low :

So covetous of abundance, so niggardly in giving, so close

in keeping :

So inconsiderate in speech, so reluctant to keep silence : So eager about food, so deaf to the word of God:

In such a hurry to rest, so slow to labour:

So wakeful in vain talk, so drowsy at sacred services : So hasty to arrive at the end thereof, so inclined to be wandering and inattentive :

So negligent in the prayers, so lukewarm in celebrating the holy eucharist, so dry and heartless in receiving it :

So quickly distracted, so seldom entirely collected within thyself.

So suddenly moved to anger, so apt to take displeasure against another :

So ready to judge, so severe to reprove :

So joyful in prosperity, so weak in adversity :

So often making good resolutions, and yet bringing them at last to none effect.

3. These and other thy defects being confessed and bewailed with sorrow and great displeasure at thine own infirmity, make thou a firm resolution always to amend thy life, and to endeavour always after progress in holiness.

Then with full resignation and with thy whole will do thou offer up thyself a perpetual whole burnt offering on the altar of thy heart, faithfully committing unto Me thy body and soul.

And then thou mayest be accounted worthy to draw near to celebrate this eucharistic sacrifice, and to receive profitably the sacrament of My body and blood.

4. For man hath no oblation more worthy, nor any means greater for the destroying of sin, than to offer himself unto God purely and wholly, in the holy communion of the body and blood of Christ.

And when a man shall have done what lieth in him, and shall be truly penitent, how often soever he shall come to Me for pardon and grace, " As I live," saith the Lord, "who will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he be converted and live, I will not remember his sins any more, but they shall all be forgiven him."

CHAPTER VIII.

OF THE OBLATION OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS, AND OF RESIGNATION OF OURSELVES.

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S of My own will I offered up Myself unto God the Father for thy sins, My hands were stretched forth on the cross, and My body laid bare, so that nothing remained in Me that was not wholly turned into a sacrifice

for the appeasing of the divine majesty.

In like manner oughtest thou also to offer thyself willingly unto Me frequently in the holy communion, as a pure and sacred oblation, with all thy strength and affections, and to the utmost of thine inward faculties.

What do I require of thee more, than that thou study to resign thyself entirely unto Me?

Whatsoever thou givest besides thyself is of no value in My sight, for I seek not thy gifts, but thee.

2. As it would not suffice thee to have all things whatsoever, without Me; so neither can it please Me, whatsoever thou givest, if thou give not thyself.

Offer up thyself unto Me, and give thyself wholly for God, and thine offering will be acceptable.

Behold I offered up Myself wholly unto My Father for

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