CHAPTER XII.

THAT HE WHO IS ABOUT TO COMMUNICATE

OUGHT TO PREPARE HIMSELF WITH GREAT
DILIGENCE.

AM the lover of purity and the giver of all

sanctity.

I seek a pure heart, and there is the place of My rest.

Make ready for Me a large upper room furnished, and I will keep the passover at thy house with My disciples.

If thou wilt have Me come unto thee, and remain with thee, purge out the old leaven, and make clean the habitation of thy heart.

Shut out the world, and all the throng of sins; sit thou as it were a sparrow alone upon the house-top, and think over thy transgressions in the bitterness of thy soul.

For every one that loveth will prepare the best and fairest place for his beloved; for herein is known the affection of him that entertaineth his beloved.

2. Know thou notwithstanding, that the merit of no action of thine is able to make this preparation sufficient, although thou shouldst prepare thyself during a whole year.

But it is out of My mere grace and favour that thou art permitted to come to My table. As if a beggar were invited to a rich man's dinner, and he hath no other return to make to him for his benefits, but to humble himself and give him thanks.

Do what lieth in thee, and do it diligently; not for custom, not for necessity; but with fear and reverence and affection

receive the body and blood of thy beloved Lord, when He vouchsafeth to come unto thee.

I am He that have called thee, I have commanded it to be done, I will supply what is wanting in thee; come thou and receive Me.

3. When I bestow on thee the grace of devotion, give thanks to thy God; not because thou art worthy, but because I have had mercy on thee.

If thou have it not, but rather dost feel thyself dry: be instant in prayer, sigh and knock, and give not over until thou have received some crumb or drop of saving grace.

Thou hast need of Me, I have no need of thee.

Neither comest thou to sanctify Me, but I come to sanctify and make thee holy.

Thou comest that thou mayest be sanctified by Me, and united unto Me, that thou mayest receive new grace, and be stirred up anew to amendment of life.

Do not neglect this grace, but prepare thy heart with all diligence, and receive thy beloved into thy soul.

4. Thou oughtest not only to prepare thyself to devotion before communion, but carefully also to preserve thyself therein, after thou hast received this sacrament.

Nor is the careful guard of thyself afterwards less required, than devout preparation before.

For a good guard afterwards is the best preparation again for the obtaining of greater grace.

For if a person gives himself up at once too much to outward consolations, he is rendered thereby greatly indisposed to devotion.

Beware of much talk, remain in some secret place, and enjoy thy God; for thou hast Him, Whom all the world cannot take from thee.

I am He to Whom thou oughtest wholly to give up thyself that so thou mayest now live the rest of thy time, not in thyself, but in Me, and be free from all anxiety.

CHAPTER XIII.

THAT THE DEVOUT SOUL OUGHT WITH THE WHOLE HEART TO SEEK UNION WITH CHRIST IN THE SACRAMENT.

LORD, how shall I obtain favour to find Thee alone and by Thyself, to open unto Thee my whole heart, and to enjoy Thee even as my soul desireth? that henceforth none may look

upon me, nor any creature move me, nor have regard to me, but that Thou alone mayest speak unto me, and I to Thee, as the beloved is wont to speak to his beloved, and a friend to rejoice with his friend.

This I beg, this I long for, that I may be wholly united unto Thee, and may withdraw my heart from all created things, and may learn more and more by means of this sacred communion to relish things heavenly.

O Lord God, when shall I be wholly united to Thee, and absorbed by Thee, and become altogether forgetful of myself?

Thou in me, and I in Thee; so also grant that we may both continue together in one.

2. Verily, Thou art my beloved, the choicest amongst thousands, in Whom my soul is well pleased to dwell all the days of her life.

Verily, Thou art my peacemaker, in Whom is highest

peace and true rest, out of Whom is labour and sorrow and infinite misery.

Verily, Thou art a God that hidest Thyself, and Thy counsel is not with the wicked, but Thy speech is with the humble and simple of heart.

O how sweet is Thy spirit, O Lord, Who to the end Thou mightest shew forth Thy sweetness toward Thy children, dost vouchsafe to feed them with the bread which is full of all sweetness, even that which cometh down from heaven.

Surely there is no other nation so great, that hath God so nigh unto them, as Thou our God art present to all Thy faithful ones.

3. For what other nation is there of such high renown as the Christian people?

Or what creature under heaven is there so beloved, as the devout soul, into which God Himself entereth, to nourish it with Himself?

O unspeakable grace! O admirable condescension! O immeasurable love specially bestowed on man !

But what return shall I make to the Lord for this grace, for charity so unparalleled?

There is nothing else that I am able to present more acceptable, than to offer my heart wholly to my God, and to unite it most inwardly unto Him.

When my soul shall be perfectly united unto God, then shall all my inward parts rejoice.

Then will He say unto me, if thou art willing to be with Me, I am willing to be with thee.

And I will answer Him, vouchsafe, O Lord, to remain with me, for I will gladly be with Thee.

This is my whole desire, that my heart be united unto Thee.

CHAPTER XIV.

OF THE FERVENT DESIRE OF SOME DEVOUT PERSONS TO RECEIVE THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST.

HOW great is the abundance of Thy goodness, O Lord, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee!

When I call to mind some devout persons,

who approach to this Thy sacrament, O Lord,

with the greatest devotion and affection, I am oftentimes confounded and blush within myself, that I come with such lukewarmness, yea, coldness, to Thine altar and the table of sacred communion.

I grieve that I remain so dry, and without hearty affection; that I am not wholly inflamed in Thy presence, O my God, and not so earnestly drawn and affected as many devout persons, who out of a vehement desire of the holy communion, and strong affection of heart could not restrain themselves from weeping. And these with desire both of soul and body, earnestly longed after Thee, O God, the fountain of life: not being otherwise able to satisfy their hunger, but by receiving Thy body and blood with all delight and spiritual eagerness.

2. O the truly ardent faith of such a clear evidence of Thy sacred presence!

For they truly know their Lord in the breaking of bread, whose heart within them so vehemently burneth, whilst Thou, O blessed JESU, dost walk and converse with them.

Such affection and devotion as this, love and fervency so vehement, are too often far from me.

Be Thou favourable unto me, O merciful JESU, sweet and