the Sacrament of the Altar, thou art a prefent, O my Jesus, whole, perfect and entire, even very GOD and very Man. Where alfo are reaped the abundant fruits of eternal Salvation, as often foever as thou art worthily and devoutly received: And it is no levity that draws us hither, no curiofity, no fenfuality: But a firm Faith, a devout Hope, and a fincere Charity.

IX. O GOD, thou invifible Creator of the World, how wonderful are thy difpenfations towards us! How fweet, how gracious are thy difpofitions with regard to thy chofen ones, to whom thou offereft in the Sacrament a communication of thy very felf! For this paffeth all Understanding: This in an efpecial manner ravifheth the hearts of the devout, and inflameth their affections. For thy truly Faithful Servants, who make it the endeavour of their whole life to grow better and better, receive very often from this most precious Sacrament a plentiful degree of the Grace of Devotion, and love of Virtue.

See Hooker of the Sacrament at the end of the first Vol. of Collection of Devotions for the Altar.

X. O the marvellous, and hidden Grace of the Sacrament! which only Christ's Faithful Ones know; but the unbelieving, and fuch as ferve Sin, can have no experience of. In this Sacrament fpiritual Grace is convey'd, and lofs of ftrength in the foul is repaired; and her beauty, disfigur'd by fin, returns again. So exceeding great fometimes is this Grace, that from the abundance of Devotion conferr'd, not only the foul, but even the feeble body feels an increase of strength added unto it.

XI. Yet, is it a moft lamentable and deplorable thing to confider our lukewarmness and cold neglect, and that we are not carried with a more vehement affection to receive Chrift; in whom the whole hope and merit of our Salvation confifts. For he is our Sanctification, and Redemption: He the confolation of our Pilgrimage, and the fruition of the Saints to all Eternity. It is therefore hugely to be lamented, that many fo little confider this falutary Mystery, which creates joy in Heaven, and by its virtue preferves the whole World in being. O the blindness and hardness of Man's heart, to have no more regard to fo ineffable a gift, and by the frequent and daily ufe thereof, to come to fo wretched a pass, Bb 4

as

as to be unconcerned and indifferent about it!

b

XII. For if this most holy Sacrament were administer'd in one only Place, and confecrated by one only Priest in the whole World; with what defire, think ye, with what longing Souls would men be carried to that Place, and to fuch Priest of GOD, that they might partake of the holy Myfteries? But now there are many Priests, and in many places is Chrift offered up: Infomuch as the Grace and Love of GoD to Man is apparently fo much the greater, by how much the Holy Communion is more widely fpread and diffused throughout Thanks be to thee, fweet Jefus, Shepherd Eternal, for condefcending to refresh us poor Exiles with thy precious Body and Blood: And to invite us to receive these Mysteries, even with "the comfortable words of thine own "Mouth", faying: Come unto me all ye that travel, and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.

the World.

«

In the Latin; That they might fee the Divine Myferies celebrated.

CHAP.

CHAP. II.

Of the great Goodness and Love of GOD exhibited to Man in the Sacrament.

I.

The VOICE of the DISCIPLE.

IN

N confidence of thy Goodness, and great Mercy, O Lord, I approach fick and diseased to the Physician of Souls; hungry and thirsty to the Fountain of Life; poor and needy to the King of Heaven; a Tervant to his Lord; a creature to his Creator; a defolate difconfolate wretch to my tender and compaffionate Comforter. But whence is this to me, that thou shouldft come unto me? Who am I, that thou fhouldst communicate to me thy own felf? How dares a finner appear before thee? Or how canft thou condefcend to come to a finner? Thou knoweft thy fervant, and understandeft well that he hath nothing in him that is good, nothing to invite thee to do him this Grace. Wherefore I confefs my own vilenefs, I acknowledge thy goodnefs, I extol thy mercy, and give thanks to thee for thy marvellous love. For thou doft this for thy

own

own fake, not for any merits of mine: To the end thy goodness may be made more known unto me, thy love more abundantly fhewed, and thy condefcenfion more eminently fet forth. Since therefore this is thy pleasure, and thou haft commanded that it fhould be fo, this thy vouchfafement is pleafing to me alfo; and O that my own iniquity may be no obftacle herein!

II. O most sweet and bounteous Saviour, what reverence and thankfulness, together with perpetual praife, is due unto thee for the Participation of thy facred Body; the worthinefs and excellence whereof no tongue of man is able to fet forth! But what thought, what meditation fhall fill my breaft in this Communion, in this approach to my Lord, whom I cannot worthily adore, yet defire devoutly to receive? What better thought, what more profitable meditation, than to humble my self perfectly before thee, and to exalt thy infinite goodness towards me? I praise thee, O my GOD, and exalt thee eternally. I defpife my felf, and lay my foul low before thee, in the deepest fenfe of my own vileness and unworthiness.

III. Behold, thou art the Holy of Holies, and I the impureft of Sinners. Behold, thou stoopeft to me, who am not worthy to lift

up