high and most excellent sacrament is the health of soul and body, the remedy of all spiritual diseases, by which my vices are cured, my passions are restrained, temptations are overcome or lessened, a greater grace is infused, virtue receives an increase, faith is confirmed, hope strengthened, charity inflamed and enlarged. For thou hast frequently bestowed, and still oftentimes dost bestow, many good things in this sacrament on thy beloved who communicate devoutly, O my God, the support of my soul, who art the repairer of human infirmity, and the giver of all interior comfort. For thou impartest unto them much consolation, to support them in their many troubles; and thou liftest them up from the depth of their own dejection, to the hope of thy protection; and thou dost recreate and enlighten them interiorly with a certain new grace; in such sort that they who, before communion, were perplexed, and felt no affection in themselves, after being fed with this heavenly meat and drink, find themselves changed for the better. And thou art pleased to deal thus with thy elect, to the end that they may truly acknowledge, and plainly experience how great is their infirmity when left to themselves, and how much they receive from thy bounty and grace. For of themselves they are cold, tepid, and indevout; but by thee they are made fervent, cheerful, and devout. For who is he that approaching humbly to the fountain of sweetness, does not carry away with him some little sweetness? Or who, standing by a great fire, does not receive from it some little heat? Now thou art a fountain always full and overflowing: thou art a fire always burning, and never decaying. Wherefore if I cannot draw out of the fulness of the fountain, nor drink my fill, I will at least set my mouth to the

orifice of this heavenly well, that so I may draw from thence, some small drop to refresh my thirst, to the end that I may not be wholly dried up. And if I cannot as yet be all heavenly, and all on fire, like the cherubim and seraphim, I will, however, endeavour to apply myself to devotion, and to prepare my heart for the acquiring of some small flame of divine fire, by the humble receiving of this life-giving sacrament. And whatever is wanting to me, O good Jesus, most blessed Saviour, do thou in thy bounty and goodness supply for me, who hast vouchsafed to call all unto thee, saying, Come to me all you that labour and are burdened, and I will refresh you.” (Matt. xi. 28.)

I labour indeed, in the sweat of my brow, I am tormented with grief of heart, I am burdened with sins, I am troubled with temptations, and am entangled and oppressed with many evil passions; and there is no one to help me, no one to deliver and save me, but thou, O Lord God, my Saviour; to whom I commit myself, and all that is mine, that thou mayst keep me, and bring me to everlasting life. Receive me for the praise and glory of thy name, who hast prepared thy body and blood for my meat and drink. Grant, O Lord God, my Saviour, that with the frequenting this thy mystery, the affection of my devotion may increase.

Lord, all things are thine that are in heaven, and on earth. I desire to offer up myself to thee as a voluntary oblation, and to remain for ever thine. Lord, in the sincerity of my heart, I offer myself to thee this day, to be thy servant evermore, to serve thee, and to become a sacrifice of perpetual praise to thee. Receive me with this sacred oblation of thy precious body, which I offer to thee this day, in the presence of thy angels invisibly stand

ing by, that it may be for mine and all the people's salvation.

Lord, I offer to thee all my sins and offences, which I have committed in thy sight, and that of thy holy angels, from the day that I was first capable of sin until this hour, upon thy propitiatory altar, that thou mayst burn and consume them all with the fire of thy charity, and mayst remove all the stains of my sins, and cleanse my conscience from all offences, and restore to me thy grace, which I have lost by sin, by fully pardoning me all, and mercifully receiving me to the kiss of peace. I offer also to thee all the good I have done, though very little and imperfect, that thou mayst make it better, and sanctify it; that thou mayst be pleased with it, and make it acceptable to thee, and perfect it more and more; and mayst, moreover, bring me, who am a slothful and unprofitable wretch, to a good and happy end.

I offer to thee also, all the goodly desires of thy devout servants; the necessities of my parents, brethren, sisters, and all those that are dear to me; and for all such as for the love of thee, have been benefactors to me or others, or who have desired and begged of me to offer up prayers and masses for themselves and all that belonged to them, whether they live as yet in the flesh, or whether they are now departed out of this world, that they all may be sensible of the assistance of thy grace, of the benefit of thy comfort, of thy protection from all dangers and of a deliverance from their pains: and that being freed from all evils, they may with joy give worthy thanks to thee. I offer up also to thee my prayers, and this sacrifice of propitiation for them in particular, who have in anything wronged, grieved, or abused me, or have done me any damage or displeasure.

And for all those, likewise, whom I have at any time grieved, troubled, injured, or scandalized by word or deed, knowingly or unknowingly; 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 hurt charity, and lessen brotherly love. Have mercy, O Lord, have mercy on those that crave thy mercy; give grace to them that stand in need thereof, and grant that we may attain to life.

BEH

Prayers after Communion.

EHOLD, O Lord, I have thee now, who hast all things; I possess thee, who possessest all things, and who canst do all things; take off my heart then, O my God and my all, from all other things but thee; let my heart be fixed on thee alone; let me ever repose in thee, where alone my treasure is, the sovereign truth, and true happiness, and happy eternity.

Thou art the physician of my soul, who healest all my infirmities by thy sacred blood; and I am that sick one whom thou camest from heaven to heal; O heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.

Thou art the good shepherd, who hast laid down thy life for thy sheep; behold, I am that sheep that was lost, and yet thou vouchsafest to feed me with thy body and blood: take me now upon thy shoulders to carry me home. What canst thou deny me, who hast given me thyself! Govern me, and nothing will be wanting to me, in the place of pasture where thou hast placed me, until thou bringest me to the happy pastures of eternal life

O true Light, which enlightenest every man that

ransom, and daily for the food of our souls! What can I, a wretched creature, return to thee for this infinite charity! Verily, nothing else but this same beloved Son of thine, whom thou hast given to me; and surely thou couldst give me nothing greater, or more worthy of thyself. Him then I offer to thee, O Heavenly Father, with whom thou art always well pleased; him whom thou hast lovingly delivered up to death for me, and given me in this most holy Sacrament, which we frequent for the everlasting memorial of his death. He is our high priest and victim, he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world; he is our advocate and intercessor. Look down then upon him, and for his sake look down upon me, and upon us all. Remember all his sufferings, which he endured here in this mortal life, his bitter anguish, his mortal agony and bloody sweat; all the injuries and affronts, all the blows and stripes, all the bruises and wounds that he received for us. Remember his death, which thou wast pleased should be the fountain of our life; and for the sake of his sacred passion have mercy on us. Receive, O holy Father, Almighty and everlasting God, this holy and unspotted victim, which I here offer thee in union with that love with which he offered himself to thee upon the altar of the cross; receive him for the praise and glory of thy name; in thanksgiving for all the benefits bestowed on me, and on all mankind; in satisfaction also for all my sins, and the benefit of thy whole Church, and the peace and comfort of all thy faithful, living and dead; through the same Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son.

And turning myself to thee, O my dear Lord and Saviour, who hast here given me thyself, I would gladly make some suitable return to thee for this infinite love;