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Have you been guilty of hypocrisy or dissimulation? How often?

Have you entertained a bad opinion of your neighbour without grounds, or judged rashly of his actions or intentions? How often?

Have you been guilty of backbiting, or uncharitable conversation, by speaking of the known faults of your absent neighbour? How often?

Have you been guilty of the sin of detraction, which consists in taking away or lessening your neighbour's reputation by publishing his secret faults or defects? How often have you done so? From what motive? and before how many?

Have you been guilty of calumny, which consists in saying of your neighbour what is false or uncertain? How often? and before how many?

N.B.-In either case, you are obliged to restore his character as far as you are able.

Have you willingly given ear to detraction or calumny? Have you taken pleasure in it? Or in any way encouraged it? Or not hindered it when you might? How often?

Have you injured your neighbour's honour by reproaches and affronts, or robbed him of his peace of mind by scoffs and derision? How often?

Have you, by carrying stories backwards and forwards, or in any other way, caused misunderstanding or quarrels betwixt others? How often? and to what prejudice?

N.B. Here, also, judges, lawyers, solicitors, &c., ought to examine themselves, what injustice they may have been guilty of in managing causes, &c.; as well as accusers, witnesses, &c.

The Ninth Commandment.

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife."

Have you taken pleasure in any unchaste thoughts or imaginations? Have you entertained any impure desires or feelings?

The Tenth Commandment.

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods."

Have you desired your neighbour's goods, not caring whether you had them right or wrong? Or been in a disposition of stealing, or otherwise wronging him, if it lay in your power? How often?

Have you desired your neighbour's loss or misfortune, or any public calamity, that you might be the gainer by it? How often?

The Commandments of the Church.

I. Have you neglected to keep holy the days of obligation? Have you worked on those days without necessity, and without leave from your pastor?

II. Have you neglected to hear mass on Sundays and holydays of obligation? or have you heard it with wilful distractions? or not taken care that your children and servants should hear it? How often?

III. Have you broken the days of abstinence commanded by the Church? or eaten more than one meal on fasting-days? or been accessary to others so doing? How often?

IV., V. Have you neglected to confess your sins once a year? or to receive the blessed sacrament at Easter? VI. Have you solemnised marriage at the forbidden times? Have you married within the forbidden degrees of kindred? or with any other known impediment?

The Capital or Deadly Sins.

Pride.-Have you been guilty of pride, or complacency in yourself, or contempt of others? How often?

Have you been guilty of vainglory, by doing your actions to procure esteem? How often?

Have you taken delight in the esteem and applause of others? or have you been uneasy and discontented when you did not receive such esteem or applause? often?

How

Covetousness.-Have you been guilty of covetousness,

in desiring or loving too much the things of this world? Have you sought after them too eagerly? or been too much distressed at the loss of them? How often?

For the sins of Lust, see the Sixth Commandment. For the sins of Anger, see the Fifth Commandment. Gluttony. Have you been guilty of gluttony, by eating or drinking to excess, so as to endanger or injure your health or reason? How often? and with what scandal? Have you indulged an inordinate gratification of your appetite? How often?

Have you made others drunk? or sought to make them so? or boasted of having made them so? How often? Envy. Have you envied or repined at your neighbour's good, either spiritual or temporal? or rejoiced at his harm? How often?

Have you been guilty of jealousy, in consequence of any attention or preference shewn to others? Have you rejoiced to see them disappointed or mortified?

Sloth.-Have you been guilty of sloth, or laziness of mind or body, which has prevented you from discharging your duty? How often?

Have you neglected your spiritual duties? or discharged them with tepidity or indolence? Have you studied too much your own ease, leading an unmortified and unchristian life?

Have you squandered away much of your time in idleness or useless occupation?

Have you entertained with pleasure the thoughts of saying or doing any thing which it would be a sin to say or do? How often?

Have you had the desire or design of committing any How often?

sin?

What sin?

Have you gloried in any sin whatsoever? How often? and before what company? and what sin?

N.B.-Here, also, masters and servants, husbands and wives, lawyers and physicians, ecclesiastics and magistrates, &c. ought to examine into the sins which are peculiar to their states, and how far they may have neglected the duties of their respective callings.

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SACRED banquet, in which Christ is re-
ceived; the memory of his passion is re-
newed; the mind is filled with grace; and
a pledge of future glory is given to us.
Alleluia.

O Lord, how sweet is thy Spirit, who, to shew thy
sweetness to thy children, by most sweet food from hea-
ven, dost fill the hungry with good things, sending the
rich empty away.

I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the desert; and they died. This is the bread that came down from heaven, that if any one eat of it, he may not die.

I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for

ever.

The merciful Lord hath given food to them that fear him, in remembrance of his wonderful works.

He fed them with the fat of wheat; and filled them with honey out of the rock. Alleluia.

First Method.

DEVOTIONS BEFORE COMMUNION.

An Act of Faith.

My Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I firmly believe that in this blessed sacrament thou art present verily

1 Prayers for Plenary Indulgences, see p. 152.

and indeed; I believe that here are thy body and blood, thy soul and divinity. I acknowledge these truths; I believe these wonders; I adore thy power, which hath wrought them; I praise thy infinite goodness, which hath prepared them for me. In this faith, and with this acknowledgment, I approach this adorable banquet, wherein thou bestowest on me the divine food of thy body and blood. Grant, O blessed Jesus, that I may approach thee with such a profound sense of reverence and humility as is due to thy infinite Majesty. Grant, O Lord, that I may now receive thee with a pure heart, a clean conscience, and a sincere and lively faith. Pardon my sins, which have rendered me most unworthy to approach thee: I hate them, because they are displeasing to thee, my God; I renounce them for ever, and promise to be faithful to thee. Take courage, then, my soul, raise thyself up; go and receive thy God, and with him all the favours he hath prepared for thee in this most divine sacrament.

An Act of Hope.

In thee, O Jesus, do I place all my hope, because thou alone art my salvation, my strength, my refuge, and the foundation of all my happiness. Encouraged by thy goodness, I come to thee as a poor and infirm sheep to its shepherd; as a sick man to his physician; as a condemned criminal to his powerful intercessor : that, as the true shepherd of my soul, thou mayest strengthen me; that, as my physician, thou mayest heal me; and, as my merciful advocate, deliver me from the sentence of sin and death. Though my sins are innumerable, and very grievous, yet they are but light and trivial when compared to thy boundless mercy, and the infinite ransom of thy blood. Have pity, therefore, on me, O Jesus, and save me, for thou forsakest none that put their trust in thee.

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