to be washed. The prophet David saith, "I will wash my hands in innocency, and so will go to Thine Altar." Esther coming to find grace and favour in the sight of Ahasuerus, first humbleth herself by fasting and prayer: Jacob coming for a blessing, putteth on Esau's garment. We are approaching to the Lord's Altar, we are coming for a blessing, seeking favour; what should we do else but wash our hearts by faith in the Blood of the Lamb, humble our souls by fasting before we participate of the Blessed Sacrament, as if we will serve God before we serve ourselves, and so come and take unto us the garment of Christ's righteousness.

Again, it behoveth every one that will safely come to this Table of the Lord, to direct all his affections and desires to God only; to do nothing, to affect nothing, but God's pleasure respected.

For him that will rightly be partaker of this Holy Mystery;

1. Faith is necessary, whereby he believeth remission of his sins in Christ's merits.

2. Repentance is necessary, whereby he acknowledgeth the greatness of his sin, judgeth himself; and judging himself, he shall not be judged of God.

• Psalm xxvi. 6.

3. Charity is required, whereby the mind is at peace and quiet with God and men: and he that dwelleth in charity, saith St. John, dwelleth in God, and God in him: dwelleth in God, what more secure? and God in him, what more sweet?

4. Attention must be had that he be not carried away from respective devotion, and chiefly from the meditation of Christ's Passion, His descent into hell, His resurrection the third day, His ascension up into heaven, His glorious sitting at the right hand of God, from whence He shall come at the end of the world to judge both the quick and dead.

5. Constancy is necessary, or a resolution to be constant; for He hath said, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life"."

THE ELEVENTH MEDITATION.

1. Consider, how busy and careful Martha was to receive Christ into her house; and therefore much more careful should every one be to receive Him into his heart.

2. Consider, what reverence and devotion is meet, by that of the Prophet, spoken of Christ's entrance into heaven: "Be ye lifted up, ye ever

P Rev. ii. 10.

9 Luke x. 40.

lasting gates, and the King of Glory shall come in"."

3. Consider, that to entertain an earthly prince, all things are made decent and clean.

4. Consider, it was said to him that came to the marriage feast after an unseemly manner, "Friend, how camest thou hither, and hast not on a wedding garment* ?"

5. Consider, that the Apostle St. Peter, when Christ would wash his feet, thought himself unworthy that so great honour should be done unto him.

THE FRUITS OF THIS MEDITATION.

The first is, to prepare us with all humble reverence, but chiefly to offer unto God the sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart; that as His Body was broken for us, so should our hearts be broken by contrition for our sins.

The second is, to cry out with the Prophet, Crea in me Domine, novum cor: "Create in me, O Lord, a new heart."

The third is, to become surveyors of ourselves; and call a little consistory in our own souls.

. Psalm xxiv. 9.

Matthew xxii. 12.

CHAPTER XVI.

A FORM OF CONFESSING OUR SINS, BEFORE WE COME TO RECEIVE THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT.

LORD, Thou art not wont to drive away sinners, but callest them, and convertest them to Thee. Thou art He that hast said, “Come, all that are weary and heavy ladent."

It was publicly spoken of Thee, that Thou didst receive publicans and sinners, and didst eat with them. O my Lord, Thou art now at the Throne of Mercy, and therefore hast not changed Thy nature, which Thou hadst sometime here in the world. O my Lord, Thou still calledst them from heaven whom Thou didst once call on earth: wherefore, comforted with this remembrance of Thy love, I come unto Thee laden, and labouring, and burdened with my sins. I come as the sick to the physician, beseeching Thee to heal me; as a sinner to the wellspring of life, beseeching Thee to revive me: I acknowledge, I acknowledge my great unworthiness.

If Thine own holy Apostle, or as he seemed, prince of the Apostles, could cry out and say, "Go

t Matthew xi. 28.

from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man," how much more shall I, who am the chief of sinners, say, I am not worthy to whom Thou shouldest come: nay, I am not worthy to come unto Thee, much less to receive Thee?

It was lawful for none to taste of the shew-bread, which was only a shadow of this profound Mystery, but only for him who was clean and sanctified : how shall I eat thereof, who am so far removed from cleanliness.

It was so great an offence to touch Thy sacred ark, that Uzzah stretching out his hand to touch it was suddenly stricken". How can I not then but

fear and tremble!

O Lord, as I fear the greatness, so do I also fear the multitude of my sins. I am that fool, that "said in his heart, There is no God." I lived so dissolutely, as if (by manners I professed as much) I feared not thy justice, I dreaded not to transgress Thy laws, I rendered not thanks as I ought. What other thing hath my life been, than a daily war against Thee? What other thing have I done by my sins, and careless coming unto this Mystery in former times, than offered Thee open wrong, stricken Thy blessed head with a reed? My sins have