ing thee from the rebuke of thine enemies. Think not that a greater benefit is shewn unto Zaccheus than to thee: for while thou dost spiritually receive Him in bread and wine by faith, and after a most heavenly manner, He sheweth that He is come unto thee not only to converse with thee a little and be gone, but to bestow salvation, as He did on the house of Zacchæus; to unite Himself to thee, that thou mayest be one with Him, which is the end of this His coming unto thee.

Who doth not see, then, that this is a far greater benefit than Zacchæus's was? O my gracious Lord, seeing Thou hast vouchsafed to enter this poor house of mine, give me grace that it may not happen to me as to the ungrateful Jews, who in the day of Palms received Thee with joy and triumph into Jerusalem, but a little after they cried to Pilate, "Crucify Him, crucify Him:" and casting Thy cross upon Thy shoulders, cast Thee forth out of their city. Let me die, O Lord, before; yea, let me die a thousand deaths, than that I cast Thee out of me; for that were to thrust thee out of Thine own house, and myself out of Paradise.

CHAPTER XXV.

A MEDITATION UPON THESE WORDS: HODIE OPOR

TET ME MANERE IN DOMO TUA: "TO-DAY I MUST ABIDE IN THINE HOUSE."

WHO

HO am I, O most bountiful Jesus, that Thou desirest to abide with me? Who am I, that may deserve to entertain Thee, the Lord of heaven and earth? What dost Thou find in me that doth so much delight Thee, and invite Thee to come under my roof? Art Thou ignorant of my most vile beginning! I am not of the number of that celestial hierarchy, I am not a seraphim, not an archangel, not an angel, nor any of the thrones, nor other most sacred spirits; my being differs much from theirs; freed are they from all admixture of body, pure and innocent are they; I was born in sin, drawing my beginning from the earth, so mean a subject, I am not worthy, O my Saviour, of Thy Divine Presence; happily, Thy delight is to be with the sons of men. True; but I am not Abraham, I am not Moses, I am not as the Blessed Virgin : No, I bear not the least similitude to these blessed Saints in heaven, while they remained in the world. What shall I say? I am sorry, O my Lord, I am no more worthy to receive thee than

I am but my comfort is, that as Thou tookest mercy on the woman of Canaan, and all distressed people that came unto Thee, so Thou wilt take mercy upon me, in that Thou sayest, To-day thou must abide in mine house; To-day, that is, now and for ever. Domine, fiat voluntas tua; "Lord, Thy will be done."

CHAPTER XXVI.

A SHORT FORM OF CONFESSION, TO BE MADE IN PRIVATE BEFORE THE RECEIVING OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.

MISERABLE sinner, confess and acknowledge

I, MISERABU Learn and hands lifted up in the

presence of Thee, O God, my many and manifold sins, and that I have transgressed sundry ways against the precepts of the first and second table. I am sorry from the bottom of my heart; and it grieveth me that I have so often offended Thee, my gracious God. I come unto Thee as a humble suitor, to obtain mercy and pardon for all my offences; I beseech Thee to sanctify me by Thy Holy Spirit, to strengthen my faith against all assaults of my ghostly enemy; to seal up in me by this Holy Mystery that comfortable hope of the life to come. Direct me, I beseech Thee,

now approaching to Thy Holy Table, that I may abide with Thee, and be a fit habitation for Thy holy Presence, both now and for evermore. When I consider Thou didst create me, not being asked, redeem me, not being required; it turneth my tears of sorrow into tears of joy, my tears of fear into tears of love. O my Saviour, shew mercy; for by such great sinners as I am, Thou gettest greatest honour, as Thou didst by Mary Magdalen.

CHAPTER XXVII.

AN ADMONITION, MOVING CHRISTIANS TO RECONCILE THEMSELVES, AND FORGIVE THEIR ENEMIES, BEFORE THEY COME TO BE PARTAKERS OF THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

66

THEN thou bringest thy gift to the Altar," saith Christ our Saviour, "and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave thine offering before the Altar, and go thy way, and first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Also He saith unto His disciples: "When you stand to pray, forgive, if you have aught against any man, that your Father which is in heaven may forgive

o Matt. v. 23, 24.

you your trespasses "." By both which sayings of the Son of God we learn that our oblations and prayers (otherwise in themselves amongst the best actions of a Christian life) are in no case acceptable unto God, without our reconcilement and charity first had with men. The Wise Man could think it unmeet in very reason to ask mercy, when we ourselves deny mercy. We may remember, that the unthankful debtor that would not remit his fellow servant', for his uncompassionate usage of his said fellow, found himself the like measure, that is, judgment without mercy, at his master's hand.

With what countenance, saith one, can we look up to heaven, and say, "Lord, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us ;" and yet revenge with all extremity the least offences offered unto ourselves? No, no, he that seeketh vengeance shall surely find vengeance. Mihi vindictam ego retribuam; "Vengeance is Mine," saith the Lord, "I will revenge." We must let God alone to right our wrongs, unless we will usurp that power which is only proper unto Him: for ourselves, we should not forget the Wise Man's counsel, "Forgive thy neighbour the hurt which he hath done thee; so shall thy sins

P Mark xi. 25.

q Ecclus. xxviii. 2, 3.
H

r Matt. xviii. 30.