and Thou payedst the punishment of disobedience; I gave myself to gluttony, and Thou art afflicted with hunger. The tree carried me to unlawful desire, perfect charity led Thee to the tree of Thy Cross; I tasted of the forbidden fruit, and Thou layest under the torment; I am delighted with meat, and Thou labourest at the door; I enjoy delicacies, and Thou art torn in pieces with nails. I the sweetness of an apple, Thou tastedst the bitterness of gall. Eve rejoiceth laughing with me, Mary suffereth wailing with Thee. Behold, Thou King of Glory, behold my impiety, and Thy pity shineth; behold my unrighteousness, and Thy righteousness appeareth. What, O my King and my God, what shall I render Thee for all Thy benefits which Thou hast bestowed on me? For there cannot be found in man's heart what may worthily be rendered for such rewards; can the sharpness of man's wit devise whereunto the mercy of God may be compared? Nor is it in the power of the creature to recompense the sufficiency of the Creator; but there is, O Son of God, there is in this so admirable dispensation, that on which my own weakness may in some things rely; if my mind, pricked with Thy visitation, crucify her flesh, with the vices and concupiscences thereof; and this thing, when Thou hast granted it, beginneth

now, as it were, to suffer with Thee; for that Thou hast vouchsafed to die for my sin; and so by the victory of the inward man, by the conflict, it shall be armed to the outward triumph; forasmuch as, this spiritual persecution overcome, it may not fear for Thy love to yield itself unto the material sword; and so the smallness of my condition, if it please Thy goodness, shall be able for her power to answer the greatness of the Creator. I pray Thee for Thy accustomed mercies, pour into my wounds that (the rancour of my viperous infection cast forth) may restore me to my wonted health, that, tasting the nectar of Thy sweetness, it may cause me to despise with all my heart the pleasant allurements of this world, and to fear no adversity thereof for Thy sake; and being mindful of my eternal nobility, I may loathe the winds of this transitory fear. Let nothing be sweet, I pray Thee, unto me without Thee; nothing please me, nothing precious, nothing beautiful, beside Thee. Let all things, I beseech Thee, be vile unto me without Thee; let them be of no account; that which is contrary to Thee, let it be troublesome unto me; and let Thy good-will be my continual desire. Let it grieve me to rejoice without Thee, and delight me to be sorrowful for Thee. Let Thy Name be my comfort, and the memory of Thee

my consolation. Let tears be my bread day and night in searching out Thy judgments. Let Thy law be better unto me than millions of gold and silver. Let it be delightful unto me to walk in the way of Thy commandments unto the end. So be it.

CHAPTER LV.

THE TWELFTH MEDITATION, CONCERNING THE SPIRITUAL COMMUNION OF CHRIST, WHEN THE SACRAMENTAL MAY NOT BE HAD.

FOR that the Spiritual Communion also is pro

fitable unto souls, it is necessary that we enter into some consideration of the same, and therein observe these circumstances: first, what it is; secondly, after what means it may be used; thirdly, what profit we reap by it; fourthly, how acceptable it is to God.

For the first we must know, that as the Sacra mental Communion hath worthily the first place amongst the spiritual exercises of a Christian life, so also the Spiritual Communion hath a very godly and divine use. When the devout man, saith Gerson, doth every day receive spiritually the Body and Blood of his Redeemer, so often doth he mys

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tically communicate the mystery of Christ's Blessed Passion, inflamed in His love, and resolved into devotion towards Him; so often as we receive Christ in affection and desire of mind, (which the faithful often should do,) this is called our Spiritual Communion.

For the second, what commodity this bringeth unto the soul we may gather by the manifold effects thereof; for as he who moved by the Holy Ghost believeth, sorroweth for his sins, and by loving God desireth spiritually to be baptized, doth obtain the grace of sacramental baptism, which desire of baptism is called by the divines baptisma spiritus, "the baptism of the spirit," so doth it also happen in this Spiritual Communion.

The third, how we reap profit by receiving Christ into the holy desires of our souls, it may be understood by the increase of love: "While I was musing," saith the Prophet, "the fire kindled." The elevation of the mind unto God doth take us away from earthly affections, and carry us unto Him on whom our desires are wholly fixed.

The fourth, how acceptable this is unto God, we may easily know, for He that accepted the intention of Abraham in offering up his son, and said unto Solomon, "because this was in thine heart," He doth accept of our good desires to

embrace Him in the arms of our affection, and also doth reward this desire as a deed done. But we are to consider that we must not always stay upon the desire of our will, and only receive Christ spiritually, but we must proceed further to receive Him together, both spiritually and sacramentally, so often as possibly we can. For it is not enough to follow Christ in our intention, or in this case barely to believe, but we must also receive Him in this Holy Mystery, which is not only a representation of Christ's death, but also a participation of the benefits proceeding from the same : participation we have with Christ, either by imputation, or by actual infusion; by imputation when it is said, "Believe and live" by actual infusion either where it is said, "Wash and be clean," or "Communicate and live."

CHAPTER LVI.

THAT THIS HOLY SACRAMENT IS GIVEN TO THE SICK AS NECESSARY FOR THE TIME OF THE LAST AGONY.

'ONSIDER that among the manifold fruits of

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this heavenly Sacrament, that is to be accounted to be a principal one, that it maketh the