more than death itself, and avoid all such occasions and companies as have unhappily brought me to it: I resolve henceforward to fly them all, by thy divine grace, without which, of myself, I can do nothing. I resolve to perform such and such devotions for obtaining this grace. I resolve to fly idleness, and to set myself a regular order and method of life, for the time I have yet to come. I beg thy blessing upon these my resolutions that they may not be ineffectual like so many others I have formerly made: for, O Lord, without thee, I am nothing but misery and sin. Supply also, by thy mercy, whatever defects have been in this my confession. I am sensible it has been very imperfect, and that I was far from having that true sorrow which the heinousness of my sins required; but let the precious blood of thy only Son make up this deficiency. Accept of my poor performance, such as it is, and give me grace to be now and always a true penitent; through the same Jesus Christ thy Son. Amen..

Instructions and Devotions for Com

L

Et

munion.

a man prove (or try > himself, says St. Paul, 1. Cor. xi. 28. and so eat of that bread &c. This proving or trying one's self is the first and most necessary preparation for the holy communion ; and consists in looking diligently into the state of one's soul, in order to discover what indispositions or sins may lie there concealed; and to apply a proper remedy to them, by sincere repentance and confession; lest otherwise approaching to the Holy of Holies with a soul defiled with the guilt of mortal sin, we become guilty of the body and blood of Christ, and receive judgment to ourselves, not discerning the Lord's body, 1 Cor. xi. For this reason we go to confession before communion, in order to clear our souls from the filth of sin.

2. The person that is to receive the blessed sacrament must be also fasting, at least from midnight, by the command of the church, and by. a most ancient and apostolical tradi

tion, ordaining that, in reverence to so great a sacrament, nothing should enter into the body of a christian before the body of Christ. Hence, if through inadvertence, or otherwise a person has taken any thing, though ever so little, after twelve o'clock at night, he must by no means receive that day; excepting in the case of the danger of approaching death, when the blessed sacrament is received by way of viaticum.

cs. 3. Besides this preparation of confession and fasting, the person that proposes to go to communion must endeavour to aim at the best devotion he is able, in order to dispose his soul for worthily receiving so great a guest. To this end I recommend to him " *

First, To think well on the great work he has in hand: to consider attentively who it is he is going to receive, and how far he is from deserying such a favour; and to implore with fervour and humility God's grace and mercy And this should be the subject of his meditations and prayers, for some days before hand, Lvi

more

more particularly the night before his communion, and the morning he receives.

Secondly, To propose to him

self a pure intention, viz, the honour of God, and the health of his own soul, and in particular, that by worthily receiving Christ in this heavenly sacrament, he may come to a happy union with him, according to that of St. John vi. 57. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him,

"Thirdly, To meditate on the sufferings and death of his Redeemer this sacrament being instituted to this end, that we should shew forth the death of Christ until he comes, 1 Cor.

xi. 26.

Fourthly, To prepare himself by acts of virtue, more especially of faith, love, and humility; that so he may approach to his Lord with a firm belief of his real pesence in this sacrament, and of that great sacrifice which he heretofore offered upon the cross for our redemption, of which he here makes us partakers; with an ardent affection of love to him who has loved

us

us so much, and who, out of pure love, gives himself to us; and with a great sentiment of his unworthiness and sins, joined with a firm confidence in the mercies of his Redeemer.

A Meditation before Communion,

Consider, who it is that thou art

to receive in this blessed sacrament, and who thou art that presumest to approach him. He is the great King and Maker of heaven and earth; and the whole creation is a mere nothing in his sight what a little atom then art thou, compared to him! He is eternal, immense, and every way infinite in power, in majesty, in beauty, in wisdom, in glory, &c. and thou art a little diminutive worm made of earth, and full of miseries. He is infinitely pure and holy, in whose sight the very heavens are not clean, and who cannot endure iniquity; and thou art the very filth of sin, and a sink of uncleanness and corruption. How then, my soul, shall we dare venture to enter into this inward sanctuary, to draw near the throne