Page:Imitation-of-christ-1901.djvu/279

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Of a Diligent Preparation.
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with all diligence, and receive thy beloved into thy soul.

4. Thou oughtest not only to prepare thyself to devotion before communion, but carefully also to preserve thyself therein, after thou hast received this sacrament.

Nor is the careful guard of thyself afterwards less required, than devout preparation before.

For a good guard afterwards is the best preparation again for the obtaining of greater grace.

For if a person gives himself up at once too much to outward consolations, he is rendered thereby greatly indisposed to devotion.

Beware of much talk, remain in some secret place, and enjoy thy God; for thou hast Him, Whom all the world cannot take from thee.

I am He to Whom thou oughtest wholly to give up thyself that so thou mayest now live the rest of thy time, not in thyself, but in Me, and be free from all anxiety.