barren fig-tree, and upon the slothful servant, that hid hie talent in the ground.
Set before your eyes the examples of Christ and of his taints; and often read and meditate on their lives.
Meditate also on such other subjects as may help to move you to the love of God, and to fervor in his service such as considerations on the divine perfections; on the love of God to us, and on his benefits; on the passion of our Redeemer, and on the glory of his heavenly kingdom, prepared to reward your short labors here.
Reflect upon the pains that worldlings take, and the danger they go through, for a little dirt of the earth: and shall not we do much more for a happy eternity?
Remember in all your actions, that the eye of your great master is ever upon you: and therefore labor to perform them all to perfection, in order to please him.
Prescribe to yourself a regulation of your time, and a diversity in your good exercises, that thus you may make that easy and agreeable, which otherwise might be tedious and distasteful.
OF THE HOLY COMMUNION.
THE most important and most holy action a man can perform, is to receive worthily, the body of Jesus Christ in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. The greatest favor, therefore, that can be granted him, is to communicate early in his life, and afterwards frequently. The first communion, then, should be a principal object in the desires, of every one.
It should, moreover, be remembered, first; that the obligation of receiving the holy Eucharist, at least at Easter, regards all those who have attained the age of discretion; that is to say, the age when they are able to distinguish the body and blood of Jesus Christ, under the appearance of bread and wine, from the ordinary nourishment of the body; or in other words, the age in which they are capable of reflection.
Secondly; that purity of heart being the most proper exposition to receive Christ worthily, the less advanced the
