to me, and so often refreshest me in this Sacrament, that I have ever offended thee by my sins, such as N. and N., which thou knowest, O searcher of hearts! and I, a miserable sinner, with sorrow confess to thee, in the bitterness of my soul. Oh, that I had never offended thee! But a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise; thou who, for love of us, hast given us thy only-begotten Son, that he might wash us from our sins in his own Blood.
3. Exercise Faith.
I firmly believe, O my most loving Jesus, and with a lively faith I profess that thou thyself, who art equal to God the Father in glory and power, true God and man, art truly and really present in this Sacrament; who wert sent from heaven, and camest upon earth, to seek and to save that which was lost. Therefore thou wert truly born of a Virgin, didst suffer, wert crucified, and dead; and, in memory of thy love, has left us in this Sacrament thy Body and Blood.
4. Exercise Hope.
And why should I not hope in thee, O sovereign hope and only salvation of my soul? or whether can I fly, if not to thee, O Jesus, my only refuge? who with thy sacred lips hast said, Come to me, all you that labour and are burdened, and I will refresh you.
Oh, how sweet to my mouth are these words of thine, O Lord, sweeter than honey to my lips! and therefore I come confidently to thy altar, and here, full of hope, I receive thee thyself. For if I have thee, what shall I not have? Because thou hast and canst do all things, and art good above all.
The Lord rules me, and I shall want nothing; he has set me in a place of pasture, namely, where he himself, the Good Shepherd, who has laid down his life for his sheep, feeds us with no other food than his own Body and Blood.
What wilt thou not give to man, who hast given him thyself? Surely, O good Jesus, thou wilt not suffer me to want anything necessary to salvation, when I so often receive thee, and have thee, the Author of salvation, with me. No, thou surely wilt not, for thy Name’s sake, which is Jesus.
5. Exercise Charity.
For thou truly art God my Saviour, and art good above all good. And therefore I love thee, O Christ Jesus, because thou, of thy exceeding love for me, hast come into the flesh, and hast loved me even to the death; and in the Sacrament hast given me thyself for a pledge of this
