and indeed; that here is thy body and blood, thy soul and thy divinity; I believe that thou, my Saviour, true God and true man, art really here with all thy treasures; that here thou communicatest thyself to us, makest us partakers of the fruit of thy passion, and givest us a pledge of eternal life. I Relieve there cannot fee a greater happiness than to receive thee worthily, nor a greater misery than to receive thee unworthily. All this I most steadfastly believe, because it is what thou hast taught us by thy word, and by thy Church.
4. Conceive a great fear, and humble yourself. — But, O my God, how shall I dare approach to thee? so wretched a worm, to so infinite a Majesty! so filthy a sinner, to such infinite purity and sanctity ! Alas ! my soul is covered with a universal leprosy, and how shall I presume to embrace thee ! My whole life has been nothing but misery and sin; and it is only by thy mercy that I have not been long since in hell, which I have deserved a thousand times: and how shall I venture so much as to lift up my eyes to thee, much less to receive thee within my breast! I tremble at the sentence of thy apostle: he that receives unworthily receives his own damnation; for I cannot but acknowledge myself infinitely unworthy; nor should I dare ever to come to thee, were I not excited by thy most loving and pressing invitation, and encouraged by thy infinite goodness and mercy: it is in this mercy, which is above all thy works, I put my whole trust; and in this confidence alone that I presume to approach thee. O! grant that it may be with a contrite and humble heart; for this, I know, thou wilt never despise.
5. Make an Act of Contrition. — Lord, I detest with my whole heart all the sins by which I have ever
