high and most excellent sacrament is the health of soul and body, the remedy of all spiritual diseases, by which my vices are cured, my passions are restrained, temptations are overcome or lessened, a greater grace is infused, virtue receives an increase, faith is confirmed, hope strengthened, charity inflamed and enlarged. For thou hast frequently bestowed, and still oftentimes dost bestow, many good things in this sacrament on thy beloved who communicate devoutly, O my God, the support of my soul, who art the repairer of human infirmity, and the giver of all interior comfort. For thou impartest unto them much consolation, to support them in their many troubles; and thou liftest them up from the depth of their own dejection, to the hope of thy protection; and thou dost recreate and enlighten them interiorly with a certain new grace; in such sort that they who, before communion, were perplexed, and felt no affection in themselves, after being fed with this heavenly meat and drink, find themselves changed for the better. And thou art pleased to deal thus with thy elect, to the end that they may truly acknowledge, and plainly experience how great is their infirmity when left to themselves, and how much they receive from thy bounty and grace. For of themselves they are cold, tepid, and indevout; but by thee they are made fervent, cheerful, and devout. For who is he that approaching humbly to the fountain of sweetness, does not carry away with him some little sweetness? Or who, standing by a great fire, does not receive from it some little heat? Now thou art a fountain always full and overflowing: thou art a fire always burning, and never decaying. Wherefore if I cannot draw out of the fulness of the fountain, nor drink my fill, I will at least set my mouth to the
