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saith he, of his own meat, and drink of his own cup. Christ, to shew His love towards us, hath given us of His own bread, and of His own cup; nay, He hath given us His own Body as bread, His own Blood as wine, for the nourishment of our souls.

David wondered at the exceeding love of God, saying, "Who am I, O Lord God, that Thou hast brought me unto this?" We may with admiration say, Lord, what is earth and ashes, that Thou hast exalted the same to this dignity? Almighty God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, so doth He to the faithful inflamed with love.

God did highly honour Joshua in that He made the sun to stay until he had the victory; but what honour had it been, had He brought the same sun down from heaven? This hath He done for us by the Son of righteousness, who exiled Himself thirty-three years from the throne of glory, and became the son of man, that we might be made the sons of God.

THE SECOND MEDITATION.

1. Consider how in this holy mystery thou art bound to love the gift with the Giver. If when the people would have made Christ a King, He b John vi. 15.

82 Sam. vii. 18.

had then sought to requite their favour, it had not been so much; but when they gave Him gall to eat and vinegar to drink, then to leave this testimony of favours and love, it was love without example. Had He bestowed this, so great a gift, on the Saints or Angels, it had not been so wonderful; but bestowing it on poor sinners, this was pure love indeed.

2. Consider how great care our Saviour hath shewed towards us, in instituting this Sacrament, seeing nothing could be given more excellent, more dear when He loved His which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.

3. Consider what Saint Chrysostom saith: Our Lord instituted this Divine Sacrament, that we might be made one with Him, forasmuch as He is such a meat as doth turn itself into the worthy receiver. So hereby Christ doth draw us unto Him with the bonds of love, and doth in this gift allure us to love Him. Heat doth turn the nourishment into the body nourished; the same is done by fervency of love in faithful receivers.

THE FRUIT OF THIS MEDITATION.

The fruit of this meditation is, that every one meditating on the love of Christ ask the question, i John xvii. 26.

and make the answer with the Prophet, Quid retribuam, &c., "What shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits He hath done unto me? I will take the cup of salvation," &c.

A SPIRITUAL SOLILOQUY UPON THIS

MEDITATION.

O sweet Jesus, could it be that such was Thy love towards us, that when Thou wast the King of Glory and Creator of all the world, Thou wouldest Thyself be meat for Thine own creatures? O Love, Thy love is too, too great; for I thought sufficient, that which the Wise Man speaketh, "Love is as strong as death." But I see much more may be spoken of this Thy love, for Thy arrows overcoming heaven, do penetrate where death doth not come nor approach; Thou also dost fix this love in the heart of man, and not only pluck it away from all things created, but even from itself.

It was sufficient that Thou wast given to us for a Lord and God, in which thing the Prophet hath placed his blessedness: "Blessed are the people. whose God is the Lord!" But love hath drawn Thee to that which the wisdom of man cannot comprehend; and it remaineth most true that Thou, when Thou wast God of all majesty, most

j Psalm cxvi. 12, 13.

k Cant. viii. 6.

1 Psalm cxliv. 15.

infinite and immortal, wast made man, didst die and suffer for us.

m.""

When I consider that Thou in the self-same time wherein the streams of Thy tribulations did overflow, wherein Thy only thought constrained a bloody sweat out of Thy body, forgetful of Thine own self, and all the torments which were preparing, wast careful of procuring such a meat for us as might strengthen us in the state of grace until we see Thee in the state of glory; O amiable Jesu how truly is it written of Thy love, "Many waters could not extinguish this love, nor floods overwhelm it ";" namely, many waters of Thy passion and floods of Thy grief could not withhold Thee, whereby Thou wouldest not provide and impart this singular and precious gift for us. O sweet Jesus, it had been enough to call us brethren when Thou wast humbled on the earth; but wilt Thou so call us ascending to heaven, saying, "I ascend to My Father and your Father," &c.; nay, to call the poor so, that Thou wouldest and wilt call them brethren: Whatsoever ye did to the least of these, My brethren.

The Prophet Elisha greatly esteemed the cloak of his master Elijah, left him at his departure; wherewith he divided the waters of Jordan, and

m Cant. viii. 7.

passed over on dry foot"; but here the Lord and God of Elijah hath left unto thee not any garment, but His most sacred Body, that He may be a companion with thee in this laboursome pilgrimage, in passing over the waters of tribulation, and an wholesome food of a spiritual life. Judge now, then, how much thou oughtest to re-love Him, and with what ardent affection to receive Him. In the meantime, beseech this Benefactor, that it happen not unto thee as unto the people of the Jews; to whom, when our Lord Jesus offered Himself for their Master and Teacher, they, renouncing His doctrine and mastership, kept still the covering of their eyes, and, which was worse, joined to their blindness the sin of unthankfulness.

CHAPTER III.

OF THE GREAT EXCELLENCY AND WORTHINESS
OF THIS SACRAMENT.

MOST high and sumptuous is the preparation

which wisdom hath ordained, bounty fur

nished, and Christ Himself with His honourable presence beautified. This preparation is not as in times past in the wilderness, or in the moveable n 2 Kings ii. 14

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