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13 - The Imitation of Christ - Thomas Kempis · Philosophy and Faith

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  Speaker 1: Chapter eleven, that the body and blood of Christ and
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  Speaker 1: the Holy scriptures are most necessary to a faithful soul.
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  Speaker 1: The voice of the disciple, O, most sweet Lord Jesus,
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  Speaker 1: How great is the blessedness of the devout soul that
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  Speaker 1: feedeth with THEE in thy banquet, where there is set
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  Speaker 1: before it no other food than thyself, Its only beloved,
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  Speaker 1: more to be desired than all the desires of the heart.
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  Speaker 1: And to me it would verily be sweet to pour
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  Speaker 1: forth my tears in thy presence from the very bottom
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  Speaker 1: of my heart, and with the pious Magdalen, to water
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  Speaker 1: thy feet with my tears. But where is this devotion
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  Speaker 1: where the abundant flowing of holy tears. Surely, in Thy
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  Speaker 1: presence and in the presence of the Holy angels, my
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  Speaker 1: whole heart ought to burn and to weep for joy.
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  Speaker 1: For I have THEE in the sacrament, verily present, although
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  Speaker 1: hidden under other form. For in Thine own divine brightness,
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  Speaker 1: mine eyes could not endure to behold THEE. Neither could
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  Speaker 1: the whole world stand before the splendor of the glory
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  Speaker 1: of Thy Majesty. In this therefore thou hast consideration unto
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  Speaker 1: my weakness, that thou hidest thyself under the sacrament, I
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  Speaker 1: verily possess and adore Him whom the angels adore in heaven.
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  Speaker 1: Ay yet for a while by faith, but they by
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  Speaker 1: sight and without avail. It is good for me to
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  Speaker 1: be content with the light of true faith, and to
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  Speaker 1: walk therein until the day of eternal brightness dawn and
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  Speaker 1: the shadows of figures flee away Canticles two, verse seventeen.
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  Speaker 1: But when that which is perfect is come, the using
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  Speaker 1: of sacraments shall cease. Because the blessed in heavenly glory
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  Speaker 1: have no need of sacramental remedy, For they rejoice unceasingly
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  Speaker 1: in the presence of God, beholding his glory face to face,
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  Speaker 1: and being changed from glory to glory to Corinthians three,
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  Speaker 1: verse eighteen. Of the infinite God. They taste the Word
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  Speaker 1: of God made flesh as he was in the beginning,
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  Speaker 1: and remaineth for everlasting. When I think on these wondrous things,
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  Speaker 1: even spiritual comfort, whatsoever, it be becometh sore weariness to me.
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  Speaker 1: For so long as I see not openly my Lord
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  Speaker 1: in his own glory, I count for nothing all which
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  Speaker 1: I behold and hear in the world Thou, O, God,
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  Speaker 1: art my witness, that nothing is able to comfort me.
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  Speaker 1: No creature is able to give me rest, save thou, O,
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  Speaker 1: my God, who my desire to contemplate everlastingly. But this
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  Speaker 1: is not possible so long as I remain in this
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  Speaker 1: mortal state. Therefore, ought I to set myself under great
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  Speaker 1: patience and submit myself unto THEE in every desire. For
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  Speaker 1: even thy saints, O, Lord, who now rejoice with THEE
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  Speaker 1: in the Kingdom of Heaven, waited for the coming of
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  Speaker 1: Thy glory, whilst they lived here in faith and great glory.
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  Speaker 1: What they believed. That believe I what they hoped. I
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  Speaker 1: hope whither they have attained to thither through Thy grace,
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  Speaker 1: hope I to come. I will walk meanwhile in faith,
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  Speaker 1: strengthened by the examples of the saints. I will have
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  Speaker 1: also holy books for comfort and for a mirror of life.
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  Speaker 1: And above them all Thy most holy body and blood
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  Speaker 1: shall be for me a special remedy and refuge. For
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  Speaker 1: two things do I feel to be exceedingly necessary to
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  Speaker 1: me in this life, without which this miserable life would
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  Speaker 1: be intolerable. To me. Being detained in the prison of
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  Speaker 1: this body, I confess that I need two things, even
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  Speaker 1: food and light. Thou hast therefore given to me, who
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  Speaker 1: am so weak, thy sacred body and blood for the
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  Speaker 1: refreshing of my soul and body, and has set Thy
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  Speaker 1: word for a lantern to my feet Psalm one hundred nineteen,
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  Speaker 1: verse one O five. Without these two I could not
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  Speaker 1: properly live. For the Word of God is the light
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  Speaker 1: of my soul, and thy sacrament the bread of life.
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  Speaker 1: These may also be called the two tables placed on
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  Speaker 1: this side and on that in the treasury of thy
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  Speaker 1: Holy Church. One table is that of the sacred altar,
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  Speaker 1: bearing the holy bread, that is, the pressure, body and
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  Speaker 1: blood of Christ. The other is the table of the
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  Speaker 1: Divine Law, containing holy doctrine, teaching the true faith and
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  Speaker 1: leading steadfastly onwards even to that which is within the
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  Speaker 1: veil where the Holy of Holies is. Thanks be unto
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  Speaker 1: thee O Lord Jesus, Light of Light everlasting, for that
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  Speaker 1: table of holy doctrine, which thou hast furnished unto us
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  Speaker 1: by Thy servants, the prophets and apostles and other teachers.
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  Speaker 1: Thanks be to thee O Creator and Redeemer of men,
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  Speaker 1: who to make known Thy love to the whole world,
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  Speaker 1: has prepared a great supper, in which thou hast set
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  Speaker 1: forth for good, not the typical lamb, but thine own
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  Speaker 1: most holy body and blood, making all thy faithful ones
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  Speaker 1: joyful with this holy banquet, and giving them to drink
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  Speaker 1: the cup of salvation, wherein are all the delights of paradise,
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  Speaker 1: and the holy angels do feed with us and with
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  Speaker 1: yet happier sweetness. Oh, how great and honorable is the
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  Speaker 1: office of the priests, to whom it is given to
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  Speaker 1: consecrate the sacrament of the Lord of Majesty with holy words,
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  Speaker 1: to bless it with the lips, to hold it in
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  Speaker 1: their hands, to receive it with their own mouth, and
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  Speaker 1: to administer it to others. Oh, how clean ought those
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  Speaker 1: hands to be? How pure the mouth, how holy the body?
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  Speaker 1: How unspotted the heart of the priest, to whom so
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  Speaker 1: often the author of purity entereth in from the mouth
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  Speaker 1: of the priest ought not to proceed, but what is holy,
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  Speaker 1: what is honest and profitable? Because he so often receiveth
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  Speaker 1: the Sacrament of Christ. His eyes ought to be single
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  Speaker 1: and pure, seeing they are wont to look upon the
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  Speaker 1: body of Christ. The hands should be pure and lifted
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  Speaker 1: towards heaven, which are wont to hold within them, the
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  Speaker 1: creator of heaven and earth. To priests, is it specially
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  Speaker 1: said in the law, be Ye Holy, for I the
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  Speaker 1: Lord your God am holy Leviticus nineteen verse two. Assist
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  Speaker 1: us with thy grace, O, Almighty God, that we who
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  Speaker 1: have taken upon us the priestly office, may be able
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  Speaker 1: to converse worthily and devoutly with THEE in all purity
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  Speaker 1: and good conscience. And if we are not able to
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  Speaker 1: have our conversation in such innocency of life as we ought,
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  Speaker 1: yet grant unto us worthily to lament the sins which
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  Speaker 1: we have committed, and in the spirit of humility and
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  Speaker 1: full purpose of a good will to serve THEE more
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  Speaker 1: earnestly for the future. Chapter twelve that he who is
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  Speaker 1: about to communicate with Christ ought to prepare himself with
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  Speaker 1: great diligence the voice of the beloved. I am the
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  Speaker 1: lover of purity and the giver of sanctity. I seek
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  Speaker 1: a pure heart, and there is the place of my rest.
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  Speaker 1: Prepare for me the larger upper room furnished, and I
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  Speaker 1: will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples
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  Speaker 1: Mark fourteen, Verses fourteen and fifteen. If thou wilt that
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  Speaker 1: I come unto THEE and abide with THEE, purge out
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  Speaker 1: the old eleven one Corinthians, verse seven, and cleanse the
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  Speaker 1: habitation of thy heart, shot out the whole world, and
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  Speaker 1: all the throng of sins. Sit as a sparrow alone
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  Speaker 1: upon the housetop Psalm one hundred and two, verse seven,
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  Speaker 1: and think upon thy transgressions with bitterness of thy soul.
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  Speaker 1: For every one that loveth prepareth the best and fairest
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  Speaker 1: place for his beloved, because hereby the affection of him
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  Speaker 1: that entertaineth his beloved is known. Yet know thou that
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  Speaker 1: thou canst not make sufficient preparation out of the merit
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  Speaker 1: of any action of thine, even though thou shouldst prepare
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  Speaker 1: thyself for a whole year, and hadst nothing else in
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  Speaker 1: thy mind. But out of my tenderness and grace alone,
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  Speaker 1: art thou permitted to draw nigh unto my table, as
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  Speaker 1: though a beggar were called to a rich man's dinner,
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  Speaker 1: and had no other recompense to offer him for the
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  Speaker 1: benefits done unto him, but to humble himself and to
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  Speaker 1: give him thanks do therefore as much as lieth in THEE,
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  Speaker 1: and do it diligently, not out of custom nor of necessity,
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  Speaker 1: but with fear, reverence, and affection. Receive the body of
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  Speaker 1: thy beloved Lord God, who vouchsafeth to come unto THEE.
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  Speaker 1: I am he who hath called THEE. I commanded it
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  Speaker 1: to be done. I will supply what is lacking to THEE.
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  Speaker 1: Come and receive me. When I give the grace of devotion,
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  Speaker 1: give thanks unto Thy God. It is not because thou
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  Speaker 1: art worthy, but because I had mercy on THEE. If
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  Speaker 1: thou hast not devotion, but rather feelest thyself dry, be
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  Speaker 1: instant in prayer, cease not to groan and knock. Cease
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  Speaker 1: not until thou prevail to obtain some crumb or drop
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  Speaker 1: of saving grace. Thou hast need of me. I have
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  Speaker 1: no need of THEE. Nor dost thou come to sanctify me,
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  Speaker 1: but I to sanctify THEE and make THEE better. Thou
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  Speaker 1: comest that thou mayst be sanctified by Me and be
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  Speaker 1: united to me, that thou mayst receive fresh grace and
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  Speaker 1: be kindled anew to amendment of life. See that thou
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  Speaker 1: neglect not this grace, but prepare thy heart with all diligence,
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  Speaker 1: and receive thy beloved unto thee. But thou oughtest not
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  Speaker 1: only to prepare thyself for devotion before communion, thou must
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  Speaker 1: also keep thyself with all diligence therein after receiving the sacrament.
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  Speaker 1: Nor is less watchfulness needed afterwards than devout preparation beforehand.
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  Speaker 1: For good watchfulness afterwards becometh in turn, the best preparation
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  Speaker 1: for the gaining more grace. For hereby is a man
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  Speaker 1: made entirely indisposed to good good. If he immediately return
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  Speaker 1: from communion to give himself up to outward consolations, beware
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  Speaker 1: of much speaking, remain in a secret place, and hold
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  Speaker 1: communion with thy God. For thou hast him whom the
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  Speaker 1: whole world cannot take away from THEE. I am he
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  Speaker 1: to whom thou oughtest wholly to give thyself, so that
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  Speaker 1: now thou mayest live not wholly in thyself, but in me,
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  Speaker 1: free from all anxiety. Chapter thirteen. That the devout soul
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  Speaker 1: aught with the whole heart to yearn after union with
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  Speaker 1: Christ in the sacrament. The voice of the Disciple, who
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  Speaker 1: shall grant unto me, O, Lord, that I may find
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  Speaker 1: THEE alone and open all my heart unto THEE, and
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  Speaker 1: enjoy THEE as much as my soul desireth. That no
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  Speaker 1: man may henceforth look upon me, nor any creature move me,
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  Speaker 1: or have respect unto me, but Thou alone speak unto me,
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  Speaker 1: and I unto THEE, even as beloved is wont to
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  Speaker 1: speak unto beloved, and friend to feast with friend. For
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  Speaker 1: this do I pray, This do I long for, that
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  Speaker 1: I may be wholly united unto THEE, and may withdraw
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  Speaker 1: my heart from all created things, and by means of
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  Speaker 1: holy communion and frequent celebration, may learn more and more
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  Speaker 1: to relish heavenly and eternal things. Ah Lord God, when
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  Speaker 1: shall I be entirely united and lost in THEE and
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  Speaker 1: altogether forgetful of myself? Thou in me and I in Thee?
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  Speaker 1: John fifteen, verse four, Even so, grant that we may
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  Speaker 1: in like manner continue together in one Verily Thou art,
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  Speaker 1: my beloved, the choicest among ten thousand canticles, verse ten,
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  Speaker 1: in whom my soul delighteth to dwell all the days
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  Speaker 1: of her life. Verily Thou art, my peace maker, in
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  Speaker 1: whom is perfect peace and true rest, apart from whom
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  Speaker 1: is labor and sorrow and infinite misery. Verily, thou art
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  Speaker 1: a God that hidest thyself, and thy counsel is not
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  Speaker 1: with the wicked, but thy word is with the humble
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  Speaker 1: and the simple. O how sweet, O Lord is thy spirit,
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  Speaker 1: who that thou mightst manifest thy sweetness towards thy children,
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  Speaker 1: dost vouchsafe to refresh them with the bread which is
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  Speaker 1: full of sweetness, which cometh down from Heaven. Verily, there
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  Speaker 1: is no other nation so great which hath its gods
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  Speaker 1: drawing nigh to them, as thou, our God art present
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  Speaker 1: unto all thy faithful ones Deuteronomy four, verse seven, unto
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  Speaker 1: whom for their daily solace and for lifting up their heart.
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  Speaker 1: Unto Heaven, Thou givest thyself for their food and delight.
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  Speaker 1: For what other nation is there so renowned as the
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  Speaker 1: Christian people? Or what creature is so beloved under heaven
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  Speaker 1: as the devout soul to which God entereth in that
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  Speaker 1: he may feed it with his glorious flesh. O unspeakable grace,
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  Speaker 1: O wonderful condescension, O immeasurable love specially bestowed upon men.
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  Speaker 1: But What reward shall I give unto the Lord for
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  Speaker 1: this grace for charity so mighty, There is nothing which
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  Speaker 1: I am able to present more acceptable than to give
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  Speaker 1: my heart altogether unto God, and to join it inwardly
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  Speaker 1: to Him. Then all my inward parts shall rejoice when
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  Speaker 1: my soul shall be perfectly united unto God. Then shall
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  Speaker 1: he say unto me, if thou wilt be with me,
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  Speaker 1: I will be with THEE, and I will answer him vouchsafe,
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  Speaker 1: O Lord, to abide with me. I will gladly be
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  Speaker 1: with THEE. This is my whole desire, even that my
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  Speaker 1: heart be united unto THEE. Chapter fourteen of the fervent
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  Speaker 1: desire of certain devout persons to receive the body and
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  Speaker 1: Blood of Christ the voice of the Disciple, O, how
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  Speaker 1: great is the abundance of thy sweetness, O Lord, which
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  Speaker 1: thou hast laid up for them that fear THEE. When
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  Speaker 1: I call to mine some devout persons who draw nigh
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  Speaker 1: to Thy sacrament, O Lord, with the deepest devotion and affection,
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  Speaker 1: then very often I am confounded in myself and blush
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  Speaker 1: for shame that I approach Thine altar and table of
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  Speaker 1: holy communion. So carelessly and coldly, that I remain so
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  Speaker 1: dry and without affection, that I am not wholly kindled
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  Speaker 1: with love before thee My God, nor so vehemently drawn
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  Speaker 1: and affected, as many devout persons have been, who, out
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  Speaker 1: of the very earnest desire of the communion and tender
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  Speaker 1: affection of heart, could not refrain from weeping. But, as
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  Speaker 1: it were, with mouth of heart and body alike, panted
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  Speaker 1: inwardly after THEE O God, O fountain of life, having
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  Speaker 1: no power to appease or satiate their hunger save by
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  Speaker 1: receiving Thy body with all joyfulness and spiritual eagerness, O
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  Speaker 1: truly ardent faith of those becoming a very very proof
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  Speaker 1: of Thy sacred presence, for they verily know their Lord
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  Speaker 1: in the breaking of bread, whose heart so ardently burneth
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  Speaker 1: within them Luke twenty four, verse thirty two. When Jesus
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  Speaker 1: WoT with them by the way ah me far from me,
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  Speaker 1: for the most parties such love and devotion as this,
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  Speaker 1: such vehement love and ardor be merciful unto me, O, Jesus, good,
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  Speaker 1: sweet and kind, and grant unto thy poor suppliant to
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  Speaker 1: feel sometimes in holy communion, though it be but a
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  Speaker 1: little the cordial affection of thy love, that my faith
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  Speaker 1: may grow stronger, my hope in thy goodness increase, and
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  Speaker 1: my charity, once kindled within me by the tasting of
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  Speaker 1: the heavenly manner, may never fail. But thy mercy is
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  Speaker 1: able even to grant me the grace which I love,
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  Speaker 1: and to visit me most tenderly with the spirit of
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  Speaker 1: fervor when the day of Thy good pleasure shall come.
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  Speaker 1: For although I burn not with desire so vehement as theirs,
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  Speaker 1: who are specially devout towards THEE, yet through thy grace
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  Speaker 1: I have a desire after that greatly inflamed desire, praying
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  Speaker 1: and desiring to be made partaker with all those who
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  Speaker 1: so fervently love THEE, and to be numbered among their
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  Speaker 1: holy company. Chapter fifteen. That the grace of devotion is
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  Speaker 1: acquired by humility and self denial the voice of the beloved.
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  Speaker 1: Thou oughtest to seek earnestly the grace of devotion, to
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  Speaker 1: ask it fervently, to wait for it patiently and faithfully,
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  Speaker 1: to receive it gratefully, to preserve it humbly, to work
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  Speaker 1: with it diligently, and to leave to God the time
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  Speaker 1: and manner of heavenly visitation until it come chiefly Aughtist
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  Speaker 1: thou to humble thyself when thou feelest inwardly little or
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  Speaker 1: no devotion, yet not to be too much cast down,
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  Speaker 1: nor to grieve out of measure. God ofttimes giveth in
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  Speaker 1: one short moment what he hath long time denied. He
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  Speaker 1: sometimes giveth at the end what at the beginning of
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  Speaker 1: prayer he hath deferred to give. If grace were always
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  Speaker 1: given immediately, and were at hand at the wish, it
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  Speaker 1: would be hardly bearable to weak man. Wherefore, the grace
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  Speaker 1: of devotion is to be waited for with a good
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  Speaker 1: hope and with humble patience. Yet impute it to thyself
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  Speaker 1: and to thy sins when it is not given, or
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  Speaker 1: when it is mysteriously taken away. It is sometimes a
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  Speaker 1: small thing which hindereth and hideth grace, if indeed that
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  Speaker 1: ought to be called small, and not rather great, which
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  Speaker 1: hindereth so great a good. But if thou remove this,
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  Speaker 1: be it small or great, and perfectly overcome it, thou
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  Speaker 1: wilt have what thou hast asked for immediately, that thou
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  Speaker 1: hast given thyself unto God with all thine heart and
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  Speaker 1: hast sought neither this nor that, according to thine own
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  Speaker 1: will and pleasure, but hast altogether settled thyself in Him.
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  Speaker 1: Thou shalt find thyself united and at peace, Because nothing
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  Speaker 1: shall give thee so sweet, relish and delight as the
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  Speaker 1: good pleasure of the Divine will. Whosoever therefore shall have
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  Speaker 1: lifted up his will unto God with singleness of heart,
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  Speaker 1: and shall have delivered himself from every inordinate love or
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  Speaker 1: dislike of any created thing, he will be the most
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  Speaker 1: fit for receiving grace and worthy of the gift of devotion.
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  Speaker 1: For where the Lord findeth empty vessels two kings, four,
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  Speaker 1: there giveth he his blessing. And the more perfectly a
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  Speaker 1: man forsaketh things which cannot profit. And the more he
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  Speaker 1: dieth to himself, the more quickly doth grace come, the
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  Speaker 1: more plentifully doth it enter in, and the higher doth
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  Speaker 1: it lift up the free heart. Then shall he see
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  Speaker 1: and flow together and wonder, and his heart shall be
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  Speaker 1: enlarged within him Isaiah sixty, verse five. Because the hand
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  Speaker 1: of the Lord is with him, and he hath put
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  Speaker 1: himself wholly in his hand, even forever. Lo Thus shall
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  Speaker 1: the man be blessed that seeketh God with all his heart,
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  Speaker 1: and receiveth not his soul in vain. This man, in
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  Speaker 1: receiving the Holy Eucharist, obtaineth the great grace of Divine Union,
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  Speaker 1: because he hath not regard to his own devotion and comfort,
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  Speaker 1: but above all devotion and comfort to the glory and
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  Speaker 1: honor of God. Chapter sixteen. That we ought to lay
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  Speaker 1: open our necessities to Christ and to require His grace.
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  Speaker 1: The voice of the Disciple, O, Most Sweet and Loving Lord,
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  Speaker 1: whom now I devoutly desire to receive. Thou knowest my
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  Speaker 1: infirmity and the necessity which I suffer. In what evils
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  Speaker 1: and vice I lie, How often I am weighed down, tempted, disturbed,
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  Speaker 1: and defiled. I come unto THEE for remedy. I beseech
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  Speaker 1: of THEE consolation and support. I speak unto THEE, who
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  Speaker 1: knowest all things, to whom all my secrets are open,
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  Speaker 1: and who alone art able perfectly to comfort and help me.
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  Speaker 1: Thou knowest what good thing I most stand in need of,
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  Speaker 1: and how poor I am in virtues. Behold, I stand
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: poor and naked before THEE, requiring grace and imploring mercy
• 24:41
  Speaker 1: refresh the hungry, suppliant. Kindle my coldness with the fire
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: of thy love, illuminate my blindness with the brightness of
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: thy presence. Turn thou all earthly things into bitterness for me,
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: all grievous and contrary things into patience, all things worthless
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: and created into contempt and oblivion. Lift up my heart
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: unto THEE in heaven, and suffer me not to wander
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: over the earth. Be thou alone, sweet unto me from
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: this day forward forever, because thou alone art my meat,
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: and drink my love, and joy, my sweetness, and my
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: whole good. O that thou wouldest altogether by thy presence, Kindle,
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: consume and transform me into thyself, that I may be
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: made one spirit with THEE, by the grace of inward
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: union and the melting of earnest love. Suffer me not
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: to go away from THEE hungry and dry, but deal
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: mercifully with me, as oftentimes thou hast dealt wondrously with
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: thy saints. What marvel if I should be wholly kindled
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: from THEE and in myself should utterly fail. Since Thou
• 26:04
  Speaker 1: art fire, always burning and never failing, love, purifying the heart,
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: and enlightening the understanding Chapter seventeen, of fervent love and
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: vehement desire of receiving Christ the voice of the Disciple,
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: with the deepest devotion and fervent love, with all affection
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: and fervor of heart, I long to receive THEE, O Lord,
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: even as many saints and devout persons have desired THEE
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: in communicating, who were altogether well pleasing to THEE by
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: their sanctity of life, and dwelt in all ardent devotion, O,
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: my God, eternal love, my whole good happiness without measure.
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: I long to receive THEE with the most desire and
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: becoming reverence which any saint ever had or could have.
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: And although I be unworthy to have all those feelings
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: of devotion, yet do I offer THEE the whole affection
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: of my heart, even as though I alone had all
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: those most grateful, inflamed desires. YEA, also whatsoever things a
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: pious man is able to conceive and long for? All
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: these things with the deepest veneration and inward fervor do
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: I offer and present unto THEE. I desire to reserve
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: nothing unto myself, but freely and entirely to offer myself
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: and all that I have unto THEE for a sacrifice, O, Lord,
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: my God, my Creator and Redeemer, with such affection, reverence,
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: praise and honor, with such gratitude, dude worthiness and love,
• 28:02
  Speaker 1: with such faith, hope and purity, do I desire to
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: receive THEE this day, as Thy most blessed Mother, the
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: glorious Virgin Mary received and desired THEE. When she humbly
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: and devoutly answered the Angel who brought unto her the
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: glad tidings of the mystery of the incarnation. Behold the
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: Thy word, Luke one verse thirty eight. And as thy
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: blessed forerunner, the most excellent of Saints, John Baptist, being
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: full of joy in Thy presence, leapt while yet in
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: the womb of his mother for joy in the Holy Ghost,
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: and afterwards, discerning Jesus walking amongst men, humbled himself exceedingly
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: and said, with devout affection, the friend of the bridegroom,
• 29:02
  Speaker 1: who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the
• 29:06
  Speaker 1: Bridegroom's voice. John three, verse twenty nine. Even so I
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: wish to be inflamed with great and holy desires, and
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: to present myself unto THEE with my whole heart, whence
• 29:22
  Speaker 1: also on behalf of myself and of all commended to
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: me in prayer, I offer and present unto THEE the
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: jubilation of all devout hearts, their ardent affections, their mental ecstasies,
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: and supernatural illuminations and heavenly visions, with all the virtues
• 29:43
  Speaker 1: and praises celebrated and to be celebrated by every creature
• 29:48
  Speaker 1: in heaven and Earth, to the end that by all
• 29:52
  Speaker 1: Thou mayest worthily be praised and glorified forever. Receive my prayers, Lord,
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: my God, and my desires of giving THEE infinite praise
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: and unbounded benediction, which, according to the multitude of Thine
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: unspeakable greatness, are most justly due unto THEE. These do
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: I give THEE and desire to give every day and
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: every moment. And with beseechings and affectionate desires, I call
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: upon all celestial spirits and all thy faithful people to
• 30:30
  Speaker 1: join with me in rendering THEE thanks and praises. Let
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: all peoples, nations and tongues praise THEE and magnify thy
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: holy and sweet sounding name with highest jubilations and ardent devotion.
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: And let all who reverently and devoutly celebrate thy most
• 30:53
  Speaker 1: high sacrament and receive it with full assurance of faith,
• 30:58
  Speaker 1: be accounted worthy to find grit, grace and mercy with Thee,
• 31:02
  Speaker 1: and intercede with all supplication for me, a sinner. And
• 31:07
  Speaker 1: when they shall have attained unto their wished for devotion
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: and joyous union with Thee, and shall depart full of
• 31:15
  Speaker 1: comfort and wondrously refreshed from thy holy, heavenly table, let
• 31:21
  Speaker 1: them vouchsafe to be mindful of me, for I am
• 31:25
  Speaker 1: poor and needy. Chapter eighteen. That a man should not
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: be a curious searcher of the sacrament, but a humble
• 31:38
  Speaker 1: imitator of Christ, submitting his sense to holy faith the
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: voice of the Beloved. Thou must take heed of curious
• 31:52
  Speaker 1: and useless searching into this most profound sacrament. If thou
• 31:57
  Speaker 1: wilt not be plunged into the abyss of dear he
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: that is a searcher of majesty shall be oppressed by
• 32:05
  Speaker 1: the glory thereof Proverbs twenty five, verse twenty seven vulgate.
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: God is able to do more than man can understand.
• 32:18
  Speaker 1: A pious and humble search after truth is to be
• 32:21
  Speaker 1: allowed when it is always ready to be taught and
• 32:25
  Speaker 1: striving to walk after the wholesome opinions of the fathers.
• 32:31
  Speaker 1: Blessed is the simplicity which leaveth alone the difficult paths
• 32:36
  Speaker 1: of questionings, and followeth the plain and firm steps of
• 32:40
  Speaker 1: God's commandments. Many have lost devotion whilst they sought to
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: search into deeper things. Faith is required of THEE and
• 32:52
  Speaker 1: a sincere life, not loftiness of intellect, nor deepness in
• 32:57
  Speaker 1: the mysteries of God. If thou understandest not nor comprehendest
• 33:03
  Speaker 1: the things which are beneath THEE, how shalt thou comprehend
• 33:07
  Speaker 1: those which are above THEE? Submit thyself unto God, and
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: humble thy sense to faith, and the light of knowledge
• 33:17
  Speaker 1: shall be given THEE as shall be profitable and necessary
• 33:21
  Speaker 1: unto THEE. There are some who are grievously tempted concerning
• 33:28
  Speaker 1: faith and the sacrament, but this is not to be
• 33:31
  Speaker 1: imputed to themselves, but rather to the enemy. Care not, then,
• 33:36
  Speaker 1: for this dispute, not with thine own thoughts, nor make
• 33:41
  Speaker 1: answer to the doubts which are cast into thee by
• 33:44
  Speaker 1: the devil. But believe the words of God, believe his
• 33:49
  Speaker 1: saints and prophets, and the wicked enemy shall flee from thee.
• 33:55
  Speaker 1: Often it profiteth much that the servant of God endureth
• 33:58
  Speaker 1: such things, For the Enemy tempteth not unbelievers and sinners,
• 34:04
  Speaker 1: because he already hath secure possession of them. But he
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: tempteth and harasseth the faithful and devout by various means.
• 34:15
  Speaker 1: Go forward therefore, with simple and undoubting faith, and draw
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: nigh unto the sacrament, with supplicating reverence. And whatsoever thou
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: art not enabled to understand that commit without anxiety to
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: Almighty God. God deceiveth thee. Not he is deceived, who
• 34:37
  Speaker 1: believeth too much in himself. God walketh with the simple,
• 34:44
  Speaker 1: reveal himself to the humble, giveth understanding to babes, openeth
• 34:50
  Speaker 1: the sense to pure minds, and hideth grace from the
• 34:54
  Speaker 1: curious and proud. Human reason is weak and may be deceived,
• 35:00
  Speaker 1: but true faith cannot be deceived. All reason and natural
• 35:08
  Speaker 1: investigation ought to follow faith, not to precede it, nor
• 35:13
  Speaker 1: to break it. For faith and love do here especially
• 35:17
  Speaker 1: take the highest place and work in hidden ways in
• 35:21
  Speaker 1: this most holy and exceeding excellent sacrament, God, who is
• 35:27
  Speaker 1: eternal and incomprehensible and of infinite power, doth great and
• 35:33
  Speaker 1: inscrutable things in heaven and in earth, And his wonderful
• 35:37
  Speaker 1: works are past finding out. If the works of God
• 35:42
  Speaker 1: were of such sort that they might easily be comprehended
• 35:45
  Speaker 1: by human reason, they should no longer be called wonderful
• 35:50
  Speaker 1: or unspeakable. End of the imitation of Christ,