CHAPTER X.

_That a devout soul ought to desire with her whole heart to be united unto Christ in the sacrament._

_The voice of the disciple._

WHO will give me this, O Lord, to find thee alone, and open my whole heart unto thee, and enjoy thee as my soul desireth?

And that no man may look toward me, nor any creature move or regard me, but thou alone mayst speak unto me, and I to thee, as the beloved is wont to speak to his beloved, and a friend to banquet with his friend?

This I pray for, this I desire, that I may be wholly united unto thee, and may withdraw my heart from all created things.

That I may ♦by often communicating, learn more and more to relish heavenly and eternal things.

♦ “be” replaced with “by” per Errata

Ah Lord God, when shall I be wholly united to thee, swallowed up in thee, and altogether forgetful of myself?

Thou in me, and I in thee, and so grant us both to continue in one.

2. Verily, thou art my beloved, the choicest among thousands, in whom my soul is well pleased to dwell all the days of her life.

Verily, thou art my peace-maker, in whom is great peace and true rest, without whom is labour and sorrow and infinite misery.

Verily, thou art a God that hidest thyself, ♦and thy counsel is not with the wicked, but thy speech is with the humble and simple of heart.

♦ duplicate word “and” removed

O Lord, how sweet is thy Spirit, who to shew thy sweetness toward thy children, vouchsafest to feed them with the bread which descendeth from heaven, and is full of all sweetness!

Verily, there is no other nation so great that hath God so nigh unto them, as thou our God art present to all thy faithful ones.

Unto whom, for their daily comfort, and for the raising up of their hearts to heaven, thou givest thyself to be eaten and enjoyed.

3. For what other nation is there so honoured as the Christian people?

Or what creature under heaven so beloved as a devout soul, to whom God himself cometh to feed her with his glorious flesh?

O unspeakable grace! O admirable condescension! O infinite love, singularly bestowed upon man!

But what shall I give unto the Lord in return for his grace, for so eminent an expression of love?

There is nothing more acceptable, that I am able to give, than to give my heart wholly to my God, and to unite it close unto him.

Then shall my inward parts rejoice, when my soul shall be perfectly united unto God.

Then he will say unto me, if thou wilt be with me, I will be with thee.

And I will answer him, Vouchsafe, O Lord, to remain with me, and I will gladly be with thee.

This is my whole desire, that my heart may be united unto thee.