Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/94

 ment, cast  a  glance  at  Jesus  on  the  Cross;  offer  His merits to  the  Eternal  Father;  and  thus  hope  certainly for  pardon,  since  He  "  spared-  not  even  His own  Son." Say to  Him  with  confidence:  "  Look  on the  face  of  Thy  Christ  "  (Ps.  lxxxiii.  10). My God, behold Thy  Son,  dead  for  my  sake;  and  for  the  love of that  Son  forgive  me. Attend, greatly  devout  soul, to the  instruction  commonly  given  by  masters  of  the spiritual life,  after  thy  unfaithful  conduct,  at  once  to have  recourse  to  God,  though  thou  hast  repeated  it a  hundred  times  in  a  day;  and  after  thy  falls,  and the recourse  thou  hast  had  to  the  Lord  (as  has  been just  said),  at  once  to  be  in  peace. Otherwise, while thou remainest  cast  down  and  disturbed  at  the  fault thou hast  committed,  thy  converse  with  God  will  be small;  thy  trust  in  Him  will  fail;  thy  desire  to  love Him grow  cold;  and  thou  wilt  be  little  able  to  go forward  in  the  way  of  the  Lord. On the  other  hand, by having  immediate  recourse  to  God  to  ask  His forgiveness, and  to  promise  Him  amendment,  thy very faults  will  serve  to  advance  thee  farther  in  the Divine love. Between friends  who  sincerely  love each other,  it  often  happens  that  when  one  has  displeased the  other,  and  then  humbles  himself  and asks pardon,  their  friendship  thereby  becomes  stronger than  ever. Do thou  likewise:  see  to  it  that  thy very faults  serve  to  bind  thee  yet  closer  in  love  to thy  God.

N any  kind  of  doubtfulness  also,  either  on  thy own account  or  that  of  others,  never  leave acting towards  thy  God  with  a  confidence  like to that  of  faithful  friends,  who  consult  together  on every  matter. So do  thou  take  counsel  with  Himself, and beseech  Him  to  enlighten  thee,  that  thou  mayest decide on  what  shall  be  most  pleasing  to  Him:  "  Put those  words  in  my  mouth,  and  strengthen  the  resolu-