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 cruel enemy,  the  devil; a thing  which  I cannot  think or speak  of  without  great sorrow and  pain.

2. For  this  cause,  O my God,  I,  a sinner  most  vile and worthless  in  thy  sight, offer up,  for  the  glory  of  thy name, and  for  the  salvation of the  whole  world,  the  merits of all  the  elect  who  have  been, are, and  ever  shall  be,  to  the end of  the  world. And if, for thy  love  and  honour,  I alone  could  support  all  the pains, all  the  torments,  which all thy  servants  have  suffered; if, by  such  endurance,  1 could but effect  that  none  should ever again  offend  thee,  then, with my  whole  heart,  I would pray and  implore  thee  to  give me this  grace. Nay, more, for thy  love,  if  thou  art  so pleased,  I entirely  renounce all my  merits  and  good  works, if it  so  happen  that  I have any in  thy  sight. And if  I have  ever  done  anything really acceptable  to  thee,  I offer  that  also  to  thee,  the eternal Father,  in  union  with the merits  of  thy  Son,  for the conversion  of  the  whole world; that  so  thou  mayest be honoured  equally  by  all, as well  on  earth  as  in  heaven.

And if  all  the  stripes  which are due  to  others  for  their sins could  be  laid  upon  me, in order  that  they  might  be spared,  and  might  profit  by the  merit  of  this  my  punishment, I would  ask  even  this of thee. And if  it  is  good to do  so,  I now  humbly  pray thee, in  return  for  this  my service,  whatever  it  may  be worth,  to  bestow  upon  all the grace  of  serving  thee most perfectly; and  of  so loving  thee,  that  none  may ever offend  thee  more;  but that all  may  ever  praise  and bless thee  no  less  than  all  the saints and  angels  do  in  heaven.

3. So  highly  do  I prize  thy honour and  glory,  that  I would  choose  rather  to  remain for  ever  in  hell,  and  to suffer  every  torment,  than that thou  shouldst  be  deprived of  thy  honour,  even for a single  moment. For to thee  all  honour  is  due; but to me,  all  pain,  trouble,  and disgrace. And that  thou mayest not  be  defrauded  of thy  due  honour,  let  me,  I beseech thee,  be  subjected  to every  trouble,  misery,  and insult.

And if  this  is  not  enough for thy  honour,  let  all  the  ms of  soul  and  body  befall  me, except sin;  and  let  them  be such,  and  so  great,  as  thou knowest are  to  be  found either in  hell,  or  on  this  earth, or in  purgatory; and,  if  possible, even  greater  and  heavier than these. But meanwhile, O my love,  forget  me  not; but give  me  grace  and  fortitude to  endure  them,  as  I am  cheerfully  prepared,  for the sake  of  thy  love  and  honour, to  accept  them.