Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/208

 ninety-nine sheep  in  the  desert, and  have  sought  thee the stray  one; and  now  that, as a good  shepherd,  I am ready  to  take  thee  upon  my shoulders,  rejoicing  to  carry thee back  to  my  fold,  defraud me no  longer  of  my  desire, and my  angels  of  their  joy, with which  they  rejoice  over one sinner  doing  penance.

Man. Truly I have  gone astray like  a sheep  that  is lost,  but  thou,  O Lord,  seek thy servant,  for  thou  earnest to seek  and  to  save  that  which was lost. To thee  only  have I sinned, and  done  evil  before thee; but,  oh,  the  occasion of magnifying  thy  glory,  if, according to  thy  promises, thou showest  thy  mercy  to the  wretched  and  downcast; and overcomest,  when  thou art judged,  the  perverse  judgments' of  men,  who  do  not think of  thee  in  goodness, but deem  thee  too  cruel  and severe in  punishing  the  sins of men. But I,  who  know thy mercy  and  goodness,  will return to  thee,  as  a prodigal son to  the  Father  of  mercies. Oh, cast  me  not  away  from thy face.

Christ. Return, my  son; why dost  thou  eat  the  husks of swine  abroad,  when  thou mayest be  fed  upon  the  children’s dainties  at  home? Return to  me  with  thy  whole heart, and  I will  receive  thee to my  arms. Here is  the  way: First of  all,  recount  in  the bitterness of  thy  soul  all  the days and  years  which  thou hast spent  in  sins. Examine thyself seriously; carefully clear the  hiding-places  of  thy conscience. If thou  do  this only thoughtlessly  and  carelessly, much  will  escape  thee; for the  heart  is  perverse,  and unsearchable, and  who  can know it? Nothing is  more difficult, but,  at  the  same  time, nothing is  more  useful,  than to know  one's  self. If thou knowest not  thyself,  all  other knowledge is  vain. To know thy own  disease  is  the  beginning of  health.

Man. In many  things  we all  offend,  and  thou,  O Lord, hast proved  me,  and  known me, and  numbered  all  my steps,  for  all  things  are  naked and  open  to  thy  eyes. Thou best  knowest  what  is in  man,  and  understandest  my thoughts  afar  off; but  who  is there  of  us  who  understands his sins? From my  secret ones cleanse  me,  O Lord. For I fear all  my  works,  knowing that thou  dost  not  spare  the offender; my iniquities  are multiplied above  the  hairs  of my  head,  and  I was  not  able to see. But thou,  O true light, who  enlightenest  every man that  comes  into  this world, enlighten  the  darkness of my  mind,  that  I may  see where I have  swerved  from