Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/622

 one  favour,  O Lord,  I ask and expect  of  thee,  that whensoever thou  wilt  have me to  die,  whether  to-day  or to-morrow,  in  the  midst  of my  years,  or  in  a good  old  age, to grant  me  to  die,  at  least, in thy  grace. Enlighten my eyes,  that  I may  never  sleep in death,  lest  at  any  time my enemy  say,  I have  prevailed against  him. Into thy hands, O Lord,  I commend my spirit: thou  hast  redeemed me,  O Lord,  the  God of truth! Whether living  or dying,  O Lord,  I am  thine. Let thy  will  be  done  in  me; but never  suffer  me  to  be separated  from  thee,  O my God  and  my  all!

Here, good reader, thou hast the  Doctrine  of  dying well, which  is,  as  it  were,  a remote  preparation  for  death, yet essentially  necessary  to one  who  would  die  well. The immediate preparation  consists in  the  Acts  and  Exercises of a lively  Faith,  Hope,  Charity, &c.,  and  in  the  good  use of the  Sacraments, namely. Penance, the  Eucharist,  and Extreme Unction,  for  which see the  Exercise  on  the  Lord’s Prayer, &c.,  in  the  second  Section of  this  Part.

O Jesus, the  Word  and  the only-begotten Son  of  the  eternal Father! who, when  thou wert in  the  form  of  God,  and in the  bosom  of  the  Father, thoughtest it  not  robbery  to be  equal  with  God,  but  emptiedst  thyself,  by  coming  from heaven to  earth,  and  entering the womb  of  an  unspotted Virgin, vouchsafedst  to  become the  Son  of  man,  and our brother,  and  even  tookest the form  of  a servant;  and thus wert  seen  on  the  earth, conversedst with  men,  and wroughtest our  salvation  in the  midst  of  the  earth. And at length,  having  accomplished the  work  of  Redemption, thou  wentest  back  to him  who  sent  thee; that  thou mightst receive  us  too  into heaven, as  heirs  of  God,  and co-heirs with  thee!

Therefore, let  us  have  access to  thee,  O Jesus,  by  thy Mother, for  by  her  wert  thou given to  us. Let her  integrity excuse  in  thy  sight  the guilt of  our  corruption,  and her humility,  that  is  so  pleasing to  thee,  obtain  pardon  for