Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/692

 Therefore if  any  remedies are offered  me,  give  them strength, that  they  may  take effect in  me: if  not,  work patience in  my  soul,  for  that is the  most  certain  and  most present remedy  against  all diseases and  ills.

But, behold,  I acknowledge thee now  to  be  a Physician indeed. It is  the  office  of  the physician, by  a potion  that  is even  bitter,  or  Dy  any  sharp remedy, to  expel  the  noxious humour from  the  body  of  the patient. This is  what  thou art doing  now,  O heavenly Physician, by  this  affliction of my  body. Thy remedy,  I own,  is  sharp  and  unpleasant to my  flesh; but  an  intemperate and  disobedient  patient makes his  physician  severe.

For it  is  true,  and  why should I deny  it,  that  I have often pampered  my  flesh;  I have  fed  it  with  delicacies; I have  contracted  a vast  mass  of noxious  bile  and  of  vicious humour; and so  thou  judgest  perhaps  that  opposite complaints are  to  be  cured by opposite  remedies. Be it. so, O Lord; let  the  flesh be given  to  destruction,  so the  spirit  be  saved. "When merry, the  flesh  has  drawn us  into  sin; now  that  it  is afflicted,  oh  that  it  may  restore us  to  pardon! Burn  it, cut  it,  only  spare  it  for  eternity.

My soul  is  sorrowful  even unto death; and  going  a little  further, he  fell  upon his face, praying, and  saying: My  Father, if  it  be possible, let  this  chalice pass from  me. Nevertheless, not as  I will,  but  as  thou wilt. And being  in  an agony, he  prayed  the  longer. And his  sweat  became  as drops  of  Blood,  trickling down upon  the  ground. O Jesus Christ,  Ruler  of Heaven  and  earth,  the strength, the  fortitude,  and the victory  of  Martyrs,  who through thee  trample  upon death, and  in  death  rejoice like conquerors! Whence, then, that  fear  of  thine? Whence thy  so  anxious  supplication? Whence that  so strange  and  unheard-of  Sweat of Blood? Wert thou  not offered, because  it  was  thy own will? Was it  not  entirely of  thy  own  accord  that thou offeredst  that  sacrifice to God  the  Father?

Who is  there  but  must  be afraid,  O Lord,  if  thou,  whom all things  fear,  art  afraid? Who but  must  fall  down  dead, if thou,  before  whom  is  bent every knee,  fall  on  thy  face? Who will  not  tremble  at  the sight of  death,  if  thy  fear,