Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/700

 and finally,  all  my  limbs  and all my  bones,  that  they  may say: Lord, who  is  like  to thee?

Bless the  Lord,  O my  soul, and let  all  that  is  within  me bless  his  holy  Name. Bless the Lord,  O my  soul,  and  never forget  all  that  he  has done for  thee. All these earthly things  I now  renounce, for  in  thee  alone  I have  all  things. I renounce myself, because  I am  thine, and it  is  now  no  more  I myself that  live,  but  it  is  thou,

O Christ Jesus,  who  livest  in me; and  I love  thee  with  my whole  heart  and  my  whole soul, with  all  my  mind,  and with all  my  strength.

Set me,  therefore,  beside thee, and  let  any  man’s  hand fight against  me:  and  if  it should  perchance  happen  to me  hereafter, through  the  violence of  disease,  or  through the enemy’s  guile,  to  think or to  speak  otherwise  than I have now  spoken,  I now revoke the  same  and  renounce it; and I testify  before  thee, my God,  and  thee,  O Virgin Mary,  my  most  blessed Mother, and  thee,  my  Angel Guardian, and  you,  my  beloved Patrons,  N.  and  N., that I wish to  live  and  die  in  the Faith of  the  Catholic  and Apostolic Church: and  I trust in my  God  and  Lord  Jesus Christ only,  and  in  his  merits; and I love  him  above  all  things, with my  whole  heart  and  with my whole  soul,  and  I desire to  love  him  to  my  latest breath.

Whatever may  be  suggested by  the  temptation  of  the enemy, the  infirmity  of  the flesh, the  violence  of  my  disease, or  the  affliction  of  my body,  in  opposition  to  so  holy a determination, made  with such earnestness  of  will,  I desire,  O God,  to  be  null  at thy  Tribunal; and  I now  utterly abominate  it,  execrate it, and  abjure  it: and  I desire this  my  last  Will  only, which I am  ready  to  seal with my  blood,  to  be  valid at the  day  of  judgment; and I would, O my  God,  that  I might  die  for  it  and  for  thee a thousand times,  to  live  to thee  to  whom  all  things  live, and to  die  for  thee,  O most dear Jesus,  who  hast  vouchsafed to  die  for  the  love  of me!

Glory to  thee,  O Christ, who hast  in  thy  sweetness vouchsafed to  visit  and  refresh my  poor  soul! Now thou dost  dismiss  thy  servant, O Lord, according  to  thy word, in  peace!

Now, O sweet  Love,  I hold