Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/701

 thee fast; now  will  I let  thee go no  more; now  I gladly say farewell  to  the  world,  and to all  that  is  of  the  world; now, O my  God,  I come  to thee  rejoicing.

Nothing, O good  Jesus, henceforward, nothing  shall separate me  from  thee; for  to thee,  O Christ,  am  I joined; in thee will  I live,  in  thee  will I die; and in  thee,  if  it  be  thy will, will  I abide  for  ever! Now it  is  no  longer  I that  live, but Christ  who  lives  in  me.

Now is  my  soul  weary  of my  life; I desire  to  be  dissolved and  to  be  with  Christ, for to  me  to  live  is  Christ, and to  die  is  gain.

Now will  I fear  no  evils, though I walk  in  the  region of the  shadow  of  death;  for thou, O Lord,  art  with  me: and as  the  hart  pants  after the fountains  of  waters,  so does  my  soul  pant  after  thee, O God; my soul  has  thirsted for the  strong  living  God: when shall  I come  and  appear before  the  Face  of  my God?

Bless me,  most  loving  Jesus, and dismiss  me  now  in  peace, for I am  thine; and  I will  let thee go  no  more  for  ever!

Oh, that  with  happy  tie  I were  now  to  be  united  to  thee for ever! Oh, that  I could merit to  be  wholly  sunk  in thee,  wholly  swallowed  up and  buried  in  thee! Oh, that my soul  might  sweetly  repose in thy  arms,  and  be  wholly absorbed in  the  most  happy enjoyment of  thee,  its  loving God!

What more  have  I to  do, my most  loving  Jesus,  with the world? Behold, I have desired nothing  beside  thee, even in  Heaven!

Into thy  hands,  O Lord Jesus, I commend  my  spirit. Receive me,  O sweetness  of Love,  that  in  thee  it  may  be well  with  me  for  ever, and  that in thee  I may  sweetly  sleep and take  my  rest  in  peace!

O Lord Jesus  Christ,  by thy  Agony  and  by  the  most holy prayer  which  thou  prayedst  for  us  on  the  Mount  of Olives,  when  thy  sweat  became like  drops  of  Blood trickling down  upon  the ground; vouchsafe, I beseech thee, to  offer  and  present  to God  the  Father  Almighty the abundance  of  that  Bloody Sweat, which  for  very  anguish and  fear  thou  hast  so copiously  poured  forth  for  us, against all  the  abundance  of my  sins,  and  deliver  me  in  this hour of  my  death  from  all  the pain and  anguish  which  I fear that I have  merited  for  my