Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/703

 thee  from  the  beginning  of the  world,  and  grant  me that,  with  them  all,  we  may rejoice for  ever  in  thy  Presence! Amen.

I commend it,  now,  O Christ,  while  I am  well  and strong, that  thou  mayest  hold it so  commended  when  I am able  to  commend  it  no  more, though not  yet  loosed  from its bonds. I fear for  the  time when I shall  still  be  among the living,  yet  know  not  my own  existence. This we  see to be  the  case  with  many dying persons; they  breathe, they live,  yet  know  not  that they are  alive. Then, when my spirit  quakes,  dreading  to depart,  but  departing  at  last notwithstanding from  the  prison which  it  loves, — then,  if thou,  its  Creator,  shut  it  out, oh, who  will  there  be  to  receive it?

O Christ most  patient! remember that thou,  too,  in  thy last Agony,  didst  weep  and complain that  thou  wert  forsaken, commendedst  thy  spirit to thy  Father,  criedst  out, and gavest  up  the  ghost! Now it  is  I who  cry  out  to thee,  that  thou,  my  Saviour, wouldst receive  my  spirit,  let it depart  from  the  body  at whatever  time  or  place,  or by  whatever  disease  it  may.

Remember, O good  Jesus, that, upon  the  Cross,  thou didst stretch  out  thy  Arms, open thy  Breast,  and  bow  thy Head. Behold, my  soul,  forsaken by  all  created  things, seeks for  refuge! It throws itself into  those  Arms  of  thine, it casts  itself  upon  thy  Breast. Receive it,  I implore  thee,  in its  wretchedness; admit  it,  I pray  thee,  to  thy  Bosom,  and drive it  not  from  thee  till  the wrath of  God  pass  away. There let  it  hide  in  safety,  secure from  the  ministers  of  hell. Into thy  hands,  therefore, O Lord, I commend  my spirit,  nay,  thine,  for  it  is thou  who  hast  created  and redeemed it. Despise not, O God, thy  own  work!

This is  too  extensive  and  oft-treated  a subject  to  be  confined  within  the  narrow  remaining  limits  of  the  Para-