Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/716

 But who,  most  loving  God, am I,  that  I should  speak  to thee  thus  boldly? I am a sinner,  and  nursed  in  sins: a putrid  carcass,  a fetid  vessel, food for  worms. Spare me, O Lord; for  what  a victory will it  be,  if  thou  fight  with me and  overcome  me,  who  in thy  sight  am  less  than  stubble before the  wind? Forgive me all  my  sins,  and  lift  up  the poor out  of  the  dunghill!

Arise, O Lord,  and  help me; arise, and  cast  me  not off for  ever! Let my  request, O Lord, come  in  before  thee, and let  thy  hand  be  with  me to  save  me. Behold one  who, in going  down  to  Jericho,  has been captured  by  robbers, and wounded,  and  left  half dead. Thou loving  Samaritan, receive  me. I have sinned exceedingly  in  my  life, and have  done  evil  before thee: from the  sole  of  my foot  to  the  top  of  my  head, there is  no  soundness  in  me.

Assuredly, hadst  thou  not aided me  by  dying  on  the wood of  the  Cross,  my  soul had been  worthy  to  sojourn in hell. Of that  so  precious purchase I,  O loving  Jesus, am part: thou  hast  shed  for me thy  most  precious  Blood; do not  cast  me  from  thee! I am a sheep  that  has  gone astray; seek it,  O good  Shepherd, and  bring  it  back  to thy  fold,  that  thou  mayest  be justified  in  thy  words;  for thou hast  promised  me,  that in what  hour  soever  a sinner shall cry  to  thee,  he  shall  be saved. I am sorrowful: I know  my  iniquities,  and  my sins are  before  me.

True it  is,  I am  not  worthy to be  called  thy  son,  for  I have  sinned  against  heaven and before  thee. But to  my hearing  thou  shalt  give  joy and gladness. Turn away thy face  from  my  sins,  and, according to  thy  great  mercy, blot out  my  iniquities. Cast me not  away  from  thy  face, and deal  not  with  me  according to  my  sins,  nor  reward  me according  to  my  iniquities; but help  me,  O God  my  Saviour, and  deliver  me  for  the honour of  thy  Name. Deal bountifully with  me,  in  thy good will,  that  I may  dwell in thy  house  all  the  days  of my  life,  and  praise  thee  for ever with  them  that  dwell therein.

O crucified Christ  Jesus,  in union  with  the  most  burning love, which  compelled  thee, the Life  of  all  that  live,  to die  upon  the  Cross,  we  knock at the  inmost  chamber  of  thy most bountiful  heart,  and  beseech thee  to  forgive  the  soul of thy  servant,  our  brother N., all his  sins; supply  his omissions by  thy  most  holy conversation and  the  merit  of thy  most  bitter  Passion; and let him  experience  the  most