Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/169

 Wash me  then  more  and  more  from  my  iniquity, and so  purify  me  from  my  sin,  that  by  the  lively sorrow and  ardent  love  which  thy  grace  will  enkindle in my  unworthy  heart,  I may  be  delivered  not  only from eternal  punishment,  but  also  from  the  temporal chastisement which  my  sins  have  deserved.

''For I know  my  iniquity, and  my  sin  is  always  before  me. ''

For, thanks  to  thy  grace,  I now  understand  the enormity of  my  transgressions,  the  remembrance  of my  sin  is  ever  before  me,  and  my  regret  for  having offended thee  shall  cease  only  with  my  life.

''To thee  only  have  I sinned, and  have  done  evil  before thee; that  thou  mayst  be  justified  in  thy  words, and mayst  overcome  when  thou  art  judged. ''

O my good  God ! no, it  is  not  creatures  whom  I have  off  ended,  it  is  against  thee  only  that  l have  sinned, against thee  who  had  encompassed  me  with  such proofs of  thy  love. I have turned  thy  benefits against thyself; and  such  has  been  my  presumption that I have  dared  to  commit  evil  in  thy  sight: the remembrance of  thy  divine  presence  could  not  restrain my unruly  passion. O my God! what Excuse  shall I find in  the  terrible  day  of  judgment,  since  thou who wilt  then  be  my  judge  art  now  the  witness  of my  rebellion  and  ingratitude!

''For behold  I was  conceived  in  iniquities: and  in  sin  did my  mother  conceive  me. ''

If I dared  to  offer  thee  any  justification  of  my conduct,  I would  remind  thee  that  I was  conceived  in sin,  that  with  my  first  breath  I became  a sharer  in  this sad inheritance  of  the  children  of  Adam,  and  that thou canst  expect  nothing  from  a creature  so  vitiated in its  origin; but  no,  I have  nothing  to  say  in  my defence,  for  thy  precious  blood  effaced  this  involuntary stain  in  Holy  Baptism,  and  how  often