Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/236

 Seeing its  deplorable  condition,  and  yet  dreading  to leave  it; groaning  over  its  chains,  and  yet  wanting courage to  burst  them  asunder; detesting  its  lot,  and yet continuing  in  its  thraldom. My God! thy unbounded mercy  towards  me  during  my  wanderings adds to  my  guilt,  for  thou  didst  never  cease  enticing my heart  to  return  to  thee,  never  allowing  it  to enjoy  tranquillity  in  its  disorders; exciting  within  a secret  uneasiness  which  agitated  it,  salutary  remorses which rent  it,  continual  alarms  which  mingled  bitterness with  all  its  pleasures. And dost  thou  still desire this  miserable  heart,  and  shall  I still  presume to offer  it  to  thee!

“ My child, give  me  thy  heart.”  Behold  me  then, my God,  prostrate  at  thy  feet; I offer  thee  my  heart, and call  on  heaven  and  earth  to  witness  my  engagement; I grieve  that  it  should  be  so  little  worthy  of , thy acceptance,  for  thou  knowest  that  hadst  thou treated it  according  to  its  deserts,  and  in  the  rigour of thy  justice,  this  heart  would  be  actually  now  driven from thy  presence,  drinking  deep  draughts  of  the chalice of  thy  dreadful  judgments; but  though  “ thou hast been  angry”  thou  "hast  had  mercy  on  us”  (Ps. lix.  3.)  "Blessed  is  thy  name, O God  of  our  Fathers, who, when  thou  hast  been  angry,  wilt  shew  mercy, and  in the  time  of  tribulation  forgivest  the  sins  of  them  that  call upon thee.” ( Tobias  iii.  18.)

DORABLE Spouse! whom I have  had  the  honour and happiness  of  receiving  in  this  sacred  mystery of love,  possess  alone  all  that  I have. Penetrate my heart  with  a due  sense  of  thy  immense  bounty  and goodness: whilst thou  reposest  within  it,  may  the precious ointment  of  true  humility  perfume  thy