Page:Thecompleteascet02liguuoft.djvu/55



1. It  is  of  faith  that  my  soul  is  immortal,  and  that  one day, when  I  least  think  of  it,  I  must  leave  this  world. I ought therefore  to  make  a  provision  for  myself,  which will not  fail  with  this  life,  but  will  be  eternal  even  as  I am  eternal. Great things  were  done  here,  in  their  life time, by  an  Alexander  or  a  Caesar;  but  for  how  many ages past  have  their  glories  ceased! and where  are  they now?

O my  God,  that  I  had  always  loved  Thee! What now remains for  me,  after  so  many  years  spent  in  sin,  but trouble and  remorse  of  conscience? But since  Thou dost allow  me  time  to  repair  the  evil  which  I  have  done, behold me,  Lord,  ready  to  perform  whatever  Thou  requirest  of  me,  whatever  Thou  pleasest. I will  spend  the remainder of  my  days  in  bewailing  my  ungrateful  conduct  towards  Thee,  and  in  loving  Thee  with  all  my power,  my  God  and  my  all,  my  only  good.

2. What  will  it  avail  me  to  have  been  happy  in  this world (if  indeed  true  happiness  can  be  attained  without God)  if  hereafter  I  should  be  miserable  for  all  eternity? But what  folly  it  is,  to  know  that  I  must  die,  and  that an eternity  either  of  happiness  or  misery  awaits  me  after death, and  that  upon  dying  ill  or  well  depends  my  being miserable or  happy  forever,  and  yet,  not  to  adopt  every means in  my  power  to  secure  a  good  death!

Holy Spirit,  enlighten  and  strengthen  me  to  live  always  in  Thy  grace,  until  the  hour  of  my  departure. O infinite goodness! I am  sensible  of  the  evil  which  I  have done by  offending  Thee,  and  I  detest  it:  I  know  that Thou alone  art  worthy  of  being  loved,  and  I  love  Thee above all  things.

3. In  a  word,  all  the  good  things  of  this  life  must  end