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Y God,  I  believe  most  firmly  that  Thou  watchest  over all who  hope  in  Thee,  and  that  we  can  want  for nothing when  we  rely  upon  Thee  in  all  things;  therefore  I am  resolved  for  the  future  to  have  no  anxieties,  and  to  cast all my  cares  upon  Thee. "In peace  in  the  self-same  I  will sleep  and  I  will  rest;  for  Thou,  O  Lord,  singularly  hast settled  me  in  hope ."

Men may  deprive  me  of  worldly  goods  and  of  honors; sickness may  take  from  me  my  strength  and  the  means  of serving  Thee;  I  may  even  lose  Thy  grace  by  sin;  but  my trust  shall  never  leave  me. I will  preserve  it  to  the  last moment of  my  life,  and  the  powers  of  hell  shall  seek  in  vain to wrest  it  from  me. "''In peace  in  the  self-same  I  will  sleep and  I  will  rest."

Let others  seek  happiness  in  their  wealth,  in  their  talents; let them  trust  to  the  purity  of  their  lives,  the  severity  of their  mortifications,  to  the  number  of  their  good  works, the fervor  of  their  prayers;  as  for  me,  O  my  God,  in  my very  confidence  lies  all  my  hope. "For Thou,  O  Lord, singularly  hast  settled  me  in  hope." This confidence  can never be  vain. ''"No one  has  hoped  in  the  Lord  and  has  been confounded.'"

I am  assured,  therefore,  of  my  eternal  happiness,  for  I firmly  hope  for  it,  and  all  my  hope  is  in  Thee. ''"In Thee, O  Lord,  have  I  hoped;  let  me  never  be  confounded."

I know,  alas! I know  but  too  well  that  I  am  frail  and changeable; I  know  the  power  of  temptation  against  the strongest virtue. I have  seen  stars  fall  from  heaven,  and. pillars of  the  firmament  totter;  but  these  things  alarm  me not. While I  hope  in  Thee  I  am  sheltered  from  all  misfortune,  and  I  am  sure  that  my  trust  shall  endure,  for  I  rely upon Thee  to  sustain  this  unfailing  hope.

Finally, I  know  that  my  confidence  can  not  exceed  Thy bounty, and  that  I  shall  never  receive  less  than  I  have hoped for  from  Thee. Therefore, I  hope  that  Thou  wilt sustain me  against  my  evil  inclinations;  that  Thou  wilt protect me  against  the  most  furious  assaults  of  the  evil  one,