upon which depends eternal happiness or eternal misery. O Jesus, my Redeemer, cast me not away from thy face, as I have deserved! I am indeed a sinner; but I am grieved from the bottom of my heart for having offended thy infinite goodness. Hitherto I have despised thee, but now I love thee above all things. Henceforth, thou alone shalt be my only good, my only love. Have pity on a sinner who penitently casts himself at thy feet and desires to love thee. If I have grievously offended thee, I now ardently desire to love thee. What would have become of me, if thou hadst called me out of life, when I had lost thy grace and favour? Since thou, O Lord, hast shown so much mercy to me, grant me grace to become a saint.
III. Let us awaken our faith in a heaven and a hell of eternal duration: one or other will be our lot. O God, how could I, knowing that by committing sin I was condemning myself to eternal torments, how could I sin so often against thee and forfeit thy grace? Knowing that thou art my God and my Redeemer, how could I, for the sake of a miserable gratification, so often turn my back upon thee? O God, I am sorry above every evil for having thus despised thee. I love thee above every good, and from henceforth, I will suffer the loss of all things rather than lose thy friendship. Give me strength to continue faithful. And do thou, O Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for me and assist me.
Meditation Second.
On Sin, as it dishonours God.
I. BY transgression of the law thou dishonourest God . Rom. ii. 23. When the sinner deliberates
