Thus, my soul, has God frequently done towards thee; thou hadst forsaken him by sin; but he did not hesitate to approach thee, and to call upon thee by many interior lights, by remorse of conscience, and by his holy inspirations; all which were the effects of his compassion and love. O God of mercy, O God of love, how could I have so grievously offended thee, how could I have been so ungrateful to thee!
II. Asa father when he beholds his son hastening to cast himself down from the brink of a precipice, presses forward towards him, and with tears endeavours to withhold him from destruction; so, my God, hast thou done towards me. I was already hastening by my sins to precipitate myself into hell, and thou didst hold me back. I am now sensible, O Lord, of the love which thou hast shown me, and I hope to sing for ever in heaven the praises of thy mercy: The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever. Ps. lxxxviii. 1. I know, O Jesus, that thou desirest my salvation; but I do not know whether thou hast yet pardoned me. Oh! give me intense sorrow for my sins, give me an ardent love for thee, as signs of thy merciful forgiveness.
III. O, my Saviour, how can I doubt of receiving thy pardon, when thou thyself dost offer it to me, and art ready to receive me with open arms on my return to thee? Wherefore I do return to thee, sorrowing and overpowered at the consideration that after all my offences against thee, thou indeed still lovest me. Oh! that I had never displeased thee, my sovereign good! how much am I grieved for having done so! Pardon me, O Jesus, I will never more offend thee. But I shall not be able to rest satisfied with thy forgiveness only, give me also a great love for thee. Having so often deserved to bun* in the fire of hell, I now desire to burn in the fire of thy holy love. I love thee, who
