merable crimes? O Lord, with the most sincere conviction of my wretchedness, I protest with the centurion, that I am not worthy thou shouldst enter under my roof. ( Matt . viii. 8.) .Shall I then say 'With St. Peter, Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful creature? (Luke v. 8.) Shall I depart from this sanctuary, which I am Unworthy to enter, and relinquish that happiness for which my soul sighs, but which I shall never merit?
Ah! no, my divine Saviour! I will not leave thee; for to whom should I go but to thee? Hast thou not invited all that labour and are heavy laden to approach thee? (Matt. xi. 28.) Therefore, notwithstanding the miseries of my soul, I come, perfectly convinced that if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. (Matt. viii. 2.) I am weak, but thou wilt be my sovereign strength; I am poor, but thou wilt adorn my soul with the riches of thy grace. Thou wilt destroy my pride by the force of thy profound humiliations in the centre of my soul. Thou wilt warm my tepidity by the fire which thou earnest on earth to enkindle. (Luke xii. 49.) Thou wilt communicate to me thy divinity itself, that I may not live, but that thou mayest live in me. Come, then, O my God, the desire of the everlasting hills ( Gen, xlix. 26), the friend of sinners, the comfort of the afflicted, the hope of all the ends of the earth (Psalm lxiv. 6), come into my house, and let salvation enter with thee (Luke xix. 9); come, that my soul, united with thee, may magnify its Lord, and my spirit rejoice in God my Saviour. (Luke i. 46, 47.)
FROM THE PATER NOSTER TO THE AGNUS DEI.
O FATHER of my soul, who residest in the highest heavenS, and yet attendest to the wants
