Seeing its deplorable condition, and yet dreading to leave it; groaning over its chains, and yet wanting courage to burst them asunder; detesting its lot, and yet continuing in its thraldom. My God! thy unbounded mercy towards me during my wanderings adds to my guilt, for thou didst never cease enticing my heart to return to thee, never allowing it to enjoy tranquillity in its disorders; exciting within a secret uneasiness which agitated it, salutary remorses which rent it, continual alarms which mingled bitterness with all its pleasures. And dost thou still desire this miserable heart, and shall I still presume to offer it to thee!
“ My child, give me thy heart.” Behold me then, my God, prostrate at thy feet; I offer thee my heart, and call on heaven and earth to witness my engagement; I grieve that it should be so little worthy of , thy acceptance, for thou knowest that hadst thou treated it according to its deserts, and in the rigour of thy justice, this heart would be actually now driven from thy presence, drinking deep draughts of the chalice of thy dreadful judgments; but though “ thou hast been angry” thou "hast had mercy on us” (Ps. lix. 3.) "Blessed is thy name, O God of our Fathers, who, when thou hast been angry, wilt shew mercy, and in the time of tribulation forgivest the sins of them that call upon thee.” ( Tobias iii. 18.)
ACT OF OFFERING.
ADORABLE Spouse! whom I have had the honour and happiness of receiving in this sacred mystery of love, possess alone all that I have. Penetrate my heart with a due sense of thy immense bounty and goodness: whilst thou reposest within it, may the precious ointment of true humility perfume thy
