ever have imagined this, had not our Blessed Redeemer chosen really to die thus for us? Ego pono animam meam (are his own words,) nemo tollit eam a me, sed ego ponam eam, Jo. x. 17, 18. O my soul, were it possible to doubt of thy Saviour's love for thee, look on him dead upon the cross for thy sake. What greater proof of his love could he afford thee, than to have given his life to save thee? In hoc cognovimus charitatem Dei, quoniam ille animam suam pro nobis posuit.

1 Jo. iii. 16.

O my Jesus, thou hast laid down thy life to save me, and have I forfeited thy friendship for a mere nothing, a fume, a wretched gratification? I am sorry for it above every evil, and would willingly die of grief for having done so. Through the merits of thy death forgive me, and as a pledge of thy forgiveness, grant me a true sorrow for my sins, and a true love for thee. I perceive within me, through thy grace, an ardent desire to love thee, and I am resolved to be wholly thine. But I know my weakness, and I know the treasons which I have committed against thee; thou alone canst make me strong and faithful. Assist me, therefore, and grant that I may love thee. I ask for nothing more.

In hoc...... Christus mortuus est et resurrexit ut mortuorum et vivorum dominetur. Rom, xiv. 9. Thus, O Lord, thou didst die in order to become master of our hearts. Yes, my Jesus, I desire that this heart of mine which has so often rebelled against thee, should now become entirely thine: do thou henceforward reign over it, and it shall be obedient to all thy wishes. Make known to me what thou requirest of me, for by thy grace I will accomplish it. O Mary, pray to Jesus for me: thou canst make me faithful to my God.

THANKSGIVING VII.

SATURDAY.

Animam meam pono pro ovibus meis. Jo. x. 15. O divine Shepherd, who for the love of thy sheep wast pleased to die in torments upon a disgraceful gibbet, do not abandon me, as I have deserved by my many offences against thee. I have sinned against thee, but I will sin now no more; my dear Jesus, I love thee above all things, and I have no greater affliction than the remembrance of having for so many years disregarded thee. I give thee thanks for not having plunged me into hell, and for having waited for me with so much patience. Ah! my true lover, instead of abandoning me, thou hast ap

proached me, and hast so knocked at the door of my heart, and solicited me by thy sweet and loving calls, as at length to induce me to love thee. I give thee thanks, my Jesus, but beseech thee to complete the work which thou hast begun in me. Grant me light and strength to detach myself from every thing which conduces not to thy love.

Thou hast said that thou lovest those who love thee: Ego diligentes me diligo. Hitherto I have turned my back upon thee, and thus justly merited thy hatred; but now that I love thee, O God, hate me no longer, but love me. I esteem it more to be loved by thee than to be loved by the whole world: let all others abhor me, provided only that thou regardest me with love so long as I lose not thy love I am content to suffer the loss of all other things. Bind and unite me so closely with thyself, that I may never again be separated from thee. Jesu dulcissime, ne permittas me separari a te. Mary, most holy Virgin, thou canst obtain this grace for me, never to be separated from the love of my God.

Laus Deo.

PRINTED BY RICHARDSON AND SON, DERBY.