may find acceptance, I appeal to thee, sweet Jesus, Son of the living God, the Advocate and Mediator betwixt us sinners and thy eternal Father, humbly be seeching thee, thro' that infinite charity which brought thee from heaven to the ignominy of the cross, and thy precious blood spilt thereon, that I may now partake of the benefit of thy sufferings, and be cleansed from all my offences; that by thy assistance I may sincerely repent and amend of all my failings that dying to myself and the world, I may live only to thee, and never suffer either passion or pleasure to divide me from thee any more. #OXIC?

इ

1

ALAS! my Father and my God, how comes it to pass that I should have so often offended thee! Thou seest, Lord, neither goodness nor health in me; have mercy therefore on me, fo for I have sinned against thee. Heal my soul, O Lord, for thou only art my hope and strength. Alas, my God, how many and dangerous are my wounds! how great my weakness and misery, for the curing of which thou wert crucified and slain and to whom shall I complain of all these my evils, if not to thee, O Lord! the Saviour and Redeemer of my soul? Be merciful therefore to me a sinner, sweet Jesus! for nothing is more

pleasing to thee, than to have compassion on those that are miserable. Restore me to thy favour; receive me again into thy friendship, and cast me not off on account of my offences; for what can I, miserable creature, do but offend? And what canst thou, O infinite Goodness, do, but have mercy and spare? Spare me, therefore, according to thy infinite goodness, and grant me now tears of a sincere repentance, that I may mourn for the evils I have committed. Grant that I may sincerely grieve for having sinned against thee, my God, my Creator and Redeemer. Soften my hardened breast, inflame my frozen heart, that I may with unfeigned sorrow repent, for not loving, nay, for despising and offending thee. What shall I, most miserable and wicked creature, do, O God, to serve thee? Whilst I behold myself, I see no hopes of amendment; all my confidence and hopes of mercy are in thee. Help me, therefore, O Lord, and be thou the strength of my soul, that I may from this moment detest and forsake all my past evils; that I may conquer my pas. sions, reform all my bad habits, and by a true change of life and manners, be entirely united to thee, and with thee live for ever. Amen.

To thee, O merciful Jesus, in the bitterness of my soul I come, beseeching thee to have compassion on me, and deliver me from my sins; despise not, O God, the cries of thy lost sheep; reject not the sighs of thy prodigal child, who desires. to return home to thee, and to be received again into the number of thy servants. I am sorry for all the sins I have committed, and detest them here in thy presence: because I love thee above all things, and honour thee as my gracious God, worthy of infinite love. And for this reason I now firmly purpose to suffer all evils, nay even death itself, rather than willingly consent to sin. I resolve to make an exact confession of all my offences, faithfully to discharge whatever shall be enjoined for my punishment or amendment, and carefully to avoid all occasions of sin. And if any thing be wanting of true contrition to this my sorrow, may thy sacred passion, O blessed Jesus, thy precious blood and infinite merits, supply all the defects of my weakness: for it is in thy death I place all my trust; thro' thee, I firmly hope to obtain pardon of all my sins, grace to overcome my vicious customs, and perseverance to the end in the good resolutions I have now made in thy presence. As there

fore it is by thee I come to the knowledge of my misery, so it is by thee my good purpose and sorrow for my offences must be perfected. May the fire therefore of divine love now inflame my soul, and consume therein whatever is displeasing to thy infinite goodness. Sanétify my heart-purify my affections and desires-that dying to myself, I may ever live to thee, and at length depart this life in thy grace and favour. Amen.

Such as go to confession over night, or otherwise have leisure, may use the following Aspirations, either before or after confession, with benefit to their souls.

My Lord and my God, I sincerely acknowledge myself a vile and wretched sinner, unworthy to appear in thy presence; but do thou have mercy on me and save me.

O God, my chiefest good, how far have I wandered from thee by my sins How long have I dwelt at a distance from thee, in the region of misery, where I had quite lost myself!

Most loving Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am unworthy to be called thy child; make me as one of thy servants, and may I for the future be ever faithful to thee.

-It truly grieves Ime,Oomy God, tou have sinned, and so many times trans-} gressed thy law but wash me now from myiziniquity, and cleanse me from my singitenteve he had run wil kutes

I detest my sins, O Lord; I abhor my wickedness I confess my ingratitude, and seek refuge in thy mercy.

༄༅༔

From this moment I purpose no more to offend thee, nor consent to sin; O let me suffer all kinds of pain and infamy, nay even death itself, rather than returns to my former course of life, and live thy enemy.

* 100

Loving Father, assist me by thy gracels that I may bring forth worthy fruits off penance, and not suffer my sins to go unpunished.

I have wandered like a sheep that is gone astray; but I hear thy sweet voice crying after me, in the most affectionate manner imaginable," Come, dear soul, thou hast gone after many lovers, but return to me and I will receive thee yet again." Jer. iii.

IL Now I begin, O Lord, now I begin to live, not trusting in my own strength, or in the resolutions I make, but in the multitude of thy mercies.

Perfect, O God, the work which thou hast now begun in me. Thou hast given me peace and understanding; but, I