counselling, consenting to, or approv ing by not endeavouring to hinder by not admonishing, and lastly by evil example.

A Prayer taken out of Mr. Gother's works, for obtaining contrition.

Have now here before me, O Lord, a sad prospect of the manifold of fences, by which I have displeased thy divine Majesty, and which I am assured will appear in judgment against me, if I repent not, and my soul be not disposed by a hearty sorrow to receive thy pardon, But this sorrow, O Lord, this repentance, must be by thy free. gift and if it come not from the band of thy mercy, all my endeavours will be in vain, and I shall be for ever miserable. Have mercy, therefore on me, O Father of Mercies, and pour forth into my heart thy grace, where by I may sincerely repent of all my sins: give me a true contrition, that I may bewail my past misery and ingratitude, and grieve from my heart for having offended thee, so good a God: Permit me not to be deluded

་

with a false sorrow

as,

I fear, 1

have been too often, through my own weakness or neglect; but let it be now thy gift descending from thee the Father of lights, that so my repentance may be accompanied with amendment and a change of life, and I may be fully acquitted from the guilt of all my sins, and once more received into the number of thy servants. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Affections and Resolutions.

M Y Lord and my All, I am con

founded at the multitude and enormity of my offences against so good a God; I dare not presume even to lift up my eyes to heaven, much less to come near thy altar, after so many treasons against thee. Alas ! what shall I now do, O Lord? What shall I say? But, with the humble publican, strike my breast, and cry out to thee, O God, be merciful to me a sinner.

My sins exceed in number the hairs of my head, and the sands of the sea;

but

have

but thy mercies are more innumerable than my sins. Q ocean of mercy, compassion on a poor miserable sinner, and make me now at least true penitent !

Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am nót worthy to be called thy child: Oh! receive me as one of the least of thy servants, and never suffer me to go astray from thee any more.

It grieves me, O my God, that I have offended thee; I am heartily sorry for all the sins I have committed against thy infinite goodness. O that I could worthily lament them, even with tears of blood.

Who will give water to my head, and fountains of tears to my eyes, that night and day 1 may bewail my sins and ingratitude?

O that I had never offended my God! O that I had never sinned! Happy those souls who have never lost their baptismal innocence!

Ah! sweet Jesus, that I had been so happy!

Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and ac. L

cord.

cording to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out all my iniquities. Wash me yet more from my iniquities, and cleanse me from my sins; because I know my iniquities, and my sins are always before me.

O that I could now, like Magdalene, present myself at the feet of my Saviour! Oh! that I could wash them with my tears! Oh! suffer me, dear Lord, to lay down all my sins at thy feet, to be cancelled by thy precious blood.

Lord, thou hast said there is joy in heaven upon one sinner doing penance, more than upon ninety nine just give me now grace to be a true penitent indeed, that so heaven may rejoice at my conversion.

Thou camest, O my dear Redeemer not to call the just, but sinners to repentance; look down upon me, a poor miserable sinner, and draw me now powerfully to thee by thy grace.

I know thou willest not the death of a sinner, but that he be converted and live: O let me no longer remain dead in ny sins! O let me now at least begin to live to thee!

Create

Create a clean heart in me, God; and renew a right spirit within my bowels. O grant that I may now serve thee in good earnest! O let this be the change of the righthand of the Most High.

Thou hast made me, my God, and redeemed me by thy precious blood: despise not the work of thy hands! Olet not thy blood be spilt for me in vain!

Too late have I known thee, O antient Truth! Too late have Hoved thee, O antient Beauty! Too long have I gone astray from thee'! From this moment, Ο my Sovereign Good, I desire to be for ever thine. Olet nothing in life or death ever separate me from thee any more!

O divine lover of penitent souls, give me henceforward a contrite and humble heart: Oh ! 1 desire from this hour to offer this sacrifice daily to thee, till the end of my life.

divine Love, how little art "thou known in this wicked world; how little art thou loved! Come now to me, and take full possession of my whole heart and soul for time and eternity. Lii

Thy