ful custody over my senses, that through those windows no sin may enter into my soul; a perfect government of my tongue, that no corrupt or unseemly language may proceed from my lips; may I never slander, or speak ill of any one, nor busy myself about the faults and imper fections of others, but wholly attend to the amendment of my own life.

O most loving Lord, as long as I am detained in this prison of my body, let this be my comfort: that being free from all distractions, both of the cares and pleasures of this life, I may wholly devote myself to thy service, attending: always to thy heavenly doctrine, and the salutary motions of thy holy Spirit In these sweet exercises let me pass the solitary hours of my tedious pilgrimage with patience, expecting the closing up of my days, and a happy period to this my miserable life.

And finally grant, O blessed Redeemer of mankind, my Lord and God, that when this my earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved, (being found free from all pollution of sin, through a sincere contrition, and in virtue of the sacraments. of thy holy Church,) I may be included in the number of those blessed souls, who through the merits of thy passion: and death, are deemed worthy to reign

with thee, and to enjoy the glorious presence of the adorable Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: to whom, by all creatures in heaven and earth, be rendered praise and thanksgiving, world without end. Amen.

O Lord, my God! O Lord, my God! possess my soul, possess my soul, for ever and ever. Amen, Amen.

A most devout act of Contrition.

O My God! the God of my heart! my soul! my life! and all that is within me! whom I have so much offended, that neither the sands on the sea-shore, the stars in the heavens, the flowers of the fields, nor the leaves of the trees can equal the infinite number and unspeakable variety of my sins; I have sinned, I have offended thee, and done evil before the face of heaven and earth! I have departed from thy law; turned my back on thy grace; adored what offended thee; made an idol of my guilt, and run on without fear or shame in the ways of deceit, vanity, and perdition. Ah! my God, how much am I grieved for having offended thee! I am pierced with sorrow for grieving so little, when the injuries I have done thee are so great. I am more troubled at the greatness of my ingratitude for having offended thee, than at the greatness of the tor

ments which I have deserved for my sins. I would have the sorrow for my sins to be as great as the sins themselves: I would have my regret for having displeased thee proportioned to the injuries committed against thee: I would have a grief equal to thy mercy: I would willingly bewail the enormity of my sins with tears of blood: more for the offence and insult offered thy divine Majesty, than for the injury and perdition they bring upon myself. I wish, O Lord, that as in offending thee the guilt was infinite, so in repenting thereof the grief were also infinite. But where shall I find so deep a sense of sorrow, save only in the fountain of thy grace? Where shall I find such a grief, save only in the contemplation of thy immense goodness and infinite majesty? Whence are those tears to flow, save only from the ocean of thy mercy? Here I cast myself at thy feet: consider not in what manner, at what time, or how late consider only that I come. But ah! Lord, in how miserable a condition! how filthy! how abominable! Clad with the deformity of my sins, covered with the filthiness of my offences, and defiled with the abominations of a vicious life. But in approaching thee, O my God, I come with the confidence of finding in thy mercy a secure

haven; in thy compassion, protection; in thy clemency, a refuge; and in thy goodness, a remedy. Wherefore, O Lord, under the dread of thy justice, I seek no other remedy, save that of thy mercy, nor fly to any other shelter, but that of thy clemency. In thee I place my trust, O my God: for tho' by sin I have lost the nature and privilege of a son; yet thou, O Lord, infinitely good, dost not lose the nature and condition thou hast of a father. Let then, O Lord, thy infinite grace complete that work in me which thy infinite mercy has begun. Let thy clemency come to the succour of thy miserable creature: take pity and compassion on my poor soul. I am firmly resolved, with the aid of thy grace, to amend my life, confess my sins, and persevere in thy service; to pardon inju ries, avoid the occasions of evil, and abhor my vices; to make such restitution as I am able, and to observe, as in duty bound, all thy commandments. I trust," O Lord, in thy infinite goodness, that thou wilt pardon all my sins, thro' the death and passion of my Lord Jesus Christ: for though in his wounds there is justice to punish me, yet in the same wounds there is likewise mercy to forgive me. Mercy! mercy! mercy! dear Jesus, have mercy on me.

The Prayer Ante oculos, composed by

ST. AUSTIN.

Recommended to the Devotion of the Faithful by Pope Urban VIII.

BEFORE thy holy eyes, O Lord, we humbly lay open our guilty lives.

If we compare the faults we have committed, with the stripes we have received:

We must confess the evils we have done, are far greater than those which we suffer.

The crimes that burthen our consciences are heavy; but the chastisements which thou sendest are light.

We feel the punishment of sin, and still obstinately persevere in sinning. Our frail nature faints under thy scourges; and yet our perverse wills grow

stronger in their vices.

Our restless minds find no content in the liberty of the world; yet we bend not our stiff necks to thy sweet yoke.

We pine away our days in grief; yet all our sorrow works not the least amendment in our lives.

If thou tarriest for our repentance, we abuse thy mercy; if thou takest vengeance on our ingratitude, we cannot bear thy justice.

Whilst under the rod we bewail our

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