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JESUS, give me grace to order my life to Thee.

JESUS, give me grace heartily to devote every action both of body and soul to Thee, and to the hope of infinite bliss and eternal happiness. For what else is this world but a school to discipline souls and fit them for the other?

Break my froward spirit, O JESUS; make it humble and obedient; grant me grace to depart hence without any clinging to this world, and with a joyful hope of coming to Thee in the next.

Let the memory of Thy Passion make me cheerfully embrace all occasions of suffering here for Thy love; whilst my soul breathes after that blissful life, and immortal glory, which Thou hast ordained in heaven for Thy servants.

O JESUS, give me grace frequently and attentively to consider that whatsoever I gain, if I lose Thee, all is lost; and whatsoever I lose if I gain Thee, all is gained.

Have mercy upon me, and upon all sinners. Amen.

Our FATHER, &c.

PSALM CXVIII. 5, 10; CXIX. 55, 132,

I called upon the LORD in trouble: and the LORD heard me at large.

All nations compassed me round about: but in the Name of the LORD will I destroy them.

I have thought upon Thy Name, O LORD, in the night-season and have kept Thy commandments.

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O look Thou upon me, and be merciful unto me as Thou usest to do unto those that love Thy Name.

Glory be to the FATHER, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.

SEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY.

"Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works."-Rev. ii. 5.

Truly by the deserts of original sin the natural man is blinded so that he cannot see the Beauty of his Creator. Hedged around by his own imperfections, he walks on in darkness, and driven by the rapid stream of his passions, he hurries on to everlasting ruin. And such, my soul, wast thou. But lo! thy Redeemer hath laid upon thy darkened eyes the ointment of His Incarnation, that thou, who couldest not see GOD shining in the sweetness of

His Majesty, mightest look upon GOD manifest in the flesh; and looking, mightest acknowledge; and acknowledging, mightest love; and loving, mightest strive with all thy might to attain to His glory. He took upon Him thy flesh, to recall thee to spiritual things. He became partaker of thy changeableness, to make thee partaker of His unchangeableness. He lowered Himself to thy humiliation, to raise thee to His exaltation. He was born of a pure Virgin, to heal the corruption of thy sinful nature. Complain not, then, my soul, of thy fall, as if that were to excuse thy sins and failings. It is true indeed that thy human nature is dust and ashes; and thy Maker remembers whereof thou art made. But He Who made thee, hath re-made thee. Thy heavenly FATHER hath pitied thee; He hath "clothed thee with the garments of salvation," He hath "covered thee with the robe of righteousness." By being "baptized into CHRIST," thou hast "put on CHRIST." In His condescension He has stooped so low to thee, that He willeth thee to be clothed with Himself. He is made unto thee Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption." Nay, so closely hath He united Himself to thee, that in the unity of the Church He hath willed that thou shouldest be of His own Flesh. For

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we are members of His Body, of His Flesh, and of His Bones." And He Who is the Eternal SON by nature, hath obtained for us that we should be sons of GOD, and brothers of CHRIST, by grace.

But when thou considerest to what and how great good thou by His grace hast been advanced, meditate too what and how great goods by thine own fault thou hast lost, and into what evils, weighed down by sins, thou hast sunk. Think over these with mourning; mourn over them by renouncing them; renounce them by condemning them; and condemn them by changing thy life for the better. Strive with thyself in thy mind that henceforth not even for a moment, in heart, tongue, or act, thou yield assent to vanity. Be there a daily, ceaseless strife within, that thou keep no truce whatever with thy sins. Spare not thyself, treat not thyself gently, but strictly examine thyself to bring to light the secrets of thy heart, and whatsoever thou findest in thee worthy of blame, pierce through, uproot, cast forth, and bring to nought. Thus, even thus, return, my wandering soul, to thy GOD. For if thou turn away from sin by amendment of life, He will turn aside from thee His vengeance. But if thou forgettest thy sin, and repentest not, He will remember it against thee.

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Miserable man! when I consider the multitude of my grievous offences, I tremble at the dreadful Day of judgment. But trusting in the multitude of Thy compassion, like David, I say to Thee, Have mercy upon me, O GOD, after Thy great Goodness.

Surrounding myself with the robes of shame, instead of the garment of light, woe is me, my soul! let me lament, O SAVIOUR, my ruin, and call to Thee with faith: despise me not, O GOD, but call me back.

Them, O LORD, that were at first exiled from Paradise, through the eating of the fruit, bring in again through Thy Cross and Passion, my GOD and SAVIOUR. By it strengthen us, to accomplish with fitting purity, the coming Fast, and to adore the Divine Resurrection, the Pascha of salvation.

Our FATHER, &c.
LORD, have mercy.
CHRIST, have mercy.

LORD, have mercy.

That I may learn in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content;

Grant this, O Lord.

That I may know both how to be abased, and how to abound;

Grant this, O LORD.

That I may do all things through CHRIST Which strengtheneth me;

Grant this, O LORD.

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