Sweet Jesus! give thy blessing to the ardent desire we now entertain, and the holy resolution we have taken, of ever loving and adoring thee, with our whole mind and with our whole heart, in the sacrament of thy love; thus to repair, by a true conversion of heart, and a zeal for thy glory, our past negligence and infidelities. Be thou, O adorable Heart! who knowest the clay of which we are formed, be thou our mediator with thy heavenly Father, whom we have so grievously offended; strengthen our weakness, confirm our resolution, and with thy charity, humility, meekness, and patience, cover the multitude of our iniquities. Be thou our support, our refuge, and our strength, that nothing henceforward in life or death may separate us from thee. Amen. {264} Devotions For The Sick. Instruction. The state of sickness and sufferings is to be regarded as a fatherly visitation, whereby God knocks at the door of our hearts, to put us in mind of our mortality. It is a call from heaven, a timely warning to prepare for eternity, by spending the remainder of our life in the love and service of our Creator. It is the _touchstone_ of patience, the school, or rather the _harvest_ of penance, resignation, and every Christian virtue. It is the _test_ of our love, by which we may judge whether we acquit ourselves of duties that are agreeable to nature, in conformity to the will of God, or only do them because they are agreeable to our own will. We know not what we are until we are tried. It costs us nothing to say, "We love thee, O God, above all things;" or to show the courage of martyrs at a distance, when we have nothing to cross or thwart our inclinations; but that love is sincere which stands the proof. If we loved God sincerely, we would on all occasions embrace, desire, and find no happiness but in the accomplishment of his holy will. We would be prepared to bear whatever crosses and calamities he is pleased to send us, with a patient resignation. We would rejoice in them as the greatest blessings, and the sources of immortal crowns. We would regard them as precious talents, to be improved by the increase of our love and affection for God, and the exercise of the most heroic virtues of self-denial, patience, humility, &c. {265}