against all the assaults of the evil spirit, that in this sickness I may no way offend thee: and if this is to be my last, I beg of thee so to direct me by thy grace, that I may not neglect the necessary means of salvation, nor be deprived of any of those powerful helps which thou hast in thy mercy ordained for the good of my soul. Prepare it, O Lord, for its passage into eternity; that being perfectly cleansed from all my iniquities, I may be admitted one day into the kingdom of thy glory, there to love and praise thee for ever, in the company of thy blessed angels and saints. Amen. "Lord, thy thorns are my roses, and thy suffering my paradise." _St. Felix_. "Tears of devotion are sweeter than the joys of theatres." _St. Augustine._ A Prayer Before Receiving The Viaticum. O my blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ, I firmly believe thou art really present in this venerable sacrament, which I am now about to receive by way of viaticum. {269} I believe it contains thy sacred body and blood, accompanied with thy soul and divinity. I desire to receive this heavenly banquet for thy honour and glory, and the good of my soul, that I may be happily united to thee. I desire to commemorate thy sufferings as thou hast commanded. But how shall I dare to approach thee?--so wretched a worm, to so infinite a majesty! so filthy a sinner, to so infinite purity and sanctity! It is therefore in thy mercy that I place my whole trust; and since thou art pleased to invite thyself into so poor, so wretched so mean a cottage as this of my breast, vouchsafe, I beseech thee, to grant me those graces, and that reverence, humility, and devotion, which may prepare a fit abode for thy reception. Cleanse my soul from every foul stain of sin, clothe it with the nuptial garment of charity, and adorn it with all virtues. I come to thee, like Magdalen, that I may be delivered from all my evils, and that I may embrace thee, my only good. I detest with my whole heart, all the sins of my past life, because they have offended thy goodness. I desire to lay them all down here at thy feet, to be cancelled by thy precious blood. I am sorry for them, and will be sorry for them as long as I live. I will bewail them in the bitterness of my soul. They are many and grievous, it is true; yet they are nothing when compared to thy boundless mercy, and to the infinite ransom of thy precious blood. {270} Forgive me, then, sweet Jesus, for thy mercy's sake; have pity on me and save me, since thou forsakest none that place their hope in thee. I love thee, my God, with my whole heart and soul, and above all things in heaven and on earth! at least I earnestly desire so to love thee, and consecrate myself eternally to thee. O come and take full possession of my heart for ever; I offer it to thee without reserve; O come and inflame it with the celestial fire of thy divine love, and let nothing in life or death ever again separate me from thee. O sweet Jesus, prepare me for a