God of clemency! God of goodness! O God, who according to the multitude of thy mercies, forgivest the sins of such as repent, and graciously remittest the guilt of their past offences, mercifully regard this thy servant (_N_.) and grant him (_her_) a full discharge from all his (_her_) sins, who most earnestly begs it of thee. Renew, O merciful Father, whatever is corrupt in him (_her_) through human frailty, or by the snares of the enemy; make him (_her_) a true member of thy church, and let him (_her_) partake of the fruit of thy redemption. {301} Have compassion, O Lord, on his (_her_) sighs, have pity on his (_her_) tears, and admit him (_her_) to the sacrament of thy reconciliation, who has no hope but in thee: through Christ our Lord. Amen. I recommend thee, dear brother (_sister_,) to Almighty God, and commit thee to his mercy, whose creature thou art; that having paid the common debt, by surrendering thy soul, thou mayest return to thy Maker, who formed thee out of the earth. May, therefore, the noble company of angels meet thy soul at its departure. May the court of the apostles receive thee. May the triumphant army of glorious martyrs conduct thee. May the crowds of joyful confessors encompass thee. May the choir of blessed virgins go before thee; and may a happy rest be thy portion in the company of the patriarchs. May Jesus Christ appear to thee with a mild and cheerful countenance, and give thee a place among those who are to be in his presence for ever. Mayest thou be a stranger to all who are condemned to darkness, chastised with flames, or punished with torments. May God command thy wicked enemy, with all his evil spirits, to depart from thee. May the infernal spirits tremble at thy approach encompassed by angels, and retire into the horrid confusion of eternal night. May thy God arise, and thy enemies be put to flight. May all who hate him fly before his face. Let them vanish like smoke, or as wax before the fire; so let sinners perish in the sight of God. {302} But as to the just, let them rejoice and be happy in his presence. May all the ministers of hell be filled with confusion and shame, and let no evil spirit dare to stop thy course to heaven. May Christ Jesus, who was crucified for thee, be thy deliverer. May he deliver thee from death, who for thy sake vouchsafed to die. May Christ Jesus, the Son of the living God, place thee in his garden of Paradise; and may he, the true shepherd, own thee for one of his flock. May he absolve thee from all thy sins, and place thee at his right hand in the inheritance of his elect. O may it be thy happy lot to behold thy Redeemer face to face; to be ever in his presence, in the beatific vision of that eternal truth, which is the joy of the blessed. And thus placed among those happy spirits, mayest thou be for ever filled with heavenly sweetness. Amen. Receive thy servant, O Lord, into that place where he (_she_) may hope for salvation from thy mercy.--R. Amen.