(Habac. in. 18). Say to Him: My Jesus, I bless, and will ever bless Thee, for granting me so many favors, when I deserved at Thy hands not favors, but chastisements for the affronts I have given Thee. Say to Him, with the sacred Spouse: " All fruits, the new and the old, my Beloved, I have kept for Thee" (Cant. vii. 13). Lord, I give Thee thanks; I keep in memory all Thy bounties, past and present, to render Thee praise and glory for them forever and ever.
But if thou lovest thy God, thou oughtest to rejoice more in His blessedness than in thine own. He who loves a friend very much sometimes takes more delight in that friend's good than if it had been his own. Comfort thyself, then, in the knowledge that thy God is infinitely blessed. Be often saying to Him: My beloved Lord, I rejoice more in Thy blessedness than in any good of mine; yes, for I love Thee more than I love myself.
4. After a Fault.
Another mark of confidence highly pleasing to thy most loving God is this: that when thou hast committed any fault,thou be not ashamed to go at once to His feet and seek His pardon. Consider that God is so greatly inclined to pardon sinners, that He laments their perdition, when they depart far from Him and live as dead to His grace. Therefore does He lovingly call them, saying: " Why will you die, O house of Israel? Return ye, and live" (Ezech. xviii. 31, 32). He promises to receive the soul that has forsaken Him, so soon as she returns to His arms: " Turn ye to me . . . and I will turn to you" (Zach. i. 3). Oh, if sinners did but know with what tender mercy the Lord stands waiting to forgive them! " The Lord waiteth, that He may have mercy on you " (Is. xxx. 18). Oh, did they but know the desire He has, not to chastise, but to see them converted, that He may embrace them, that He may
