ment, cast a glance at Jesus on the Cross; offer His merits to the Eternal Father; and thus hope certainly for pardon, since He " spared- not even His own Son." Say to Him with confidence: " Look on the face of Thy Christ " (Ps. lxxxiii. 10). My God, behold Thy Son, dead for my sake; and for the love of that Son forgive me. Attend, greatly devout soul, to the instruction commonly given by masters of the spiritual life, after thy unfaithful conduct, at once to have recourse to God, though thou hast repeated it a hundred times in a day; and after thy falls, and the recourse thou hast had to the Lord (as has been just said), at once to be in peace. Otherwise, while thou remainest cast down and disturbed at the fault thou hast committed, thy converse with God will be small; thy trust in Him will fail; thy desire to love Him grow cold; and thou wilt be little able to go forward in the way of the Lord. On the other hand, by having immediate recourse to God to ask His forgiveness, and to promise Him amendment, thy very faults will serve to advance thee farther in the Divine love. Between friends who sincerely love each other, it often happens that when one has displeased the other, and then humbles himself and asks pardon, their friendship thereby becomes stronger than ever. Do thou likewise: see to it that thy very faults serve to bind thee yet closer in love to thy God.
5. In Doubts.
IN any kind of doubtfulness also, either on thy own account or that of others, never leave acting towards thy God with a confidence like to that of faithful friends, who consult together on every matter. So do thou take counsel with Himself, and beseech Him to enlighten thee, that thou mayest decide on what shall be most pleasing to Him: " Put those words in my mouth, and strengthen the resolu-
