my weakness, and to excite my slothfulness; I heartily praise our common Lord for so sin-" gular a benefit, and I thank thee for the many good offices which thou hast done me :-for defending me amidst so many dangers to both soul and body, and especially for withholding me from sin when I was hastening to mine own destruction. Continue, I beseech thee, the same care on my behalf. Offer up to God all my good desires; offer to him my hopes and my sighs. Make known to him all my wants. Do thou watch over me while I sleep; strengthen me when I faint; and enlighten my blindness. Shield me from the enemies who persecute me; and, at the hour of my death, intercede for me and bring my soul to the happy haven of everlasting salvation. Amen.

A PRAYER TO PATRON SAINTS.

O'Blessed Saint N-, glorious citizen of heaven, as I render most humble thanks to God for all the good he has done thee, so I beseech thee to remember me in thy prayers, and to obtain for me the entire pardon of my sins, the amendment of my life, and the imitation of thy good spirit and holy graces, that I may be reconciled to my Saviour and always please him. But especially I recommend to thee the hour of my death that, by thy holy intercession, my soul may depart from this world in the grace of God, and may immediately come to everlasting life. Amen.

ST. BERNARD'S PRAYER: MEMORARE.

Remember, O most holy Virgin Mary, that no one ever had recourse to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy mediation, without obtaining relief. Confiding, therefore, in thy goodness, behold me, a penitent sinner, sighing out my sins before thee, beseeching thee to adopt me for thy son, and to take upon thee the care of mine eternal salvation.

Despise not, O Mother of Jesus, the petition of thy humble client, but hear and grant my prayer..

THANKSGIVING TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.

Most Holy Virgin Mary, we acknowledge the many blessings for which we are indebted to your intercession. Oh continue to watch over us protect what you have given us: pray for us in all our pains and troubles; and take upon you the care of our earthly welfare and eternal salvation.

Receive, most Blessed Virgin, our thankfulness for the past; and vouchsafe to us, at this time also, your merciful intercession; through Jesus Christ, your Son, who, with God the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.

AN APPEAL TO CHRIST.

Dear Jesus! thou knowest what I now stand in need of thou knowest the boon that I am

now most anxious to obtain. Oh forgive me if I trust too firmly in thee that I shall not pray for it in vain. Forgive me if I remember that thou hast said "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you." Behold now I pray to thee; behold now I seek, I knock, I ask. Grant, oh grant me my request; and let not my trust in thy blessed promise be disappointed.

"Whatever you shall ask the Father in my name it shall be granted unto you." Remember, great God, eternal Father, whom Christ thy Son has taught me to adore as my Father also in heaven, remember this promise of my Redeemer, and fulfil my request. In His name, in the name of Jesus Christ thy Son, I beg of thee to hear my petition, and to bestow this blessing upon me. Redeem, great God, His promise; and enable me so to ask that my faith may be strengthened and assured.

Let me not be disappointed, O God; for I have trusted in Jesus Christ thy Son, who, with thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.

AN OFFERING OF SELF.

O Lord my God, I beseech thee to give me understanding, and to enable me to do thy will. I offer myself entirely to thee: do with me during my whole life as may tend most to thine ówn honour and the good of my soul. Receive

me, O God, as thy servant, and appoint me my duty. I renounce every wish that may be contrary to thy providence; and only pray that I may be employed as a tool to work out thy hallowed designs.

Direct, I beseech thee, my lot in this world according to my hopes, if those hopes are not displeasing to thee: but if they are so, O my God, I willingly renounce them, and ask only to be made the means of advancing thy glory upon earth, that I may hereafter be received as a faithful servant into thy eternal joy. Amen.

NIGHT THOUGHTS.

Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Lord Jesus receive my soul. Receive my soul, dear Jesus, into thy holy keeping. Preserve it from all imaginings that may be displeasing to thee.

Grant that I may not die this night: but when I awaken in the morning, restore it to me purified and strengthened-able and willing to labour to advance mine own salvation and thy merciful intentions in regard to myself, to others, and to thee. Amen.

A PARENT'S OFFERING.

Grant, O God, that the life of the children whom thou hast given to me may be a blessing to themselves, a blessing to me, and may be worthy of being blessed by thee or may they be deprived of it this day in thy mercy, rather

than that a longer existence should prevent their everlasting salvation: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A PRAYER AGAINST IDLENESS.

O God, whom I have so much displeased by squandering away, on worldly cares and idle vanities, so many, many hours of that existence which was given to me for the performance of good works, for mine own sanctification, and for the edification of my neighbours; keep me, I pray thee, from all such heedless waste of time for the future. May thy grace teach me to remember that I shall have to give an aecount of the manner in which I shall have spent every fleeting hour; and may this remembrance prompt me to employ the rest of my life in working out my salvation: so that, in the name and by the merits of thy Son Jesus Christ, I may be able to apply diligently to all my duties and to acquire that deathless life of glory for which thou didst create me..

For what, O God, are the idle vanities that delight me compared to those interests which concern my eternal salvation? Ought even the most important worldly pursuits of the longest life to withdraw me from those mighty objects with which thou hast charged every day of mine existence? No, my God; no. Teach me to bear in mind those important objects; teach me to bear in mind those duties which ought first

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