THURSDAY.

RECEIVE me, O sweet Jesus, to the embraces of Thy sweetest love, by which my cold and drooping spirit may be inflamed and bound to Thee. Open unto me, O Lord, open to one that knocketh, and admit my orphan soul unto the sweet conclave of Thy divine heart. O my beloved, my beloved, I long after Thee, I desire Thee; introduce me to Thyself, and come Thou unto me, that I may be Thine, and Thou mayest be mine for ever and ever.

May I draw from Thee, Thou fountain of honied sweetness, living water, by the very taste of which may I never thirst again save for Thee: sprinkle me with the dew of heavenly wisdom, so that, being penetrated with it, I may keep myself pure from all .earthly desires.

Bless, I beseech Thee, bless this poor and piteous exile, O most bounteous God; kindle my inmost heart with the fire of Thy love, that I may perfectly love Thee, and desire nought but Thee. Hide me, O Thou dearest of all dear ones, hide me in the lovely, pleasant, and sweet opening of Thy side, that I may sweetly sleep in Thee, and 86be warmed to life again, by the influence of Thy honied love. I offer and give myself up wholly unto Thee: take Thou me up and wholly possess me, O sweet comfort of my soul: so join me, so fasten me unto Thyself, that I may never be separated from Thee: so give Thyself, so communicate Thyself unto me, that I may for ever rejoice in Thy most Holy Spirit, to the praise of Thy name.

O my Lord, O that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to open the inner room of Thy love to me, the vilest, the most unworthy of sinners, and admit me to the sanctuary of Thy sweetest heart. For my soul desireth exceedingly to be united unto Thee, in the closest ties of love. But never would there be in me any desire of loving, didst not Thou implant it in my heart. May I therefore obtain through Thee, what I desire of Thee, O day of vernal calmness. O my God! I thirst after Thee, I sigh for Thee, I languish for love of Thee. Join me closer to Thyself, O Thou most brilliant sun, that, by the heat of Thy countenance, the flowers of holy charity may bud forth in the soil of my heart. Light within me the lamp of Thy love, pour upon my heart Thy soothing 87peace, and in all things unite me to Thy grace, that I may please Thee.

O my Jesus, clothe me in the brilliant purple of Thy precious blood: crown me with the sparkling diadem of Thy death, and receive me into the fragrant chamber of Thy love. Remove from me whatsoever is displeasing unto Thee. Re-fashion my wicked, unclean, and vain heart according to Thine. Give me simple affections and a pure mind; embrace me with the arms of Thy love; draw me closely within the embraces of Thy divinity, that my soul may wholly melt away through the force of Thy burning love, and pour itself forth into the depths of Thy heavenly delights. Thy sweetness, O Lord, Thy goodness, Thy beauty, Thy loveliness, exceedingly entice me unto Thee: but unless Thou lettest Thyself down to me, I cannot ascend unto Thee. Bend Thyself, therefore, O fountain of mercy, unto the valley of my misery, that I may love Thee with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my strength.

Ah! Jesus! my honour, my joy, and my true pleasure: kindle, I beseech Thee, such a fire in my inmost heart, that I may henceforth choose nothing under the sun 88save Thee, nor desire aught but Thee. May the heaven and earth and all that are therein, be to me without Thee but a winter ice-drop. O most lovely flower! O my beloved Jesus! Adorn my soul with that graceful charity in which Thou delightest; enrich it with the plenteousness of that love which is pleasing unto Thee. So smooth and burnish my heart, that nothing earthly may be able to cleave unto it. May the droppings of Thy blessing flow continually upon me, by which I may be washed and cleansed from all the filth of sin, and may for ever bring forth the fruits of holiness well pleasing unto Thee.

O sweet light of my soul, shine upon me, that the thick shades of my blindness may be turned into the brightness of noon-day. Grant me to repose under the shadow of Thy charity; suffer me to slumber on the bosom of Thy love, and there to forget entirely all earthly things. May nothing be more pleasant, nothing more profitable to me than to love Thee, and to be intimately united to Thee. Press me to Thy divine heart, and may I lose myself in the enjoyment of the freshness of Thy delights. Ah, sweetest fire! my God, consume and entirely 89devour my whole substance, which is but a grain of dust. Transfer my heart unto Thyself, that I may cleave unto Thee with the closest union, and live by Thee, and flourish for ever like a lily in Thy presence.

O sea of all sweetness, let the waters of Thy goodness fall upon my soul; open the fountains of the great deep, and let the waves of Thy mercy flow in upon me. Drown me in the deluge of Thy lively love, may the depth of Thy blessed charity absorb me. Break down, O Lord, the hateful wall of my wicked and lukewarm life: and grant that I may follow Thee with a love that nothing can quench. Send forth the blast of Thy most fervent love, which may impel me so violently unto Thee, that, carried out of myself, and dead as it were to myself, I may henceforth never draw even a single breath apart from Thee. Imprint on me the kiss of Thy forgiveness, that being sealed by it, I may love nothing henceforth but Thee: for Thou art my possession, Thou art my inheritance, Thou art the only expectation of my soul. Amen.