Thou knowest, O LORD, that this roaring lion sleeps not, he seeks to devour me, and leaves nothing undone, which can annoy me; he glides about everywhere, and constantly tempts me to evil, corrupts the good that I do, and lays snares for my feet. I am not even secure against him when sleeping or waking, he tempts me at all times and on all occasions; he transforms himself into an angel of light; he attacks me in good and evil, in labour and repose, in prayer and in action. He so insinuates into my thoughts, desires, and affections, that I do not perceive him. When he cannot make me sin, he troubles me by his temptation, and wearies me by his importunities. He shakes me by the dangerous images with which he fills my mind; he redoubles his wrath and envy to take from me the good things which he has himself lost. He calls to his aid all the furies of hell, the vanity of the world, the bias of corrupt nature, evil examples, the accidents of life, and even the sins which Thou hast pardoned, and he thus attacks me in the very midst of Thy mercies. O LORD of heaven, Refuge of sinners! come to my assistance in the time of temptation. Repress the fury of the serpent, whose head Thou hast bruised; dissipate the powers of hell, and suffer me not ever to yield to their efforts. Prayers. O LORD, Who for our sake, &c.-Collect for the First Sunday in Lent. O LORD JESUS, Who for our sakes wast led by the Spirit into the wilderness, and didst there continue, among wild beasts, for forty days and nights in watchings, prayers, and fastings; and when suffering hunger, didst permit Satan to tempt Thee; grant me, O merciful JESUS, the virtue of abstinence and continence, that I may abstain from and subdue all sin, hunger and thirst after righteousness, and so persevere in prayer and all spiritual exercises, that I may, by Thy help and grace, O my GOD, escape the snares of the devil, and overcome his temptations, and those of the world and the flesh, that they may never defile me, or separate me from Thee, but rather purify and unite me to Thee. And since our life on earth is a continual temptation and sorrow, remember, O LORD, our trouble and toil, and grant us not to fall, but by Thy Temptation ever to conquer, and at last to be mercifully delivered from all temptations. Amen. O heavenly and most merciful FATHER, I most humbly beseech Thee, for Thy Son's sake, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD, have mercy upon me, and succour me in these terrible assaults and temptations of the devil; deliver my soul from all his power and craft; send me strength from above, that I may retain my integrity, may resist the enemy, and stand steadfast in the day of trial. Be Thou my strong rock, and castle of defence, that, being preserved through Thy grace and assistance, I may continue Thy faithful soldier and servant unto my life's end. Nourish all the seeds of grace that are sown in my heart, and make them fruitful unto every good word and work. Give me the increase of faith, hope, and charity, and all other Christian graces; and that I may obtain that which Thou dost promise, make me ever to love that which Thou dost command; and this I beg through the merits, and for the sake, of Thy dear SON JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen. Oh let me turn away my ears from the deceitful tempter, and resolve to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; let me resist the first motions of sin in my mind, and fly from the company and conversation of those that would seduce me to evil, and betake myself to those means which reason and religion, and the dictates of Thy HOLY SPIRIT, shall instruct me are proper to subdue the temptations I am now under; and oh, let the mighty power of Thy grace animate my courage, and strengthen my faith, that nothing may stop me in my Christian warfare; but that fighting manfully under CHRIST'S banner, against the world, the flesh, and the devil, I may at last triumph with Him in His heavenly kingdom, where there shall be no more conflict with sin, but I shall love and praise Thee throughout all ages. Amen.-From Devotions for the Sick Room. 133 CHAPTER XIII. TESTIMONY OF S. JOHN BAPTIST TO THE MESSIAH. Gospel Narrative. S. John i. 19-34. AND this is the record of John, when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the CHRIST. And they asked him, What then? art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that Prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the LORD, as said the Prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that CHRIST, nor Elias, neither that Prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth One among you, Whom ye know not; He it is, Who coming after me is preferred before me, Whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John seeth JESUS coming unto him, and saith, Behold the LAMB of GOD, Which taketh away the sin of the world. This is He of Whom I said, After me cometh a Man Which is preferred before me : for He was before me. And I knew Him not: but that He should be made manifest to Israel; therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the SPIRIT descending from heaven like a Dove, and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not but He that sent me to baptize with water, the Same said unto me, Upon Whom thou shalt see the SPIRIT descending, and remaining on Him, the Same is He Which baptizeth with the HOLY GHOST. And I saw, and bare record that this is the SON of God. Reflections. JESUS came to Jordan; and John seeing Him coming unto him, pointed to Him, and said, "Behold the LAMB of GOD, Which taketh away the sins of the world." In which words the testimony of S. John is delivered in a twofold manner. First, in relation to His true Humanity, in which He was sacrificed for us, in that he said, "Behold the LAMB of GOD," that is, sent from GOD, to be offered as a most acceptable Sacrifice. Secondly, in relation to His Divinity, in that it is added, "Who taketh away the sins of the world," for to take away sins is the prerogative of GOD only. For this is the cause wherefore He came, that taking upon Himself the sins of a perishing world, He might abolish the ruin of sin, and the death of all men, in Himself, Who could not be overcome. He had now come and was not acknowledged; but now He is testified unto. Behold, He is here, Whom the Patriarchs so longed for, Whom Prophets foretold, Whom the law typified. "Behold the LAMB of GOD," behold Him "Who taketh away the sins of the world;" as if it was said, Behold the Innocent amidst sinners, the Righteous amongst |