Trust in God

O GOD of my heart, my only hope and refuge, I, the poorest of thy creatures and infinitely unworthy of the least good at thy hands, do yet so confidently hope in thy tender kindness, that I have no manner of doubt that as thou knowest how to succour and aid me, so thou both canst and wilt be with me in all things. I know, indeed, O compassionate God, that if thou wert to deal with me as I have deserved, I could expect no grace at thy hand, but only manifold rebuke and punishment; but since I know that thy goodness is so exuberant that thou art wont to do good even to thy worst enemies, I most firmly believe and trust that thou wilt not forsake me in my distresses and miseries, but wilt provide for me with a care and generosity which I should vainly look for in my dearest friend.

O most loving God, although my sins are so manifold and so grievous that they deserve a thousand hells, yet by reason of thine infinite goodness I so securely expect from thee remission of them all, provided only they grieve me, as in deed and in truth they do, that I could more easily doubt my own existence than the certainty of this remission. O infinite goodness, so tender is my confidence in thee, that even if I had sinned a thousand times more than I have, and knew that thine anger was fiercely kindled against me, yet, could I choose my own judge, I would choose none other than thee. In thee alone, and in none other than thee, would I trust, and I should more certainly hope for mercy at thy hand than from my best and dearest friend. For if I had sinned as often and as grievously against any one of my friends as I have against thee, I am most sure that I could not hope for pardon, even from the most tender and compassionate of mothers. Yea, had I been so rebellious and so unloving to my own mother as I have been to thee, she would have cast me off for ever. But thou, notwithstanding all the many and grievous insults I have heaped upon thee, and notwithstanding all my many and grievous negligences in thy service, dost still cherish and sustain me.

And dost thou think, O most loving Father, that I have the smallest doubt that I shall attain to everlasting bliss? Do thou thyself forbid. For my hope of attaining that bliss rests not on my own merits, but on the faithful promise of thy Only-begotten, and on his most abundant and exuberant merits, which he has communicated and made over to his elect. And hence I abound with so great joy and consolation, because I seem already to possess that for which I so eagerly long. For thy Son, who has promised me salvation and his merits, which are its title and its price, is most faithful, nor can any word which has gone forth from his mouth be revoked or fail. Vouchsafe, O eternal Father, to increase in me this hope and trust which I give into thy merciful keeping, until I see thee in thy unfading eternity, and hope is lost in fruition. Amen.