Wash me then more and more from my iniquity, and so purify me from my sin, that by the lively sorrow and ardent love which thy grace will enkindle in my unworthy heart, I may be delivered not only from eternal punishment, but also from the temporal chastisement which my sins have deserved.
For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.
For, thanks to thy grace, I now understand the enormity of my transgressions, the remembrance of my sin is ever before me, and my regret for having offended thee shall cease only with my life.
To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee; that thou mayst be justified in thy words, and mayst overcome when thou art judged.
O my good God ! no, it is not creatures whom I have off ended, it is against thee only that l have sinned, against thee who had encompassed me with such proofs of thy love. I have turned thy benefits against thyself; and such has been my presumption that I have dared to commit evil in thy sight: the remembrance of thy divine presence could not restrain my unruly passion. O my God! what Excuse shall I find in the terrible day of judgment, since thou who wilt then be my judge art now the witness of my rebellion and ingratitude!
For behold I was conceived in iniquities: and in sin did my mother conceive me.
If I dared to offer thee any justification of my conduct, I would remind thee that I was conceived in sin, that with my first breath I became a sharer in this sad inheritance of the children of Adam, and that thou canst expect nothing from a creature so vitiated in its origin; but no, I have nothing to say in my defence, for thy precious blood effaced this involuntary stain in Holy Baptism, and how often
