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The History of Joseph the Carpenter

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Section 13

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Author: Unknown

13. O God! author of all consolation, God

‹ Section 12 Section 14 ›

of

all

compassion

,

and

Lord

of

the

whole

human

race

;

God

of

my

soul

,

body

,

and

spirit

;

with

supplications

I

reverence

thee

,

O

Lord

and

my

God

.

If

now

my

days

are

ended

,

and

the

time

draws

near

when

I

must

leave

this

world

,

send

me

,

I

beseech

Thee

,

the

great

Michael

,

the

prince

of

Thy

holy

angels

:

let

him

remain

with

me

,

that

my

wretched

soul

may

depart

from

this

afflicted

body

without

trouble

,

without

terror

and

impatience

.

For

great

fear

and

intense

sadness

take

hold

of

all

bodies

on

the

day

of

their

death

,

whether

it

be

man

or

woman

,

beast

wild

or

tame

,

or

whatever

creeps

on

the

ground

or

flies

in

the

air

.

At

the

last

all

creatures

under

heaven

in

whom

is

the

breath

of

life

are

struck

with

horror

,

and

their

souls

depart

from

their

bodies

with

strong

fear

and

great

depression

.

Now

therefore

,

O

Lord

and

my

God

,

let

Thy

holy

angel

be

present

with

his

help

to

my

soul

and

body

,

until

they

shall

be

dissevered

from

each

other

.

And

let

not

the

face

of

the

angel

,

appointed

my

guardian

from

the

day

of

my

birth

,

be

turned

away

from

me

;

but

may

he

be

the

companion

of

my

journey

even

until

he

bring

me

to

Thee

:

let

his

countenance

be

pleasant

and

gladsome

to

me

,

and

let

him

accompany

me

in

peace

.

And

let

not

demons

of

frightful

aspect

come

near

me

in

the

way

in

which

I

am

to

go

,

until

I

come

to

Thee

in

bliss

.

And

let

not

the

doorkeepers

hinder

my

soul

from

entering

paradise

.

And

do

not

uncover

my

sins

,

and

expose

me

to

condemnation

before

Thy

terrible

tribunal

.

Let

not

the

lions

rush

in

upon

me

;

nor

let

the

waves

of

the

sea

of

fire

overwhelm

my

soul

—

for

this

must

every

soul

pass

through

—

before

I

have

seen

the

glory

of

Thy

Godhead

.

O

God

,

most

righteous

Judge

,

who

in

justice

and

equity

wilt

judge

mankind

,

and

wilt

render

unto

each

one

according

to

his

works

,

O

Lord

and

my

God

,

I

beseech

Thee

,

be

present

to

me

in

Thy

compassion

,

and

enlighten

my

path

that

I

may

come

to

Thee

;

for

Thou

art

a

fountain

overflowing

with

all

good

things

,

and

with

glory

for

evermore

.

Amen

.

Notes

17
One the subject of guardian angels, see Shepherd of Hermas, iii. 4; Justin, Apol., ii. 5, Tryph., 5; Athenagoras, Legat., 10, 20; Clem. Alex., Strom., vi. 17.
18
This clause looks like an interpolation. But the doctrine of purgatory was held from an early date. Clem. Alex., Pædag., iii. 9; Strom., vii. 6; Origen against Celsus, v. 14, 15.