Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/100

 thing: my body,  which  thou hast formed  of  clay; my  understanding, my  memory,  my heart,  and  my  will,  with  all the strength  and  capacity  of those  faculties,  all  the  actions and  affections,  thoughts and desires,  which  ever  shall, or can  proceed  from  them, to thee  I offer  and  dedicate them all.

Accept, O Lord  God,  all my senses,  with  their  powers, functions, and  uses; my  eyes, with all  their  looks; my  hearing, smell,  taste,  and  touch; all my  appetites,  with  all their operations; lastly,  all my arteries,  veins,  limbs,  and bones of  my  body,  with  all their motions,  actions,  and faculties.

All these  I offer,  consecrate, devote,  and  dedicate  to thee  for  ever. Vouchsafe to accept  this  sacrifice  of  my service  for  an  odour  of  sweetness.

''In which  man, considering  the  titles  of  God  which  have  reference to  the  state  and  condition  of  grace, offers  and  dedicates himself  entirely  to  him  as  far  as  regards  his  spiritual  state of  life  through  grace. ''

O most high,  powerful,  and merciful God,  adorable  and incomprehensible Trinity! I offer, dedicate,  and  consecrate to  thee  my  soul,  with all its  powers  and  faculties, all the  capacity  of  my  will  to love  thee,  and  of  my  intellect to know  thee,  to  my  own abasement and  thy  greater glory.

I offer and  give  to  thee  my mind’s  whole  faculty  of  obedience, to  co-operate  with  thy divine grace,  for  the  fulfilment of  all  thy  will. Lord, all my  desire  is before  thee, and my  groaning  is  not  hid from thee. Accept all  that my will  can  possibly  desire for thy  praise,  pleasure,  and service.

Finally, I offer  and  give to thee  all  my  affections, thoughts, words,  and  works, both done  and  to  be  done,  my life,  my  time,  my  eternity,  all my existence  in  nature  and in grace; and  lastly,  myself, as the  most  worthless  and unworthy slave  of  thy  almighty power  and  goodness, who am  entirely  dependent on thy  mercy; and  in  virtue of this  gift,  by  thy  grace never to  be  revoked,  I intend and desire  all  that  is  mine  to be  for  ever  thine.