Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/110

 I had it  through  thee,  because all my  hope  and  confidence is fixed  on  thee,  and  in  thee alone I would  have  it  fixed and confirmed,  most  good and most  sweet  Jesus,  the supreme and  final  joy  of  my heart.

And hence  it  is  that  the joy, consolation,  and  confidence that  I feel  are  so  great, that I seem  to  myself  already to hold  and  possess  the  happiness I desire,  since  I know that thy  only-begotten  Son, through whom  thou  wilt give me  so  great  a blessing, is my  Redeemer,  and  my  faithful Advocate  in  all  my  distress.

4. And,  therefore,  O almighty Father,  with  my whole  heart  I most  firmly hope  to  obtain  from  thy  infinite bounty  all  things  whatever that  are  necessary  for my salvation: first,  pardon  of all  my  sins,  however  great and enormous; secondly, strength to  overcome  all  the difficulties that  meet  me  in this  life; and  lastly,  grace  to attain  to  the  perpetual  enjoyment of  thy  most  happy presence.

And though  heaven  and earth and  all  creatures should conspire  against  me, and though  I were  even  now standing at  the  gates  of  hell, yet I would  always  hope  and trust in  thee,  O most  gracious Father, and  say  with  the  prophet, In  thee,  O Lord, have I hoped, I shall not  he  confounded for  ever. I have put my trust  in  the  Lord,  and  shall not be  weakened. Amen.

''So great  is  the  dignity  and  excellence  of  the  love  of  God, that  all  the  blessed,  and  all  things  that  are, or  can  be created, can  do  nothing  that  is  more  noble  than  to  love God. Now an  act  of  love  is,  to  wish  well  to  the  object  beloved, to  rejoice  in  the  good  which  it  has, and  lastly,  to wish  it  to  have  what  it  has  not. ''

i. Most  gracious  God  and most sweet  Lord! desiring to exercise  this  most  excellent act,  I supremely  rejoice, delight in  thee,  and  praise thee for  thy  infinite  perfections and  attributes,  because thou only  art  who  art,  the supreme infinite  good; and because thou  art  a God  unsearchable and  immeasurable, whom no  creature  can  comprehend or  adequately  know,