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 powerful, most  wise,  most good, most  holy,  and  of  infinite perfection; the  Creator of heaven  and  earth,  the  first beginning and  last  end  of  all things; and  that  by  thy  supreme providence  thou  rulest and governest  all  things. For all this  I rejoice,  and  give thee praise.

2. And  therefore,  with great joy,  and  with  my  whole heart, I praise,  extol,  magnify, and  worship  thee. Oh, that I could  praise  thee  without ceasing;  always,  and  in all  places,  as  much  as  all creatures, and  all  who  have ever been,  are,  or  shall  be ever,  extol,  magnify,  and  honour thee; or  ever  have,  or shall  be  able  to  honour  thee.

3. Nay,  further,  I desire  to offer  thee,  at  the  same  time, all those  praises  which  could have been,  are,  or  shall  be offered  thee  by  the  blessed Virgin, by  the  most  sacred humanity of  Christ,  and which innumerable  worlds, and an  infinity  of  creatures, as well  visible  as  invisible, which thy  omnipotent  hand can create,  are  able  to  bring to thee. And I desire  to render  thee  such  praises  and such honours  as  thou  knowest us to  be  able  to  render  thee, and are  thy  due.

But since  I fail  in  the power to  do  this,  I wish  at least  to  bring  thee  all  those honours and  praises  which thy grace  enables  me  to  offer thee, with  all  the  force  of  the love with  which  thou  lovest thyself: to which  I now  add, be it  what  it  may,  my  small additional meed  of  praise.

4. I congratulate  thee,  O my  God,  I rejoice,  and  am glad  with  thee,  because  thou art so  great  and  glorious, that there  is  no  creature  in heaven  or  in  earth  whose powers are  sufficient  to  praise and magnify  thee  worthily. But meantime  I rejoice,  O Lord  of  all  praise,  that  thou thyself abundantly  suppliest all that  is  wanting  to  their praises.

Thanksgiving is  the  open  acknowledgment  of  a benefit  received, directed  to  the  benefactor, as  a mark  of  requital.

1. O my  most  bountiful God, I now  acknowledge  thee to be  most  almighty,  most merciful, the  source  of  all  1 good. And I confess  that, from  the  moment  of  my  conception  to  the  present  day,  I