Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/125

 that wisdom  which  embraces all that  can  be  devised. In thee ignorance  hath  no  place; thou knowest  all  things,  and canst not  err  nor  be  deceived, because thou  seest  all  things most perfectly  and  distinctly. All things  past,  present,  and to come,  all  things  possible and imaginable,  all  things which are  and  which  are  not, are present,  O my  God,  to thee,  and  are  set  in  thy  sacred presence.

2. Thou  art  the  original type and  stamp  of  all  things. By thy  purity  and  subtlety thou penetratest  all  things; and being  inwardly  present in them,  thou  fitly  disposest them all. But though  thou touchest and  penetratest  from end to  end,  and  from  highest to lowest,  and  enterest  most deeply into  all  things,  yet thou dost  not  in  the  least confound or  mix  thyself  up with  any. Not the  least  possible speck  defiles  thee,  but thou restest  ever  the  same  in thy  purity,  brightness,  and beauty.

3. Thou  art  the  author  and maker, the  pattern  and  idea, the measure  and  limit  of  all things. Nor art  thou  the architect only  of  the  things, seen and  unseen,  that  are, and have  received  from  thee their being,  and  the  form which thou  hast  imprinted upon them,  but  of  those  also which are  not,  yet  by  the band of  thy  almighty  power may be  made,  of  an  infinitely far greater  number  than  those which have  been  made  already.

4. Oh,  how  admirable  the wisdom that  embraces  all eternity at  once,  and  contains within itself  the  whole  of  immensity, that  draws  to  itself all infinity,  in  which  alone  all things possess  a kind  of  eternal being,  and  eternal  life, which, lastly,  is  without  beginning and  without  end,  and is in  every  respect  immutable!

5. With  the  greatest  rejoicing, I bless  thee,  O Lord,  for the depth  of  thy  wisdom,  by which  thou  art  the  searcher of hearts. I would not,  though I could, ever  so  little  obscure or lessen  thy  wisdom,  if  thou mightest thus  be  made  ignorant of  my  wickedness  and  my crimes. Nay, I would  rather myself be  destroyed  and  annihilated, than  have  thy  wisdom become  an  iota  less  than it is.

Pour forth,  O most  wise Lord, I beseech  thee,  into  my soul,  one  ray  from  the  inexhaustible source  of  thy  light, that I may  be  able  perfectly to understand  the  beauty  of virtue  and  the  ugliness  of  sin, that I may  avoid  the one  and pursue the  other,  and  love more and  more  whatever tends to  thy  everlasting  glory and honour. Amen.