Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/127

 goodness, which,  clearly  seen, is thyself,  O Lord,  the  sweetest and  highest  good!

5. Draw  my  soul  to  thyself, O perfect  beauty,  and bind it  fast  to  thee  by  the  indissoluble chain  and  bond  of eternal  love! What shall  I seek  and  desire  beyond  thee, who art  the  fulness  of  all good, the  source,  the  end,  the sweetness, the  strength,  and marrow of  all  good! Farewell, all other  things,  that  I may  ever  love  and  think  of thee,  praise  and  bless  thee, and serve  thee  only,  with  all the powers  of  my  soul,  and for the  whole  of  my  life. Let all  transitory  things  be to  me  worthless  or  precious, only as  far  as  they  agree with thy  goodness. Perfect me according  to  thy  most •excellent will  in  the  thought and love  of  thee. Transform me completely  into  thyself, that  I may  become  one spirit with  thee,  and  live  no longer  to  myself,  but  to  thee. Amen.

1. O Lord  my  God,  thou art called  holy  in  many  ways. 1. because  thy  essence  is  the first root  and  origin  of  all holiness and  purity. 2. Because it  is  the  object  and measure of  all  holiness. In a word, thou  art  the  efficient cause, the  form,  the  pattern, and the  end  of  all  the  brightness of  holiness  that  is  found in creatures. Thou art  holy in thyself,  in  thy  very  essence; that  is,  with  a formal, objective, and'  fundamental holiness. So perfect  is  thy holiness, that  nothing  can possibly be  added  or  taken from it,  because  it  is  a holiness that  is  essential  and  universal.

2. I greatly  rejoice  in  thy holiness, the  essential  source of all  beauty  and  purity,  from which all  intellectual  creatures derive  their  holiness  % and purity. This holiness thou hast  set  out  for  our imitation, but  not  thy  power, nor thy  wisdom,  nor  the height of  thy  majesty,  when thou saidst. Be holy, because I am holy.1  Thou  dost  not, however, require  of  us  such holiness as  the  height  of thy  own  holiness  demands; but only  such  an  image  of  it as  the  weakness  of  our  nature may  be  capable  of  by the  assistance  of  thy  grace.

3. I venerate,  honour,  admire, and  love  thy  holiness and purity,  because  all  love, honour, and  reverence  are due to  thee. Thy presence sanctifies, and  has  sanctified the whole  world;  so  that, whichever way  I turn  myself,

I see thee  present,  and  I venerate,  praise,  honour,  and bless thee,  who  art  every-