Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/129

 praise thee,  and  with  silent voices celebrate  thy  bounty. ''The heavens show  forth  the glory  of  God, and  the  firmament  declareth  the  work  of his  hands. ''

2. But  thy  bounty  shines far the  most  gloriously  forth in the  human  race. Thou hast created  us  to  thy  own image and  likeness,  and  hast imprinted on  us  the  mark  of thy  countenance. Thou hast given us  understanding,  memory, and  will,  by  which  we are  made  capable  of  thy  divine glory and  happiness. Thou hast also  provided  us  with divine aids  and  graces,  that we might  merit  and  obtain such eminent  blessings. Thou hast assigned  us  angels  to  be our  guardians  and  rulers. Lastly, thou  hast  created  the whole world,  and  hast  given it us,  stored  abundantly  with good things,  to  shelter  and to comfort  us. What greater benefits than  these,  what more astonishing  bounty,  can be imagined  or  devised? Especially, when thou  hast  made all these  things  in  order  to bring  us  safely  by  means  of them  to  the  heavenly  mansions, and  to  make  us  partakers of  thy  own  happiness.

3. Therefore,  whatever  I am,  and  whatever  I can  do, I return thee  thanks,  O Lord, with innumerable  thanksgivings, for  such  extraordinary bounty, and  invite  all  creatures to  praise  and  bless  thee. ''All ye  works  of  the  Lord, bless  the  Lord,  praise  and exalt  him  above  all  for  ever. ''

4. I rejoice,  O Lord,  that thou art  so  bountiful,  and givest even  thyself,  throwing thyself as  it  were  away,  to base  and  worthless  things; that thou  delightest  to  help the weak,  to  raise  up  the fallen, and  exalt  the*  humble. Wherever necessity,  poverty, or misery  is  most  pressing, there thou  displayest  ever  the true character  01  bounty,  in pouring  out  the  most  liberally thy  treasures,  and  the most readily  bringing  thy  aid.

5. I am  grieved  and  sorry that I have  not  followed  the example of  this  thy  bounty; that I have  been  cruel,  harsh, and unkind  towards  my  neighbour, and  have  not  employed for his  relief  the  blessings, mental and  worldly,  that  I possess,  but  often  the  very reverse. I now, therefore, most humbly  beg  pardon  of thee  with  my  whole  heart; and, by  thy  help,  I propose to amend  this  vice  of  illiberality,  and  to  be  kind,  sweet-tempered,  and  amiable  towards all;  and  this  through the desire  of  following  the  example of  thy  divine  bounty.

And because  thy  love  proximately  and  immediately  flows from thy  bounty,  and  extends itself to  all  thy  creatures,  by which  thou  wilt  have  them partakers with  thee  of  thy blessings, I implore  thee  to inflame  my  heart  with  its  fire,