Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/134

 2. Nothing, therefore, ought to  be  more  my  care and study  than  to  be  united to thee  in  vision,  love,  and joy; because,  in  this  union consists both  my  highest  good, and thy  highest  glory. In comparison of  this  greatest good, I look  upon  all  the  delights and  allurements  of  this life as  mere  filth  and  dung. And, from  this  moment,  I direct  to  this  end  all  my thoughts,  works,  and  desires, nor will  I be  wearied  or  desist until  I arrive  at  it.

3. But  since  of  myself  I am incapable  of  so  great  a good, I have recourse  to  thee,  O most  merciful  God,  of  thy boundless goodness,  by  which thou hast  created  the  world, and becamest  man,  and  for sum’s sake  hast  willingly  subjected thyself  to  death; and by thy  other  infinite  blessings bestowed upon  me,  and  by thy  eternal  will,  by  which thou hast  freely  predestined me to  so  sublime  a height  of glory,  not  to  close  against  me the  overflowing  fountain  of thy  goodness,  while  I still have time  to  do  good,  most  ungrateful and  negligent  though I am. But let  this  rather incite thee,  the  weaker  I am, the more  to  assist  and  protect me. Remember, I beseech thee, the  end  to  which  thou hast destined  me  from  all eternitv, that  thy  most  holy counsel and  desire  may  not be frustrated  in  me.

4. Enlighten  my  mind  by the  light  of  thy  Holy  Spirit, that by  his  guidance  I may  be able  to  understand  perfectly the vanity  of  this  world,  and to see  clearly  the  dangers  that lurk in  it. And that  I may understand also,  on  the  other hand, the  greatness,  excellence, and  sweetness  of  the infinite blessings  which  thou hast prepared  for  me  in  thyself, for  which  I thank  thee with my  whole  heart,  and willingly renounce  all  vanity.

5. Grant,  O my  Lord,  that my mind  may  entertain  no other  thought,  and  my  understanding receive  no  stronger impression than  that  of  my last  end; that,  despising  universally all  perishable  and temporal things,  I may  quickly raise  myself  to  the  love  of eternal  things,  and  to  the  desire of  this  my  last  and  happy end.

Let my  good  desires  never fail, nor  my  sighs  and  groans never cease  for  that  happy home. And grant  that  I may never cease  from  fighting against myself,  as  I now  propose to  do,  until  I reach  the end of  my  course,  when  all the saints  shall  repose  in  thee, their chief  good  and  last  end, bv vision,  love,  and  unspeakable comfort,  when  they  have attained the  completion  of their  purpose,  and  the  fulfilment of  the  desire  they  had so wished  and  waited  for; that is  to  say,  their  last  end and highest  good,  for  which they have  so  heroically  fought,