Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/269

 My soul,  therefore,  sighs after thee,  my  eyes  look  up to  thee,  who  dwellest  in  the heavens: far be  from  me  to resolve  to  turn  my  eyes  downwards to  the  earth,  and  to choose  rather  to  toil  for worthless dirt,  than  for  thy love and  honour,  and  the  reward of  the  heavenly  life. The pursuit  of  vain  glory  is no  enjoyment  to  one  who  has the promise  of  that  which  is eternal. All things  were  by thy  apostle  esteemed  as  dung, that he  might  gain  thee. And justly  so; for  when  they are gone,  what  remains  to  us of  them  but  what  we  blush for? Oh, how  shall  we  wish hereafter, that  we  had  laboured for  thee  more  earnestly and  not  in  vain! Behold, I offer thee  my  heart, O Lord, with  an  everlasting covenant, and  dedicate  to thee  all  my  works. Be thy name blessed  and  sanctified  in me  for  ever.

Seek, then,  my son,  thy  own,  and  beware of seeking  any  other  good. Every creature  has  its  good, but seek  thou  thy  own. None is  good  but  God  above; what, then,  dost  thou  want more that  thou  hast  the  Supreme Good? There are  also inferior goods, proper,  some to one  creature  some  to  another. What other  good have cattle,  but  to  fill  their belly, be  free  from  want, sleep, live,  have  health,  and propagate their  kind? Seekest thou  such  a good  as  this, thou co-heir  of  the  Son  of God? Dost thou,  then,  rejoice  in  being  companion  to the  beasts? No, rather  elevate thy  hope  to  him  who  is the  Good  of  all  goods.

. It  is  good  for  me  to adhere  to  thee,  my  God,  and to place  in  thee  my  hope,  for thou art  the  Supreme  Good. Freely will  I sacrifice  to  thee, and give  praise  to  thy  name, O Lord,  because  it  is  good. For beside  thee,  what  have  I in  heaven,  or  what  have  I desired  upon  earth?

Meantime I do not  altogether  forbid  thee to make  use  of  the  inferior goods, which  are  my  other creatures, for  I have  not made them  for  nought;  but know that  they  are  all  to  be used,  loved,  or  pursued,  only so far  as  they  may  be  aids  or means  to  the  attainment  of thy  own  end. Happy is  he who  from  every  created  thing elicits a motive  of  love  for  the Creator, and  who  makes  of the  creatures  a ladder  to  heaven, which  otherwise  become a snare to  the  feet  of  the  unwise.

. All  the  things,  O Lord,  which  thou  hast  created for  my  sake,  I esteem very beautiful  and  good; but how  much  more  beautiful, excellent,  and  lovely  art thou, their  creator! If one drop and  particle  of  good  is