Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/41

 devotions. He would  not  run  cursorily  over  it,  as  many  have the bad  habit  of  doing,  but  used  to  repeat  each  of  its  clauses twice, thrice,  or  oftener,  and  would  not  pass  on  to  the  next before he  had  thoroughly  weighed  every  word  of  the  preceding, and  had,  with  the  full  affection  of  his  heart,  imbibed from it  individually  all  the  sweetness  of  devotion. “ It is better,”  he  would  say,  “to  recite  the  Lord’s  Prayer  once only, thus  repeating  and  drawing  devotion  from  its  clauses, than to  run  through  it  cursorily  'a  hundred  times  with merely a slight  attention.”  But  on  this  point  we  would offer a few

I. There  should  be  preparation  of  the  mind. Before prayer, prepare thy  soul , and  be  not  as  a man  that  tempts God. Reflect seriously  what  thou  art  going  to  do. It is to  converse  and  treat  with  God  thy  Creator,  the  Lord  of heaven  and  earth,  to  tell  his  praises,  to  declare  to  him  thy necessities and  infirmities,  to  implore  his  assistance  and  his favours. Then how  attentively,  reverently,  religiously,  devoutly, and  humbly  ought  this  to  be  done  in  the  presence  of so  great  a Majesty!

II. Begin with  an  act  of  contrition. For God  does  not hear sinners,  nay,  he  hates  them,  as  such,  or  if  not  penitent for their  sins. How, then,  can  an  impenitent  criminal  dare to thrust  himself  into  the  presence  of  his  offended  Judge?

III. Fix on  a good  intention  beforehand,  or  rather  not one, but  many. As, for  example,  make  thy  prayer  solely for the  glory  of  God,  or  for  thy  own  and  thy  neighbours salvation; or with  the  desire  to  be  endued  with  this  or  that virtue, or  freed  from  this  or  that  fault,  &amp;c.

IV. Ask grace  to  pray  devoutly,  attentively,  and  profitably. Resolve at  the  same  time  firmly  within  thyself  not  to give  entrance,  knowingly,  to  any  thoughts  foreign  to  prayer, let them  present  themselves  ever  so  importunately,  or  under whatever form  or  pretext  of  advantage; and  to  this  end keep strict  guard  over  thy  senses,  especially  thy  eyes  and  thy ears. How easily  does  some  cause  of  disturbance  to  our peace of  mind  enter  in  at  these  gates! Choose the  spot most proper  for  prayer  and  least  liable  to  distraction. Let the posture  of  thy  body  be  such  as  will  conduce  to  devotion.