Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/54

 thou hast  refused,  and  despised all  my  counsel! What wonder, then,  if  at  last  I too am slow  to  hear,  or  altogether refuse  to  listen? Oh, how often hast  thou  closed  thy ears against  the  cry  of  the poor! And dost  thou  wonder if,  when  thou  criest,  thou art not  heard?

Man. Truly, O Lord,  I know  it  to  be  so;  and  that man is  not  justified  before God. If I would  contend with thee,  I cannot  answer thee one  for  a thousand. If I would justify  myself,  my own  mouth  will  condemn  me. I have sinned  against  heaven, and  before  thee,  and  am no  more  worthy  to  lift  up my  eyes  unto  thee. Would that my  heart  did  not  upbraid me,  great  then  would be my  confidence  towards God! If I have  looked  at iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord will not  hear  me. But who can say,  "My  heart  is  clean”? Truly,  I am  a man  of  unclean heart  and  lips; it  is  I indeed who  have  sinned,  and  done evil  before  thee.  Who  can make  him  clean  that  is  conceived of  unclean  seed? Who but  thou,  O Lord,  who  hast washed  us  in  thy  own  blood? Cleanse,  then,  my  heart  and my  lips; wash  me  yet  more from  my  iniquity,  and  cleanse me  from  my  sin.  I am  sorry from  the  bottom  of  my  heart, for  the  love  of  thee,  that  I have  offended  thee,  my  God, my  Saviour,  and  my  sovereign  good.  I have  sworn and  purposed  henceforth,  by thy  grace,  to  keep  the  judgments of  thy  justice;  especially in  . . . and . . . Despise not,  O God,  a contrite  and humbled  heart;  and  be  not angry  with  the  prayer  of  thy servant.

§ 3. Preparation for  prayer  by directing  the  intention  to  its end.

Christ. Because thou  acknowledgest  thy  sins,  I willingly forgive  them. For what the blind  man  said, "God  hears not  sinners,”  is,  in  a sound sense,  true,  namely,  of  the impenitent; for  abominable is  the  prayer  of  him  who  turns away  his  ear  from  hearing  the law.  Let  thy  sins,  then,  make thee,  not  faint-hearted,  but humble; for  the  sacrifice  most pleasing  to  me  is  an  afflicted spirit,  or  a contrite  and  humbled heart.

Consider, therefore,  well why thou  prayest; for  no  one approaches his  prince  with  a petition  without  a fixed  object. Even so  bear  strongly in mind  thy  weakness  and  thy want, and  attend  seriously  to the  reason  why  thou  wouldst speak with  me,  and  what  thou wouldst ask  of  me,  what  that is wherein  thou  needest  most my grace  and  assistance,  what special foe  thou  shouldst  attack and  strike  down  with the arms  of  prayer; that  is, what is  the  virtue  or  the  vice, to obtain  or  expel  which  thou