Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/568

 to  those  who  work  well  in  it, give at  length  the  possession of thy  Kingdom.

O God, who  crushest  wars, and by  the  might  of  thy  defence defeatest  the  assailants of them  that  hope  in  thee; assist thy  faithful,  who  invoke the  defence  of  thy  most invincible Wounds,  that  the fierceness of  our  enemies being brought  low,  and  all their hostility  scattered,  we may  praise  thee  with  ceaseless thanksgiving. Who livest and reignest  with  God  the Father in  the  unity  of  the Holy Ghost,  God  world  without end. Amen.

So wonderful  are  the  praises, great  the  privileges  of  this honey-dropping Name, as  to merit  that  every  one  who  would be truly  Christian  should cling to  it  with  the  highest honour and  love. It is  in  this Name that  we  pray  for  and obtain whatever  we  desire.  If you  ask  the  Father  any thing in  my  Name,  he  will give it  you. But let  us  hear the praises  of  this  honey-dropping Name  from  the  Doctor whose  words  drop  honey.

Jesus, he  says, is  honey  to the  mouth,  melody  to  the  ear, joy, nay,  and  medicine  also, to the  heart. Is any  one  of  us sad? Let Jesus  come  into  his heart, and  leap  up  thence  to his  lips. Behold, at  the  rising light of  this  Name  are  all  the clouds Scattered,  and  calmness returns  to  the  sky.

If any  one  fall  into  sin,  does he by  despairing  rush  also  into the snare  of  death? No; but if he  invoke  the  name  of  Life, shall he  not  instantly  breathe again and  live?

Whose hardness  of  heart, or indolence,  such  as  often exists, or  dull  or  sluggish indifference, has  ever  withstood successfully  this  saving Name? Whose is  that  dried-up  fountain  of  tears,  which, at the  invocation  of  Jesus, has not  at  once  the  more abundantly sprung  forth?

Nothing restrains  so  much the sudden  impulse  of  anger, allays the  swelling  of  pride, heals the  wound  of  envy, extinguishes the  flame  of lust,  quenches  the  thirst  of avarice,  and  banishes  all  that is unseemly  in  desire.

For when  I name  Jesus,  I set  before  myself  a man  meek