Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/63

 holiness of  our  conduct  declare it  so. Let all  our  actions and  behaviour  be  so framed,  that  they  who  see  our conversation and  the  works that we  do,  may  glorify  thee, our Father  in  heaven.

Let this  be  fixed  in  our heart, frequent  in  our  mouth, and acceptable  in  our  work: HALLOWED BE  THY  NAME.

Here is  a most  easy  exercise of  purity  of  intention,  to be  practised  frequently  during the  day.

After this  primary  desire, the next  is  that  of  the  glory of God  relatively  to  ourselves, that we  may  enjoy  it  as  our highest good. And this  affection takes  its  birth  from  the love of  God,  since  by  it  we love  ourselves  in  God;  thence we pray,

We ask  this,  O Lord,  because we  are  here  strangers and exiles  from  our  country, shut out  from  the  most  sweet presence of  our  dear  Father, and overloaded  with  the  heavy yoke of  the  prince  of  this world. Make us  to  pant after thee  in  heaven  with  our whole heart. Permit us  not to love  the  world  or  the things that  are  in  the  world, but to  have  a taste  for  and to seek  the  things  that  are above. But when  the  end  of our  pilgrimage  here  is  come, make us  to  despise  with  a calm  and  joyful  mind  this kingdom of  the  world  and  all its pomps,  and  seek  the  kingdom that  is  above  with  an ardent  desire; that  so  we  may find with  joy  that  inheritance which has  been  prepared  for us from  the  beginning  of  the world, where  thou  wilt  grant us to  enjoy  thee,  and  with thee eternal  glory  for  ever.

Now to  obtain  the  Supreme Good, we have  need  of  some other goods  besides, as  means and props. Of these,  obedience to  the  commands  of  God is the  chief. For he  who  does not his  will,  is  not  fit  for  the kingdom of  God; and  he  who keeps not  the  commandments, merits not  to  enter  into  life. But without  his  aid  who  commands us,  how  shall  we  be able  to  keep  them? Hence we rightly  pray.

For thou,  O Lord,  knowest that, because  the  flesh  is  weak, prone to  evil,  and  wars  against the spirit,  our  spirit,  though ready, finds  not  how  to  do  thy will. For the  body,  which  is corrupted,  weighs  down  the mind, so  that  from  his  youth man’s senses  are  almost  always more  violently  inclined to evil  than  to  good. And hence it  is  that  we  often  know not what  to  pray  for,  or  how to pray, or  what  is  best  for us. But thou  knowest  this most perfectly,  because  thou knowest all  things. Make us, therefore, to  know  what  thou wouldest have  us  to  do,  and so direct  our  wills  by  thy  effi-