Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/67

 our knees  to  thee  the  Father of our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that thou wouldst  grant  us,  according to  the  riches  of  thy glory, to  be  strengthened  by thy  spirit  with  might  unto the inward  man; that  Christ may dwell  by  faith  in  our hearts, and  that  sin  may  not reign in  our  mortal  body. For thou hast  delivered  us  from the power  of  darkness,  and hast translated  us  into  the kingdom of  the  Son  of  thy love. For we  know,  if  our earthly house  of  this  habitation be  dissolved,  that  we  have a building of  God,  a house  not made with  hands,  eternal  in heaven. For while  we  are  in the  body,  we  are  absent  from the Lord;  therefore,  we  have a desire to  be  dissolved,  and to be  with  Christ.

For which  cause  we  faint not, but  though  our  outward man is  corrupted,  yet  the  inward man  is  renewed  day  by day. For that  which  is  at present  momentary  and  light of our  tribulation,  works  for  us above  measure  exceedingly  an eternal  weight  of  glory,  while we look  not  at  the  things which are  seen,  but  at  the things which  are  not  seen. For the  things  which  are  seen are temporal; but  the  things which are  not  seen  are  eternal.

For it  is  thou,  O Lord,  who workest in  us  both  to  will and to  accomplish,  according to thy  good  will. Make us, therefore, to  be  filled  with the knowledge  of  thy  will in all  wisdom,  and  spiritual understanding, that  we  may walk worthy  of  thee,  in  all things pleasing  thee. For this is  thy  will,  our  sanctification.

Let us  not  be  conformed  to this  world,  but  reformed  in the  newness  of  our  mind,  that we may  prove  what  is  the good, and  the  acceptable,  and the perfect  will  of  God,  for our will  to  good  is  too  weak of itself. For we  are  not  sufficient to  think  any  thing  of ourselves,  rs  of  ourselves,  but our sufficiency  is  from  God. Give us  thy  grace,  that  we may  accomplish  the  same  from our heart,  as  do  thy  ministering spirits,  sent  to  minister for them  who  shall  receive the inheritance  of  salvation.

Godliness with  contentment is great  gain. For we  brought nothing into  this  world,  and certainly we  can  carry  nothing out. Having, then,  food and clothing,  with  these  let  us be  content.

Let our  manners,  then,  be without  covetousness,  being contented with  such  things  as