Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/68

 we have. For thou  hast  said, I will not  leave  thee,  neither will I forsake  thee; so  that  we may  confidently  say,  The  Lord is my  helper. Thou art  near,

O Lord. Let us  be  nothing solicitous, but,  every  where and in  all  things  instructed, let us  know  how  to  be  full and to  be  hungry,  to  abound and to  suffer  need. But, above all,  let  us  exercise  ourselves unto  godliness,  which  is profitable  for  all  things,  having promise  of  the  life  that now is,  and  of  that  which  is to  come.

Grant to  us  not  to  trust  in the  uncertainty  of  riches,  but in thee  the  living  God,  who givest us abundantly  all  things to enjoy;  to  do  good,  to  be rich  in  good  works,  to  give easily, to  communicate  to others,  to  lay  up  in  store  for ourselves a good  foundation against the  time  to  come,  that we may  lay  hold  on  eternal life.

Thou art  able,  O God,  to make  all  grace  abound  in  us, that, having  all  sufficiency  in all  things,  we  may  abound  to every  good  work. Thou who ministerest seed  to  the  sower, shalt also  give  bread  to  eat.6

Since in  our  flesh  dwells not that  which  is  good,  so that  the  good  which  we  will we do  not,  but  the  evil  which we will  not  that  we  do,  therefore, by  sin  reigning  in  our mortal body,  we  have  obeyed the lusts  thereof. Alas, how often have  we  yielded  our members as  instruments  of iniquity  unto  sin, and  have  despised the  riches  of  thy  goodness, and  patience,  and  long-suffering,  not  regarding  that thy benignity  leads  us  to penance; but,  according  to our  hardness  and  impenitent heart, we  have  treasured  up to  ourselves  wrath  against  the day of  wrath  and  revelation  of thy  just  judgment,  who  wilt render to  every  man  according to  his  works.

But let  thy  mercy,  O most gracious Father,  come  upon  us; and, showing  us  the  riches  of thy  glory,  make  us  vessels  of thy  mercy,  prepared  unto  thy glory;5 and  where  sin  abounded, let  grace  more  abound.

Behold, we  forbear  threatenings  to  others,  that  we  may have thee  our  Lord  propitious to  us  in  heaven. Put thou also  on  us,  as  thine  elect, the bowels  of  mercy,  benignity, humility,  modesty,  patience, that  we  may  be  kind to one  another,  compassionate, and  forgiving  one  another, even  as  thou  in  Christ hast forgiven  us; to  no  man rendering evil  for  evil; but,  if it  be  possible,  as  much  as  is