Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/71

 only generally  the  Father  of all,  but  also  of  each  particularly, he  would,  nevertheless,  be called  our  Father,  to  remind us of  brotherly  charity,  without distinction  of  rank,  dignity, or  age; to  love  one another as  brothers,  and  to pray  for  all  in  common,  despising none. So speaks  Malachias. Have we  not  all  one Father ? Has not  one  God created us? Why, then, does every one  of  us  despise  his brother ? Yet nothing  for bids me at  times,  as  my  affection may  lead  me,  thus  to  address God  in  private,  because I am with  as  full  light  his adopted son,  as  if  I were  the only one.

Although God  is  in  every place, we  name  heaven  in particular,

1st. To excite  in  ourselves a reverence for  his  Majesty, which resides  in  heaven  as  its throne.

2d. To raise  our  minds  to heaven,  where  is  the  home and the  inheritance  of  the sons of  God;

3d. That we  may  understand that  here  we  are  exiles and pilgrims,  and  that  we ought  to  live  in  such  a way that our  conversation  may  be in  heaven.

4th. To remind  myself,  thither to  raise  my  eyes  and  my heart,  from  whence  only  help shall come  to  me.

Again, heaven,  and  the  peculiar  seat  of  God,  are  those holy souls  that  are  raised above the  earth,  in  which  God dwells by  grace,  and  specially illuminates them  with  the light of  his  knowledge.

So far  the  introduction;  now follow the  petitions.

Be thou  esteemed,  as  thou art, holy,  pure,  just,  true,  and good. God holds  nothing  so high  as  to  be  esteemed  and proclaimed holy. Hence he so  often  says,  Be  holy, because I am holy. Hence he  was angry with  Moses  and  Aaron, because they  had  not  sanctified him  at  the  waters  of  contradiction before  the  children of Israel. Again, the  only song of  the  blessed  is,  Holy, holy, holy,

2. He  says  not,  thy  power, or thy  majesty,  but  thy  name; to comprehend  in  one  all  that is named  by  us  which  belongs to God,  as  being  all  holy, and to  be  celebrated  accordingly. For he  is  named  almighty, wise,  creator,  and  so forth.

3. He  says,  thy  name; for it is  thy  name  only  which  is holy  in  itself,  whence  comes the drop  of  which  the  just partake. Therefore not  our, but thy. To the  king  eternal, immortal,  and  invisible, the only  God,  be  honour  and glory for  ever  and  ever; but to us  confusion  of  face. Why, then, do  we  so  anxiously  seek our own  glory,  and  a great