Page:ThePathToHeaven.djvu/229

 umphed over  their  enemies,  done  justice,  and  obtained the promises.

I, adore thy  infinite  greatness,  O  divine  Majesty,  whe fillest both  heaven  and  earth,  and  art  adored  by  all  the blessed spirits,  angels,  and  saints,  who,  without  ceasing, praise and  cry  out  before  thee,  "Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord God  of  Sabaoth." Is it  possible  thou  shouldst  condescend to  visit  the  mo#  unworthy  of  all  thy  servants,  and desire to  dwell  with  him? If the  heavens,  nay,  the heaven of  heavens,  cannot  contain  thee,  how  much  less this habitation,  which  I  have  prepared  for  thy  reception Thou knowest,  O  Blessed  Jesus,  how  to  conceal  the dazzling splendour  of  thy;  glory,  and  condescend  to  oar weak capacity,  that  so  thou  mayest  communicate  thyself to us  the  more  freely. This thou  didst  not  only  at  the time of  thy  adorable  incarnation,  when  thou  madest thyself like  to  the  more  forcibly  to  attract  our  love to thee;  but also  when  thou  didst  institute  this  mystery, wherein thou gavest  thyself  to  us  for,  the  food  and  nourishment of  our  souls,  the  more  closely  to  unite  us  to  thyself, and,  make  us  aspire  to  that  celestial  banquet  thou hast prepared  for  the  blessed  in  heaven. ' O  God  grant me the  grace  so  eagerly  to  long  after  this  eternal  banquet, that  the  desire  of  hereafter  enjoying  it  may  make me despise  all  the  goods  and  pleasures  of  this  life,  and labour, incessantly  to  prepare  myself,  till  I  am  happily admitted amongst  its  guests. I now  desire  to  wean my heart, entirely from all irregular  and  corrupt  affections, that I may  place  my  whole  love  and  confidence in thee  alone. For this end  I  am  firmly  resolved  to watch  over  all  my  actions,  to  flee  from  sin  and  avoid whatever may  be  displeasing  to  thee,  I  will  labour  to work  out  my  salvation  by  observing  thy  precepts,  and as I  have  resolved,  so  I  hone  to  be  faithful  to  thee;  but this resolution  I  acknowledge  myself  unable  to  perform without the  help  of  thy  grace,  which  I  most  humbly  implore. o Jesus, save  me;  conduct  me  through  the  ways of thy  commandments,  in  which  I  now  begin  to  walk,