Vol 01 - A PRAYER.

A PRAYER
O Lord GOD, thou Creator of heaven and earth, sanctified be thy name in me, thy poor creature, for all the works of thy hands, and especially for honoring and advancing me among the creatures which you madest. O when shall I behold thy majesty in glory unchangeable, and enjoy those excellent good things in thy house, in comparison whereof all the things that I see, both in heaven and earth, are accounted as nothing. Those are the things which no eye has seen, no ear heard, nor heart conceived, which you has', prepared for them that love thee.
If You, O Lord GOD, dost send so innumerable benefits unto me, for this corruptible body of mine, from the sky and the air, from the land and the sea, from the light and darkness, from heat and shadow, from dew and rain, from wind and showers, from snow and hail, from fowls and fishes, from beasts and cattle, from herbs and things that grow upon the earth; how excellent, how great and innumerable shall those good things be which you has prepared for them that serve and love thee, in thine heavenly kingdom; where I hope to see thee face to face!
If you dost so much for us in prison, O what wilt you do in thy palace! Great and innumerable are thy works, O Lord, you King of heaven! And they all praise thee. O let thy great mercy, by this consideration of them, be opened unto me! Shine, O shine upon me, more and more, with thy light, that it may be the more opened unto me. For by these least things I comprehend thy great things. And by these visible things I begin to comprehend thine invisible things,
O holy Lord GOD, my most good and gracious Creator. And now, since all these things, as they came forth from thee, are good and pleasant, which you has delivered to good and bad men together; what manner of things shall those be which you has laid up in store for the good only And if this our prison contains so many delectable things, how much more delectable things containeth our Father's house! For great art You, O Lord, my God; neither is there end, number, or measure of thy lovingkindness; and according to thy majesty, so is thy mercy, even over all thy works. O how great is thy house, and how large is the place of thy possession!
Great, and has no end; high, and unmeasurable. Blessed therefore be the Builder of this house; yea, blessed be the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth; and let all thy works bless thee, O Lord, and praise thee, and magnify thee for ever, with thine almighty and eternal Word, by that Spirit which filleth and reviveth all things! Amen. A PRAYER For the love of God. MOST gracious GOD, and merciful Father, the everlasting Fountain of love and goodness! behold the coldness and deadness of my love; dead to thee, but alive and strong to the vanities of this world. I have not loved thee, O blessed Father, O merciful
Redeemer, O holy and only Comforter, as I ought; though I know that you alone art worthy of my love. Pardon, O merciful Lord, the greatness of my sin, and the errors of my deluded mind. Inflict not on me that heavy punishment denounced by the apostle, "If any man love not the Lord Jesus CHRIST, let him be accursed." Extinguish in me all the love of the world. Destroy in me the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; and kindle in my soul the pure flame of Divine love, that I may love thee alone for thine own sake, and rest entirely in thee, my only good, the perfection of love, beauty, holiness, and wisdom.
Grant me grace to submit my heart, my will and understanding to thee, that I may keep thy commandments with a filial obedience; and, denying my own will, may joyfully fulfill thine, testifying thereby the sincerity of my love. O Jesu! let thy pure and perfect love inflame my frozen heart! Let thy flaming love enlighten my benighted soul! Let that exalted love of thine raise and purify my grovelling earthly heart! Let thy love strengthen and nourish all the powers and faculties of my soul and body! Grant that, being filled with this love, I may abhor every thing that is displeasing to thee, and do and suffer every thing in obedience to thy will; and confirm me in this to the end of my life! Let this pure love draw and unite me to thee, and transform my whole spirit, soul, and body into thee!
Let me think and speak of thee alone! Let me hunger and thirst after thee alone; that at last my heart may be satisfied with thy celestial sweetness, and that I may for ever abide in thee, and you in me! Grant that, from a sense of thy love, I may love all men in thee, and for thy sake, as my own self; that I may readily forgive and pray for mine enemies, doing them good for evil, and overcoming them by love Grant all this, for the immense love of the Father, my merciful Creator; of the Son, my blessed Redeemer; and of the Holy Ghost, my true and only Comforter; Amen.
THE END.