ALL HOPE AND TRUST ARE TO BE FIXED IN GOD ALONE
THE DISCIPLE
WHAT, Lord, is the trust which I have in this life, or what is
my greatest comfort among all the things that appear under heaven? Is
it not You, O Lord, my God, Whose mercies are without number? Where
have I ever fared well but for You? Or how could things go badly when
You were present? I had rather be poor for Your sake than rich without
You. I prefer rather to wander on the earth with You than to possess
heaven without You. Where You are there is heaven, and where You are
not are death and hell. You are my desire and therefore I must cry
after You and sigh and pray. In none can I fully trust to help me in
my necessities, but in You alone, my God. You are my hope. You are my
confidence. You are my consoler, most faithful in every need.
All seek their own interests. You, however, place my salvation
and my profit first, and turn all things to my good. Even though
exposing me to various temptations and hardships, You Who are
accustomed to prove Your loved ones in a thousand ways, order all this
for my good. You ought not to be loved or praised less in this trial
than if You had filled me with heavenly consolations.
In You, therefore, O Lord God, I place all my hope and my
refuge. On You I cast all my troubles and anguish, because whatever I
have outside of You I find to be weak and unstable. It will not serve
me to have many friends, nor will powerful helpers be able to assist
me, nor prudent advisers to give useful answers, nor the books of
learned men to console, nor any precious substance to win my freedom,
nor any place, secret and beautiful though it be, to shelter me, if
You Yourself do not assist, comfort, console, instruct, and guard me.
For all things which seem to be for our peace and happiness are
nothing when You are absent, and truly confer no happiness.
You, indeed, are the fountain of all good, the height of life,
the depth of all that can be spoken. To trust in You above all things
is the strongest comfort of Your servants.
My God, the Father of mercies, to You I look, in You I trust.
Bless and sanctify my soul with heavenly benediction, so that it may
become Your holy dwelling and the seat of Your eternal glory. And in
this temple of Your dignity let nothing be found that might offend
Your majesty. In Your great goodness, and in the multitude of Your
mercies, look upon me and listen to the prayer of Your poor servant
exiled from You in the region of the shadow of death. Protect and
preserve the soul of Your poor servant among the many dangers of this
corruptible life, and direct him by Your accompanying grace, through
the ways of peace, to the land of everlasting light. |
That all hope and trust is to be fixed in God alone
O Lord, what is my trust which I have in this
life, or what is my greatest comfort of all the things which are seen
under Heaven? Is it not Thou, O Lord my God, whose mercies are without
number? Where hath it been well with me without Thee? Or when could
it be evil whilst Thou wert near? I had rather be poor for Thy sake,
than rich without Thee. I choose rather to be a pilgrim upon the
earth with Thee than without Thee to possess heaven. Where Thou art,
there is heaven; and where Thou are not, behold there death and hell.
Thou art all my desire, and therefore must I groan and cry and
earnestly pray after Thee. In short I can confide fully in none to
give me ready help in necessities, save in Thee alone, O my God. Thou
art my hope, Thou art my trust, Thou art my Comforter, and most
faithful in all things.
2. All men seek their own;(1) Thou settest
forward only my salvation and my profit, and turnest all things unto
my good. Even though Thou dost expose me to divers temptations and
adversities, Thou ordainest all this unto my advantage, for Thou are
wont to prove Thy beloved ones in a thousand ways. In which proving
Thou oughtest no less to be loved and praised, than if Thou wert
filling me full of heavenly consolations.
3. In Thee, therefore, O Lord God, I put all my
hope and my refuge, on Thee I lay all my tribulation and anguish;
because I find all to be weak and unstable whatsoever I behold out of
Thee. For many friends shall not profit, nor strong helpers be able to
succour, nor prudent counsellors to give a useful answer, nor the
books of the learned to console, nor any precious substance to
deliver, nor any secret and beautiful place to give shelter, if Thou
Thyself do not assist, help, strengthen, comfort, instruct, keep in
safety.
4. For all things which seem to belong to the
attainment of peace and felicity are nothing when Thou art absent, and
bring no felicity at all in reality. Therefore art Thou the end of
all good, and the fulness of Life, and the soul of eloquence; and to
hope in Thee above all things is the strongest solace of Thy
servants. Mine eyes look unto Thee,(2) in Thee is my trust, O my God,
Father of mercies.
5. Bless and sanctify my soul with heavenly
blessing that it may become Thy holy habitation, and the seat of Thy
eternal glory; and let nothing be found in the Temple of Thy divinity
which may offend the eyes of Thy majesty. According to the greatness
of Thy goodness and the multitude of Thy mercies look upon me, and
hear the prayer of Thy poor servant, far exiled from Thee in the land
of the shadow of death. Protect and preserve the soul of Thy least
servant amid so many dangers of corruptible life, and by Thy grace
accompanying me, direct it by the way of peace unto its home of
perpetual light. Amen. |