superfluous love of creatures, persuading myself to this by the motive aforesaid, and by others that I may inquire out with my reasoning, especially by that of the Divine Providence which most carefully assists those that wholly resign themselves into the hands of God, " casting (as St. Peter says) all their cares upon Him," [1] to serve Him with the greater perfection. For it is most certain that Christ our Lord will fulfil His word which He gave us when he said: " Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you;" [2] as if He should have said, " First seek the kingdom of God, which is your final end, and its justice, which are the means to obtain it, and thus doing, be assured that the providence of your heavenly Father will provide you temporal things necessary to sustain your life."
3. But because with my own powers I am not able to attain to this resignation, I must have recourse to Him that can give them me, framing some colloquy with our Lord, and saying to Him very earnestly: —
Colloquy. — I confess, O my God, that my heart very much cleaves and is tied to creatures with inordinate love: seeing, therefore, I am so wretched and feeble that, having fastened myself to creatures, I cannot unfasten me; favour me with Thy omnipotence in my weakness, destroying this connexion, and weeding out from me this inordinate love, that I may love Thee, and serve Thee with all my heart and with all my powers. For Thou art my love and my repose, to whom be honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
(The matter of these three points shall be handled more at large in the sixth part.)
