who has been attacking you, and your own frailty in resisting him, and say:—"See, O Lord, the creature of Thy bounty, which Thou hast made with Thy Hands, and redeemed with Thy Blood. Behold also Thine enemy, who strives to pluck it out of Thine Hand, and to devour it. To Thee, O Lord, I fly for succour, in Thee alone do I trust, for Thou art Almighty and infinitely Good, and knowest my weakness, and my proneness to yield myself up a willing captive to my enemies, unless Thou help me. Help me, therefore, my Hope, and the Strength of my soul!"
It is a virtual request, when we lift up our heart to God to gain some grace, showing Him our need without moulding our thoughts into words or sentences. When, for instance, I lift up my mind to God, and present before Him the consciousness of my own inability either to defend myself from any evil, or to perform any good action; and burning in His presence with the desire to serve Him, I humbly and faithfully await His help, and admire and intently gaze upon the Lord Himself.
This confession of our weakness, enkindled with fervent desire and faith towards God, is a prayer which virtually asks for what I want; and the more convinced we are of our weakness when we acknowledge it, and the more ardent
