that I may become bountiful, and filled with charity. Amen.
1. Thy providence, O Lord, governs all things, from the highest heaven to the lowest parts of the earth, and from the noblest of spirits to the most contemptible worm. From all eternity it has thought of all things; conceived, distinguished, and disposed them accordingly. Without it, nothing lives or dies; nothing works, moves, or is still.
Hence all irrational things are so rational in operation, and move with such order to their end; man only excepted, who, endued with free-will, and abusing it, departs often very far from the order of thy divine and particular providence, by proposing to himself other ends, which are opposed to those it has appointed him.
Yet, for all that, he cannot escape from thy universal providence; since he thus falls under the just punishments decreed to sin and sinners. Thus the order of thy divine providence is admirably apparent, even in the wicked.
2. Woe to me, that I have so often tried to escape from thy fatherly providence, and wished to live by my own foolish judgment; And therefore, while I would steal away from the hand of thy divine providence, which was conducting me to life, I was met by a thousand dangers, errors, and sins; and at the same time incurred the most just punishments, appointed to miserable sinners by the counsel of thy providence, for the greater glory of thy infinite justice. And this I incurred even against my wish, while I senselessly cast myself off from thy bounty and mercy, and — oh, wretched creature that I was! — treasured up to myself just punishments; and, while I wished to escape from the pleasant yoke of thy divine precepts, submitted myself to the most cruel slavery of devils; and, while I slighted eternal rewards, earned for myself eternal punishments.
Oh, folly, to be deplored with tears of blood. I repent, yes, with my whole heart I repent, and most humbly I entreat thy pardon.
3. By all the wonders of thy most tender providence, I implore thee, O Lord, take from me this folly, and give me the grace always to bear thy providence in sight; that whatever prosperity or adversity befalls me, I may understand whence it comes, and may take it for a great benefit from thy hand. Let
- ↑ Psal. cxxxviii. 5.
