for my guide and rule, until I am freed from the bonds of this wretched life, and my soul, bound only with the ties of thy bounty and so exquisite favours, may respond to them by loving thee with my whole heart, by dedicating itself entirely to thee, and by binding itself entirely to thy holy service and honour.
Oh, that I may serve thee, my God, for the whole of my life; that I may think of nothing else but to do what is for thy glory, and direct to this most desirable end all my actions, my strength, and girts, as well of nature as of grace. Let my powers, both of body and mind, seek, look to, and aim at nothing else but to do thy most holy will. And oh, that I may, in some degree at least, correspond to thy infinite love, which thou hast extended to me always, that I may not be altogether ungrateful to so great a benefactor!
3. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all that is within me bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all that he hath done for thee.
Who forgiveth all thy iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion.
Who satisfieth thy desire with good things: thy youth shall be renewed like the eagle's.[1]
Bless the Lord also with me, all ye angels and archangels; all ye principalities and powers, all virtues and dominations, all thrones, cherubim and seraphim; bless, I say, and praise, and praise again without end our common Lord, because he hath not dealt with us according to our iniquities, but according to his great and fatherly mercy. Praise him, ye heavens, earth, sea, and all things that are in them, let them praise and exalt him above all for ever. Be glory, therefore, given to God by every creature. Let every creature bless and give thanks to the Lord in every place of hit dominion, now, and for ever and ever. Amen.
IX.
JUSTICE.
Thy right hand is full of justice.[2] Who knoweth the power of thy anger, and for thy fear can number thy wrath.[3]
1. None, O Lord, can truly express the number and amount of the punishments which thou hast prepared for sinners, and which, by thy almighty power, thou hast assigned to them to suffer hereafter. As thy mercy is infinite, so too is thy jus-
