give himself without reserve to the service of such a Master? "I thrice owe Thee all that I am, O my God!" exclaims St. Anselm. "By my creation I owe Thee all that I am. Thou hast confirmed this debt by redeeming me; and by promising to be my eternal reward, Thou dost compel me to give myself wholly to Thee. Why, then, do I not give myself to One Who has such a just claim to my service? Oh! insupportable ingratitude! Oh! invincible hardness of the human heart, which will not be softened by such benefits! Metals yield to fire; iron is made flexible in the forge; and diamonds are softened by the blood of certain animals. But oh heart more insensible than stone, harder than iron, more adamant than the diamond, wilt thou not be moved by the fire of hell, or by the benefits of the tenderest of Fathers, or by the Blood of the spotless Lamb immolated for love of thee?"
Since Thy mercy and Thy love have been so powerfully manifested for us, O Lord! how is it that there are men who do not love Thee, who forget Thy benefits or use them to offend Thee? To whom will they give their love, if they refuse it to Thee? What can touch them, if they are insensible to Thy benefits? Ah! how can I refuse to serve a God Who has so lovingly sought me and redeemed me? "And I," says our Saviour, "if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to Myself."[1] With what strength, Lord, with what chains? With the strength of My love, with the chains of My
- ↑ St. John xii. 32.
