DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3689#0243
a Devout and Holy Life. 241
Chapter XXIL
Recommending Devotion at three o'clock,
called in Scripture the ninth hour of the
day. The subject of prayer at this hour, is
resignation to the divine pleasure. The
nature and duty of conformity to the will of
God, in all our actions and designs.
I HAVE recommended certain subjects, to be made the fixed
and chief matter of your Devotions, at all the hours of
prayer that have been already considered.
As thanksgiving, and oblation of yourself to God, at
your first prayers in the morning. At nine, the great virtue
of Christian humility is to be the chief part of your petitions.
At twelve, you are called upon to pray for all the graces of uni-
versal love, and to raise it in your heart by such general and
particular intercessions, as your own state, and relation to other
people, seem more particularly to require of you.
At this hour of the afternoon, you are desired to consider the
necessity of resignation and conformity to the will of God, and to
make this great virtue the principal matter of your prayers.
There is nothing wise, or holy, or just, but the great will of
God. This is as strictly true in the most rigid sense, as to say,
that nothing is infinite and eternal but God.
No beings therefore, whether in Heaven, or on earth, can he
wise, or holy, or just, but so far as they conform to this will of
God. It is conformity to this will, that gives virtue and perfec-
tion to the highest services of angels in Heaven ; and it is con-
formity to the same will, that makes the ordinary actions of men
on earth, become an acceptable service unto God.
The whole nature of virtue consists in conforming, and the
whole nature of vice in declining from the will of God. All
God's creatures are created to fulfil his will; the Sun and Moon
obey his will, by the necessity of their nature ; Angels conform
to his will, by the perfection of their nature : If therefore you
would show yourself, not to be a rebel and apostate from the
order of the creation, you must act like beings both above and
below you ; it must be the great desire of your soul, that God's
will may be done by you on earth, as it is done in heaven. It
16
Chapter XXIL
Recommending Devotion at three o'clock,
called in Scripture the ninth hour of the
day. The subject of prayer at this hour, is
resignation to the divine pleasure. The
nature and duty of conformity to the will of
God, in all our actions and designs.
I HAVE recommended certain subjects, to be made the fixed
and chief matter of your Devotions, at all the hours of
prayer that have been already considered.
As thanksgiving, and oblation of yourself to God, at
your first prayers in the morning. At nine, the great virtue
of Christian humility is to be the chief part of your petitions.
At twelve, you are called upon to pray for all the graces of uni-
versal love, and to raise it in your heart by such general and
particular intercessions, as your own state, and relation to other
people, seem more particularly to require of you.
At this hour of the afternoon, you are desired to consider the
necessity of resignation and conformity to the will of God, and to
make this great virtue the principal matter of your prayers.
There is nothing wise, or holy, or just, but the great will of
God. This is as strictly true in the most rigid sense, as to say,
that nothing is infinite and eternal but God.
No beings therefore, whether in Heaven, or on earth, can he
wise, or holy, or just, but so far as they conform to this will of
God. It is conformity to this will, that gives virtue and perfec-
tion to the highest services of angels in Heaven ; and it is con-
formity to the same will, that makes the ordinary actions of men
on earth, become an acceptable service unto God.
The whole nature of virtue consists in conforming, and the
whole nature of vice in declining from the will of God. All
God's creatures are created to fulfil his will; the Sun and Moon
obey his will, by the necessity of their nature ; Angels conform
to his will, by the perfection of their nature : If therefore you
would show yourself, not to be a rebel and apostate from the
order of the creation, you must act like beings both above and
below you ; it must be the great desire of your soul, that God's
will may be done by you on earth, as it is done in heaven. It
16