GREAT art Thou, O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is Thy
power, and Thy wisdom infinite. And Thee would man praise; man,
but a particle of Thy creation; man, that bears about him his
mortality, the witness of his sin, the witness that Thou resistest
the proud: yet would man praise Thee; he, but a particle of Thy
creation. Thou awakest us to delight in Thy praise; for Thou madest
us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it repose in
Thee. Grant me, Lord, to know and understand which is first, to
call on Thee or to praise Thee? and, again, to know Thee or to
call on Thee? for who can call on Thee, not knowing Thee? for
he that knoweth Thee not, may call on Thee as other than Thou
art. Or, is it rather, that we call on Thee that we may know Thee?
but how shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
or how shall they believe without a preacher? and they that seek
the Lord shall praise Him: for they that seek shall find Him,
and they that find shall praise Him. I will seek Thee, Lord, by
calling on Thee; and will call on Thee, believing in Thee; for
to us hast Thou been preached. My faith, Lord, shall call on Thee,
which Thou hast given me, wherewith Thou hast inspired me, through
the Incarnation of Thy Son, through the ministry of the Preacher.
And how shall I call upon my God, my God and Lord, since, when
I call for Him, I shall be calling Him to myself? and what room
is there within me, whither my God can come into me? whither can
God come into me, God who made heaven and earth? is there, indeed,
O Lord my God, aught in me that can contain Thee? do then heaven
and earth, which Thou hast made, and wherein Thou hast made me,
contain Thee? or, because nothing which exists could exist without
Thee, doth therefore whatever exists contain Thee? Since, then,
I too exist, why do I seek that Thou shouldest enter into me,
who were not, wert Thou not in me? Why? because I am not gone
down in hell, and yet Thou art there also. For if I go down into
hell, Thou art there. I could not be then, O my God, could not
be at all, wert Thou not in me; or, rather, unless I were in Thee,
of whom are all things, by whom are all things, in whom are all
things? Even so, Lord, even so. Whither do I call Thee, since
I am in Thee? or whence canst Thou enter into me? for whither
can I go beyond heaven and earth, that thence my God should come
into me, who hath said, I fill the heaven and the earth.
Do the heaven and earth then contain Thee, since Thou fillest
them? or dost Thou fill them and yet overflow, since they do not
contain Thee? And whither, when the heaven and the earth are filled,
pourest Thou forth the remainder of Thyself? or hast Thou no need
that aught contain Thee, who containest all things, since what
Thou fillest Thou fillest by containing it? for the vessels which
Thou fillest uphold Thee not, since, though they were broken,
Thou wert not poured out. And when Thou art poured out on us,
Thou art not cast down, but Thou upliftest us; Thou art not dissipated,
but Thou gatherest us. But Thou who fillest all things, fillest
Thou them with Thy whole self? or, since all things cannot contain
Thee wholly, do they contain part of Thee? and all at once the
same part? or each its own part, the greater more, the smaller
less? And is, then, one part of Thee greater, another less? or,
art Thou wholly every where, while nothing contains Thee wholly?
What art Thou then, my God? what, but the Lord God? For who is
Lord but the Lord? or who is God save our God? Most highest, most
good, most potent, most omnipotent; most merciful, yet most just;
most hidden, yet most present; most beautiful, yet most strong;
stable, yet incomprehensible; unchangeable, yet all-changing;
never new, never old; all-renewing, and bringing age upon the
proud, and they know it not; ever working, ever at rest; still
gathering, yet nothing lacking; supporting, filling, and overspreading;
creating, nourishing, and maturing; seeking, yet having all things.
Thou lovest, without passion; art jealous, without anxiety; repentest,
yet grievest not; art angry, yet serene; changest Thy works, Thy
purpose unchanged; receivest again what Thou findest, yet didst
never lose; never in need, yet rejoicing in gains; never covetous,
yet exacting usury. Thou receivest over and above, that Thou mayest
owe; and who hath aught that is not Thine? Thou payest debts,
owing nothing; remittest debts, losing nothing. And what have
I now said, my God, my life, my holy joy? or what saith any man
when he speaks of Thee? Yet woe to him that speaketh not, since
mute are even the most eloquent.
Oh! that I might repose on Thee! Oh! that Thou wouldest enter
into my heart, and inebriate it, that I may forget my ills, and
embrace Thee, my sole good? What art Thou to me? In Thy pity,
teach me to utter it. Or what am I to Thee that Thou demandest
my love, and, if I give it not, art wroth with me, and threatenest
me with grievous woes? Is it then a slight woe to love Thee not?
Oh! for Thy mercies' sake, tell me, O Lord my God, what Thou art
unto me. Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. So speak, that
I may hear. Behold, Lord, my heart is before Thee; open Thou the
ears thereof, and say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. After
this voice let me haste, and take hold on Thee. Hide not Thy face
from me. Let me die--lest I die--only let me see Thy face.