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 the
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 use hast Thou been preached. My
faith, Lord, shall call on He, which Thou hast given me, where with Thou hast
inspired me, through the
Incarnation of Thy Son, through the
ministry of the
Preacher.
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 recievest 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 had 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.
What man is he, who, weighing his own infirmity, dares to ascribe his purity and innocency to his own strength; that so he should love Thee less, as if he had less needed Thy mercy, whereby Thou remittest sins to those that turn to Thee?
--Saint Augustine