DE MODO ORANDI

• 977A

To his most dear lord and father H. Receive, I pray you, this little gift of my love with that same kindness with which I know myself to have offered it in devotion. I have sent to your charity a brief treatise on the power of prayer, written though it be in unpolished speech, in which you have set out distinctly in what ways the mind of one praying is kindled through compunction amid the words of his prayers; and it is shown also why those Scriptures which have not the form of a petition are brought forth by us, in the course of praying, when we ask for our own salvation or for that of others. Being about to ask for prayer, therefore, I have written concerning prayer; and the more perfectly you have already tasted its sweetness through long zeal of piety, the more gladly ought you both to receive the gift and 977Bto bestow the gift. Farewell.

With what zeal and with what affection God is to be prayed to by us, we can consider from our own misery and at the same time from his mercy. For what would more effectually rouse a man to the zeal of prayer than the misery and calamity of so great evils, to which he is bound over and by which he is pressed? And what would more pleasantly draw him to the practice of prayer than the mercy of his Maker, which amid his evils he so often experiences? Lest, then, the human mind be sluggish in praying, on this side it is compelled by its own need; and lest it pray tremblingly and mistrustfully, on that side it is called forth by the loving-kindness of God. By these two wings — namely, the misery of man and the mercy 977Cof the Redeemer — prayer is lifted up; for while the mind by the alternate consideration of these unceasingly rouses itself to devotion, it is borne aloft by a certain impulse of spiritual desire, and flies. So necessary, then, is holy meditation to prayer, that prayer cannot be perfect at all if meditation does not accompany or precede it. For those also who neglect to consider their own evils are easily deceived through ignorance, either by asking nothing or by asking otherwise than they ought; or else, by asking less worthily than they ought, they grow lukewarm through sloth. First, therefore, it is necessary, if we wish to pray to the Lord prudently and profitably, that we exercise our mind with unbroken meditation, and in the consideration of our misery learn what it is necessary 977Dfor us to ask; but in the consideration of the mercy of our God, with what desire we ought to ask. Let us consider how brief our life is, how slippery the way, how uncertain death. Let us consider that we entered this life weeping, that we pass through it with sorrow, and that we are to go out of it with mourning. Let us consider with how great bitternesses it is mingled, if anything even sweet or pleasant along the way of this life sports with us as it meets us; 978Ahow deceitful, how suspect, how unstable, how transitory is whatever the love of this world brings forth, whatever temporal show and beauty promises. Some evils there are with which we are born, and from which, in the course of time, we are set free, whether by the hidden grace of God or by manifest diligence. But others come with us into this life, and do not depart from us before death. There are likewise other evils which grow upon us in time, and again in the passing of time go away. And others we contract after our birth, and do not rid ourselves of before death. And who could enumerate all the evils of this life? For, that we may pass over those evils which oppress all men in common, of what sort do we reckon the secret perils of individuals to be, of which each man is conscious to himself? If anyone 978Bshould be willing to consider what evils he has done from his earliest years, and what he has endured, and should set before his eyes the times past and the days of his life, and should diligently consider how many empty labors he has borne, how often for the love of this life he has sweated in vain, how often in toilsome attempts he has found deceptive outcomes, and after long runnings to and fro has not yet attained any rest at all — he will know what he can judge concerning this life. But when he considers the hardship of this life, let him attend also to what the pleasantness and sweetness of the heavenly country is, and let him weigh what he has found, what he has lost, where he lies, whence he has fallen, so that from both he may understand how much he must mourn in this exile. For hence Solomon says: He that addeth knowledge, addeth also sorrow (Eccle. I), because the more a man understands his own evils, the more deeply 978Che sighs and groans. Lastly, it remains that in the remembrance of our evils we call to mind also the mercy of God, because we seek his compassions for the future with the more confidence if we consider how he has had mercy upon us in the past. Let us call back to memory the good things which he has bestowed, and that he has often mercifully snatched us out when we were set in perils; and that he could never be overcome by our sins so as to withhold his mercy; that he admonished of himself those who had forgotten him, called back those who had turned away from him, kindly received those who came to him, pardoned the penitent, guarded the persevering, held up those who stood, raised the fallen, changed evil delights into bitternesses, yet again bestowed his consolations upon those thus wholesomely embittered. And lastly he restores rest and perfect peace to those purged by tribulation — he who was never wanting to sinners, 978Dto correct them, nor to the just, to guard them. Whoever has exercised his mind with meditations of this sort before the time of prayer comes to prayer neither, perhaps, unprovided nor lukewarm. For assiduous meditation begets knowledge; and knowledge, once begotten, drives out ignorance and begets compunction; and compunction, once begotten, puts sloth to flight and 979Abegets devotion; and devotion perfects prayer. It is knowledge, when a man is enlightened unto the recognition of himself. It is compunction, when from the consideration of his own evils the heart is touched with inward grief. Devotion is a loving and humble affection toward God, which is generated out of compunction. For the mind, terrified by the greatness of its own evils, and mistrusting its own strength, turns itself to God. And it seeks his protection the more ardently, the more plainly it sees that nothing has been left to it outside God in which it might trust. Devotion, therefore, is a turning to God with a loving and humble affection. For it is humble from the consciousness of its own weakness; it is loving from the consideration of the divine clemency. This has within itself the three principal virtues: faith, hope, charity. For a man would not turn himself to God by devotion 979Bunless he believed that he could be saved by him, and hoped that he was willing to show mercy. Lastly, unless he loved that mercy more than his own evils, he would by no means, fleeing them, choose a refuge for himself in him. He believes, then, and hopes, and loves. He believes in his power, hopes in his mercy, loves his keeping. Prayer, therefore, is nothing else than devotion of the mind, that is, a turning to God through a loving and humble affection, supported by faith, hope, and charity. But because the mind is kindled through devotion in many ways, and again because that same devotion of the mind is uttered by the voice in various ways, we ought to distinguish severally certain kinds of prayer, that we may be able more plainly to point out its power.

• 979C

There are three kinds of prayer: supplication, postulation, intimation. Supplication is a humble and devout entreaty without any determination of the petition. Postulation is an indefinite narration attached to a determinate petition. Intimation is a signifying of the will made without petition, by narration alone. There are three sorts of supplication: captatio, exaction, and pure prayer. Captatio is that which is done before the postulation, to prepare and incline the mind of the hearer; and this we do in three ways. First, when we say something which commends our person or our cause, recounting either our merit, or our weakness, or something else which may avail to commend our cause or person with him to whom we offer our petition. 979DThe second way of captatio is when we bring forward something in praise of him whom we entreat, by which we signify that he is dear and acceptable in our mind, so that by our love we may in turn deserve his love. The third way of captatio is when we say something by which the cause or the person of our adversary is lowered in the hearer's mind, so that it may seem worthy rather of hatred than of love. In these three ways captatio is made. And Holy Scripture is wont very frequently to use this sort of supplication. For we do this whenever we sing the praises of God, whenever we recount our own weakness, whenever we recount the malice of our adversaries. And altogether whatever is worthy of God's ears and suited to our need, we speak forth before the pronouncing of the petition. 980AExaction is that which is wont to be done after the postulation has been made, when — lest our petition fall into forgetfulness with him — we frequently make the hearer mindful of it by a certain importunity, so to speak, and insistence. And this remembrance is seen to be renewed in three ways, namely, when we say something over again either about his person, or about our own person, or about our cause, whereby we may renew either ourselves, or our cause and petition, in his mind. This sort of supplicating, importunate as it seems among men, is with God just so pleasing and praiseworthy. It is pure prayer when, out of the abundance of devotion, the mind is so kindled that, when it has turned itself to God about to make its postulation, it forgets even its own petition for the greatness of his love; and while it vehemently longs to enjoy the love of him whom 980Bit sees, and desires now to be wholly at leisure for him, it willingly sets aside even the care of that for which it came. This sort of praying is in a form of its own; and as it is unique above all the rest, so with God it is above all the rest precious. But among these three sorts of supplication, captatio holds the lowest place, exaction the middle, and pure prayer the highest and most excellent. For captatio has fear, exaction confidence, and pure prayer perfect love. It is also to be known that supplication is sometimes made by nouns alone, as is that: My mercy, my refuge, my upholder, my deliverer, my God, my helper (Psal. CXLIII). Sometimes by verbs alone, as are: look upon, have mercy, be appeased, attend and do. Sometimes by nouns and verbs together, 980Cas is that: Give ear, O Lord, to my words, understand my cry. Hearken to the voice of my prayer, my king and my God (Psal. V). But that sort of supplication which is made by nouns alone — the more imperfect it is outwardly in its signification, the more is it inwardly full of an abundance of love. For affection has this property, that the greater and more fervent it is within, the less can it be unfolded outwardly by the voice. But that sort of supplication which is expressed by verbs alone indicates indeed a lesser devotion than this, yet a greater than that which is pronounced by nouns and verbs together, that is, with full signification. That, therefore, which is made by nouns alone seems to pertain to pure prayer; that which is by verbs 980Dalone, to exaction; that which is by nouns and verbs together, to captatio. So that pure prayer is the more turned into jubilation, and draws near to God, arrives more swiftly, and obtains more effectually.

Postulation is an indefinite narration attached to a determinate petition, as is that: Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit within my bowels (Psal. L). This is made in three ways: by beseeching, by asking, by simply postulating. It is beseeching when a more urgent necessity compels us to press upon our prayers more devoutly. In middling causes we ask; in the least we simply postulate. These three, therefore, have their own differences, because to beseech is the most excellent, to ask the middle, and simply to postulate the least. Intimation is 981Aa signifying of the will made without petition, by narration alone. This also is made in three ways: by fear, by confidence, by contempt. It is made by fear when either the cause we plead is great, or the person whom we ask is great, as is that: Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died (Joan. XI). For she wished to ask that the Lord would raise up her dead brother; but because she was afraid, by reason of the greatness of the cause and the reverence of the person, she chose rather to intimate than to postulate. Lord, she says, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. She said that whereby her will might be understood, yet her rashness not be reprehended, so that either, not being heard, she might not suffer the reproach of a refusal, or, being heard, she might obtain the effect of her will. Intimation is made by confidence when we trust either in the easiness 981Bof the cause or in the goodwill of the person, and therefore neglect to express our desire openly, because we hope that we can obtain it by intimation alone. As is that which, at the marriage, when the wine was failing, the mother says to the Lord. They have no wine (Joan. II). She did not say: I ask that thou supply the lack of the cup, by creating wine or by changing it; but she judged that this privilege was owed to a mother's reverence, that whatever she signified herself to will, even by a hint, she ought not to suffer a refusal from her Son. And this indeed would have been just, had she sought of him some such thing as he could do according to the nature which he bore, taken from her. But as it is, she is in a manner justly reprehended, because she was exacting obedience in a miracle from that nature which she had not given. And it is said to her: 981CWoman, what is that to me and to thee? (Ibid.) For to work a miracle is the power of God, not of man; and therefore, when Christ as man is applied to by his mother concerning a miracle, the same one, not as man but as God, arraigns her as woman and not as mother for presumption. For Mary ought not, as a mother, to exact a miracle of Christ as her Son, but, as a woman — had it been necessary — humbly to postulate it of God. Intimation is made by contempt when either the cause is mean, or the person who is asked is lowly. And this is altogether excluded from prayer to God, but among men — especially the proud and the powerful — it is practiced with great zeal. And as we have shown in the things said above, so in these three also we find a difference. For intimation out of confidence befits the perfect; out of fear, beginners; out of contempt, 981Dthe evil. Henceforth the remaining things which we proposed to treat concerning prayer are to be added.

Some indeed are wont to be troubled that in our prayers, when we wish to entreat God either for our own salvation or for that of others, we are accustomed sometimes to chant even those psalms which either have not the words of a petition, or do not pertain to our petition. And concerning other Scriptures also, which we use often in our prayers, they bring forward a like absurdity, since they are of such a kind as either not to have the form of praying, or not to agree with the cause which we are pleading. For what, they say, does it profit in prayer 982Ato say those words by which we are found to postulate of God either nothing, or something other than is necessary? He does not pray, but rather mocks, and provokes God to anger, who, when he has come before his sight as though about to make a postulation, suddenly turns himself to rehearsing other things which seem to pertain in nothing to the matter. For behold, they say, we wish to beseech God for the pardon of our sins; what does it profit us toward this if we chant either Why have the gentiles raged (Psal. II), or: Attend, O my people (Psal. LXXVII), or some other psalm of this kind? Is it not ridiculous that, singing such things, we should believe ourselves to be praying? This perhaps some may say, and may reckon that there is no profit whenever we mingle such things with our prayers; but whoever has carefully looked into the kinds of prayer set out above 982Bwill easily discern in what way these things also, said in prayers, have their force. For this sort of praying is often found more effectual for obtaining than even that in which, as we pray, we plainly unfold the manner of our petition. And although this, as we have said, can be understood clearly enough from the things recalled above, yet if it be shown here in particular, what follows but that the truth is laid the more open? This is the difference between when we entreat a man and when we entreat God: that a man cannot know our need unless he has been taught it by another, whereas God knows, even before he is asked, what is necessary for us. A man, therefore, who is asked, is taught by our narration, that he may know what we will; he is knocked upon by our supplication, that he may grant what we ask. But in that prayer which is made to God 982Cnarration is not necessary, save perhaps that a man should narrate for this end, that he himself may better understand his own petition — so that, admonished by his own narration, he may consider what he asks, and, roused by the consideration of his petition, may pray more devoutly. Indeed, so far as concerns God, supplication alone suffices; because, as we said, God has no need to be taught that he may know, but he is to be supplicated that he may grant. But by no other way is God more swiftly bent to granting than if the mind of him who prays be turned to him with the whole affection of devotion. Whatever, therefore, are the words of him who prays, they are not absurd, if only they can fittingly be brought forth to this end: either that they rouse the affection of the one praying to the love of God, or — what is more — if he already burns with love of him, that they show that affection roused. And let them show it 982Dnot so as to teach God our hidden things, as though he knew them not, but so that we, while we speak our inward desire outwardly, may be the more inflamed to love out of our own words. The devotion of the heart alone, then, could suffice so far as concerns God, were it not that prayer is formed in the voice also for this end, that it may kindle the mind of the one praying to a greater devotion. For, as we have said, if a narration is inserted into the petition, God is not taught, but the one praying is admonished to consider what he asks, that he may pray more devoutly. But if there is supplication alone, then, because it signifies that devotion is within in the heart, it inflames the mind to a greater devotion. But because human affection is called forth to the love of God in diverse ways, it now pleases us to distinguish those ways 983Aone by one, and, once distinguished, to show them by examples.

But first it must be known that almost all this sort of praying — which to some seems to be excluded outright from the use of prayer — pertains to captatio; which captatio, although above we reckoned it as it were a kind of supplication, yet according to a certain broader usage we are wont to practice not only in supplicating, but also in postulating and in intimating. Now in captatio the goodwill of the hearer is procured. And this is done in three ways: either when we say something in his praise, or when we call to mind something of our own misery, or also when 983Bwe bring into the midst something which looks to the lowering of our adversaries. Let us say, therefore, that all those Scriptures which the opinion of some judges are not to be taken up for the use of prayer both ought profitably, and can fittingly, be recited by those who pray amid the vows of our prayers, because they rouse in us the affection of loving devotion, and either, by telling the praise of God, call our heart forth to his love; or, by calling to mind our own misery, humble us before his sight; or, by setting out fully the malice of our adversaries, afford us both a useful solicitude and a fuller confidence before him. We recognize the praise of God in his power and goodness. Our own misery, in this: that we are frail and sinners. The malice of our adversaries 983C, in that they are both cunning to plunder and impious to oppress. Whether, therefore, as we pray, we call to mind the praise of God in his goodness and power, or our own misery in our weakness and guilt, or the malice of our adversaries in their tyranny and cunning, for the exercising of the mind and the increase of good devotion, we do nothing unfitting; and through the loving affection which the words themselves rouse in us, we are praying throughout. For, to embrace all briefly: as often as we tell the praise of God, whatever the words may be, however lengthy, what nevertheless does our heart within speak in them all but this one thing — that, admiring him, it loves him, and, loving him, admires him? Likewise, when in prayer we treat before him of our own 983Dmisery, whatever the words may be, however lengthy, what does our heart say in them but this one thing — that we confess that we seek his mercy, and place all our confidence in him? And this devotion, the nearer it is to humility, the more acceptable it is to God. Likewise, when in our prayers we accuse the malice of our adversaries before God, of whatever kind the words may be, however lengthy, what else nevertheless do we demand through them all but the just judgment of God for our deliverance, that he may snatch us away from those by whose tyranny we are unjustly oppressed, and whose malice we justly turn from? And because we willingly leave vengeance upon our enemies, and the judgment of our cause, to the divine decision, what is there which for this 984Ahumility and devotion we ought not justly to obtain from God? Let each one, therefore, when in prayer he chants either psalms or any other scriptures whatsoever, diligently consider to what affection they minister, and with all his effort rouse his heart to that affection to which he sees that what he speaks the more pertains; because, if he has the affection of the words which he speaks, through that very affection he will better know the power of the words, and will grasp their meaning, and through the understanding of the words will kindle his affection unto a greater devotion.

But how much a good affection of the heart pleases God, even human custom shows us — vicious though it be, 984Byet by a certain imitation of virtue. We surely see how flatterers feign themselves devoted toward those from whom they seek something. Often they go to meet them as they come forth; they honor them, when set in a crowd, with pompous salutations; they prepare the way for those who wish to pass; they bid others give place; they proclaim that the lords are arriving; they set chairs in the midst, spread cushions, and cast themselves at their feet. Out of ancient histories they rehearse the great deeds of their fathers; and if in the men themselves they find nothing to praise, they twist the deeds of their forebears into praise of them; that they are devoted, that they are faithful, they not only say but swear; and what they are unwilling to be, this they labor with all zeal to seem. Do you think they could justly be reprehended if they were what they are not, but feign themselves to be? If it were an evil 984Cto be such, why do they so greatly strive to seem such? Nay rather, if they were such as they feign themselves to be and are not, they would be truly praiseworthy. Nor for any other cause is their petition often spurned by men, save that they are known not to be such as they feign themselves to be. If, then, they are justly repelled in their prayers because they are known not to be such as they feign themselves to be, let us — that we may deserve to receive from God what we ask — be zealous to present ourselves to God in truth such as those men only pretend to be. Let us show outwardly by words that we have within an affection of devotion toward God. And let us not only show it, but have what we show; lest, if we only show it, we be not true lovers but flatterers, and, since we cannot deceive God by display, 984Dwe rather deceive ourselves. Moreover, as flatterers offer a feigned devotion first, and by it wish to procure the favor of those whom they beseech, so let us also go before the face of the Lord with our prayers; and that we may deserve to obtain what we ask, let us offer not a feigned devotion, but true charity. Let us call blessed the friends of our Lord, let us be indignant at his enemies; let us praise the power in him, magnify his loving-kindness, admire his wisdom, extol his generosity, approve his equity. Likewise let us tell him our misery, declare to him our need, declare and reveal to him our weakness, confess to him our guilt, and say and believe that there is no other by whom 985Awe can be snatched away, by whom we may hope to be set free. Likewise let us show him the malice, the cruelty, the iniquity, the tyranny of our adversaries — the demons and perverse men — that those who persecute us are set against him; that those who contradict him are enemies to us; that we hate what he hates; that we love what he loves. That we would rather, for his sake, endure the hatreds of his enemies than have their peace against him. All Scriptures of this kind, therefore, which are apt for the making of a captatio — whether that captatio be made by supplication, or by postulation, or by intimation — are not to be held foreign to the use of prayer; because, although some of those narrations have no petition, yet they all have the affections 985Bof the virtues, which they kindle in us, and through which those who pray obtain more swiftly than through the petition of the voice.

Since, therefore, the whole power of praying lies in the affections of piety, let us enumerate some of them and show them by examples, so that — since we cannot enumerate them all (for the affections are without number) — we may nevertheless gather from certain of them what in all of them is praiseworthy and acceptable to God. There is the affection of love, when the mind, chancing either to see or to remember what it loves, is suddenly seized by the fire of love. There is the affection of wonder, when, contemplating something new and marvelous, it is roused into amazement. There is the affection of congratulation, when, 985Cseeing something acceptable and well-pleasing, it is suffused with a certain cheerfulness. There is the affection of humility, when out of the consideration of its own weakness it willingly presses down its own elation. There is the affection of mourning, when out of the consideration of its own evils it is weakened, wasting away in a manner. There is the affection of fear, when out of the consideration of impending punishments it is shaken. There is the affection of indignation, when it is inflamed into hatred of its adversaries by the very greatness of their iniquity. There is the affection of zeal, when out of the love of justice it is kindled to the desire of vengeance. There is the affection of good presumption, when out of some new and singular confidence it is emboldened to claim somewhat more than is usual. Of these affections the first three pertain 985Dchiefly to that kind of Scriptures in which praise is given: namely, because from the recalling of his goodness arises the affection of love; from the recalling of his power and strength arises the affection of wonder; and from the recalling of some prosperous event and happy deed arises the affection of congratulation. The three following pertain to that kind in which a recalling of unhappiness and misery is made: namely, because the affection of humility arises from the recalling of one's own weakness; the affection of grief arises from the recalling of present evils, or from the remembrance of past ones; the affection of fear, from the foreseeing of things to come. The last three affections agree rather with that kind of Scriptures in which invective and accusation against adversaries is made — namely, 986Aagainst their wickedness, indignation; against their injury, zeal on account of their malice; a greater presumption concerning the mercy of God. The examples of each are these. Out of the affection of love is sung the psalm: I will love thee, O Lord (Psal. XVII). Out of the affection of wonder is sung the psalm: O Lord our Lord (Psal. VIII). Out of the affection of congratulation is sung the psalm: All ye nations (Psal. XLVI). And in all these there is praise. Out of the affection of humility is sung the psalm: In thee, O Lord, have I hoped (Psal. XXX). Out of the affection of grief is sung the psalm: How long, O Lord, wilt thou forget? (Psal. XII.) Out of the affection of fear is sung the psalm: O Lord, not in thy fury (Psal. VI); and in all these there is a beseeching mingled with complaint. Out of the affection of indignation is sung the psalm: Why dost thou glory in malice (Psal. LI). Out of the affection of zeal 986Bis sung the psalm: The Lord is the God of revenge (Psal. XCIII). Out of the affection of good presumption is sung the psalm: Judge me, O Lord, for (Psal. XXV), etc.

It must be known, however, that this property is not in all psalms, that one affection should be extended through the whole sequence; but often a transition is made from one affection into another, according as the minds of those who pray are wont to be affected in diverse ways. But to explain how this may be recognized through each several psalm demands the treatment of a longer work. Yet we wish to show this in a few, for the sake of example. Suppose I have begun to consider how great a happiness it is to be with God, how great likewise 986Ca misery to live in this world, and finally how great a calamity to be tormented forever in hell; and, drawn out of this meditation of mine by a sudden love of the heavenly country, with that very affection leading me I run down into these words: Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly (Psal. I). And if we search the whole sequence of that psalm according to the inmost sense of compunction, what else do we find it saying everywhere but this: Happy are they who never departed from God; happy are they who always abode with him; happy are they who stood fast, faithful and devoted, in his service? For unhappy and wretched are they who put themselves far from him, and were unwilling to persevere with him, or who afterwards did not return to him. Thanks be to him, so far as I have stood fast; confusion to me, so far as 986DI have departed. But now, so far as I am near, I am unwilling to go far off; so far as I am far off, I long to return. Would that I might come to him; would that I might never depart from him: Help me, O my God (Psal. CVIII). This affection, therefore, is one of love, arising out of praise. Likewise an example of another. I considered with myself how great the power of God is, and then I began to wonder at the madness of men, who are mortal, and yet are not in the least afraid to set themselves against his will. Compelled by this wonder, therefore, I cried out and said: Why have the gentiles raged (Psal. II). And it is a wonder mingled with indignation, because we wonder at the madness and are indignant at the presumption; or certainly, within our very selves, while outwardly we behold the assaults of the vices, frequent and importunate, and inwardly presume upon the help of God, we rebuke 987Athe very trouble of our temptations with a certain indignation, saying: Why have the gentiles raged? And the sum of the whole psalm tends to this: that, strengthened by the power of God, we may despise insolent adversities, and may presume ourselves to be so much the stronger than our adversaries as we are the nearer to God. Let us mark their swift destruction. Let us set the magnificence of God against their pride, that it may be broken; with all reverence let us subject our mind to his service, ever admiring above us his power, ever despising beneath us their insolence. This is the affection of wonder mingled with indignation, arising out of praise. The sequence of the following psalm is not woven according to one affection, but often passes from affection into affection 988A; for example: Being set in straits; (Psal. III); I begin to consider how much I always trusted in the mercy of God, yet, because I see myself in a manner forsaken by him, out of the affection of grief I burst forth into these words: Lord, why are they multiplied that afflict me? many rise up against me (ibid.). And again, running back from the affection of grief into the affection of good presumption, I say: But thou, O Lord, art my upholder (ibid.). So that I may both relieve my mourning by confidence, and chasten my confidence by mourning. And who can enumerate in speech all the powers of the psalms, who those fiery compunctions of holy affections, by which the mind is kindled in prayer, and a sacrifice most pleasing to God is burnt upon the altar of the heart?