I. That we were created in the Image and Likeness of God.
St. Anselm The Devotions of Saint Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury perceives may by God's help do him good in kindling within him the desire of prayer, or so much as may give him pleasure. Nor need he begin any one of them always at the beginning but wherever shall best please him. For to this end are they divided into paragraphs, that anyone may begin or leave off where he chooses; so that the length of a prayer or the frequent repetition of one thing may not become wearisome; but the reader may gather thence some taste of devotion, for to that end were they composed.
MEDITATION I
Concerning the Dignity and the Misery of Human Nature.
I That we were created in the Image and Likeness of God.
AWAKE, my soul, awake! show thy spirit, arouse thy senses, shake off the sluggishness of that deadly heaviness that is upon thee, begin to take care for thy salvation. Let the idleness of vain imaginations be put to flight, let go of sloth, hold fast to diligence. Be instant in holy meditations, cleave to the good things which are of God: leaving that which is temporal, give heed to that which is eternal. Now in this godly employment of thy mind, to what canst thou turn thy thoughts more wholesomely and profitably than to the sweet contemplations of thy Creator's immeasurable benefits toward thee. Consider therefore the greatness and dignity that He bestowed upon thee at the beginning of thy creation; and judge for thyself with what love and reverence He ought to be worshipped. For when, as He was creating and ordering the whole world of things visible and invisible, He had determined to create the nature of man, He took high counsel69 concerning the dignity of thy condition, forasmuch as He determined to honour thee more highly than all other creatures that are in the world.
Behold therefore to what greatness thou wast created, and again consider what manner of love thou oughtest to render therefore. Let Us make man, saith God, in Our image, after Our likeness.
If thou art not aroused by this word of thy Creator, if thou art not at so unspeakable a goodness of condescension in Him towards thee, set all on fire of love towards Him, if thy whole heart is not inflamed with longing after Him, what shall I say? Shall I count thee asleep, or rather dead?
Gen. i. 26. The plural used in this sentence was often referred to the plurality of Persons in the Holy Trinity.