The confession and conversion of the chiefest and greatest of sinners, with his frequent communion with God, in Christ, by the spirit, or, A garden of spiritual fruits and flowers

A Prayer.

AH most blessed, Incomprehensible, and Eternall Lord God, Glorious in Holiness, fearfull in Praises, doing wonders; the Heavens are not pure in thy sight, and yet thou art gratiously pleased in Jesus Christ to look down, and to dwell in poor man, who is sinfull Dust and Ashes; thou livest only in the highest Heavens, and in the lowest hearts, the one is thy Kingdome of Glory, the other of thy grace, good Lord make my heart so low in my own esteem, as it may be so high in thine, that thou may'st make it thy delight to dwell in it for even; Ah Lord when I consider all that thou hast done for me, and all that I have done against thee, I am ashamed, and confusi∣on seems to cover my face as a vaile, having, O Lord, transgrest all thy holy and just Lawes, and broken wilfully, willingly, knowingly, and presumptuously all thy Divine Commandements from the first to the last, from the greatest to the least, as well by Com∣mission as Omission, as well by actuall sin, as Origi∣nall sin, knowingly as well as ignorantly, both wil∣fully and willingly on thy dayes, as well as on our dayes, in thy house as in other houses, in doing thy work, as in doing my own work, in duties, as well as out of duties; praying sins, reading sins, medi∣tating sins, Sermon sins, and Sacrament sins, so

that my repentance must be repented off, and my Prayers Prayed against, even my sighs and groans have need of tears to wash them, and my very tears of doubled tears.

How Lord have I made thy holy things unholy unto my self, and turned thy graces into wantonness, and quencht the motions of thy holy Spirit by wil∣fulness, how Lord have I treasured up wrath against the day of wrath unto my poor soul, and made thee a savour of death unto it, when thou comest as a Sa∣vour of life; how have I, Lord, hated to be reform∣ed, and turned from thee when thou camest running towards me in love and in mercy; how have I cast thy promises behind my back, and trampled thy pre∣cepts under my feet; how many times have I bro∣ken my Promises, Vows, and Covenants made with thee in my straights, with how much more eager∣ness and earnestness, have I served my sinfull Lusts (then thee) in thy services, my good Lord God; and how much more pains have I taken for earthly things then for Heavenly; how much more delightsome have these things below, and the remembrance of them (been unto me) then the things above; how much sweeter hath sin been to me then grace, and how have I bent my will against thy great and holy will in all things; how willingly and how fast, O Lord, did I run in the wayes of Eternal destruction; and how, good Lord, have I vehemently delighted and la∣boured, to make others to commit the same sins, and

to do the same things; how easily, and how willing∣ly did I believe the suggestions of the Devil, and with what willingness have I left thy work, and how often, good Lord, to do his, nay, which is yet worse; how often have I tempted him the tempter to tempt me unto sin, when I knew that the wages of sin was death, even Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternall, for body and soul, doing my very utmost to destroy both.

But what, O Lord, are all these sins, to those I do not, to those I cannot remember, and that both for greatness, and multitude, yea what are all the sins I have committed, to those I would have committed, had'st not thou in love and in mercy, O most grati∣ous, loving, and most mercifull Father, in Jesus Christ (restrained me) and come in continually unto my help & succour, even when I was altogether help∣less and succourless; thou did'st, O Lord, own me, when I would not own thee; thou did'st run after me when I did my utmost to run from thee; thou did'st, O Lord, continue knocking, when I would not open to thee, and wert'st contented, such was thy endearing loving love unto me, to stand at the dore of my heart without, untill thy locks were wet with the dew of Heaven, and when I was most pitiless, then did'st thou most pity me, and took'st me from my self, and out of the power of all my adversaries, and did••st en∣ter with ferceable possession into my heart, there to lodge, sup, and dwell for ever, which though thou

foundest to be more unclean then a dunghill, and is not this enough to cause all the Creatures in Hea∣ven and Earth to stand amazed, and with wonder and astonishment to admire the condescention of so great a God as thou art.

Ah Lord God, what could I more desire, nay what could'st thou do more for me then thou hast done, to bring me out of the death of sin to the life of grace, out of the suburbs of Hell, into the suburbs of Heaven; me thinks, Ah me thinks, I may truly say, out of Hell it self, into Heaven it self; such a vast difference there is, such a blessed and glorious change there is already, blessed and ever magnified, and praised be thy ever blessed, great and most glorious name of Jehovah, my strength and my Portion.

Thou hast not only, O Lord, delivered me out of the pawes of that rearing Lyon (the Devil) who had almost devoured me, but hast given me of thine own power and strength, to overcome him, to tram∣ple him under my feet, and to despite him to his very face, thou hast discovered unto me his falseness and malice, and the wickedness, and the deceitfulness of my own deceitfull wicked heart that did thus betray me.

Ah Lord, what can I, such a poor wretch as I am render unto thee for all thy benefits, I am a worm, and no man, the greatest, and the chiefest of sinners, the very worst of the worst of men; O Lord accept of what I have to give thee, of these two poor mites

my soul and body, true O Lord, I confess and ac∣knowledge that they are not worth•• to be put into thy rich Treasury, but if thou wilt be pleased to stamp on them, the glorious Image of thy Son Jesus Christ, I am sure they will pass for currant coyne in thy Heavenly Court, and thou thine own self wilt esteem them of thy peculiar Treasure: O Lord set me as a seal upon thy heart, and let thy love be setled upon mine, that I may be out of love with all, that I may be only in love with thee, and let all my members and faculties, be but as instruments to act thy holy and blessed motions.

Ah Lord God, good as great, and great as good, when wilt thou by thine Almighty power utterly destroy and root out all sin out of me, when shall the time, O Lord, come, that it shall be Crucified unto me and I unto it, when shall the time come that I shall see it no more, when shall the time come that thou wilt, O Lord, give me a finall Victory over it, and totally destroy it, when Lord, shall come that blessed day wherein I shall not sin, when I shall put off sin as an old garment, and never more put it on, when all tears, fears, sighs and groans for sins, shall be ex∣pell'd and extinquished, when thou O Lord, my sweet and blessed Iesus, shalt only be my all and my all.

But grant, good Lord, though sin be in my heart, that my heart be not in sin, and though sin rule over me as a Tyrant, let it, Ah let it never raigne in me a moment as a Soveraigne, and though I cannot live

without sin, yet good Lord, for thy goodness sake, let me live without consenting unto, delighting in, or approving of any sin whatsoever, either in thought, word or deed, but let there be alwayes, and continu∣ally in me, a heedfull, watchfull, carefull, Circum∣spect care; though temptations fall on me, let me not fall into temptation, but deliver me from all evil, O thou my Father which art in Heaven, and cause me to work out my Salvation with fear and trem∣bling, and to labour more and more to make my call∣ing and election sure, before I goe hence, and be no more seen.

And knowing, Lord, that thou hast in the abun∣dance of thy love and mercy, provided for me a King∣dome which cannot be shaken, let me have grace in my heart to come before thee▪ and to worship thee, the true God, with reverence and godly fear, that I may alwayes run and not grow weary, and walk, and not faint, write, O Lord all thy Lawes of grace in my heart, and thy Statutes of Love in my mind, by the finger of thy holy and blessed Spirit, that I may never goe astray to the right hand of pleasures, or to the left hand of profits; weane me O Lord, from the world, ere thou take me out of the world, and whilst I do live in the world, let me be dead to it, and to all the things of it, which are the honours, riches, and pleasures thereof, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, and give me those things, and those things only, which may make me thine, and

only thine, that I may be alwayes thine, and ever thine.

Teach me, O Lord, to use the world as if I used it not, that I may not abuse it, my self, nor thee who hast given it me to use, but not to abuse, give me, O Lord, I humbly beseech thee in Iesus Christ, grace to be alwayes mindfull of my last end, and of the reckon∣ing that I must make before thee, the judge of Hea∣ven and Earth, take away all my doubts, fears, and cares, for the things of this life, that I may cast all my care on thee, who carest for me, for the earth is thine, and the fulness thereof; grant O Lord, that I may know how to want, and how to abound, and to be alwayes content in all conditions, knowing that all things, shall be for my greatest good▪ and that though affliction be in the night, yet joy shall come in the morning; grant, O Lord, I beseech thee, that my last thoughts may be my best thoughts, and my last dayes O Lord, my best dayes; grant, O Lord, that I may be willing to loose all to gain thee, and to esteem it no less but great gaine; grant that I may be willing to decrease, that thou maist, O Lord, increase to spend and to be spent for thee, and to follow thee the Lamb of Righteousness, wheresoever thou goest; grant that I may be as willing to weare the Crown of Thorns, to obey thee here, as the Crown of Glory to praise thee hereafter; and grant, O Lord, that I may be as willing to suffer for thy glory, as to raigne with thee in glory, and that I may desire Heaven much more for thee, then thee for Heaven.

Ah Lord, I could be content With Mary to sit at thy feet, and to wash them with my tears, and to stand behind thee, being altogether ashamed to come before thee; how willingly, O Lord, how willingly do I with Jeremy wish, that my head were a Fountaine of water, that mine eyes might gush out Rivers of Tears; and Ah that I could with David weep con∣tinually, with Magdalen abundantly, and with Pe∣ter bitterly, that I might give my soul no rest, untill I come into thy blessed Arms, the blessed joyfull, sa∣ving Ark of Rest, which shall for ever cause me to flote and swim above all the storms and tempests of sin, and Satan; and grant, O Lord, that having past the time of my Pilgrimage here in thy fear, I may dye in thy favour; unite me O Lord, I most humbly beseech thee, so n••gh unto thy self, that I may be made bone of thy bone and flesh of thy flesh; make me a member of thy Mysticall body here, that I may be for ever a member of thy glorious body here∣after.

Ah Lord God in Jesus Christ, I beseech thee to sanctifie all afflictions and Temptations unto me, and lay no more upon me at any time in body or mind, then thou shalt in thy goodness, and for thy glory in a∣ble me to bear, and take not thy holy and blessed spi∣rit the Sanctifier and the Comforter from me; be thou my help in want, my strength in weakness, my joy in sorrow, my comfort in grief, my riches in po∣verty, my palace in Prison, my home in banishment,

my health in sickness, and my life in death, let thy blessedness in thee, O Lord, cause me to see my curs∣edness out of thee, let thy overflowing fulness cause me to see my emptiness, thy beauty my ugly defor∣mity, thy light my darkness, thy glory my ig∣nominy, thy riches my poverty▪ thy obedience my disobedience, thy perfection, my imperfection, thy holi∣ness my unholiness, thy glory, my shame, thy wisdome my folly, thy strength my weakness, thy goodness, my badness, thy Heaven of happiness & blessedness my Hell of unhappiness, & wretchedness, thy all things my nothing.

Ah sweet Jesus, that camest down from Heaven on earth, to lift me up from earth to Hea∣ven, thou took'st my nature on thee to make me partaker of thine own holy blessed, and divine nature, thou becamest the Son of man, to make me the Son of God; thou becam'st, O Lord, my Lord, an heire of misery, to make me an heir of mercy, yea Co-heire with thy self of Heavens great glory and eternal hap∣piness, felicity and blessedness, which is thy Father, self, and holy spirit, three persons but one God; thou wert, O sweet Jesus, Lamb of God, Son of God, made a curse, that I might be made a blessing, thou would'st dye once, that I might likewise dye but once, and then live with thee for ever and for ever; thou did'st, O King of Glory weare a Crowne of Thornes, that I might weare a

Crown of Glory; thou wert lifted up on the Cross to lift me up unto thee, thine arms nayl'd abroad, to shew how willing thou wert to imbrace me, thy feet nail'd together, to shew thy willingness never to goe from me, thy head hanging down to shew thy Willing∣ness to kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth, of thy love for ever; thy heart opened with a speare, even to let me in there; thus did'st thou shew by the Crown of Thorns on thy head, the height of thy love, by the nayling of thy feet; the length of thy love, by the spreading abroad of thy arms; the breadth of thy love, and by the opening of thy side the sheding of thy heart blood, the depth of thy love. O blessed God, O most blessed love, there is no God like unto thee, nor was there ever love like unto this thy love; thou did'st O Christ, thou did'st, suffer thy Fathers frowns, that I might have his smiles; thou did'st O Christ thou did'st, drink up the dreggs of thy Fa∣thers wrath, even Vineger mingled with Gall, that I might sweetly solace my self by drinking to thee the bottomless bottom of his endless love; thou did'st, O Christ my Saviour, thou did'st, bear all my sins, that I might appear without sin; thou did'st O Christ my Readeemer, thou did'st, shed all thy heart blood, to wash me from the filthiness of my own blood, and from the guilt of this thy blood shedding; thou had'st O Christ, thou had'st, by face much more glo∣rious then the Sun, defaced with Spittle, that mine might shine even as thine, gloriously in glory, though

not so gloriously glorious; thou had'st O Christ, thou had'st, thy body whipped, that by thy stripes I might be healed; thou wert, O Christ, thou wert thus wounded, that by thy deadly wounds I might be ever Cured; O love infinite and incomprehensible beyond degree, an offended God dyes, to set offending man free.

Ah Love that surpasseth all understanding, ah goodness that surpasseth all love, that wert in love, mer∣cy and goodness pleased to do this for me, not when I was a friend, but an enemy, not when I was in Cove∣nant with thee, but when I was out of Covenant, not when I loved thee, but when I hated thee, not when I was lovely, but loveless, not when I was holy, but un∣holy, not when I desired it, but when I desired it not, not for asking it, but when I askt it not, not for having done any thing for thee, but even then, when I did all that I could against thee, not when I was thy Servant, but a Servant of the Devils; and all this, O God my God, that thou did'st, was not for thy advantage, but for mine, not for thy good, but for mine, not for thy honour, but for mine, not for thy glory, but to bring me to glory; and all this thou did'st, looking for no∣thing againe; thou lovest me only because thou would'st love me, Ah height, length, depth, and breadth of love, that an offended God should sue, and wooe, and pray, and pay, and promise, and give, and dye, and live to reconcile, inrich, honour, magnifie, and exalt, offending man, poore, despicable man, vile, wretch∣ed, worthless man, nothing man, that can be fitly com∣pared

to nothing, but to nothing less then the drop of a bucket, or the dust of the ballance.

O Lord, let these thy wonders of mercyes, and won∣derfull compassions, cause me ever to admire and a∣dore thy love and kindness, thy kinde love, thy good∣ness, and thy greatness, and to cry out, Lord, what is man, that thou art so mindfull of him, and the Son of man, that thou so regardest him, as to visit him, to magnifie him, to dwell in him, to delight in him▪ to make him thy delight, to set thy heart upon him to do him good, even according to all the good that is in thy heart, having prepared for him a Kingdome, which cannot be shaken, a Kingdome of Glory, an Eternall and incomprehensible weight of glory, where is joy, all joy, unspeakable joy, and Rivers of plea∣sures for ever more, where is no night, but all is day, yea the Lord himself is the light thereof, where is no grief, nor sorrow, nor care, nor feare, but all teares shall be wiped away, and there shall be no more sor∣row, nor sighing, but all joyes, and singing of praises, and Hallelujahs with the Angels and Saints, be∣holding the Lord of glory, yea the glory of the Lord, seeing him face to face as he is, and knowing him as he is to be known, there is no Canaanite in that Hea∣venly Country, no Cain to kill, no Sodomite to vex, no Ishmaelite to scoff, no Esau to terrifie, no Shimei to curse, no Herod to persecute, no Rabsheketh to raile, no Judas to betray, this Heaven is above all Molestations, and perturbations, and not for tearm of years, but for ever.

Ah most holy, most great, and most glorious Lord God, bring me I most humbly beseech thee in thine own good, due, and appointed time, that I may be∣hold thy beauty and thy glory, and the light of thy right blessed, and most blessed, and glorious counte∣nance, which may by the bright Aspect shining on me, cause me likewise to shine more brighter then the Sun, and my soul and body together to be made per∣fect, pure, and holy, as thou, O God, art, though not so holily pure and perfect, and that both being en∣lightened with thy heavenly wisdome, may be made to know, the stability thereof, and be assured of thine Eternal and everlasting love, and living in me for ever, and for ever.

Grant these things, O my God, and my Father in Jesus Christ, and what ever else thou knowest to be needfull or expedient for me, both for soul and body, and all for the merits of thy Son and my Saviour, thy Christ, and my Jesus, for whom my soul shall ever bless and praise thee, as the Lord my Righte∣ousness, and to whom, with thy glorious Majesty, and holy spirit of grace, the Comforter, and the San∣ctifier, be given by me, and by all thine, as all due is, and to none else, honour, glory, power, might, Ma∣jesty, dominion, and thanksgiving, now and for ever more, Amen.

1. Contentment though in Poverty, is the best, the surest, and the greatest riches.

2. Let me not set thee a time, O my God, but wait on thee for all things in thy time.

3. And when thy time shall come to send me forth, let me run and not grow weary, and walk, and never faint.

4. Send me, O Lord, whither thou wilt, and to do what thou wilt, I am willing to goe, and be, and do what ever thou shalt command, though to spend, and to be spent for thee.

5. And wheresoever, O Lord, thou shalt place me, I shall not account it my abiding place, no longer then it shall be thy pleasure that I there a∣bide.

6. Being with thee, my God, where ever it be, I shall be I am sure where I would be.

7. And being in thee my Saviour, and thou in me, my condition, I am sure, will well please and content me, what ever it be.

8. Ah Lord, who would, or who should de∣sire to live here in the flesh, being he cannot live and not sin, it is not subject to thy Law, neither indeed can be.

9. And who would not, or should not be wil∣ling to dye, to kill sin, that sin might dye, and be destroyed for ever totally.

10. Yet I am content to live, though I do sin, thy grace, O my God, being sufficient for me.

11. I had rather be on earth for thy sake, and

to do thy will, then to be in Heaven, for my own sake only, and only to have my own will.

12. For is it not to be in Heaven, even to do thy will on earth, as it is done in Heaven, it is a Heaven on this side Heaven, an earthly Heaven, or a Heaven on earth, which, good Lord, give and grant me, untill thou givest me what thou hast promised me, which is thy blessed self in Heaven, who art the Heaven of Heaven in Heaven.

13. Where then soever, when, and how long soever I live or dye, I shall through thy good grace, live and dye contented, and most joy∣fully.

14. How willingly, how willingly Lord, would I leave this world, and all the things in it, if they were all mine, to live with thee, for I know thee, O Lord I know thee, (and for which I most hear∣tily thank thee) that thou art much better then all things, yea all things compared to thee are no∣thing, and all things out of thee, that is without thee, can be fitly compared to nothing, but to nothing.

15. And yet, Lord, thou knowest how willing I am to live in this world, to live for thee.

16. Thou knowest, O Lord, how much more willing I am to dye then to live, and yet, Lord, thou knowest, how I strive to live, that I may not dye.

17. Give me grace, O my God, so to live, as I may dye daily, and to dye daily, that I may ever live.

18.

Let me so live as I may live ever. Let me so dye, as that I die never: Let me dye but once, that I live for ever, Let me die that once, that I die never.

19.

Come then O Christ, and set me free, That I may goe and live with thee: Then shalt thou be unto me gaine, And free me from Eternall paine.

20. When I do any thing that is good, it is against the will of the flesh, and when I do any thing that is evil, it is against the will of the spi∣rit.

21. To will good, is many times present with me, but how to performe it, I know not at any time, how, (of my self) but this I know, that he that giveth grace to will, will also give grace to do, for both to will and to do, is from the good will of God.

22. When I do any thing that is good, that's from the good spirit of God in me, but when I do any thing that is evil, that's from the evil spirit of sin which is in me, and Tyranizeth over me.

23. All the will I have to good, is from thy good will, my good God, but all the will I have to evil, is from my own evil will.

24. Ah Lord, how hard do I find it to the flesh to do what I should, nay what I would, and how easie, Ah Lord, how easie, to do that which I should not, and would not.

25. Do thou therefore, O Lord, I most hum∣bly beseech thee, work in me both to will and to do, according to thy good will and pleasure.

26. That as to please thee, O Lord, is the de∣sire of my will, yea my wills only desire, so not to please thee, my God, I had rather, yea much ra∣ther dye then will, with my will willingly.

27. Let thy holy will, O God, be my whole will, and thy whole will be made holy in me, by doing it wholly and holily, by the powerfull assistance of thy holy Spirit.

28. To will thy will (O God) with my heart, is thy will, O Lord, written by thy self in my heart.

29. Let then thy will be in my heart, that with my heart, I may both will and do thy good will, my good God.

30.

When with my heart I think on thee, Then from all sin my heart is free: Let then my heart still think on thee, That from all sin I may still flee: Lord, take my heart, and make it thine, That to no sin, it may incline.

31. The best of our best is so bad, that our all is worth nothing at all.

32. If then our best good be so bad, our holy things so unholy; Ah Lord, how unholy is our unholyness, and how bad and evil is our worst e∣vil, the evil of our worst things.

33. It is not my studious care, but thy care, O

Lord of my study, that makes both my study and care prosperous, and advantageous.

34. It is from thee, O Lord my God, that I have, all that I have, Ah give me this mercy also, to be as willing to give it thee back when thou wilt have it, as I was willing to receive it when thou gavest it.

35. When man speaks to man, it can take no effect, but when God speaks to man (what ever he speaks) it shall take effect.

36. Let, O Lord, thy speaking to me and in me, be effectuall for the better, and not for the worse of my soul, a savour of life unto life, and not of death unto death, of life to my soul, and of death to my sins.

37. I had rather hear and learn one thing from the wisdome of God, then a thousand thousand from the wisdome of men.

38. Let all thy truths in me, O God, be confirm∣ed to me, by the powerfull wisdome, and working of thy holy spirit.

39. Gods voyce brings me alwayes joy, and comforts my sad heart, but mans voyce causeth me alwayes grief, and saddens my joyfull heart.

40. I had rather be ever alone with God, and want all other things, then be one day without him, to have, and gaine, and keep all other things besides him.

41. For when God is in me then am I in Hea∣ven,

but when God is not in me then am I in Hell, for thy presence to me▪ Lord, is to me Heaven up∣on earth, and thy absence, O Lord, Hell upon earth.

42. It is thy self, O Lord, thy blessed self, that I desire, and not the desires of my other desires.

43. When I have thee, Lord, I have all my de∣sires, and yet when I have thee not, I do not, be∣cause I cannot, desire thee.

44. So impotent am I, as not able to will or desire my own good, so poor a wretch, as not (of my self) to wish my self rich, so much a slave, as to be content, yea willing and delight to, ever to be a slave, yea the worst of slaves, even to my own sinfull lusts, although I know they will (if lived in) drown me for ever in the pit of Eternall de∣struction, from which, good Lord, ever deliver me as thou hast delivered me, keep me out as thou hast hitherto kept me out, and preserve me to my lives end, as thou hast preserved me from the be∣ginning, that I may ever live to thee, for thee, and to praise thee ever, and for ever.

45. Thou hast in mercy, O God, my God, brought thy self, thy ever sweet, blessed, grati∣ous, and most glorious self to mee, ah bring my self in love, and obedience home unto thee.

46. My words, Ah my words, I know well, are but words, and the breathings of a sinfull man, but thy words, O my Lord, I well know also, that

they are the breathings of a holy God.

47. Grant, O God, my God, that all my words may breath out sorrow for sin, and thy words breath in me the assurance of the pardon of sin.

48. For whose sins, O Lord, thou forgivest, thou also forgettest, whom thou pardonest; thou wilt save, for where thou lovest, thou livest, and wilt, I am sure, ever live there in love.

49. To be taught by thee, O God, of wisdome, is to be well taught, make me▪ O Lord, make me I beseech thee, as willing to learn of thee, as thou art willing to teach me.

50. And give me grace, O God, to retayne what I shall learn of thee, that I may forget what I have learnt of my self, and the world.

51. If earths sweets are so sweet, to earthly minds, as they prefer it to the sweet of Heaven; Ah how sweet are Heavens sweets to heavenly minds, and how do they prefer it to all the sweets on earth.

52. How much sweeter, O my God, is the hony of thy word to the tast of my inward man, then the hony-Comb of the world to the tast of my outward man.

53. I had much rather say nothing then my own words, do nothing then my own works, and have nothing then all my own desires.

54. Ah Lord God, give me grace to live in Heaven whil'st on earth, by doing thy will on earth, as it is done in Heaven.

55. They are not the words of the mouth, but of the heart, that are agreeable and well pleasing to thy heart, O my God, the searcher, the tryer, and the knower of all hearts.

56. He that hath his heart right, all things that he doth and doth not, are right dear, and preti∣ous in thy sight, and according to thy heart, O God, the giver and maker of all hearts.

57.

When I sleep, O God, thou art still by me, And when I wake, I am still with thee: So that whether I sleep, or whether I wake, I am sure, O Lord, thou dost me never forsake.

58. To believe in God, is to know God, to know him is to love him, to love him is to fear him, and to fear him is to serve him, and to serve him is to obey him, and to obey him is to do his will, and to do his will, is to give up our wills to his will, and to give up our wills to his will, is to rejoyce in all things that he doth and wills, and to rejoyce in all things that he doth and wills, is to have a heart, according to his own heart.

59. It is not what I do, or can do, but what I would do, that best pleaseth thee, my God, who giveth both to will and to do.

60. O Lord, let not what, or any thing of that I do, please me, untill I am sure that it please thee.

61. O Lord, suffer me not to seek my own de∣light, but let my delight be to delight thee, who art the delight of my soul, and in whom only my soul delighteth.

62. If thy back parts, O Lord, do so much re∣joyce my heart here on earth, how shall thy face cause me to rejoyce in Heaven, where I shall see thee face to face, and know thee as thou art to be known.

63. And seeing it is my only grief on earth, that I have offended thee my God, by sin, it shall be my only joy in Heaven to praise thee, for that thou art not offended with me for my sins.

64. Give me, O my God, for Christ his sake, thy Kingdome and thy Glory, that I may give thee honour and glory, for ever, in thy Kingdome of glory.

65. And till that day shall be, give me grace, O my sweet and saving Jesus, so to watch, and to waite, that when thy Kingdome shall come, I may rejoyce and say thy will, O Lord, be done, and so enter into the joy of my Lord, even into the Lord of my joy.

66. To do thy will, O God, is all the thoughts and desires of my heart and will, and in doing thy will, is all the joyes, delights, and ravishments of my willing heart, thus made willing through thine own good will.

67. I know well, that its thou in me, my dear and sweet Jesus, that causeth my desires to desire thee, and the heart of my soul, to hunger and thirst for thee, and also that giveth me boldness to speak unto thee.

68. O Lord, I desire nothing but what thou wilt, and all that thou wilt, I willingly would, and willingly would nothing but what thou wilt.

69. I had rather do thy will, O my God, on earth, for thy self, and thy sake, then be in Heaven for my own self, and my own sake, thy service is dearer to me then my soul.

70. I had much rather do the least work for God, then have the greatest good and benefit for my self.

71. Whatsoever, O Lord, thou wilt have me to be, doe, and suffer, that I willingly would be, and long to do and suffer, and to have, and no other.

72. Wilt thou, O Lord, have me poor, afflict∣ed, persecuted, banisht, evil spoken off, torment∣ed, tempted, all these Lord, and what else thou wilt, so thou come with them, I shall rejoyce in them, and most willingly receive them.

73. It is not, Lord, what I desire only, but what thou hast ordained, that I only desire.

74. I know and am assured, that thou wilt, O Lord, sooner cast the earth into the Sea, and re∣move the Heavens, then take any of thy love from those whom thou lovest.

75. For seeing sin (cannot) nor shall not, se∣parate us, Lord, what shall, what can.

76. It is fixt on thy own love, O Father, in Je∣sus Christ, thy Son most lovely, and therefore un∣changeable, unmoveable.

77. It is from thy great Love, O my God, that I find thee lovely, but thy love is greater, for that I love thee, and yet more greater that I love thee only, but more greater then all, it is, that thou hast ever loved, and wilt ever love me.

78. Ah love that passeth all degree, the offend∣ed dyes, to set the offenders free.

79. It is thy mercy, O God, that I am not past mercy, that I contemne not mercy, that I know mercy, that I value mercy, that I prize mercy, that I seek mercy, that I hope for mercy, am assur∣ed of mercy, and that I desire the same mercyes for all others that are not past mercy.

80. To will thy will, O God, is to do thy will, when we would as willingly do it (be it what it will) as we will it.

81. To serve thee best and most, or to do thee, O God, most and best service, is in most submit∣ting to thy will, be it what it will.

82. It is not the work of the hand, or of the head, but of the heart, that is according ot thy heart, and most delighteth thy heart, O my God, the maker, and the giver of all good hearts.

83. To wait is better then to work, if thou shewest us not what work is thy work, and what work we shall do.

84. Let me not, O God, ever ask any other con∣dition then my present condition, and alwaies submit to thy will in my condition, as often as

thou shalt change my condition, and esteem every change the best change, yea and a changing for the best.

85. And let chearfulness witness my content∣edness, and my contentedness be shown by my chearfulness.

86. Ah Lord, my Lord, if thou did'st not at times afflict me, how often should I, Ah how of∣ten should I afflict thee.

87. But I mightily desire to magnifie & praise thee, O my God, for that I find when affliction comes on me, thou comest with it, and dost al∣wayes abundantly comfort me, yea my greatest comforts have been, when thou seemest as if thou would'st afflict me, that is even in affliction.

88. If affliction should goe from me, I fear I should goe from all good, which is from God.

89. Afflict me, O Lord, so much as thou wilt, and so often as thou pleasest, so that in it, I afflict not thee.

90. In affliction I fear, but out of affliction, Ah Lord, I consess I am careless, Ah too too care∣less.

91. Affliction makes me, O Lord, to run to thee, to cry loud after thee, and to importune thee for thy presence, but out of affliction, I goe softly, I speak softly, and know not how to beg with importunity.

92. If the outward man receive such joy and

delight in the Creature, and by conversing with them, Ah what joy, delight and ravishment doth the inward man receive, having Communion with God, and enjoying his deare Creator.

93. If earth, and the things below, be able to satisfie any, surely, surely, Heaven, and the things above, shall be able, and will satisfie all, for every one there shall enjoy God, who is all, and in all.

94. Seeing Heaven on earth is so sweet, Ah how sweet is Heaven in Heaven, or the Heaven of Heaven, which is our God.

95. And seeing Heavens joyes are so great on earth, Ah how greatly great are they in Heaven.

96. Ah sweet, most ravishing sweet Jesus, let me enjoy them so here, that I may long to be dis∣solved, and to be in Heaven to enjoy them there, Ah to enjoy thee, thee, there.

97. Seeing one drop or tast of them is so deli∣tious, Ah how delitiously, and delightfully are they fed, that feed on them continually, and shall feed on them for ever and ever.

98. Grant, O my God, that sins sweets, be to me bitter, and Heavens bitter, be to me sweet, and that I may alwayes prefer Heavens bitterest, to sins sweetest, and never to find any sweet in the sweets of sin.

99. I had rather see Christ with spirituall eyes, then in the flesh, with the eyes of the flesh, and

to have him in my heart then in my arms.

100. Christ only can make us spiritually hun∣gry, and he only can feed us with the bread of life, from him we have our spirituall thirsting, and he, he only can give us to drink of those living waters, the fountaine of life, being in him only.

101. Were there as many worlds to be offered me, as there would be minutes from Eternity to Eternity, I would not, nay, praised be God, I could not, give my hope, and my interest in my Jesus, to enjoy all their riches, honours, and pleasures, unto all Eternity.

102. For by how much he is above all things, and more worth then all things, by so much, yet by so much more, do I value my interest in him above all things, for all things to God, can be fitly compared to nothing, but to nothing.

103. For God is all things, and I am sure of him, and therefore I have all things sure.

104. He that believes in Christ, loves him, and he that loves him, fears him, and he that fears him, obeys him, and he that loves, fears, obeys, and believes in him, must and will walk as he walked.

105. We can both will and do our own wills, which are evil, but we can neither will nor do thy will, O God, which is all and only good.

106. Give me then grace, O God, the God, and giver of all grace, to deny my own will, to hate and

forsake my own will, that I wholly and perfectly do thy perfect and holy will.

107. Let me then, O God, my God, so will to do, as I may only do thy will, for my whole will is, that thy holy will be do••e on me, and in me, that I may do thy will here on earth, O thou my Father in Jesus Christ, which art in Heaven.

108. Give me then thy self, my sweet Jesus, that I may please thy self, for without thee, I shall be still my self, and displeasing still to thee.

109. For I am all evil, and thou, O God, art all good, I am all Hell, and thou art all Heaven, Ah thou my God, that can'st do all things, turn my evil unto good, that my Hell may be brought in∣to thy Heaven.

110. Joy in fear, and by reason of fear, for eve∣ry man hath a double fear, till he have perfect love, that casteth out all fear.

111. Fear causeth me to doubt, and fear caus∣eth me to believe, fear bringeth me grief, and fear bringeth me joy, fear casteth me down to Hell, and fear raiseth me up to Heaven, fear causeth me to distrust, and fear causeth me to trust, fear af∣frights me with sadness, and fear comforts me with rejoycings, for if I did not fear, I might justly be afraid, if I did not fear the want of grace, I might justly fear I had no grace, if I did not fear falling, I fear I should fall indeed; But though through fear I am many times afraid, yet I would

not be without fear, though I should be alwayes afraid, for fear▪ causeth me to put away fear, and not to fear fear, nor to be afraid of fear, through fear I trust, I beleive, I rejoyce, and I hope I shall be for ever brought out, and freed from all fear.

112. Happy is the man that feareth alwayes, Prov. 28. 14.

113. Ah Lord, my God, that art most faithfull, and most true, make me, I most humbly beseech thee, in Iesus Christ, truly faithfull all my life, that I may be faithfull even unto the death, and then for ever to enjoy thy gratious promise of that Crown of life.

114. Make me faithfully obedient unto thee in all things, O Lord, all my life, that at death, I may receive thy faithfull promise of that Crown of glory and life, that I may ever live to glorifie thee, O Lord, of all glory, by an Eternall and E∣verlasting life.

115. Any thing of all that man can do, (as man) God will not accept, but all things that God doth, man should accept, and likewise know and beleive, that he doth all things, and therefore ought accept all things.

116. Mans best all, all mans best, is worse then all, but Gods least all, the least of God, is above all, and more worth then all.

117. When I have thee, my God, I have all, yea all that I would have; But Ah, when I want thee,

when I have thee not, when thou art absent, and seemest to be departed, or but estranged from me, I want all, am without all, and possess nothing, even nothing at all, though I have even all other possessions.

118.

Let my all, O Lord, be all in thee, That thou maist be all unto me.

119. I am much more offended, that I have of∣fended my God, then I am afraid, that my God is offended with me.

120. I much more fear my sins to come, then my sins past, because my fear for my sins past, is already past, but my fear is alwayes present, for my sins to come, yea it is my only fear, and that which afrights me only.

121. When I consider, and ponder, on the much joy that I enjoy, to the little I deserve to en∣joy, and yet that this much, is little, to that which I hope, and believe, I shall enjoy. Ah how my heart is filled, and ravished, with unspeakable joy.

122. All glory be given to thee, O God, the God and giver of all gifts, of all grace, and of all glory, Amen, Amen.