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And I beseech God Almighty, of His infinite Goodness and Mercy, to incline the Hearts of all those Wri∣ters and Readers, Authors and Actors, Auditors and Spectators, while they have Time and Opportunities, to make suitable and seasonable Re∣flections.
I am going! But O blessed Redee∣mer, How shall I ever find the way,
or get to my Journeys end with safe∣ty. unless Thou be pleased to send some Guardian Angel, as well to lead and guide, as to aid and assist me?
When I stumble, in rugged and un∣even Ways; to hold me up in his Arms.
When I turn aside, into crooked and by-paths; to pull me back by force.
When I am near a Pit or Precipice; to give me a friendly Item, and time∣ly notice.
When I am dull and heavy, and grow slothful in the performance of my Duty; to stir up, and awaken me.
When I am Hungry and Thirsty, as Travellers are led by their Guides into their Oberges for a Viaticum, and there refresh themselves; to conduct
me to thine House, and holy Place, there to sit down at thine own Table, and be fed with the true Bread which came down from Heaven, and to drink of the Fruit of the true Vine, and the Water of Life, of which, whoever once drinks, shall never thirst again.
Parlate, Parlate, i cadaveri sepolti!
When I am assaulted with Enemies, from without, or from within, whe∣ther they be my own private Lusts and Passions, or whether they be Princi∣palities or Powers, the Rulers of the Darkness of this World, and spiritual Wickednesses in high Places, (those invisible Enemies of mighty Power, and perfect knowledge, of wonderful Subtilty, and long Experience) then, gracious Father, let me be furnished with all sorts of spiritual Armour; the Breast-plate of Righteousness, the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salva∣tion, and the Sword of the Spirit: That so, as a valiant Souldier, I may sight under thy Banner, and be able
to resist all the Wiles, Assaults, and fiery Darts of the Devil, and all his Infernal Spirits; and to subdue, and bring under, my own unruly Lusts and Passions.
When I meet with Troubles and Afflictions, Crosses and Disappoint∣ments, Wrongs and Injuries; let me be armed with such a measure of Hu∣mility, Meekness, Long-suffering, Pa∣tience and Equanimity, as may bear me up through all the Changes and Chances of this Mortal Life, and du∣ring my earthly Pilgrimage.
When I fall into Fainting-Fits, through Age and Bodily Distempers; let thy blessed Spirit administer to me such comfortable Cordials, as may support my drooping Spirits.
Why then art thou cast down so of∣ten, O my Soul? And why, for the
Trifles of Mortality, art thou so dis∣quieted within me? Trust still in God, who will never leave nor for∣sake thee: For sure I am, that I shall yet praise Him, for His loving Kind∣ness and tender Mercies to me, the least and meanest of all his Servants.
When I draw nigh to my last A∣gonies, then blessed Lord, O then be pleased, of thy infinite Mercy and Goodness, to chain up that great Enemy of Souls, and Prince of Dark∣ness, with all his Infernal Legions; (who always make their most furi∣ous and fierce Assaults upon poor de∣parting Souls) that so neither Height, nor Depth, nor Things present, nor Things to come, may ever be able to separate me from the Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, or make me let go my hold, or quit my hope of Eternal Life and Happi∣ness.
In the last, and critical Moment of my departure out of this trouble∣some World, let my Soul be safely conveyed, by some Guardian An∣gel, to the place appointed for the Spirits of God's Elect; there to rest with chearfulness, and to wait with patience, for a joyful Re-union with this Body of mine at the Resurrection, when it shall be raised out of the Dust with Immortality and Incorrup∣tion: And then let both Soul and Bo∣dy, thus united, be received into that Coelestial Paradise, where (being ve∣ry far from imitating the rebuked Ambition of Zebedee's two Children) to be the meanest and lowest of all the Redeemed, and happy Individuals of Human Race, is the height of my Ambition, and the utmost of my Desires.