Devotions in the ancient way of offices with psalms, hymns, and prayers for every day in the week and every holiday in the year.

Psal. LX.

UNhappy man! at first created just; as e∣very work comes fair from the hands of God.

At first endow'd with dominion o're the Earth; and, which was more, with dominion o're thy self:

At first, not only made sole Lord of Paradise; but heir apparent of the Heav'n of heav'ns.

All this thou lost by one rash act; * disobeying the Law of thy wise Creator.

All this, alas, we lost by thy transgression; which brought in sin, and death, and universal misery:

Our bodys were deprav'd by thy distemper; and our souls made fit for such depraved bodys:

Our senses quickly rebel'd against reason; and both together conspir'd against grace.

Dulnes and ignorance o'respred the world; error and vice possest mankind.

The Law they observ'd was their own unruly appetites; and the Deity they worship'd, the work of their own hands.

Even the selected people of the true God; the favourite Nation of the Almighty Providence:

They who were brought out of Egypt with so many wonders; and seated in a Country flowing with Milk and Honey:

They, who had seen the sea divide before them; and stand on each side, as a wall to de∣fend them:

They who had tasted the quails and manna from heav••••n: and drunk of the streams that came gushing from the Rock:

Even they forgot their great Deliverer; and set up for their God a Golden Calf:

They could not worship what they did not see; they must have Gods to go before them.

Thus lay the miserable world all cover'd with darknes; and the thickest mists of gross Ido∣latry:

Thus had poor man quite lost his way; and all he could do was to wander up and down a while:

Til, when his few vain years were spent, * he suddenly descended to everlasting sorrows:

This mov'd thy pity, gracious Lord! who of∣ten art found by those that seek thee not:

VVho never withdraw'st thy hand in time of need; but constantly supply'st us in all our di∣stresses:

This mov'd thy pity to undertake our relief; and come down thy self, and dwel among us:

That as our nature us'd to worship what it saw; we now should see what we might safely worship:

But thou again, dear Lord, must leave our world; and, though it be good for us, 'tis hard to part from Thee:

Thou must again ascend into thy Fathers bo∣som, to prepare a place for thy faithful Fol∣lowers.

Yet, even then, O thou wise and infinite Good∣nes! thou didst not wholly forsake our earth:

Only thy usual cloaths and shape were chang'd; but thy former Self stil dwels among us:

Stil thou art really here to move us by thy presence, * and entertain our devotions with∣out fear of excess:

VVe know 'tis impossible to adore our God too much; O that 'twere possible to adore him enough. Glory be, &c.

Antiph. VVhether, O my God should we wander; if left to our selvs? where should we fix our harts, if not directed by Thee?

Antiph. Blessed be thy Providence, O God, that so tenderly nurses up the world; stil grow∣ing on to new degrees of perfection: