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. CII.

REtire now, my soul, from thy Common thoughts, * permitted to entertain thy less serious hours.

Retire, and call thy wandring fancys home; and speedily range them into peace and order:

That thou mayst so be prepar'd to hear thy Lord * invite thee, among the rest, to tast his sweetnes:

Come to me you that labour, and are opprest; and I will refresh you:

Take up my yoke, and learn of me, for I am meek and humble of hart; and you shal find. rest to your souls:

For my yoak is sweet; and my burthen light.

Enough, dear Lord, enough is said, * to draw all the world to thy holy Discipline:

What can be offer'd so agreable to our nature, * too much, alas, inclin'd to pleasure and profit;

What can be offer'd so powerfully attractive; as to make our work delightful, and then re∣ward it?

As to propose an employment like the musick of Churches; devout and sweet and gainful to the performers?

Whither, O my God, should we go, but to thee! Thou hast the words of eternal life:

Thou art our wisest Instructer to know what

to do; and only Enabler to do what we know:

Thou art the free Bestower of all we have; and faithful Promiser of all we hope:

Thou kindly calst us; O make us gladly hear thy voice, * and constantly follow it till we come to Thee:

Suffer us no longer to go astray like lost sheep; wandring up and down in our own by-ways:

Suffer us no longer to be distracted among many things * from thee, O Lord, who art but One:

But gather us up from the world into our selvs; then take us from our selvs into Thee:

There to be ravisht with thy holy embraces; there to be feasted with the Antepasts of heav'n:

O how unspeakable are thy sweetnesses, O Lord; which thou hast hid for those who fear Thee!

Which thou hast partly reveal'd to those who love Thee; * and keep their tasts uncorrupted with the world.

But O, what are they then to those who see Thee; and in that sight see all things else!

To those who rejoyce perpetually before Thee; and in that joy find all joys else.

O beauteous truth, which known inforces love; and lov'd begets felicity!

Live thou for ever in my faithful memory; and be my constant guide in all my ways:

Stil let me think on those joys above; and

undervalue all things compar'd to my salvation:

Stil let me think on my Saviours love, that purchas'd for me all those joys.

O my ador'd Redeemer, be Thou the master∣wish of my hart; the scope and end of all my time:

Soon as I wake, let me look up to Thee; and when I rise, first lowly bow to Thee:

Often in the day let me call in my thoughts to Thee; and when I go to rest cloze up mine eys in Thee:

So shal my time be govern'd by thy grace; and my eternity corwn'd with thy glory.

Antiph. Whither, O my God, should we go but to Thee? Thou hast the words of eternal life.

I look not, O Lord, to be pardon'd without repentance; but I hope thy grace to make me repent.