La scala santa, or, A scale of devotions musical and gradual being descants on the fifteen Psalms of Degrees, in metre : with contemplations and collects upon them, in prose, 1670.

CONTEMPLATIONS and COLLECTS ON THE Tenth PSALM of DEGREES, BEING The CXXIX. PSALM.

O Dearest Jesu! let me behold thee as an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile, and yet how many a time, even from Herod's persecution of thee in thy Youth, wert thou afflicted. Thou didst grow up as a Stem out of a dry Ground, very poorly and despicably in the Eyes of the vain proud World, who looked for another appearance and attendance than thou, O King of Glory! didst affect on Earth, and therefore wert thou rejected as a Man of Sadness. And well mightest thou be acquainted with much Grief, when thou didst bear our greatest Sins, even those whereby we did set thee at nought, (as did Herod and his Soldiers) and even sought the holy Child, the First-born of Grace, in our Hearts to take away its Life.

O Lord! we must confess how many a time, too often, we have betrayed and exposed thy Name and Body, thy Word and Members, to Shame and Reproach, to Indignities and Sufferings: We have smitten and pierced them through with many Sorrows; we have knotted the Whip, and lengthen'd out the Rods to plough thy Back, (as the Jews did by their lashing Taunts when thou wert dying on the Cross) only to non-plus thy Love and patience if it were possible: But the Lord is Righteous, and the Lord is Merciful, and therefore he hath cut asunder the Cords of the Wicked, and by his Righteousness shall justifie many, as also confound all such as have evil will towards his Zion. Grant therefore, dear Lord! that we may not prove such a Crop as grows upon the House, or among the Stones, which withereth as soon as it is put forth. But as from our Childoood, we have been acquainted graciously with thy Mind and Gospel, so grant that we may grow up in Grace, and in the knowledge of a Saviour, and have the Blessing of Almighty God from the very Ground of our Hearts, to the last Harvest of our Lives, and be able to bless many others, as Boaz did, in the Name of thee,

Our Father, &c.

TO thee, dear God! be all the Dominion, the Power and Glory of my Being, for thou hast prepared it from the fury of my Adversaries ever since the first motions of that evil Figment in my Heart, which hath broke out often into evil Concupiscences, and endeavoured to plough with my Heifer, to plot with my naughty Flesh, to bind and to deliver me a Prisoner unto Satan; but my Lusts have not led me Captive, nor plough'd upon my Back as they conspired to

do, for thou, O Lord most just and holy! wouldest not suffer them to Tyrannize or Triumph too long over me, but hast broke those Bands of Wickedness, and cast their Cords from me, that I might be thy Servant, and you the Lord my Righteousness: So that I trust they shall be confounded that contend with thee for my Soul, and I shall not be ashamed while I wait on thee, though my Flesh be as Grass that withers away. Thou art my Strength, O Lord, and my Portion for ever, who wilt, I trust, give a Blessing to my Seed, to my Harvest, to my House, to my Endeavours and Encrease, that my Work and thine may prosper in my hand, and bring fulness of Joy and Satisfa∣ction to my Breast, while all the vain Thoughts, and viler Suggestions of my Heart, I desire so to hate, as to wish (like the Grass upon the House tops withered and faded away) that they may never grow up to a Crop, lest (sowing the Wind) I Reap the Whirlwind, and have my Recompence in vanity (according to my delight or trust,) and come to nothing before my time. But, O Lord! I wait on thee for a Blessing in this my day, and for thine Eternity, that I may be like a Field whom God hath enriched; if he be not on my side, I cannot prosper, and I know, him whom thou blessest is Blessed: Bless me therefore, even me, O!

Our Father, &c.