The sinner's tears, in meditations and prayers. By Tho. Fettiplace. Dom: Pet: Cantab.

THE SINNER'S TEARS

The Entrance to the Work.

THere is no man but naturally de∣sireth Happiness, even those un∣happy ones that least endeavour for it, have oftentimes an ear∣nest longing to it; there can be no true Happiness without Peace, no true Peace without Holiness, without offering violence to our corrupt affections, without ran∣saking our soules and searching out the very secrets of our Sinfull hearts: the wordling may be outwardly merry, but none but the sons of sorrow can be inwardly contented; that outward Joy may delight for a season, but this inward Peace remaineth for ever.

Peace is the richest Jewell in a Christians Cabinet, the choisest Legacy that Christ be∣queathed to his chosen ones; in it there is a complication of all Blessings, and without it an expectation of all Miseries; there is no attai∣ning to it, but by the search of him who is the giver of it, there is no following this search, but by that path which leadeth to the ready way, and there is but one guide that can direct

us unto that path: Blessed God, there is no way unto thee but by thee, thou art life, and thou art the way to that life, and thou art the guide to that way, thou Lord art all in all unto me, and therefore, shalt be now and ever praised by me.

In all awfull reverence to thy sacred Ma∣jestie, in fear and trembling at the sight of thy severe Justice to impenitent sinners, in serious apprehension of thy sweet mercy in forbearing me a miserable wretch, and with unfeigned for∣row and humilitie of heart for grieving thy good Spirit, I here dedicate the short remainer of my sinfull dayes to thy service; In thy name, and in thy fear, I begin my discourse, who art the God of peace, by whose holy Spirit I am guided to this happy search: Lord, lead mee in it by the same Spirit, that I may become an instrument of glory unto thee, of happiness to thine, of rest to mine own soul.

CHAP. I. Upon the consideration of our sinfull thoughts touching the Sacred Deitie, with holy cautions to order our Devoti∣ons aright.

Lord,

WHen I seriously consider what thou art (the least glimps of whose eternall glo∣ry I can no way see but by conceiving what thou art not) when I look upon the vast distance between thee the blessed Creator, and mee thy sinfull Creature, I cannot but wonder at thy great patience, at thy rich goodness, at thine endless mercy towards mee.

My whole life from my nativitie hath been a continued course of sinfulness against thee, mine actions highly rebellious, my thoughts finfully wicked, even the very best of them a dark, confused, indigested heap of misconcei∣vings of thy sacred Majestie.

Thou (Lord) art an Essence most glorious, most inconceivable, eternallie injoying Bles∣sedness in the fruition of thy self; thy Centre is every where, thy Circumference no where; thou admittest not of Augmentation, nor of Di∣minution; no length of time is b••yond thee, no depth of wisdome beneath thee, no height of glory above thee, no bredth of mercy beside thee: Thou a••t••o Lord a most pure, simple, and eternall beeing; Pure without matter, without form; Simple without mixture, without compo∣sition; Eternall, without beginning, without end: no Created being can express thee, no imagi∣nation conceive thee, no understanding utter thee: when I think of thee as thou art, the bright beames of thy glory amaze mee; when I con∣ceive of thee what thou art not, the terrors of mine own heart affright mee; even but the Least thought of this kind is impious, seeing that hereby I do not onely rob thee of thy glo∣ry, but even deprive thee of thy self: and yet Lord, as thy being is most high, so is the search thereof most necessary, because from it (as from the blessed fountain) I enjoy my present, I ex∣spect my future happiness; and unto it with joy of heart, and earnestness of soul, I desire should run the current of my praises in this life, of my Allelujaes in that to come.

When I find (therefore) any Corporall parts appropriated to the Divine nature, I there see thee gratiously descending to the weakness of

my frail and infirm nature, and ever bless thy holy name that vouchsafest to declare thy self, not as thou art, but as I am: Thine Eye (Lord) is thy Wisdom, thy Right hand thy Power, thy sitting thine Immutability, thy Standing thy Fortitude, thine Anger thy Justice in pu∣nishing, thy Repentance thy Mercy in pardo∣ning, thy Hatred of sin thy Holiness, thy grieving thy Loving kindness, thy Patience and long suffering thy Goodness; all are thy self.

Neither is it enough for me to consider the Divine nature in Unitie of Essence, unless I go yet further and find a Trinity of Persons; to be curious in this search is dangerous, to be care∣less damnable; nothing may be here safely seen, but what is gratiously revealed: Lord no man can see thee as thou art in thy self, suffer mee therefore to see thee as thou art unto us, that I may know thee, and love thee, and delight in thee, and be for ever known and loved of thee.

If there were not an eternity of being, then it may be truly said that not being was before being, and so that being had its rise from-not being, by causing it self to be when it was not; So should Privation which was eternally evill, produce that glorious being which is eternally good: Seeing this cannot be, it will hence follow, that being was from all eterni∣ty, and that this being was eternally Good; for that which was good in the effect, must needs be far more eminently good in the cause. That this eternall good being must be also infinite, because eternity it self is infinite; That this infinite eternall good being, must be of infinite power, to continue infinitely; That this infinite power must also bee of infinite under∣standing, to support and preserve this eternall

infintie good beeing; and this infinite under∣standing is God.

Where there is an infinite understanding, there must also be an infinite object to be understood, els could it not be insinitely active, and so should both eternity and infinitie suffer diminution and become defective, which were for them both to be and not to be, which is impossible; and seeing there can be no object infinite out of God; therefore this eternall infinite and ever-blessed object, must of necessity be God.

Where there is an infinite understanding, and an infinite object to be understood, there cannot choose but be an infinite and eternall love; for from this infinite Understanding of this infinitely amiable and for ever blessed object, there must needs proceed an infinite delight, whereby it in∣finitely injoyeth its own excellency, and eternally reflecteth on the beauty of its own perfection; els this infinite eternall understanding should want power to enjoy this infinitely aimiable object, and so should be neither good, infinite, nor eternall; and this infinite and eternall love is God.

Now because this Understanding, Object, and Love are all infinite, and that whatsoever is in∣finite must of necessity be God; it will from thence truly and undoubtedly follow, that this understanding is God, this Object God, and this Love God. And because it is as equally impos∣sible that there can be any more than one infi∣nite, therefore it will as assuredly follow that these three are one, three in Existence, one in Essence, three in Order, one in Eternity; three persons, one eternall, infinite, glorious, incompre∣hensible, wise God; to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

This is that blessed Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that ineffable, most mysterious Trinity in Unity, eternally injoying blessedness in its own Essence; This is that blessed inter-union of that ever blessed Spirit, that most unspeakable, im∣mutable, incomprehensible fruition of eternall joy, at which the blessed Angells stand amazed, in which the blessed Saints shall sweetly rest themselves for ever.

All this, and infinitely more than this, thou art Lord in thy self, thy Wisdom, Justice, Mercy, Truth, Power, Holiness, and whatsoever other Attributes thou art pleas'd to take unto thy Di∣vine Essence, are unto thee one, although unto us divers; and thou art therefore pleased diversly to manifest thy self unto us, because we cannot otherwise conceive thy being, than according to thine outward working; thy distinct operations are unto us the divers Indications of thine eter∣nall, undivided, and for ever blessed essence.

And now Lord, who can see thee thus and live? I have hitherto seen nothing but destructi∣on to my body, amazement to my soul: In thine Essence there is light inaccessible, unto which no mortall eye can approach; in thine at∣tributes terror unutterable, from which no mor∣tall man can escape: Thy wisdom trying my corrupt heart, and scoarching my sinfull reines; Thy Justice most severe, fearfull in the pronun∣ciation, dreadfull in the execution; Thy truth admitteth of no alteration; no Judgement pro∣nounced but precisely fullfilled; Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but not one tittle of thy sacred word; Thy Holiness is such, that even the blessed Angells are impute in thy sight; what then shall become of me a miserable wretch, the thoughts of whose heart are only evill, and that

continually? were it not for thy rich mercy, I were lost for ever; by this alone I am for ever reconcil••d unto thee, and shall eternally be blessed with thee.

I can here with joy unspeakable and glorious, behold thee my loving Father affectionately imbracing me in Christ from all eternity, by the sweet working of thy holy Spirit; this is that truly-blessed vision of the sacred and mysterious Trinity in this life of Grace, that will for ever make me truly happy in that of Glory. Lord, if I find thee not Three in One to my soul's com∣fort in this life, I shall never be found of thee to be blessed in thee in that to come.

Without thy Power it had not been decreed, without thy Wisdom it had never been acted, without thy Love it had never been sinished: Here in a severe Judge I joyfully behold a mer∣cifull Redeemer; In a glorious Divinity a true Humanity, united to the Deity, not mixed with it; Before I had three Persons in one Essence, here I have two Natures in one Person, God and Man, one Christ, in whom, and by whom, I have a joyfull interest and undoubted union in the Godhead. Here is the Father promising, the Son performing, the Holy Spirit confirming. This is alone that blessed sight of God, that bringeth rest and quietness to my weary soul: To know him to be my God, to have suffered for my sin, and risen again for my Justification. To find him supporting, sustaining me in my in∣firmaties, relieving my wants, chastising my er∣rors, revenging my wrongs, repairing my breaches, directing my wayes, protecting my per∣son; wounding, rending, breaking my obdu∣rate heart; creating in me a clean heart, and renewing a right Spirit within me; be∣moaning,

bewailing mine iniquities; inviting, nay compelling me to mercy and forgiveness.

Seeing now, O my Soul, that Gods being in himself is incomprehensible; and his Love in Christ unutterable; with what Filial fear shouldst thou think of him, with what awfulness name him, with what reverence and preparedness pray unto him, with what heat of affection love him, with what carefulness and conscience fear to of∣fend him, with what cheerfulness and holy dili∣gence devote thy service to him?

Blessed Lord,

Seeing that I am utterly unable of my self to comprehend thee, O let me be graciously compre∣hended of thee, that corruption may be swallowed up of immortality, and humane frailty of eternall glory.

As thou hast given me an understanding in part to know thee, so give me also affections intirely to love thee, and fixed resolutions to adhere unto thee; that as thou art truly and eternally one in thine Essence, and yet distinctly three in thy Persons; so I may be truly and entirely one in my obedience, although distinctly three in my faculties; that all may be but one, and that a pleasing sacrifice of praises unto thee, of profit unto others, of comfort to my self.

Forgive my misconceivings of thy sacred Es∣sence, my rash approaches to thy heavenly presence, my cold, careless, irreligious thoughts, distracted words, undesent actions. Lord, I am sailing on the stormy sea of ignorance and misery, O be thou my sure Pilot to direct me, my sweet calm to re∣fresh me, my safe harbour to receive me; for of thee, and through thee, and to thee, are all things, to thee be glory for ever. Amen.

CHAP. 2. Upon the consideration of Gods Love, and mans Unthankfulness.

A Meditation suited to the Morning.

Blessed God,

WHen I consider of the richness, of the largeness, of the constancy of thy love to man, of mans vileness and untoward∣ness unto thee his God, I stand amazed at thy goodness, and mine own unthankfulness. How great, and invaluable a blessinge do I enjoy in being made partaker of the glorious light of this present day? how vile and unworthy am I that receive it? how great and glorious art thou that givest it? Thou, O Lord, art light inaccessible, unto which no mortall eye can approach; before whose glorious Majesty the blessed Angels stand amazed; and I am dust and ashes, yea worse, Lord, (for dust was thy creation, and therefore in its entity was good) before I was dust I was not at all: This not being, by thee became a being, this being beautifull, this beauty immortall; and without thee this happy being is again be∣come far worse than not to be.

What can be more vain, more empty than no∣thing? ah wo is me, I am now become far worse than nothing; thou madst me all goodness, and that goodness might have made me all blessed∣ness; but I have made my self all sin, and this sin hath made me all misery; there was darkness in not being, but that darkness was incapable, there is greater darkness in being ill; for this darkness is most capable of the privation of all light of comfort in this life, of the fruition of

the blackness of darkness in hell for ever.

This, Lord, was my condition in nature, and without thy gracious help must have been so for ever. Let me now see what my condition is by Grace, by which I enjoy not only the light of nature (without which my life would prove uncomfortable) but allso a sweet and safe assu∣rance, that thou wilt by this happy light conduct me safely to the blessed light of Glory.

Blessed Lord, I can now look no way but to happiness, I now find a true sweetness and com∣posedness of soul, a constant and courageous setledness of heart, even in the very heighth of all the disturbances of Nature, of all the inun∣dations of Sin, of all the fluctuations of Sorrow, of all the Machinations of Satan: from the sweet fountain of thy mercy, arise those pretious streames of Consolation, which aboundantly relieve mee in this barren wilderness.

I find indeed a law in my members, conti∣nually rebelling against the law of my mind, but I find also thy grace to bee sufficient for mee, by which I am victorious here, and shallbe triumphant hereafter: Satan may strive to win∣now mee like wheat, but this shall make mee the purer for thy Granary. I now find a totall and a blessed change of the whole man; mine affections which formerly were captivated unto sin, in∣tirely devoted to thy service; my love with holy David wonderfull to thy law, my hatred per∣fect against sin, my desire eager for thy pre∣sence, my fear astonishing in thine absence, my delight in thy promises ravishing, my joy in thy performances triumphing.

By these rich indowments of thine I am wrapt up above the reach of humane misery; all vain and empty desires of the besotting pleasures of

this life appear truly as they are, but thornes and bryars, to disturb the growth of my felici∣ty; how sweet is their loss for thy gain? how easily, how willingly, how joyfully, how thank∣fully, are all these foggy mists of ignorance and error happily disperst, by the bright rayes of my ensuing glory.

Beside these fawning enemies of Peace which flatter to unquietness, I am now able to in∣counter with those other which affright the soul even in their first appearance, and are able to deject the carnall man even to astonishment, and utterly to expose him to the tyranny of sin, and torture of punishment: such Lord is the vast difference between the blessed ones of thy fold, and those unhappy ones which stray from thee into the strange pastures of impiety.

No sorrow can surprize mee but for sin, and even this too thou makest to increase my joy: what affliction can be evil which is thy physick who art the fountain of all good? if it be grie∣vous in the tast, it is joyous in the effects; If I mark the happy close, I must with joy confess, that these bitter storms wil end in blessed calms, will bring to my remembrance those grievous sinns that brought my Saviour to those bitter groanes, will force mee from the sorrowes of this life, to my Celestiall harbour, will bring mee on my knees to see mine own vildness, will inrich mee with the graces of humilitie, and patience, and together with them the sweet injoyments of thy blessed Spirit; and if so, how can I complain of want, when in stead of earth I enjoy heaven?

Lord, what can he fear that is assured of thy favour? afflictions, tribulations, crosses, sinns, Sa∣tan, Death, hell it self shall work to mine ad∣vantage: as my cross is more grievous, my crown

shall be more glorious; where sin and Satan have been most prevailing, there Grace and Goodness shallbe more triumphing. How truly sweet Lord is the inviolable peace of thy saints? who powerfully compellest even the very rage of earth and hell to work to their advantage. Lord sanctifie the trialls of this life unto my sinfull soul, that by my patient sufferings with my Saviour here, I may have peace with him and by him hereafter.

I have hitherto looked on mine inward hap∣piness; if I now cast mine eyes upon mine out∣ward, I shall there see that all these outward blessings allso are most peculiarly belonging to the Saints; the wicked ones of the world are robbers, and shall one day give an account of their theft; children, friends, strangers, even our very enemies, are protected, preserved, inriched, blessed for our sakes; so was Joseph and his bre∣thren for Jacob, Zoar for Lot, Potipher for Joseph, the Centurion and souldiers for St Paul: And if thou (Lord) wilt look so lovingly upon the children of this world for thine elect sake, how gratiously wilt thou one day look upon those sonnes that shall be made partakers of thine own inheritance?

Who would not now bee holy? seeing that in this blessed condition, there is not only safety inviolable, but peace untterable, safety in life, and sweetness in death.

And now Lord, when I enquire for what cause thou givest me all this, I find nothing but thy meer love unto me; when I ask what thou re∣quirest for all this, I hear thee demand no thing but the return of love: what is more easy, what more sweet than love? and what object more aimable than that glorious being that is the

perfection of al love, & that love the beauty of al perfection? Thou canst not give Lord what thou hast not, the glory of thy creation is but a glimps of that grater glory of thine essence; Lord who can deny thee Love? how sweet is this yoak, how light this burden! when I love thee I enjoy thee, and my self in thee, I possess thee, I rest in thee for ever. O my God, all that thou givest mee, all that thou requirest of mee, is to make mee happy, to thee be glory for ever. Amen.

Blessed Lord,

All this I joyfully confess thou hast done for mee, and yet the whole course of my corrupt life hath been nothing elce but a continued Rebelli∣on against thee: mine Eyes full of Adultery, my tongue of Corrupt communication, my hands of oppression, mine eares open to iniquity, my heart full of hypocricy, my feet Lame in thy paths, and swift to walk in the wayes of sinners, my whole man nothing elce but the very body of death and destruction.

I have sinned against precepts, against promi∣ses, against mercies, against judgments, against the checks of mine own conscience, and the blessed motions of thy holy Spirit; I have even tempted my temptations, by making daily and hourely provisions for sin; and have been so farr from sor∣rowing for all this, that I have resolved to con∣tinue yet still. And yet so great is thy compassion towards mee, that still thou storest up new mercies for mee.

Lord, I bewail my weakness, I lament my willfulness, I abhorr my filthiness; I heartily de∣sire, and earnestly endeavour to unrip my soul, to ransack my heart, to unlock the very secrets of my thoughts, that I may have all my sins con∣tinually

before mee, even in their worst appearan∣ces; and I may loath them and leave them, and obtain thy gratious pardon for them.

I confesse, Lord, that I am utterly unworthy to enjoy this blessed light, which I have so much abused to thy great dishonour; much more the light of Grace, by which thou leadest me to that of Glory; and that it were more just with thee, for ever to deprive me of these happy lights, and to expose me to the terrours of eter∣nall darknesse:

Lord, I have finned, and cannot chuse but sin; I am a great and grievous sinner, and yet I am thy child; have pity upon me, have pity upon me, for I am in misery: into the bosome of thy tender love I thrust my sinfull soul for safety and protection.

O let not thy justice triumph in my ruine, but thy mercy in my deliverance, so shalt thou have the glory, and I the sweetnesse of mine eternall happinesse.

Hear me, O Lord, and help me, for thy name sake, for thy promise sake, for thy Sons sake. Amen.

CHAP. 3. Vpon the consideration of Divine Provi∣dence.

A Meditation for Noon.

Blessed God,

WIthout thy holy providence no creature can subsist, by thine Allmighty power they were created out of nothing, and if thou shouldst not sustain them, they

must needs return to nothing: how wisely, how wonderfully doest thou guide and govern these inferiour creatures? All things are at once disposed of by thee, and move successively to their appointed ends: but above all, how gra∣tiously hast thou provided for the good of man? what varieties of food, how secretly, how sweet∣ly disposed it to sustentation? No creature can be nourishing without thee, and with thee I enjoy not onely nutriment, but delectation: how sweet is this thy goodnesse to my body? how much more sweet thy mercy to my soul? and if thy temporall refreshments are so good, how ravishing is that celestiall food, with which thy Saints and Angels are delighted?

Lord, how undeserving am I of these thy many favours? Thou givest rain to the earth, and it becometh fruitfull; thou loadest me daily with thy blessings, and loe I am unthank•••••• even those creatures that are insensible, are daily nourisht into augmentation, and man alone, whom thou hast made to live for ever, con∣tents himself with daily diminution.

This wofully appears by my deadness and dul∣ness in my Christian calling, by my back wardness to Holy Duties, by my carelesnesse and coldnesse in prayer, wearinesse in reading, irkomenesse in meditation, by my faint Hope, sick Faith, luke-warm Love, frozen Charity, lame Pati∣ence, languishing Zeal, and all those other vi∣sible decayes of Goodness, which are none o∣ther than the very symptomes of a dying soul.

Ah now, Lord, how miserably deformed must I needs appear in thy fight, that am thus ugly in mine own! Thou that hadst compassion on me when I was in my blood, and then saidst un∣to me, Live; that hast washed me clean from

sin and pollution, and espoused me into thine own bolom, wilt thou allso love me in death? Wilt thou court me in the grave? How justly mightest thou for ever leave me to mine own ruin, that can so easily, so willingly forsake thee, for the pleasures of sin; and yet how sweetly, how affectionately doest thou order all things for me? Even my very sins invite me to a more happy, to a nearer Union with thee.

To thee therefore, O my God, the life of my life, the very being, and assured comfort of my sinfull soul, and wretched body, do I address my self for mercy and forgiveness.

I confess my self unworthy of thy gracious providence in sustaining this frail and infirm body, much more unworthy (O Lord) of thine unspeakable love, in reviving, relieving, imbra∣cing my deformed soul.

Blessed Lord, who am I of whom thou art thus tenderly compassionate? When I was in the womb I was defiled with sin, when I came out of it I was covered with shame; the World bewitched me, the Flesh besotted me, the Devill beguiled me.

Lord, when no eye pittied me, then thou badst mercy on me; and now at last when I am run from thee, when I have adulterated my first Love, when I am become poor and wretched, and miserable, and blind, and naked, thou freely forgivest me, thou callest me thy fair one, and givest me thy love.

O my God, I admire thy Goodness, I deplore and abhor mine own wretchedness; O let the sweetness of thy love in Christ, inflame the dying sparks of my benummed soul to praise thee with∣out ceasing.

Expatiatc my narrow thoughts, with day'y contemplation of my heavenly home, with joyfull expectation of the sweet fruition of Eternity; O give me such a blessed raptasie of soul, that I may live above the reach of humane misery, and reign with thee hereafter in immortall glory.

CHAP. 4. Upon the consideration of the sinfulness, shortness, and uncertaintie of life.

A Meditation suited to the Evening.

Lord,

WHen I call to mind how many daies have past me without bending of a knee, how many nights I have gone prayerless to bed, I may well wonder that I am this hour a∣live to speak unto thee: I have been too un∣mindfull of thy holy providence, and am there∣fore utterly unworthy of thy mercifull protecti∣on: Few, and full of evill have my dayes been in the house of my pilgrimage, I know not how soon I may goe hence, and yet I still live as if I knew not why I came hither.

I am many wayes invited to my heavenly home; how sweetly doest thou wean from the miseries of life, by the blessedness of death! By this Evenings rest of my body I am put in mind of that eternall rest of my soul: This dayes ending tells me that the end of all things is at hand, that the fashion of this world pass∣eth, and that all things shall become new: As

this hour is the Evening to this day, so this day (for ought I know) may be the Evening to my whole life; I cannot challenge to my self one minute more; how vain am I to promise dayes and years? Lord, in the whole current of thy Sacred Story I find but onely one, that durst presume upon so large a reckoning, and him thou brandest with the name of Fool: Let his folly (Lord) be my instruction, so shall I ac∣count each day my last, and neither care to live, nor fear to dye.

How many have been snacht out of this life, how suddenly, and to mans eye how fearfully? How unspeakable is thy mercy unto me to spare me for repentonce? how often and how earnest∣ly hast thou invited me to mercy how coldly and how carelesly have I refused these thy gra∣cious offers? still I sin, and still thou forgivest, and (which is the height of my impiety) I therefore am more and more evill against thee, because thou art more and more gracious unto me; and it were now most just with thee, even this very moment, to put a period to my sinfull life.

Lord, Let this teach me to improve the short remnant of my dayes to thy service, and that I may endeavour so to doe, I will prescribe my self these following rules.

Each evening shall take a strict account of that dayes traffique for my soul, and where I find my self a loser, I will labour for supply. When I awake, my first thoughts shall begin with thee, from whom I have my first being: Nothing will more truly represent me to my self, than the first view of mine affections; if my first thoughts be seasoned with grace, my fol∣lowing actions will savour of goodness. My

care shall be more to dress my soul, than to trim my body; I will think no pains too great, no ornaments too rich to make her beautifull. One devout sigh from a contrite heart, is of more worth (in thy sight) than an hours task of Lip-devotion. My affections are the soul of my words, without which, I speak onely, but pray not: when my prayers are cold, my hopes may well be comfortless. My set hours for De∣votion shall be constant; no pretence of nature shall debar me of this happiness: The Lovers eyes are often glancing on the pleasing object that delights him; if my affections be sincere, my looks will be amorous, I shall often steal a sweet Ejaculation to satisfie the longing of my Love-sick soul. When I can thus bring the day to an end, my life will be comfortable, my death happy, and I may then say with holy David, that I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest, for it is thou Lord onely that makest me dwel in safety.

Blessed Lord, in the morning of my Creation thou gavest me unto my self, in the evening of my Redemption thou gavest thy self unto me: My Creation was wonderfull, my Redemption astonishing. As this dayes light is obscured for the rest of my body, so wert thou the blefied and eternall Light for the rest of my soul. Thou, O blessed Saviour, art my light to direct me, my heat to comfort me, my sweet and safe repose e∣ternally to refresh me.

Gracious God,

With humble and dejected heart I ask for∣giveness of the many failings of my sinfud life past, recall my sinfull thoughts to my re∣membrance: Lord, as the burthen of them is

intollerable, so let my grief for them be unut∣terable.

Lord, open mine eyes that I may see the foulnes, and the filthiness of sin, and apprebend the great∣ness of thy wrath against it.

Forgive those actuall sins which this dayes light hath witnessed; Lord, give me a godly sor∣row for them, a perfect batred against them, a fixed and a constant resolution to forsake them.

Lord, cleanse me from my secret and unknown sins, and keep me, for thy mercy sake, that da∣ring and presumptuous sins may never have domi∣nion over me.

Make me a carefull Steward of that pretious time which thou haft given me, withdraw my affections from the vain pleasures of this sinfull life, and grant that all the dayes of my appointed time I may wait readily and chearfully untill my change shall come.

CHAP. 5. Upon our approaching unto Gods House.

Lord,

THere is no mortall man worthy to stand at thy door, much less to appear in thy pre∣sence; and yet how often have I presumed to approach unto thee without that prepared∣ness of heart, without that dejection of soul, without that true and holy reverence that be∣cometh thy child.

I am now going out of Egypt into Canaan, out of Bondage into Freedom: The sinfull troubles

of this life are my souls Taskmasters, to load it with a burthen insupportable, and this is that place of sacrifise, that Mount of God, to ease and solace it.

Consider therefore, O my soul, in what relati∣on thou now standest to thy God: If thou art a true Israelite, thou wilt look back upon thy drudgery, and despise it, and offer up thy self a living sacrifice with cheerfulness, with thankful∣ness of heart. If thou art Gods child, thou wilt love to be in Gods house; Long for Gods pre∣sence, thirst for his favour, delight in his Word, and rejoyce to be often at his Table: Thou wilt make it thy chiesest joy to be often in that place, from whence thou mayst expect thy chief∣est good.

Lord (by thy grace assisting) I will now un∣cloath my self of all earthly affections, I will call to mind unto whose presence I approach, and wherefore; that I am going from this Church Militant, to that Triumphant; that thou, Lord, art as truly present here in Grace, as there in Glory (unless therefore I am in love with misery) I will leave behind me all earthly∣mindedness, and carry with me a pure heart, and heavenly thoughts, a lowly mind, and re∣verend gesture. Lord, if I go not cheerfully to thy Throne of Grace, I may well fear I shall never go joyfully to that of Glory.

The lowest room in thy House shall content me, Divine Worship admitteth not of disparity of persons; we are all sinners, and (as we are in nature) most impure in thy sight, the worst room in thy House is too good even for the best of us, yet decency of place may be taken with modesty, if not sought with emulation.

During the time of this holy dispensation, I

will call my thoughts unto a strict attendance; and make it part of my precedent prayer, that I may. Satan is ever most busie, when our in∣tentions are most holy; which when he cannot divert, he labours to corrupt, and by this means when I desire to grow better, I become worse. How carefull ought I to be to avoyd his cunning, who can couzen me in my best actions?

My soul shall more delight it self with the matter, than my ears with the melody of thy sacred Notes: Church-musick will be then tru∣ly sweet unto me, when mine outward joy is subservient to mine inward.

Mans sinfull weakness shall not make me slight thy holy Ordinance: If my Pastor have failings, I will pity, and pray for him, but not despise him. If I look into mine own soul, I shall there find work enough to repair mine own ruins. This, Lord, shall rather move me to extoll thy mercy, in upholding mine own steps, to lament the sadness of my Brothers mi∣sery. Lord, let me never think my self better than another, because I know not how soon I may become worse.

I shall willingly continue in that Fold where thou hast placed me, and hope to remain there with comfort, till thou shalt lead me out with safety. While I am at thy feeding, I am happy; one of thy morsels well digested with humility and thankfulness, will yeeld me better nourish∣ment than that other food of mine own finding. The very meanest of thy Ministers may afford me Patience, and that heavenly Grace, with thy blessing to boot, is a great advantage. If I receive thy Sacred Word with cheerfulness, with earnestness of heart, my obedience shall be accepted, my zeal rewarded.

While I am within thy walls, I shall account that gesture most decent that is most humble, and those ceremonies most necessary that are most suitable to obedience; all matters of Do∣ctrine (which are necessary to salvation) ought to be guided by thy sacred Word, which is the onely rule of faith; all matters of Discipline, (which are necessary onely to obedience) are therefore left to thy Churches care: that as thou art one, so thy Church may be one, in that blessed union of love; which is the bond of peace.

And now, O Lord, if thou shalt call me to a strict account for all my misdemeanours in thy sacred Worship, with what confusion of face must ••needs appear before thee?

How many evill suggestions, how many idle imaginations, how many sinfull objects have I often entertained, to divert my thoughts from thy service?

I have too often sinned in absenting thy House, but more often and more grievously in frequenting it, by coming carelesly and out of custome, by un∣beseeming gestures, cold prayers, heartlesse hear∣ing, profane scoffing, curious censuring, and even in the best of my performances, by serving thee my God by halves; all this I heartily be∣wail, and earnestly desire thy pardon and forgive∣nesse for it.

Lord, let this daies rest of my body, bring to my remembrance that eternall rest of my soul; let me not now think mine own thoughts, speak mine own words, doe mine own actions, but come before thee with a sanctified and humble soul, with a wounded and contrite spirit.

Repell all evill suggestions, remove all idle

imaginations, divert all sinfull objects; enlighten mine understanding, rectify my will, strengthen my memory, subdue mine affections, that I may rejoyce in thy love, delight in thy law, long for thy presence, rely on thy promises, thirst for thy grace, and be for ever blessed in thy glory. Amen.

CHAP. 6. Upon our returning from Gods House, and the neglect of private duties.

Lord,

HE that knoweth thee, will undoubtedly de∣light to serve thee; if I call thy Sabbath a delight, my thoughts in this day will be pure, my words gratious, mine actions holy: That soul which cannot joyfully familiarize it self with thee in this life, may well be fearfull to be seen of thee in that to come.

When I seriously consider what a rich favour I enjoy, how great a distance I am at from thee my God, how sweet a mercy thou affordest me to speak unto thee, I cannot but confesse mine own unworthinesse, if I regard not what I hear, if I rejoyce not to recall thy blessed words to my remembrance.

How dreadfull was that voyce that spake in thunder! and how severe the words that then were spoken! how blessed is this still musick of the Gospell! and how delightfull to my wound∣ed spirit! Lord, let this raise my soul above the reach of earthly vanities, let this encourage me to heavenly chearfullnesse in heavenly duties,

to be joyfull in reading, fervent in prayer, fre∣quent in meditation, constant in all: That knowledg wil make wofully wise, which teacheth me to know, and not to do thy will: Meditation is the life of Hearing, Practice the life of Me∣ditation, and a sincere heart the life of Pra∣ctice.

When I look into my life past, I find it to be all sin; when I consider of my life present, I cannot but confesse it to be all shame; I am still so far from growing better, that I am become much worse; this is that blessed day which con∣cerneth my peace, if I embrace not this happy opportunity, I may justly fear these gratious offers will be hid for ever from mine eyes: each word that I heard thy day is of weight; if I be∣come not more holy by my heavenly improve∣ments by it, I shall certainly become sinfull by my carelesse neglecting of it. Thy work, O Lord, will have its end, and this end (either to my happinesse or ruine) shall assuredly pro∣mote thy glory; there is no vacuity in nature, with thee, the God of nature, there can be none.

Think therefore, O my soul, that this daies instruction may be thy last (as thou hopest) for heaven, let it not passe thee without some pro∣fit: Consider seriously how many millions of worlds one lost soul would give to be restored to thy condition; that to morrow thou mayest be as one of them, and then judge how great will be thy folly, how wofull thy misery; if thou triflest with those sacred counsels which con∣cern thy rest.

O thou God of infinite compassions, look not upon those infinite failings of my sinfull nature,

but behold me in the beauty and perfection of thy blessed Son.

Teach me, O Lord, to see the rebellion of mine own wicked heart, by his perfect obedience, my sinfulnesse by his righteousnesse, my misery by his mercy.

Forgive my many and sinfull compliances of nature, which have made me a stranger to thy graces, and mine own happinesse.

The great neglect of mine obedience unto thy commands, hath justly called for the great and heavy load of mine afflictions; the carelesse withdrawing of mine affections from thee my God, hath occasioned the sad departings of thy holy Spirit from me.

O that my losse of tears might now prevail with thee, to repair the losse of thy presence in my sinfull soul: Lord let the greatnesse of my folly in sinning, extoll the richnesse of thy mercy in forgiving.

Restore me to the joy of thy salvation, and stablish me with thy free Spirit, so shall I have the comfort, and thou the praise of my de∣liverance.

If thou, Lord, wilt give me understanding to delight in thy Law, I shall allso have a sweet assurance, that thou wilt delight in me to doe me good.

Accept of my desires, strengthen my endea∣vours, perfect my performances, pardon my weaknesse, assist my willingnesse, forgive my sin∣fulnesse, nourish the good motions of thy holy Spirit in me, and for thy mercies sake remove all dangers and temptations from me; that when the short and wretched race of my imperfect holinesse is ended here, I may solemnize that eternall Sabbath with thy blessed Saints and An∣gels

in thy Kingdome, and rest with thee in the perfection of true happinesse for ever. Amen.

CHAP. 7. Upon the want of due Preparation for re∣ceiving of the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper.

Lord,

WHen I look upon the inestimable value of that gift which I am this day to re∣ceive, when I consider of the Majestie of thee the Giver, of the misery of me the Re∣ceiver, of the vast difference between corruption and eternity, of thy strict commands for pre∣paration to the Passcover under thy Law, of thy blessed precepts for due receiving of thy Sacra∣ment under the Gospell, of thine own example in washing thy Disciples feet, and thereby sym∣bolizing the eternall washing of their souls; of thy Saints practice in their solemn prepara∣tions unto holinesse, by pulling off their shoes when they approached thy presence; of thy se∣vere judgements against Ʋzza, for heedlesse touching of thine Ark; against the Bethshemites, for curiousnesse in looking in; against those rash Corinthians, whereof (for want of holy pre∣paration) some were weak, some sick, some fallen asleep; and lastly, of that dreadfull sentence against unworthy commers to thy Wedding Feast, pronounced by thine own mouth, I tremble at my bold approaches to thy blessed Table, I wonder at thy goodnesse that I am yet alive to say there is yet mercy with thee, that thou mayst be scared.

How many blessed opportunities of coming to thy Table have I sinfully neglected! How many abused, by my sinfull resort thither, by my wandring and idle thoughts there, by my wicked and profane actions after I returned thence!

Lord, wilt thou still suffer me to abuse thy goodnesse? How long Lord, how long shall I wander in these wofull waies of wickednesse? I am weary of the sins and miseries of this life, and willing to embrace this heavenly comfort for my soul. I confesse my self a great and grievous sinner, and yet I know Lord, thou camest not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance: I am hungry, and poor, and blind, and naked, and miserable, destitute of all hope, of all help, but from thee alone; Lord I am unworthy of thy crums, yet thou admittest me to thy Table; the sinfulnesse of my corrupt na∣ture hath made a wofull separation between us, but the richnesse of thy sufferings hath for ever made a sweet conjunction of us; all my sins are thine, all thy righteousnesse is mine, thou art now my well-beloved, and I am thy chosen one, and in this blessed Union is my sweet and safe repose for ever.

Who can enough deplore that more than wofull separation? Who can enough admire this more than wonderfull conjunction? this more than happy reconciliation? Here is Justice undeniable, Mercy incomprehensible, Wisdome unutterable, Love unimitable.

O let my soul now lose it self in the un∣known paths of heavenly contemplation; let me this day apprehend thee (O my Saviour) fasting, praying, weeping, groaning, sweating, bleeding, fainting, dying, for my sake, and

now pleading to my God for mercy for me: Let me now tast the sweetnesse of that mercy by a lively faith, the fulnesse of this sweetuesse by a blessed hope, the fruition of this fulnesse by eternall love.

Lord how unworthy am I of these embraces, if I bewail not, if I abhor not, if I forsake not all the wretched failings of my sinfull life past; if I rejoyce not with joy unspeakable, and glo∣rious, to be admitted to so great a mercy; if this inflame not mine affections with unspotted love to thee my God, with earnest longings for thy presence of Grace in this life, of Glory in that to come?

And now, Lord, since thou in thy rich love hast freely forgiven me my pounds, I will allso most willingly and heartily forgive my brother his pence; I will have nothing to doe with malice, that had so much need of mercy: I will unfeignedly, and freely, and fully for∣give all injuries on earth; I will love all those that hate me, and pray for all those that de∣spightfully use me; and all this for thy sake who hast freely loved me, and layd down thy life for me, to whom be Glory for ever. A∣men.

Blessed Lord God,

Look down in mercy and compassion on me thy poor distressed suppliant, whom thou now vouchsafest to admit unto thy heavenly Banquet; Illuminate my blindness by the blessed light of thy most sacred Word, satisfie my hunger with the sweet refreshings of thy gracious presence, in∣rich my poverty, with the gifts and graces of thy holy Spirit; cover my nakedness with the pre∣cious robes of thine own righteousness; swallow

up the depth of my misery by the height of thy mercy, that I may this day appear before thee with a sincere heart, and happy soul.

Lord, strengthen and support my feeble faith, make me joyfully to trust in thee, constantly to re∣ly upon thee, thankfully to sacrifise my soul in praises to thee.

Ʋouchsafe, dear Lord, that I may worthily approach thy blessed Table, that I may this day be so united to thee, that all my joy and com∣fort may hereafter bee for ever with thee. Amen.

CHAP. 8. Containing pious Ejaculations at the time of Receiving.

Lord,

THis art that blessed Bread by which my soul is nourisht to eternall life; thou art that fruitfull Vine from which doth flow those gladding comforts to my fainting spirit.

Thou wert broken for my sins, thou wert bruised for my transgressions, and the chastise∣ment of my peace was upon thee: Lord, by thy stripes let my sinfull soul be healed.

Thou tookest into thy hand the cup of trem∣bling, thou drankest out the very dregs thereof, and thy precious blood was poured out like water for my sake.

Sweet Jesus sustain me by this Bread, refresh me with this Wine, recover me with this Po∣tion, cleanse me by this Effusion; that I may

this day receive joyfully, return thankfully, live righteously, and dye happily.

CHAP. 9. Containing a brief Meditation, and pious Thanksgiving after our Receiving.

I Am this day joyfully delivered from the bondage of Sin and Satan, and happily re∣stored unto the glorious liberty of the sons of God; I have rellished the sweetness of his hea∣venly promises, and received the seal of his gra∣cious performances; I now enjoy that blessed Peace of God w^ch passeth all our understanding. My deliverance is wonderful, my freedom abso∣lute, my peace unalterable, my joy unutterable: My conscience is now quieted, my spirit ravish∣ed, mine enemies vanquished, and my God wel∣pleased.

To thee therefore, O thou blessed Fountain of eternall sweetness, do I address my joyfull soul, to love and honour thee to my lives end. Lord Jesus accept of me, and so powerfully and gra∣ciously assist me, that I may savingly behold thee in thy blessed promises, that I may happily enjoy thee in thy holy Ordinances; that I may clearly see, and joyfully confess what great things thou hast done for my poor soul; that I may be dayly ravished with apprehension of thine exceeding love, and hourly husied with recounting thy end∣less praise.

Lord make me to forsake the sins and miseries of this life; make me more watchful over my corrupt heart, more zealous of thy glory and thy chil∣drens

good; that I may never willingly offend thee, but wholly sacrifise the short remainder of my dayes unto thee; that so my heart and my flesh may triumphantly rejoice in thee the living God.

Mortifie my corruptions, support my weakness, accept my willingness: Let this my humiliation before thee be a pleasing sacrifice unto thee, for his alone sake whose precious life thy rich mer∣cie hath sacrifised to thy Justice for me. Lord hear me, and have mercy on me for his alone sake whom thou hast freely given unto me, that I may truly love thee, devoutly serve thee, earnestly im∣brace thee, eternally enjoy thee. Amen.

CHAP. 10. Upon a Journey undertaken, and the many dangers incident thereunto.

I Am now going from mine own home, and know not whether I shall ever return; God I know hath set a p••riod to my dayes, beyond which I cannot pass, but when, or where, or how my life shall end, I am uncertain. Many are the dangers that attend this sinfull life, and many more my sins that have deserv'd them, I can neither number the one, nor foresee the o∣ther; this is the wretched, and the sad con∣dition of my body, and (without unfeigned sor∣row for my sins) the much more wofull case of my distressed soul.

Lord, there is nothing so sweet as thy love, nothing so safe as thy protection, and yet I have carelessy neglected the one, and thou mayst now justly deny me the other; thou hast woed

me to mercy, and I have refused to come; thou hast graciously invited me by thy continuall preservations, by thy fatherly sustentations, by thy gentle corrections, by thy faithfull promi∣ses, and thy rich performances.

Blessed Lord, how wonderfull are thy com∣passions towards me, when I am unthankfull for thy many favours, when I am unmindfull of mine own miseries, even then thou graciously providest for me, and yet for all this I have not hitherto resolved seriously to come unto thee.

Such, and so many are my sins, so great is my unthankfulness, that I now tremble to appear before thee; and yet so tender is thy mercy to me, that thou again allurest me to comfort and contentment. Lord, into the blessed bosom of thy love I cast my self for safety and pro∣tection; and in the midst of danger, even in death it self will joyfuliy rely upon thee.

For thou, O Lord, art my strong rock and for∣tress, unto which I will alwaies resort: Lord keep me as the apple of thine eye, hide me under the shaddow of thy wings.

Strengthen my weak faith against the strong assaults of Satan; support and comfort me in all the fears and terrors of mine own accusing con∣science; protect and keep me in this present journey; let thy holy Angels be my blessed Guar∣dians, to protect me in life, to preserve me in death, to assist me after death.

O let me never grieve those blessed Spirits (which though invisibly, yet most assuredly are my attendants) Lord, as thou hast given them ready∣ness and cheerfulness of mind to watch my preser∣vation, and further my salvation, so give me

carefulness and constancy of soul to joy them in my life and conversation.

And seeing, Lord, I cannot know my hour of dissolution, O teach me so to number my days, that I may apply my heart unto heavenly wisdom; that I may obtain a sweet assurance of thy love in Christ; unfeigned sorrow for my sins, a sin∣cere and constant heart to thy service, and a cheer∣full readiness at thy call. Amen.

CHAP. 11. Containing pious Meditations, and zea∣lous Ejaculations after a Journey.

I Am now by Gods gracious providence retur∣ned safe unto mine earthly home, but am still travelling to my heavenly: There is nothing in this life but labour and sorrow, nothing in that but rest and happiness, and yet I dote upon the one, and neglect the other. Lord, if my trea∣sure were with thee, my heart would be there allso: When thou givest me more knowledge of thee, I shall have more desire to come unto thee; When my sins have made me more sen∣sible of mine own misery, thy Grace (I trust) will make me more capable of thy sweet mercy.

Lord, if this vain unquietness be so refresh∣ing to my mortall body, how truly blessed will thy heavenly rest be to mine immortall soul? When thou, Lord, wilt wipe away all tears from mine eyes, all akings from my heart; when there shall be no more death, neither sor∣row, nor crying, nor any more pain; when soul and body shall triumphantly and joyfully

repose themselves in thee for ever: when they shall drink freely of the rivers of thy plea∣sures, and be for ever satisfied with the fatness of thy house.

I confess my self unworthy to enjoy this out∣ward rest in this mine earthy home, much more unworthy to enjoy that inward rest, that sweet assurance of a lively hope, to be partaker of e∣ternall rest. How wretched is my body without this outward quietness? How much more wre ched is my soul without thee? Thou, O Lord, art my shield to defend me, my staff to uphold me, my food to sustain me, my wine to glad me, my beloved to embrace me, my plea∣sure to delight me, my joy to ravish me, my sweet and sate repose for ever to refresh me.

Let this teach me (Lord) to fix my thoughts on heaven and heavenly things; to use this world soberly in thee and to thee; to view it (truly as it is) a barren wilderness, a transi∣tory, vain, and empty thing; far inconsistent with my reall happiness; to desire nothing, to enjoy nothing in the creature, but onely in, and unto thee the great Creator; so shall no vain pleasure bewitch me, no unjust profit beguil me; no sudden sorrow dismay me, no terrors of conscience affright me.

To thee, O thou soveraign of my soul, do I de∣vote the remnant of my sinfull dayes, to love thee, to praise thee, to honour thee, to rest in thee for ever.

Lord wean me from the sins and miseries of this life, and raise my thoughts to immortality: Let the sweetness of thy heavenly joyes relieve the harshness of my worldly sorrows, that misery may be swallowed up of mercy and frailty of eternity.

Ʋnite me in a blessed union with thee, that I may constantly adhere unto thee, and be for ever graciously accepted of thee: O give me a sweet complacency of soul in thy service, and a will∣ing and a dutifull obedience unto thy com∣mands.

Lord give me a thankful heart for all thy mercies to me, for thy continuall preservation, for thy blessed supportation, for the injoyment of thy needfull comforts in this life, and for the glo∣rious hopes of those in that to come.

Blessed God, so sublimate my sinfull soul, that I may see the richness of thy love in Christ, that I may soberly enjoy thy blessings here, and faithfully exspect thy joyes hereafter.

Lord, all that I have without thee is meer emptiness, and nothing, meer vanity, and worse than nothing; my glory, shame; mine honor, ig∣nominy; my health, ruin; my riches, poverty; my gain, loss; my pleasure, pain; my laughter, madness.

Thou, O Lord, art all in all unto me, O grant that nothing may withdraw my service from thee; that no inticing pleasure may allure me, that no distracting care, or sinfull sorrow may disturb me, but that my soul may now and ever safely and contentedly rely upon thee.

Lord, thou seest all my desires, and my conti∣nuall groanings are not hid from thee: Thou a∣lone knowest how weary I am of the sinful tra∣vailes of this life, how earnestly I long to be at rest with thee; Lord pardon all my sins, and put an end to all my miseries: Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, wipe away all tears from mine eyes, and bring me to that rest of thine which ne∣ver shall have end. Amen.

CHAP. 12. Upon the great danger of Security.

DEceive not thy self, O my Soul, it is not so easy a matter to inherit Heaven, as thou imaginest; there will be much fighting, sweating, bleeding, much compunction of soul, subjection of body, hard pressing towards the mark, for the price of the high calling in Christ Iesus, before this happy conquest can be gained.

Cons••der therefore in what condition thou now standest, what ground thou hast gained of thy corrupt nature, how much better thou art this day than the day past, than the year past, than thy whole life past; nay rather how much worse, by adding sin unto sin, by drinking in iniquity like water, by treasuring up wrath a∣gainst the day of wrath, and revelation of thy righteous judgement.

Philosophy will tell thee, that in all naturall motions, the nearer they are to ending, the more violent their motion is; Divinity will tell thee, that in old age thou wilt be fat, and well liking: what increase of love hast thou to Gods Law? what growth of hatred against sin? what bosome-sin hast thou parted with? what gratious improvement hast thou made in Know∣ledge, Faith, Repentance, Love, and all those other gifts and graces which concur to thy per∣fection?

Holy Saint Anselm was often heard to say, If I could from hence behold the pains of hell, from thence the horrour of sin, I would rather embrace

those pains, than this horrour: O what growth of grace was here! how far am I from this degree of holinesse! how easily perswaded to delude my self with shews and shadows of perfection. There is no attaining unto happinesse without holy violence, without beating down my body, without cherishing my soul; if I conquer not here, I cannot triumph hereafter.

Lord, when I look into the strictnesse of the lives of thy Saints, I much lament the folly of mine own; I see holy David in sackcloth and ashes, consuming whole daies and nights in mourning for s••n, washing his bed with his tears, afflicted in body, tormented in soul, grieving, crying, roaring, for unquietnesse of heart. Blessed Paul subduing his body, by fast∣ing, watching, praying, toyling in the Ministry. and thou, my blessed Saviour, in continuall la∣bour and sorrow for my sake: how vain is my trust, how false my hope, how great my errour, to believe I run, when I stand still? to expect a triumph without a victory, a victory without a combat. Lord, if many that strive to enter in at the strait gate, yet shall not be able: what shall become of me? who am so far from coming to thee, that I every day am running from thee; who am not onely opposite unto thee, but even enmity it self against thee.

Sometimes I feel the stings and gripings of a wounded conscience, I know my self to be a grievous sinner, but I quiet my disturbances by thee my Saviour, I willingly accept of mercy from thee, but grudgingly repine at service to thee; thou biddest me indeed to drink freely of the waters of life, but thou commandest me allso to make my calling and election sure, to work out my salvation with fear and trembling;

thou ordainest not the end without the means; if I rebelliously neglect the one, thou may••st most righteously deny me the other: Lord, what can it profit me to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, when I deprive my soul of hap∣pinesse for ever?

O let this teach me to deplore my dangerous condition, to goe on chearfully in the waies of godlinesse, to think no cost too much, no pains too great, no grief too good, to purchase Hea∣ven; to consider seriously, that time once past can never be recall'd, that this hour may be my last, and bring me to eternity of torments; where the stream is stillest, there the chanell is deepest; where there is least distrust, there is usually most danger: Satan therefore disturbs me not, because I sleep in death: But when thou, Lord, shalt open mine eyes to see the sub∣tilty of this Deceiver, I shall then find, that the waters (of sin) are gone over my soul, that I am wofully drowned in the great depth of se∣curity, and can expect nothing (without mer∣cy) but Satans cruelty, and mine own endlesse misery.

To that sweet mercy therefore I appeal, with earnestnesse of soul, and humblenesse of heart, be∣moaning my sinnes, bewailing my transgressi∣ons.

O Lord my God, when I consider of thy gra∣tious goodnesse, and mine own vilenesse, I am utterly ashamed to appear in thy presence.

Thou hast often called me to repentance, but I have not hearkned unto thee; thou hast loving∣ly invited me to mercy, but I have wilfully re∣fused; thou hast clothed me with thine own gar∣ment, and I have shamefully defiled it; thou

hast enriched me with thy grace, and I have rob∣bed thee of thine honour: All this, and infinitely more than this, thou hast freely done for me, the worst of sinners, and yet for all this I have re∣belliously forsaken thee, and most ungratiously been most unmindfull of thee.

And now, Lord, seeing that I am dead and putrified in sins, and rotten in corruptions, what else can I expect from thee, but to be buried out of thy sight? and yet thou still sayest unto me, live.

O thou blessed Fountain of eternall good, con∣vey those happy streams of comfort to my sinfull soul, that may revive me from the grave of mi∣sery: open mine eies, that I may see thee in thy long patience, in thy great goodnesse, in thy rich mercies, in thy fatherly affections towards me.

I am wofully sunk into the deep mire of sin, where no stay is; Lord uphold me by thy grace, that I perish not eternally; O deliver me for thy mercy sake, for I am helplesse and poor, and my heart is wounded within me.

Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee, and thy judgements shall help me.

As thou hast raised me by thy power, so rule me by thy providence, that thy grace may be far sweeter with my sufferings, than my pleasure with my sins.

Restrain my loose desires, renew my good pur∣poses, assist my weak endeavours, correct mine errours, sustain my infirmities; give me a godly sorrow for my sins, a thankfull heart for thy fa∣vours, a filiall fear of thy judgements, a sincere love to thy laws, an holy constancy, and happy perseverance, to my lives end. Amen.

CHAP. 13. Upon the great danger of Presumption.

ALass, my Soul, how vain art thou, how wretched, to presume upon the mercy of thy God? how canst thou be so foolish to believe, that God will favour thee in that, which he so severely punished in his own Son? thinkest thou that pretious bloud was spilt to cherish sin? Be not mistaken, for as Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners, so he came allso to call sinners to repentance. Doest thou argue well to say, because God is mercifull, long-suffering, and of great goodnesse, therefore I will abuse his mercy in sinning, his patience by my long continuing in sin, his great good∣nesse by my great unthankfulnesse? is not this to mock his mercy, to bid defiance to his justice, to arm him with fury, to invite him to revenge? Assure thy self, the longer he is in drawing his Bow, the more forcible will he send his Arrow.

Deceive not thy self therefore, God will not be so mercifull to thee, as to be unjust to him∣self; All the waies of God are Mercy and Truth; Mercy to support thy weaknesse, Truth to correct thy wilfulnesse: There is therefore Mercy with him, that he may be feared, not that he may be slighted, not that he may be shamefully dishonoured. How full of falshood is thy bold presumption? thou criest Peace, Peace, when sudden War is ready to destroy thee; There is no peace to the wicked, saith my God; Heaven and Earth are up in Arms against

thee, and there is none left, not so much as thine own Conscience to deliver thee.

Thou hast gratiously received the knowledge of the truth, thou hast grievously sinned against the light of that knowledge, thou hast wofully continu••d in thy sins, without remorse of con∣science, without desire of repentance, and there now remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a searfull looking for of judgement, and violent fire, that shall devour the Adversaries.

O remember, that the Angels, for one sin, were thrown down from Heaven, and that Adam, for one sin, was cast out of Paradise: Thy sins (O my Soul) are innumerable, thou hast had line upon line, and precept upon precept, and yet thou addest sin upon sin, and trans∣gression upon transgression: Thou hast sinned against many pretious promises, against many gratious performances, against many fearfull judgements; thou hast grieved that good Spi∣rit, by which the Saints are sealed up unto the day of redemption: All these are heavy aggra∣vations upon thee, to fill up the measure of thy sins, and hasten the swiftnesse of thy punish∣ments.

Ah how sad is thy condition! thou hast not onely wearied out thy self in wickednesse, but thy God allso: hear what he faith unto thee, how he complaineth of thee, by his holy Pro∣phet, Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is laden with sheaves, Amos 2.13. and yet thou still addest more load: but as thou addest sin upon sin, so thou callest for wrath upon wrath; as thou hast made a mock at sin, so God will make a mock at misery; as thou hast thy measure in sinning, so God will have his measure in punish∣ing: Consider what he saith unto thee by his

Prophet, Judgement will I lay to the rule, and Righteousnesse to the ballance, Esay 28.17, 18. As he hath a bottle for thy tears, so he hath a bag for thy transgressions, Job 14.17. their growth is recorded, their number accounted, their nature examined, all sealed up against the great and fearfull day of the revelation of the righteous judgement.

O consider this thou that forgettest God, lest he tear thee in pieces, and there be none to deliver thee: Think how suddenly thou mayst be snatcht away by those infernall Fiends, to endlesse torments, and then what tears will be enough to weep thine obsequies, to quench those everlasting burnings? But then, alass, instead of tears of compassion, thou shalt have mocks of derision, the cursed Devils will laugh thee to scorn, the blessed Saints and Angels will re∣joyce at thy confusion, and God himself, who onely can relieve thee, will for ever hide his tender mercy from thee.

Awake therefore out of thy sleep of death, look well into thy lost estate, thou art now near unto making up the measure of thy sins, beyond which thou canst not passe: Thy God hath said to thee, as to the Sea, hitherto malt thou goe, and here shalt thou stay thy proud waves: Think how suddenly thou mayest be called to thy last account, even this very hour, (for ought thou knowest) those cursed Spirits may convey thee to thy fiery Prison: O think how powerfully the wrath of God will then seize upon thee; how wofully thou wilt excrutiate thy self, with apprehension of thy former folly; and last of all, how wretchedly thou art for∣ever banisht from eternall joyes, to suffer with the damned in eternall torments: L••t this

move thee to amend thy wicked wayes, to cry mightily to God for mercy, to judge thy self, to condemn thy self, that thou mayst not be judged of the Lord; to Kiss the Son lest he be an∣gry, and so thou perish from the right way: If his wrath be kindled, yea but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Turn (therefore) unto the Lord thy God (O my soul) for he is gracious, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Blessed Lord,

As an unfeigned sign of my repentance, in anguish of heart, and bitterness of soul, I earnest∣ly desire to search into the secreets of my sinfull thoughts, to unbosom all my sins, and lay them open to the view of all thy Saints, that thou mayst have the glory, they the good, and I the shame of my confession; that so this penitent sense of mine iniquities (which I thankfully acknow∣ledge cometh alone from thee) may be an evi∣dence unto me, that thou wilt also give me pardon for them.

Lord, I willingly confess my self to be a great and grievous sinner, mine original defiled, my birth polluted, mine infancy stained, my youth insnared, my manhood corrupted, mine age be∣sotted.

Mine imaginations vain, my thoughts sinfull, my words wicked, mine actions abhominable, my whole life a very sink of sin and all unclean∣ness.

When thy hand hath been heavy upon me, I have then promised thee amendment; when thy rode hath been taken off from me, I have again returned to mine evil courses; this plainly shew∣eth, that I have hitherto sought but any self in

thee, and may therefore justly fear to be forsaken of thee.

I have been undutiful to thee my God, en∣vious and uncharitable to my neighbour, hy∣pocritical to the world, deceitful to mine own soul.

My thoughts have been wanton, my desires la∣scivious, my actions unclean.

I have been blind to thy precepts, deaf to thy promises, dumb in thy praises, lame in thy services, sick at thine ordinances, dead to thy imbraces.

I have broken all my promises, I have slight∣ed all thy threatnings, I have abused all thy mer∣cies, I have rejected all thy favours, I have delayed my repentance, I have resisted the checks of mine own conscience, I have quenched the motions of thy blessed Spirit, and turned thy grace into wantonness; and yet as if all this had been too little to condemn me, I have most daring∣ly presumed on thy mercie, and most ungracionsly resolved to go on in my impieties.

Lord, thou hast peomised to forgive those that repent, to ease those that are heavy laden, to raise up those that are fallen, to satisfie those that are hungry, and to bind up those that are broken-hearted.

O Lord my God, I earnestly desire to repent, I am laden with a burthen insupportable, I am feeble and sore smitten with the terrors of thy Law, my flesh trembleth, and my heart fainteth; I am fallen into the very mouth of hell, I am sorely wounded with the remorse of mine own accusing conscience, and hungry for the sweet refreshings of thy saving grace.

Thou, O Lord, hast made me sensible of this my great misery, and thou alone canst make me

capable of thy rich mercy; unto that mercie there∣fore I appeal, with sighs in my soul, and sorrow in my heart.

O thou which art the blessed fountain of all goodness, which desirest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent and live, have mercy upon me.

O thou which art the Saviour of the world, which camest to seek, and to save those which were lost, have mercy upon me.

O holy, and for ever blessed Spirit, thou which feedest and refreshest the distressed soules of thine Elect, have mercy on me.

Let thy power (O blessed Father) support my weakness; thy wisdom (O blessed Son) sup∣ply my folly; thy love (O blessed Spirit) re∣strain my wilfulness; that as thou art eternally one, so I may for ever be at unity with thee, although most wofully divided in my self.

Lord, as thou hast given me a heart to pray unto thee, so give me also a soul to praise thee, and a serius resolution to perform those promises I make unto thee.

Lord sweeten all my sorrows by thy blessed sufferings, inlarge my heart with thankfulness for thy many favours, strengthen my weak faith, restrain my rebellious nature, increase daily in me the gifts and graces of thy blessed Spirit; in∣due me with a perfect hatred against all sin; and grant, dear God, that daring and presumptu∣ous sinnes may never have dominion over me. Amen.

CHAP. 14. Upon Quenching the motions of Gods holy Spirit.

COnsider, O my soul, from whence these happy thoughts arise, and wherefore, if they were from nature, they must needs savour of corruption, but now they are from Grace, they summon thee to goodness, they beckon thee to immortality: Thy God now calleth thee to repentance; he offers thee his gracious pardon for thy sin; his love, his protection, his peace, his grace, his glory: He now woeth thee to fa∣vour, and thou (a wofull wretch) convicted by thine own accusing conscience, condemned by divine Justice, rebelliously rejectest all these gracious offers: Ah, what wofull folly is this! nay rather what wilfull madness! As there is a time of calling, so there will be a time of re∣jecting; the blessed wind of Gods holy Spirit bloweth but where it listeth; when it is once gone, thou knowest not whether it shall ever return: God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth, Rom. 9. Ah wo be unto that soul whose time of calling is once past, a thousand worlds cannot redeem its loss. If thou wilt not now embrace these com∣fortable breathings of his tender love, thou shalt then endure the bitter storms of his in∣censed wrath.

If thou wilt not embrace his Mercy, thou shalt exalt his Justice: I called unto you (saith God) and yee refused to come, I held out my hand and ye would not look towards me; therefore will I forsake you in your extremity, when your fear com∣eth

as desolation, and your destruction as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you; then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer, they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. Prov. 1.24, 27, 28.

Gods clemency and patience in this life will assuredly exasperate his fury, and revenge, in that to come; as his Mercy is unutterable, so his Ju∣stice is intollerable, both are his divine being, and therefore both must needs be infinite; both are to manifest his glory, and therefore both must be eternall.

From hence is that expression of Saint Vaul, It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb. 10. From hence it is that wicked men are left unto their own swing in this life, that they may be payd home with Gods wrath in that to come.

Let this teach thee, O my soul, to welcome these endeared motions of the gladding Spirit, to thirst for them, to rejoyce in them, to think no thought too dear to be disloged for them.

Blessed Lord, I hear thee calling thy holy A∣postle Saint Peter, and I see him readily for∣saking all to follow thee; how often hast thou called me, a sinfull wretch, by the sweet moti∣ons of thy blessed Spirit; and I have hitherto refused to forsake the very least of all my sins, for thy sake, who willingly forsookest all the pleasures of this life for mine? Long hast thou waited my repentance, but I have yet hated to be reformed. Mercy hath been offered, and I have not esteemed it, Judgement hath been threatned, and I have not regarded it; thou hast not onely whispered unto me by thy graci∣ous visits of thy blessed Spirit, but thou hast e∣ven

called me aloud, by thy divine hand of wholsom chastisement; By loss of friends, by loss of means, by loss of health, by loss of li∣berty, and (without thy rich mercy) by the great danger of that greater loss of thy Gospel, and thereby of thy gracious presence in this life, and thine eternall joys in that to come. All this my sins have justly brought upon me, and yet for all this, my wretched heart desires to be a stranger to thee.

Lord, who am I that thou so graciously invi∣test unto mercy? Lord, what am I that now presume to speak unto thee? I am so deformed, and contemptible, that mine own knowledge cometh far short of mine own misery. O how justly mightst thou for ever leave me to my self, to eat the fruit of mine own wayes, and to be filled with the falshood of mine own devices, to possess sorrow, and inherit shame? But thou, O Lord, who art infinite in goodness, hast mani∣fested to my sinfull soul, that when I wretched∣ly forsake thee, thou readily forsakest all to fol∣low me; when I run from thee, thou bewailest me; when misery compels me to return, thou joyfully receivest me, thou lovingly relievest me, thou then graciously acceptest of me; And now, O Lord, when I have even wearied out thy mercy and compassion towards me, thou still invitest me to come unto thee.

To thee therefore, O thou blessed Shepheard of my soul, do I devote these penitent expressions: O let those tributary tears which are due to thy suf∣ferings, be now plentifully poured forth for mine own sins. Lord pardon my contempt of grace, and graciously enable me to entertain these happy vi∣sits of thy holy Spirit, and patiently to bear these

sweet chastisements of thy heavenly hand, that I may have fellowship with Christ, and peace with God.

If thou Lord for the sins of my prosperity, shalt think it fit to bring upon me the miseries of adversity, for the great neglect of thy gracious vi∣sits, to deny mee the sweet comforts of thy blessed answers, yet give me patience, and sure confidence to trust stil in thy mercie, that so while I am most justly debarred of my longing desires, I may not be utterly deprived of thy loving favours.

Lord cast me not away from thy presence, O leave me not unto my self, lest I perish everlast∣ingly; make me to see the richness of thy love and favour towards me: Quicken the motions of thy blessed Spirit in me, renew my good thoughts, and six them wholly upon heaven and heavenly things; Lord Jesus make me joyful in them, and for ever truly thankful for them.

Make me willing to enjoy thee, and ready to abandon all things for thee: Lord I now seek thee but I cannot find thee, I call upon thee but thou answerest me not: O kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth, for thy love is better than wine.

Lord let thy left hand support me, and thy right hand imbrace me, let me be outwardly, and in∣wardly, sustained by thee; my weaknss by thy power, my rebellion by thine obedience, my folly by thy wisdom, my pollution by thy sanctification, my faith by thy fruition; that I may be grieved for thine absence, delighted in thy presence, inamored with thy beanty, inriched with thy bounty, infla∣med with thy love, adorned with thy graces, com∣forted with thy consolation, incompast with thy glory. Amen.

CHAP. 15. Upon the consideration of Gods peculiar Providence to his Children.

Lord,

NOthing can befall me in this life, without thy wife, and over-ruling providence; not so much as one hair of me can fail without thy allowance; for even my very hairs are num∣bred; as a Sparrow cannot fall to the ground, so neither a hair from mine head without thy sacred leave: And if thy blessed Providence protecteth these inferior creatures, if it extend it self even unto excrements, how much more safely doest thou guard the bodies, how much more tenderly the soules of thine Elect? Yet such is my stupidity by nature, that I seldom look beyond the seond causes; I usually con∣tent my self with casuals and contingencies, and often judge that meerly accidentall, which sweetly moves by thy commands, to thine ap∣pointment and thy childrens good.

Thy Providence is eternall, thy provision in time; thou, O Lord, art infinitely wise, and caust therefore provide infinitely well, the end thou ordainest to thy self, the means to thy creature; good and bad are under thy protecti∣on; the good for themselves, the bad for o∣thers; both for thy glory; the one thou willest to be happy, the other thou permittest to be miserable; neither of them can avoyd their necessity of fate, and yet thou neither inclinest the one, nor inforcest the other, because unto both in their originall thou gavest perfect free∣dome

of will, to chuse the good, to leave the bad; to inherit life, or purchase death.

Blessed God, we are all debtors in our first Parents, thou mayst therefore most justly re∣quire that of us, which was lent us in them: They were able to pay, but not willing; we, their wofull posterity (as we are in nature) are neither able, nor willing; But by thy grace, Lord, we are onely willing, and not able; and thou hast therefore sent thine onely Son, who was both freely willing, and fully able, to ap∣pease thy Justice, to reconcile thy Mercy, to comfort us here, to crown us hereafter.

And now, Lord, having given us thy Son, how shalt thou not, together with him allso, give us all things? and yet I often see thee gi∣ving of good things to the bad, and bad to the good: there is nothing more fiequent in this life than the afflictions of thy children, nothing more common than the prosperity of the wicked, they receive their good things in this life, I shall enjoy mine in that to come, when I shall be comforted, and they tormented. Thou, O Lord, art righteous in all they waies, and holy in all thy works; thou loadest them with thine outward blessings, for their outward obedience; thou deniest me these outward favours, for mine inward advantage; by the one they are left inexcusable; by the other I am made more conformable; my patience exercised, my faith tried, my love examined, my humility proved; all these are speciall tokens of thy mercy to∣wards me; for as grace increaseth here, so shall glory hereafter.

Lord, what can he fear that is assured of thy favour? that knoweth assuredly, that all these outward things shall work together for the

best, to his advantage? If Joseph be thrown into the Pit, it is to send him into Egypt; if into Prison, to preser him to Pharoah, that so Corn may be sent into Canaan; if Satan be sent to tempt Job with afflictions, it is because Job shall overcome Satan by patience; if holy David be∣come a sad spectacle of humane frailty by sin∣ning, it is to make him a pattern of true piety in repenting; if the bodies of the Saints be grievously martyr'd in this life, it is to array them with glorious robes in that to come.

Lord, let this teach me joyfully to entertain the saddest of events, which either thy wisdome, mans unrighteousness, or Satans cruelty, can bring upon me; to be patient under them, and thankfull for them; to ransake my soul, and search diligently there, for what sin thou send∣est this sorrow, to bewail it, abhor it, forsake it, and earnestly implore thy pardon for it: When I am thus happily resolved, I shall then have that undaunted boldnesse, to say with holy Job, Allthough thou killest me, yet will I trust in thee; with holy David, Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, yet will I fear none evill, for thou Lord art with me; and with thy blessed Apostle, that I know assuredly, that the sufferings of this life shall work for me a far greater and more exceeding weight of glory, in that to come.

To thee therefore, O thou blessed Guardian of my sinfull soul, and wretched body, doe I addresse my self for safety and protection.

I confesse, O Lord, there is no one minute of my whole life can be safe without thy gratious providence, and yet so wretched have I been, that few or none of them have been devoted to thy service.

Lord, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all thy truth thou hast afforded me; even the very best of all my actions hath justly merited the very worst of all thy punish∣ments, and yet thou daily loadest me with thy blessings, allthough I hourly sin against thee, by my great transgressions.

Forgive me my unmindfulnesse of these thy mercies, my great unthankfulnesse for all thy fa∣vours, and fix my sinfull soul more willingly, more joyfully, more fervently, more constantly, on thy service.

Teach me to keep a catalogue of thy mercies, to let none passe without a thankfull and devout acknowledgement; to set some daies apart from the year, some hours from each day, to praise thee for them.

Forgive the pride of my prosperity, my care∣lesnesse of thee, my coldnesse unto thine, my crosse∣nesse unto others, my cruelty to my self.

Lord pardon my repinings in adversity, my distast of thy power, my distrust of thy providence, my deniall of thy wisdome, my refusall of thy love, my contempt of thy favour, my neglect of thy grace, my despair of thy goodnesse.

O give me such a blessed frame of heart, that I may chearfully and joyfully content my self, to walk in whatsoever paths thy blessed providence shall lead me to: O hold thou up my goings in those paths, that my feet slip not; teach me to make a gratious and a sweet improvement of these outward crosses, a blessed and a wise advan∣tage of thine inward graces: Lord lead me by thy counsell here, and afterwards receive me to thy glory. Amen.

CHAP. 16. Upon sinfull Anger, and the great dis∣turbance thereof.

Lord,

WHen I consider of thy patience, and long-suffering towards me, a miserable sinner, of the lowlinesse of thy Saints, and of the great humility and meeknesse of my Saviour in his sufferings, I much deplore the wofull weaknesse of mine own infirmities, and more admire the richnesse of thy goodnesse, in admitting me to speak unto thee.

What pleasure, Lord, canst thou take in that service which is all sin? how canst thou delight in that which thou abhorrest? thou art a God of pure eyes, and canst not behold iniquity; if all my righteousnesse be in thy sight as filthy rags, and menstiuous clothes, how full of ug∣linesse and deformity will my sins then appear before thee?

Ah Lord, thou hast often se••n how easily, how suddenly, how wretchedly, I have been swallowed up of sinfull passion; how I have violated that invaluable peace which thou hast given me, by revengefull thoughts, by despight∣full words, by disturbing actions: I know no∣thing in my corrupt nature, but to know my self miserable; I see nothing in this misery, but terrour and confusion, affliction to my body, destruction to my soul; all occurrences of this life should have rather added to my growth of grace, than disturbance of nature: I have hi∣therto been grossely mistaken, in calling that a

defect of my body, which is in truth an er∣ror in my soul: Nature was at first created pure, no disobedience was then in the passi∣ons, Man hath marred it by his Fall: all the Streams that are now troubled flow from this Fountain; this barren excuse therefore is so far from lessening sin, that it makes it bigger. I am now so much the more stained by committing actuall sin, as I should have been more holy, and am not, since original.

Lord, let this teach me to deal truly with my soul, to uncloath my self of all sinfull excuses, that so sin may appear truly what it is, and may become out of measure sinfull; that mine Anger may be holy, my application of it happy, that nothing may disturb me but sin; that I may be a Lyon in thy cause, a Lamb in mine own; that when I hate the sin, I may love the person; when I rebuke the offence, I may pray heartily for the offender; so shall I zea∣lously enjoy thee my God, religiously em∣brace my neighhour, patiently possess mine own soul.

And now, Lord, as thou hast given me an heart to confess my sins of impatience before thee, so give me a sweet assurance in my Savi∣our, that by him I have assured pardon for them.

If thou Lord for my sinfull Anger shalt inflict upon me thy severe wrath; and for my long con∣tinuing in my sins, the long duration of thy pu∣nishments; yet let not thy severitie exceed the measure of my Christian charity; though thou continuest my miseries, yet withdraw not thy mercies. O make me more and more humble unto thee my God, and more and more meek amongst

thy children; conform me to that blessed pattern of true piety and patience; that as a sheep in thy hands (my blessed Shearer) so I may be dumb, and not open my mouth against thee.

Lord banish from me all desires of revenge; let Patience have its perfect work, to quiet me here, and crown me hereafter,

I confess my self to be a great and grievous sin∣ner, and yet I am thy creature; my body is thine, and my soul is thine, both were joyned in thy creation, and both are joyned in my devotion; both have sinned against thee, O let them both be humbled before thee, not to satisfie thy Justice, but to implore thy Mercy; not to merit thy Grace, but to magnifie thy Goodness.

Lord make me truly sensible of the greatness of thy misery, that I may the more devoutly, the more sincerely, sue to thee for mercy: Forgive the many violent erupcions of my sinfull passions, give me a meek and humble spirit, that I may happily enjoy thy presence, and mine own con∣tent. Lord grant that I may patiently and joy∣fully imbrace the wrongs and injuries of this life, for thy sake, who hast been patient even to death for mine.

Let that be made easie unto me by thy grace; which by nature is impossible, that nothing may delight me but thy love, nothing grieve me but thy displeasure, nothing offend me but thy dishonour. Amen.

CHAP. 17. Upon mans inordinate love to the Creature.

WO is me that I am constrained to live in Meshech, and to dwell in the tents of Ce∣dar; wo is me that I was conceived in sin, that I was born in sin, and that I have so long been captive to the power of sin: How vain am I, how wretched, to beguil my self of rest and quietness? O how unworthy to defile my Mariage vows, to prostitute my love to these unclean, and false embraces of a s••nfull world, to dig unto my self these broken Cisterns of im∣pure and empty joys, and to forsake those living waters of eternall life: O wofull cateif, if I well consider what I am; but sar more wo∣full, if I seriously consider what I should be.

Lord, when I was in my blood, thou saidst unto me, Live; when I was cast out, and none eye pittied me, then thou hadst mercy on me; when I was naked thou clothedst me, when I was wounded thou healedst me; nay more, Lord, thou didst uncloath thy self for me, and by thy wounds I am healed; when I was loath∣som in mine own eyes, I was beautifull in thine; and when all this is not yet enough to manifest thy wonderfull compassions towards me, thou feedest me at thine own Table, thou lodgest me in thine own bosom, thou makest me partaker of thine own inheritance.

Blessed God, what couldest thou have done more for me that thou hast not done? And yet for all this I forsake thee, I neglect thee, I

abuse thee, I adulterate those many vows and promises I made unto thee: And now, Lord, when I am even ashamed to present my self be∣fore thee, when my false heart hath been so great a stranger to thy blessed bosom, that I am even afraid to kneel to thee for mercy; thou graci∣ously forgivest me, thou bemoanest my sin, thou hidest my shaure, thou makest love unto me, and (to the wonder of my soul) delightest still to set thy love upon me.

Thou, O my blessed Saviour, hast told me, that if I were of this World, it would love me, but now I am not of this World, that the World hateth me: Lord, what madness is this in me to love mine utter enemy? to de∣light in her bosom, which hunteth for my precious life? to forlake thee, the pleasant Lil∣ly of the Vallies, the sweet Refreshments of E∣ternity, to weary out, and wound my soul a∣mongst the Bryars of this barren Wilderness? Thou Lord, hast sayd unto me, Arise my Love, my Fair one, and come away; thou invitest me from the showers and tempests of a stormy Win∣ter, from the cares and troubles of a disconten∣ted life, to the sweet dews of thy graces, the gentle breathings of thy Spirit, the tender buds of thy love, the lovely blossems of thy good∣ness, the pleasant fruit of thy promises, the joyfull crop of thy performances: And notwith∣standing all this I still cry, yet a little more sleep, yet a little more number, yet a little more folding of the hands together; yet a little more sin, yet a little more shame, yet a little more sorrow.

Ah, Lord, what is there in the creature, that thus strangely bewitcheth me? or rather, what is there not in it, that is not every minute

ready to betray me, and dispoyl me of those pre∣cious ornaments of soul which thou hast given me; the cares and crosses of this life asflict me, the pleasures besot me, the profits disturb me, pride puffeth me up, and even mine own heart deceiveth me; by calling good evill, and evill good; by making that sweet in the expectati∣on, which is bitter in the fruition: Lord, while I have sought the creature, I have lost my self, my body in distempers, my soul in distracti∣ons.

That precious Faith which is the ground of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen, whose end is the salvation of my soul, which is thy gift who art the God of truth, is now drowned in a sea of error, and justly gi∣ven up to believe dreams and delusions, and doctrines of Devils; to trust wholly in vanity, and to follow after lying.

That saving knowledge, by which I was for∣merly enlightned in thy sacred Truths, is now blinded with the soggy mists of sin and igno∣rance: This, Lord, is my great aggravation, and just condemnation, that light is come into the world, and I have loved darkness better than light.

That glorious hope which maketh not asha∣med, but exspecteth an inheritance eternall in the heavens, which fadeth not away, is now become a vain and empty hope, delighted with sin, rewarded with shame.

Those blessed affections by which my happy soul was wont to walk in thy wayes, and to delight it self in thy commands, are now wea∣ried out in wayes of wickedness; and that heart which hath so often promised obedience unto thee any thy Laws, hath now forsaken

thee the living God, and made a covenant with death and hell.

Thus am I robbed and spoyled of all, and am become poor, and wretched, and blind, and naked, and miserable; my whole head is sick, and my whole heart is faint; I have sown in iniquity, and must reap in asfliction; I am in∣toxicated with the wine of Errour, that stings me like a Scrpent, and bites me like a Cocka∣trice, and yet when I awake (such is the sad∣nesse of my present condition) I say, I will seek it yet still.

Lord, he that is once out of thy path, know∣eth not the length of his journey, and may well fear to lose himself for ever.

And now, Lord, what is my hope? truly my hope is even in thee; thou seest my weaknesse, and acceptest my willingnesse: thou that know∣est it impossible that the world should be o∣vercome by me, biddest me be of good comfort, because thou (Lord) hast overcome the world for me; if I fight not against thee, though I am often foyled, yet I am more than conquerour in thee.

O let this teach me joyfully to rely upon thee, to make thee the height of my joy, the end of my desires, the onely happy and eternall object of my sinfull soul: Lord, I heartily de∣fire thee, I thankfully embrace thee, and doe for ever vow my soul and body to thee.

Suffer me not to wander from thy blessed pre∣sence, let me not longer dally nor dissemble with my soul; O let me not think that I then love thee, when I love but my self in thee; make me now at last to know those blessed things that belong to my peace, lest they be for ever hid from mine eyes.

Lord, by thy rich mercy I can now plainly see the vanity and emptinesse of all these earthly objects, the folly and misery of those that rest in them, the rest and quietnesse of those that least rely upon them; in this tranfitory beauty of the Creature, I can now behold the ravishing perfections of the great Creato••r.

Lord, I now exceedingly desire to know thee, that I may for ever love thee, that I may be sick of love till I enjoy thee, that I may joyfully rest in thee, and be eternally united to thee.

For thou, Lord, art infinitely sweeter than the sweetnesse of thy Creatwes; they are all but emptinesse and vanity, but in thy presence is the fulnesse of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

O thou blessed Fountain of eternall goodnesse, forgive me mine offences, cover my sins, and fix my soul upon the sweetnesse of thy heavenly joyes; give me constancy and steadinesse of heart, to cleave unto thee, and for thy mercy sake re∣move all vain desires that may betray me from thee.

O thou blessed Saviour of my sinfull soul, by whose persect obedience all my disobedience is forgiven me; who hast given thy self for me, and to me; give me allso unfeigned repentance, that I may heartily bewail the sinfulnesse of my life past, that I may make a gratious improvement of my life present, and faithfully perform the vows and promises which I make unto thee, for the short remainder of my life to come.

O blessed and eternall Comforter of all those sinfull souls that put their trust in thee, give me a sweet and full assurance of thy love in Christ; withdraw my wretched heart from vanity, in∣flame

it with an earnest and affectionate desire to thee; open mine eyes, that I may see some glimps of thy celestiall joyes prepared for me; make me often to think of them, earnestly to long for them, and readily and chearfully to part with all these earthly pleasures to enjoy them.

Lord make me able to encounter and withstand the strong assaults of Satan, and this evill world; give me thy saving grace, and take from me what thou wilt; without thy blessed presence, all these outward joyes are wearinesse, and emptinesse; without thee, even life it self is bitternesse unto me; without thy love I ask it not of thee, yea I rather beg thee (Lord) to take it from me, that so I may be joyfully released from the bondage of a sinfull body, that I may love thee with a pure and spotlesse soul, that all mine imperfections may be done away, that so I may securely dwell with thee, in perfect holinesse, and endlesse happinesse. Amen.

CHAP. 18. Upon the sin of Uncleannesse, with en∣couragements to avoid it.

COnsider, O my Soul, in what a blessed re∣lation thou now standest to thy God; thou hast lately grieved for thy sins, and God hath allso gratiously accepted of thy sorrow, and thou art now at peace and union with him; his holy Spirit is thy Comforter, his holy Pro∣vidence thy Guide, his holy Angels thy Guar∣dians, his holy Saints thine Assistants; the Creatures without thee are at league and union

with thee, and thy Conscience within thee is a continuall feas•• unto thee: while thus thou continuest thy safety is inviolable, thy joy un∣utterable, thy peace unalterable.

Who can expresse the blessednesse of this con∣dition? how ravishing is this reviving presence of the gladding Spirit, by which thou art sus∣tained sweetly here, by which thou shalt be joy∣fully refresht hereafter!

Wilt thou now lose all this (O my Soul) for this false, this foul, this momentany pleasure? wilt thou lodge this beastly sin, where thou now lodgest thy Redeemer? Consider how vain it is, how bitter it will be; think how many sad thoughts, how many aking hearts, how many wounding sighs, this fall of thine will cost thee; what distempers of body, what disturbance of soul, what unquietnesse of sleep, what checks of conscience, what inward sadnesse in thy greatest merriment, and (which is worst of all) what a fearfull apprehension of Gods wrath in this life, and wofull expectation of judgement, and suffering of extremity of pains in Hell for ever.

Let not the vain hope of Gods mercy flatter thee; for while he is mercifull, he will be just, yea his mercy shall provoke his justice; if his patience and long-suffering doe not lead thee into timely repentance, his wrath and fury shall surely lead thee out to greater condemna∣tion.

If custome perswade thee, let custome allso reclame thee; if thy flesh murmur, thy spirit will rejoyce: O how happy wilt thou find this opposition! how glorious this victory! even but one blessed thought of amendment, is of more value than an age of sin.

Holy Saint Augustine, who was wont to nou∣rish his lascivious flesh, and thought it then im∣possible to live without the lustfull kisses of his Roman Dames, when once he had but relished the ravishing embraces of eternity, brake forth into this sweet and most divine expression, How truly sweet is the losse of this earthly sweetnesse! those transitory joyes which I was formerly afraid to lose, I now rejoyce to banish; it was thou, O Lord, who didst thrust them out; it is thou, O Lord, who art entred in, who art sweeter than all sweetnesse, &c.

Lord let this example move me to a blessed imitation of this blessed Saint, to take heed of holding conference with Satan, to labour to repell the very first motions to sin; if I delight in his discourse, I shall soon consent to his counsell; if he feel me resist, I shall find him give ground. Lord let me remember what I fight for, and follow my advantage with courage and successe, that when my daies of warfare shall determine, I may say with joy and comfort, with thy blessed Apostle, I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, I have finished my course, from henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse, which the Lord the righ∣teous Judge shall give me at that day, and not unto me onely, but unto all those that love and expect the day of his appearing, 2 Tim. 4.7, 8.

Lord,

Thou hast often seen the weaknesse of thy sin∣full servant, how willingly, how wretchedly I have been yeelding to the false allurements of my sinfull flesh; how basely I have given ground, even upon the very first assault, without desire of resistance, without care of repentance.

I have hitherto been so far from sorrowing for this sin, that I have much delighted in it, and often grieved thee, my God, in framing of ex∣cuses for it.

Blessed God, how rich is that peace which I enjoy by thee, how glorious that hope which I possesse in thee, how wonderfull that mercy I ob∣tain from thee? and yet how carelesly, how coldly, have I parted from thee? Lord forgive what is past, restrain what is present, prevent what is to come: O let me enjoy no sweetnesse but in thee, who art nearer to me than I can be to my self, who art sweeter to me than the sweetnesse of these earthly pleasures.

O give me such a blessed frame of heart, such Angel-like integrity of soul, that my thoughts may be chast, my desires holy, my words gratious, my actions good.

Give me a double portion of thy blessed Spirit, that I may double my obedience to thy sweet com∣mands, that I may tast the comforts of thy hea∣venly joyes, and utterly abhor the false allure∣ments of this sinfull world.

Let the sweet showers of thy distilling graces allay these motions of concupiscence, extinguish these devouring flames of lust, that I may con∣stantly and happily oppose this darling sin to my last hour, and joyfully triumph with thee for ever. Amen.

CHAP. I. Upon immoderate Mirth, and the sinfull inconveniencies thereof.

Lord,

IF I were this day to dye; If thou shouldest now say unto me, Give an account of thy Stewardship, for thou shalt be no longer St w∣ard; if mine Audit were at this instant to be given up, and all mine actions this present hour to be account••d for, how sadly should I look upon that lost time which hath been spent in sin? how many vain Items must needs appear to my deserved shame, and ondless for∣row? So many minutes wasted in unclean and wanton cogitations; so many dayes and nights in frivolous and idle discourse; so many weeks, and moneths, and yeares, in vain and finfull actions: How full of horror and confusion would this Account appear, even to mine own eies With what face should I dare present itunto thine? What would I not now give to purchase but some small respite to redeem this wofull waste, this vain expence of time? What seri∣ous vows, and faithfull promises should I now make of amendment? What constant houres would be now dedicated to thy service? my whole life would now seem too little to bewail my solly, to redeem my loss.

O what madness is it then, while I have dayes of mercy, to despise them, to abuse them, to be utterly neglective of them? What is it, Lord, that I so eagerly persue? Even the very heighth of all mine outward happiness, is but a short crackling of thorns, a sudden blaze,

which may seem to warm me, but can never throughly heat me; Wo be to that soul for e∣ver, that can find no refreshment but in this momentany fire; If thy Grace, Lord, can∣not warm me, thy Glory will not comfort me.

There can be no true joy but in godly sor∣row; The heart of the wise is in the house of mourn∣ing, the heart of fools in the house of mirth, Eccl. 7.6. The luxurious Wanton may be carnally joyfull, but the penitent Christian is cordially merry.

There is no better tryal of this truth (Lord) than from thine own mouth, who wert a man of sorrows; thou, O Lord, hast told me, That I shall weep, but the world shall rejoyce; that I shall sorrow, but my sorrow shall be turned into joy, and my joy shall no man take from me, John 16.20.

Deceive not thy self therefore (O my soul) for if thou walkest too far in this enticing path, thou art out of thy way to Heaven; and thou mayst go so far in it as to lose thy self, and by a customary freedom of thy Christian liberty, soon find so great an indisposition unto God, and goodness, that unless the blessed Shepheard of thy soul vouchsafe to find thee, by his sa∣ving grace, it is improbable, nay it is impossi∣ble that thou shouldst ever return.

Canst thou be so sensless to believe that thou art Christs Disciple, when thou wilt not bear his Cross? Did ever any of his followers enjoy heaven without violence? without beating down their bodies? without cherishing their soules? without much weeping, fasting, praying, sigh∣ing, groaning for their sins? without being crucified unto the world, and the world unto

them? without checking, and controlling their unruly lusts? without utterly forsaking all this earthly trash? and joyfully accounting it as loss and dung to possess Christ?

Look upon the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Virgins, Fathers of the Church, and all the blessed company of Saints, in all times, places, Ages of the world, and thou shalt find them all to use this world as if they used it not; quietly, sparingly, soberly; Isaac at his evening devotion in the solitary fields, Eliah at his pri∣vate Carmel, the Baptist in the desart, St. Paul in his desires out of the body, and with Christ, holy Simeon in his Pillar, Saint Jerome in his Cave, all of them and innumerable more of Gods Saints, were true Benonies, sonnes of sorrow and affliction.

Lord, with how much fervour, and alacrity of soul, did these thy blessed ones pursue thy heavenly joyes? what sharp combats had they to overcome themselves? And if such chosen and select vessels as these, have had such great strivings, such powerfull conflicts with their finfull bodies? what will become of me? th••t have obeyed sin in the lusts thereof, that can find no pleasure but in folly, no laughter but in madness.

Consider therefore, O my soul, whilst thou hast yet time, that there is no truer character of a graeeless heart, than prophane mirth; thou art too ready to believe, that God is mercifull, that all thy sins may be forgiven thee in a mo∣ment; that the good Thief was saved at the last hour, and that therefore thou mayst still go on in wickedness. God indeed is allwayes ready to shew mercy, but it is onely unto those that are ready to repent: And how knowed thou

whether God will accept thee in that hour? Whether he may not, whether he will not, then withdraw his saving grace from that sinfull soul, which hath so long withdrawn it self from his service: This is that which thy blessed Sa∣viour telleth thee, Not every one which crieth Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in hea∣ven, Matth. 7 21.

And lest perpaps that one example of the dy∣ing Penitent may flatter thee, consid••r of the time, the place, the manner of his strange con∣version: This was assuredly (saith St Augustine) to manifest the power and Godhead of a dying Saci∣our, and that upon the rare consession of an Infidell, and that at such a time when all the world forsook him, and even his own Disciples either doubted, or denied his Godhead.

Alass, how little comfort canst thou now reap from this example: how should it rather affright thee, to see bu•• one soul amongst so many milli∣ons to obtain mercy at the last hour, & that upon such weighty circumstances? on what a weak foundation doest thou build thy hopes of hap∣piness? how easily will that devouring storm of thine accusing conscience ruin it? and then how great the fall will be, the fearfull horror of thy lost estate will wofully express.

Lord, let this teach me to redeem those pre∣cious hours which I have lost: O let each wan∣ton thought, each idle word; be monitors to tell me how my Audit stands with heaven. I can speak nothing, I can doe nothing, which I can recall; each circumstance of sin is charged in mine account, and must be reckoned for: how careful should this make me of the-expense of that time that is recorded for eternity? Thou,

O Lord, art holyness it self, thy Saints and An∣gels are holy, and thy children must be holy; nothing but holiness can inherit heaven, no un∣clean pleasure, no impure joy shall enter there: How can I ever hope to be an inhabitant of that holy City, whose heavenly language I can∣not speak?

And now, Lord, seeing these things are thus, by thine assisting grace, I seriously resolve to allow my self no pleasure in this life, but what is sanctified with moderation; because I clearly see, these outward pleasures to be one∣ly so far usefull unto me, as by them I am made more serviceable unto thee: Moderate and honest repast, sets an edge upon my soul, and makes it more earnest, more-active in devotion; when I take up pleasure as a trade, I become a Traytor to my body, a Tyrant to my soul.

Lord, I am now heartily in love with heaven, and grudge at that hours liberty in outward merriment, that maketh not the next more eager of mine inward comfort; There is no sweetness but in goodness, and there is no goodness in that mirth which is not subordi∣nate to this sweetness: Christian liberty may be easily mistaken, and become licentious wickedness; there is often-times most danger in those things which seem most necessary, if not used with moderation.

And now Lord, having seriously considered what time is, and wherefore, I admire the fol∣ly, and lament the misery of all those whose onely aim is to mis-spend it: My dayes are few, and full of evil, O let my greatest care be to husband my time well; I have much busi∣ness, and great, to dispatch, and I know not whether this dayes l••ght may be my last; Mine

eternity of joy or sorrow, hath its dependance on this short moment: If I think upon it seri∣ously, I shall grudge to spend one minute vain∣ly: Lord, there is no distinction of time with thee, one day with thee is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day; O let me se∣riously consider, that with me there is, that I must work while it is called to day, that mine houres are swift and short, that the night of death cometh when I cannot work; that the end of all things cometh, when time shall be no more: By thy grace therefore I will piously devote the remnant of my life to holy duties, so shall mine age of sin be nothing in thy sight; and one day well spent (in thy remembrance) as a thousand years.

Blessed Lord,

Wilt thou accept of such a sinfull creature as I am to appear before thee, to approach unto thee, to sue to thee for mercy? How bold am I to look up unto thee with these adulterous eyes, that have so long been gazing on these earthly joyes? how much presuming on thy mercy, to im∣plore thee with that tongue, that hath so much provoked thy displeasure? how impudent to offer that disloyall heart unto thee, that hath so fast been wedded to this sinfull world?

Lord, when mine own wretchedness had brought thy gracious visitation on me, when thy hand pressed me sore, when thine arrows stuck fast in me, and the venome of them drank up my spirits; when my heart was in hcaviness, and my soul in bitterness, when my life was drawing near unto the grave, when mine own conscience pleaded powerfully a∣gainst me, and the terrors of a second death

were ready to devour me; I then earnestly im∣plored thee for mercy, and thou freely forgavest me; I then begged my life of thee, that I might thankfully devote the remnant of my life unto thee.

Ah Lord, how wretchedly hath mine own heart deceived me? what serious vows, and faithfull promises did I then make unto thee? and yet how carelesly, how foolishly am I depart∣ed from thee? how vainly have I trifled out that precious time which thou hast given me? how justly mayst thou now deprive me of this wretched life, by which I have so much disho∣nored thee?

And now, Lord, when I have even wearied out my self in wickedness, when my soul is over∣charged with sin, and my heart with sorrow; when the vanity of this life is ready to forsake me, and there is nothing left but misery and shame to seize upon me; I have not yet resolved seriously to come unto thee.

Lord, leave me not unto the weaknesse of mine own infirmities, expose mee not unto the raging hillowes of these strong temptations, suffer me not to sink into this depth of sin, to be destroyed by this dreadful storm of Satan, and mine own accusing conscience; rebuke these windes and waves, and cause a blessed calm within me; reach out thy hand of mercy, and support me; strengthen my drooping soul, that I may joyfully, and faithfully lay hold upon thee: give me a fixed heart, that I may seriously return unto thee, and may this hour be graciously accepted of thee.

Lord wean me from the false imbraces of this evill world, turn all these sinfull joyes to bitterness unto mee, make me to see their

foulnesse and deformity, their emptinesse and vanity, their shortness and uncertainty, their falshood and flattery, their wearinesse and mi∣sery.

O let my heart be filled, let my soul be ravished with those transcendent joyes of thine which are for ever; give me a joyfull soul to rest securely in them, a ready heart devoutly thankfull for them.

Lord moderate my desires to outward in∣joyments; let me rellish no sweetnesse but in thy love, no goodnesse but in thy grace, no comfort but in the full assurance of thy glory.

Forgive those wretched houres which have been stoln from thy service: O Lord, my God, I heartily bewail them, and willingly resolve to spend my days in sorrow for them.

Make me more watchfull over my corrupt heart, more carefull of my precious time, more serious in the weighty work of my salvation; more sorrowfull for sin, more mindfull of the hour of death and day of judge∣judgement: That so I may affect the plea∣sures of this life soberly, enjoy them sparing∣ly, and leave them cheerfully. Amen.

CHAP. 20. Upon the great danger of deferring the hour of repentance.

COnsider, O my Soul, of the great danger of delaying thy repentance; of judging that so easy, which will prove so difficult; of thinking that allmost finisht, which is scarce yet begun: Believest thou it will suffice thee to have some transitory thoughts of thine a∣mendment, to have perhaps some pinching sighs, some stings of conscience, some shews of sor∣row for thy sins; to hang down thy head like a bulrush for a day, and yet afterwards to return with the dog to thy filthy vomit, and with the sow to the wallowing in the nasty mire of sin: While thou continuest in this course, thy hopes of amendment are extreme doubtfull, of reconciliation dangerous, of repentance despe∣rate.

If ever thou hopest to inherit heaven, let not Satan thus delude thee; look well into thine evill and corrupt heart, and thou shalt there find, that this is not the cure, but the dis∣case of sin; that thou grievest not for thine of∣fence, but for thy punishment; that thou mayst yet go much farther in this supposed path of thy repentance, and still be far short of that since∣rity of heart which God requireth of thee, and yet have no part nor fellowship in Christ: Thou mayst with Saul express thy sorrow with thy tears; with those Beleevers in the Gospel, re∣ceive the word with joy; with Demas, shew thine inward grace by thine outward obedi∣ence; and in some sort be made partaker of the

Holy Ghost, and have a tast of the good things of the world to come; and yet for all this, come far short of this unfeigned work of true repen∣tance. Alass, what can it profit thee to bewail that sin which thou wilt not forgo? what reward canst thou expect for that obedience which so soon fainteth? what comfort in that joy which is but temporary?

Remember how great a work thou hast in hand, how many millions of lost souls complain eternally in hell of this neglect; O look into the foulness of thy sin, and then into the true∣ness of thy sorrow: If thou art Gods child, thou wilt be grieved for offending of so good a Father; thou wilt abhor that sin that hath so much provoked his displeasure, thou wilt most solemnly protest against it, and seriously re∣solve for ever to avoyd it; thy sin will be ever before thee, to humble thee here, to exalt thee hereafter.

Thy degrees of sin will have thy degrees of sorrow; thy measure of pollution will require thy measure of sanctification: As thou hast gi∣ven up thy members to be servants of sin, so thou must now yeeld them up to be weapons of righteousness; as thou hast been drowned in pleasure, so thou must be drencht in tears; yea those tears will be thy dayly food, to nourish thee in grace, to enrich thee in glory.

O how truly-blessed is that soul, which hath unfeignedly resolved on this good, this great, this necessary work? that can cheerfully and joyfully express it self with holy David, and say, Lord I am bowed down greatly, I goe mourning all the day long, I have roared out for very anguish and unquietness of heart. If thou hast Davids sorrow (O my soul) thou shalt assuredly have

Davids joy, thou shalt say with him allso, Lord I am thy child, and the son of thine handmaid, thou hast broken my bonds in sunder, Psal. 116.16. Satan may now tempt thee, and through thy frailty and infirmity prevail against thee; but to become a customer to evill, the powers of hell cannot entice thee; a thousand worlds are not now of that value with thee, as the joyfull remembrance of thy passed dangers, thy present comfort, thy future safety.

Thou hast now seen (O my soul) how abso∣lutely necessary this great work is; think now how happy will be the performance, how full of danger the delay: the longer thou continu∣est in sin, the more remote thou art from grace; What extreme folly is this in thee, to deprive thy self of that friend, of whom thou hast most need? If thou findest thy self so back∣ward to this holy duty now, how averse wilt thou be hereafter, when sin is more deeply rooted in thee, the devill in more firm possessi∣on of thee, and God himself removed further off from thee?

From whence now are these false hopes, these vain promises of future happiness? how darest thou refuse these gracious offers of eternity? how full of doubtfulness and extreme hazard is this false assurance of that holy Spirit, which thou hast so often grieved? Be not deceived, God is not mocked, look what a man soweth, even that shall he reap; he that soweth in the flesh, shall reap corruption; he that soweth in the Spirit, life everlasting: If thou wilt not hear Gods call in this life, he will not hear thine in that to come; if thou wilt not mourn for thy sins here, thou shalt howl for them for ever. And who shall then have pitty upon thee? or who

shall be sorry for thee? or who shall pray for thy peace? thou hast abandoned me (saith God) thou hast gone from me, and now will I stretch out my hand against thee to destroy thee. Jerem. 15.5, 6

Lord, let this teach me to deal truly with my self, to search narrowly for sin, timely for sor∣row, and speedily for pardon. Seek the Lord, O my soul, while he may be found, for in the great wa∣ter-floods (of his eternall wrath) thou shalt not come nigh him.

Lord,

I have sinned, and I desire to repent; I have layen long festering in the grave of sin, and cannot be now raised without a miracle.

I have sinned in delight, in consent, in action, in custom, in long continuance of custom; with∣out remorse of conscience, without thought of repentance: I am grown old and impudent in sin, and am no more worthy to be called thy child.

Lord, I am become loathsom to my self, how much more odious unto thee, who art a God of pure eyes, and canst behold none ini∣quitie.

I have sinned against thee, I cannot repent but by thee; my transgression is active, my obedience passive, I can no more arise from sin than death, even this desire of sorrow is from thee; the repair of my corruption is the work of thy creation; when thou hast raised me by thy grace, thou supportest me by thy goodnesse, thou leadest me by thy providence, thou drawest me by thy patience, thou compellest mee by thy power.

Such is my weakness, such is my feebleness by

nature, that I cannot rise without thee, that I cannot stand without thee when I am raised by thee; such is my strength, such is my ability by grace, that I am able to go with thee, that I am joyfull to run after thee.

Lord quicken and revive me from the death of sin, and grave of misery; sustain my wounded conscience with the sweetness of thy saving pro∣mises; let thy patience and long-suffering lead me in to repentance, thy holy Spirit unto perfect holiness, and endless happiness.

Lord Jesus draw me, and I shall joyfully run after thee; my body in obedience to my soul, my soul and body in obedience to thy blessed will, more zealously, more willingly, more constantly to my lives end. Amen.

CHAP. 21. Upon Servile fear, and the danger thereof.

NO child can fear his father as lie ought, that is not jealous of his fathers honour, that is not feelingly affected with his inju∣ries, and zealously devoted to perpetuate his praise; and it is as equally impossible that this father can affect that son, whose obedience is rather enforced by power, than invited by af∣fection.

If this be so in Nature, it is much more so in Grace; for thou, O Lord, art now a double father to me, thou art my father by creation, and my father by redemption: Lord, as thou hast doubled thy goodness towards me, I

should have doubled my return of thankfulness towards thee: Thy love to me is absolute, no breach can dissolve it, no time determine it; thy love to me was from the beginning, and whom thou lovest thou lovest to the end: My love to thee is fickle, false, and full of imperfections; and if my filiall fear, even in my rest performances, be full of spots and blemishes in thy sight, how most deformed shall I appear, when I serve thee with an irreligious, and ungodly fear? when I doe thy will repiningly, and coldly, not for love of thy mercy, but for fear of thy justice? when I am knowingly and willingly consenting to thy great dishonour; when I am so zealous in the worlds cause, yea, too too often, in the devils cause, and so benummed in thine; when sorrows dismay me, and sins delight me.

Ah Lord! how far am I from what I ought to be? If I go on in this path, I perish everlasting∣ly; while I continue in this course of disobedi∣ence, I hang over hell fire by the slender twig of an uncertain life, and if that once break, my loss is irrecoverable: Thou Lord hast sayd it (and thy word is truth) He which denieth me be∣fore men, him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven: Lord let this teach me to delight in thy service, to be jealous of thine honor, to thirst for thy favour, to tremble at thy frown, to submit to thy rod, to think nothing too dear to part withall, to purchase thy grace, to pro∣mote thy glory. Thou, O Lord, lovest not a cowardly Christian; if I prefer any thing to thy love, I am most unworthy of it; that friendship is too dearly bought, which cannot be enjoyed without the loss of thy favour.

If my brother offend me, I will labour to restore him with the spirit of meekness, lest

whilst I study to rebuke another, I become guilty my self: No sin shal pass me without some shew of distast, without some feeling of my Makers injury, and my brothers misery; If I be not moved with compassion for anothers sin, I shall never be moved with contrition for mine own; such comfort as I can willingly af∣ford another, I may well hope shall be graci∣ously conferred on my self.

In my reproof of sin I will observe these holy cautions, lest while I endeavour to become ser∣viceable unto thee, I prove injurious to my neighbour: Private sins shall not have publique reprehensions; neither shall publique sins be undecently reproved by me a private person; Piety must not confound Charity, nor Religion Policy. Lord, I may easily transgress, even in my best intentions; how grievously have I then failed in my rebellious actions? when I have not feared thee with that sincerity of heart which becometh thy child; when I have not loved thee for that beauty, for that richness, for that goodness which thou art, but for those out∣ward blessings which I enjoy from thee; when I serve thee for base and by respects, such, and so unbeseeming my profession, so far below that soul which thou hast given me, that thou mayst justly now withhold thy blessings from me; when I have hitherto sought but my self in thee, when my thoughts have been carnall, my words hypocriticall, my service deceitfull.

To thy glory (Lord) and mine own deserved shame, I willingly confess, that I have not only sinned through the frailty of my nature, but I have sinned allso with an high hand; sin hath not onely surprised me at unawares, but I have obeyed it in the lusts thereof, with willingness,

with greediness, with joyfulness; I have not onely corrupted mine own wayes before thee, by mine own sins, but I have allso foolishly con∣tracted others faults, by hearing and seeing thee my God dishonored in vain and sinfull discourse, in more vain and sinfull excess, with∣out shew of dislike, without thought of reproof; yea, Lord, I have added unto others sins by mine example, while I have feared to reprove that which I have known to be distastfull unto thee, while I have seemed to love that which hath been hatefull to mine own soul: With those time-pleasing Rulers in the Gospel, I have believed in thee, but because of the Pha∣risees (because of outward respects) I have feared to confess thee; and have loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

But thou, Lord (who art infinitely good, and ever ready to forgive, whose wise and over ru∣ling Providence is only able to produce the great∣est good out of the greatest evill) Pardon and pass by my many and my weak compliances of sinfu••l nature; supply my defects, accept my desires, incourage my endeavours: Let thy power be magnified in my weakness, thy love in my will∣fulness, thy grace in my sinfulness.

Suffer me not (O Lord) to run from thee, by a base and servile fear of thy Justice, O let me rather run into the bosom of thy love by a filiall fear, in sweet and safe assurance of thy mercy.

Lord make me to see the fearfulness and ugliness of sin, by the bright rayes of thy ce∣lestiall beauty: O let me patiently, and joyfully, and thankfully, endure thy sweet chastisements

for it, and speedily, and constantly withdraw my longings from it.

Give me an yearning and relenting soul for grieving thy good Spirit; give me (O Lord) that chast and blessed fear belonging onely to thy children, that I may not fear thee to tremble at thee, but to love thee, to honor thee, to delight in thee, to enjoy thee.

Lord, make me jealous of every deed, of e∣very word, of every thought that may displease thee, and truly penitent for all those sins by which I have so much dishonoured thee: Indue me with a loyall heart to love thee truly as I ought; strengthen this love with holy confidence, and happy perseverance, that may for ever ha∣nish this unholy fear; that so my joyfull soul may live above the reach of humane misery; that I may be capable of no fear but of offend∣ing thee; and that I may not onely fear thee my self, but be jealous allso of thy fear in others.

Lord, let nothing in this life withdraw me from a zealous and a constant love to thy service, from a faithfull and devout indeavour to promote thy glory; that so I may be ever found truly obedient unto thee, my God, religiously acquainted with the affairs of this life, piously affected to the good of mine own soul. Amen.

CHAP. 22. Upon the great neglect of reckoning daily with our consciences, and the benefits lost thereby.

COnsider, O my soul, how venomous the nature of sin is; if thou canst afford to sleep in small sins, thou wilt not stick to welcom greater. Sin is of an incroaching na∣ture; if thou suffer it to sleep in thy bosom, it will expect to dwell there: Little sins are har∣bingers to bigger ones; if thou lodgest these, those will challenge entertainment: Let each evening therefore take a strict accompt of that daies action, and where thou findest thy self fail∣ing, pray heartily for pardon.

In thine entrance upon this holy course, thou wilt surely find three potent oppositions: Sa∣tan will tell thee, that God requireth no such strictness at thy hands; the World will tell thee, thou hast this, or that employment to consider of; thine own Corruption will perswade thee, that nature will abhor this discontented course, that thy spirits will be too much dulled, and thy life will prove uncomfortable.

Alass my soul, these are delusions to betray thee to a greater mischief. As there are degrees of Sanctification, so there are of Pollution; no man becometh evill in an instant: from hence it is, that sometimes the soul can start even at the very thought of that sin, which by degrees it can digest without disturbance. If holy David had accounted with his conscience, after his lustfull looks on Bathsheba, doubtless those fear∣full

sins of his had never been committed. O let not any vain pretences deter thee from this task, but the blessed benefits allure thee; if the entrance be harsh, the progress will be safe, the continuance sweet, the end happy.

By this enquiry thou shalt see thy sins (those great disturbers of thy p••ace) arraigned, con∣victed, condemned, and by the mercy of thy Sa∣viour dayly dying in thee; Satan repulsed, the gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit strengthen∣ed, thy mournings comforted, thine infirmities susteined, thy conscience quitted, thy rejoy∣cings exalted, the holy Angels delighted, and thy heavenly Father well pleased. O how truly blessed are these enjoyments! what soul can be now sad in this enquiry?

Lord, I now solemnly resolve upon this safe, this sweet, this blessed task; I willingly aban∣don all excuses that may hinder me, and joy∣fully embrace those happy duties which invite me nearer to thy heavenly presence; thy yoak is easie, and thy burthen light; when thy grace hath redeemed me from the bondage of sin, and restored me into the glorious liberty of thy chil∣d en, I shall then find (to my souls comfort) that thy service is perfect fre••dom••, from sin, from shame, from death, from hell; from all miseries here, from all torments here∣after.

Be warie therefore, O my soul, and carefull to remove all lets that may disable thee, but those especially that turn me from a Christian to a beast. Satan hath many wayes to couzen me; when he cannot beguile my judg••ment, he will betray mine affections, and lead me by a seeming good, in friendly society, to a•••• call evill in excess, and so when he cannot corrupt

my intentions, he will undoubtedly divert mine actions, as well knowing it is impossible for him to be devout, who is not temperate.

Lord, by how much Satan is more powerfull and malicious, by so much make me more wise and circumspect, that my intentions may be good, my words gracious, my actions vertuous, my life holy, my death happy.

Blessed God,

How large a portion of my little time have I bestowed on sin? how eager have I been of it? how negligent in asking pardon for it?

Lord pardon my unmindfulness of holy duties, make me more watchfull for the time to come, that I may constantly resolve upon amendment of my evill wayes, and willingly endure thy fatherly afflictions for them.

Forgive those sinfull houres that have unfit∣ted me for thy service; suffer me not, O Lord, to wander in the waies of wickedness, and when at any time the frailty of my wretched flesh shall tempt me to exceed those blessed bounds which thou hast set me, O let thy saving grace restrain me; let not this sinfull freedom captivate my precious soul, to thy dishonour, and mine own deserved shame; but let thy gladding Spirit be my joyfull comfort, to refresh me in life, and protect me in death.

Make me more zealous, more intent upon the wayes of godliness; Lord suffer not my pious resolutions to abate with any outward obstacles; let me not lean upon these broken reeds, but rest on thee the rock of my defence and safety.

Make me content to leave these earthly vani∣ties for thy sake, who wert willing to forgoe Thy heavenly Throne for mine; though the frailty

of my nature hath too often led me into the bon∣dage of sin, yet let the freedome of thy grace now guide me into the footsteps of sorrow, that this blessed sorrow may be turned into joy, and that this joy the world may not take from me.

Lord open mine eyes, that I may see the bles∣sednesse of goodnesse, the perfect freedome of thy service, the glorious liberty of thy children; so shall I willingly submit to thy commands, and joyfully partake of thy rewards.

Blessed God, with humblenesse of soul I offer up my self unto thee; Lord Jesus accept of me, and so assist me with thy grace, that I may wholly dedicate my self to thy glory. Amen.

CHAP. 23. Upon Unchristianlike dulnesse in afflicti∣on.

Lord,

I cannot live without crosses, unlesse I can live without sin; when they come therefore, I will bid them welcome for thy sake, from whom they are sent; not one of them can af∣flict me without thy leave, who hast directed their course, limited their power; let me not repine at that which I have justly d••served; let me rather rejoyce, that thou vouchsafest me this favour; if I were not thy child, I should not be under thy rod; if thou Lord didst not love me, thou wouldst not scourge me; no out∣ward thing can so well assure me of thy favour, as the fellowship of thy sufferings; for if I suffer

with thee, I shall assuredly be glorified together with thee.

Holy David was in trouble, and it was good for him: O let not that which was good for him, be evill for me. Lord, if thy physick be bitter, yet it is wholsome; if it make me heart∣sick now, it will make me healthfull hereafter; if I disturb it not by mine impatience, it will work in me the quiet and the happy fruits of true repentance, and amendment of mine evill waies; it will remember me that I am a Stran∣ger, and a Pilgrim here, that there is nothing in this life but wearine e and sorrow; it will drive me from the penury of sin, and tyranny of Satan, to the riches of grace, and liberty of goodnesse; it will encourage me to walk wor∣thy of the richnesse of my calling in Christ Je∣sus; it will make me willing to goe home to thee my heavenly Father, where I shall feel no more pain, find no more sorrow, suffer no more affliction, where thou Lord wilt wipe away all tears from mine eyes, all grief from my heart.

Thou (O Lord) alone knowest my disease, and canst best temper my potion; each degree must be answered, so much sinfull pleasure as I enjoy, so much sorrow must I drink (and woe be unto me for ever if I drink it not) if I tast not of this cup here, I shall drink of the very dregs in hell: Thou, O Lord, who hast freely forgiven me my sins, hast not fully remitted my punishments; thou who didst undergoe the misery of life, and the bitternesse of death for me, hast neither bought off the one, nor taken off the other, from me; by thy sufferings I am fully and for ever freed from the guilt and tor∣ments of sin; by mine own corruptions I am

liable unto the act of sin, and so even unto death allso, as a temporall punishment for sin: Thou camest not, O Lord, wholly to abolish sin in me, but to become righteousnesse, and sanctifi∣cation, and redemption unto me; not to abate my sorrows, but to uphold my sufferings; that I being thereby made conformable unto thee in grace, may hereafter be partaker with thee of thy heavenly glory.

How fearfull ought this to make me to com∣mit sin? how carefull to avoid occasions of allurements to it? how thankfull, how joy∣full, to receive Gods Fatherly chastisements for it? I may here see, and joyfully admire, the wisedome, justice; goodnesse, mercy, of my heavenly Father; his justice, in punishing sin; his wisedome, in the proportion and end of this punishment; his goodnesse, by susteining me under it, by redeeming me from it; his mercy, by making it to work for me a far more exceed∣ing, and eternall weight of glory.

Lord he that can droop under thy Crosse, shall never follow thee to thy Crown; when I once find the lightnesse of this load, by the strength of thy supporting grace, I shall then feel, to my souls exceeding comfort, that one sin is of more weight than an age of sorrow.

And now Lord, I am joyfully prepared for the worst of afflictions, which either sin or Satan, life or death, can bring upon me; scourge me, launce me, bruise me, break me, doe what thou wilt with me here, so thou spare me for ever; Lord, allthough thou killest me, yet will I trust in thee, for I know assuredly, that all these outward things shall work together for the best for me; and that my present sufferings thou hast sent in mercy to me, to humble me for sin,

to preserve me from shame; I kisse them, I em∣brace them, and am sincerely thankfull for them. Lord let me clearly see for what sin thou hast inflicted this punishment, that I may bewail it, abhor it, forsake it, implore thy par∣don for it; when I am thus armed, I shall be able to encounter thy fiercest affliction; if I am found naked, the weakest will foyl me.

To thee, O Lord, whose wise and over-ruling hand disposeth all occurrences of life, and sweetly guides them to the good of thy children, doe I addresse my sinfull soul, for mercy and protecti∣on.

Lord open mine eyes, that I may see and be∣lieve the constancy of thy love, in the mutability. of mine outward condition.

Give me a patient and a willing heart to wel∣come all the changes of this present life, to be humble under them, to rejoyce in them, and be thankfull for them.

Forgive the pride of heart, and prodigality of hand, attending on my prosperous estate; my great repinings, and ungodly passions, incident to my declining happinesse, and increasing misery.

As thou hast weaned me from the pleasures of this life, by the rod of thine afflictions, so wean me allso from the sins of this life, by the staff of thy consolations, that so my heart may be wholly taken off from all earthly enjoyments; that I may become even as a weaned child, to forgoe willing∣ly what thou deniest me, to receive quietly what thou providest for me.

What I want of these outward blessings, supply ••nto me by thine inward comforts, which are in∣••finitely better for me, and shall be therefore ••ver dearer to me. Lord furnish me with

graces suitable to all events, and able to encourage me in all afflictions.

Lord sanctifie this present sorrow to my sinfull soul; so sweeten it by thy grace, that it may bring forth in me the quiet, and the happy fruits of righteousnesse: Make it a sure pledge of thy fatherly affections towards me; let it daily and hourely draw me nearer to thy presence; let it wean me from the miseries of sin, and at last bring me to the sweet fruition of eternitie. Amen.

CHAP. 24. Upon Unchearfulness in Christianity, with incouragements to avoyd it.

AH Lord, from whence is my uncheerful∣ness, my dulness in my Christian calling? how much below that glorious hope which thou hast given me? When I consider of the richness of thy love in Christ, I find thee to be all in all unto me, and may well wonder at mine own unthankfulness, and ignorance, that is stll doting on this worlds nothing and uncertainty. Thou (O Lord) art truly and eter∣nally good, and therefore able to derive eter∣nity of happiness. Before I was created I was thine, and when I was not mine own thou be∣camest mine; thou (O my Saviour) who hast given me thy s••lf, canst deny me nothing: What is too good, too great, too glorious for that so•••• which thou hast redeemed at so dear a rate, ••s the price of thine own blood, and espoused to thine own bosom? Thy creatures are at peace

with me, thy holy Angels attend me, guard me, fight for me, rejoyce at my conversion; thy Saints triumphant pray for me, the Devils fly from me, and thou, O Lord, by thine all-mighty power, and gracious providence, art ever with me; thou carest for me from the cradle to the tomb; Thou art about my bed, and about my paths, and spyest out all my waies; Yea, Thy mercy embraceth me on every side; when I sleep I am safe, when I awake joyfull; in prosperity I have thy rod to afflict me, in adversity thy staffe to comfort me: Lord while I am in thy favour, I can look no way but to happiness; if I walk not answerable to it, I may well fear to be de∣prived of it.

And doubtless (O my soul) those eyes which look so graciously upon thee in this life, will behold thee with a more earnest, with a more endeared love in that to come, these transitory glances are but the faithfull pledges of those future embraces. Those arms of mercy which now support thee in thine often failings, shall then encompass thee with glory; those blessed hands which now chastise thee for thy rebellions, will then wipe away all tears from thine eyes; and that relenting heart, which sometimes is most unwillingly withdrawn from thee for thy Apostasie, will then unite it self to thine for ever.

Lord, who can be a Christian and be sad? who can believe all this, and not triumph in joyfull exaltation? and not insult over the sor∣rows of this life? and not contemn the joyes of this bewitching world? and not resist these cloudy, discontented thoughts, these close as∣saults of Satans never-resting malice? Millions of Worlds, Miriads of Angels, cannot restore

that cursed spirit to this happiness which thou now enjoyest, and yet so slightly regardest.

O let this teach thee to abhor his foul tem∣ptations, to consider of thy worth in Christ, and to raise thy self above the reach of earthly misery; to love thy God faithfully, to serve him cheerfully, to persevere joyfully; to be pa∣tient in tribulation, to rejoyce in hope, to pray continually; to thirst after the sweetness of his grace, and earnestly to long for the consumma∣tion of his glory.

Blessed God,

How unworthy am I to be called thy servant, who have so long been subject to the worlds com∣mands? how undeserving of the glorious liberty of thy Sons, who have so willingly been fetter'd by mine own corruptions? how uncapable of thy heavenly comforts, that can rejoyce in nothing but these earthly vanities.

Lord open mine eyes, that I may see the rich∣ness of the price of my high calling in Christ Jesus, and endeavour to walk worthy of it; that I may earnestly desire thee, joyfully embrace thee, and constantly and cheerfully devote my service to thee.

Forgive my drowsiness, my dulness, my back∣wardness to holy duties; awake my sinfull soul from sensuallity, and raise it to the blessed thoughts of sweet eternity.

Compassionate my weakness, accept my willing∣ness, forgive my sinfulness, quicken my dulness, correct my untowardness: Lord bring me to such a blessed frame of heart, that I may willingly forgo the sins and miseries of this life, and fre∣quently delight my self with contemplation of thy joyes in that to c••me.

CHAP. 25. Upon Mans sinfull frailtie in the hour of Temptation, with motives to make resistance.

I Am now in the lists with Satan, and this hour to fight the Lords battail: God seeth me, and his holy Angels see me, I have long professed my self to be Christs souldier, and he hath now brought me to the field to prove me, now is the triall of my courage, of my Christia∣nity; if I overcome, I shall rejoyce on earth, triumph in heaven.

If that evill one were as powerfull as mali∣cious, I had just cause to fear him; but now my comfort and assurance is, that he cannot hurt me, but by me: He now strongly labours to en∣cline my will (and wo were me if he might com∣pell it) his subtile suggestions, his unclean solicitations, his fulminated motions, may be the father begetting, but mine own corrupt heart is the mother conceiving; there can be no danger from abroad, if there be no treason at home.

Look well into thy self therefore O my soul, ascend the Watch tower of thine understand∣ing, and see that there lurk therein no seeming shews, no specious pretences, no gross lies, no false proposals to betray thee; if thy head be surprised, thy heart cannot long hold out.

Examine thine affections, try them by the blessed rule of divine precepts, if they be not sharply corrected, they will soon be corrupted; endeavour to resist the very first motions to sin;

for if Satan can beguile thine affections, he will undoubtedly command thine actions.

Quicken thy memory by the momentany plea∣sure of sin, by the heavy judgements threatned against it, by the sad consequences of it, by the eternity of torments after it: Think how often thou hast been allready foyled; how many seri∣ous vows and faithfull promises thou hast all∣ready made to God of thine amendment; how carelesly thou hast dispensed with them all, and how presumptuously persisted in thy follies: O think how gracious thy God hath been unto thee in forbearing, how wonderfull his mercy is in pardoning, how justly he might now destroy thee, even in the very act of sinning.

Lord, if none of all this will yet scare me from sinning against thee, nor allure me to repent∣ing, that I may draw nearer home unto thee: O let me yet confider who it is that leadeth me to fight, and wherefore I have engaged. Thou, O my blessed Saviour, art my Captain, and Heaven is my Country; Shall I now lose those rivers of eternall pleasures, for this short, this false, this momentany joy? shall I run from thee who art the Prince of Peace, and who hast spilt thy pretious blood for me, unto that cruel enemy of Mankind, who hath drawn so much blood from me? Shall I forsake thee who hast layd down thy life for me, and inslave my self to him who every minute seeketh to devour me? Shall I dishonor thee my God, grieve thine holy Angels, shame my profession, wound mine own conscience, terrifie mine own soul, seek mine own ruin? If I consent to this tempta∣tion, that God whom I dishonour will abhor me, those blessed Angels whom I grieve will forsake me, those cursed spirits whom I obey

will deride me, that conscience which I now wound will accuse me, that glorious Gospel which I shame will condemn me, and that ruin which I now seek will for ever seize upon me.

Let this move thee (O my soul) as thou ex∣spectest happiness, to take up a blessed resolution of resistance: If the assault dismay thee, let the conquest encourage thee; if the beginning be sharp, the close will be sweet; if nature be dejected, grace will be strengthened; and as grace increaseth here, so shall glory here∣after.

Consider last of all what Saint James saith, and fix it in thy thoughts as chief of all, Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tryed he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him, Jam. 1.12. Thrice happy is that soul which is faithfull in Gods service, although it may often faint, it shall never fail; it may sometimes be foyled, but shall never be overcome; it shall never fall totally, it can never fall finally; for thou, Lord, upholdest it, and in thy love it is sure of safety here, of triumph here∣after.

Blessed God,

With grief of heart I willingly confess, that I have shamefully dishonored thy great and glori∣ous name, by mine often failings, by my many faintings, and more wretched yeeldings; to the shame of my profession, the grief of thy good Spirit, and the terror of my frail con∣dition.

Lord how wretched is my soul without thee and yet how easily, how willingly am I enticed from

thee even at this instant I am ready to for∣sake thee, and may most justly fear to be forsaken of thee.

The world allureth me, the flesh besotteth me, the devill beguileth me, and mine own false heart deceiveth me, and is now ready to rebell against me: O wretched man that I am, who shall de∣liver me? Lord Jesus assist me, and let thy sa∣ving grace be now and evermore sufficient for me.

Lord rebuke these evill thoughts, relieve my miserie, support my weakness, strengthen my willingness, give me an undaunted courage in thy service, an unfeigned sorrow for my former failings, and constancy of heart against present suggestions, and future temptations, that I may find no sweetness but in thy love, no pleasure but in thy service, no profit but in thy rewards. Amen.

CHAP. 26. Upon the Infirmities of the Saints.

Lord,

WIth grief of heart I confess, that I find a Law in my members, rebelling a∣gainst the Law of my mind, and leading me captive to the Law of fin, so that those things which I would do I cannot, and I dayly and hourly do those things which I would not; yet my comfort is, that I make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof: By the weakness of mine own corruptions, I often fall into sin, but by the blessed assistance of thy grace I abhor to lie there; sin oftentimes sur∣priseth

me, but by thy rich mercy hath never yet reigned over me; It hath often deceived me, but I trust shall never destroy me. It hath pleased thee, O my blessed Saviour, to con∣clude all things under sin, that thy grace may abound; while I strive against it, and am af∣flicted for it, my sinfull desires will (I trust) be graciously accepted, and (in thy perfect obedi∣ence) gloriously rewarded.

Be not dismayed therefore, O my soul, that thou sometimes art ravished with apprehension of thy heavenly joyes, and suddenly relapsed to the follies of a wretched heart; the one thou happily enjoyest, by the sweet assistance of the heavenly Spirit; the other thou violently suffer∣est, by the strong torrent of my sinfull nature. Lord, such is thy great wisdom, and inconcei∣vable goodness towards me, that oftentimes thou leavest me unto my self, and therefore sufferest me to fall (and that most grievously sometimes) that I may see mine own infirmities, and be truly humbled for them; that I may impute nothing to mine own merits, but give all the glory to thy sufferings; that I may goe out of my self, and mine own misery, into the sweet enjoyment of thy rich, and endlesse mercy.

Consider therefore, O my soul, that so long as thou continuest in this valley of tears, thou canst not live without this burthen of sin; so long as thou carriest this frail body about thee, continuing weaknesses will be attending on thee. O let this teach thee to bewail the misery of this frail life, which is onely prone to evill, and that continually; let it humble thee for thy many failings, and invite thee to a more hearty and sincere affection to thy Saviour, by

whose absolute and perfect obedience, all thine imperfections shall be done away; and lastly, to a more earnest longing for thy bodies dis∣solution.

Comfort thy self in this, that all the miseries of this life shall work together for the best to thine advantage, nothing can befall thee with∣out his holy providence that so dearly loveth thee, even thy very sins shall further thee to Heaven; if thou hast now fallen, through the infirmity of thy corrupt nature, God will raise thee, by this fall of thine, to more perfection in goodnesse, to more vigilance, to more holinesse, to more courage, to more constancy, in thy Christian calling: for, The Lord ordereth a good mans goings, and maketh his way acceptable unto him, though he fall he shall not be cast away, for the Lord upholdeth him, Psal. 37.23, 24. and if that evill one be powerfully malicious, the greater shall thy joy and triumph be, when thou art happily victorious.

Lord, how truly blessed is the condition of thy Saints? who compellest even the rage of earth and hell to work for their advantage: Why art thou then so sad, O my Soul, and why art thou so disquieted within me? still trust in God, for he is the help of thy countenance, and thy God, Psal. 42.15.

Lord, how sad is my condition without thee? thou (who alone knowest the secrets of all hearts) knowest that I love thee, that I long for thee, that I desire nothing in compare of thee my God, and yet thou findest nothing but pol∣lution in me: sometimes I beg to be at union with thee, and sometimes live as if I cared not for mercy from thee; still I sin, and still thou forgivest: yea I am therefore the more ready

to rebell against thee, because thou Lord art most ready to be mercifull unto me; and yet for all this (such are thy bowels of compassion towards me) thou bemoanest mine iniquity, thou invitest, thou compellest me to mercy.

Lord, wilt thou still suffer me to abuse thy goodnesse? I have oft••n run from thee, by re∣lapsing into grievous sins, and thou, O Lord, as often hast received me to favour, and afforded me the sweet refreshings of thy holy Spirit; I confesse my self unworthy to enjoy that blessed Spirit which I have so often grieved: O let this teach me to be truly and sincerely thankfull unto thee, to love thee more heartily, praise thee more joyfully, serve thee more faithfully, to my lives end.

For thou, O blessed Lord, art all in all unto me, thou art strength in my weaknesse, love in my wilfulness, life in my sinfulnesse; thou alone knowest under what great evils of sin, under what sad pressures of sorrow I daily groan, and thou hast promised to ease those weary souls, that cry to thee for succour and relief.

Lord save me, or I perish; Lord ease me of this heavy burden, that I sink not to eternall mi∣sery; give me thy saving grace, to guide me from these wofull waies of wickednesse; O let this hour put an end to this sin: Lord lead me unto thy paths, and uphold me there, that my feet slip not; suffer me not to feed upon these empty husks; O satisfie me with thy mercy, and that soon, be∣fore I goe hence, and be no more seen.

My spirit is willing (O Lord) but my flesh is weak, have pity upon me, have pity upon me, for I am in misery.

Lord cover my sins, Lord pardon mine in∣firmities,

Lord Jesus accept of me, and interpose thy blessed merits for me.

Lord raise me from this wretched fall; sup∣port my weaknesse, renew my repentance, increase my faith, quicken my zeal, that so by thy gracious assistance, I may be raised to more purity, to more perfection, in my Christian calling; that where sin hath abounded, there grace may abound much more, to thy great glory, and mine own endlesse comfort.

O Lord hear, O Lord forgive, O Lord consider and doe it, defer not for thine own sake, O my God. Amen.

CHAP. 27. Upon Desertion.

WHile I am in this pilgrimage of sin, I cannot be without this portion of sorrow, why complain I of that which I have so justly deserved? how often hath my God af∣forded me the gracious visits of his blessed Spi∣rit? and yet how easily have I regarded them? Lord, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, much lesse of this invaluable favour, to enjoy the kisses of thy sacred mouth; as I am now grieved for the losse of thy presence, so I have too often grieved thee by mine own re∣bellious absence; this is the sad condition even of the best of thy Saints in this life; as they have had their aberrations from grace, so they have had their fluctuations in woe; these sad departings of thy blessed Spirit have ever been the just memorials of their present griefs, and former miseries.

I see thy holy servant David, sadly bemoan∣ing this great losse, and allmost despairing of the enjoyment of thy gratious presence, I hear him crying out in bitternesse of soul, Will the Lord absent himself for ever, and will he shew no more favour? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God for∣gotten to be gratious? hath he shut up his tender mercy in displeasure? Psal. 77.7, 8, 9.

How grievous was this complaint? how gra∣tious thine answer? even in the very minute of distresse, even by the very lips of the distressed; for it follows in a breath, And I said, this is my death, but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.

Jonah's extremity was thy blessed oppor∣tunity; even when Jonah thought himself in most danger of perishing, he then found thy mercy most ready in relieving; when he thought himself cast out of thy sight, even then he found himself looking to thy presence, and ready to be received into thy favour, Jonah 2.4.

Lord, if thou givest me but the least measure of true faith, I shall be able to remove the greatest mountains of sin, and know assuredly, to my souls exceeding comfort, that thou hidest thy face from me but for a moment in this life, that thou mayst gather me to everlasting kind∣nesse in that to come.

Comfort thy self in this therefore (O my Soul) that God will never leave thee, that he will never forsake thee, that he will never leave thee totally, nor forsake thee finally; that he hath not now withdrawn his gratious presence from thee, but the present comfort of his grace from working in thee: as there are sad deser∣tions, so there will undoubtedly be gratious

visits; thou mayst be forsaken in sin, in the suffer∣ing of punishment for sin, in the severity of that punishment, in the fearfull apprehension of Gods wrath in this severity; but assure thy self (O my soul) thou shalt never be forsaken in the finall execution of this wrath, in the eternall duration of this final execution.

Lord, if my hopes of heaven were grounded on the weak foundation of mine own abilityes, If mine Election were but temporary, I might justly fear this desertion would prove eternall; but now my comfort is, that Christ is my strong rock, on whom I am safely built; that nothing can separate me from his love; that his Decree of mine Election is particular, sweet, sure, and eternal; that the happy means appointed to this blessed end, is faith, holiness, righteousness, and sanctification; holiness to obey thy precepts, saith to embrace thy promi∣ses, righteousness to enjoy thy Saints, and sanctification to possess my self: Thy blessed Decree (O Lord) is so far from giving me li∣berty to commit sin, that it most undoubtedly restrains me from it; If I cannot make my calling and election sure, by thy decreed means of sanctification, I shall never make my comfort sure by my vain hopes of glori∣fication.

If I look upon Noah, Lot, David, Jonah, Christ himself, I shall there see the several and the sorrowfull degrees of this Desertion: Noah and Lot fearfully sinning, David a long time resting in sin, and wofully deprived of Gods gracious presence for sin; Jonah, even doubting of Gods favour, in the suddenness, and the sharpness of his punishment; and thou, O my blessed Saviour, affrighted with the

fierceness of thy Fathers wrath for sin, and for a time (as thou wert man) despairing of his gracious prefence.

Be not afraid therefore, O my soul; for as thou art deferted for thy sins sake, so thou art beloved for thy Saviours sake; though he hide himself behind the wall (of thy corruption) yet he will graciously look through the lattice (of thine humiliation) Cant. 2.9: Even this thy present sadness will afford thee some refresh∣ings, some gracious glimpses of his holy Spi∣rit; and though thy heart be now disquieted within thee, thou shalt again assuredly receive the voice of joy and gladness. Lord let this teach me to abhor those sins that have deprived me of thy presence; to seek earnestly to enjoy thee; to rise early to find thee whom my soul loveth; to settle mine affections upon thy beauty, mine actions upon thy service; that I may be guided by thy grace in this life, and encompast with thy glory in that to come.

For thou, O my blessed Saviour, art infi∣nitely dearer to me than the choicest of these earthly vanities; their love is false and uncer∣tain, but thine true and eternall; abundantly sufficient to rejoice me here, to enrich me here∣after.

O Lord my God, my soul longeth for thee, I am weary of the sins and miseries of this life, and nothing can relieve me but thy blessed presence: O make thy face to shine upon me, and save me for thy mercy sake.

My God, my God, look upon me, why hast thou forsaken me, and art so far from the words of my complaint? O satisfie my longings, for thou

knowest Lord that I love thee.

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and hide not thy face from my supplications, O hide not thy self from me, nor cast thy servant away in displea∣sure.

Thou hast been my succour, therefore leave me not, nor forsake me, O God of my salvation: Make thy face to shine upon thy servant, and save me for thy mercy sake.

O lead me from the bondage of sin, into the blessed liberty of thy children, that I may be comforted in the sweetness of thy promises, and thou mayst be delighted in the zeal of my perfor∣mances.

Give me the comfort of thy help again, and stablish me with thy free Spirit; O hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble, make hast and hear me.

Lord, I am defiled with sin, and disquieted with sorrow; I am daily vexed with temptations, and hourly overcome with vanity; I am wretched∣ly infolded in the miseries of mine own corrup∣tions, and wofully beguiled by the devils subtil∣ties; O wretched man that I am who shall de∣liver me?

Lord I bewail my misery, and implore thy mercy; O that I were this hour at union with thee, that I might hereafter joyfully adhere unto thee, be graciously accepted of thee, and for ever gloriously exalted by thee. Amen.

CHAP. 28. Upon the apprehension of sudden danger.

BLessed God, I know that nothing can befall me without thy holy providence, even this present danger is by thine appointment, and what thou hast designed it unto I know not, I enquire not; Lord give me a sweet and safe as∣surance that I am thine, and then doe with me what thou wilt: O let me live, and I shall praise thee, and thy judgements shall help me; but if thou haft appointed me this hour to dye, O let me then goe home unto thee, and be united in a safer, in a sweeter union with thee. Lord hear me, and have mercy on me, for my dear Saviours sake, who hath given his precious life a ransom for me.

Preserve me, O God for in thee have I put my trust; forsake me not, O Lord my God, be not thou far from me.

Lord strengthen and support my wavering faith, forgive me all my sins, and suffer not my soul to be surprised in my last extremity.

Hast thee to help me, O Lord God of my salva∣tion, for thy names sake, for thy promise sake, for thy precious blood sake.

Into thy hands I commend my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.

CHAP. 29. Upon the weaknesse of Faith, and sin∣fulness of Thoughts tending to De∣spair.

HOW much art thou mistaken (O my Soul) to think thy self then farthest off from God, when thou art nearest unto him; to suppose thy self then most wretched, when thou art nearest to the paths of happiness? He that never doubted, never truly believed; and he that hath least assurance in himself, will have most certainty in Christ.

Thou hast sinned, and thou art sorrowfull; thou hast committed great and grievous sins, and thou abhorrest them, thou forsakest them, thou heartily desirest pardon for them; if thou hadst not a godly sorrow, thou couldst not have this godly desire; if thy sorrow were for punishment, it would cause thy death, but now it is for sin, it will lead thee to repentance; if thou grievest not so much for the severe sentence of an in∣censed Judge, as for the displeasure of a good and gratious Father, as thou sowest in tears, thou shalt reap in joy, nay thou shalt have great joy even in these tears, thou shalt have much sweetness even in this sorrow; and if thy seed∣time be sweet, how blessed will thy harvest be? hear what thy Saviour saith, Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted; in sorrows here, in eternity of joyes hereafter: who can curse, where God hath blessed? what Devill can deject, where God will exalt?

Thou art grieved for offending thy gratious

God, and thou implorest him for mercy; com∣fort thy self in this, that God is near unto all those which call upon him, yea that call upon him faith∣fully, Psal. 105.18. Be not afraid therefore; for if thy faith be weak, yet it is living; if it be languishing, it will assuredly recover more strength; if there be blossomes now, there will be fruit hereafter; these happy beginnings will have gratious proceedings, blessed c••d∣ings.

Consider what thy God hath promised by his holy Prophet, I will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, Isay 42.3. Let not the smarting (therefore) of thy conscience trouble thee, remember who it is that searcheth it, I have wounded thee (saith God) and I will heal thee, I have broken thee, and I will bind thee up. Thou art therefore wounded, that thou mayst be healed; thou art therefore broken, that thou mayst be bound up: That sore which is insensible, is ever most dangerous; and that wound which smarteth most, is most capable of remedy.

Blessed Lord, I now feel, to mine unspeakable comfort, that thou hast wounded me with the terrours of thy Law, that thou mayst heal me with the comforts of thy Gospell; that I am therefore bruised with the burden of my sins, that I may be ever eased by the merits of my Saviours sufferings; all my imperfections are his, all his righteousness is mine, I may boldly chalenge it, thou wilt not deny it, I may safely plead it, thou canst not refuse it.

Consider yet further, O my Soul, what thy blessed Saviour saith unto thee, I am the re∣surrection and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall be live; and who∣sever

liveth and believeth in me, shall never dye, Ioh. 11.25, 26.

How canst thou doubt now (O my Soul) when thy Saviour biddeth thee believe, and live? what canst thou fear, when thou hast his promise for thy safety? Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but not one tittle of his Word shall fail.

Let not the number of thy sins affright thee, for it is his bloud which clenseth us from all iniquity, 1 Ioh. 1.7, 9.

Let not the nature of thy sins amaze thee, for though they were red as scarlet, yet he will make them white as snow.

Let not the long continuance of them stagger thee, for At what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sins, from the bottome of his heart, I will blot them out of my remembrance, saith the Lord, Ezech. 18.

Thy Co••••cience shall not trouble thee, for Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, Rom. 5.1.

The Devill cannot hurt thee, for Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? it is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who allso ma∣keth intercession for us, Rom. 8.32, 33.

Nay (which is the sum of all) God himself in Iustice cannot condemn thee, for There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit, Rom. 8.1. his lustice is satisfied, his Mercy magnified, his Name be for ever glorified.

Lord let this teach me to rely with comfort on thy blessed promises, and to walk worchy of them, in my religious performances; to mani∣fest

my increase of grace, by my increase of goodness; to fix my heart wholly upon thee, to love thee, to fear thee, to honour thee, and assuredly to rest in thee; when thy grace shall enable me to delight in thy fear, my sins can never perswade me to despair of thy favour: my peace will be then inviolable, my joy unutter∣able, my happiness unalterable.

Blessed Lord God,

When I consider of the wretchedness of mine own corruptions in nature, I am even ready to despair of thy love; But when I look upon the blessedness of my condition in Christ, I am then encouraged to sue to thee for mercy and forgive∣ness: Allthough thy justice be severe against ane, as I am a grievous sinner, yet thy mercy is most sweet unto me in my Saviour.

I now tremble at thy judgements, yet I rejoyce in thy promises; allthough thy Law speak never so terribly, thy curses be never so many, thy plagues be never so grievous, thy wrath never so tempestuous, yet in the sweet mercy of my Sa∣viour I am able to abide them all.

O Lord my God, I abhor my self, I accuse my self, I condemn my self, I am now ready with thy wrath to seize upon my sinfull soul, and cast it down to everlasting misery.

Lord, unto thee onely I appeal for mercy and forgiveness: sweet Jesus accept of me, and inter∣pose thy blessed merits for me; inrich my soul with thy sufferings, be ever present with me, and eternall comfort to me.

O holy and for ever blesssed Spirit, thou that sanclifiest the souls of thine Elect, assist and strengthen me; quicken and revive my drooping saith, increase my hope, cherish my love, foment

those dying sparks, by the sweet breathings of thy blessed Spirit, that they may zealously break forth into a pure and fervent flame of holy affections, to thy great glory, and mine own eternall happi∣ness. Amen.

CHAP. 30. Upon the great Neglect of the duty of Prayer.

Lord,

WHen I serionsly consider how manifold and great my failings are, when I think of the shortness and uncertainty of life, of the solemnity of death, of the eternity of happiness or misery after death, and by all these of the necessity, usefulness, and excellency of Prayer, I may well wonder that I am ever from my knees.

My life is all sin, and had therefore need to be all sorrow; the greatness and continuance of my sins have added to the greatness and continuance of my misery, and there is none but thou (O Lord) that can relieve me; there is no coming to thee but by Prayer, and no Prayer powerfull with thee, but that which is fer∣vent.

This is ••hat eye of my affection that wound∣eth the heart of thy compassion; this is that holy violence that taketh Heaven by force, that surpriseth thy Mercy, that manicles thy Justice, that wrestles with thy Love, and will not let thee goe without a blessing: This is my strong armour to defend me, my daily

food to sustein me, my safe repose to refresh me, my sweet content for ever to delight me.

Blessed Lord, how wonderfull is thy desire to man? how graciously doest thou provide for him? how daily art thou mindfull of him? Thy words instruct me, thy promises allure me, thy graces sustein me, thy sacraments strengthen me, thy visits comfort me, thy embraces ravish me; And, as if all this were not yet enough to manifest thy favour towards me, so unspeakable is thy love, so earnest thy desires unto me, that thou hast even given me thy self, to be over∣come by me. Lord, thou art all love, when I strive with thee for mercy, I overcome thee by thy self; how great is thy goodness? how ten∣der are thy mercies unto man, for whose sake thou contendest even with thine own Essence? Thou hast given thy Son to die for me, and in him thy self to be overcome by me.

Lord, let this teach me to renew my acquain∣tance often with thee, to labour to be power∣full in my prayers; to study to be humble, zea∣lous, earnest, even importunate in my devoti∣ons; to let no sinfull thought pass me without a sigh, no sinfull action without holy contri∣tion, no divine favours, without devout and thankfull acknowledgement: That soul which is truly sensible of the burden of sin, will hasten unto that heavenly help that can give it ease, and that heart which is once truly inflamed with thy love, will readily instruct ••he tongue to be zealous in thy praise. Lord let me first seek mine own heart, before I presume to come before thy Mercy seat, lest if I recall it not from the vanities of this life, my very prayers become sin, and so while I expect a blessing, I deserve a curse.

Let no vain excuse, no barren pretence of this life, perswade me to intermit this holy duty, lest carelesness, and coldness in devotion, beget in me a loathing of that course, which by constant practice will become my constant comfort: I ord make me to consider of the sweetness, of the excellency of this gift, that I may dayly labour to improve it to my soules eternall happiness, That when I often fall (as I needs must through the weakness of the flesh) thou, O Lord, in mercy mayst restore me through my blessed importunity of spirit.

With grief of heart (Lord) I confess, that my great neglect of this holy duty, hath most justly occasioned the great abatement of thy holy Spirit in me, and long withholdings of thine outward blessings from me.

Lord give me yet an heart to serve thee, and then take from me what thou wilt: I desire nothing with out thee; for I know assuredily, that with thee I cannot but enjoy all things need∣full for me.

O make me to bewail mine own unworthiness, my drownsiness, my dulness, my carelesness, my much untowardness in thy service: Create in me a clean heart (O Lord) and renew a right spirit within me, that I may praise thee with alacrity, and fervency of soul; that I may be daily ravish∣ed with contemplation of eternity, and hourly sa∣tisfie my thoughts with apprehension of the sweetness of my present safety, of my future glory.

Lord make me every day more earnest in this holy duty; O give me such affectionate desires, such holy longings, such insatiate appetites, such earnest importunities of heart for heavenly

graces, that I may not onely beg of thee, but even wrestle with thee for this blessing, although the sinfull desires of my corrupt flesh go halting to the grave.

Be mercifull unto me (O Lord) for my soul trusteth in thee, and in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge untill these calamities (of sins and miseries) be overpast.

Lord hear the voice of my humble petitions when I cry unto thee, when I hold up my hands towards thy Mercy seat, shew thy servant the light of thy countenance, and save me for thy mercy sake. Ps. 28.2. Ps 31.18.

CHAP. 31. Upon the great neglect of Reading the sacred Scriptures.

ALass my soul, how unbeseeming thy pro∣fession is this thy backwardness to holy du∣ties? how long wilt thou grovell on this element of earth? how long be cheated with these counterfeit commodities, these childish toys of outward enjoyments? what sweetness canst thou find in those things which favour of corruption? what comfort in those joyes which are but vain, vexatious, toylsom, transi∣tory? whose seeming beauties are suddenly passing, never returning: O let this move thee to delight in that which cannot pass, to re∣member whence thou art, and whether thou art going, that thou mayst thereby raise thy thoughts to immortality.

Look upon the beauty of those sacred leaves,

and thou wilt loath the falshood of this worlds embraces: Thou mayst there find the sum of all that was, or is, or is to come, conducing to thy reall happiness; There is nature unbowell∣ed, hell opened, and heaven unveiled; Thou mayst there see the creature to be vanity, thy self misery, thy Saviour felicity; Thou hast there his counsell to guide thee, his wisdom to instruct thee, his power to sustein thee, his gifts to encourage thee, his threatnings to ad∣monish thee, his mercies to allure thee, his judgements to deter thee, his holy Spirit to comfort thee: There is antiquitie, strangeness, truth, in history; wonder in miracles, amaze∣ment in prophecie, foundness in precepts, sweet∣ness in promises; each sillable contained in this Book is matter of eternall moment. Take heed therefore, that thou passest by no portion of th••s sacred volume lightly, nor pryest into any pre∣sumptuously; holy diligence is often blest with heavenly knowledge, and humble ignorance, with heavenly grace.

Lord, seeing that thy word is in it self so ex∣cellently rich, and in its use so absolutely good, with what earnestn••ss of soul ought I to embrace it? with what holy diligence peruse it? with what devout cheerfulness, and constancy of heart, apply my self unto it? These high perfecti••••s shall religiously oblige me to repair my former neglects, by my present promises of my future performances.

No day shall henceforth pass me, without some time alotted for this holy exercise, custo•• will make it easie, profit sweet; if the trouble∣som affairs of this lise do sometimes (to my soul grief) distu••b me in it (by thy grace assisting) they shall never divert me from it; what is bor∣rowed

from this blessed task, by inforced ne∣cessity, shall be repayed with advantage by the next happy opportunity. Lord, all is but vani∣ty and meer nothing, in compare of thee, and thy service: If I cannot be willingly holy, I shall never be joyfully happy.

Blessed Lord,

So sanctifie my sinfull soul, that I may joyfully perform those promises I make unto thee; that I may daily dedicate some part and portion of my sinfull houres, to read some portion of thy sacred Scriptures: O let them ever be the joy of my joy, the life of my life, the light of mine eyes, and comfort of my heart.

Lord turn away mine eyes (from these out∣ward enjoyments) lest they behold vanity, and quicken me in thy way.

Give me an humble soul, that I may read thy blessed lines with holy fear and awfull reverence; that I may be piously delighted with them, and happily instructed by them.

Give me a discerning soul, that I may see the wonderfull things of thy law, that I may truly love it, and delight in it, that my heart may be inflamed by it, and my tongue be ever talking of it.

O let thy Statutes be my song in the house of my pilgrimage, that I may walk in thy wayes with constancy, that I may run in thy race with fervency. Amen.

CHAP. 32. Upon the neglect of Divine Medi∣tation.

WHat doest thou here on earth, O my soul? why art thou so perplexed with the cares and sorrows of this sinfull life? so careless of the joyes in that to come? Who can judge him likely to inherit Heaven, that loves not to think of it? Thou mayst mea∣sure thy degrees of Grace, by thy desires of Glory: If thy thoughts be not often, and ear∣nestly taken up with this subject, thou hast just cause to suspect thy loving, to fear thy enjoy∣ing it; for, Where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.

If thou livest the life of Pleasure, thou art so much worse than a beast, by how much thou oughtest by reason to be better; if of Action, thou art so much nearer to happiness, as reason is beyond sense, and yet so much farther off, as Grace is beyond Nature; if the happy life of heavenly Meditation, thou art so far above vanity, as heaven is above earth, as immo∣tality above nature, as glory above corrup∣tion.

O how sweet are those thoughts which lead me to Eternity, which raise my soul above the reach of humane misery, that can sup∣port me under all the heavy pressures of sin, under all the grievous burdens of sorrow, un∣der all the sharp assaults of Satan; that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 make me merry in life, and triumphant in death.

Nothing can more truly represent me to my self, and inform me that I am all earthly, than the dullness and backwardness of my thoughts to be heavenly: Who can ever hope to be an inhabitant of that City, whose lan∣guage hee cannot speak? Lord, when my thoughts are more zealously affected with thy heavenly joys, I shall then hope to be more frequently acquainted with thy heavenly visits; by my careless neglect of the one, I am now justly deprived of the sweet enjoyments of the other; while I am wedded to this wretched world, my thoughts must needs favour of cor∣ruption: But if thou, Lord, wilt once open mine eyes to see the glorious beauty of my heavenly home, I shall then know, and joy∣fully confesse, that one hour thus spent, will adde more comfort to my fool, more true con∣tent to my desires, than all these outward blessings, and I shall then account, and joy∣fully confess with thy Apostle, that all things are but loss, and dung, in compare of the rich∣ness of thy love in Christ Jesus.

For thou, O blessed Saviour, art the blessed Fountain of eternall happiness; the joy of my heart, the triumph of my joy, the comfort of my life, the safety of my body, the rest of my soul; without thee I am far worse than nothing, and with thee I enjoy all things; for thou art in the Father, and I in thee, and thou in me; and in this happy union is contained that fruition, is enjoyed that for ever-blessed vision, in which the souls and bodies of thy Saints eternally delight themselves.

O thou soveraign of my soules eternall comfort, how unworthy am I to enjoy thee, that have been

hitherto so much un••indfull of thee? how un∣deserving to behold thee in thy glory, that am so daily guilty of thy great dishonour?

Lord raise my thoughts to immortality, and fix my soul upon the love of sweet eternity; let my chiefest joy be, ever to contemplate thee, who art my chiefest good.

Pardon those wretched hours that have been lost in search of outward happiness; O make me to redeem them, by abandoning the creature, and placing mine affections wholly on the beauty of the great Creatour; expatiate my sinfull soul with daily meditations of my future joyes, that I may love thee more fervently, fear thee more dutifully, desire thee more earnestly, long for thee more heartily, embrace thee more faithfully, and think of thee more joyfully, to my lives end. Amen.

CHAP. 33. Upon unchristianlike Dejectedness in Poverty.

WHY doe I excruciate my soul with ap∣prehension of a seeming evill? how un∣worthy am I of this life, which I hold from that God, whom I dare not trust? will God feed me with the delicates of heaven, and not give me bread? will he give me full draughts of the rivers of his eternall pleasures, and not afford me temporall refreshments? shall my death be precious in his eyes, and my life un∣comfortable in mine own? can there be any

evill, and the Lord hath not done it? shall he doe it, and shall I complain? if poverty be evill in it self, yet it is good for me; the evill of sin hath drawn upon me this evill of punish∣ment; so this evill is from nature, and the good from grace: By this affliction I am wean∣ed from the world, and made desirous of my heavenly home; I am now put in mind, that my treasure being there, my heart should be there allso; I am now fully assured (by my patience and humility under this affliction, and by the quiet fruits of righteousness it daily bringeth forth in me) that I am Gods child; that as I am now made partaker of my Saviours sufferings, so I shall be hereafter of his glory; that I part with earthly contentments, to enjoy heavenly comforts. Lord, when thou lendest me thy staff of consolation, I shall be well able to endure thy rod of affliction; all though my body be worse, I shall then find my soul to be much better, my present condition happy, my future blessed.

In what estate soever I am, I will think that best, because thou (Lord) hast put me there: if my calling be low, my account will be the less; if I discharge this faithfully, I shall not lose my reward. Thou, O Lord, lookest not upon my greatness, but my goodness, my faith∣fulness in thy service: A pin in thy materiall Temple was as usefull as a stone; if I be any thing in thy spirituall, it is enough; yet let me not content my self with easiness and indifferen∣cy in heavenly blessings, but labour to supply mine outward wants by inward graces; so shall this earthly bitterness be turned into spirituall sweetness, and eternall blessedness.

Thou (O Lord) hast alotted me my portion

in this life, most agreeable to thy Divine Wis∣dome, most suitable to my frail condition; and why take I then thought for to morrow? suf∣ficient unto the day is the evill thereof: Thou allowest me lawfull means for increasing of it, thou forbiddest me repining thoughts to distrust thee in it; Lord let me first seek thy Kingdome, and the righteousness thereof, and then I know assuredly, that all things needfull for me shall be added to me.

O thou blessed Saviour of the world, who for my sake wert willing to endure the scornfull po∣verty of this life, to purchase my redemption, teach me by thine example, and for thy sake, to undervalue all the glorious pomps of these en∣ticing vanities, that though my body be despised by the world, my sinfull soul may be accepted with thee, and both soul and body may eternally be happy where thou art.

Lord, by how much (by thy great sufferings) thou wert made the vilder for me, by so much (by thy rich mercy) let thy love be ever dearer to me.

O give me graces suitable to all events; let not prosperity puff me up, nor adversity too much deject me; but for thy mercy sake, let happiness in Christ be all in all unto me; make me humble in the one, patient in the other, thankfull in either, bappy in both.

Grant (Lord) that no ungodly care, or sinfull sorrow, may disturb me, but that I may with wil∣lingness, and thankfulness, and joyfulness of heart, contentedly rely upon thee.

Enrich my heart with heavenly thoughts, give me that better part which cannot be taken from me; Lord, what thou deniest me of these

outward comforts, make good unto me by thine inward mercies, that all these earthly things may work together to the best to mine advantage, so shall my present poverty be an undoubted earnest of my future glory. Amen.

CHAP. 34. Upon Sickness, and ungodly repining thereat.

AS every good and perfect gift is from above, so is allso every punishment for sin, by every proportion of sorrow; For misery cometh not out of the dust, neither doth affliction spring out of the earth, Iob 1.5, 6. That Divine Goodness, which wisely and affectionately dis∣poseth all things to the good of his chosen, by his holy providence hath suited their degrees, limited their powers, and appointed their ends; every pain in sicknesse, every pang in death, have their just number, weight, and mea∣sure.

I't is the Lord, let him doe what he will; no∣thing can befall me, but by his Divine allow∣ance; nothing shall dismay me, that my God inflicteth on me: if my visitation be grievous, I am sure it is safe, For He chastiseth me for my profit, that I may be partaker of his holiness.

Blessed be that sorrow which allureth me from sin, blessed be that misery that inviteth me to mercy, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 kiss it, I embrace it, and with humble∣ness of heart I joyfully and patiently submit unto it: The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh,

blessed be the name of the Lord, Iob 1.21.

I humbly confess (Lord) that my great and grievous sins have most justly deserved this great and grievous affliction, that thou mightest long since have deprived me of my life, for de∣priving thee of thine honour; that I am most unworthy of this thy gentle visitation, for I am full of rottenness and corruption, and therefore can expect no other, but to be fill'd with sorrow and affliction; thou hast given me a body for thy service, but I have defiled it with sin and wickedness; thou gavest me a soul enriched with thy heavenly graces, but I have defaced it with unthankfulness and disobedience; no fa∣culty of my soul, no member of my body, but are most impure, and sinfull in thy sight. Thou (O Lord) knowest all my foolishness, and my faults are not hid from thee; thou seest how vainly I have mis-spent my pretious time, how carelesly abused that continued health which thou hast given me; how seriously been busied on the Creature, how wretchedly neglected thee the great Creatour.

Thou hast often weaned me from sin, by thy blessed motions, by thy gratious admonitions, by thy gentle visitations, by a wasted body, and a wounded soul; and yet I still sin, without ceasing, without sorrowing, without repenting; such are my faults, so grievovs mine offences, that I now blush to name those sins before thee, by which I have so often and so foolishly re∣bell'd against thee: and now after all this, all∣though thou hast with lasting patience waited my return, and art inforced to withdraw thy present mercy, yet thou art moved to behold my present misery, ev••n in thy very wrath thou hast compassion on me, Habac. 3.2. while thou

seemest (by this present sickness) to withhold thy favour from me, thou gratiously intendest, by this blessed means, to shew thy self more lovingly unto me; for, I know Lord, that thy judgements are just, and that thou of very faith∣fulnesshast caused me to be troubled, Psal. 119.75. Theresore, Though thou killest me, yet will I trust in thee, Iob 13.15. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, yet will I fear no evill, Psal. 23.4. Behold Lord, I am willingly, and joyfully, and thankfully in thy hands, doe with me what thou wilt; if I live, I shall praise thee; if I dye (I trust) I shall goe home unto thee, and be for ever blessed with thee.

O thou Father of mercies, and God of all con∣solations, behold me thy sick servant, with thine eye of pity and compassion; O remember not my former sins, but have mercy upon me (O Lord) and that soon, for I am come unto great extre∣mity.

O Lord my God, I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I goe mourning all the day long; thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me possess the iniquities of my youth; O let the sweetness of thy mercy qualifie the sharpness of thy Fatherly correction; consider me, O Lord, that I am but dust, full of frailties and infirmi∣ties, forgive me for thy mercy sake.

Remember not the sinfull failings of my youth, but according to the richness of thy goodness, be thou mindfull of me.

O righteous Father, look not on the multitude and hainousness of mine offences, but look upon the bitter passion of thy blessed Son, he was wounded for my transgressions, he was broken for mine iniquities, O by his (blessed) stripes let my sinfull soul be healed.

Enable me to suffer this thy gentle visitation, with that meekness, and contentedness of soul, that becometh thy child; and so bless it unto me, that it may bring forth in me the quiet and the happy fruits of righteousness, that it may drive my thoughts to immortality, and fix my soul upon eternity.

Blessed Lord, my hope is in thee, my soul trust∣eth in thee, and under the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge, untill this misery be overpast. O Lord consider my complaint, for I am brought very low.

Let my present anguish more prevail with thee, to move thee to compassion, than my former foolishness, to stir thy wrath and indignation: O enter not into judgement with thy servant, for no flesh is righteous in thy sight.

Lord, I confess my wickedness, and am sorry for my sin; for thy Names sake, O Lord, be mercifull unto my sin, for it is great; my con∣fusion is daily before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me, my heart is disquieted within me, and the fear of death is fallen upon me: Lord, I am thine, O save me for thy mercy sake; into thy hands I commend my self, for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord thou God of Truth.

Forsake me not, O Lord my God, be not thou far from me, hast thee to help me, O Lord God of my salvation. O spare me, for thy mercy sake, that I may recover my strength, before I goe hence, and be no more seen. Amen.

CHAP. 35. Upon the misery of Life, and blessedness of Death.

I am a Pilgrim, and a Stranger here, as all my Fathers were, I am wearied out with tra∣vell, and long to be at rest; I am lodged here, but with great cost, and greater danger; this seeming sweetnesse hath cost me much true sor∣row, many bitter sighs, and aking hearts, dis∣turbance of body, distraction of soul; I have sought for help here below, but can find none, no creature on earth to relieve me, none to support me; I have seen pleasure to be folly, and laughter madness, men of low degree to be va∣nity, of high degree a lye, their understanding vain, their labours vain, their help much more vain; for who can ransome the soul of his bro∣ther? surely man must let that alone for ever. My substance is a meer shadow, and my rest unquietness; I labour for holiness, but I can∣not attain it; I search for happiness, but I can∣not find it; the Devill beguiles me of it, the World allures me from it; yea (so sad is my con∣dition) that mine own soul is against mine own contentment: Mine understanding cosens me, mine affections betray me, my memory forsakes me; those things which I would doe, I cannot, and I daily doe those things which I would not; all that I am, all that I can be in this life, is nothing else but extreme vanity.

What shall I think of all this? and where∣with shall I comfort me? by thy mercy, Lord, I have found out one that can relieve me;

Thou (O my blessed Saviour) art unto me life, and by thee death is unto me advantage; while my body sleeps it shall rest, and that rest shall be truly blessed; I shall rest from labour, from sorrow, from sin; my sleep shall be safe, my vision happy; while my body sleepeth my soul shall awake; when my soul is uncloathed of flesh, and my flesh of beauty, my spirit shall be made ready with the robes of glory; while my dust is insensible, my spirit is intelligible; mine eyes shall be then opened, and I shall see even as I am seen, with purity, and perfection of soul; no veil of nature shall obscure me, no defect of organes hinder me, no clouds of sin molest me; mine understanding shall be clear, mine affections pure, my memory perfect; I shall there be satisfied in beholding, ravished in in∣joying, blessed in reteining: nothing can be there wanting where I enjoy all that was, that is, that is to come; where the happy humanity is eternally united to the blessed deity, where I am Christs, and Christ is Gods. O happy con∣dition of my sinfull body, O blessed change of my immortall soul, the one is sowen in corrup∣tion that it may rise to immortality; the other layeth down corruption, to inher it glory; though I now leave it, I still long to enjoy it, and joy exceedingly in longing for it, be∣cause I know I shall for ever be united to it.

But wo is me, even in this happiness I am still miserable, I have found out my quiet, but I care not to enjoy it; death offers me a crown, and I refuse to accept it; am I so sensless to affect mine own unhappiness? to rejoyce in la∣bour, and complain of rest? what doe I here any longer? the world loves me not, nor I it;

why do I thus dote upon mine enemy? when it frowns it afflicts me, when it smiles it betrayes me; there is nothing in it but weariness and misery.

Go out therefore, O my soul, go out cheer∣fully, from thy prison to thy palace, God is thy father, and heaven thy country; thou art here distressedly poor, and wretchedly naked, bereaved of graces, dispoyled of goodness, thou hast there much treasure, and of great price, a fair mansion, and a goodly heritage; Christ hath purchased it, and is gone before to pre∣pare it: Thou longest much in this life to be∣hold that which thou never sawest; here are great and glorious things prepared for thee, such as eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither have entred into the heart of man to conceive; how earnestly shouldst thou long to see them? how much more earnestly to enjoy them? how willingly should this make thee to express thy self with holy David, and say, My soul is athirst for God, yea even for the living God, when shall I come and appear before the presence of my God?

Alass my soul, thou art here but groping in the dark, daily erring and mistaking, hourly stumbling and salling into sin, into shame, in∣to sorrow; in great danger of the miseries of life, in greater of the torments of eternall death.

All that thou knowest here is to know thy self ignorant: Thou onely knowest things here by their events, thou shalt there know them in their first causes; thou art here wearied out in gaining this imperfect, lame, and empty know∣ledge, thou shalt there delight thy self in know∣ing all that is desirable, by knowing him in

whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; these drops of transitory joyes are full of bitterness, those rivers of eternall plea∣sures, are derived from the fountain of eternall sweetness; thou hast here vain pomp to delight thee, thou hast there a far greater and more ex∣ceeding weight of glory to encompass thee; thou art here enthralled by the misery of life, thou art there inlarged by the blesedness of death.

Blessed Lord, all this by grace I know, and saithfully believe; and yet by nature I am still blind, and ignorant, unable to discern, un∣willing to desire those blessed things which are belonging to mine everlasting peace; but when thou (in thy rich mercy) shalt once open mine eyes, to see the beauty of my heavenly home, I shall then entirely love it, and unfeignedly long for it; I shall then most willingly forsake these tottering walls of my frail flesh, to dwel with thee in p••rfect holiness and endless hap∣piness, that frailty may be swallowed up of immortality, and immortality may be imbraced by eternity.

O thou which wert; and art to come, who hast sweetned death by thy perfect obedience, and perfumed the grave by thy blessed sufferings, suffer me not in my last hour, for any pains of death, or terrors of hell, to fall from the fast hold of a true and lively faith in thy promises, to lose the precious hopes of immortality, and sweet enjoy∣ments of eternity.

Lord let me then say with thy blessed Apostle, That I know whom I have trusted, that he will keep what I have delivered to him, and restore it safely unto me at that day.

Let me seriously consider of the misery of life, and blessedness of death; acquaint, me every day with the remembrance of it, and bless me every hour with a desire unto it; that I may willingly uncloath my self of sin and misery, and joyfully be cloathed upon with immor∣talitie.

O Lord prepare me for that blessed hour, and in my greatest weakness and extremity, even then when all the comforts of this wretched life shall fail me, Lord Jesus forsake me not, be not thou far from me.

O give me then that inward joy, that blessed comfort of thy holy Spirit, that may support and comfort me in all the terrors and amazements of this dark and unknown passage, in all the dreadfull accusations of the devill, and mine own accusing conscience.

Lord let thy blessed Spirit then witness to my soul, that I am thy child, that thou wilt purge away all my dross, and take away all my sins; that I am powerfully protected by thy grace, and shall assuredly be made partaker of thy glory. Amen.

CHAP. 36. Upon the great Neglect of Opportu∣nities in doing good unto the Saints.

Lord,

WHen I call to mind the richness, and the largeness of thy bounty towards me, I am much grieved at the coldness, and the carelesness of my affections towards thine; each object of charity is an opportunity of mercy; If I neglect it, I am unkind to thee my Saviour, cruel to my neigbour, injurious to mine own soul.

I am not, ••ord, but Steward of thine out∣ward blessings, and it were now just with thee, to call me to a strict account: If any of thy Saints suffer, which thou sendest unto me for relief, their sufferings thou wilt surely require at my hands: as each cup of cold water which I have given in thy name, shall not lose its reward, so each farthing which I ow unto thee in thy members, will assuredly require its ever∣lasting punishment.

I have been too carefully solicitous for the things of this life, too caresly negligent of the treasures in that to come: I have had many wayes to deprive my self of my present comfort, of my future happiness; when my talent hath been large, I have had no leisure, when little, no ability to works of mercy. The present ne∣cessities of thy Saints have been daily neglest∣ed,

upon the false pretence of future oppor∣tunities; and those future opportunities again put off by the dilatory plea of mine own pre∣sent necessities: Thus have I long kept my self in a circulation of self-couzenage, and have so lived here as if I were never to go hence, and were utterly ignorant for what cause I came hither.

From whence is this my great neglect of cha∣rity towards my brethren, but from my greater want of love to thee my God, and from whence my disobedience to thy precepts, but from mine unbelief of thy promises? Thou biddest me Give, and hast promised it shall be given unto me, good measure, shaken toge∣ther, pressed down, and running over, Luke 6.38. Thou commandest me not to be weary in well doing, and hast promised, that in due time I shall reap, if I faint no•• Ephes. 6.9. If I did beleeve the one, I should gladly per∣form the other; and whose word shall I take (Lord) if I dare to question thine? All thy blessed promises are Yea and Amen, the begin∣ing sweet, the end certain; as thou hast a bottle for my tears, and a bag for my transgressions, so thou hast allso a book for mine Alms-deeds, Acts, 10.4. Not one of them shall be forgot∣ten, but even the very least of them shall be ••raciously accepted, gloriously rewarded; not for my work sake, but for thy promise sake, no: for mine own sake, but for my Saviours sake: Lord I can merit nothing at thy hands but by thine own mercy.

And now Lord, let me examine, What I have gained, by my want of charity. I have ex∣changed Heaven to enjoy earth, I have parted

with thee my Saviour, in whom are all the treasures that are true and crernall, for the very basest part of earth, which is vain and un∣certain; I have lost those blessed opportunities of doing good which can never be recalled, and together with them, those rewards of thine, which shall never be enjoyed. I have offended thee my God, grieved thy Saints, burdened mine own conscience, and been an utter enemy to mine own salvation.

As my affections have been frozen towards o∣thers, so have I justly found the gifts and graces of thy holy Spirit, decaying daily in mine own soul; my love cold to thy law, mine ears deaf to thy precepts, my mouth dumb to thy praises; my faith dead to thy promises, my hope fainting, my zeal languishing, my joy perish∣ing. These are the sad and sure effects of want of charity, the beginning sinfull, the progress dangerous, the end desperate.

Lord, if those heavenly spirits, whose very names import their ardency of love to thy glo∣ry, are yet found cold enough in thy sight, with what horror and confusion of face, will those wretched souls appear before thee, who have not been so much as lukewarm in thy service?

By thy grace (Lord) I will therefore hence∣forth make a godly improvement of all future opportunities of doing good; wharsoever thine allowance is unto me, of these outward bles∣sings, I will dedicate some due proportion of it unto works of mercy; and cheerfully, and thankfully, trust thee my God with the sustenta∣tion of my body, upon whose blessed protection, I safely relie for the eternall preservation of my soul.

my heart, my hand, my tongue, mine actions, shall be allwaies ready to relieve the necessi∣ties, to promote the good of thy children; and as this happy resolution hath had its beginning from thy grace, so shall its aim be wholly at thy glory.

Blessed Lord,

Such is thy gratious goodnesse unto thine, that thou even preventest them with thy blessings; while they call upon thee thou art ready to answer, and before they speak unto thee thou art willing to hear.

Lord, I am thy child, and am therefore bold to crave a blessing of thee, and what is now more suitable to my necessities, than the sweet infusion of thy holy Spirit? for I now find (to my grief of heart) that the forein heat of the plea∣sures and profits of this life, have extracted from me the inward heat of my desires and long∣ings for thy blessed presence; the adventitious heat of the love of this world, hath quite con∣sumed in me the naturall heat of my zeal to thy kingdom.

Lord, kindle in me those decaying sparks of thy grace, that they may now grow up into a bright flame of fervent affections to thy glory, and thy childrens good.

Teach me to know that godlinesse is great gain, and that the truest treasures are those which are layd up with thee in thy King∣dom.

Lord, pardon my neglects of holy duties; for∣give my deadnesse, and my dulnesse unto works of mercy; repair my sinfull breaches by thy present graces: O let the fervour of my future

charity become a pleasing sacrifise to expiate my former misery; to reconcile my soul (in Christ) to endless mercy. Amen.

CHAP. 37. Upon the deceitfulness of the heart in the performance of holy duties.

NOthing is more common amongst Christi∣ans than to be deluded by the shew of holy actions; the heart of man is deceitfull above all things, who can know it? holy perfor∣mances are usually accompanied with hellish temptations; when the Ship of our soules is under sail, and hath the freshest way for hea∣ven, we have then most need to look to our steerage, to have an eye to the compass and land-marks.

Which of our holy duties (which are the ships we sayl in to the port of happiness) have not their rocks to split upon, or Remoraes to hinder them, or cross winds to divert them, or leaks to sink them, or seas to overwhelm them? when we arrive at any small measure of good∣ness, we many times rest in it, and grow se∣cure upon it: if grace carry us on farther, we are too apt to beleeve that we are far better than our neighbours, that we are highly in Gods favour, and cannot but deserve his fatherly protection, his liberall remuneration; and so by this secret insinuation of pride in our hearts, wee have folly in our hands,

sinne in our mindes, and shame in our acti∣ons.

That prayer is very rare, that is not fick of some distemper; that charity very pure, that can admit of no mistakes, and that performance very perfect, that is not soyled with some filth of wickedness: How willing are our thoughts to wander in our prayers? how cold and careless are we in them? and how remils in the perfor∣mance of them? where is that constancy, that fervency, that holy importunity of spirit that is required of us in this holy exercise? which of us can truly say, that (throughout the whole course of his whole life hitherto) he ever put up one prayer unto Almighty God, that was not cumbred with distracted thoughts, that needed not a present pardon? I tremble at mine own, and grieve at others failings (O let my severest censures of my brothers sins, be assured signs of my best love) How far are we (even the very best of us) from that purity, and perfection of soul which becometh this holy duty? and yet how ready are we, even the very worst of us, to be∣leeve our selves sufficiently holy, assuredly happy?

We content our selves usually with the very shels, and husks, and outsides of Religion; with shews and shadows of devotion; with cu∣stomary, cold prayers; intermitted, undigested readings; careless, inconsiderate meditations; hypocritall, pharisaical fastings; popular Alms∣deeds, having onely the shew of godliness, but denying the power thereof: All these, and what∣soever else are like to these, are odious to God, abhominable to good men, and most destructive to their souls that are deluded by them.

When, by the sweet assistance of the heaven∣ly goodness, and gentle breathings of his blessed Spirit, we are drawing nearer to our haven; when the aguish distempers of the soul are abated, and her native and radicall heat is grown strong and vigorous; when the ferven∣cie of our zeal is a rich evidence of the live∣liness of our faith, of the certainty of our hope, of the perfection of our charity; when our affections are inflamed with Gods love, and our actions aim onely at his glory; when we are grown up to that happy state of grace, that our consciences are pure, our resolutions godly, our conversations unblamable; all∣though wee dare not then propose these base and by respects, these outward aims, unto out selves, yet how cunningly and closely will corruptions Real in upon us, even in these very blessed acts of grace? This is too truly proved, too sadly experienced, even by the very best of Christians: Lord (in thy rich mer∣cie) give us eyes to discern it, hearts to a∣voyd it.

How often may we find pride in our humi∣lity, lust in our desires of chastity, our own private ends in our proposals of Gods pub∣lique interest? when we bear a part amongst the mourners of Syon, when we are cast down for some humane frailty, wee presently conceive highly of our own holiness, and very meanly of others in their relations unto happiness; while we have sought to become better, by the proposall of some strict rules, to preserve cha∣stity, have we not many times become worse, by poysoning those very defires by unclean thoughts, and uncleaner actions? How many

while they have sincerely aimed at Gods glory, by the holy proposall, and happy performance of some reall good, for the benefit of his children, have been secretly surprised with the by-end of their own deserved praise? Lord, how readily have I now met with mine own sins, to thy great glory, and mine own deserved slame? I willingly confess, that I am guilty of all this, and in∣finitely more than this; even these very lines are witnesses against me, of my secret corrupti∣ons; O let this my sorrowfull confession pur∣chase for me thy free and full remission, that thou mayst have the glory, I the comfort, of these weak endeavours.

And now Lord, seeing I am thus impure, and sinfull in mine own eyes, even in the very best of my performances, how loathsome must I needs ap∣pear in thy sight, who art Purity it self, and canst not behold iniquity! Blessed Lord, as thou hast given me the light of thy Word to discover me unto my self, so give me allso the sword of thy Spirit, to deliver me from my self.

Deliver me, O Lord, from the evill man, from mine ownsecret corruptions, and unknown abomi∣nations.

Allthough I am unto mine own soul both ruine and destruction yet let my blessed Saviour be unto me safety and salvation.

Search my heart (O Lord) and try my reins; O let no base and by-respects inhabit there, to rob thee of thine honour; no false and vain respects, to cheat me of my present holiness, and future bap∣piness.

Pardon and pass by the secret and unknown errours of my sinfull life, suppress the great dis∣turbances

turbances of my corrupt affections, allthough they many times prevail against me, yet let thy saving grace (Lord) be sufficient for me.

Lord make me purely and entirely holy; let me love holiness, neither for fear of thy punishments, nor for hope of thy rewards, but for thy sake onely (O my God) who art holiness it self. Let me never think my self holy enough, but forget all those holy actions which are past, and press hard forward towards the mark, for the rich price of the high calling in Christ Jesus.

Lord crown my holy desires with happy per∣formances, and blessed perseverance, that at the end of my race I may receive the end of my hopes, the salvation of my pretious soul, and that for his sake, and perfect holiness, by whom I trust these weak and sinfull endeavours of mine, shall be gratiously accepted, and faithfully rewarded. Amen.

CHAP. 38. Upon the unruliness of the Tongue, with necessary cautions to restrain it.

Lord,

THY servant David is said to be a man after thine own heart, and yet I find him setting a watch before his lips, that he might not offend with his congue: if such a chosen vessel as he had so much need of circumspection, what holy cautions had I need to use, what strict rules to observe, who am so far from David's purity, that I am nothing else but wilfull impiety? I am so far (Lord) from being at union with thee, that I am even enmity it self against thee.

In vain had holy David set a watch before his lips, unless he had first set a guard upon his heart; where the fountain is impure, the streams can never be wholsome; if the heart be full of sinfull corruption, the tongue will soon overflow with corrupt and sinfull communication.

Lord, I need none other proof of this point, than mine own sinfull failings; how often have I provoked thee to anger, and displeasure against me, by that usuall, but most fearfull sin of swearing? of which, with shame and sorrow I confess, my younger years were sadly guilty; since when, time and experience having added more light to my mind, but thou (O Lord) e∣specially more grace to my heart, when I would have left it, to my great grief I could not; and had not that thy saving and preventing grace re∣strained

my depraved nature, this sin had doubt∣less been a sad memoriall to my grave: such is the power of sin once grown habituall. O let my sorrowfull confession be the readers usefull instruction, that thou mayst have the glory, I the shame of my mis-doing.

Lord, I have often sinned against thee, by my wretched violation of the truth, in envious de∣tractions from the good of my neighbour, vain∣glorious aggravations of mine own abilities, cen∣sorious taxations of my brethrens infirmities, indulgent diminutions of mine own iniqui∣ties.

I have often grieved thy good Spirit, by which thou hast sealed me up unto the day of redem∣ption, by my vain and idle communications, by my rash and sinfull exprobations, by my weak and froward objurgations, to the great dis∣honour of thee my God, to the cominuall grief of thy Saints, to the sad disturbance of my self.

All this (to my hearts grief) have I often done, and by all this I may now plainly see, how much I have hitherto been the servant of sin, and Satan, how great an enemy to thy glory, and to the good of mine own soul: But now, Lord, by thine assistance, my speciall care shall henceforth be, to allow my self no liberty of speech, but what is aiming at Eternity; if my heart be heavenly, my words will be gra∣tious, my actions holy, mine end happy; and that all this may be so indeed (by thy grace Lord) I will observe with carefulness, and con∣stancy, these following cautions.

1. Before I speak, I will consider, that I am in thy blessed presence, that what is once ••p••k••n

can never be recalled, but is recorded for eter∣ternity.

2. That each idle word must be accounted for, and that my whole life hitherto hath been little else but vain and empty discourse, tend∣ing much to thy dishonor, the hurt of my neigh∣bour, and (without mercy in Christ) the de∣struction of my own soul.

3. That there is no truer testimony of a graceless heart, than a licentious tongue; that if I be not holy in my discourse, I can never be happy in mine actions.

4. That it is impossible for those prayers to be pleasing to God, which are offered up with that sinfull member, that is so shamefully de∣filed with evill and corrupt communications a∣mongst men.

5. That if I make a mock at Christianity, by having onely a form of godliness in mine outward actions, but denying the power there∣of in my usuall conversation, God will one day pay me home, by shewing me the rich∣ness of his sufferings, but denying me the bene∣fits thereof, and the sweet enjoyments there∣by.

6. That without helinesse no man shall see the Lord; and that such as is my common, and most accustomed discourse in my life, I may well fear will be my last, and most un∣comfortable expressions at my death.

7. Unto all this I will adde the shortnesse, misery, and uncertainty of a sinfull life; the horrour and amazement of a wretched death; the extremity and eternity of torments after death. Lord, when my heart is thus guard∣ed by thy grace, my lips I trust will be ever open to thy praise.

Blessed God,

If thy holy Angell durst not give railing ac∣cusations against the devill; if thy Sainss in patience possesse their own soules, and their speeches he seasoned with salt, administring grace to the hearts of the hearers; if thou the blessed Saviour of the world, when thou wert reviled, reviledst not again, but as a lamb before the shearers so openedst thou not thy mouth, with what comfort can I now appear before thee, with what confidence expect a blessing from thee?

With grief and sorrow I confesse, that my heart hath ever been full of corruption, and naughtinesse, my mouth full of cursing and bitternesse, my daily discourse full of folly and uncleannesse, the whole course of my life full of misery and wickednesse.

O that my head were water, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night (that I might mourn continually) for mine own and others sins.

Lord purifie my heart, and rectifie my tongue, that both may be accepted of thee, and now and ever graciously directed by thee.

Lord, I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me; O let the sorrowfull remem∣brance of my sins invite thee to a sweet remem∣brance of thy mercies, that thou mayest have the praise, and I the comfort of thy gracious pardon.

Lord let my heart be inflamed with thy love, and my mouth filled with thy praise, that I may sacrifile my oul unto thee, that I may sanctifie my soul before thee, by devout thoughts, by

gracious words, and godly actions, that so I may with joyfulnesse and thankfulnesse appear in thy fight, not onely all the day long, but even all my life long, that thou (my God) mayst be glorified, thy Saints delighted, and my sinfnll foul eternally comforted. Amen.

CHAP. 39. Upon holy revenge for sin, with motives and encouragements thereunto.

Lord,

I Have ever been too apt to revenge the small∣est injuries offered unto me by others, in relation to mine outward condition, and too remiss in that holy revenge of those great and insufferable wrongs, which I daily and hourly obtrude upon mine own soul; this plainly sheweth me to have been too much savouring of flesh and blood, too little mindfull of thy kingdom, and the righteousness thereof: That soul which is truly sensible of its own injury, will (by thy grace) be dayly minding of its own redresle; and that sinner which is unca∣pable of slight offences, will in time become in∣sensible of greater.

My greatest enemies are those of mine own houshold: The world may allure me, the de∣vill perswade me, but it is mine own false heart alone that betrayes me, and mine own corrupt nature that enslaves me: my greatest

care shall therefore be, to bend my strongest force against mine own corruptions; to labour much to subdue mine affections, and to take an holy revenge upon my sinfull actions; not to satisfie thy justice, but to implore thy mer∣cie, that I may thereby truly manifest my perfect hatred against sin, and the sincerity of my soul to thy service.

There need none other motives to invite me to this holy duty, than the wofull breaches sin hath daily made in my soul, such as (with∣out mercy) will never be repaired; this is too sadly proved by the sensible decay of goodnesse, and the too powerfull growth of ungodlinesse in my corrupt heart; as it is easie for that Castle to stand a close siege, that is well fortified, man'd and victualled, so is it impossible for that Fort to hold out long which maketh no resistance.

Lord, as mine own spirituall ruins have hi∣therto been caused by mine own neglects, so (by thy gratious assistance) mine own repairs shall be begun and finished, by my present desires, and future endeavours. That time which I have lost by former carelesnesse, and cold∣nesse in Religion, I will endeavour to re∣deem by holy vigilance, and Christian forti∣tude; and that I may sincerely be what I in∣tend, with willingness of heart, I offer up this solemn Vow unto thee: Lord, as this holy motion came from thy heavenly Spirit, so enable me to the performance of it, by thy grace, to thy glory, and my soules eternall comfort.

I vow my self a serious and professed enemy to all ungodlinesse; no sinfull thought shall

surprise me without a sorrowfull sigh; no un∣gracious word pass me without a sudden re∣tractation, and devout confession; no wicked action defile me without a sincere and godly humiliation; unto each measure of sin I will allow a due measure of sorrow; those sins that have been reigning over me, shall at set houres be constantly revenged by me; and as my body hath been a deep sharer in my sinnes, so it shall allso be a dayly sharer in my sufferings: I will at set seasons deny my self somewhat of these outward enjoyments (which thou Lord in mercy hast allowed me) as a true sign of my true sorrow for that sinfull excess which I have too often taken without thine allowance. Those sinfull houres which have been vainly lost in idlenesse and emptinesse, shall be willing∣ly redeemed in a constant observation of re∣ligious duties; no day shall passe me without a solemn and devout task of devotion, no hour without some sweet ejaculation: And when at any time the troubles and disturbances of this frail life shall deny me happy opportunities for these heavenly performances, what is wanting in act shall be made up in desire; which thou, Lord, I trust wilt graciously accept, and look upon as done, because faithfully inten∣ded.

O thou infinitely wise, and for ever blessed being, that art truly and eternally happy, without the sinfull service of thy creature; and yet commandest us to serve thee for our own sakes, that we allso may be happy in thee; thou that lovest not a false and fickle heart, nor de∣lightest in the sacrifise of fooles, give me

a wise and understanding heart, that I may se∣riously consider of this sacred Vow; give me a constant and religious heart, that I may chear∣fully perform what I have faithfully promised; give me a broken and a contrite heart, that I may bitterly bewail what I have foolishly neg∣lected; that thy great name may be glorified, my sinfull life amended, my conscience quieted, my spirit comforted, thy Saints delighted, thine Angels rejoyced, and my soul and body eter∣nally saved in the great and dreadfull day of the Lord Jesus, to whom with thee, O blessed Father, and thine holy Spirit, be all possible praise, and honour, and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

CHAP. 40. Upon the blessed condition of Gods Saints, with motives and encourage∣ments unto Godliness.

Lord,

(To close up these imperfect lines) as I be∣gan with that beauty of holinesse, which thou thy self art, and is essentially contained in thee, so my soules desire is to end with that blessednesse, which we thy Saints enjoy, even in this vale of misery, and is eternally de∣rived from thee; that so I may begin, and end with thee, who art the beginning and end of

thy creature, that I may lead thy servants from the pure fountain of true holinesse, to the sweet streames of inward happinesse, wherein we may securely bath our weary soules in rest and quietnesse, untill thy gracious good∣nesse shall conduct us home, unto the full fru∣ition of those joyfull rivers, of thine endlesle pleasure.

I am no sooner entred upon this blessed search, but I find my soul ravished with admi∣ration at the greatnesse, with apprehension of the goodnesse, with contemplation of the freenesse of thy love and favour towards me. I see thee the great and glorious God of heaven and earth, from all eternity, out of thine own gracious goodnesse, without all possibility in me (when I was not) either of desiring, or deserving this inestimable love of thine, electing me in Christ (of whom thou hadst no need, from whom thou couldst receive no benefit) unto holy∣nesse and happinesse in this life, and unto blef∣sednesse in that to come; and as I find this love of thine to be purely, simply, admirably and e∣ternally great, so is it also truly, necessarily, suffi∣ciently and permanently good.

If it were not truly good, it could never make me truly happy; if not necessarily good, I might then enjoy happinesse without it; if not sufficiently good, my happinesse enjoyed by it could not afford me satisfaction in it; if not permanently good, what I enjoy in satis∣faction, I may want in perfection, by being sud∣dainly removed from it. But thou, O Lord, hast graciously afforded me all these degrees of happinesse, that I might be truly and eternally happy, that I might be happy in thee, because

there is no attainining happinesse but by thee, that I may be happy in soul, and happy in body, happy in life, and happy in death, happy here, and happy hereafter.

Thou, O my blessed Saviour, art sweeter unto me than all sweetnesse; thou art that blessed All-sufficiency, by which I am both fully, and for ever satisfied? thou art my safe re∣pose, my inviolable peace, my rich rest, my safety in life, my comfort in death, my glory after death. By thy patient sufferings, I am more than conqueror of sin, of sorrow, of death, of hell; by thy glorious resurrection I have assu∣red hope of immortality; by thy blessed ascen∣tion, of eternall glory; by the one thou hast powerfully defended me against the rage and malice of devils, by the other thou hast graci∣ously exalted me in thy blessed union with me above the nature of Angels; thy peace thou hast left with me, thy peace thou hast given unto me, even that blessed peace of con∣science which the world cannot take from me, and that eternity of peace with thee in thy Kingdom, which thou Lord in thy rich mercy hast prepared for me. O that I might now lose my self with contemplation of thine endlesse love, that I might be ravished into extasie, with apprehension of my present safety, of my future glory; that all my faculties of soul might be but one entire and pleasing sacrifise of thankfulnesse unto thee; that as thou (O my Saviour) and the Father are one, so I may be one with thee, to magnifie thy gracious presence here, and to be for ever where thou art here∣after, to see thy great glory, and enjoy mine own end lesse felicity.

From this for ever blessed fountain of eternall happiness doe plentifully flow those pleasant streams of comfort, to the souls and bodies of the Saints, even in this life, by which they are se∣curely quieted, and joyfully contented, even in the very worst of times, which either mans malice, or the Devils cruelty, can study to in∣flict upon them; if they receive injuries, they return prayers, they entertain them with a Fa∣ther forgive them, for they know not what they doe, Luk. 23.34. and Lord lay not this sin to their charge, Act. 7.60. And so while they lose out∣wardly, they gain inwardly (& godliness is great gain) for by patience they possess their own souls.

Their courage is undaunted, for The righteous is hold as a Lion, able to encounter the fiercest affliction, ready to withstand the strongest tem∣ptation; if the World frown upon them, they can chearfully say, and faithfully believe, that A small thing which the righteous hath, is better than great riches of the ungodly, Psal. 37.16. if it smile, that They then account all things but loss and dung in compare of Christ Jesus; if outward bles∣sings be present, they are humble under them, and thankfull for them; if absent, They can pa∣tiently tarry for the Lord, for they know he is their help, Psal. 33.14. and that No good thing will he withhold from them that love him, Psal. 34.10. if sickness seize upon them, The Lord is about their bed, and about their path, and spieth out all their waies (their waies of sin, and their waies of sor∣row) yea, He maketh their beds in their sickness, (by ease to their bodies, comfort to their souls;) if famine threaten them, they have God's pro∣mise to maintain them, For the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and upon all those that put

their trust in his mercy, To deliver their souls from dearth, and to feed them in the time of security, Psal. 33.17, 18. if sudden danger approach them, they have heavenly succour to defend them, for The Angell of the Lord tarrieth about all them that fear him, to deliver them; yea even Death it self is an advantage to them, and therefore no waies able to affright them, for Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints; and therefore, Though the Lord kill them, yet will they trust in him, Iob 13.15. Lord, if thy mercy be thus great unto me, while I am yet in my sinfull flesh, how unspeakable shall I find thy love, when my body is become spirituall, my joy e∣ternall?

From these outward enjoyments may well be derived their inward contentments, but by their inward refreshments is enjoyed that incompara∣ble, inconceivable, unutterable sweetness, that blessed peace of God, and joy in the holy Ghost, which passeth all our understanding, God's holy Spirit witnessing with their spirits, that they are his children, and most pretious in his sight, and they are now fully perswaded, with his blessed Apostle, that Neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other Creature, shall be ever able to separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, Rom. 8. 37, 38.

How full of solid comfort is this blessed as∣surance? how are our souls ravished with ap∣prehension of the sweetness of our present com∣forts, of the fulness of our future joyes? these blessed earnests of that ever blessed Spirit, are the faithfull pledges of his future embraces, far

above the reach of Malice to disturb, or De∣vill to destroy: Hence it is that our faith is pre∣tious, our hope lively, our joy glorious, our lives safe, our deaths blessed, and from hence arise those many and those rich endowments of the Saints, their zeal burning, their love wonder∣full, their desires earnest, their longings in∣satiate, their petitions for enjoyings importunate: Lord, what can I desire more of thee, than what I enjoy from thee? I have thy mercy without me, and thy mercy within me, thy mercy in life, and thy mercy in death, thy mercy from the beginning, thy mercy to the end, and thy mercy without end, I am even crowned and encom∣passed with mercy; O let me now say with holy David, I will allwaies give thanks unto the Lord, and his praise shall be ever in my mouth, Psal. 34.1. Let me not onely praise thee my self, but (with him allso) invite others to praise thee, O praise the Lord with me (all ye his Saints) and let us magnifie his name together, Psal. 34.3. O tast and see how gratious the Lord is, blessed is that man which putteth his trust in him. Be glad, O yee righ∣teous, and rejoyce in the Lord, and be joyfull all yee that are true of heart, Psal. 32.12.

And now, Lord, having had a tast of the sweetness of thy Saints happiness on earth, I willingly forsake all to follow them; I have too long been straying in the strange pastures of im∣piety, and am now joyfully desirous to be led home to thy fold, that I may feed in the green and fresh pastures of thy sacred precepts, and drink freely of those waters of comfort in thy blessed promises, that I may so drinle that I may never thirst, but be fully satisfied with thy grace in this life, with thy glory in that to come; O

let this evill world neither allure me to its va∣nities, nor betray me from thy mercies, but as thou hast overcome the world for me, so (by thy grace assisting) it may be allso overcome by me: Thou hast indeed told me, that I shall mourn in it, but my mourning shall be turned into joy, and that my joy shall no man take from me; Lord I believe, help my unbeliefe; I embrace thy cross, I despise the shame, for that glory which is set before me, of which I have a safe as∣surance by the blessed earnest of thy holy Spirit in me: To thee O Father, Son, and holy Spirit, one eternall, infinite, incomprehensible, and ever blessed Goodness, be all possible praise, honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

O thou great God, who hast tender bowels of compassions, and multitudes of mercies for us mi∣serable sinners, who art not easy to be provoked, but ever ready to forgive, who sufferest not thy whole displeasure to arise against us, but even in thy very judgements remembrest mercy, and art then moved with the sight of our misery, have mercy upon me a great and grievous finner.

Lord I have sinned, I have transgressed, I have done foolishly, in departing from thy judgements: But righteousness belongeth unto thee (O Lord) and unto me shame and confusion of face; O let thy bowels of compassions remove out thy sight my multitudes of transgressions, that I may now ap∣pear before thee with a joyfull heart, and happy soul.

Let thy words be sweeter to me than the hony and the hony comb (than the vain pleasures, and false profits of this life) O let my chiefest joy be in thy service, my greatest delight to walk in thy waies,

and all false waies (of pollution and unclean∣ness) let me utterly abhorr.

Give me that inward peace, that quietness of conscience, which the world cannot take from me, that when I am afflicted by it, I may not be con∣demned with it.

Lord let me faithfully believe, and gratiously improve the constancy of thy love, in the worlds great unconstancy, the richness of thy mercy in this wretched ages misery.

O that my eye might drop without ceasing, that my heart might break forth into complaints, and my soul be melted into sorrows, for mine own and others sins, that have occasioned these heavy judgements, these sad complainings of thy peo∣ple.

Lord, as I have been a great and grievous sin∣ner amongst them, so let me be a constant and a true mourner for them; as thou hast beheld us sinning, so now allso behold us sorrowing, that as our sins have provoked thee to anger, so our tears may move thee to compassion, that thy mercy may be magnified, our miseries relieved, our sorrows comforted.

O let not these bitter aggravations of thy judge∣ments extort from us the least measure of im∣patience, nor beget in us the least degree of dis∣trust; let us neither complain of thy justice, nor despair of thy mercy, but quietly and thankfully rely upon thee, and in thy blessed hour enjoy a sweet inlargement by thee.

Lord pity the forlorn condition of thy sons and daughters in affliction, repair their outward losses by thine inward graces, that what is wanting to them of these earthly comforts, may be abun∣dantly supplied in thy heavenly joyes.

Forgive the great disturbers of the peace of this thy Sion, Lord open their eyes, that they may see how much they have erred from thy waies; Lord sanctifie their hearts, that they may speedily re∣turn unto thee, and be for ever gratiously accepted of thee; O that thou wouldst give us one heart, and one voyce, that we might serve thee without ceasing, that we may be all truly humbled before thee, and truly joyfull in thee.

Restore me (for thy rich mercy sake) unto that blessed union of Love, which is the bond of Peace; that as thou our God art one, so thy distressed Church may be one, thy divided people one, their wishes and desires, their prayers and tears, their actions and endeavours one, for thy glory, the Churches safety, and the Nations happiness, That we may have peace with thee our God, peace with our enemies, peace with our own souls, and ever∣lasting peace with thee in thy Kingdome. Amen.