pries Improv'd by daily Exercise Who on his Master longs to wait And would Earth's mean Incumbrance abdicate Watch then my Soul and shut the Door Admit inferiour Toys no more But hear O humbly hear what He My God my Lord will speak to Thee He 's all thy Health thy Life thy Peace And makes thy Inward Jars to cease Cast off poor transitory things And search for Truth 's Eternal Springs The World 's a Cheat the Creatures Cheats If once their mighty Lord retreats Throw off then all those Cheats below And Faith in thy Creator show If thou'dst the utmost Sweets of Heavenly Blessings know II. Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth Believer SPeak Lord O speak thy Servant hears Unclose my Eyes unlock my Ears To me thy Sacred Dictates shew O to thy Words my Heart encline O make it yield to Truths Divine As Lillies bend with Morning Dew Thy awful Thunder's dismal Roar Made Israel's frighted Tribes implore Not Thee but Amram's Son to hear They trembled at his radiant Brow But when from burning Darkness Thou Declar'dst thy Name they dy'd for Fear With all submissive Boldness I To Thee alone for Counsel fly Speak Lord O speak thy Servant hears No Moses I no Saint require But thy dear Words alone desire O speak to my attentive Ears Sweet may the Prophets Language sound When they Mysterious Truths propound Plain are their Words their Counsels plain Without they show thy sacred Way And Plant and Water all the Day And Cry but Cry alas in vain From Thee the Spirit only flows By Thee the Heart with Fervor glows Thy Aid the Mystic Word explains Thou giv'st Perfection Strength and Light And mak'st the grateful Soil requite With weighty Fruit the Workman's Pains Then let no Moses speak to me On Thee Dear Lord I wait on Thee For Fruit for Life for endless Love O teach me what I hear to do And Love to what I know to shew And Faith by Holy Works to prove Speak then O speak thy Servant hears With Thee the living Word appears Thy Words Eternal Life bestow Speak Lord O give thy Self to Me And then my Lips and Heart to Thee Shall with Eternal Praises flow III. Be not proud for the Lord hath spoken Christ HEar then my Words my Son more sweet than those Which antient Philosophic Sages chose My Words are Life and Spirit far above That wretched Phrase which Human Senses love Not fram'd for itching Ears but humble Souls Where mighty Love the silent Thought controuls Happy the faâ—our'd Christian taught by Me Who lives from common Fears and wild Destruction free I taught my Prophets and my Priests of old And still to Men my saving Truths unfold Most lie like sensless Adders deaf or They The World more gladly than their Lord obey The World poor Trifles transient Joy propounds Yet every Street with eager Slaves abounds I promise pure Delights and endless Love Yet can't the stupid Hearts of Mortals move Nay in my Holy House the Plague prevails No little Priest for small Preferment fails To go to run to fly but scarce can crawl When I to Holy Pains and sharp Repentance call For paltry Sums how oft the noisy Bar Maintains a tedious and a costly War By Night by Day with restless Care they 'l ply If they some distant Glimpse of Gain descry But sensless Fools for never-changing Good For vast Rewards and Honour's rising Flood For Crowns of endless Bliss they 'l rarely try But at the very Thoughts of active Vertue die Blush then poor whining lazy Wretch to see How Slaves of Earth with more Activity For Hellish Deeps and Chains of Darkness strive Than Thou in thy Creator's Arms to live Those Fools can more in dull Delights rejoice Than Thou to hear thy Saviour's warning Voice Yet oft they lose their empty Hopes but I Ne'r broke my Promise nor was known to Lie Rocks may be torn and mighty Mountains fall One Word dissolve the vast Terraqueous Ball But where I find a constant Love to Me My happy Friends a full Reward shall see More than their largest Thoughts their Souls shall find Their Bosoms always calm their Maker ever kind Then on thy Heart my powerful Word engrave Peruse it well and my Assistance crave When Tempests gather in an angry Sky With Wisdom they 'll thy Head and Heart supply I oft my Friends with sharp Temptations prove As oft revive them with returning Love This makes them prosecute their Sins with Hate This makes them close at Vertue 's Altars wait But he who slights my kind Instructions shall Beneath the dreadful Stroke of weighty Vengeance fall IV. Lord I come to do thy Will Believer MY God my only Good may I To Thee one humble Word reply I wretched Worm more vile and low Than Words can speak or Heart can know Wilt thou thy worthless Servant own May I approach thy awful Throne Pity Dear Lord thy Pity send On him who nothing can pretend No Grace no Strength no Light 's in me But Weakness and Obscurity But Thou art Holy Just and Kind Immense and thy Almighty Mind Runs thro the World and fills it All But Souls which back from Vertue fall Thy Love thy tender Mercy Lord To Me a needy Slave afford Thy Goodness hates an empty Place O fill my Head and Heart with thy enlightning Grace How can I live a Stranger here Unless thy pitying Grace appear O let me Mercy Mercy see And never turn thy Face from Me Forsake not Lord my Soul lest I Like drowthy Fields or Desarts lie Unfruitful Barren Dismal Wild With Dragons and with Serpents fill'd Teach me Obedience Lord to Thee And Prudence and Humility Thy Wisdom reads my Soul my Heart Thy Truth examines every Part And e're the World or I were made Before thy searching Eyes my unborn Thoughts were laid V. And they who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth Christ WAlk then with Me Truth 's Sacred Motions trace And turn thy Heart to seek my glorious Face Truth will protect Thee from the Tempter's Rage And guard Thee from a vile seducing Age She 'll set Thee truly free and make Thee rise Above those Errors Men to break her Force devise Believer True Dearest Lord O may it be My God as Thou declar'st to Me Let Truth instruct me keep me sure And my Eternal Bliss procure From vile Affections Chains unbind And brutish Loves debauch'd and blind Then with a Heart sincere and free I 'll walk my God I 'll ever walk with Thee Christ To Thee I 'll all the Ways of Goodness show And thou my Son shalt all my Pleasure know Think on thy Sins think with the sharpest Sense Nor dream of Merits or of Innocence Thy Sins are many and thy Passions wild Thou oft by Hell's deceitful Arts beguil'd Thy Pains are worthless but thy Falls severe Chains Grief and Ruins round thy Tents appear No Praise on thy Phantastic Vertue waits But every thing thy swelling Pride
it like some fair Gem lost in the Quarry lies XXXIII My Son give me thy Heart Christ NE're in thy roving Thoughts my Son confide They 'l fix to Day to Morrow change their side While to a wretched load of Earth confin'd Thou 'lt suffer always by a changing Mind Now sad now pleasant now serenely blest Straight with a thousand inborn Storms opprest Deep in Devotions now but soon profane Now studious quickly in a slothful strain Now wondrous grave and soon as light vain The Man of sense that various Humours scorns While sacred Art his happy Life adorns On God his Polar Star he 'll fix his Eye Furl all his Sails and not to Windward ply But through rough Tides with Oars his Passage force And to his heavenly Port direct his constant Course Sometimes the wisest Christian Pilot may Encroaching Sleep's Lethean Drops obey Some humane Frailties Flesh and Blood surround And selfish Dreams the steddy Soul confound They seek for Heav'n but seek for Pleasure too And double Ways with double Hearts pursue So when blest Mary's Brother left the Grave And to his Master Death resign'd his Slave To Bethany the Jews in Troops repair'd With curious Thoughts but more alas prepar'd To gaze on Lazarus to Life restor'd Than to obey themselves their Lord's reviving Word Clear thy Intention first direct it true And then with steddy steps thy Holy Course pursue XXXIV That God may be All in All. Bel. MY God 's my All my Soul's desire How can I greater Bliss require Sweet Note dear charming Name to Me Who hate inferiour Vanity My God my dearest Lord my All I 'd oft the pleasing Sound recal How all things smile when Thou art here But dead when Thou withdraw'st appear Thou fill'st the peaceful Soul with Joy Thy Works thy chearful Saints employ Thy Name in every Work they praise And Trophies to thy Goodness raise Without Thee nothing sweet we find But when thy Grace adorns the Mind Then all things savour well and we Thy Hand in all thy Works of Wonder see Blest with thy Love we relish All Without thee nothing taste but Gall. Here witty Worldlings grosly fail Where Vanity and Death prevail But those who can the World subdue And Flesh and Blood with Scorn pursue Such happy Men are wise indeed Such happy Men to Truth proceed From Vanity from Flesh and Blood To all that 's Holy all that's Good The Creature 's noblest Character These to its Maker's Praise refer And can a just Distinction find Between the whole Created Kind And Him who made them and between What in our fleeting Years is seen And what includes Eternity Between that Light we daily see And that which centers in the Deity O Thou Eternal Light Divine With thy All-piercing Glories shine Quite thro' this gloomy Heart of mine Purge make me glad illuminate New Life within my Soul create And raise Me to a raptur'd State O come O come blest long'd for hour On me thy quickning Favours shower And let me feel thy nearer Power No Joys Dear Lord can perfect be Till I that happy Instant see And Thou art All in All to Me. Still Adam's Lusts in Me reside Not yet not throughly crucify'd They 've bled but never truly dy'd The Flesh against the Spirit arms My Soul with fiery Discord warms And with unceasing Wounds alarms O Thou whose great Command the Sea The rugged Waves and Winds obey O help O hear thy Servant pray With thy Almighty Arm surprize And crush my inward Enemies Who still in Arms against me rise O let me all thy Wonders view My Hopes my Shelter Lord renew While I thy Smiles alone my Lord my God! pursue XXXV Blessed is the Man who endureth Temptation Christ THY Life my Son can ne'r of Health be sure Unless thy Heart Celestial Arms secure While hellish Foes thy trembling Heart surround The Shield of Patience must repel the Wound Fix then on Me for Me resolv'dly dare For Me for Sufferings and for Wounds prepare So may'st thou blow the Flames of sacred Love And reach the Palms of glorious Saints above Thy Foes then with a Manly Force repel The Conqueror may be crown'd while Dastards sink to Hell Would'st Thou on Earth with Peace and Ease be blest Then never dream of Heaven's Eternal Rest Rest is a foolish Purchase here below For Patience all thy Studies here bestow True Peace springs out from Heav'n and not from Earth God not the Creature gives that Blessing birth Pains Sorrows Tortures Griefs Temptations Woes Wrongs Wants Reproofs Confusions Scandals Blows These fox the Love of God must all be born And Patience still the Sufferer's Life adorn These edg true Valour these the Christian Soul Beneath the Standard of their Lord enroll These Trials that unfading Crown compose Those Honours which entwine the Brows of those Who to endure the worst of Earthly Furies chose Or can'st Thou dream to live at Peace within Unmov'd by Scruples and unshock'd by Sin Such Ease no pious Saints of old procur'd But Cares Temptations Doubts and Fears endur'd They in their God and not themselves would trust True to their King to their Engagements just They knew these Woes could no Proportion bear To those bright Wreaths triumphant Martyrs wear Or would'st Thou Child with ease at once obtain What they could scarce with Tears and Labours gain No but on God with Manly Courage wait Take Comfort in him nor distrust thy fate And to his Honour with a chearful Note Thy Self thy Body and thy Soul devote I 'll pay thee and thy suffering State shall be A boundless Treasure of immortal Wealth to Thee XXXVI Be not afraid of them neither fear their Words tho Briars and Thorns be with Thee and Thou dwell among Scorpions Christ ON Me O let thy Heart securely rest A guiltless Conscience in a guiltless Breast The Censures of a thoughtless World may scorn Above their spite on Wings of Honour born It 's Godlike Great in all things to be good And yet by Malice falsly understood Tho Men are blind God visits Innocence And to his own will nobler Joys dispense The Faithless World will things at random call Nor could an Angel hope to please them all Great Paul devoted to his Master's Name First pleas'd his God then All to All became Yet lash'd by silly Tongues their Sense despis'd Scorn'd all their Censures by Heaven advis'd In holy Freedom still his Conscience exercis'd He all his Strength his Zeal his Wisdom us'd And saving Light thro' gloomy Worlds diffus'd The real Price of Humane Souls enhanc'd And their Instruction and their Health advanc'd Yet could not he a foolish World restrain Unscourg'd unjudg'd or undespis'd remain But when he found the World to Lies resign'd Noisy as Seas and faithless as the Wind Weak and Mistaken but assuming more Than suted with their Wit 's exhausted Store With humble Patience to his Maker He Referr'd his Case whose piercing Eye could see His spotless Innocence
greater Brightness rise But He who waits for none but Festivals Between them oft to Sin remisly falls Then happy 's He and truly wise Who by constant Exercise Can to such a temper rise Duty can't his Heart surprize Come then but Antient Prudent Rules obey Abhor the busy Fools fantastick Way Break not the Churches Peace but wisely wave Thy whymsied Schemes for Publick Good Who cuts the Banks le ts in a boundless Flood Nor can the frighted Boor his drowning Pastures save XI Search the Scriptures Lord evermore give us this Bread Believer DEarest Jesus kindest Lord What Sweets that happy Soul may taste Who feeds with Thee at thy immortal Board That Board where Sinners only fast Where Thou thy Self art All Meat Drink Inviter Waiter Principal More lov'd by faithful Souls and more desir'd Than all those glittering Toys by carnal Fools admir'd Ah! how pleasant Lord and sweet Should Tears of Holy Sorrow be How should I love to wash thy sacred Feet And prove a Magdalen to Thee But where 's that flagrant Mind Where can I Sorrow's Holy Fountains find My Heart should fall in Tears in Flames should rise Since Thou art here indeed and seen by faithful Eyes Lord my sinful dazling Sight Can't thy full Beams of Glory bear Nor could the World subsist should all the Light Of thy Majestic Brows appear It 's wondrous Goodness all That God beneath my Cognizance should fall That I should him in holy Signs adore Before whose Servile Form bright Angels bow'd before O may I contented prove To live and walk in Faith's pure Light Till that Eternal Day shall dawn above And Shades and Figures take their flight When that great Day mail shine Then glorious Saints shall bask in Beams Divine View all the Godhead's dark Abyss and see That Word made Flesh of old engulph Eternity When I read those Wonders o're Scarce inward Joys can please my Mind I scorn what e're I saw or heard before Till I thy glorious Face can find O witness Lord for Me No Comfort I no Rest can find but Thee And since thy Face no Mortal Eyes can view Let me that future Bliss with Patient Love pursue Thus the Saints enthron'd with Thee Th' Effects of Faith and Patience found My Faith My Hope 's the same O may I be By Faith with equal Glories crown'd By their Examples I Soar with an active Faith to reach the Sky My Rules my Comforts Lord thy Scriptures are And my declining Hopes thy Flesh and Blood repair Life a wretched Load would be If we no Light no Food could meet But Lord thou mak'st thy Flesh a Feast for me Thy Word a Lamp to guide my feet Oh these I sweetly live Light to my Soul thy sacred Writings give And When I at thy Altars Lord appear I find the Bread of Life the great Elixir there These th' Exchequer-Tables are Where all the Churches Treasure lies To This pure Souls for Holy Food repair To That to clear their Cloudy Eyes That thro Faith's perfect Ways And thro the Vail to th' holiest Place conveys Blest be my Jesus Light of endless Light Whole Servants wandring Souls to Wisdom's Springs invite Blest O blest be thy great Name Dear Maker dear Redeemer who Couldst Love immense to sinking Worlds proclaim Yet not a Paschal Figure show But wouldst thy Self appear Expose thy Flesh the faithful Heart to chear Pour Healthful Sweets into the saving Bowl While joyful Angels wait around the thirsty Soul O how glorious is the Seat By Thee to happy Priests assign'd Who still when they thy awful Words repeat Thy Efficacious Presence find And daily feast on Thee How clean their Hands how pure their Hearts should be Good Works should their untainted Hands employ Their Lips be Love's sweet Springs their Hearts the Thrones of Joy Thus to Priests their Lord declares I 'm all Essential Holiness O Ye who wait on my Divine Affairs The same accepted Grace express O with a single Eye With Modest Looks approach the Mystery Your Hands unspotted to those Altars raise Where God at Your Request his wondrous Love displays O may We to Priesthood rais'd Thy Gracious Influences find For Holy Lives and pure Devotions prais'd And to internal Peace refin'd And tho our Lives may fail O let our Tears above our Crimes prevail While We with humbler Souls and warmer Love In all thy sacred Ways with swift Obedience move XII He who Eats and Drinks unworthily Eats and Drinks his own Damnation Christ I Love the Pure and Holiness bestow I love within a well-purg'd Heart to rest Up then my kind Approaches know Know who designs to be thy glorious Guest A rise thy noblest Room prepare Let it be furnish'd well and large and fair I with a glorious Train design To eat the Paschal Lamb with Thee And can thy Heart embrace a Guest Divine Who would a constant Inmate be Purge then that Old fermenting Poison well And let no Darling Sin within thy Bosom dwell Cast off the Follies of a sinful Age And all the vicious modish Rout exclude Thy Sins with bitter Tears engage And fly O fly the Godless Multitude The Lover when his Mistress come With costly Arras hangs his fairest Rooms And hopes his nice expensive Care May to her Eyes his Flames declare But know shouldst thou a thousand Years enjoy And all thy busy Thoughts employ The Preparation of a thousand Years To what my Justice claims a small Proportion bears Thou 'lt feed before Me but the Privilege Not thy Deserts but Grace and Mercy gave Nor would a starving Slave alledg Desert should He a rich Man's Bounty crave And at his Table feasted He Could but submissive there and thankful be Come then Dear Soul but not of Course Approach but not compelled by Force O come with holy Love and awful Fear And at my Marriage-Feast appear I call Thee I invite Thee freely I At thy submiss approach will all thy Wants supply Praise God when I Devotion 's Grace bestow Praise not thy Merits but my Mercy praise If thy Devotions colder grow Thy Prayers thy Sighs importunately raise Cease not thy Prayers and Tears till I With rilling Grace thy thirsty Soul supply Thou need'st Me I 've no want of Thee Nor can thy Knees advantage Me I come to better thy Defective Mind Thou com'st a Smiling God to find thou 'dst fain be One with Me thy Grace renew And with reviving Flames a hoiler Life pursue Don't then my offer'd Grace my Favours slight But thy poor Heart with utmost Pains prepare Him whom thy Soul adores invite And grasp and hold Him with a faithful Care But ne're in Preparations rest Nor when the Feast is past unguard thy Breast Be careful when the Banquet 's o're As when a Guest design'd before He toils as much who would his Post maintain As He who Wealth at first would gain The Heart still kept will but prepare it more And add new Floods of Grace to those imbib'd before What can
c. and that the Holy Ghost is in and by Himself Infinite Eternal Incomprehensible c. they will agree in that Point with the Church of England and the Argument deducible from those Concessions to prove that the Father is God the Son God and the Holy Ghost God and yet that there is and can be but one God will amount to a Demonstration They tell us indeed that their Writings look like fair well-furnish'd Houses where every thing is plain and regular but they may remember the famous Manchegan Hero who was as eminent for Chivalry as they are for Divinity took the beggarly Vent for a stately Castle bare Walls and Sluttishness for noble Furniture and a pair of Stroling Drabs for beautiful Damsels and Illustrious Princesses Again they find nothing but dark and obscure in the clearest Vindications of Eternal Truth but it 's because they are always blind at Home and their Eyes are in the ends of the Earth Indeed if Religion wanted Buffoons or Merry Andrews the Gentlemen might be of some use to Her For for a rude or Impertinent Jest a modish Droll a blasphemous Flirt or a long Declamation in praise of their own Elixirs Orvietans or Pouders of Pimperlimpimp they 'd outdo most of our riding Quacks or German Jugglers but for sound Reason Chrysippus his Dog outveyed'um and Balaam 's Ass might much better than They have superseded the necessity of Divine Revelation Answers to them are to the less purpose because they murder us so with their repeated Crambe's their wretched Quelque Chose shall be set again a hundred times upon the same Table only made a little poinant with the Sauce of a new Scoff or the Haut-goût of a Jeer and Nothing not the Eternal Deity himself can escape the ridicule when these Saints of a new Stamp take Pen in hand to assert the Reasonableness of Christianity to examine Scripture accurately to explode Mystery and to blaspheme the Holy and Undivided Trinity It 's hard to think they can have any Reverence for true Religion who write only for the Diversion of those who have none And we know what great Designs their late celebrated Champion had Scripture appear'd to him a meer Heap of Contradictions and to be reveng'd on those who would not swallow Christianity without Mysteries he piously resolv'd to set up Mahumetism in opposition to it and doubtless he knew very well that neither Scripture nor the Churches antient Confessions of Faith contain'd half so many Arguments for the Unitarian Divinity as the Alcoran Mysteries in Religion are very offensive to some weak Eyes Men of no Religion may perhaps be thought fittest to write the History of it they must needs be impartial because they have no Interest in the Subject they treat of but for Men of loose Lives to decry what they call Priest-craft for Men of very ordinary Intellectuals to explode Mysteries and for those of no Principles to take upon 'um to refine and vindicate Christianity is a Demonstration that Christianity is the best Religion Mysteries truly useful in it and the Christian Priesthood the noblest tho the most invidious Employment in the World Priest-craft is grown a Cant-word us'd by thoughtless Animals who seldom know their own meaning in 't Something they 'r angry at They cant sleep quietly in their Vices they can't live peaceably like Heathens in a Christian Country they can't devour the Patrimony of the Church without opposition nor set up Atheism without the danger of a Reprimand from some ill-bred Blackcoat In short Religion 's against them and therefore they are resolv'd to be against it This should render it the more valuable to sober Men it should make them study by Practical Holiness as well as weighty Arguments to crush the Heads of Atheism and Heresy to embrace kindly whatever promotes that Holiness and even to hug THE CHRISTIAN PATTERN how meanly soever Paraphras'd while it strives in the softest way to impress the sacred Image of our blessed Master on the Hearts of the greatest Priests or Bishops or of the humblest private Christians ERRATA PAg. 12. l. 14. r. fluttering p. 13. l. 6. r. nightly p. 47. l. 17. for this r. they p. 60. l. 23. r. presumptous p. 69. l. 1. r. disease p. 57. l. 18. r. shalt p. 69. l. 8. r. shalt p. 83. l. 17. r. by thy p. 86. after l. 11. a blank line is wanting p. 89. l. 1. after yet put p. 110. l. 8. r. Secrets p. 120. l. 15. r. strange for p. 155. l. 3. r. Live p. 186. l. 23. for while r. which p. 187. l. 18. after live make p. 206. l. 20. after can I make p. 223. l. 12. after ineffectually put p. 239. l. 17. r. God p. 245. l. 22. r. my Soul p. 260. l. 11. after eat put The Christian Pattern PARAPHRAS'D The First Book I. Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity WHOer'e to follow me his Steps applies Or'e his blest Head no gloomy Clouds shall rise But Life's pure Light shall fill his Heart and sparkle in his Eyes Thus spoke our Holy Jesus and can we Er'e dream of Light and Immortality That Truth 's pure Beams should our dark Fancies clear Unless like his our Lives reform'd appear O let our Thoughts then on his Actions dwell Whose Doctrines Man's divinest Rules excel If his enlightning Spirit guide the Mind 'T will treasur'd there the secret Manna find Truth sweet and tasteful as that Angels Food Not loath'd but always welcom'd by the Good If he withdraw tho with the Gospel blest Our Souls are still with lazy Dreams opprest But when enflam'd by him we try to live By those great Rules his heavenly Actions give All clear and plain his sacred Words appear And to the Heart reveal'd are grateful to the Ear. What tho I could with strange Acuteness pry Into the still Mysterious Trinity Only more Woes would me at last surprize Should my proud Soul from thence that dreadful God despise Not lofty Thoughts nor Words which smoothly roll But Purity to God endears the Soul Let others curious Definitions spin O let me feel true Grief for Guilt within And Floods of unseen Tears purge out my Stains of Sin What tho thy apprehensive Mind compriz'd What er'e those old Philosophers devis'd What tho thy faithful Mem'ry could recite What er'e in Scriptures Holy Penmen write Vain were thy Reach and vain thy Memory Unless God's Grace and Love were lodg'd in thee All 's Vanity and more than vainly vain But God's pure Love and our dear Saviour's Chain We 're wise indeed if we the World despise And grasp at Thrones and Crowns above the Skies It 's vain to covet or to trust in Gold It 's vain to be to Honours height extoll'd Vain are our carnal Lusts and fond Desires Whose Woes but preface Hell's Eternal Fires Vain is the longest Life when vainly spent Life's vain unless on future Glories bent It 's vain to love what like a Tempest flies And leave that
long'd-for Bliss which never never dies Think then on what the wisest Man reply'd The Eyes and Ears are never satisfi'd What er'e the longing Appetite receives Only a sickly Wish and tedious Longings leaves Turn then thy Soul from wretched Earth below And all thy Thoughts on heavenly Joys bestow So shall a spotless Conscience warm thy Breast And thou securely on thy Saviour's Bosom rest II. Know thy Self WOuldst thou know much my Soul and wouldst thou be From thy great Master's Service free Wouldst thou by curious Rules of Art descry The various Motions of the Sky Fond Wretch the Clown who but himself can read By that short Lesson will thy soaring Art exceed Know but thy Self thy Self thou'lt soon despise Nor to the World's Applauses rise Thy Works not Arts shall be severely scann'd When all the World in Judgment stand Cease then thy Pains and never court thy Woes Deceit and Madness still with mighty Learning goes Men pufft with Learning love the pointing Hand And much on swelling Titles stand And spend their careless Hours in empty Toys Which ne're advance their sober Joys But sure He 's mad who wondrous Knowledg gains Yet never knows the means to scape infernal Pains Great Words can never fill thy Appetite Great Actions only bring Delight Purge but thy self then boldly lift thy Face To the bright Throne of heavenly Grace Great Sense and Knowledg where the Practice fails Only the heavier Woes on wretched Souls entails Fear then thy flowing Parts thy matchless Sense And all thy vast Intelligence Know what thou wilt thou'lt but the sooner find A thousand things have slipt thy Mind A thousand Men whose Names are scarcely known Beyond thy Learning far and utmost Reach have gone Study thy Self with all exactness know How all Affairs within thee go Examin all thy Ways and soon to thee Thy Self the noblest Theme shall be If others thou before thy self prefer Such humble Thoughts express true Wisdom's Character Thou mayst perhaps another's Failures see His Crimes may lie expos'd to thee Yet scorn him not nor think thy self secure Our Steps on Earth are rarely sure Thou standst consider lest thy self should fall All Men are frail indeed but thou more frail than all III. TRVTH HAppy the Man whom Truth securely guides By secret Ways and powerful Influence Happy the Man in whose weak Head resides No false Opinion from deceitful Sense But Ignorance would rather chuse Than Time in vain Designs abuse We 're mad in Arts obscure to spend our Days To shun the Light and Intricacies chase Where God's Eternal Word the Truth displays We all at once may know and all embrace Where that once speaks we safely rest With Peace and Faith unfading blest O thou essential Truth my Soul unite To thee by all the Bonds of sacred Love O thou my Saviour O my Soul's Delight To whom alone my Passions fiercely move Let Earthly Teachers silent be But speak O speak dear Lord to me The more within our selves our Thoughts descend The more we see by God's superiour Light Pure Souls to Holy Works more strongly bend To raise God's Honour and his Acts recite Only our Lusts unconquer'd curb Our Motions and our Thoughts disturb The pious Soul those inward Lusts restrains Nor bows to them but them to Reason bows The brightest Crown the great Self-conqueror gains And by his Conquest daily stronger grows All other Skill's an empty Show And all 's imperfect here below Wouldst thou then go to God not glaring Parts But humble Thoughts can reach his glorious Seat Arts made by God are good but vertuous Hearts Pure Lives and lowly Thoughts more truly great And all in fruitless Error die Who more to know than practise try O would a foolish World at last improve As much in Goodness as in vain Disputes But thro what Gloom that subtle Head must move Whose Practice all his godly Talk refutes Who falls and leaves no Name behind Put out of Sight is out of Mind He 's truly great who 's great in Charity He 's great who 's humble and can Greatness scorn He 's wise who Worth in none but Christ can see He 's learn'd who 's to Divine Obedience born Tho all inferior Glories fly His balmy Name shall never die IV. PRVDENCE WHAT e're we read what e're we hear Let Holy Care with Patience weigh for Truth alas we weakly bear But Falshood gains a mighty Sway. The Wise Man knows our faulty State To loose Discourse and Guilt inclin'd And always measures things by Weight To no uncertain Tales resign'd He 'll ne're run headlong on nor will he be Stiff in his own Conceit and sensless Bigotry Receive not then each idle Tale Nor all thou hear'st to all relate But let a wise Man's Words prevail Above thy own his Counsels rate A Holy Life a Life refin'd Owners Godlike Wisdom proves And with Experience fills the Mind And with Divine Contentment moves Where God a lowly Heart a Subject gains There only Prudence thrives and inward Calmness reigns V. Search the Scriptures SEE Read these Sacred Volumes o're This wondrous Book survey Truth in its antient Springs explore Thy Studies on the mighty Subject stay Perhaps no modish Stuff no milky Phrase Thy sickly Sense may gratify Yet there blest Truth her Beams displays And all her Treasures lie See read again to clear thy Mind The Spirit 's Help implore That God's who first the Book design'd Whose Badg the well instructed Penmen wore Instructive Truth in common Language lies In plain and easy Words exprest But Falshood off like Vapour flies Tho ne're so gayly drest Shouldst thou mysterious Language love Or lofty Flights admire Thou 'lt meet with Raptures here above What e're thy own presuming Thoughts inspire Don't yet Devotions humble Stile despise But read with calm Attention there Brook the thirsty Lamb supplies Whose Streams are soft and clear Perhaps thou'lt find a Shepherd write A Herdsman prophesy But if the Spirit all indite Where can the Prejudice against them lie Authority and Learning only He On all that Holy Tribe bestows And all thy Studies there should be Where Truth sincerely flows If Truth in every Sentence shine And give thee certain Light Thou know'st Truth 's Words are all Divine Tho meanest Men her sacred Dictates write The mortal Penmen soon are past and gone To Dust from whence at first they came Truth claims Eternity alone And still remains the same Thy Wit thy Learning and thy Parts Perhaps are more than mine But God who reads our inmost Hearts May on my Soul with greater Favours shine Be thou impartial too with careful Eyes Examine all the Sacred Roll Th' inestimableTreasure prize As thy immortal Soul Wouldst thou in Holy Sense improve Then lay thy self aside All vain and curious Thoughts remove And Self-Conceit and unbelieving Pride Ask oft and with submissive Silence weigh What Holy Men declar'd of old Thy Judgments on their Dictates stay And their Directions hold VI. There is
no Peace to the Wicked THE Man whose wretched Thoughts are fixt below Has lost his Peace On him eternal crowding Mischiefs flow And like rough Tides his swelling Cares increase The flattering Fool looks down with scornful Pride On others but with strange Disturbance sees How all the wiser World his Plumes deride So Haman mad and restless sate In all his Pomp and Courtly State While bended Knees To Haman's Insolence the pious Jew deni'd If griping Avarice the Soul invade His Quiet 's lost Himself a Slave in Golden Fetters made And all his mighty Expectations crost A Storm which on his Windows breaks confounds His mighty Slumbers with distracting Dreams A Band of Cheats and Thieves his Bed surrounds Nor can a thousand Bolts and Bars E're silence his intestine Wars But dismal Gleams Of flashing Ruins pierce him with a 1000 Wounds Only the humble Soul the Soul resign'd Is truly blest In him no anxious Fears a Seat can find No Worldly Cares distract his peaceful Breast While groveling Souls strive but in vain to be Dismist from Hellish Force from Earthy Chains He calmly lives from all Disorders free He happy Soul enflam'd with Love Pants all and groans for Joys above He only gains Instead of Cares and Fears a calm Eternity VII Worldly Confidence is vain VAin is the Man who puts his Trust In worldly Joys or mouldring Dust Who hates the Mean or scorns the Poor But stands upon himself secure But God the Hope of all the Wise Their Weakness and their Wants supplies Don't then on Craft but God depend He 'll crush the Proud the Poor defend Boast not of Wealth nor mighty Friends What 's good from God alone descends Vaunt not thy self tho strong or fair One short Disease may both impair Boast not of Sense or various Arts Not thou but God that Sense imparts Others above thy self suppose For He thy Faults and Frailty knows Boast not of Works with lofty Eyes God may what Man approves despise If any Vertue lodg in thee Adorn it with Humility From haughty Hearts and scornful Eyes Envy and hateful Malice rise Only in humble private Cells Unchanging Peace and Safety dwells VIII Too much Familiarity breeds Contempt NE're to the Volge unvail thy Heart But to the wise good Man thy Thoughts impart From green young Heads and unknown Strangers fly Fawn not on Wealth nor near the Palace ply The humble meek devout obliging Man Will more instruct thy Soul than such Acquaintance can Court not a single Beauty's Love But in thy Prayers commend 'um all above Thy Soul to holy Meditations give And with thy God in close Communion live Thy Charity to all the World extend But Worlds can scarce afford one faithful useful Friend Sometimes we Men unknown admire And their Acquaintance by report desire But when we see 'um once our partial Eyes Their Garb their Mien their downcast Looks despise So when wee 'd others with our Freedoms charm Our private Faults display'd their scornful Thoughts alarm IX It 's better to obey than command HE 's happier far Who in Life's doubtful War His Teacher's just Commands obeys Than he who others tho with Prudence sways A 1000 Dangers on the Teacher wait A 1000 Griefs attend his State While the Obedient rest With Safety blest Thy Thoughts may be Wise in a just Degree But others wiser far may prove And Prudence by the wisest Rules will move It 's safer much to take Advice than give And free from Pride he 'll safely live Who in his faithful Guides Alone confides X. In the Multitude of Words there is Sin LAnguage the Birth of thoughtful Souls If wisely us'd the angry World controuls Language a thousand Truths reveals And thrô the Ears Maeanders gently steals Down to the dark Recesses of the Heart And feels and tunes the cheerful Strings Of equal Souls and when it sweetly sings The Sympathetick Spirits in Consort move And each to other mutual Joys impart And taste the softest Notes of all commanding Love But as we feel a jarring Sound When artless Fingers all the Strings confound And flat and sharp and high and low All jumbled in eternal Discords flow So ill us'd Language breaks the sweet Concent Of Thoughts all tun'd to Peace before And the vain Wretch may then too late deplore The working Mischiefs of his careless Tongue As Pigmies would with wondrous Toils prevent The mighty Ruins rending Mountains roll along My Wits perhaps I highly prize And straight at Heaven my lavish Language flies I all that 's good or great abuse And all the Checks of sober Sense refuse Or with vast Floods of native Eloquence Words like a never-failing Tide Off my smooth Tongue with powerful Swiftness slide Yet while I think to rule the captive World And hurry headlong on depriv'd of Sense I 'm all at once beneath eternal Tortures hurl'd What tho I call my Tongue my own Yet Prudence is by well-weigh'd Language known But when my Words at random fly Expos'd I to a thousand Dangers ly So gentle Floods in Season fertilize The gaping Meads and thirsty Plains But constant Storms and everlasting Rains The rotting Seeds of useful Plants confound While thro the Glebe rank Flags or Rushes rise Or squallid Ooze extends a barren Paleness round Think then on God my Soul 't is He Who can alone thy Tongue 's Director be Talk of thy mighty Maker's Praise And Trophies to his boundless Goodness raise Thy own and others Good with Care advance Treasons from careless Tongues may flow And Murders on the Roots of Treason grow Speak well then or in humble silence rest Words are exempted from the Strokes of Chance When stifled at their Birth within the thoughtful Breast XI Peace I leave with you PEace has a charming Name but still declines The Heart with foreign Cares beset Her God an unintangled Soul assigns For her Imperial lasting Seat Blest are the Poor for they shall Peace obtain But how can Peace a safe Retreat In wandring Fancies gain What made the Saints of old contemplative And only heavenly Thoughts pursue What made them with themselves severely strive And always to their God be true Strictly they search'd and try'd their Ways at home And would their Inward Lusts pursue But never farther rome But what are We poor cold unactive things Unus'd to Wars or Victory Baffled by Sin 's imperious Menacings And Slaves to each Infirmity Would we throw off our Chains and nobly rise Our serious Thoughts engag'd might be On Bliss above the Skies It 's Kinglike sure uncurb'd at home to reign With inward Peace and Freedom blest But where 's the Man who dares his Lusts restrain Or purge his own polluted Breast Where 's he who dares force through the pinching Gate Or who 's with strong Resolves possest The Saints to imitate If but a sudden Storm against me rise My Hopes alas are faint and dead Could I to God but lift my faithful Eyes His Wings he 'd straight around me spread
I 'll more prepare And on Religion then attend with warmer Care On these my God was Born on these he Dy'd On these he Rose on these in Flame On us the Spirit gently came On these their Lord his valiant Martyrs try'd Up then my Soul awake arise Reach tow'rd the Goal grasp at thy kindred Skies I shall found so employed be blest And in a nobler Trust and fuller Glories rest XIX O that I had Wings like a Dove ENough enough in this vain World I find To disengage my wandring Mind To wean me from the Joys below And Anchoret or Hermit grow A thousand Follies here assault me round A thousand noisy Tales my Thoughts confound I want a little time for me Of Silence and of Privacy Where I my humble Heart might raise To sing my great Creator's lofty Praise And there with undiscover'd Tears begin To cleanse my self from hateful Sin Fain would I meditate on what 's to come A while before I 'm summon'd home Fain would I exercise my Mind A while on that long Life behind How should I act Blest Saints of old withdrew To Woods and Rocks and Caves from human View There they enjoy'd themselves and there With humble Prayers and Lives severe Had quiet Sleeps and peaceful Dreams And Vertues were their lively Fancies Themes There they converst with God and learnt to dwell With him who was Invisible But what are meaner Saints My Saviour too From noisy Crouds to Mountains flew And there in lonesome Silence pray'd And thence his Heavenly Sermons made Would I with him to just Perfection rise With Truth forgot the careless World surprize He who a while reserv'd has been May be with greater Safety seen He safely speaks who Silence chose He governs best who best Subjection knows Obedience is by him most kindly nurst Who was himself obedient first When thro a lonesome wild or silent Grove Secur'd by Innocence I rove There where no bloody Tyrants reign Nor cruel wrested Laws restrain Where I sole King my self at large command And only at my own Tribunal stand Yet my Creator's every where And he 's my holy Guardian there He 's still my Fear my Master still And I his Laws with utmost Care fulfil No holy Hermit in his Cell can lie More humble more devout than I. Yet tho I rest or wander where I please Temptations oft upon me seize Tho parted from the noisy Rout Hell's Gloomy Prince can find me out Nor could my Saviour from his Strokes be free When in his solitary Privacy Yet when alone I spend my Time In Extasies and Fights sublime And dream Celestial Visions roul In glorious Order thro my raptur'd Soul Temptations may redeem my languid Sense From Pride and sinful Confidence O could I quit the World and worldly Toys It s vain Solicitudes and Joys How would my harmless Conscience rest All quiet in my peaceful Breast But can I e're to such Attainments rise Till Grief for Sin break thro my mournful Eyes Till to my lustful Follies I At thousand bleeding Wounds can die And in my humble private Cell Long with my self in silent Sorrows dwell So I indeed above the World below May rise and better stronger grow When from my Lord the baffled Fiend retir'd And all his cruel Hopes expir'd Convinc'd his deadly Enemy True God not Man alone must be Straight at his Feet Angelick Armies kneel'd With Hymns of Praise for that triumphant Field So when in private Silence I My hellish Tempters Arts defy And Scripture-Light and constant Tears Wash out my Stains and guide my fading Years My God will my endear'd Companion be And Angels always wait on me What can I gain below but empty Toys A wretched World and sensual Joys Where all to ruine and betray Black Lusts their horrid Charms display Where shortliv'd Joys to tedious Woes succeed And Terrors on the wounded Conscience feed Were all things mine that All would be But visionary Vanity Look up my Soul then Pardon crave And let vain Men their vainer Longings have Be Christ but thine his Peace around thee dwell Thou l't love the darkest Cave and hug the loneliest Cell XX. A broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise Wouldst thou improve my Soul With Fear Before thy God's all-piercing Eyes appear Retrench thy Mirth thy wandring Sense restrain Esteem a contrite Heart thy noblest Gain Contrition that vast Treasure shews Which vain Desires and careless Manners loose It 's strange that thoughtless Men can bear Such Shews of Mirth when wretched Exiles here And such dire Woes such mighty Dangers near Fools oft with an undecent Grin Throw Ashes o're those glowing Coals within And fain would with an ill-tim'd Laughter hide Those cruel Pangs their tortur'd Souls divide Give me when with true Mirth I 'm blest A peaceful Conscience in a peaceful Breast Happy 's the Man who mourning goes Who off the Weight of guilty Conscience throws And can his Soul to holy Grief compose Ne're for a Mass of Business strive Nor into great Mens dangerous Secrets dive Look first at home first give thy Counsels there And ne're cast down for worldly Frowns appear Grieve for thy Sins against thy God Or when awry thy wandring Steps have trod Crosses on Earth are better far Than all that Mirth our foolish Thoughts prepare When we build Castles in the fleeting Air. For Joys I 'll sow the fruitful Seed And with salt Tears the swelling Ocean feed Till rising Tides with briny Floods shall kill Those noisome Weeds which now my Fancy fill That happy Desolation past Fresh springing Joys shall crown my Soul at last Tears from the Sense of Sin will rise Contrition send the failing Springs supplies And draw sweet Dews of Comfort from the Skies Think how thy Life like Lightning flies How every Hour thy languid Nature dies Think on those dreadful Pains of Hell beneath Those lingring Tortures that immortal Death And wouldst thou hug the Viper still Whose deadly Sting will all thy Comforts kill Wipe off thy Sins at last for Shame In thy cold Breast blow up the sacred Flame And thy reforming Life by Deeds reform'd proclaim XXI Man is born to Trouble us the Sparks fly upward WEll then I 've search'd the wretched World around I 've search'd it thro and nothing else have found But constant Doubts and constant Woes I see how miserable others are I feel my self just lost in black Despair While endless Doubts my tedious Years compose I 've seen a mighty Prince enthron'd His Head with Gems embrac'd By suppliant crouding Vassals own'd And all th' Applauses of the Vulgar grac'd Yet Cares sate thicker on his clouded Brows Than Diamonds and rack'd his tortur'd Soul Dark Plots could all his midnight Slumbers rouse And Rebels all his glaring Bliss controul But he who to his Maker flies Above these earthly Fears above the World can rise Yet thoughtless Fools the pompous World adore And only covet its perplexing Store And raise alas
who conquers powerful Foes And to a Throne thro mighty Dangers goes To curb thy self the noblest Conquest yields He who himself subdues may win a thousand Fields What tho thy Sins are few thy Passions low O don't presumptions thence or lazy grow Another prest with head strong Passions may Fight bravely thro and gain a glorious Day While thy unhappy slothful Temper fails And Hell too soon on all thy Hopes prevails These things may to thy Reformation tend If thou thy vicious Nature strongly bend To better Ways or with a fervent Heat Contendst to be in rarest Vertues great But chiefly from those noted Vices fly Which in another seen offend thy tender Eye Look out my Soul for good look all around And imitate the great Example found From others Sins with utmost Caution fly To mend thy own thy utmost Cares apply Remember others Eyes are sharp as thine How sweet's the Life when heav'nly Discipline Christ's zealously devout Professors guides And o're their Works and o're their Hearts presides While Sorrows break the pious Heart to see The vile and treacherous Arts of curs'd Hypocrisy Call o're thy Name that Saviour's Acts revise Who for thy Sins could fall a Sacrifice Read his dear spotless Life and read with Shame How short thou fall'st of that Illustrious Name How long a Christian but how far from Christ How soon by Hell to Hellish Crimes entic'd Read but his Life and Death devoutly o're 'T will soon appear how good how vast thy Store The Holy Jesus all thy Works will bless Jesus thy Thoughts thy Words thy All possess O were that dear that dying Saviour mine How brightly would my Will my Sacred Learning shine The zealous Christian with Submission bears That Weight wherein his Matter 's Hand appears While deep Afflictions on Afflictions roll With mighty Woes around the lukewarm Soul No inward Comfort warms his gloomy Breast But with vast Loads of inward Guilt opprest He seeks for holy Luxury and Ease But can't his bleeding Wounds his inward Pangs appease How liv'd those holy Saints renown'd of old In Sacred Fame's Eternal Sheets enroll'd In private all with meanest Food content Their Days in Watchings and in Labours spent Rough Hair their tender Bodies mortifi'd Humble within and free without from Pride Early and late their Prayers attack'd the Skies Much was their Reading much their Exercise Whole Nights they 'd oft in Sacred Praises spend Whole Days with Holy Fasts their Lord attend And canst thou all their great Examples find And be to Madness still or lazy Sloth enclin'd O were we free from all Incumbrance here Our God would in our Hearts and Lives appear From Sleep from Thirst from griping Hunger free We'd consecrate our selves dear Lord to thee 'T were far more happy so to spend our Days Than Trophies to our mouldring Flesh to raise Too rarely now Divine Delights we taste The Holy Banquet then shall ever ever last When we can Creature-Comforts once despise God will be precious in our longing Eyes We soon shall smile at all Events below Our Pleasures and our Griefs with Temper flow God will be All in All supreamly blest Our constant Hope and our Eternal Rest With whom there 's nothing present past to come But one eternal Now compleats the boundless Sum. Think oft of Death that Time once past no more Returns no Cares can flying Age restore If thou growst cold my Soul the Plague's begun Thy Joys are ruin'd and thy Hopes undone But if thy Zeal grows hot thou 'lt purchase Peace Thy Loves shall flourish and thy Grace encrease Zeal makes thee fit for all things makes thee thrive And keeps thy Courage and thy Hopes alive More Honour he who rules his Passion gains Than he who Scepters or who Crowns obtains Small Sins indulg'd rise to a greater Height A Day well spent brings on a joyful Night Watch then my Soul O rouse thy Self from Sin In all Advices with thy Self begin Rule thou thy self let others stand or fall A Conquest o're thy self a real Conquest call The Christian Pattern PARAPHRAS'D The Second Book I. That the Life also of Jesus might be manifest in our Flesh THE Mighty God in pious Hearts commands In such his sacred Empire stands Turn then to God this wretched World detest Thy Soul shall then in Safety rest Scorn outward Toys but inward Vertues prize Then in thy Breast his Throne shall rise Sweet Peace and Holy Joys to Dogs deni'd Shall in thy happy Breast reside Thy Lord to thee if thou prepare the Room Shall with a thousand Comforts come His glorious Beauties and his Charms Divine More bright in Holy Bosoms shine Where with the Soul he oft and kindly talks And in amazing Friendship walks Rouse then believing Soul with humble Care Thy Lodgings for thy Spouse prepare His Word is pass'd If any Soul improve In Holy Truth and Heavenly Love I and my Father in his peaceful Breast Will settle our Eternal Rest He comes discard all other Inmates straight Set wide for him the Glorious Gate Christ will be Riches Life and All to thee Thy Husband and thy Guardian He. No more shalt thou Inferiour Aids implore In Man repose thy Trust no more Men soon are chang'd and perish only He Lives thro immense Eternity Men are uncertain as the veering Wind To all delusive Arts inclin'd To day they 'r loving and to day they 'r kind To morrow all to Spite resign'd Trust then in God to him for Shelter fly With Love and Fear before him lie Thou 'lt find no lasting City here below But wilt a wretched Stranger grow A wandring Pilgrim and bereav'd of Rest Till of thy Christ thy King possest Earth's not an easeful Place Above the Skies O lift thy watry longing Eyes There let thy sacred Conversation be Tho clog'd with vile Mortality Think on thy Mighty Lord On Christ recline Be all thy Thoughts and Words Divine But if his wondrous Throne appear too high O to his Cross for Harbour fly Think on his gaping Wounds how deep how wide How they 'll a trembling Sinner hide There thou a Flood of healing Balm shalt find More rich than Gilead's noblest Kind Thence may'st thou look abroad with cheerful Eyes And Human Scorns and Frowns despise Thy dearest Lord was helpless here and poor And could their bold Affronts endure A Man of Sorrows and inur'd to Pain And can'st thou wretched thing complain Hated beli'd was He and wouldst thou find The World about thee Just and Kind How would thy Patience if untry'd be crown'd Thy Love be to thy Master found With him the Cross on Earth for him sustain If thou 'ldst with him triumphant reign Hadst thou thy Saviour's bleeding Bosom view'd Had Love thy tender Soul imbu'd thou 'dst ne're thy own Concern nor Ease regard But be with Joy for Shame prepar'd Where Heavenly Love in sacred Flames can rise A Man will soon Himself despise Jesus and Truth in Souls from Passions free Implant a Godlike
Reflection's prest But all his Actions are refin'd and good No Peace the guilty Conscience knows But secret Gripes and swelling Woes As constant Rains augment the rolling Flood What tho They talk of peaceful Days And high their vain Expectance raise And dream of happy Lives from Anguish free Mind not their haughty Looks or Lies Vengeance on all their Pride shall rise And all their Embryo Thoughts abortive be Joy in severe Affliction proves No uncouth Task to him who loves His Saviour's Cross is all his Boast and Pride While that short Praise the World bestows A thousand Griefs and Mischiefs close And humane Hearts with torturing Woes divide Sweet Innocence not vulgar Air And God and heavenly Truth prepare Treasures of lasting Joys for humble Minds Who to eternal Crowns aspires No Temporary Bliss desires Nor on this wretched Earth Contentment finds Where transient Bliss the Man deceives The Wretch a glorious Kingdom leaves And barters Orient Gems for crumbling Dust He only gains a peaceful State Who neither values Praise nor Hate But 's ever to Himself and Vertue just Praise adds no Holiness to Thee And He a spotless Saint may be Who droops beneath the Weight of sensless Lies God only knows him thro' and where The Hands are clean the Heart sincere The Man at ease the common Vogue defies He 'll ne're in Creature-Comforts rest God wholly fills his taintless Breast And to Eternity consigns his Name All sordid Passions then remove And walk with God in perfect Love And promis'd Crowns of Heavenly Glory claim VII We love him because he first loved us HAppy thrice Happy 's He Who can Himself despise And from ignobler Passions free Up to the Gust of Love Divine can rise Once was I fond of Pleasures here Toys could themselves to trifling Thoughts endear But now I 've cast 'em off my Jesus now Has my cold Heart with sacred Flames possest I to his Scepter only bow With Heavenly Raptures blest He 's mine He 's mine to him My wing'd Affections fly To me my former Comforts seem An empty Cheat a dangerous Fallacy Jesus alone my Saviour's true Daily his Aids his charming Loves renew Who e're in this declining World confides Crush'd with it in eternal Ruines lies Only my Rock my Christ abides And powerful Time defies I 'll grasp my Lord my Love And on his Breast recline Let Others Other Friendships prove My Life my Jesus shall alone be Mine Others the Soul in Dangers leave My Jesus can't my longing Hopes deceive I must from all inferiour Pleasures part Nor if I would could I the Cheats retain My Jesus ever keeps my Heart And I in Him remain Come Life come hasty Death I 'll in my Jesus trust To him I 'll gladly yield my Breath He 'll only to my Faith and Love be just He can't endure another Guest Should rival him in my divided Breast There He 'll an Arbitrary Monarch reign His Throne when freed from bold Usurpers hold And my dull Heart to entertain His glorious Image mould Jesus my Lord alone My Love with Loves requites But off those airy Hopes are blown Which transient Bliss or faithless Earth invites No more I 'll look abroad no more My Jesus is my All my boundless Store Should I e're seek my Self my Self would prove Worse than the World and worse than Hell to me While I my Jesus only love He 's my Security VIII I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine JEsus Dear Holy Charming Name My Joy my Love my Soul my vital Flame How am I blest when thou art here How dead when thy sweet Beams no more appear Vain is all Solace drawn from things below Only from thy dear Life Eternal Comforts flow So when with ruddy swelling Eyes Blest Mary offer'd Sorrow's Sacrifice To her dear Breathless Brother's Ghost Her broken Thoughts in strange Amusements lost Jesus the Master call'd the welcome Sound Wip'd off her flowing Tears her Eyes in Pleasure drown'd What Rocks could keep their Quarry long When call'd from thence by his harmonious Tongue How stupid would the Sinner prove Whom his All-powerful Language fail'd to move I 'm lost undone should He rejected be That Loss is greater far than that of Worlds to me Without Him what 's the flattering World But one rude Heap in wild Confusions hurl'd With Him Hell's darkest part would be A Paradise from all Temptation free Jesus alone 's an inexhausted Mine Of Consolations rich and Treasures all Divine How shall I hold thee fast my Love How with my Jesus all my Days improve O make me Humble make me Kind So I shall his unalter'd Presence find My Jesus I by Sins may turn to flight But then must friendless live in Sorrow's gloomy Night May I enjoy but thee my Dear I 'll not a thousand marshal'd Armies fear No threatning Worlds shall daunt my Soul Nor Hell's confederate Bands my Joys controul Others I 'll love for Thee but Thee alone For thy Essential Worth my Lord my Saviour own I 'll lay my pining Envy by And or'e my Passions for a Conquest try Vile in my self yet lov'd by Grace To others I 'll thy sacred Footsteps trace No wretched Inmates shall my Heart divide I 'm all I 'm only thine by all Engagements ty'd Wash me my God and make me pure My Soul from all ensnaring Arts secure O let me taste O let me see What inexhausted Sweetness flows from Thee Draw me prevent me by powerful Grace And my purg'd Soul with thy endearing Arms embrace When of thy powerful Grace depriv'd My Wealth my Hopes my Joys are all shortliv'd When that returns reviv'd again I vigorous Hopes and mighty Joys attain So Summer Winter Day succeeds to Night And to a sullen Storm a Sky serene and bright IX O that my Head were Waters IT 's easy very easy sure When Seas smile only with a gentle Gale To hold the Rudder or to furl the Sail A young a half-experienc'd Skipper may The floating Hulk from Port to Port convey From lurking Rocks and Sands secure But when an Earth-born Tempest loudly roars And foaming Billows dash the sounding Shores When Mountain-Surges bounding high With curling Heads attempt the thundring Sky Each Flurry opens Nature's silent Womb And every Break displays a gaping Tomb A skilful Pilot only then can hold The Helm with long Experience bold Hoary with Toils with great Successes crown'd And all his brawny Crew around With Stomas undaunted and in Dangers old So when unfailing Comforts flow From smiling Heaven to stay the staggering Soul And all its Joys are undisturb'd and whole A Novice Christian tho with Crosses tri'd May bear his Head above the broken Tide And an unyielding Courage show But if at once when Hell and Earth conspires To work his Ruine God himself retires If he behind a Cloud conceal His Lifeful Smiles and if a dismal Peal Of Cares and Fears wild Doubts and dark Despair And Hell 's swift Troops around the groaning Air Break
perverts thy Mind When most to Prayers and most to Heaven enclin'd He hates Confessions and to find Thee there Where Sacred Flesh and Blood to Faithful Souls appear Trust not believe Him not his Hellish Snares Are strongest then when He for Peace declares Say to Him Hence be gone false Fiend for shame No more thy Lies in pious Ears proclaim Hence vile Seducer ne're expect a Part In Me My Jesus now defends my Heart Too strong for Hellish Arms nay Death would be More welcome far than vile Consent to Thee Hold thy deluding Tongue I 'll hear no more Should'st Thou a thousand wheedling Arts explore The Lord 's my Light my Health I scorn to fear Tho round my Soul Infernal Bands appear My God 's my ready Help my Kind Redeemer near Now like a valiant Souldier keep the Field And tho sometimes thy native Frailties yield Resume thy Courage and resist thy Foe My Grace shall freely to assist Thee flow But when the Fiend shall from thy Sword retreat Beware of flattering Words or vain Conceit By these surpris'd the gallant Hero fails And easeless Blindness o're the World prevails O ne'r since warn'd approach that rocky Shore Made rich with scatter'd Wrecks of thousands lost before VII He giveth more Grace unto the Humble Christ MY Son has bright Devotion 's Flame possest With inward Sacred Heat thy Zealous Breast Then boast not of it nor too loud proclaim The wondrous Force of that Celestial Flame Fill not the Temple with an empty Noise Nor to amuse the Croud exalt thy Voice Think 't was a Grace on thy dull Soul bestow'd To make thee groan beneath thy sinful Load Think how the Prince of Hell may cheat Thee How Thy Breast may with a false Devotion glow A Lip and Tongue-Devotion where the Heart In all the Business never bears a Part. Think how a little time may quench the Fire The glaring Torch in nauseous Fumes expire Or if it were a Heavenly Gift indeed Think of thy Beggar'd State thy pinching Need Till lowly Thoughts those Heavenly Flames succeed Thou begg'st for Comforts but mayst rise as High When Comforts at a greater Distance lie If with a lowly Heart an easy Mind With Self-denial and with Thoughts resign'd Thou bear thy Wounds if still with ardent Vows With Prayers on God thy pondrous Cares repose If still thy Heart to pious Works enclines With bold Endeavours and with Wise Designs Thy struggling Arms above the Waters are Not yet by Woes opprest nor sunk by black Despair Some when they miss Success impatient prove Man can't Himself nor where He pleases move Man acts on God the whole Success depends Who where he will his blest Assistance sends Some with imagin'd Heats themselves destroy Nor can Themselves in modest Bounds enjoy But swelling with Enthusiastic Rage Beyond the Bars of sober Sense engage And while they dream above the World they fly The flashy Meteors quickly faint and die So low they fall who would so wildly soar And don't the Refuge of my Wings implore So Men unskill'd in Ways of Vertue fail Unless to guide their Feet some Wiser Heads prevail If Man who fondly in Himself confides From all the Paths of sober Goodness slides It can't be strange if Madmen scorn the Rein And hate the Doctors who their Heats restrain Mean Sense with lowly Thoughts securer far Than mighty Parts with Pride exalted are It 's more unhappy to be Proud than Poor That Man 's unwise who in his Mirth secure Forgets past Poverty and never dreams How soon a Cloud may vail Heavens kindest Beams And He 's imprudent who when prest with Woes Off all his Hopes of Peace and Favour throws And on my Mercy can't with steady Faith repose Where haughty Pride in peaceful Times prevails In Wars too oft the bloaty Courage fails Couldst Thou thy modest Thoughts with Temper guide Between th' Extremes of Baseness and of Pride thou 'dst both in Straits and Storms securely ride Be sure when warm'd within with Heavenly Light To meditate on long succeeding Night When That comes on conclude again the Day May quickly dawn and make a longer stay That for my Glory and thy Good before I brought the Night so soon and can the Day restore A Peace unshock'd has greater Dangers far Than all the Bickerings of a Ghostly War The Soul where Charity and Meekness reigns A nobler Character of Glory gains Than Those who boast of Visions and of Light And all their Cant in Scripture-Phrase indite Or on Preferment 's Pinacle can light Who seeks God's Honour best secures his Own And He who meanest in Himself is grown Who shoots bright Honour from his vigorous Eyes When scornful Worlds his humble Fates despise Must to the noblest Heights in Heavenly Favour rise VIII I abhor my self in Dust and Ashes Believer DUST and Ashes tho I be Let me speak dear Lord to Thee Should I Lord to Merit fly On my own vain Works rely Thou becom'st my Enemy All my Sins against me rise All my Sins my Heart surprize But if with a lowly Heart I from wretched Self can part If contemn'd dejected I In the Dust before Thee lie Then again thy Light thy Grace Shall my sinking Soul embrace All my Vanity and Pride That submissive Veil shall hide Lord to Me my Self display What I was and am to Day Whence I come and where I go For alas I nothing know If I Lord am left to Me All I am's Infirmity But if Thou thy Favour show O how strong my Graces grow How my bubbling Joys o'reflow Strange my God! how wondrous strange Is the sudden blissful Change When my Soul with Guilt opprest Is by thy Embraces blest From thy Springs of boundless Love My preventing Guardians move All my Wants to Thee are known Off those mighty Dangers thrown Numberless and Nameless grown In what horrid Snares I fell While I lov'd my Self too well When I lov'd and long'd for Thee I retriev'd my God and Me. How Love 's sacred Sparks enflam'd me How my own Reflections sham'd me When in Love's bright Mirror I Saw my own Deformity Found sweet Jesus found how free All thy Favours were to me When desertless hopeless grown Bright on Me thy Favours shone Sing my Soul O sing his Praise Hymns to our Redeemer raise Whose All-searching Eyelids found me Whose All-pitying Loves unbound me All my Sins and Follies past And with tendrest Arms embrac't Turn O turn us Lord to Thee That submiss and grateful we May in pleasing Sacrifice Make our Songs as Incense rise And possest with Heavenly Flame Thee our Health and Strength proclaim IX And your Life is hid with Christ in God Christ IF thou my Son wouldst be with Glories blest Make Me thy chiefest Good thy final Rest So thou too much to meaner Joys inclin'd Shalt be from those inferiour Loves refin'd It 's vain to fix thy Heart on things below Which only inward Heat and Thirst bestow Turn then to Me for I
God's Decrees are laid That where the World has wretched Captives made That very World should have a poisonous Sting And Sorrows and Confusions bring Like Russian Bears for Honey They Their Souls in pawn for bitter Sweets can lay But Thou my Son thy native Lusts subdue And self-denying Ways pursue Delight in God thy Lord and He Will give the Wishes of thy Heart to Thee Wouldst Thou have Comfort have sincere Delight Lo I thy thirsty Soul invite Give o're this paltry World and all Which here fond Men their Sweets their Comforts call So Blessings shall thy Heart thy Head surround With inexhausted Favours crown'd The more Thou' rt wean'd from Earth below The more the sweeter still my Comforts flow But e're the Race be gain'd the Battel won Thou 'lt thro a thousand Dangers run Ill Habits Flesh the Prince of Hell With utmost Force will struggling Grace repel But Prayer and Zeal and grounded Vertue may The furious Opposition lay And lawful Industry obstruct their fatal Sway. XIII Let this Mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus Christ MY Son who e're rejects my lightsom Yoke Who e're would his Obedience vow'd revoke Rejects my Grace and real Good must lose While He his own fantastic Dreams pursues Who e're unfreely to his Pastor bends That Guide whom God with Heaven's Commission sends He 'll still indulge his Lusts and murmur still And kick against his great Creator's Will Then swiftly to thy lawful Teachers yield If o're thy self thou 'dst win the glorious Field For Foreign Foes to better Terms will come When Rebels once are throughly quell'd at at Home Self is a deadly Foe when Self presumes And Rebel-Arms against the Mind assumes That Self then with a just Contempt despise If thou'dst victorious o're the stubborn Inmate rise Thou quak'st to hear of just Obedience why Because that Self thy darling Self is by Is' t then so much when Dust and Nothing can For God's dear sake submit to Godlike Man Yet I the mighty God the Lord of All Whose Word from Nothing spoke this pondrous Ball I stoop'd to Earth assum'd inferiour Mould And for thy sake my self to Sufferings sold That thou might'st humble thy advancing Pride I like a Slave abus'd affronted dy'd Learn then vile Dust learn wretched mouldring Clay Thy Head beneath the meanest Fooosteps lay Learn learn at last to break thy stubborn Will And of a Subject all the pious Parts fulfil Let Zeal against thy self enflame Thee more Than all thy furious Passions could before Bow to the meanest Slave let Beggars be Superiour in thy own Esteem to Thee Wouldst Thou vain Dust of harsh Affronts complain How oft hast thou deserv'd Eternal Pain How oft hast thou affronted Him whose Hand Could Heaven and Hell to just Revenge command My Eye yet spar'd Thee that thy self might see How dear thy Soul's Salvation was to Me. That Thou my treasur'd Love mightst throughly know Thy grateful Heart and Lips with Praises flow That Thou mightst Favour in Obedience find Be always to the Hand of Heaven resign'd And to a Self-contempt reduce thy Humble Mind XIV How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out Believer ON me blest God thy Thunders break And Terror all thy Judgments speak My Soul the dreadful Cracks confound My trembling Bones the dismal Sound Astonish'd Dearest Lord I see The Heavens themselves impure to Thee Since Angels Sins were punish'd there How foul must wretched I appear Those Stars from Heaven thy Vengeance threw And what can sinful Ashes do Those once who made a glittering show On Earth now sink to Pains below And those who Angels Bread could eat Would now be glad of Husks for Meat All our pleasing Actions we All our Good receive from Thee If thy Hand the Vessel steer Wise our happy Cares appear If the Helm thy Mercy quit We to Seas and Storms submit All our Courage Lord we own From thy Hand descends alone Only then our Hearts are sure When by thy Defence secure But our Guards in vain we keep If thy Eyelids close to sleep Left alas We sink we perish But our Lives thy Favours cherish Cold Unstable Wretched We Are confirm'd and warm'd by Thee O then how mean and low I to my self should show What Good in Me may seem How little worth esteem But O! what Gloom around Thy Judgments Lord is found With what Submissions I Before thy Feet should lie Since to my Self I there Poor Nothing Lord appear O Weight unmeasurable O Deeps unnavigable Where I can Nothing find Of Me but Shade and Wind. Where 's then my secret Pride How can my Heart confide In poor fantastick Dreams Of Vertues native Beams Since all my Glories tost On Judgment 's Seas are lost Lord in thy Sight What Toys are we How vain how light Compar'd with Thee Shall Dust invade The Scorners Chair With Him who made Himself compare He bears no part With fancy'd Wits Whose humble Heart To God submits He 'll all the Pride Of Earth refuse Whom Vertues guide And Truth subdues He can't Mens vain Applause endure Whose Hopes remain In God secure For Those who praise Are Nothings found And only raise An empty Sound Their Words are blown To Fairy Lands And Truth alone Eternal stands XV. Ye ought to say If the Lord Will. Christ THUS then my Son thy humble Thoughts declare Lord if it please Thee grant thy Servant's Prayer Lord if my Action may thy Praise proclaim O bless it with thy own auspicious Name Lord if it useful or expedient be O for thy Glory bless thy Works to Me But if They hurtful to my Soul may prove Or won't my happy future State improve From Me such fond Desires Dear Lord remove Tho right and good to me my Thoughts appear They mayn't the Spirit 's sacred Impress bear And if from Spirits Good or Bad they flow For Men it 's hard it 's very hard to know Nay sometimes Flesh and Blood their Dreams may bring And eager Hopes from swelling Lusts may spring So oft deceiv'd we think those Flames Divine Which only with a faint inferiour Lustre shine If then some lovely Object strike thy Soul With pious Cares and humble Fears controul Thy eager Wishes and thy All resign To th' firm Decrees of Providence Divine Say Lord Thou knowest alone what 's best for Me May all my Works receive their Turn from Thee What when how much than wilt Dear Father give While I beneath thy Wise Directions live O do thy Pleasure with Me make Me still Advance thy Glory and observe thy Will O guide Me fix Me by thy powerful Hand And Me at large in all Estates command Thy Hand now holds Me lead Me turn Me round But let Me still in Holy Paths be found Lo I thy Servant here prepar'd and free Nor would I live Lord to my Self but Thee O may my Heart and Tongue in Heavenly Praise agree The Prayer Believer TO me O tender Jesus give
Thy Grace within my Heart to live That it may all my Fears survive Lord guide my Wishes guide my Will O make them seek thy pleasure still And gladly thy Commands fulfil O let my Pleasure Lord be thine To follow Thee my Thoughts incline And to thy sacred Laws confine What e're I wish what e're refuse Let Me thy sacred Book peruse And all by thy Directions chuse Lord make Me die to things below And thro' Neglect and Scorns to go For what thy wondrous Loves bestow In Thee let all my Wishes rest Let happy peace possess my Breast With thy supporting Favours blest On Thee my Dovelike Soul relies But when it out at random flies It only Floods and Storms descries In Thee O only Good in Thee My easy fearless Thoughts shall be Blest with immense Security XVI He alone comforts Vs in all our Tribulations Believer LORD while Here my Expectations Ne're pretend to Consolations Endless Comforts endless Blisses Oft engage my purer Wishes But on Earth I ne're shall find them But on Earth I ne're design'd them All the Joys of Earth possessing I should quickly lose the Blessing Look my Soul then look above Thee Let no common Pleasures move Thee God alone has Consolation He 's the Poors and thy Salvation Wait my Soul a while expect it He who promis'd won't neglect it But abundant Blessings send Thee And With flowing Sweets attend Thee If thy sickly craving Fancy Would to Earthly Joys advance Thee They 'l at last alas deceive Thee And Diviner Favours leave Thee Use the World but use 't in measure Grasping still at endless Treasure Slight the fawning Fairs Caresses Since ordain'd for greater Blisses All created Pleasures flowing And their softest Charms bestowing On Thee ne're could satisfy Thee But superiour Joys would fly Thee God alone who made can bless Thee And with true Delights possess Thee Not with those the World admires Nor what Folly mov'd desires But what faithful Souls delight in Pleasures pure and Sweets inviting Joys the cleanest Hearts attending While in Heavenly Flights ascending Short and vain are worldly Pleasures Fixt and sure Celestial Treasures Jesus too attends the Motions Of the pious Soul's Devotions And with Comforts round secures Him And of endless Life assures Him Jesus Dearest Lord defend Me And with guarding Flames attend Me And when Humane Comforts fail Me Let no dark Despair assail Me But thy boundless Goodness guide Me And reward Me when t' has try'd Me For thy Mercy fails us never And thy Anger burns not ever XVII Casting all your Care upon Him for he careth for You. Christ MY Son complain not murmur not if I With Thee the Methods of my Wisdom try I who alone thy utmost Wants descry Thou think'st as Men would think as sensless Fools Brought up in Reason's long Corrupted Schools Strangers to Faith and Hell 's uneasy Tools Believer Truth Lord thy Cares are more for Me Than Mine tho for my Self could be And He must stand but weakly sure Whose Faith can't rest in Thee secure Lord make my Will subscribe to Thee And act thy Pleasure then with Me For all thy Management will prove Th' Effect of Goodness and of Love If thou in Darkness chain me Lord Thy Goodness I 'll with Praise record If Thou with Light my Soul enflame I 'll sing to thy Illustrious Name If Thou my Heart with Comforts fill I 'll still adore and praise Thee still If laid in gloomy Dungeons low My Lips shall still with thy Immortal Praises flow Christ It 's all thy Duty Son The pious Mind Must always be to Providence resign'd And Sufferings welcome there as Joys must be And Wealth no more admir'd than slighted Poverty Believ For Thee Dear Lord I 'll gladly bear What e're thy Dispensations are Let Good or Bad let Sharp or Sweet Let Joys or Griefs around Me meet The Dole thy Gracious Hand shall leave For Me I 'll still with Thanks receive From Sins Dear Saviour keep Me clear And I nor Death nor Hell can fear O don't for ever Me disclaim Nor from thy Book deface my Name Then let a thousand Sorrows fall On Me with Patience I 'll support them all XVIII Thro' many Tribulations ye must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Christ MY Son to save Thee when I left the Skies I could a mighty Mass of Woes despise Freely I came from those blest Seats above Unforc'd by Power tho constrain'd by Love That Thou might'st with submissive Patience go Thro' all the Miseries of Life below From my first Birth till on the Cross I dy'd I still continued on the suffering side Great Wants and Curses loud and great I bore The Sinner's Follies and the Scorner's Store With base Ingratitude for Kindness I Was paid for Miracles with Blasphemy I preach'd the Truth but Ah too rarely mov'd The sinful Soul but was for sacred Truth reprov'd Believ Since Patience Lord thy Practice sway'd And all thy Father's Rules obey'd How humbly Lord should I fulfil A sinful Wretch thy gracious Will With what Submissions undergo The Pains of easeless Life below Tho Life's unwieldy Load oppress Thy Grace Lord makes the Burden less And He who can thy Footsteps trace May with thy Saints obtain the Race What strange Obscurities of Old Did thy peculiar Flock enfold When Jewish Bounds thy Church confin'd And few to Heavenly Joys enclin'd Yet then thy Blood their Bliss procur'd Thy saving Death their Lives ensur'd Else on the Gloom of Sufferings tost They 'd been in Woes Eternal Mazes lost To Thee what Praise then should We pay Who show'st the Good the Perfect Way Whence I and all thy faithful Seed May to Eternal Joys proceed Thy blest Example shows the Way And He who follows Patience may With Thee our Lord our Head appear And Crowns of endless Glories wear Thy teaching thy preceding Light Alone could backward Souls excite Who else a fatal Course had run By their own wandring Thoughts undone Thy Miracles thy Words Divine Could scarce our lazy Hearts incline But whither whither had we gone Had not thy saving Beams before our Footsteps shone XIX He endur'd the Cross despising the Shame Christ GIVE o're Complaints my Son give o're Those deep-drawn Sighs those flowing Tears Think what for Thee thy dear Redeemer bore Think what the dying Martyr bears Think what a Flood Of sacred Blood Think what a Sea of Crimson Gore From Me from all my dying Servants flow'd Yet Thine still safely fills thy Purple Veins While We endur'd a thousand Pains Strongly tempted deeply wounded And with Heaps of Woes surrounded Weigh well these mighty Sufferings then compare Thy own with their prodigious Share Blush if Impatience swell thy thoughtful Breast When with so small a Burden prest Nay look for more that if a Storm should rise No stubborn Murmurs may thy Heart surprize The more thy Soul to Heav'n resigns The more thy sacred Wisdom shines By Use the Burden lighter proves Say not Had nobler Hands the
afford To thy poor neglected Slave Send thy Hand O send thy Power Save me from the dreadful Hour From the gloomy dismal Grave Fly O fly my God to me All my Joys are fixt in Thee But without Thee Days and Hours Only hang their drooping Wings While my cheerful Table sings Furnish'd by thy kinder Powers Wretched tangled hopeless I In a gloomy Prison lie Till thy Beams of Light Divine From this Bondage set me free And thy Countenance on Me With reviving Honours shine Let others other Joys admire Thou Lord art all my Heart's Desire Thou Lord alone canst please me here My God my Hope my Safety dear I 'll ne're be silent never cease But to thy Throne my Prayers address Till to my Soul Thou speak'st these Words of Peace Christ Lo here am I Dear Soul I come to thee Since Thou hast call'd so much so long to Me Thy Contrite Humble Heart thy Prayers and Tears Broke thro the Clouds and reach'd my Sacred Ears And to assist Thee lo thy God appears And till reviving I Can thus in Heart reply Believer Lord I have call'd and long'd for Thee Prepar'd to quit the World below Since first thy Favours shin'd on Me And mov'd my Heart before too slow I 'll seek thee soon O blest O prais'd For ever be my God my Lord Who for his Slave Assistance rais'd And would his Mercy 's Helps afford What more Lord can thy Servant say But humbly at thy Footstool lay Himself His Misery and confess His Sins and native Wretchedness For Nothing Nothing like to Thee Can all Created Nature see O Thou thy Father's Wisdom may The World to Thee their Praises pay O may my Lips my Soul my All On Thee with constant Praises call While all the wide Creation vies To raise thy Sacred Name above the lofty Skies XXII Lord I remembred Thee upon my Bed and thought on Thee when I was waking Believer LOrd by thy Laws my Heart enlarge O teach Me by thy Rules to move By thy Commands my Sense improve That I may know their weighty Charge That I with reverent Industry May all thy gracious Acts recal Express a grateful Heart for all That noblest Sacrifice to Thee Yet when I 've done my Best I know My Thanks thy Favours can't repay My Merits claim one sailing Ray Since Thou' rt so high and I so low The Charming Face the Prudent Mind Inward and outward Graces all From thy extended Bounties fall And prove our mighty Maker kind Ten Talents some perhaps may gain Some only Two and some but One But all Pretence to Pride is gone Since All to Thee for All retain Those Odds no Mines of native Grace But thy discerning Goodness made And Favours there are kindly laid Where Gratitude assumes the Place That Man who can Himself despise And all his secret Frailties know And from his Knowledg humbler grow May still to greater Favours rise Nor should the meanest gifted Mind Disorder'd or dejected mourn With Anger or with Envy burn But ground for grateful Praises find He 'd thy impartial Hand adore Thy Goodness and thy Mercy free Since all at last descends from Thee Thou giv'st the least and largest Store Not Man's but God's great Wisdom knows What Seeds best sute the fruitful Field What Soils the fairest Crops can yield And thence proportion'd Gifts bestows Blest be my God whose careful Hand Kept Me from empty Glories free Lest Insolence and Vanity Should my too easy Soul command My meanest poorest Fortunes I Ungriev'd and undejected bear And with an easy chearful Air Can to my trusty Guardian fly The Poor the Wretched Lord and those Whom most the rugged World despise Are dearest to thy gracious Eyes And thy Domestick Train compose Thy great Apostles Lord were poor When o're the Convert World they reign'd Yet ne're of Poverty complain'd In their Integrity secure Their Breasts no Guile nor Malice swell'd Nor Pride but when they suffer'd Shame Dear Jesus for thy Sacred Name And Truth with firm Embraces held He then who Loves Thee Lord who knows How large thy Benefactions are Will for thy Smiles his Joys declare And for thy Love 's Immortal Flows More blest in his despis'd Estate Than those above the rest enthron'd And more at ease when scarcely own'd Than those who grasp a Regal Fate More pleas'd to be despis'd and scorn'd Unseen unknown without a Name Than Flutterers on the Wings of Fame With Honour's gaudy Arms adorn'd To Him thy Loves more Glories bring Than all Atchievements here below And thence more happy Comforts flow Than from the largest Gifts or wondrous Act can spring XXIII The Fruits of Righteousness are sown in Peace Christ MY Son I 'll teach Thee now the peaceful Way Where Freedom will with Ease around Thee stay Believer Speak Dearest Lord O speak to Me Thy Rules must all delightful be Christ Not Others Counsels but thy own refuse A small Estate before a greater chuse Love to be subject envy'd Places shun Pray that my Will in Thee may all be done Obey these Rules and they 'l thy Joys increase With perfect Pleasure and with perfect Peace Believer Few are thy Words but perfect Lord And Sense and wondrous Fruits afford O could I keep them faithfully I should from inward Broils be free And only then Disturbance find When from thy sacred Rules declin'd O Thou Almighty Lord whose Love Rests where industrious Souls improve O grant Me greater Graces still That I may all my Words fulfil And to be sav'd at last obey thy sacred Will A Prayer against Evil Thoughts O My God I fly to Thee Go not go not far from Me Help Me Lord My God receive Me Don't to strong Temptations leave Me Wild my Thoughts are vast my Fears See the threatning Storm appears How O how shall I subdue it Or unshockt unhurt go thro it Lord thy Promise was of old I 'll the Massive Gates unfold Trample or'e the Tempter's Powers Batter down the brazen Towers Set the groaning Prisoners free And reveal my Self to Thee Such thy Promise was of Old Grant O grant the Bliss foretold Then shall all my Tempters flie Then my wicked Thoughts shall die All my Hope my Consolation In the deepest Tribulation Is my God to trust in Thee Is my Lord to fly to Thee Is my Life to pray to Thee And believe Thou 'lt pity Me. A Prayer for inward Illumination FILL Holy Jesus fill my Soul With inward Light The Clouds controul Which now about my Judgment roll Keep me from Wandrings set me free From Tempters Force and Subtlety And Fight my God O Fight for Me Beat down my Brutish Lusts subdue Those Fiends which now my Peace pursue That I may Praise on Praise renew That in a Conscience clear and sound A Palace may for God be found And all with Heavenly Hymns resound Lord quell the Storm the Surges bind And hush the rugged Northern Wind That I a Halcyon Calm may find Send out thy Light thy
Truth Divine That they around the World may shine And let O let some Sparks be Mine My Soul 's a barren Wild O shew Thy fertilizing Grace Imbue My Heart with thy Celestial Dew With pure Devotion 's gentle Rain Moisten and warm the sandy Plain Till all a fruitful Verdure gain Lord raise my Soul with Sins opprest And O inspire my panting Breast With Sighs for thy Eternal Rest Till by that Prelude ravish'd I On Wings of Rapture mount the Sky Lull'd with Immortal Harmony From Creature-Comforts set me free From all Created Vanity O Dearest Saviour rescue Me My Doglike Appetite renews And Sorrow all my Steps pursues When I those little Comforts use O bind me fast with Bands of Love That I from Thee may ne're remove Till with thy Self the Dearest Object fixt above XXIV Be not Wise overmuch Christ DOn't be too Curious nor with empty Cares Engage thy Thoughts in vexing Snares What 's this or That to Thee Thy Business is to follow Me What 's Thy Concern if Men be So or So If thus they Speak or thus they Do Thou no Account for them shalt give But for thy Self And would'st thou wish to live In Dark Perplexities All Things I know and what the Sun can see Is visible and plain to Me I all Affairs anatomize I know Mens inmost Thoughts and private Wills And what their utmost Hopes fulfils Leave then such Things to Me And let Peace inhabit Thee Of That let nothing here thy Soul bereave Let Others all their vain Designs pursue Their Words and Deeds shall all receive their Due Since None can Me deceive Hunt not the Shadow of a Mighty Name Nor boast of Freedoms or of private Love In Thee such Hope 's too large a Share will claim Thy Heart with gloomy Fancies move To Thee I 'd freely all my Will reveal From Thee no needful Truths conceal Would'st Thou but watch my Coming carefully And open all thy Gates to Me. Be careful then and watch to Prayer And let thy Modest Deeds thy Humble Thoughts declare XXV The Fruits of the Spirit are Joy Peace Goodness Christ THus I my Son declar'd of Old Lo I leave my Peace with You Lo I give my Peace to You Not as Worldly Men may do Peace indeed I give to You. Thus I promis'd Mine of old Peace is the Common Wish alas But few Those sacred Paths which lead to Peace pursue My Peace is Meek and Humble Judgments guides And loves to live where Patience most resides Hear Me Obey Me and thou soon shalt find Her Balmy Dews relax thy labouring Mind Believer What shall I do then Lord Chr. Observe thy Way Thy Words and Deeds with Curious Eyes survey To please thy God alone in All design Nor to another Lord's Commands incline Ne're meddle Son with Other Mens Affairs With no Censorious Wit augment thy Cares Live but at Home and Peace shall live with Thee Thy Mind from griping Cares and wild Distractions free But to be wholly loos'd from Earth below Earth can't but Heaven may at last bellow But if thou' rt in a stupid sensless State Don't thence thy Peace and calm Enjoyments date Think not it's Peace when thou canst see no Foe Nor well when all things to thy Wishes go Nor all thy Extasies and Heats admire As if just kindled by Celestial Fire Man may his Case in spite of These mistake And from false Premises a false Conclusion make Believer How Lord then may I throughly know my State Christ On Me let all thy Soul's Affections wait Seek not thy Self but with an easy Mind Some ground for Thanks in all Conditions find Weigh all Events be Grateful Patient Bold Nor by each sudden seeming Cloud controul'd In Storms thy Soul for greater Storms prepare And still Submission to thy Lord declare Own thy Demerits and his gentler Hand No more against his Heavenly Justice stand In every Change thy Maker vindicate Adore his Providence in every State Keep Self beneath thy Master's Praises sing True Peace true Hopes and Joys from that blest Source will spring XXVI And establish me with thy free Spirit Believer NO more if perfect Lord should I From Heavenly Contemplations turn my Eye But thro' a Wood of Thorny Care A Heart unheavy undistemper'd bear Not out of dull Stupidity But from a Soul serene and free From all created Loves and worldly Vanity Save Dearest Lord O save my Soul Lest Cares of sensual Life my Thoughts controul Lest outward Wants betray my Mind And I Delights in Earthy Chains should find Lest I with Troubles broke should fail And Doubts and Fears above my Faith prevail Unclog my Thoughts enlarge my Mind Till I may soar no more confin'd High as Ethereal Flames and loose as Air or Wind. O Thou my God my Life my Dear In whom ineffable Delights appear Embitter all my Joys below That I no Sweets but in thy Self may know From Carnal Goods O turn my Heart Which but a vitiated Gust impart Free Me O free Me from the Snares Which Flesh and Blood for Flesh and Blood prepares Let not the World 's poor short-liv'd Pride Nor Hell's designing Prince my Thoughts divide Give Me but Strength and I 'll oppose The busy Malice of my active Foes Give Patience that I all may bear And Constancy in Truth to persevere For all those Comforts here below On Me thy Spirit 's Fragrant Oils bestow All Earthly Passions Lord remove And thro' my Soul diffuse thy own immortal Love Lo Meats and Drinks and Clothes and All Those Goods for which our craving Bodies call Are but a Burden Lord to Me Teach Me to use them so that all may see How loose I to the World can sit And always to the Loss of All submit My Life 's not Mine to lose but I Must fainting Nature's daily Wants supply But won't luxurious Stores pursue Lest so the Flesh the Spirit should subdue Lord let thy Hand direct Me here That I no wild Extreams may fear But safe between the Rocks of Want and Plenty steer XXVII Take no care for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Christ WOuldst Thou my Son Eternal Joys obtain Thy Self thy All must first the Purchase clear Self-Love will more thy soaringThoughts restrain Than all those Charms which worldly things endear Self-Love attracts Temptations and betrays Man to the Malice of his Angry Foes The Love of Heaven treads all in perfect Ways No Bars can there its lofty Flights oppose Ne're covet that which Thou canst ne're procure Nor strive to keep what would thy Thoughts enslave Give what Thou hast to Me in Me secure And all which thy immoderate Longings crave Why shouldst Thou pine with Woes and waste with Cares Wait but on Me and Thou no harm shalt feel A restless Thought a wicked Heart declares And must in everlasting Darkness reel For All when gain'd would all defective prove And Ambuscades on every hand appear And Storms would still the rolling Billows move The Mind be ruffled
to Thee Since oft my Sins thy Throne alarm Against me all the World should arm Shame and Confusion's due to Me But Praise and Glory Lord to Thee And till I have my Heart subdu'd My haughty Heart to bear the rude Assaults of every Creature here And Nothing to my self appear No inward Peace no sacred Light Can me to Rest or Joys invite Or to Eternal God my wandring Soul unite XLII Not as the World giveth give I unto you Christ NE're with thy own vain Thoughts my Son comply Nor on a Man for Friendship cast thine Eye Unless thou ld'st live involv'd unstable die If Thou on living lasting Truth rely Unmourn'd thy Friends may live unmourn'd may die Be they Love's Circle but the Center I. The best of Men should be belov'd for Me Friendship without Me must uncertain be I only bless it with Eternity Die die my Son to all Affections here Thou 'lt then no lonesom Rocks or Desarts fear Who leaves Earth's Joys may to his God be near Search but thy Bosom first thy self to know Thou daily to thy self wilt viler grow And higher tow'rd thy mighty Maker go But He who Worth within Himself can find Must to his God's Superiour Grace be blind His Spirit only loves the lowly Mind Wer 't Thou from Love of Self and Creatures free My Grace should flow in mighty Streams on Thee But few the Maker thro his Works can see Subdue thy self for Me thou 'lt grow more light Thy Mind more towring and thy Wisdom bright But smallest Toys belov'd retard the noblest Flight XLIII The Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power Christ DEspise fine Words my Son and smart Replies God's Kingdom not in Words but Practice lies My Words clear up the Mind enflame the Heart Sorrows unfeign'd and serious Joys impart Read 'um but not with Critick Art or Wit To mortify thy secret Lusts submit Mortification will more useful be Than all the subtle Quirks of empty Sophistry When Thou hast made vast Learnings Circle all Must on one little Point one Center fall I teach Men Knowledg and a purer Sense To Babes than Men can e're to Men dispense Where I Instructions sacred Light disclose The Soul more large more full the Wisdom grows But Wo to Those who Curious Arts explore And slightly pass my happy Service o're Christ the great Teachers Teacher whose Command Bright Angels own will soon in Judgment stand Examine all his Followers throughly o're The Conscience with impartial Eyes explore Search all his Churches as with Torches thro Expose the works of Darkness all to view And Men of Learned Tongues with Judgment 's weight pursue I in an instant raise the Humble Soul And make it stretch to Truth 's Eternal Goal And in a moment more of Sense to use Than Schools can in a Life 's long Course infuse No noisy Words no Novel Schemes confus'd No titled Pride no Arguments abus'd Are heard with Me I nobler Thoughts inspire To scorn the World and from its Joys retire To relish and to seek Eternity To bear with Scandals and from Praise to fly In Me to hope my Smiles alone desire And not to foreign Loves or Worldly Gains aspire My Saints for Love of Me their Silence broke Knew Wonders and Mysterious Wonders spoke More Knowledg too by Leaving All obtain'd Than they before by nice Distinctions gain'd Yet I to some but Common things disclose To some my Grace peculiar Notions shows In Signs and Dreams some read my Sacred Will Some I with Mystick Revelations fill Books speak to all alike but all alike Can't on the Point of Holy Learning strike I only teach them Inward Truths and I Search all their Hearts and all their Thoughts descry I give their Undertakings just Success And as I judg it best with various Favours bless XLIV Neither make thy self over wise Christ MY Son sometimes a learned Ignorance Will more thy Interests advance Than all that Learning which vain Worlds admire To be quite Crucifi'd to Earth below An Ear quite deaf to Sirens Charms to show More Pleasures more Delights will give Than high in Honour's Throne to live Thy Soul with better Thoughts of endless Peace inspire Turn O turn thy Eyes away From those Offences brutish Fools may lay Before thee Leave them to their vain Conceits He 's happier who from noisy Jars retreats Than He who hopes alas in vain He may a barbarous Age restrain Stand well with God If God but smile on Thee Then Fools of Conquests proud may see They 've only gain'd an Inauspicious Victory Blest God to what a pass the World is come Men mourn for Crosses And lament their Losses By Sea by Land Abroad at Home Spend tedious Days and Nights And renounce their Lives Delights To get a poor Subsistence here But of their Souls they never dream Their Souls a melancholick trifling Theme For them they 'd not an Angel's Warnings hear They hunt for Shadows and for Flies And the One necessary thing despise Bent all on outward Follies thoughtless all Unless a Gracious God their flying Sense recal XLV The Simple believeth every Word Bel. SInce Human Health and Helps are vain Lord let me thy Assistance gain Of promis'd Aids I oft have fail'd Where none were promis'd oft prevail'd Men are essential Vanity But all our Health and Hope 's in Thee Blest be my Lord my God in All Which on his faithful Servants fall But lost infirm unstable We A Mass of dull Mistakes and Mutability What happy Man so wisely keeps His Soul He neither nods nor sleeps Rarely mistakes is ne're perplext Nor with Events surprizing vext He who has fixt his Heart on Thee Alone can from those Rubs be free He when in Sorrow's Chains involv'd By Thee shall have his Bonds dissolv'd None e're was lost or cast aside Who on thy kind Supports rely'd Friends may deceive Us Thou alone Art always Faithful always One O were it so but once with Me My Hopes securely built on Thee My Heart no silly Fears would move And Words of Spite would idle prove Who can all future Ills foresee Or who from sudden Wounds be free I who to glorying Language yield Am hurt because without a Shield Men are but frail alas decay'd Tho by our Flatterers Angels made Whom should I credit Lord but Thee Thou great Eternal Verity But Men are Liars changing weak And vainly act and vainly speak Falsly with nearest Neighbours deal And with their Oily Words their venom'd Hearts conceal That I should of Mankind beware And of the Adversary's Snare And those who cry Lo here Lo there Thou oft hast made thy Servant hear My Duty now I dearly know O may I better wiser grow Watch o're my Words and ne'r confide Another should my Follies hide Lest when I think I 'm safe betray'd I should a common Jest be made O grant me thy Protection Lord From treacherous Brutes and Hands abhorr'd From Me deceitful Words remove My Lips with honest
Truth improve It 's Truth I would in others find O mayn't I be my Self to Lies inclin'd From Tatling and Credulity And Words which out unguarded fly He 'll keep Himself who 'd Peace pursue And He 'll reveal Himself to few To Thee great Lord of Hearts he flies No windy Words his Soul surprize But in his Thoughts and all his Deeds He by thy sacred Will proceeds That I may keep thy Grace Divine I shan't for fond Applause design Nor vulgar Air but carefully My Soul to Life reform'd and purer Zeal apply Man bloated up with empty Praise May like a slimy Meteor blaze But soon as shooting Stars appear And fall from his exalted Sphere But who in private spends his Days Not gaining but deserving Praise He thro' his Christian Course walks all in peaceful Ways XLVI Esteeming the Reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt Christ ON Me My Son fix all thy Pains and Care For empty Words are only empty Air. If Conscience sting to mend thy Life prepare If not think what thou for thy God could'st bear Frighted with Words canst thou contend with Blows Thy selfish Thoughts thy best Resolves oppose Scar'd with Reproach Fig-leaves thy Guilt would use And with a trifling Plea thy Coward Heart excuse Look thro' thy Bosom then O search it well Close there the World and vain Affections dwell Loth to be humbled or to blush for Sin Thou show'st that World still lives and reigns within Hear Me thou 'lt all inferiour Scandal slight Tho Malice should her utmost Force excite How should they hurt thee Son despise them all They from thy Head can't make one single Hair to fall God's Fear and Wisdom scorns the World's Disgrace And sober Faith will common Fears efface I the great Judg Mens common Practice know Who bears the Injury who gives the Blow I all the Thoughts of gloomy Hearts reveal Yet from themselves the secret Test conceal While to my Sentence Guilt and Innocence appeal Mens Judgments fail but mine unchang'd remain Obscure to Fools to Men of Wisdom plain To Mine then not thy Own Decisions stand The Just unmov'd may Fate 's last Force command Unvex'd with Malice and unshock'd with Lies Not Pride but Reason is his Exercise He knows I search the Heart and try the Reins No false Appearance e're my Doom restrains What Fools as Charity and Vertue prize Casts but an ugly Shade in my severer Eyes Bel. Just Mighty Judg Dear patient Lord To me thy Faith and Strength afford Thou knowst our frail Corruptions all How short my Sense and Wisdom fall Thou knowst what 's to my Self unknown I then should thy Chastisements own Mercy to Me O Mercy show And Pardon and thy Grace bestow Thy Mercy 's more indulgent far Than all our vain Excuses are Tho not self-conscious I should be Unfit to plead my Cause with Thee Without that Mercy I and All Beneath the weighty Strokes of dismal Vengeance fall XLVII For when He is tried He shall receive the Crown of Life Christ LET not my Son those Sufferings born for Me Those Sorrows thy tyrannic Conquerors be But let my Promise strengthen comfort Thee I can beyond the largest Thoughts repay Sorrows continue but for one short Day Wait humbly and they fly on Wings away The Time shall come when all that Pain and Noise Shall cease which now thy inward Peace destroys That 's short which only Time 's short Bounds employs Up rise to work with earnest Toils regard My Vineyard then I 'll be thy great Reward Write Read Sigh Sing Pray Cease thy Passions guard Such Exercise with Manly Courage bear That glorious Crown which thou at last shalt wear More Dangers may and sharper Toils endear I see I see the blest approaching Day No Night shall its Eternal Beams allay But thee to Rest and endless Peace convey who 'll from this Load of Death deliver Me How long shall I a mournful Pilgrim be Such Cries shall never more be heard from thee Death then shall yield and Life for ever last Thy cheerful Days no Sorrow's Wormwood taste With sweet Society and Splendor grac'd O couldst Thou see the Saints immortal Crown The Saints whom sensless Worlds of old bore down Their present Honours and their vast Renown thou 'dst soon be humble scorn the Joys beneath For God's dear sake embrace approaching Death And tho by Men despis'd Celestial Honours breathe Knew'st Thou but This could this thy Heart possess thou 'dst ne'r complain but think thy Sufferings less Compar'd with thy superiour Happiness Heav'n gain'd or lost is of a vast Concern Look up then thro' the Clouds thy Lot discern Mine and my Saints advancing Glories learn We who endur'd so many Wounds of old Peace now and Joys in full Possession hold In my Eternal Father's Royal Lists enroll'd XLVIII For the Things which are seen are Temporal and the Things which are not seen are Eternal Believer O Salem with Immortal Glories light O Day for ever ever bright Free from Clouds and free from Night Where Truth 's the Sun and sheds his gladsom Rays Where he diffuses cheerful Days And the same unchanging stays Sink wretched World O Day Eternal shine That Saints may bask in Beams Divine And may their blest Lot be Mine Those Days the Saints at Rest with gladness know We find these bitter here below Full of Mischief full of Wo. We 'r here defil'd with Sins with Lusts ensnar'd With Bugbear-Dreams and Terrors har'd And with endless Dangers scar'd Wild with too curious Thoughts and Fancies vain Opprest with Errors weighty Chain Rack'd with Wants and torn with Pain Or broke with soft delights all the Tempter's train When shall these Ills be past my Soul be free From Sins extream Servility So to think Dear Lord on Thee When shall I bathe in Joys immortal Springs And free from wretched Worldly Things Mount on Freedom's airy Wings When shall my Peace be solid full secure And firm on every side endure And my Saviour's Smiles procure When Lord shall I thy Kingdom 's Glories fee And make Thee all in all to Me And for ever reign with Thee Now I a poor a banish'd Wretch appear And now a thousand Sorrows bear While by Foes surrounded here Ah to an Exile Lord some Comfort give From Woes ray wretched Heart retrieve For in Thee my Wishes live Earth's Comforts are uneasy Weights to Me I long Dear Lord I pant for Thee Ah how ineffectually Dull Earth wild Passions check my Towring Soul When I 'd the lower World controul Lust alas subdues Me whole Thus Civil Wars distract my tortur'd Breast My Mind by Rebel Lusts opprest Loses all its private Rest How great 's my Torment while my Mind aspires To Heav'n but Carnal base Desires Quench the sacred rising Fires O don't in Wrath thy wretched Servant view But with thy pointed Shafts pursue And my struggling Lusts subdue Give Me but Wisdom I 'll the World deny And those Ideas vain
are strait and low and can't admit The Proud nor those who can with Scorners sit Wo to the Rich who fix their Hearts below Whose watry Eyes when all the Poor shall go To endless Joys with useless Tears shall flow Rejoice poor humble Souls my Truths embrace And God shall you at last in boundless Glories place LIX And now Lord what is my Hope Truly my Hope is even in Thee Bel. WHence my dearest Lord from whence Should I raise my Confidence Whence while here beneath the Skies Should my Hopes my Comforts rise Only Dearest Lord from Thee So immensly kind to Me. When was 't well with me without Thee When was 't ill and Thou about Me Keep me ever ever poor If I 'm so of Thee secure Heaven without Thee 's all uneasy Earth with Thee would rather please Me. Heaven would be no Seat of Blisses Hell would crown my warmest Wishes If that Hell beneath could show Thee If that Heaven could ne'r bestow Thee Thou' rt my Love my chief Desire All my Sighs and Groans aspire Only for Thee only to Thee While my liveliest Hopes pursue Thee When the greatest Wants surround Me When the greatest Fears confound Me From my God alone commence All my Hopes and Confidence Others hunt inferiour Pleasures All the sweet the charming Measures Of my Safety spring from Thee All things thence are good to Me. Oft I 'm punish'd oft I 'm tempted But by Mercy still prevented While his Rod severely proves Me Still my dearest Master loves Me Still thy Strokes are dear to Me As the softest Joys can be God ray Lord 's my Hope my Shelter When in Sorrow's Gore I welter He 's my Strength my only Stay All without him flies away Helps deceive Me Friends forsake Me Books but doubtful Answers make Me. Counsellors with Quirks confound Me Reeds alas deceitful wound Me. Thou my Help my Comfort art Thou instruct'st and keep'st my Heart All those things to Peace pretending All Felicities depending Must but vain and empty be When abstracted Lord from Thee All that 's Good and Wise and Great All to Thee their Spring retreat And thy Servants Comfort see Only when they trust in Thee Lord to Thee I lift my Eyes Whence my daily Mercies rise Kindest Father Dearest Lord Still thy Joys thy Smiles afford Bless and sanctify my Mind That Thou there a place may'st find That thy Glories there may rest In a Heart with Pureness drest Freed from Sins offensive Pest Lord as thy Goodness large appears Thy Mercies large O let thy Ears To thy poor Servant's Prayers be kind While here to Deathful Shades confin'd Protect preserve defend my Soul While Clouds and Storms about Me roll Let Grace attending thro a peaceful way My Soul to endless Life and endless Light convey Amen The Christian Pattern PARAPHRAS'D The Fourth Book Of the Eucharist The Invitation O Come ye tabouring Souls with Sins vast weight opprest O come and on your Master 's sacred Bosom rest My Flesh is Bread which I 'll on fainting Souls bestow My Blood the Source of Life to all the World below Take eat my Body here each faithful Soul shall find Eat eat it oft to keep your dying Lord in mind He whom my Flesh and Blood divinely entertains Lo I his Lord in Him and He in Me remains My Words with nobler Sense than Carnal Language shine They 'r Life and Sprit All All Mystick All Divine I. And Reverence his Sanctuary Believer THESE Words Dear Christ Eternal Truth are Thine And like thy Self they 'r all Divine At various Times in various Places us'd Each sacred Syllable Which from my Saviour fell New Life new Light quite thro my Soul diffus'd They 'r Thine as utter'd Lord by Thee But Mine as for Salvation meant to Me. I them with flowing Joys receive May they on Me a deep Impression leave They 'r holy and they 'r gracious All And like sweet Dews or Lovers Kisses fall But me my weighty Guilt affrights A wounded Soul no Visitors invites Thy dear soft Words attract my hungry Soul But Thoughts of inward Guilt my forward Haste controul Thou bidst that my Approach with Faith should be If I 'd have any Share in Thee That I 'd of that immortal Nourishment Accept an offer'd Part And with a grateful Heart My Prayers for Life's eternal Bliss present O ye Thou say'st with Sins opprest O come and on my heavenly Bosom rest Sweet Words Dear happy charming Sound About desponding Sinners ecchoing round By These poor Souls invited are In blest Communion with thy self to share But who Dear Lord or what am I Who dare approach the spotless Deity Heaven's lofty Throne 's impure compar'd with Thee And shall a sinful Soul thy glorious Palace be Who can so kind a Condescension show Whence such a tender Friendship flow Dare I before thy sacred Altars kneel Conscious of in-born Sin Who cruel Pangs within And all a wounded Soul's Convulsions feel Oft have I trespass'd in thy sight And dare I now consuming Flames invite Thy Terrors purest Saints avow To them the bright Angelick Armies bow Thou said'st O Come else Lord had we Resign'd to Fears and Incredulity Great Noah's saving Ark appears The Labour of a hundred lingring Years And can a few short Minutes fit the Soul To meet that God whose Arms the vassail'd World controul A Cedar Chest contain'd thy Laws of old Cedar o're-laid with Ophir's Gold Seven toilsom Years that King of Wisdom spent A Temple's Walls to raise To thy immortal Praise Eight Holy Pays in solemn Feastings went A thousand peaceful Offerings blaz'd A thousand Shouts that Ark of Mercy rais'd To its Majestick glorious Seat What tho I only find a Mystick Treat What tho plain Bread and Wine must be The Symbols of his Flesh and Blood to Me The Legislator's greater far Than Laws tho cut by heavenly Fingers are I 'm vile yet can't one Moment freely spend To purge my filthy Soul or lodg my gracious Friend What Art what Care the Godlike Moses tri'd That wondrous Casket to provide What Time what curious Skill what vast Expence Blest Wisdom's mighty Heir Took that He might prepare A Dome for thy Mysterious Residence But Lord what little Care can I To entertain so great a Guest apply O how my Thoughts distracted range How soon my Manly Resolutions change How fixt my wandring Thoughts should be From all inferiour Obligations free When not Angelick Bands But him who all the Angel-Host commands I to receive with humble Faith prepare And at a Feast of Love with my Redeemer share That sacred Ark thy Mercy 's wondrous Seat By thy peculiar Presence great That Ark the Symbol of the Deity In that Illustrious Dome Took up the noblest Room The Holiest Place as representing Thee Yet all the Sacrifices there Were but the Types of that revolving Year In which Incarnate God should fall The great Atonement and should perfect All. That great Atonement Bread and Wine To us exhibit in a Mode
Divine What Flames should then enlarge my Heart When in my Saviour I expect a Part How should I dress to meet my bleeding Lord While every Type great Kings and Saints of old ador'd David before that precious Ark of old Could not his warm Affections hold But danc'd with all his Might and loudly play'd His tuneful Harp he strung And to his Harp he sung When that thro' Sion's Gates its Entrance made Sweet were his Airs and soft his Stroke When he 'd His Jews to holy Joys provoke God's Spirit on his Heart abode And Prayers and Blessings with his Musick flow'd Such Zeal that Antient Type pursu'd And shan't my Heart with nobler Heat indu'd Shan't it with greater Spirit embrace The Substance than the Shade of future Grace Shan't I with springy Joys my Saviour meet And at his Altars bow and kiss his sacred Feet Fools oft to see pretended Reliques fly And cast a curious wondring Eye On Fanes to Saints Imaginary rais'd Where richest Silks and Gold The dowdy Corps enfold And Thieves and Rebels are for Martyrs prais'd A thousand Pilgrimages past They prove but Hell's obdurate Slaves at last O could they rest a while at home And not to follow sensless Fancies rome Wonders on Wonders here they 'd view Far more than e're Loretto's Shrine could shew Jesus with Love and Mercies crown'd Would shed his sacred Influences round And to the Loving Hoping Faithful Heart Would all his glorious Self his heavenly Joys impart O Thou great Architect of Earth and Skies Invisible to mortal Eyes To us how wondrous all thy Actions prove And here how sweet how kind Thy Favourites may find Th' immense Expressions of Prodigious Love Unfathomable Deeps how far Too short our wretched Intellectuals are When we would sound the vast Abyss Of unintelligible Mysteries What Art that Mirroir could compose By which the Souls of faithful Saints disclose Their Saviour in a Sacrament And on his bleeding gaping Wounds intent Eat his dear Flesh and drink his sacred Blood That Bread of Life and this immortalizing Flood Who can those Capillary Rills descry By which unbodied Graces fly Thro' bodied Symbols to the faithful Mind How pure Devotion 's Fires How Vertue 's warm Desires Room in the Sinner with Repentance find What hidden Sweets can Faith descry How sharp how piercing is the faithful Eye He meets a thousand Graces here Lost Vertues in his Soul reviv'd appear And tho deform'd by Sins before This can its Beauties and its Charms restore Nay the best balmy Symbols may New Life and Health to fainting Saints convey While Faithless Souls meer Bread and Wine partake And but a damning Feast of empty Symbols make But ah how cold how deadly cold we prove To meet our dear Redeemer's Love How we refuse his kind extended Arms Arms which alone can be Our Souls security From Death's Tyrannic Force and Hell's Alarms He purifies our Natures He From endless Torments dearly sets us free Beneath his Shade we safely move And feel the Beams shot from his Orb of Love Why should we then so cold appear To all his Loves Mysterious Tendries here Ah Blind ah Rocky-hearted Crew Who can so slow such wondrous Grace pursue More careless as their Master kinder grows And can with stubborn Hearts his offer'd Loves oppose Were but one single Sacrament design'd The World to one sole Priest confin'd What Sholes would to the distant Temple flow How would they stretch their Eyes To see these Mysteries How eager for that Heavenly Banquet grow But when a thousand Pastors wait And all may with their Lord participate When so immense his Loves appear Alas we nauseate the Celestial Chear Yet Jesus Holy Shepherd we Poor Exiles now present our Thanks to Thee Thy Flesh thy Blood our Souls relieves Thy tender Call our dying Faith retrieves Come all to Me with Sins vast Weights opprest I 'll give you sudden Ease I 'll give you certain Rest II. Behold how he loved Vs Believer MOV'D by thy Goodness and thy Mercies I Dear Lord to thy Assistance fly Touch'd with a thousand Plagues I come to Thee O be the great Physician Lord to Me Hungry and Thirsty Lord I bring A fainting Soul to Life's Immortal Spring A Beggar I Heaven's gracious King adore A Servant I my Master's Smiles implore Form'd by thy Hand Lord here I stand And for my great Creator's Bounties wait And for his Comforts in a ruin'd helpless State Whence is it that my God should come to Me O what am I thus grac'd by Thee How can a guilty Soul endure thy Sight How in a Miscreant can my God delight Thou know'st no Good resides in Me And I my own my inward Vileness see Thy Grace thy Goodness and thy boundless Love I own I honour and with Thanks improve And for thy sake I 'd here partake That I my tender smiling God might know O mayn't my horrid Crimes obstruct the wondrous Flow Sweet gracious God! with what respectful Praise Should I thy spreading Glories blaze Who for our sakes a mortal Nature took But who can thro' the Mystick Bounty look What can I think when worthless I May hold Communion with the Deity What can I do but with a prideless Mind Some Means t' extol thy boundless Goodness find Thy endless Praise My God I 'll raise But ever ever Lord my Self despise And from the lowliest State to heavenly Favours rise Lo Thou' rt incomprensible Sanctity A filthy loathsom Sinner I Unfit to raise my sinful Eyes to Thee But Thou Great God couldst condescend to Me. Lo Thou canst in a Wretch delight A Beggar to a plenteous Feast invite thou 'dst have me banquet on Celestial Food On Bread of Angels and Divinely Good Thou Lord wouldst be That Bread to Me That Bread of Life which from above descends And Life and Vigour thro a fainting World extends See! see my Soul whence such bright Loves can shine And Condescensions all divine What Thanks what Praise are to thy Saviour due How should thy Service as his Name be true How salutary Lord how kind In this we all thy mighty Counsels find The Food all costly and the Banquet sweet Where we by Faith our great Redeemer meet Thy powerful Cares Thy Truth declares Thy Words from Nothing sprung the World of old In less than Nothing now eternal Truths unfold My Lord my God Great God and Man that Thou Shouldst tow'rd a wretched Creature bow That thou thy self in Bread and Wine shouldst give In true Believers humble Hearts to live What Sense such Wonders can pursue So True so Strange yet not so Strange as True Thou Lord of All who hadst no need of Me Yet by a Sacrament my Guest wouldst be Lord keep my Heart O ne'r depart Till I by thy effectual Influence find A Body spotless pure to lodg a peaceful Mind It 's thy Appointment Lord design'd by Thee To celebrate thy Memory O may I oft thy Merits here record O may I oft here meet my
bleeding Lord And thou my Soul with grateful Praise Thy Dear Redeemer's wondrous Bounty blaze Who in a Vale of Tears a Wild of Woes Would such vast Springs of holy Joys disclose As oft as there My Thoughts appear So oft I read my own Redemption o're So oft partake my Saviour's Merits boundless Store His treasur'd Mercies inexhausted prove And inexhaustible his Love O then renew thy Watch thy Thoughts compose With this great Feast thy holy Tremblings close So something new and kind and sweet Thou 'lt always in that sacred Duty meet Thy Lord will to thy Heart as lively come As if just born from Mary's Virgin-Womb As if the Tree Of Infamy Just now our sacrific'd Atonement bore And all the Soil around blush'd with his purple Gore III. Shew forth the Lord's Death often till his coming Believer Lo Here I come Dear Lord to Thee That I partaker of thy Gifts may be That I with swelling Joys may taste That Holy Feast that Sweet Repast By Thee for humble Souls prepar'd In Thee Dear Lord I all my Longings see My Health Redemption Strength Hope 's in thee My Crown my great Reward Jesus I lift my Soul to Thee O let thy flowing Joys descend on Me I would with good Zaccheus fain My Gracious Master entertain With Reverence and humblest Vows I 'd fain the Son of Faithful Abraham be My Soul would fain unite it self to Thee And Thee its Lord espouse I 'm satisfi'd if Thou be Mine No Comforts Lord are valu'd here but Thine Without Thee Life no Joys can give Nor can my Soul without Thee live I 'll oft to wait on Thee prevail Lest while unfed by Thee I upward move And mighty Foes and mighty Dangers prove My wretched Heart should fail When Mercy Lord thy Tongue employ'd And sickly Worlds thy healing Balms enjoy'd thou 'dst never send 'um fasting Home Lest Fasting should to Fainting come Dear Jesus be as kind to Me Thy Flesh thy Blood refresh the fainting Soul And who prepar'd receives the wholesome Dole Life's glorious Heir shall be I feel Dear Lord I feel how Sin How Sloth how want of Zeal prevail within O could I oft with Fervour pray O could I oft my Life survey I 'd to thy Holy Table fly Then I 'd be throughly purg'd enflam'd renew'd My holy Vows should be with Joy pursu'd Which else would faint and die I Lord with deep Confusion own To Sin my very Infant-Nature's prone But when I here my Vows renew I 'd Sin detest and Good pursue Dear God that Physick grateful make Tho I receive I 'm slothful oft and cold But should for holy Works be quite unsould Should I that Feast forsake How oft I 'm indispos'd to be My God a fit Communicant for Thee But still at proper Times I 'll strive To keep my holy Flames alive And share thy gracious Mysteries This Lord supports the Faithful Soul that He To Earth confin'd may still remember Thee Thy Loves devoutly prize Wonders of Condescending Love That Thou great God of Spirits shouldst from above To those in Spirit poor dispense Thy universal Influence And all their hungry Gripes relieve Happy thrice happy Souls who swell'd with Joy All their Devotions all their Flames employ When they their Lord receive How great 's the Lord how dear the Guests How true the Friend who then invades their Breasts The Mate how sweet the Spouse how fair Lovely as fancy'd Angels are Be silent Earth be silent Skies Their Grace their Beauties all descend from Thee Yet can 't their Beauties to the least degree Of thy Illustrious Name thy wondrous Glories rise IV. They shall be fill'd with the Fatness of thy House LORD I Apply My Heart to Thee O quicken Me And let thy Grace In Me take place Till with an humble Heart Before thy Altars I Appear and take a Part In Love's great Mystery Rouze Me Lord O rouze my Soul Off its lazy Temper roll Visit Me with thy Salvation Glut my eager Expectation With all those Heavenly Sweets which rise From that prodigious Sacrifice Clear Lord my Eyes that I may thro The Bread and Wine my Saviour view May I my Saviour's powerful Words believe And Grace from thence and heavenly Strength receive Wise Angels scarce those wondrous Depths can find The Condescensions of a boundless Mind And what can Sinners do to wretched Earth confin'd To be With Thee On Wings of Love I swiftly move With Heart sincere And awful Fear And with a Faith secure Thy just Commands obey Of my Redeemer sure In his appointed way O may I but meet Thee there And as One with Thee appear Mercy Dearest Saviour send Me And let powerful Grace attend Me Till I melt down with sacred Love And ne'r for other Comforts move This is the Christian 's noblest Flight His Body's Health his Soul's Delight The heavenly Physick for despondent Souls Which kills my Follies and my Lusts controuls Abates Temptations greater Grace bestows Here Courage bolder Hope securer grows Faith greater Strength and Loves a brighter Flame disclose How free From Thee Dear Lord to those Thy Goodness flows Whose Love and Fear Attend Thee there Thence mighty Comforts flow To lay their various Woes And when they sink below On Thee their Hopes repose Grace and Safety strong and new Here their growing Hopes pursue Wishes faint and cold Affections Mighty Doubts and weak Reflections Refresh'd with this Celestial Food Are chang'd and ever chang'd for good Here Thine thy faithful Love survey And with thy Strength their Weakness weigh Cold undevout and in themselves obdur'd Till Life Devotion Heat are here procur'd Streams will be sweet where sweet the Fountains rise A constant Heat from constant Burning flies This Fire more lively Flames this Spring more Sweets supplies What tho I know My boldest Strain Can ne'r contain That endless Love Which shines above Tho no Seraphick Flame My narrow Soul inspire Yet I 'll submisly claim One Spark of Heavenly Fire I 'll my longing Heart prepare Free from Pride and free from Care And devoutly there attending Watch the sacred Gleams descending What tho I can't approach the Spring Nor Vessels to receive it bring I 'll to the Rills my Lips apply And catch some Drops as sliding by Some sliding Drops to cool my thirsty Soul Dear Jesus Holy Saviour O controul My Wants Here poor and hungry Lord I lie Yet it 's thy Word Come weary Souls and I Will all your fainting Souls with needful Rest supply I moil And toil Opprest with Sin And Pains within By Woes o're-born And rack'd and torn Beneath that dreadful weight I murmur Lord and groan And from this mournful State Of Life would fain be gone Oft Temptations break my Rest Sorrows oft distract my Breast Hell's uneasy Weights oppress Me Griefs unweildy Chains possess Me. Whence then should my Assistance rise To Thee Dear Lord I lift my Eyes O keep Me safe O guide me right From hence to reach Eternal Light Thou
unfit Thee more to feast with Me Than to be far in Worldly Fancies lost What can a greater mischief be Than a Vain Heart by carnal Joys engross'd O fly the World's alluring Cheat And to enjoy thy God from Crowds retreat Of Me thy dearest Lord possest No crafty Thief can rob thy Breast Lo I am He who all thy Bosom claim I can't endure a Rival's Name Put off thy self then hide thy Life in me And live from every Care and every Torment free XIII With my Whole Heart have I sought Thee O let Me not wander Believer WHO Lord will give that Grace to Me That I may close with None but Thee And to enjoy my Soul 's Dear Object may My Bosom and my faithful Arms display Then shall I all inferiour Things despise No Creature shall distract my Eyes My Words with Thee my Life and Thine with Me Shall soft as whispering Lovers be Or Friends when they with Friends agree This Lord my utmost Wish shall be To live and to be One with Thee That I withdrawn from all the World below May fonder of Eternal Glories grow Swiftly to thy ador'd Communion fly And oft to Thee my Heart apply Ah when shall I Dear God! engulph'd in Thee Forget my self and only be Ever in Thee and Thou in Me Thou art my best Belov'd my Dear In whom my Soul's Delights appear Search thro the World view all the Wise the Fair None None can with my God my Life compare Thou lay'st those rugged Storms which rend my Heart Thy Smiles unfading Peace impart Thy Counsels Dearest Lord are dark but wise Thy Way obscur'd to Impious Eyes Yet plain to th' Meek and Humble lies Lord how thy Spirit gently blows How sweet thy charming Kindness flows That to thy Own thou mightst thy Love declare thou 'dst with Celestial Food their Strength repair None Lord like Vs can boast of God so near None to their Maker seem so Dear To make our Souls on Wings of Comfort rise Thy Flesh thy Blood our Want supplies And lifts us high above the Skies No Tribes e're gain'd so bright a Fame As those who bear their Saviour's Name What Creature e're was to his Lord so near As He whom pure Devotion 's Flames endear Man whom his Maker enters whom He feeds Whose Life from Mystic Flesh proceeds O condescending Grace O Love Immense Beyond our Words beyond our Sense Beyond all Dreams of Recompence What shall I render Lord to Thee For all thy wondrous Loves to Me A Heart a humble Heart is all my Store I 'll give Thee That nor can I give Thee more Vnite my Heart with Thee and all within Shall Hymns of Holy Praise begin Call then My Heart shall Eccho Lord to Thee I 'm Thine O live My God in Me That Prayer of all my Hopes the Central Point shall be XIV Whose Faith follow considering the End of their Conversation Believer O How deep the Treasures are Dear Lord of thy Immortal Sweets How inexhaustible the Share Which There thy happy Servant meets When I on that Prodigious Flame reflect Which fill'd thy happy Saints of old When I their Grace their Love their Zeal respect Their Acts in Starry Books enroll'd I die with One Eternal Blush confus'd By my Own luke-warm Heart accus'd Which had thy Loves so oft thy sacred Feasts abus'd Lord I blush to think how dry How unaffected there I came My Soul untouch'd by Sympathy Unmov'd by any purer Flame Others by vast Desires and Loves possest To Tears unsluc'd their Joyful Eyes The Floods the Flames with equal violence prest Would both with equal Fulness rise They 'd pant for Drops from Life's pure Springs distill'd Nor would their sacred Longings yield Till with Immortal Food and endless Pleasures fill'd O how soon their Faith could pierce The Shell of that Mysterious Feast How broken Bread to Longings fierce Their wounded dying Lord exprest But Lord how oft my cold Affections fail What Damps my Infant-Heats o'reflow Jesus for Pity let my Sighs prevail Some Cordial on a Wretch bestow O let my Faith my Hope my Love renew'd With more extensive Strength endu'd Only for Manna long and loath inferiour Food But thy Mercies Lord are great And can the Graces beg'd bestow And fill me with Superiour Heat And make my Passions fiercely glow Tho short of Heroes yet thy Grace may find Some Seeds in my unmanag'd Heart Tho short of Heroes my aspiring Mind Grasps at the better nobler Part. O let my Failures be by Mercy past Till with thy happy Heirs at last I may Eternal Sweets Eternal Glories taste XV. I dwell also with Him who is of a Contrite and Humble Spirit Christ WOuldst Thou Devotion 's Grace obtain Or inward holy Ardour gain O seek it Early seek it Late Let thy Petitions prove Importunate With Patience and with Faith expect the Dole Embrace it closely in a lowly Soul Improve it when it 's gain'd but leave God to appoint the Time when thou shalt Grace receive If Thou no Heat within canst find No lively Flames enlarge thy Mind O let that Thought abate thy Pride Yet not between thy Soul and Hopes divide One happy Moment oft that Gift bestows Which many tedious Years could ne're disclose God answers oft the Prayer at last Which seem'd refus'd before ere half the Suit was past Should Flames rush in at once the Soul Could ne're their rapid Force controul O then with Hopeful Patience wait If Sins obstruct or Sins thy Zeal rebate Small Sins may oft obscure or hinder Grace If those be small which mighty Gifts deface But Small or Great when once subdu'd Grace may be new infus'd or Grace decay'd renew'd To God submit thy Self thy All And ne're thy lingring Lusts recal Then Calms will soon o'respread thy Mind In Vnion with thy mighty Lord combin'd God's Will shall then thy utmost Longings move 'T will Sapid all and all Delightful prove He 's only fit for Heavenly Fires Who to his God resign'd subdues his Vain Desires A Heart from Earthly Passions free Empty of Creature-Vanity A Heart all Clean a Soul all Bright Will all the Blessings of its Lord invite The Man who these inferiour Things defies The more He to Himself corrupted dies Grace Fuller Swifter Stronger gains And his unfetter'd Soul to endless Glory strains He 'll see and Heaven's vast Stores admire And glowing with Etherial Fire He 'll to his Father's Hand resign And His to God's Eternal Will confine That happy Man who with a single Heart Seeks God and won't from Heavenly Reason start That Happy Man must sure be blest Of God so warmly sought and Godlike Grace possest When He before my Table kneels He Extasy and Rapture feels And from above swift Flames Divine With his bright Soul 's internal Glories twine And since his Master's Praise He values more Than his own Comforts or his private Store To be for ever One with Me Of His Self-Conquests all the great Reward shall be XVI He