shall not I look up from the Creature to the Creator and give him my dearest Love I will love thee O Lord I must love thee for thou art sweet beyond comparison amiable without a parallel lovely to a miracle Thou art the true Father of my Soul thou providest for me thou takest care of me thou art exceeding tender of me thou bearest me on thy hands on thy wings thou carriest me as the Eagle doth her young nay thou offerest me to be thy Brother thy Sister and thy Mother for he that doth thy Will shall be all this in thy esteem He shall be as dear to thee as these Relations are to mortal Men Thou art my Friend indeed O my Lord whether doth thy Love carry thee Thou layest aside thy Glorious Titles and magnificent Names and becomest my Friend and never was a truer Friend then thou art and hast been to me No vicissitude hath changed thee no revolution hath altered thee no accident hath estranged thy Heart from me my Unworthiness doth not turn away thy Affections from me Though thou dwelleâ—â— on high yet thou humblest thy self to behold the ways of the Children of Men My Sores do not make thee loath me my Infirmities do not move thee to cast me away my Vileness doth not tempt thee to despise me Thou lovest at all times if I am wounded thou bindest up my wounds if I am broken thou healest me if I am grieved thou refreshest me if I am in danger thou deliverest me if under pain thou givest me ease if under trouble thou comfortest me O my Jesus Thou art gone up to thy Father and to my Father and hast made us Friends Thou hast reconciled him to my Soul Thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world How often hast thou in Mercy look'd upon me How often hast thou pittied me I was unworthy of thy compassion yet seeing me lye in my Blood thou saidst Live in thy Blood Live What shall I say unto thee O thou great preserver of Men No Words no Language will reach thy Love or give a tolerable description of it yet still this increases my obligations to love thee And what a mercy is it that thou wilt give me leave to love thee That this Great this Glorious this Immense this Incomprehensible God will vouchsafe to be loved by a Worm What a favour is it Prize it O my Soul and think thou hearest every Creature that 's beneficial to thee calling upon thee to love him The Sun that shines upon thee calls to thee I give thee light that thou mayst admire the Father of Light so doth the Moon so do the Stars so do all those things whereby thou art fed maintained cloathed and preserved in Health these all call We serve thee that thou mayst serve thy God and do good to thee that thou mayst love him whose Hand hath placed us in these stations O my God! Shall I have such monitors to love thee and be deaf to the Call How will all these rise in judgment against me one day if I love thee not How justly do I fall a Sacrifice to thy wrath if under such exhortations I despise thy Love How many Souls have perish'd and I am yet alive How many have been struck dead in their Sins and I am yet called to pentance How many do yet walk in darkness and I have the honor to see thy marvellous Light Thou hast dealt more kindly by me then thou hast done by others O how am I bound to love thee I see the odiousness of that sin which others doat on I see the deformity of those Vices which others wallow in I see the Beauty of that Virtue which others scorn I see the charms of that Grace which others laugh at I taste of those Comforts which others continue ignorant of I see the reasonableness of thy Precepts which others count an intolerable yoak I have some sense of another world while thousands live as if there were none I see the necessity of Holiness while others make a mock of Sin What motives are these to love thee Shall I be afraid or ashamed after all this to love thee Every Sense I have bids me love thee I cannot smell to any thing but I smell the fragrancy of thy Love I cannot taste any thing but I must taste how Sweet and how Gracious thou art I cannot look upon any thing but I must see thy Goodness The oil of thy Love swims upon every Creature I touch or feel That Soul deserves to dye that doth not love thee In loving thee I live Thy Love is better then Life My days will have an end my Life ere long will pass from me My Riches my Glory my Wealth my Health my Liberty my Ease my Friends my Acquaintance they all will ere long expire but if I love thee that will remain with me to Eternity My love to thee makes me thine and makes thee mine By loving thee I shew that I am not mine own Thou hast made me for thy self and if I am not thine I cannot be mine own for at that instant that I would be mine own I cease to be thine Thou art to me all that heart can wish or reason can desire Thou art my Light my Pillow my Rest my Sun my Meat my Drink my Glory my Joy Thou hast given me thy Son and in giving him hast given me more then Ten thousand worlds And if this be not enough thou art ready to give me more Shew me thy Love and it suffices me Thou hast wounded me with thy Love I will follow thee O let me do thy Will Let me do that which thou wilt and not what I will Despise me not forsake me not O do not go far from me Draw me after thee and I shall run Wo is me that I must dwell in Mesheck and have my habitation in the Tents of Kedar O leave me not to my self I consecrate both my Soul and Body to thee employ them O Lord as it shall please thee best O forget me not and let me never forget thee let me rather die a thousand deaths then live without thee O let me love thee so that I may long to draw others to thy Love Let me be griev'd when Men do not keep thy Law Let it go to my Heart to see thee dishonour'd and affronted Thou threatnest me with Eternal Flames if the flames of thy Love cannot warm me now I am not worthy to love thee yet thou art most worthy to be loved by me O let me sigh let me pant let me breath after thee O my Life let me live to thee O my Glory let me be content to die for thee O my refuge let me ever run to thee O thou Eternal Love let me be always mindful of thee Let me embrace thee let me resolve not to let thee go till thou hast brought me to that place where I shall be for ever united to thee Withdraw mine heart from the
to astonishment and venture on such proceedings Can you call to mind how he hath purged your Countrey of Divels and your Sick of their Diseases and suffer the Divel to enter into you O dreadful spectacle O that my Head were Water Who will rise with me against the wicked O thou that art purer then the Lillies purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean wash me and my filthiness shall not be seen O bathe me in the Fountain open'd for the House of Judah and Jerusalem and I shall look fairer then the Children which fed on the Meat of the King of Babylon's Table O my God I thirst for thee as dry Land after Water My Soul flies and flutters about like Noah's Dove and can find no rest till it gets into thy Ark. Great Gate of Mercy open to me hide me from the wrath of an offended God and make a covenant of Peace with me Ah! Who would not love thee that hears thee pray for thy greatest enemies O lovely Bridegroom of my Soul wound my Heart that it may be sick of Love How kind art thou even to thy most hard-hearted foes What a motive is this to love thee What needest thou care what becomes of stubborn sinners Why shouldst thou trouble thy self about wretches that will have none of Thee that will have their Dirt and Dung and Trash and Husks and prefer these trifles before Heaven and a Sea of Glory Thou canst live without the society of Men at least thou needest no such company yet thou longest for their Pardon and Happiness as if they had been thy greatest friends Was ever Goodness like this O that my Thoughts and Contemplations might be always busie about this Love This is no vulgar Love the love of David to Jonathan the love of Jacob to Rachel the love of Brethren Sisters Friends will bear no resemblance here Moses his love to the Israelites for whose sake and so they might but continue in Gods favour he was content to be blotted out of Gods Book and St. Pauls wish to be even accursed of Christ for his Kinsmen of the Jewish Nation these de monstrations of Love come somewhat nearer but still thy Love my dearest Lord surpasses all these as the light of the Sun doth that of the Moon and the lesser Stars They borrow'd their love from thine and lighted their Candle by thy brighter Fire that which was excess of Love in them was but a spark of that Charity which overspread thy larger Soul They did but wish to die for the People thou didst actually exspire for their good their Love was confined to a single Nation thine extended to the whole World These Men were still their friends that they wish'd to be miserable for but those thou sufferest for were thine enemies Their Love had great defects mingled with it but thine was pure and spotless Theirs had Clouds and Mists to darken it Thine was all Light and Glory Theirs was a suddain transport which might not last many days but Thine was constant to a miracle and those whom thou lovedst thou lovedst unto the end Great Emperour of Souls thou hangest betwixt Thieves and not without reason for thou stealest the Heart away What Heart can see thy Beauty and forbear being enamoured with it Thou dost ravish my Soul with thine Eyes of pity To see thee cast a favourable look on such a monster as I am Who can forbear falling in love with so much clemency I am a Captive in this World The Law of my Members makes me captive to the Law of Sin O take me by force from that prison O set me as a Seal upon thy Heart Rule thou in my Members Erect a Trophy over my Head and rejoyce in conquering me O let me be content to undergo the Cross and reproach with thee that thou mayst remember me now thou art in thy Kingdom O remember me with the favour thou bearest unto thy People O my Jesus Who can hear thee cry I Thirst and not wish for Rivers of Tears What canst thou Thirst for but the Salvation of Mankind Thou camest for that purpose from Heaven Leftst those brighter Mansions to invite poor sinners to the mighty Banquet there For this thou didst travel up and down and enduredst Cold and Hunger and Weariness for this thou wroughtest miracles for this thou didst Intreat Rebuke preach the Word in season and out of season for this thou couldst be content to want a place where to lay thy Head for this thou taughtest daily in the Temple sometimes on the Mount sometimes in a Ship sometimes in a Desart for this thy Soul did long for this thou sufferedst for this thou wast buffeted beaten bruised and wounded even because thou wouldst not give over calling poor deluded sinners to a sense of their Duty for this thou Thirstest here The rude multitude fancies it is either Water or some cordial thou wishest for They measure thy condition by their own sensual appetite but they were purer desires that glow'd in thy Breast It is Water indeed thou thirstest for but such Water as David made his Bed to swim in The Tears of a penitent Soul are the Wine thou longest for They are the Drink the Son of God thirsts after Weep weep mine Eyes that the Lord Jesus may Drink and be satisfied O Lord I have given thee Gall to Drink I have offered thee the cup of Trembling and Astonishment Ah bitter Ah wretched Drink worse then the foulest Ditch-water Drink my dearest Lord Drink of the Brook by the way Drink of these Tears Drink of this Holy Water I do shed O it is the Sweat of a grieved Soul of a Soul weary of Sin and heavy laden with the sense of it My Heart melts my Soul dissolves at the thoughts of my follies Drink up this Heart of mine and let it mingle with thy bowels of Mercy Here Lord accept of the Vows I offer thee Behold and visit this Vine which thine own right hath planted Shine upon it Lord let it bring forth pleasant Grapes no more Grapes of the Vine of Sodom but Grapes sweet and which may cheer the Heart of God and Man The Drink-offerings I bring to thee are insatiable desires after thee the most fervent breathings of my Heart after thy Grace and Mercy O receive them Graciously and love me freely I bring on Rivers of Oyl no Rams no Bullocks with Horns and Hoofs Thou desirest not Sacrifice else would I give it thee thou delightest not in Burnt-offerings Thou wilt take no Bullock out of my House nor He-Goats out of my Folds for every Beast of the Forest is thine and so is the Cattle upon a thousand Hills Thou knowest all the Fowls of the Mountains and the wild Beasts of the Field are thine if thou wert Hungry thou wouldst not tell me for the World is thine and the fulness thereof Thou wilt not eat the flesh of Bulls nor drink the blood of Goats but the offerings thou expectest are
Heart is Sacrifice which he that was broke upon the account of thy sins will not despise Nay he will comfort the humble Soul and the contrite Spirit he will pour Wine and Oyl into its wounds supple it with Balm heal it with his Death and make it whole by his Agonies See here O my Soul the Bread which is broke is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ see how many broken pieces are here which all make but one Loaf So thou and thy fellow-Believers make one mystical Body whereof the Crucified Jesus is Head and Governour who influences the Body by his Spirit and from his fulness dispences Grace for Grace Rejoyce O my Soul For now the waves and billows of Gods wrath are laid The storm of vengeance is husht The thunder is gone The clouds cleer up thy broken Saviour hath turn'd the sound of the Trumpet of War into a still small Voice O break with him no more O preserve that friendship which was so dearly bought A friendship purchased by Blood sure must never dye Thou art his Friend O do not become his Enemy again for fear he be never friends with thee again On the pouring out of the Holy Wine THus O my Soul thus flow'd the precious Blood of the tormented Jesus In such streams it issued from his wounded Body Thus was the costly Juyce let out Thus the rich Veins emptied themselves of their Treasure and all that thou mightst mayst be clean And O Jerusalem wilt not thou be clean When shall it once be When God makes use of his own Blood to purify thee O my Soul Wilt thou wallow still in thy Dung and Nastiness This would be inexcusable Arise wash thy self in this Jordan and thy Flesh shall come again like unto the Flesh of a little Child O my Soul had not this Blood been shed there had been no remission of Sins From the shedding of this Blood date thy happiness when God saw this Blood the tide turned and thy offended Father looked on thee with a merciful Face How sweet is this Blood it nourishes into Eternal Life How high the value of it it redeemed a whole World How wholsom it expels all Sicknesses What pity was it that the least drop of it should fall upon the ground It was fit to be receiv'd by the hands of Angels But the Earth on which sinful Men walk'd was defiled and cursed and therefore it must fall upon it to take away the Curse Man's Sin had made it subject to O precious Blood Drop drop upon my Soul Let me feel thy Virtue Drive out the Curse Water this barren Ground that hath brought forth Briars and Thorns and let it bring forth pleasant Fruit again 6. When I receive the Holy Bread my Mind must vent it self in some such breathings as these Either O My Lord I do remember with Joy and Grief that thy Body was Crucified for me the meanest of thy Servants I remember it with joy because thy Love is wonderful O how vehement how violent was it to love an Enemy and by that Love to charm me into Obedience I remember it with grief because my Sins were thy Murtherers O my Lord I will stand out against thy offers of Grace no longer Here take my Heart I solemnly resolve to dedicate my Self and all I have to thy Service Or O God! this Sacred Bread puts me in mind how the Lamb of God was offered for me Do I believe this and shall not my Soul make thee her highest and her chiefest good O my God I take thee here not only for my Saviour but for my King and Master too Come Holy Spirit rule my Heart for I will hence forward serve no other Gods but the Great Jehovah alone who loved me and gave himself for me Or O my Jesus My Life My Joy My Comfort Thou diedst that I might live I remember it and adore thy Majesty in misery O make me thine and as this Bread doth mingle with my Substance so let thy Spirit mingle with my Soul that the same Mind may be in me which was also in Christ Jesus Or Look upon this Bread O my Soul it represents the bleeding Body of thy dearest Lord. Bleed O my Heart Give thy self up to him that groaned for thee It 's done O God neither Death nor Life shall separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord. 7. When I receive the Holy Wine my thoughts must still be at work and address themselves to God in Christ Jesus some such way as this Either O Jesu I thankfully remember that thy Blood was spilt for me What am I and what is my Fathers House that thou hast brought me thus far Thou hast loved me better than I have done my self O my Lord give me thy sweet thy tender thy free thy humble Spirit that I may be one with thee and may admire none in heaven but thee and desire nothing on Earth besides thee Or O blessed Balsom of my wounded Heart Welcome thou Sovereign Salve How seasonable is this Medicine I die if thy Blood relieve me not O wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow I have deserved to drink the Cup of Trembling and Astonishment and thou holdest out to me the Cup of Salvation O my Soul remember who it is that is so kind to thee O esteem adore magnifie and love him for ever Or O thou blessed Shepherd of my Soul How ought I to blush when I think of thy Blood which my Sins did spill Thou hast turned my Darkness into Light and my Treason into an Antidote Thou curest me by Contradictions and the Blood my Sins have drawn from thy flesh is become the only refuge I have in the day of Wrath. O look upon thine own Blood and hide me in thy Wounds I know not how to prize thy favour O do thou teach me to do great things for thee to deny my self to take up my Cross and to follow thee Or O my Lord By thy Tears and by thy Blood thou adjurest me this day to imitate thee in thy Graces in thy Meekness in thy Patience in thy Humility in thy Charity in thy Contempt of the World and in thy Heavenlymindedness My heart is fixed O God! my heart is fixed I will Sing and give Praise Thou shalt be my Pattern Here under thy Cross I promise Obedience and Conformity to thy Graces O do thou help me O assist me uphold me with thy free Spirit so shall I teach Transgressors thy Way and Sinners shall be converted unto thee Or Great Bishop of my Soul who hast left the ninety and nine in the Wilderness and art come to seek this straying Sheep Behold Lord the Prodigal is coming home again Thou comest towards me Bleeding Groaning Dying thou comest to receive him that hath forsaken thee to draw him that hath fled from thee to kiss him that did scourge thee to Crown him that did Prick thee to Embrace him that did
creature why should it go astray from thee I am sensible what hurt my love to the creature hath done me It hath alienated my Heart from thee it hath made thy Word a savour of death unto death to me It hath rendred thy promises insipid to me It hath made me slight thy Service It hath made thy ways nauseous and irksom to me It hath made thy Laws tedious to me It hath made me forget the Life I am to live for ever It hath made me weary of thy Love backward to Self-denial made me ashamed of Christ cool'd my Zeal damp'd my Religious desires and shall I harbour the viper in my bosom any more O throw this enemy out of my Soul Dispossess it of its habitation expel it by thy power make it vanish by thy Presence I beg not Grace to hate any thing that thou hast made but thy assistance that I may love the Creature less then Thee I would not have this love of the creature engross my Soul I would not have it usurp Authority in my Heart I would not have it take place of my love to thy sweet Self I would not have it engross my Affections I would have it subordinate to thy love I would have it to be a servant to my love to thee I would not have it rule in me I would not have it justle out thy Love I know my dearest Lord I must love my neighbour too I cannot love thee without I love him with unfeigned Love I lie if I say I love thee whom I have not seen when I love not my Brother whom I see but I would not love Man better then thee I would not obey him more then thee I would not comply with him to displease thee I would not prefer his smiles or frowns before thy Favour or thy Indignation I would love him for thee and in thee and O thou that hast loved me so as to die for me Grant me that Charity which is a necessary effect of my love to thee Thou hast loved my neighbour as well as my self My Jesus Thou hast died for him as well as for my self Though I must stand amazed at the particular Mercy thou hast shewn to me yet the light of thy favour hath shined upon my fellow-Christians too O let me love them with a pure heart fervently Hereby shall all Men know that we are thy Disciples if we love one another O my Lord I am resolved to be thy Disciple and therefore will not only love those that love me but even those that hate me O make me tender-hearted and compassionate to my neighbour Make me ready to forgive ready to bear with his Infirmities ready to relieve him ready to assist him ready to succour him O let all clamour and malice and hatred and evil-speaking and censoriousness be put away from me Rid me of all guile and hypocrisy and dishonesty Let it be known by my meek and humble and charitable temper that the same mind is in me which was also in Christ Jesus In vain do I call my self thy Follower if I tread not in thy steps or do not render good for evil and shew all meekness unto all men When I am reviled let me not revile again Let there not be any root of bitterness in me Banish from me base suspition Teach me to put a favourable construction on other means actions and to overcome Evil with Good Mortify in me the itch of contradiction Make me affable courteous kind gentle and let no provocation soure that disposition in me Make me patient and long-suffering peaceable and easie to be intreated Give me a temper as may make me rejoyce in the prosperity of others Let all Pride and Envy die in me Let me delight in works of Mercy in feeding the Hungry giving Drink to the Thirsty cloathing the Naked visiting the Sick comforting the Prisoners counselling the Weak supporting the Feeble directing the Erroneous reproving the Unwary guiding the Blind using hospitality to Strangers Make me circumspect in my Speeches that I offend not with my Tongue Give me presence of Mind upon all occasions that I may not speak or act rashly to my neighbours prejudice O let thy Love be always before me that I may have compassion on my fellow-servant O let thy Blood supple my Heart that it may melt at the sight of its wants and necessities O let that Word sound always in mine Ears That Though I speak with the Tongue of Angels and have no Charity it profits me nothing I shall see thy Charity in the Sacrament of thy Supper I shall see what thou didst for me and all the world I shall see what inconveniencies thou didst endure to procure our happiness I shall see how thou didst deny thy self for our sakes I shall see how thou didst not count thine own Life dear to save ours I shall see how gentle thou wast to thy enemies how thou pray'dst for them that persecuted thee how thou didst bless them that did curse thee I shall see what pains thou tookest what anguish thou enduredst to snatch us from damnation Oh let that charity prevail with me O let that Goodness produce bowels of Mercy in me that as much as in me lies I may keep the unity of the Spirit in the bound of Peace Make me willing to decede from mine own Right for Concords sake O root out that base selfishness which makes me so careless of my neighbours Good O thou Eternal Truth thou hast promised to write thy Laws in my Heart O write this Law of Love there with thine own Blood and make the Characters so lasting that nothing may blot them out O let me love my self less that I may love thee and my neighbour more O let the fire of thy Love put out the impure fire of my Lusts and Corruptions O let that Fire purify my Soul from those inordinate passions and desires which too often endanger it Thou art the God that answerest by Fire Let me feel thy Fire and the force of it Let it go through my Soul and scatter heat through every part that I may be transformed and changed into Love Let me love thee vehemently ardently superlatively constantly and my Neighbour chastely modestly purely sincerely and inviolably Whatever thou deniest me deny me not this Love Remember thy Word unto thy Servant in which thou hast caused me to hope Thou hast said I will give unto him that is a Thirst of the water of Life freely O give me this Love else I faint O spare me a little that I may recover strength before I go hence and be seen no more O thou spirit of Love blow upon me and these dry bones shall live O Jesu Come and live in me and if thou who art Love and Charity it self live in me I shall love all that thou wouldst have me love and be a monument of thy Love and share in thy everlasting Love Amen Let the King of Heaven hear when I call
Duties I have formerly neglected and imitate Holy Men and Women in their virtuous practises Es. 58. 6 7. Matth. 6. 17 18. 1 Cor. 7. 5. 1 Cor. 9. 27. Consc. Wherein doth the Conscientious use of the Holy Sacraments consist Christ. In entertaining right and sutable notions of the nature of these Sacraments and using them to those ends and purposes for which they are designed Matth. 6. 22. 1 Cor. 10. 31. Consc. What Notions must thou entertain about these Sacraments Christ. 1. That these Sacraments are in the nature of solemn Vows and Protestations that I will be faithful to God in Christ Jesus by the assistance of the Holy Ghost or in the nature of Covenants where God and Man do mutually engage themselves one to another or in the nature of outward visible signs whereby some Spiritual thing is represented Rom. 4. 12. Exod. 13. 9. 1 Pet. 3. 20. 21. 2. That these Sacraments are ordained and instituted by the Son of God my Saviour and that Baptism and the Supper of the Lord are all the Sacraments that are either given by Christ to the Church or need to be receiv'd by the Church of Christ Matth. 28. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 23. 3. That Baptism is a significant Ceremony whereby Children Men and Women are washed with Water which washing imports Gods pardon of our sins and our Duty to keep our selves pure from Sin for the future God promising the one and we the other 1 Pet. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 6. 11. 4. That though Children can make no such promises yet it 's fit they should be Baptiz'd because they are part of the Nations which Christ would have Baptiz'd and are Disciples and in the Covenant of Grace and it 's enough that other persons promise for them as their Guardians which promise they are bound to perform when they come to be of age Acts 2. 38 39. 5. That coming to the Lords Supper is the strongest engagement to a Holy Life because I do there personally freely and solemnly remember the death of Christ and that my sins caused his death and do protest to allow my self no longer in them but to imitate Christ Jesus in his Meekness Patience Humility Charity and Goodness 1 Cor. 11. 24 25. Consc. How must these Sacraments be used in order to thy present and everlasting Comfort Christ. 1. As to Baptism I must be baptized but once because that initiates and admits me into the fellowship of Christians and gives me a Right and Title to the use of the means of Grace and this need to be done but once All that is to be done after this is to keep a good Conscience towards God and towards Man in the use of those means according to the promise made for me when I was washed with water Eph. 4. 5. 2. As to the Supper of the Lord that requires my frequent coming because I stand in need of frequent renewing not only of my Repentance and love to God and Charity to my Neighbours but of the motives and enforcives to these Graces whereof the remembrance of the love of God in the death of Christ is the greatest and most remarkable 1 Cor. 11. 26. The FIRE of the ALTAR OR DIRECTIONS Concerning the worthy Receiving OF THE LORDS SUPPER Conscience IS it not fit O my Soul thou shouldest pause a little on thy Redeemers death before thou goest to remember it with the Congregation there are those charms in that Death which if rightly viewed will be invincible motives to thee to die to a sinful Life and to embrace the Holy Life of Jesus Shouldst not thou Think Shouldst not thou Cry O that I had wings like a Dove that I might fly away to Golgotha and behold the dreadful spectacle of God crucified for the sins of the children of men A mighty mystery this To the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness What all the Jewish Rabbins could not see what the greatest Heathen Sages could not find out that hath God revealed O God! thy Ways are not as our Ways nor are thy Thoughts as our Thoughts We entertain mean apprehensions of Thee such as our narrow understandings yield but thou lovest to do all things contrary to the measures we poor mortals take This hath been thy method ever since thou hast thought fit to plant a Church in the world Thou didst send Lot into Sodom and contrary to Mens imagination didst preserve him from the infection of that beastly crew In the midst of an idolatrous Countrey thou didst bid Elijah stand up and declare thy Name to the besotted Israelites a place where to own the true God was fatal and to make mention of thy worship Heresie where to profess thy Faith was counted madness and not to imitate the Luxury of the age a crime unpardonable among the wicked Men of Anat hoth thou didst separate Jeremiah for the Prophetick Office and in the land of Vz crouded with Pagans and Infidels gavest Job a heart to fear thy Providence Out of Vz the Metropolis of Chaldean Superstition thou didst call the Beloved Abraham and vouchsafedst to him the knowledge of thy Will in a crooked and perverse Generation Thou didst fill the bashful Moses with courage to talk to Kings and a timorous Aaron by thy Order can controul Atheists and Idolaters Thou lovest to create a World out of nothing and to call things that are out of those which do not appear Thou lovest to do things which to us seem impossibilities and when the Fig-tree doth not blossom lovest to produce most pleasant Fruit When calamities are become dangerous and past remedy thou lovest to shew thy healing hand and when no probabilities of help appear declarest thy Power and Glory Thou lovest to bring forth Grapes from Thorns and Figs from Thistles and out of a barren soil or cursed ground many times lettest the richest Spices grow When all mankind lay in darkness and was covered with the shadow of death When Divels plaid about them and the furies of the burning Lake laid hold of them When the fiery Dragon was ready to devour them and the old Serpent going to swallow up their Souls Behold thy Son appears from Heaven frights the powers of darkness and all immediately disappear Ah! My dearest Jesu Meekest of Kings and fairer then all the children of men I behold thee Reigning and hanging on the Cross Reigning for in despight of all the reproaches of of thine enemies thou wast still the everlasting King and Saints and Angels bowed to thee When thy Body was torn bruised and wounded on the Tree Their reproaches could not dethrone thee their virulent Tongues could not make thee less then thou wert These impotent wretches might bark at the Sun but could not ecclipse its Glory Thou couldst have destroyed their Tongues but wouldst not and it was a Royal act not to punish them when thou hadst the greatest provocations O my Lord I see thee blotting out the Hand-writing which was against me How red were
but have lived in perpetual horror There could have been no hope of Mercy no probability of Bliss their Souls would have been in Eternal confusion always doubting always afraid always upon the Rack O my Jesus Thou through death hast deliver'd them who through fear of Death were all their life-time subject unto bondage Thou hast knock'd off their shackles loosed their Bands freed their Souls set their Spirits at libery I feel the power of thy death My Heart takes courage O let me rise with thee to Eternal life O let me not lie in the mire but set my Feet upon a Rock and establish my goings I have gone astray like a lost Sheep O seek thy servant that I may not forget thy Commandements Thou art the Bread which came down from Heaven and with the Bread in thy Sacred Supper thou offerest me all the benefits of thy death and passion such a Feast hast thou prepared for me such a Table hast thou spread for me my Soul is invited to Sup with the Lamb that was slain What an honour is this What a condescention is it In this Sacrament thou erectest a Banner for me bidst me sit under thy Vine and strenghthen my self with the Fruit that drops from it Were all the Fishes of the Sea and all the Fowls of the Air and all the Beasts of the Field drest for my entertainment it would not be so much as this plain but Heavenly Diet is Tell not me of Belshazzer's Banquet nor of Ahashuerus's Feast nor of the rich mans curious Dishes they are all scraps and Offals to this Entertainment Here my Blessed Redeemer courts my Soul Here he makes love to a miserable Sinner Here he presents me with the Riches of his Merits No African Gold no Eastern Pearls no Indian Stones are to be compared with these Here the Lord of Glory offers to marry me to unite me to him to make an everlasting Covenant with me to be flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones promises to endow me with all his Goods puts a Ring on my Finger and bids me lie in his bosom This is Honour this is Glory this is Preferment which no Royal Courts can give no Solomon can afford no Emperour Grant no Monarch Conferr no King bestow This is the mighty Wedding-Feast at which the blessed Angels wait how should not they be there when their Master is President and Director of the Banquet This puts me in mind of all the admirable things thou hast done for me in this Bread are contracted all the Dainties and Delicacies imaginable O wonderful Love that wast not content to be known to me but art willing to give thy self for Food to me What pains dost thou take to melt my stubborn Heart Thou art willing to live in me Thou art willing to be one with me that I may not warp from thee Thou art willing to be my Meat and Drink not only my King to protect me not only my Father to tender me not only my Master to take care of me not only my Saviour to snatch me out of the burning Lake not only my Mediator to secure me against Heavens vengeance but my Diet too Thou seest my Soul wants Meat proper for her nature Alas the World cannot be that Meat That 's a Heterogeneous thing as well may Angels feed on Hay or Grass as my Soul on things that profit not That which my Soul must feed on must be something Spiritual Thou O Jesu art that Great Spiritual Object my Soul must fix on nothing else will content it and when my Thoughts contemplate thee when my Soul Meditates of thy Charity when my Affections love thee when my Desires long for thee When my Will submits to thy easie yoak When all my Faculties delight in thee when thou appearest lovely and charming and amiable to my mind Then then my Soul hath its proper food then it 's like to live then it 's in a way to thrive then it prospers then it grows then it gets a cheerful look then the Angels visit it the World perfectly soures it Sensual pleasures ruine it carnal satisfactions make it meager Thou O Lord thou alone canst make it flourish like the Palm-tree and satisfy it with the Rivers of thy Pleasures O my Lord how sweet is it to suck Honey out of this Rock Thy Bread strengthens to a miracle and thy Blood makes Souls Drunk It is as the Dew of Hermon and as the Dew that descends on the Mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded the Blessing even Life for evermore O my God I care not for Abana and Pharpar now nor for the Rivers of Damascus I will stand under thy Cross and open my Mouth O do thou fill it while others go to rejoyce in their Corn and Wine and Oyl I will go to the Supper of the Lamb. Here Lord here is my Heart ready to receive that Heavenly Food thou offerest me Awake thou Eternal Spirit awake blow upon my Garden that the Spices may flow out O let this Maenna satisfy my taste that I may forget the Fleshpots of Egypt Behold Lord here I make a vow that if thou wilt give me this Bread to eat which endures to everlasting life Thou shalt be my God I will serve no other Gods but thee Thou shalt command my Heart my Desires and my Affections and without thee no passion shall lift up its Hand or Foot in all the land of Goshen I will set thee over all that I have and all shall be at thy dispose Christ. I feel my Heart warmed with this consideration I will now turn aside and see this great sight who it is that hangs upon the Cross and bleeds for my Sins Oh! it is the Son of God he that was in the form of God and thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and became obedient to the death of the Cross that I might be made the Righteousness of God through him Consc. But is there nothing else to be done by way of preparation for this Blessed Sacrament Christ O Yes For I must First Retire sometimes and celebrate and admire the love of God to me in Christ Jesus in some such reflections as these Be astonish'd ye Heavens stand amazed ye Quires of Angels at the condescension of my God I have betray'd him to the Philistines yet he loves the miserable Wretch and so loves him that he gives his Son to redeem him O God what dost thou see in me Nothing but misery nothing but rags nothing but poverty and yet thou lovest me I am but Dust and Ashes and will God vouchsafe a Gracious look to so mean an object O Sovereign Being Didst thou ever behold a viler creature then I am and wilt thou goe out of the common road of Love and spread thy Garments over me and offer me thy friendship O Love which Cherubim admire and Seraphim adore It
passes understanding It goes beyond my Cognizance It confounds my Reason I admire the love of a Prince to a Subject but that will bear no resemblance to this Love God might have triumph'd in my Groans Glorified his Justice by my stripes but pity abounds in him it hath no Banks it flows at large it s extended even to the most abject Creature as I am O Love How humble art thou How violent art thou Thou breakest through all the Clouds of Heaven to come down Thou forgoest the Rules of Greatness and Majesty to shew thy Glory That the Eternal Son of God should take Flesh upon him and dye to give life to the World Oh where can I parallel this Love I will sing of Love I will speak of Love I will think of Love my very Dreams shall be employ'd about it O that I could write Panegyricks of it Were not my Tongue confined it should do nothing else but talk of Love Here is Love to which all natural sympathies must vail I see no end thereof The farther I go in the search the more I lose my self But how should a creature find out the end of that which is infinite Where shall I find out the spring of this mighty stream Where shall I find the beginning of it Alas The line of Reason is too short There is no fathoming of this depth Who can search into the recesses of Eternity In that vast Abysse the head of this great River lies but who shall dive into it It 's enough that I am so happy as to be acquainted with it It 's enough that the Almighty hath revealed it unto Babes Even so Father it seemed good in thy sight I can give no reason of it Thy Love Lord was the cause of this Love thy Love was the motive Nothing else could be any inforcive I am sensible thou art merciful because thou wilt be merciful O thou Eternal Wisdom whom the Lord possessed in the beginning of his way before his Works of old who wast set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the Earth was when there were no depths thou wast brought forth when there were no Fountains abounding with Water before the Mountains were setled before the Hills wast thou brought forth while as yet he had not made the Earth nor the Fields nor the highest part of the Dust of the World who wast there when he prepared the Heavens when he set a compass upon the face of the depth when he establish'd the Clouds above when he strengthned the deep when he gave to the Sea his Decree that the Waters should not pass his Commandement O thou who wa st by him as one brought up with him who wast daily his delight rejoycing always before him enlighten my Mind that I may have clearer apprehensions of this Charity Arise my Thoughts Awake up my Glory See O my Soul how that Love smiles upon thee See how bright how clear how charming it is See how Divels tremble at it See how they grin and fret to think they must have no share in it See what Glorious Beams it darts on penitent sinners See how it warms their Hearts See how it follows them how loath it is to leave them See how it adjures them and how importunate it is with them to suffer themselves to be conquer'd by it 2. I must examine my self not only what and where and when and how I have especially of late been acting against God and affronted his Goodness Mercy and Patience and what Sorrow Grief and Fear these particular offences have caused in me but whether I am unfeignedly resolved to part with all these particular sins I am most prone and inclined to whether my Heart and purpose be fix'd to know the Will of God and to do it Whether I do sincerely and without reservation intend for the future to prefer God's Will before my Will and his Favour before the Favour of Men and whether I do in good earnest design to forgoe my profit gain or interest in the World rather then do any thing that is displeasing to God Whether I do truly prize the love of God above all the Riches of this World and see greater Beauty in that Holiness to which I am invited by this Love then in all the gaudes and satisfactions of of the World And if I do and my Conscience bears me witness of it I may chearfully go to the Lords Table and expect the benefits that are offered there 3. If I have done any signal wrong to my Neighbour I must make him either restitution or satisfaction I must either restore to him what I have cheated or wronged him in or have secretly and against his Will taken away from him or if I am not able to restore make confession of the fault and beg his forgiveness I must be reconciled to him if I have offended him or given him just occasion to be angry and if after that attempt he will still keep his anger I have deliver'd my own Soul I must let my neighbour know that I do as truly forgive him as I hope to be forgiven of Christ Jesus and be as ready to give as my neighbour to ask my pardon I must remember how God hath entailed his Pardon upon mine and if I forgive not from my Heart neither will my Heavenly Father forgive my Trespasses If I have abused my neighbour either in Words or Deeds and he either hath receiv'd or is like to receive any prejudice by it I must not be ashamed to acknowledge my error but prefer a quiet Conscience before my Reputation in the World 4. I must survey the bitter sufferings of my Blessed Saviour as they are laid down and described by the Evangelists I must follow him into the Garden of Gethsemane and go up with him to the Mount of Olives and there behold how his Heart was troubled and how the fears of death fell upon him how his Soul was filled with sorrow and how his Life drew near unto the Grave How he trode the Wine-press of Gods anger alone and humbled himself before his Father How as Man he begg'd that the Cup might pass from him and yet as Mediator freely consented to his Fathers Will. How distress and anguish came upon him and in the midst of those miseries the weary Disciples fell asleep how he wept and mourned and sweat drops of Blood and how Hell open'd her Mouth upon him how he bore our Griefs and took the chastisement of our Peace upon him How he drank the bitter Cup and his Heart within him became as melting Wax How he was led to Annas and he to whom all the Angels in Heaven bow'd stood before a sinful Man How from Annas he was dragg'd to Caiphas and like a Lamb led to the slaughter How he was accused before Pontius Pilate and there bespattered with all the ill language that Men or Divels could invent How he was set at nought by Herod and in scorn deck'd with
the Tree of Life and visited me with his Salvation Here the Words of David may justly be applied My Soul shall joy in thy strength O Lord and in thy Salvation how greatly may I rejoice Thou hast given me my hearts desire and hast not withholden the request of my Lips thou hast prevented me with the Blessings of Goodness thou settest a Crown of Pure Gold on my head I asked life of thee and thou gavest it me even length of days for ever and ever My glory is great in thy Salvation Honour and Majesty hast thou laid upon me for thou hast made me Blessed for ever Thou hast made me exceeding glad with thy countenance Therefore will I trust in the Lord and through the Mercy of the most High I shall not miscarry Thine hand shall find out all my spiritual Enemies thy right hand shall find out all those that hate thee Be thou exalted Lord in thine own strength so will we sing and praise thy Power 4. I must go home rejoicing and praising God Praise is comely for the Upright the poor Cripple did so when he was Healed and have not I far greater reason to do so Behold I am healed at this time from mine Infirmity and shall not his Praise be continually in my mouth I must say in my heart My Soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Salvation I will extol thee O God my King and I will Praise thy Name for ever and ever Every day will I Bless thee and Praise thy Name for ever and ever O all ye that fear the Lord come and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul His Love hath overcome my Corruption his fervent Charity my Coldness his Goodness my Sins and Follies Except the Lord had been on my side now might I say if the Lord had not been on my side when Temptations and Corruptions rose up against me then they had swallow'd me up quick when their Wrath was kindled against me then the Waters had overwhelm'd me the Stream had gone over my Soul Blessed be the Lord who hath not given me over as a Prey unto their Teeth My Soul is escaped as a Bird out of the Snare of the Fowlers the Snare is broken and I am escaped My help is in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth 5. Being made whole I must for the future take heed and sin wilfully no more Having wash'd my Feet I must not defile them again I must stand upon my watch and shun those occasions which formerly led me into Sin I must be cautious and afraid of an ill Word as much as of an evil Action and my very Thoughts must be purged from that filth that used to cleave to them I must strangle an evil suggestion in its birth and when I find any motion rising in my mind that looks like Envy or Pride or desire of Vain Glory or greediness after the World I must check it upon its first appearance I must bid an Eternal farewel to Unbelief and mistrust of Gods Providence and shun those sinful compliances with Men which heretofore I was used to be guilty of I must not only watch against grosser Sins and such as Jews and Heathens can avoid but against the secret disorders and errors of my Heart which none sees but God who is over all Blessed for evermore 6. I must frequently compare my Actions and Behaviour with the Vow and Promise and solemn Resolution I have made in the Holy Sacrament whether my Deportment be agreeable to those Engagements Whether I stand in awe of those Vows and Promises and whether they influence my Thoughts and Words and Practices Whether my hatred of Sin increases and my love to Holiness grows steady and unmoveable Whether I check my self upon feeling an inclination or propensity to a sinful act with such Thoughts as these Is this the effect of my late Vow Is this to stand to the Covenant I lately made with God Is it possible I can be so perfidious as to break with God Hath the Cross of Christ so little power with me Shall it not restrain me from such a sin as this Foolish Creature shall a little profit or pleasure tempt me to please the Divel and wrong my immortal Soul I am tied by a solemn promise made in a most solemn place by a promise made to God by a promise Sealed with the Blood of Jesus not to do it and shall I presume to do it or hope for pardon after this presumption I must take notice Whether the Thoughts of Christs death make my passions weak Whether they lessen the heat of them Whether they repress their fierceness Whether they work in me that contempt of the World which was so signal in my dear Lord and Master I must ever and anon look how my Graces thrive Whether no weeds grow among them that are like to choak the wholsome Herbs 7. I must now study Self-denial even in things lawful and that seem to have no harm in them Self-denial in Eating and Drinking in my Cloaths in my Recreations in my Time in my Discourses in my Wit in my Reading in my Profit in my Ease and in my Sleep I must now take heed I do not Eat and Drink to satiety but labour still to rise from my Meals with an Appetite I must now and then humble my Soul with a Religious Fast and many times forbear eating of that Dish I have most mind to to bring my sensual Desires into order I must not imitate every vain fashion I see other people use but must be very modest and decent in my garb and having means and opportunities to buy me better reserve that Money I would have laid out upon a richer Suit for Pious uses I must not think every recreation lawful because it 's commonly used by Men who are none of the worst I must not encourage the vanity of Men and Women that are in love with Stage-Plays by my example as being things I abjured in my Baptisme but my recreation must be such as may fit me for Spiritual Devotions I must not spend my time as some luxurious and idle People do in needless and complemental Visits in playing at Cards and Dice but in Words and Actions and Discourses as may be useful and profitable either to the Souls or Bodies of my Family and my Neighbours I must not censure or judge my Neighbour rashly in my Speeches and Discourses and not be easily drawn to give a Verdict or Judgment of People except it be in their Praise and Commendation if they do deserve it I must not give my self too great liberty in jesting but forbear blurting out a witty Saying if it be smutty or abusive of my neighbours Credit and Reputation I must not give my self to reading of Romances and such Books as serve to render the Mind vain and the Affections loose and regardless of Spiritual things I must express my gratitude to God
How hast thou carress'd me while I have been careless How deep ought my Contrition to be How profound my Sorrow How profuse my Tears I have mourned for a dead Corps I have wept for a deceased Relation I have griev'd to see the Body of my Friend left without a Soul Yet have not mourned for God's departing from me nor wept for the deadness of my Heart nor griev'd to see my self depriv'd of thy Grace and Mercy O my Lord I see my folly I perceive I have gone astray I am sensible I have dishonour'd thee How different do my Sins appear to me now from what they did before They look more dismal more dreadful more bloody then once they did Now I would mourn now I would take on for them now I would deplore them Oh touch this frozen Heart that it may melt O Jesu Look upon these Eyes of mine that they may flow with Water O Behold me from the Cross that I may weep bitterly There is hopes that if I mourn I shall be comforted If I weep I shall laugh at last If I grieve I shall rejoyce O my God I long to hear thy joyful voice Be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee I long to rejoyce in thee I long to be Blessed with the light of thy Countenance But the Sun will not shine out till after the Rain O then water this Face of mine speak the Word bid the Waters flow bid penitential showers enrich this barren ground and I shall feel thy warmer beams thy Love will refresh me thy Presence will revive me and my Garments of Heaviness will be turned into Garments of Praise and Exultation O my Jesus Thou hangest naked on the Cross that I might be deck'd with thy purple Robes Thou wast wounded that I might be healed O Heal me and I shall be healed Come dearest Physitian and thy Servant shall be whole Behold Lord Here comes a poor Prodigal quaking and trembling to thy Throne I come from a far Countrey from the Land of Darkness from the borders of the burning Lake from the frontiers of Hell I come miserable and naked I come begging that thou wouldst put a Ring upon my Finger and betroth me unto thy Self in Righteousness The Mercy is too big for me to ask but not for thee to grant I have no merit I can plead no desert Here thou seest nothing but filthy Rags O throw thy Mantle over me I have heard that thou lovest to manifest thy greatest power in the greatest weakness thy greatest strength in the greatest infirmity I have heard thou lovest to spread thy skirts over those that are destitute and afflicted that are cast abroad have no Eye to pity them and know not where to address themselves for relief Thou hast promised to such to open Rivers for them in high places and Fountains in the midst of Valleys When the needy and thirsty seek for Water thou the God of Israel wilt not forsake them O my Lord If Misery be a motive to Mercy here thou seest it in the highest degree What mighty what marvellous things hast thou done for me Yet have I run away from thee What haste have I made to get out of thy sight how afraid have I been of serving thee Thou hast been my greatest friend and I have used thee like an enemy How have I shunn'd thy Counsels as if they had been big with Death and Thunder Ah foolish Creature How have I forsaken thee the Fountain of living waters How fond have I been of broken Cisterns How enamoured with muddy puddles Ah My Father how didst thou pity me How didst thou bewail my blindess With what sorrowful Eyes didst thou look upon my wilfulness Behold My Lord I do return I return that I may look upon thee I return that thou mayst look upon me I return Oh do thou rejoyce over me Oh! Let there be joy in the presence of thy Holy Angels over this sinner who repents I am troubled I am exceedingly troubled that I have made no answerable returns to thy Love that thy Grace hath been bestowed upon me in vain that thy Mercy hath been thrown away on such a wretch Oh the baseness Oh the ingratitude Oh the disingenuity that I have been guilty of Thou hast been my greatest Benefactor How freely how lovingly how candidly hast thou visited me yet I have resisted thy Power despised thy Wisdom undervalued thy Goodness Thou wouldst have torn down my strong holds of iniquity and I would not Thou wouldst have taught me my Duty to God and Man and I refused it Thou wouldst have made me Holy as thou art Holy and I scorned it Ungrateful Worm Do I thus reward the Lord my God! Could I recompence such Mercies with such Sins Such Favours with such gross neglects thy condescension with Pride thy Humiliation with Envy thy Love with Anger thy Bounty with slight and slovenly performances Thy Bowels with Disobedience thy Charity with contempt of my Neighbour Thy Blessings with Revenge Thy Benefits with averseness from Virtue and Goodness thy Munificence with Vanity and the showers of thy Grace with earthly-mindedness Ah! how are my sins multiplied How like a heavy burthen are they become too heavy for me to bear But Oh my God! Thy Mercy is over all thy Works Thy Mercy is greater then my Sins My Sins have taken hold upon me What shall I do I am a burthen to my self I am bow'd down with the weight of my Transgressions Whether O my Lord should I go but to thee who hast the words of Eternal Life Thou hast pity on sinners thou conversest with them thou eatest with them Receive me Graciously Love me Freely Think upon thy Mercy think upon thy Blood think upon thy Tears and accept of me I am surrounded with dangers incompassed with Enemies encircled with Hellish Monsters yet in the midst of these pressures I hear thee saying Come to me all ye who are weary and heavy laden Shall I hide my self as Adam did in Paradise Shall this word fright me away Shall I refuse to come when thou callest in this still voice No No I will confess my Transgression and thou wilt forgive the iniquity of my Sin I will harden my Heart no more I will turn a deaf Ear to thee no more I will stand out no longer I will resist thy Light no longer I will grieve thee no more I will afflict and vex thy Holy Spirit no more O infinite Goodness O wonderful Love though with the Publican I dare not lift up my Eyes to Heaven yet with the humble Magdalen I will come behind thee weeping and wash thy Feet with my Tears and kiss them Oh let me hear the blessed news of Pardon from thy Mouth Thou camest Lord thou camest not to call the Righteous but Sinners to repentance and of these I am chief If thou wilt converse with Sinners here is one that wants thy help and that stands in need of thy cure full of Diseases full
rest not in my own Labours but in thy Blood in thy Sweat in thy good pleasure O Glorious Son of God! Cursed is the Man that trusts in Man and makes Flesh his Arm. I will hope in thy Mercy my Heart shall rejoyce in thy Salvation Evening and Morning and at Noon will I Pray and thou wilt hear my voice Thou hast said Ask and ye shall have Seek and ye shall find Knock and it shall be open'd to you Who would not Hope after this Who would not rely upon thee after such a Promise O let me find Grace in the sight of my Lord I desire nothing else this is the height of my wishes this is it which engrosses the faculties of my Soul Thy Grace is the Jewel I want the Pearl I stand in need of the Crown my Soul longs for Thou art my witness O Lord That my Heart thinks so Thou hast Treasures of Mercy Thy Stores are large and inexhaustible Thou bidst me come and buy without Money and without price and my Soul shall live Thou dost promise me more then Kings can promise and no wonder for thou art greater and richer then all the Kings of the Earth Thou givest Rest to the weary Soul and Strength to the Faint Therefore mine Eyes shall be toward thee O let thine Eyes be open and thine Ears attent unto the Prayer of thy Servant Do thou chuse and sanctify this House that thy Name may be there forever and let thine Eyes and thy Heart be here perpetually Thy liberality and bounty is immense and infinite I cannot but hope in thee Oh my unbelieving Heart Couldst thou but trust him more what great things wouldst thou see His Mercy is upon thee according as thou hopest in him The more thou hopest the greater is his Mercy O my Lord What stupendous Gifts dost thou present me with What amazing Offers dost thou make to my Soul Thou art not only willing to impart thy Graces to me but in thy Supper givest me thy Self and here thou offerest to carry me in thy Arms to be my nursing Father and to be Food to my hungry Soul May it be unto me according to thy Word Come Lord Lodge thou in my Soul make it thy dwelling place anoint it with the Oil of Mercy I will go and take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. Thy loving kindness shall be before mine Eyes and I will walk in thy Truth I will not sit with vain Persons neither will I go in with the Dissemblers I will wash mine Hands in innocency so will I compass thine Altar O Lord That I may publish with the voice of Thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works my Heart shall be inditing a good Matter and I will speak of things touching the King of Saints Into thy Hands I commit my Spirit thou hast redeemed it O Lord God of Truth O make thy Face to shine upon thy Servant and O let me Hope unto the end for the Grace that is to be brought unto me at the Revelation of Jesus Christ A men A Prayer for Love and Charity O Thou who hast so loved the World as to give thine only Son to the end that all that Believe in him should not perish but have everlasting Life What shall I do to love thee What shall I do to be united to thee What shall I do to get a place in thy Bosom If I love thee not I am undone If thou dost not look exceeding lovely in mine Eyes I am lost If my Affections do not fix upon thee I perish I cannot be happy without loving thee My Soul is destitute of her proper Good if thou be not the object of my delight I am perfectly miserable if thou be not the Center of my Spirit Love is the greatest Gist that 's given to poor creatures Love enriches their Souls Love makes their Faces shine Love must brighten their Souls and make them appear lovely in the Eyes of God! O my Lord Thou hast given me faculties to love thee Understanding to contemplate thy Beauty and Mercy and Perfection memory to retain the lively apprehensions of thy Glory and a Will to prompt my whole Man into sutable Actions The more I love thee the Holier I am The more I love thee the more I am with thee for where I love there is my Soul where my Affections are there is my Spirit where my Treasure is there will my Heart be also Who would look upon a Dunghil that can view a Glorious Palace Who would hear the screeches of Owls and Night-Ravens that can hear melodious Musick And why should I be taken with the pomp and glory of the World which in comparison of thee is a meer Dunghil or with the caresses and praises of mortal Men which are perfect howlings compared with the harmony thy Love doth make Shall I love Honour and not love thee who art the Fountain of it Shall I love Pleasure and not love thee in whose Presence there is fulness of Joy Who can be likened unto thee O Lord And if nothing can be likened unto thee I must love nothing like thee And if I justly love that which is good I must necessarily love thee more then all things in this world for thou art infinitely better then all things in this world There is nothing so good nothing so precious nothing so rich nothing so amiable as thou art O my Jesus How great was thy condescension Thou knewest I could love nothing so well as what was like me and in compliance with my temper for thou knewest my frame thou becamest like me indeed The Immortal became Mortal The Eternal became an Infant If therefore I love Man who is naturally like me how much more am I bound to love thee who wroughst a miracle to become Man that thou mightst be like me Love desires the presence of its delightful object and can any thing be more present then thou art Thou art in me and with me and without me thou art present in all places at all times in all companies thou art willing to dwell in me and to make thine abode in me Thou art content never to depart from me Thou art strangely bountiful who would not love thee Who ever gave greater or larger Gifts either more in number or more in quantity or longer for duration then thy liberal Hand from thee every good and perfect Gift comes down whatever Gifts I receive from thy Creatures thou sendest them The Creatures are but the Channels or the Pipes through which they are conveyed and shall not I love the Fountain more then the Channel the Spring more then the Pipe through which the water runs and the great Giver more then the Messengers that carry it Thou workest in all thou inclinest the Hearts of the Bountiful Thou openest their Hands thou turnest their Hearts into Charity Thou seasonest their Minds with Thoughts of me and thou bendest their Wills to do me good And
Priest for ever Do I believe this and scruple fighting the good fight Do I believe this and am I afraid of the worlds frowns Do I believe this and am I ashamed of the severities thou callest me to Why should I mistrust thee when I see thee use the same mortifications thou biddest me chuse If a Soldier see his King use the same Pains Habit and hard fare which the meanest man in the Army uses what courage doth it infuse into him to endure hardship and other difficulties that may attend the various enterprizes he is engaged in O my Lord That very contempt of the World that Meekness and Humility that severity of Life that aversion from sensual Pleasures that enmity to Sin that hatred of Vanity that indignation against brutish Delights that Sincerity that Simplicity thou requirest of me thou didst observe and practice and perform thy self so that thou layst the same burthen on my Shoulders that lay on thine and if I die with thee I shall live with thee too if I suffer with thee I shall reign with thee Oh then I will not tarry I will make haste and conform to thine example I shall not fare worse then my King and Master did and as I have born the Image of the Earthy so I shall bear the Image of the Heavenly too I will walk as my Jesus walked O my Lord Make me Holy as thou art Holy Perfect as my Father which is in Heaven is Perfect O my Lord there is no other way to Glory but by thee Thou being exceeding rich becamest poor to enrich my Soul Thou camest not to do thine own Will but the Will of him that sent thee Put thine Arms under me and I will not do mine own Will I will follow thee through Fire and Water I will follow thee through Bryars and Thorns through good Report and evil Report O chace away all slavish fear from my Soul Let me not be afraid of difficulties What can be difficult where thou art both the guide and the encourager Thou canst not deceive me Thou canst not delude me It must be so as thou hast said All things are possible to him that believes I 'll chuse some hardship here so I may rest in thy bosom hereafter I 'll be content to pass through a dirty way for some time that I may lye down in the green pastures of thy Mercy for ever The sight of thy Cross in the Holy Sacrament shall be my motive I 'll draw Arguments from that Remembrance of thy death to die to the world I will travel with thee I will sail through the boisterous Sea of this Life with thee And O my Jesus let me arrive safe at last in the Everlasting Harbour Amen Amen A Thanksgiving after Receiving of the Lords Supper to be said either at Church or at home ANd now what Reward shall I render unto Thee O Holy Blessed and incomprehensible Trinity for all the benefits I have receiv'd at thy hands this day Awake up my Glory Awake my outward and inward Man I will Sing and give praise Whence is it that so poor a wretch as I am is crowned with all this Mercy and loving Kindness O my Soul thou hast been water'd this day with the streams that flow from the Paradise of God! I that was worthy of Gods hatred how have I this day been advanced What great things hath God done for me What Honour hath he laid upon me What Majesty What Glory hath he conferr'd upon me I feel the Fire of God within me My Heart grows hot within me I will Sing and give Praise Who would not praise thee that hath seen thy goings in the Sanctuary as I have seen them this day Holy Father thou hast this day embraced me Holy Jesus thou hast this day poured out Blessings upon me Holy Spirit thou hast this day manifested thy self unto me Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Thou hast humbled thy self this day to a dead Dog O how often have I returned to the vomit How often have I gone a whoring from thee Yet behold the Lord instead of the Bread of affliction hath given me the Bread which came down from Heaven instead of the cup of Trembling hath given me the cup of Salvation I will remember thy Name O Lord I will speak of thy wondrous works O my Lord I see thy hand is not shortned neither is thy strength abated Thou that hadst mercy on the vilest sinners formerly extendest thy goodness to such miserable creatures still I have drawn Water this day from the Well of Salvation even from thy wounds O crucified Redeemer Thou hast look'd upon this Prodigal this day thou hast run and fall'n on my Neck and kissed my polluted Soul Oh Honour Oh Dignity Oh Compassion Oh Charity Oh Love Oh Mercy Oh Goodness which the Redeemed of the Lord must speak of Even they whom he hath Redeemed from the hand of the Enemy and gathered them out of the Lands from the East and from the West from the North and from the South they wandred in the wilderness in a solitary way they found no City to dwell in Hungry and Thirsty their Soul fainted in them then they cryed unto the Lord in their trouble and he deliver'd them out of their distresses and he led them forth by the right way that they might go to a City of Habitation O that Men would praise the Lord for his Goodness and for his wonderful Works to the Children of Men Open to me the Gates of Righteousness I will go into them and I will praise the Lord. This is the Gate of the Lord into which the Righteous shall enter I will praise Thee for thou hast heard me and art become my Salvation The Stone which the Builders refused is become the head Stone of the Corner This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes If I forget Thee O my Jesus let my Tongue cleave to the roof of my Mouth Thou hast regarded my Tears thou hast taken notice of my Supplication Thou hast given me my Hearts desire thou hast not withheld from me the requests of my Lips Thou hast given me leave to come to thine Altar this day and to lift up mine hands towards thy Holy Oracle Thou hast fed my Soul this day with Royal Dainties with Peace and Pardon with a right to thy Promises and offers of Eternal Life with assistances of thy Holy Spirit and the Riches of Grace and Mercy This is the Food which the Holy Bread and Wine have represented to me this Day and with this Food thou hast blessed my Soul In this Food will I glory of this will I make my boast This is Food for Immortal Spirits This preserves Souls through the power of God unto Salvation This is bread which fades not away this is Wine which may be had without Money and without Price O my God! thou requirest no Price but a wounded Heart No Gold no Silver no Jewel but
an obedient Soul I bring it I offer it I beg thou wouldst be pleased to accept of it Thou deservest it thou may'st challenge it it 's thine thou gavest it me thy Spirit made it willing Thy Grace did melt it Thy Fire burnt away the Dross Thy Goodness purified it and thou wilt cleanse it more and more All the Good I have is thine from Thee it flows from Thee it springs Thou conveyest it to my Soul Thou openest mine Ears Thou awakenest me every good thought I have is thine every good inclination every good resolution every good intention is thine Thou influencest every good action I perform My praise shall be of Thee in the great Congregation I will declare thy Faithfulness and Salvation O how good is God to Israel even to them that are of a clean Heart O make me clean that I may feel thy Goodness Thou art my Phisitian I am thy Patient thou art my Father I am thy Son thou art my Master I am thy Servant thou art my Teacher I am thy Disciple Thy Spirit is Good O lead me in the way Everlasting God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of Christ and him Crucified O that the World were Crucified to me and I unto the World I will rejoice in thy love my Dearest Lord I have seen thy Power Wisdom and Goodness I see what pains thou takest with my Soul to make it happy to drive away the night of ignorance from it and to make me know there is no true bliss no true comfort but in Thee Thou teachest me to overcome my Spiritual Enemies Blessed be the Lord my strength which teaches my hands to War and my Fingers to fight my Goodness and my Fortress my high Tower and my Deliverer my Shield and in whom I trust Thou preventest me with thy Grace Thou givest me the earnest of Eternal Glory by thy Spirit I am sealed unto the day of Redemption Thou art my past my present and my future good Let the People praise thee O God Let all the People praise thee O that all Men might know and love Thee O that all Mankind might feel thy Power and Glory O thou who art the chiefest among Ten thousand the Upright love Thee and among these I the unworthiest of thy Servants presume to love thy Name Thou hast made me to walk upon mine high places and in the bitterness of my Soul hast refresh'd my Spirit Thou hast pardoned I hope all my Sins and blotted out mine Iniquities as a thick Cloud I expect thou shouldst forgive me much and therefore sure I must love Thee much Thou hast born my Grief and carried my Sorrows thy Torments have given me ease thy Reproaches have procured my Glory and thy Misery is the cause of all my happiness Therefore I will put on the Lord Jesus Christ Thou shalt be my Garment my Crown my Diadem I will sing unto thee as long as I live I will sing praise unto my God while I have my being My Meditation of Thee shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord O my Lord I rejoice to hear that every knee bows unto Thee I would have all the World fall down before Thee and worship Thee I rejoice in all the good things that thou possessest not that I expect thou shouldst make me Partaker of all but because they are in Thee and they are thine and thou dost dispense them to thy Creatures according to thy pleasure I rejoice O Lord in all the glorious Gifts thou hast conferred on the Head of the Church The Man Christ Jesus I rejoice in all the Mercies thou hast bestowed on the blessed Angels in that Purity and Innocence in that Brightness and Splendor in that Bliss and Felicity they are crown'd withal in their care of thy People in their Ministerial Offices to those that shall be Heirs of Salvation I rejoice in all the Graces Thou hast dispensed to thy Holy Apostles in their Miraculous healing of the Sick in their Powerful Preaching whereby the World was converted in their Knowledge and Illumination in their Zeal and Fervour in their Patience and Humility in their Watchfulness and heavenly mindedness for in all these I see thy mighty Arm and thy strong Hand and the light of thy Countenance and all that they have done and said is written for my Learning I rejoice in all the Blessings thy Saints enjoy in thy calling them to thy marvellous Light in thy adorning their Souls with so many Resplendent Vertues in thy honouring of them with the lofty Titles of Children and Brethren and Friends and Kings and Priests in thy visiting of them with thy Salvation in thy assisting of them with thy Power thy Spirit and thy Influences in their Dangers and Necessities in thy Helping their Infirmities in thy Purifying of their Souls in thy enlivening their Spirits that they may not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Jesus in thy keeping of them from all Evil in thy rescuing of them from Temptations in thy giving them a happy Death and Promise of a Glorious Resurrection I rejoice in all thy Mercies to Poor Sinners in thy calling of them to Repentance in thy entreating admonishing and beseeching of them to be reconciled to God in thy forbearing of them in thy Patience and Long-suffering toward them in thy waiting for their Repentance in thy adjuring of them by Bowels of Mercy by the Blood of Jesus by the Wounds of a Crucified Redeemer by the sweetest Calls and by the greatest motives to Seriousness and Holiness in thy receiving the Penitent in thy forgetting all their Unkindnesses and forgiving the Affronts they have offered unto Thee in thy remembring their Sins no more and drowning them in the depth of the Sea even in the Blood of the Lamb which was slain from the Foundation of the World I rejoice in all thy loving kindnesses to thy Church in thy giving her thy Word thy Ordinances thy Sacraments in thy making her thy Bride thy Spouse and thy Favourite in thy Ordaining the Lord Jesus to be her Head her Husband and her Protector and Nursing-Father O Jesu I rejoyce in thy Incarnation in the great Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels Preach'd in the World Believ'd on by the Gentiles receiv'd up into Glory I have reason to rejoyce in thy hypostatick Union in thy being the Prince of Men and Angels and in that all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are in thee I rejoyce in thy sending the Comforter into the world in thy Promises in thy Offers in thy Providences in the Provision thou hast made for our Souls and Bodies O give me a thankful Heart for my right shape for my Health and Strength and temporal advantages O what a mercy is it that thou hast caused me to be born in the Light in the true Religion in a Religion free from notorious Errours and Superstitions How am I beholding to
thee that thou hast kept me from so many opportunities of sinning against thee from abundance of temptations from innumerable occasions of evil How many have been snatcht away by sudden death and I am alive yet How many have been denyed the grace of Repentance which thou still offerest to me That I have a heart to pray and praise thy Name What a mighty token of thy Love is this Let Heaven and Earth praise the Lord Let all the Angels in Heaven praise him Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord praise thou the Lord O my Soul I remember O Lord how when I have gone through the water thou hast been with me when I have passed through the Fire thou hast commanded the Flames not to kindle upon me I remember when for a small moment thou hast hid thy Face from me How with everlasting kindnesses thou hast visited me again O how often hast thou deliver'd me from the nethermost Hell When I have been ready to sink in the mire thou hast pulled me out of the horrible pit cut of the miry Clay and set my feet upon a Rock and establish'd my goings When the snares of death have incompassed me and the pains of Hell laid hold on me thou hast deliver'd my Soul from Death mine Eyes from Tears and my Feet from falling I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living what reward shall I render unto thee for all thy benefits How loth hast thou been to behold my ruine How hast thou call'd after me Have mercy on thy self With what convictions hast thou follow'd me What checks of Conscience hast thou given me O my Lord Thou shalt have all the Glory Thou art worthy to receive Blessing and Honour and Majesty and Dominion How precious are thy Mercies How rich thy Loving kindnesses To do so much for dust and ashes for a Worm for a Grashopper for a Creature that hath abused thee and rebell'd against thee O what goodness is this My understanding is not big enough to comprehend it I 'll acknowledge thee for my God I 'll own thee for my Redeemer Thou shalt be my King my Master my Sovereign Lord I will consecrate all my Labours all my Services all I have and all I am to thy Glory O what a favour is forgiveness of Sin which I trust I have received this day Think O my Soul what a bondage thou art deliver'd from Think what slavery thou art freed from Now thou art at liberty now thou mayst serve God chearfully now thou mayst freely go on from Virtue to Virtue This is a day of Thanksgiving this is a day of glad tidings this is a day which ought to be remembred O my Jesus Thou hast this day visited the Earth and watered it Thou hast made it rich with thy showers thy Grace hath dropp'd upon me this day like the Rain on the mowen Grass O order my steps according to thy Word for the future Let me see thee in every Mercy Teach me to admire thee in every Blessing Let nothing seduce my Heart from thee When any afflictions come upon me let me receive them with Thanks and Submission When I stumble do thou support me when I fall do thou raise me when I go astray do thou seek me when I err do thou direct me When I slacken in thy service do thou strengthen me Keep the door of my Senses that no impure thing may enter there Let my Heart be thy Temple Teach me to enquire daily what progress I make in thy way Let thy Word be a lanthorn to my Feet and a Light unto my paths Let no evil company discourage me Let thy Providence direct me to persons that love thy Law and in these excellent ones let all my Delight and Comfort be O my Lord my Life is hid in thee But when thy Glory shall appear I shall be like thee Speak Lord for thy Servant hears Let none of thy Commandements be hence-forward grievous to me Open thy hand and feed my Soul When I am tempted lay no more upon me then I am able to bear Give me courage to strive to enter in at the strait Gate Let me ever look at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal Thy Kingdom Lord is not in Meat and Drink but in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Give me a taste of it Let Eternity be always in my mind Into thy hands I do commend my Spirit my Body and all the concerns of my Life Let thy Grace come down upon me plentifully Let me not do thy Will negligently Let me live in the thoughts of another life and let those Thoughts encourage me to follow after that I may apprehend that for which I am also apprehended of Christ Jesus O hear me O Answer me O pity me O relieve me O come in O succour me thou that art the God of my Salvation and my Tongue shall talk of thy Righteousness all the day long Let all those that seek thee rejoyce and be glad in thee and let such as love thy Salvation say continually Let God be magnified I am poor and needy make haste unto me O God! thou art my Help and my Deliverer O Lord make no tarrying Amen Amen ERRATA PAge 51. l. 24. read liberty p. 169. l. 19 r. Repentance What literal Faults or Mistoppings may occur the Reader is desired to mend with his Pen. Books Printed for and Sold by Samuel Lowndes over against Exeter Exchange in the Strand CLelia An excellent new Romance Parthanissa That most Fam'd Romance Dr. Greys Compleat Horseman and expert Farrier Two Sermons Preach'd at the Cathedral Church in Norwich By B. Rively Mr. Glanvil's Saducismus Triumphatus with the Additions of Dr. More and Dr. Horneck Mr. Glanvil's Lux Orientalis Or the Opinion of the Eastern Sages concerning the Pre-existence of Souls Bishop Rust of Truth and Annotations on both Dr. Horneck's Great Law of Consideration Papismus Regiae potestatis Eversor Paul Festeau's French Grammar Maugers Letters in French and English The Mirror of Fortune The French Rogue Cambridge Jests or Witty Alarms for melancholy Spirits Kerhuel Idea Eloquentiae The Situation of Paradise