the Characters How bloody were the Lines yet thy Blood makes them as white as snow O my Lord I hear thy words sharper then any two edged Sword and piercing to the dividing asunder of the Bones and Marrow I hear thy complaints I mean which broke the Rocks and shook the Earth and shall not my heart be moved at them For Thee the Son of God to cry out My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Who can hear this Who can think of it and not stand confounded For Omnipotence to sink thus For infinite Perfection to faint thus For him that sate on the circle of the Earth and before whom all Nations were as Grashoppers for him thus to Swound thus to Weep thus to Mourn What could be the reason Oh thou Prince of Peace For the iniquity of thy People thou vast struck for the sins of the World thou didst suffer banishment and wast used as if thou hadst not been anointed with Oyl or been guilty of the crimes thy foes accused thee of The snares of death did encompass thee thy friends forsook thee and thy heritage like a Lion out of the Wood did roar against thee O my Bowels be ye troubled at this remembrance O my flinty Heart canst thou see thy Lord as it were crucified before thine eyes and not break out into floods of Tears O Jesu Thou cryest to thy Father and he hears thee not He seems to be cruel to his Son and deaf to thy lamentations The windows of Heaven seem to be shut and a vail to be drawn over all the Joys and Comforts and Consolations that formerly water'd and enrich'd thy Soul See how dry and barren and burnt up this precious Soil appears No showers from above come down no Sun shines upon it the Stars of Heaven with-hold their influence and scarce an Angel will stir to thy assistance O Thou who art all Glorious within and art thy self the Glory of the Universe Were my Sins laid in a ballance they would weigh heavier then the Sand on the Sea-shore and then what need I wonder that thou cryest so loud under the heavy load for the arrows of the Lord stick in thee and his hand presses thee sore O Blessed Nazarite whiter then Snow brighter then the Sky purer then the Sun How is thy Face disfigured with Grief How do thine Eyes languish How dismal dost thou appear Is this the Face that was the perfection of Beauty Is this the Face that was once the desire of all Nations Is this the Face which so many Prophets and Righteous Men have desired to see Is this the Face that Abraham long'd to behold and the Patriarchs were ambitious to have a view of Is this the Face admired by Angels and dreaded by Divels What is thy Beloved more then another Beloved O thou fairest among Women Is this the mighty Bridegroom of the Church who was once transfigured on the Holy Mount and his Face did shine as the Sun and his raiment became white as the light Is this he whom God anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows whose garments smell of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia and cast such a scent that the Daughter of Tyre came with a Gift and the rich among the People entreated his favour How is he alter'd How is his Countenance chang'd How is the Gold become dim and the fine Gold changed Yet still thou art lovely to a Soul that sees farther then the outside Still thou art a Cordial to fainting Spirits Still thou art a fountain of living waters Still thou art the Joy of the whole Earth the Light of Heaven and the Song of Sion My thoughts O Lord shall follow thee to the Cross. Methinks I see how thou art going to die thou lookest back on thine Enemies and notwithstanding all their Affronts offerest them Mercy O incomprehensible Goodness Even then when thou art lifted up to the infamous Tree Thou drawest and invitest all Men to thee Thou Preachest on the Cross and thy very wounds are Sermons to the Children of Men and thy Blood trickling down is an exhortation to Repentance Surely it is good for me to adhere unto thee and to count it death to be separated from thee O whether shall I go but to thee who hast words of Eternal Life Thou art my Sun by Thee I shall be enlighten'd by Thee my Soul shall be warm'd O how comfortable are thy beams What a progress must that Soul make on which thou shinest and dartest thy Glorious Rays Thou art that lofty Cedar whose boughs over-spread the Believing World Under the shadow of that Tree will I rest It is for the healing of the Nations I will be glad in the Lord and rejoyce in my bleeding Jesus While the World despises thee I will honour thee While Great Men pass by and regard thee not I that am poor and needy will wait to be refreshed by thee Go ye fools be enamoured with your Trifles admire your Butterflies doat on your sensual Pleasures Here is one that looks charming in his Tears lovely in his Blood amiable in his Wounds and is more beautiful in the midst of all his distresses then the brightest Virgins Face adorned with all the glittering Treasures of the East O my Strength by Thee I desire to be comforted and supported O anoint my Eyes with thy Sovereign Eye-salve and I shall see and live O that the Clouds which dwell on my Understanding were dispersed that I might look upon thee sredfastly Oh! then thou wouldst appear more lovely to me on the Cross then Croesus in his Throne or Solomon in all his Glory God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of Christ. In this lie hid vast treasures of Sweetness O my Jesus make me conformable to thy death and give me leave to carry thy marks in my Body Let me be crucified with thee and let Christ for ever live in me Canst thou live in a Soul that hath abused thy Mercy slighted thy Patience and so often baffled the stratagems of thy Compassion I believe Lord O help mine unbelief Thou camest to call not the Righteous but Sinners to repentance Oh! then my Husband will love me my Redeemer will come and live with me for my repentings are kindled I hate the sins that have defiled my Soul Away ye Swine Here are no Divels to enter in I am to receive my Bridegroom into my Heart Come Lord Jesu Come quickly Thou art the welcomest Guest I know How happy shall I be if thou wilt lodge in this earthly Tabernacle Happier then if all the Angels of Heaven took up their Habitation here O ye besotted Jews what makes you run so fast to kill the Lord of Life ye cannot live without him and what evil spirit doth possess you to kill and murther him Can you think of his miracles and do so Can you reflect upon his Doctrine and attempt such villanies Can you remember how he taught you in the Temple even
but mock thee How can I believe my sin odious while I embrace and cherish it How can I believe it kill'd thee while I make much of it How can I believe it drew Sweats of Blood from thee while I water it and keep it warm Oh! I am weary of this vain Belief Rid me of it Deliver me from it Let all my neighbours see that I believe these things indeed Let the World see by my Conversation that these things work upon me Oh! Let me not only believe these great things but live them over Come forth my dearest Lord and meet me No Man can come to thee but he whom thou drawest to thee Oh let me touch but the hem of thy Garment and I shall recover Let me so Believe in thee that it may appear thou livest in me that I may at last obtain the end of my Faith even the Salvation of my Soul Great Author and Finisher of my Faith hear me for thy Mercies sake Amen A Prayer for a lively Hope O Thou in whom my Fathers hoped They hoped in thee and thou didst deliver them Thou art all Goodness all Sweetness all Clemency Who would not hope in thee Thy Mercies bid me hope Thy Promises bid me hope and all thy Revelations bid me hope O thou Hope of Israel Here I am Here I lie prostrate before thy Face Here my Soul intends to breath out her desires O my Lord When will that happy day come that Glorious day which shall have no Night no Clouds no Darkness Thou hast spoke of it thy Prophets have seen Visions of it Thy Apostles have Declared it One was wrapt up above the Clouds to take a view of it The Son that came out of thy bosom hath assured me of it It is the bright day when I shall enter inter into thy Joy be made a Co-heir with Christ be cloathed in White shine as the Stars look upon thee and not be ashamed Thou hast promised it and shall not I hope for it Oh my Lord that seest me that art present with me and knowest my Heart my Sighs my Desires thou knowest I hope for it Oh let this Hope be lively let it be a Hope which may purify me even as God is pure Nay my very flesh shall rest in Hope and thou wilt not suffer my Body to see everlasting corruption Thou wilt raise me from the Dust at last All my Bones shall say Lord Who is like unto thee I know that my Redeemer lives and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth and though after my Skin Worms destroy this Body yet in my Flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine Eyes shall behold and not another and having this Hope O assist me O perswade me O prompt me to cleanse my self from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit and to perfect Holiness in the fear of God Deck my Soul with Humility with Patience with Constancy that no Rods no Stripes no Prison no Torment no Shipwrack no perils of Waters no perils of Robbers no perils among my own Countrey-men no perils among Heathens no perils in the City no perils in the Wilderness no perils in the Sea no perils among false Brethren no weariness no painfulness no Watchings no Hunger no Thirst no Cold no Nakedness no Weakness no Infirmity no Honour or Dishonour no good Report or evil Report may discourage me from trusting in thee Though the Lord should kill me yet let me hope in him If in this Life only I have Hope in Christ I am of all Men most miserable The Lord is my Light and my Salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my Life of whom shall I be afraid Though an Host should encamp against me my heart shall not fear though War should rise against me in this will I be confident for in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his Pavilion in the secret of his Tabernacle he shall hide me he shall set me up upon a Rock Thou art he that took me out of the Womb thou didst make me Hope when I was upon my Mothers Breasts O let it not be in the power of Men or Divels to shake this Hope Let it be my Anchor sure and stedfast which no Waves no Billows no Storms no Tempests can move Whatever evils befall me let me think they come from a Fathers Hand Let no prosperity no Sun-shine no Calmness no smiling Fortune subvert this Hope in my Soul Let me look upon all these outward Comforts as Vanity Vanity of Vanities which can give no Ease no Comfort no satisfaction to a Soul of a Spiritual Appetite Let me thirst after nothing so much as after thy Love as after Spiritual Blessings as after the hidden Manna as after the white Stone which no man knows save he who receives it I will not hope in any creature I will arise and depart for here is not my rest Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God My Soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him He ony is my Rock and my Salvation he is my Defence I shall not be moved In God is my Salvation and my Glory the Rock of my Strength and my Refuge is in God Trust in him at all times ye People pour out your Hearts before him Thou hast been a shelter for me and a strong Tower from the Enemy From the end of the Earth will I cry unto thee when my Heart is overwhelm'd O my God my Goodness extends not to thee The Lord is the portion of my Inheritance and of my Cup thou maintainest my Lot Who was ever confounded that trusted in thee Who was ever forsaken that hoped in thee Who was ever despised that in good earnest called upon thee All Hail my dearest Lord my Hope I love thee I embrace thee I renounce all those lesser Goods which are in the World that I may make thee my highest and my chiefest Good It 's true Lord I am a sinner and have been a very ungrateful wretch The least of thy Mercies is more then I have deserved My very Righteousnesses have been as filthy Rags but I will not trust in my Bow neither is it my Sword that shall save me but thy Mercy O Lord thy Mercy and the palmes of thy Hands on which thou hast engraven my Name shall be my refuge I have no merits no deserts to trust to I can claim nothing as my Right all I am and all I have is thy Charity What Goodness there is in me is entirely owing to thy Grace and Compassion With this thou crownest me with this thou enrichest me with this thou anointest my Head that I may work in thy Vineyard and receive the Penny at night I confide not in my Works I depend not upon my Industry I
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
hearing and remember I do sin if I do not mind what I read or hear Luc. 8. 18. Marc. 4. 24. Joh. 5. 39. Ps. 119. 18. Consc In what manner must thou ask advice of faithful Ministers of the Gospel Christ. I must go to those who are very serious or send for any of them and ask them about the state and condition of my Soul and what I must do to secure Gods Favour how I must go about the great work of Salvation and beg their direction in performing the Will of God and acquaint them how it is with me what Temptations I am subject to and what Corruptions I am inclined to and intreat them to tell me how to be rid of them and oblige them to help me with their Prayers and to encourage me to a vigorous pursuit of the everlasting Riches and when I have done so must follow their Advice and Counsel Acts 16. 30 31 32. Marc. 10. 17. Phil. 3. 17. Consc. And what is to be done with Self-Examination Christ. I must frequently look into my Thoughts Words and Actions and see whether they are agreeable to the Rules of the Gospel every night I must take an account of my self and consider what I have been doing in the day time whether I have not told a Lye deceiv'd no body broke forth into no passion done good resisted temptations been often with God in Prayer taken notice of Gods providences c. that where I have done amiss I may watch against it the next day and where I have done well I may admire the goodness of God and praise him for it Ps. 4. 4. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Lam. 3. 40. Consc. What apprehensions must thou have of God and Spiritual things Christ. I must Believe 1. That God is a Spirit Omnipresent Omniscient infinitely Good and Wise and Holy and Just and will be a rewarder to them that diligently seek him and punish the Disobedient either here or hereafter or both here and hereafter Heb. 11. 6. 2 Thess. 1. 6 7. Ps. 58. 11. Ps. 50. 21. 2. That this God is our Supream Governour and hath revealed himself to be Father Son and Holy Ghost or our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier and that there is some resemblance of these Three in One in the Sun in which is the Light and Heat and Beam which Three make but one Sun 1 Joh. 5. 7. Matth. 28. 19. 2 Cor. 13. 14. 3. That all Mankind fell in Adam the first Man and by that fall moved God to withdraw his Love and Favour from them and that God the Son in commiseration to our Nature became Man of the Virgin Mary suffered and died and by his death rendred God the Father or rather the whole Trinity kind and propitious to us and willing to receive us into Favour and to give us Pardon and everlasting Life upon the conditions of Repentance and unfeigned Obedience and therefore justly called Christ Jesus i. e. the Anointed Saviour Rom. 5. 8 9 10. Gal. 4. 4 5. Matth. 1. 21. 4. That the Scripture where all this is revealed is the word of God because the Men who revealed this in Scripture were inspired by the Holy Ghost and in confirmation of it wrought true miracles miracles levell'd against the power of Sin and impossible to be done by humane strength the truth of which miracles hath been conveyed down to posterity by multitudes of eye-witnesses and from them received by all Christian People Heb. 2. 1 2 3 4. 5. That the promises and threatnings of the Gospel will infallibly be fulfilled sooner or later because God cannot lie Tit. 1. 2. 6. That our Soul is not our Breath nor our Blood nor the Spirits of our Blood but a Spiritual Substance able to live and act without this gross Body we carry about us and will immediately upon leaving this Body be obliged to appear before God and to him give an account of its good and evil Works and according to the prevalency or predominancy of either be made sensible of the Sentence of Absolution or Condemnation which shall be pronounced at the day of Judgment Luc. 16. 22 23. 7. That at the end of this world there will be a solemn day of judgment wherein the Bodies of all Men shall rise and be re-united to their Souls and their Thoughts Words and Actions be brought to light and judged and sentence solemnly pronounced and the Good commanded to take possession of Eternal Joys and the Bad to go into everlasting Torments 2 Cor. 5. 10. Matth. 25. 31 46. 8. That God requires no more of us then we do of our Children and Servants and that 's Love and that this Love if it be true and hearty must necessarily discover it self in Repentance and sorrow for offending him and a sincere endeavour to please and obey him for the future Luc. 6. 46. Malach. 1. 6. 9. That though by nature we are generally more prone to evil then to good and have a stronger byass to Sin then Righteousness yet God the Holy Ghost by his power and influences will certainly assist and help us to abhor that which is evil and to cleave to that which is good if so be that by earnest Prayer Fasting and Meditation we long and breathe for his help and influences Luc. 11. 13. 10. That all the service I offer to God must be performed with my Mind Will and Affections or with my inward Man and with my Heart and that without my Mind have the greatest share in the service it is insignificant and rejected by God Prov. 23. 26. Matth. 22. 37. 11. That by Believing in Scripture for the most part is meant nothing but obeying and that he who obeys not the precepts of the Gospel doth not believe that they are either Divine or necessary to be obey'd or that the Gospel is infallibly true Acts 6. 7. Heb. 11. 24 25 26. 2 Thess. 1. 11. 12. That that frame of Spirit which fits a Man for Eternal Happiness is neither a customary frequenting of the Ordinances of God nor shunning the grosser sins and vices of the age we live in nor being Master of a single Virtue but a Spiritual temper of Mind which puts us upon doing all that 's necessary to be done in order to Salvation Rom. 8. 5 6. 9 10. Consc. What are the Rules to be observed in humbling the Soul with Fasting Christ. I must frequently as often as my strength will bear it give my self to Fasting and Prayer and on those Fasts wrestle with God for growth in Grace and strength against those sins I am most prone and inclined to and greater courage against temptations I must give Alms on that day for the refreshing of some poor Member of Christ and spend the day in Supplications and Contemplations of my sins and of the wrath of God I have deserved and of Gods mercy to penitent sinners in Christ Jesus and in Holy resolutions to be watchful over my Heart for the future that I may perform those
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