unfit Thee more to feast with Me Than to be far in Worldly Fancies lost What can a greater mischief be Than a Vain Heart by carnal Joys engross'd O fly the World's alluring Cheat And to enjoy thy God from Crowds retreat Of Me thy dearest Lord possest No crafty Thief can rob thy Breast Lo I am He who all thy Bosom claim I can't endure a Rival's Name Put off thy self then hide thy Life in me And live from every Care and every Torment free XIII With my Whole Heart have I sought Thee O let Me not wander Believer WHO Lord will give that Grace to Me That I may close with None but Thee And to enjoy my Soul 's Dear Object may My Bosom and my faithful Arms display Then shall I all inferiour Things despise No Creature shall distract my Eyes My Words with Thee my Life and Thine with Me Shall soft as whispering Lovers be Or Friends when they with Friends agree This Lord my utmost Wish shall be To live and to be One with Thee That I withdrawn from all the World below May fonder of Eternal Glories grow Swiftly to thy ador'd Communion fly And oft to Thee my Heart apply Ah when shall I Dear God! engulph'd in Thee Forget my self and only be Ever in Thee and Thou in Me Thou art my best Belov'd my Dear In whom my Soul's Delights appear Search thro the World view all the Wise the Fair None None can with my God my Life compare Thou lay'st those rugged Storms which rend my Heart Thy Smiles unfading Peace impart Thy Counsels Dearest Lord are dark but wise Thy Way obscur'd to Impious Eyes Yet plain to th' Meek and Humble lies Lord how thy Spirit gently blows How sweet thy charming Kindness flows That to thy Own thou mightst thy Love declare thou 'dst with Celestial Food their Strength repair None Lord like Vs can boast of God so near None to their Maker seem so Dear To make our Souls on Wings of Comfort rise Thy Flesh thy Blood our Want supplies And lifts us high above the Skies No Tribes e're gain'd so bright a Fame As those who bear their Saviour's Name What Creature e're was to his Lord so near As He whom pure Devotion 's Flames endear Man whom his Maker enters whom He feeds Whose Life from Mystic Flesh proceeds O condescending Grace O Love Immense Beyond our Words beyond our Sense Beyond all Dreams of Recompence What shall I render Lord to Thee For all thy wondrous Loves to Me A Heart a humble Heart is all my Store I 'll give Thee That nor can I give Thee more Vnite my Heart with Thee and all within Shall Hymns of Holy Praise begin Call then My Heart shall Eccho Lord to Thee I 'm Thine O live My God in Me That Prayer of all my Hopes the Central Point shall be XIV Whose Faith follow considering the End of their Conversation Believer O How deep the Treasures are Dear Lord of thy Immortal Sweets How inexhaustible the Share Which There thy happy Servant meets When I on that Prodigious Flame reflect Which fill'd thy happy Saints of old When I their Grace their Love their Zeal respect Their Acts in Starry Books enroll'd I die with One Eternal Blush confus'd By my Own luke-warm Heart accus'd Which had thy Loves so oft thy sacred Feasts abus'd Lord I blush to think how dry How unaffected there I came My Soul untouch'd by Sympathy Unmov'd by any purer Flame Others by vast Desires and Loves possest To Tears unsluc'd their Joyful Eyes The Floods the Flames with equal violence prest Would both with equal Fulness rise They 'd pant for Drops from Life's pure Springs distill'd Nor would their sacred Longings yield Till with Immortal Food and endless Pleasures fill'd O how soon their Faith could pierce The Shell of that Mysterious Feast How broken Bread to Longings fierce Their wounded dying Lord exprest But Lord how oft my cold Affections fail What Damps my Infant-Heats o'reflow Jesus for Pity let my Sighs prevail Some Cordial on a Wretch bestow O let my Faith my Hope my Love renew'd With more extensive Strength endu'd Only for Manna long and loath inferiour Food But thy Mercies Lord are great And can the Graces beg'd bestow And fill me with Superiour Heat And make my Passions fiercely glow Tho short of Heroes yet thy Grace may find Some Seeds in my unmanag'd Heart Tho short of Heroes my aspiring Mind Grasps at the better nobler Part. O let my Failures be by Mercy past Till with thy happy Heirs at last I may Eternal Sweets Eternal Glories taste XV. I dwell also with Him who is of a Contrite and Humble Spirit Christ WOuldst Thou Devotion 's Grace obtain Or inward holy Ardour gain O seek it Early seek it Late Let thy Petitions prove Importunate With Patience and with Faith expect the Dole Embrace it closely in a lowly Soul Improve it when it 's gain'd but leave God to appoint the Time when thou shalt Grace receive If Thou no Heat within canst find No lively Flames enlarge thy Mind O let that Thought abate thy Pride Yet not between thy Soul and Hopes divide One happy Moment oft that Gift bestows Which many tedious Years could ne're disclose God answers oft the Prayer at last Which seem'd refus'd before ere half the Suit was past Should Flames rush in at once the Soul Could ne're their rapid Force controul O then with Hopeful Patience wait If Sins obstruct or Sins thy Zeal rebate Small Sins may oft obscure or hinder Grace If those be small which mighty Gifts deface But Small or Great when once subdu'd Grace may be new infus'd or Grace decay'd renew'd To God submit thy Self thy All And ne're thy lingring Lusts recal Then Calms will soon o'respread thy Mind In Vnion with thy mighty Lord combin'd God's Will shall then thy utmost Longings move 'T will Sapid all and all Delightful prove He 's only fit for Heavenly Fires Who to his God resign'd subdues his Vain Desires A Heart from Earthly Passions free Empty of Creature-Vanity A Heart all Clean a Soul all Bright Will all the Blessings of its Lord invite The Man who these inferiour Things defies The more He to Himself corrupted dies Grace Fuller Swifter Stronger gains And his unfetter'd Soul to endless Glory strains He 'll see and Heaven's vast Stores admire And glowing with Etherial Fire He 'll to his Father's Hand resign And His to God's Eternal Will confine That happy Man who with a single Heart Seeks God and won't from Heavenly Reason start That Happy Man must sure be blest Of God so warmly sought and Godlike Grace possest When He before my Table kneels He Extasy and Rapture feels And from above swift Flames Divine With his bright Soul 's internal Glories twine And since his Master's Praise He values more Than his own Comforts or his private Store To be for ever One with Me Of His Self-Conquests all the great Reward shall be XVI He
afford To thy poor neglected Slave Send thy Hand O send thy Power Save me from the dreadful Hour From the gloomy dismal Grave Fly O fly my God to me All my Joys are fixt in Thee But without Thee Days and Hours Only hang their drooping Wings While my cheerful Table sings Furnish'd by thy kinder Powers Wretched tangled hopeless I In a gloomy Prison lie Till thy Beams of Light Divine From this Bondage set me free And thy Countenance on Me With reviving Honours shine Let others other Joys admire Thou Lord art all my Heart's Desire Thou Lord alone canst please me here My God my Hope my Safety dear I 'll ne're be silent never cease But to thy Throne my Prayers address Till to my Soul Thou speak'st these Words of Peace Christ Lo here am I Dear Soul I come to thee Since Thou hast call'd so much so long to Me Thy Contrite Humble Heart thy Prayers and Tears Broke thro the Clouds and reach'd my Sacred Ears And to assist Thee lo thy God appears And till reviving I Can thus in Heart reply Believer Lord I have call'd and long'd for Thee Prepar'd to quit the World below Since first thy Favours shin'd on Me And mov'd my Heart before too slow I 'll seek thee soon O blest O prais'd For ever be my God my Lord Who for his Slave Assistance rais'd And would his Mercy 's Helps afford What more Lord can thy Servant say But humbly at thy Footstool lay Himself His Misery and confess His Sins and native Wretchedness For Nothing Nothing like to Thee Can all Created Nature see O Thou thy Father's Wisdom may The World to Thee their Praises pay O may my Lips my Soul my All On Thee with constant Praises call While all the wide Creation vies To raise thy Sacred Name above the lofty Skies XXII Lord I remembred Thee upon my Bed and thought on Thee when I was waking Believer LOrd by thy Laws my Heart enlarge O teach Me by thy Rules to move By thy Commands my Sense improve That I may know their weighty Charge That I with reverent Industry May all thy gracious Acts recal Express a grateful Heart for all That noblest Sacrifice to Thee Yet when I 've done my Best I know My Thanks thy Favours can't repay My Merits claim one sailing Ray Since Thou' rt so high and I so low The Charming Face the Prudent Mind Inward and outward Graces all From thy extended Bounties fall And prove our mighty Maker kind Ten Talents some perhaps may gain Some only Two and some but One But all Pretence to Pride is gone Since All to Thee for All retain Those Odds no Mines of native Grace But thy discerning Goodness made And Favours there are kindly laid Where Gratitude assumes the Place That Man who can Himself despise And all his secret Frailties know And from his Knowledg humbler grow May still to greater Favours rise Nor should the meanest gifted Mind Disorder'd or dejected mourn With Anger or with Envy burn But ground for grateful Praises find He 'd thy impartial Hand adore Thy Goodness and thy Mercy free Since all at last descends from Thee Thou giv'st the least and largest Store Not Man's but God's great Wisdom knows What Seeds best sute the fruitful Field What Soils the fairest Crops can yield And thence proportion'd Gifts bestows Blest be my God whose careful Hand Kept Me from empty Glories free Lest Insolence and Vanity Should my too easy Soul command My meanest poorest Fortunes I Ungriev'd and undejected bear And with an easy chearful Air Can to my trusty Guardian fly The Poor the Wretched Lord and those Whom most the rugged World despise Are dearest to thy gracious Eyes And thy Domestick Train compose Thy great Apostles Lord were poor When o're the Convert World they reign'd Yet ne're of Poverty complain'd In their Integrity secure Their Breasts no Guile nor Malice swell'd Nor Pride but when they suffer'd Shame Dear Jesus for thy Sacred Name And Truth with firm Embraces held He then who Loves Thee Lord who knows How large thy Benefactions are Will for thy Smiles his Joys declare And for thy Love 's Immortal Flows More blest in his despis'd Estate Than those above the rest enthron'd And more at ease when scarcely own'd Than those who grasp a Regal Fate More pleas'd to be despis'd and scorn'd Unseen unknown without a Name Than Flutterers on the Wings of Fame With Honour's gaudy Arms adorn'd To Him thy Loves more Glories bring Than all Atchievements here below And thence more happy Comforts flow Than from the largest Gifts or wondrous Act can spring XXIII The Fruits of Righteousness are sown in Peace Christ MY Son I 'll teach Thee now the peaceful Way Where Freedom will with Ease around Thee stay Believer Speak Dearest Lord O speak to Me Thy Rules must all delightful be Christ Not Others Counsels but thy own refuse A small Estate before a greater chuse Love to be subject envy'd Places shun Pray that my Will in Thee may all be done Obey these Rules and they 'l thy Joys increase With perfect Pleasure and with perfect Peace Believer Few are thy Words but perfect Lord And Sense and wondrous Fruits afford O could I keep them faithfully I should from inward Broils be free And only then Disturbance find When from thy sacred Rules declin'd O Thou Almighty Lord whose Love Rests where industrious Souls improve O grant Me greater Graces still That I may all my Words fulfil And to be sav'd at last obey thy sacred Will A Prayer against Evil Thoughts O My God I fly to Thee Go not go not far from Me Help Me Lord My God receive Me Don't to strong Temptations leave Me Wild my Thoughts are vast my Fears See the threatning Storm appears How O how shall I subdue it Or unshockt unhurt go thro it Lord thy Promise was of old I 'll the Massive Gates unfold Trample or'e the Tempter's Powers Batter down the brazen Towers Set the groaning Prisoners free And reveal my Self to Thee Such thy Promise was of Old Grant O grant the Bliss foretold Then shall all my Tempters flie Then my wicked Thoughts shall die All my Hope my Consolation In the deepest Tribulation Is my God to trust in Thee Is my Lord to fly to Thee Is my Life to pray to Thee And believe Thou 'lt pity Me. A Prayer for inward Illumination FILL Holy Jesus fill my Soul With inward Light The Clouds controul Which now about my Judgment roll Keep me from Wandrings set me free From Tempters Force and Subtlety And Fight my God O Fight for Me Beat down my Brutish Lusts subdue Those Fiends which now my Peace pursue That I may Praise on Praise renew That in a Conscience clear and sound A Palace may for God be found And all with Heavenly Hymns resound Lord quell the Storm the Surges bind And hush the rugged Northern Wind That I a Halcyon Calm may find Send out thy Light thy
thy Mercies give In Me th' Eternal Springs of Mercy live To Me their grateful Tribute all should pay As to their Parent-Seas kind Rivers find their way From me the Great the Small the Rich the Poor As from a living Fountain draw their Store And who for Me the World can freely leave Shall find his Hopes and Grace for Grace receive But he who dares without his Maker boast And trades for Pleasures from a foreign Coast Shall lose his Joys and in Himself shall find Eternal Furies to distract his Mind No Goodness then to thy vile Self ascribe No real Vertues to the Mortal Tribe But all to me from whom all Blessings flow Who all demand because I all bestow That ALL my Bounty might with grateful Praises show This Holy Truth puts Self-conceit to flight And when the Soul 's adorn'd with Heavenly Light And Heavenly Love no pining Envy there No narrow Thoughts no little Loves appear Ethereal Flames can soon those Damps controul And with exalted Thoughts enlarge the Soul If then Thou' rt truly Wife thy Joys will be Thy Hopes thy Confidence in Me to Me All Praise all Honour 's due thro vast Eternity X. Thy Service is perfect Freedom Believer ONCE Lord again I 'll Silence break Once more to my Redeemer speak To thee my God my King my Love Who dwells Invisible above With Thee what treasur'd Sweets appear For all the Sons of Heavenly Fear For all possest by powerful Love For all who faithful Servants prove Ineffable to that pure Mind To meditate on Thee resign'd How great 's thy Goodness Lord to Me Which when I was not made me Be Reduc'd me when I us'd to rove And taught me Service and enjoin'd me Love O Spring of boundless Love to Thee What should my Humble Language be Can I forget Thee Lord When I Was lost in Woes and left to die Thy Pity found and rais'd me more Than my own swelling Thoughts before Was wondrous Gracious wondrous kind When Hell and Sin enslav'd my Mind What should my grateful Offering be But to renounce the World for Thee To lay my self beneath thy Feet And count thy hardest Service sweet Is' t much if I my Service pay Where all the World around obey No But it 's Great it 's Glorious sure That I a Wretch forlorn and Poor Should in thy House Admission gain And Portions with thy happy Sons obtain See Lord how I tho wholly Thine Yet gain since Thou thy self art Mine Seas Earth and Heaven thy Word obey And all to Me their Tributes pay Nay thy Superiour Angels too Weak Me with guarding Cares pursue Nay Thou thy Self my God my Lord Couldst to the Ruin'd Aids afford A Man for wretched Man couldst be And as a Ransom give thy Self for Me. What shall I then return to Thee Dear God for all thy Loves to me O could I serve Thee all my Days O could I worthy Trophies raise To thy Immortal Name and prove The utmost Force of grateful Love Thou art my Lord thy Servant I To Thee I all my Toils apply To Thee unceasing Praises sing To Thee my Strength an Offering bring To Thee my longing Wishes fly O from thy Self Dear Lord my Wants supply Great is his Honour great his Praise Who All beneath thy Footstool lays And with a chearful Air can quit The World and to thy Yoke submit When wean'd from Fugitive Delights And all those Joys the World excites When from his sinful Self reclaim'd And with superior Loves enflam'd Thy Spirit sweeter Joys shall give And always in his Bosom live Then tho in narrow Paths He move And all the Straits of Vertue prove His Soul at Liberty shall fly And pass the utmost Barriers of the Sky Dear Slavery Delightful Chains Where Man his largest Raunge obtains Lives free from all the Weights of Sin And Holy and at ease within O happy State O charming sweet Where Men with chearful Angels meet Where Man an Angel's Work may do And Man becomes an Angel too Dear happy State God's pleasing Sight Hell's Terror and the Saints Delight Blest Chains to be with Smiles embrac't Blest Chains with Gems of Glory grac't Which bring Eternal Blessings down And all our inward Joys with endless Honours crown XI Watch and be sober Christ YET Son there 's yet a mighty Tast behind And many Rules have slipt thy wandring Mind Bel. What Lord are They Chr. That all thy fond Desires Should gladly bend to what my Will requires That Thou thy Self and selfish Love deny And to Obedience all thy Thoughts apply Ambitious Dreams rouze thy aspiring Soul Thy lazy Thoughts ambitious Dreams controul Yet think Does thy Ambition only glow With Heavenly Love or Love of Self below If I inflame Thee thy obsequious Mind Will always be to my Decrees resign'd If vain Self-Love the Plague prevails within And all thy Passions are enslav'd to damning Sin Then ne're be fond of sudden Heats nor those Too freely on thy yielding Heart impose Consult me first lest Penitence too late Thy Raptures should to dark Despair translate Ambitious Zeal may seem divinely rais'd But should when well consider'd first be prais'd Nor should those Ardours be rejected quite Since I sometimes those spreading Flames excite But still the Spirit to the Seer should yield And Extasy to Reason quit the Field Lest Madness should the fiery Soul surprize Or Scandals from ungovern'd Fervours rise Or Thou despair when All thy bold Pretence despise Yet sometimes holy Violence may controul The brutish Passions of the Sensual Soul Slight the Remonstrances of Flesh and Blood And only make its own Dominion good The Rebel to a just Subjection bring And make the Spirit reign a Sovereign King Chastise the stubborn Soul till mortify'd It lays its Vanity and veils its Pride And in a little can Contentment find To all the sharpest Pains of Heavenly Life resign'd XII In your Patience possess ye your Souls Believer AT last my God! at last I see Since Happiest Lives perplex'd may be How needful Patience is for me For tho I Peace alone pursue Rough Broils and Wars are all in view And all my Days disturb'd and few Christ True Son then never dream of Peace Where every Cross and every Pain may cease True Peace with Tribulation may reside And ne'r be lost tho fiercely try'd Thou think'st it's hard to suffer here But canst thou Hell 's Eternal Tortures bear Wouldst thou from Hell's Eternal Tortures fly Then learn to bear an angry Sky Among the softest Fools enquire They too on Earth have sometimes felt the Fire Perhaps with Pleasures mixt so roll in Sin And never feel Remorse within They 'd satiate all their wild Desires But Ah! how soon the fading Sweet expires As Clouds of Smoak in loose Dispersion fly So all the Sons of Pleasure die No Mark of all their Joys remains Their Lives are rack'd with never-ceasing Pains Those Toys in which they fix supream Delight Those very Toys their Pains excite So wisely
thy heavy Lashes bore And inward Pangs and outward Woes Great Physician Lord of Souls Thou whose Hand our Hearts controuls None above and none below Can such Wounds and Balms bestow Thou to Hell canst cast me down Thou my Life with Health canst crown All the Sufferings laid on Me All my Comforts flow from Thee In thy blest Hands Dear Father I Beneath thy Rod's Correction lie Lash cut me deep that I may be In all submissive Lord to Thee Make me Obedient Humble Meek That I thy Will alone may seek My Self I yield my All to Thee Here not hereafter punish Me Thou knowst my Conscience throughly Lord Each brooding Thought each winged Word Past Present Future Matters lie At once before thy piercing Eye Thou my Interest only knowst What to purge my Rust it cost Let me Lord thy Subject be Work thy Pleasure Lord on Me Ne'r despise Me ne'r neglect Me Nor for Nature's Taint reject me I thy Jurisdiction own I to Thee am throughly known Lord teach Me what I ought to know And Love to lovely things to show To praise what only pleases Thee True Worth in what thou lovest to see While what Thou hat'st grows vile to Me. Let me never judg by sight Nor in empty Tales delight Wisdom's Methods let me learn And superiour Things discern From those little Toys below And thy Laws exactly know Mens Senses oft in Judgment fail And Toys on Earthy Minds prevail Who only grasp at what they see And scorn Invisibility Who tho the Rabble lift them high May still in common Ordure lie For when Cheats the Cheaters praise When the Vain their Fellows raise When the Blind conducts the Blind When the Weak's a Guide design'd All 's Deceit from first to last All their Praise an empty Blast For a Man's repute should be Only as He 's priz'd by Thee LI. Who hath despis'd the Day of small things Christ MY Son Tho now thy inward Flames supreamly shine Thy Prayers are Raptures and thy Flights Divine Yet Nature's Weakness oft will Lure thee down And Life's rough Cares thy soaring Fancies drown The Heart still of its mortal Load complains And needs must groan beneath its slavish Chains Since cramp'd so oft when it attempts the Skies And would to heavenly things and lofty Subjects rife With humble Thoughts then Holy Works pursue Till coming I thy smother'd Flames renew With heavenly Dews refresh the drowthy Plains Bless thee with Peace break thy weighty Chains Thy Heart enlarg'd thro Scripture-Vails shall rove And Thou to run my holy Ways shall love Till sure what e're thy present Sufferings are They can't with heavenly Bliss and future Crowns compare LII I have born Chastisement I will not offend any more Believer LORD I 'm unworthy of thy Comforts thy Love And thou mayst justly from my wreched Heart remove Vast Seas of flowing Tears could never make me pure My great my crying Sins might all thy Plagues endure But boundless Goodness Lord and Mercy lives with Thee And thy supporting Hand thy fading Creatures see Thou mak'st my drooping Soul thy wondrous Comforts know And find how far they pass our weak Attempts below What can I do my God to gain thy heavenly Grace So slow to Penitence so swift in Satan's Race I nothing Lord can plead if thou my Crimes survey But Hell and hellish Flames must all my Guilt repay I know I merit Lord thy utmost Hate Scorn Nor can my Name among thy Holy Saints be born Harsh tho the Reckoning prove I must the Test endure If I 'd thy Mercies Springs thy Comforts Streams procure What shall I say when at thy dreadful Bar accus'd What can a Sinner plead with inward Guilt confus'd I 've sinn'd great God I 've sinn'd O Mercy Mercy show O let my Eyes a while with unfeign'd Waters flow E're I to Death's black Shades the Lands of Darkness go A contrite humble Heart thy Bar for Sin demands In true Repentance all our hope of Pardon stands That stills those rugged Storms which o're the Conscience roll Our dying Gifts repairs shields the trembling Soul From Judgment 's dreadful Flames till delug'd round with Sweets The Soul its smiling God in Love's Embraces meets A contrite Heart to Thee 's a nobler Sacrifice Than all those Odours which from fuming Incense rise Sweet as those fragrant Oils which wash'd thy sacred Feet And as it 's humble must thy constant Favours meet Thy Arms a Refuge sure from Hellish Rage appear And our Pollutions all thy flowing Mercies clear LIII Love not the World neither the Things of the World Christ MY Smiles are pure my Son unmix'd with those Poor Comforts which inferiour Things disclose Wouldst thou obtain them Cast thy Clogs aside Thy Self within thy private Chambers hid There with thy God not Men Discourses nod Thy Mind and Conscience there with Sighs unfold Laugh at the World that sweet Recess prefer Before a King 's invidious Character For Mine and worldly Loves thou ne'r canst find A Time of leisure or an easy Mind From fondest Friends and Earth's Incumbrance free There thou mayst dedicate thy self to Me And like a Stranger and a Pilgrim move Thro' wastful Desarts here to Canaan's Rest above With what strange Joys that happy Man may die Whose Thoughts discharg'd from Earth's Engagements lie Words can't express nor curious Arts descry The real Saint the World's Concerns will leave And chiefly fears Self should Himself deceive Subdue thy Self thou'lt soon the World subdue That Conquest only is a Conquest true He who his sensual part by Reason guides Then with his Reason to his Lord subsides O're Earth o're himself a King triumphant rides Wouldst thou reach this Then like a Man begin And lay the Ax close to the Roots of Sin Heâ— down Self-love and every Thought inclin'd â—o vulgar Blisses or the Creature-kind Self-love alone the Little World confounds That master'd Peace the quiet Heart surrounds How few compleatly to themselves can die Their Bird-lim'd Wings no gallant Heights can fly But here in common Cares entangled lie But those who would at large converse with Me Must from deprav'd unruly Passions be And from their darling selves and Creature-Comforts free LIV. The natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God Christ MY Son Nature and Grace in all their Steps attend Soft is their Motion and oppos'd their End Only by men of inward Light perceiv'd Most aim at Good but are alas deceiv'd Sly Nature has a thousand Arts and Snares And only for its own Delights prepares Grace is sincere and all that 's ill declines Cheats none but all for God and Godlike Works designs Death Sufferings and Subjection Nature hates Grace struggling Lust with holy Art rebates Fain would be humble and would fain obey And not at large in fleshly Desarts stray Love's Discipline and on its Good would rest And for his sake it self of Self divest Nature for Pleasure seeks and seeks for Gain Grace only
are strait and low and can't admit The Proud nor those who can with Scorners sit Wo to the Rich who fix their Hearts below Whose watry Eyes when all the Poor shall go To endless Joys with useless Tears shall flow Rejoice poor humble Souls my Truths embrace And God shall you at last in boundless Glories place LIX And now Lord what is my Hope Truly my Hope is even in Thee Bel. WHence my dearest Lord from whence Should I raise my Confidence Whence while here beneath the Skies Should my Hopes my Comforts rise Only Dearest Lord from Thee So immensly kind to Me. When was 't well with me without Thee When was 't ill and Thou about Me Keep me ever ever poor If I 'm so of Thee secure Heaven without Thee 's all uneasy Earth with Thee would rather please Me. Heaven would be no Seat of Blisses Hell would crown my warmest Wishes If that Hell beneath could show Thee If that Heaven could ne'r bestow Thee Thou' rt my Love my chief Desire All my Sighs and Groans aspire Only for Thee only to Thee While my liveliest Hopes pursue Thee When the greatest Wants surround Me When the greatest Fears confound Me From my God alone commence All my Hopes and Confidence Others hunt inferiour Pleasures All the sweet the charming Measures Of my Safety spring from Thee All things thence are good to Me. Oft I 'm punish'd oft I 'm tempted But by Mercy still prevented While his Rod severely proves Me Still my dearest Master loves Me Still thy Strokes are dear to Me As the softest Joys can be God ray Lord 's my Hope my Shelter When in Sorrow's Gore I welter He 's my Strength my only Stay All without him flies away Helps deceive Me Friends forsake Me Books but doubtful Answers make Me. Counsellors with Quirks confound Me Reeds alas deceitful wound Me. Thou my Help my Comfort art Thou instruct'st and keep'st my Heart All those things to Peace pretending All Felicities depending Must but vain and empty be When abstracted Lord from Thee All that 's Good and Wise and Great All to Thee their Spring retreat And thy Servants Comfort see Only when they trust in Thee Lord to Thee I lift my Eyes Whence my daily Mercies rise Kindest Father Dearest Lord Still thy Joys thy Smiles afford Bless and sanctify my Mind That Thou there a place may'st find That thy Glories there may rest In a Heart with Pureness drest Freed from Sins offensive Pest Lord as thy Goodness large appears Thy Mercies large O let thy Ears To thy poor Servant's Prayers be kind While here to Deathful Shades confin'd Protect preserve defend my Soul While Clouds and Storms about Me roll Let Grace attending thro a peaceful way My Soul to endless Life and endless Light convey Amen The Christian Pattern PARAPHRAS'D The Fourth Book Of the Eucharist The Invitation O Come ye tabouring Souls with Sins vast weight opprest O come and on your Master 's sacred Bosom rest My Flesh is Bread which I 'll on fainting Souls bestow My Blood the Source of Life to all the World below Take eat my Body here each faithful Soul shall find Eat eat it oft to keep your dying Lord in mind He whom my Flesh and Blood divinely entertains Lo I his Lord in Him and He in Me remains My Words with nobler Sense than Carnal Language shine They 'r Life and Sprit All All Mystick All Divine I. And Reverence his Sanctuary Believer THESE Words Dear Christ Eternal Truth are Thine And like thy Self they 'r all Divine At various Times in various Places us'd Each sacred Syllable Which from my Saviour fell New Life new Light quite thro my Soul diffus'd They 'r Thine as utter'd Lord by Thee But Mine as for Salvation meant to Me. I them with flowing Joys receive May they on Me a deep Impression leave They 'r holy and they 'r gracious All And like sweet Dews or Lovers Kisses fall But me my weighty Guilt affrights A wounded Soul no Visitors invites Thy dear soft Words attract my hungry Soul But Thoughts of inward Guilt my forward Haste controul Thou bidst that my Approach with Faith should be If I 'd have any Share in Thee That I 'd of that immortal Nourishment Accept an offer'd Part And with a grateful Heart My Prayers for Life's eternal Bliss present O ye Thou say'st with Sins opprest O come and on my heavenly Bosom rest Sweet Words Dear happy charming Sound About desponding Sinners ecchoing round By These poor Souls invited are In blest Communion with thy self to share But who Dear Lord or what am I Who dare approach the spotless Deity Heaven's lofty Throne 's impure compar'd with Thee And shall a sinful Soul thy glorious Palace be Who can so kind a Condescension show Whence such a tender Friendship flow Dare I before thy sacred Altars kneel Conscious of in-born Sin Who cruel Pangs within And all a wounded Soul's Convulsions feel Oft have I trespass'd in thy sight And dare I now consuming Flames invite Thy Terrors purest Saints avow To them the bright Angelick Armies bow Thou said'st O Come else Lord had we Resign'd to Fears and Incredulity Great Noah's saving Ark appears The Labour of a hundred lingring Years And can a few short Minutes fit the Soul To meet that God whose Arms the vassail'd World controul A Cedar Chest contain'd thy Laws of old Cedar o're-laid with Ophir's Gold Seven toilsom Years that King of Wisdom spent A Temple's Walls to raise To thy immortal Praise Eight Holy Pays in solemn Feastings went A thousand peaceful Offerings blaz'd A thousand Shouts that Ark of Mercy rais'd To its Majestick glorious Seat What tho I only find a Mystick Treat What tho plain Bread and Wine must be The Symbols of his Flesh and Blood to Me The Legislator's greater far Than Laws tho cut by heavenly Fingers are I 'm vile yet can't one Moment freely spend To purge my filthy Soul or lodg my gracious Friend What Art what Care the Godlike Moses tri'd That wondrous Casket to provide What Time what curious Skill what vast Expence Blest Wisdom's mighty Heir Took that He might prepare A Dome for thy Mysterious Residence But Lord what little Care can I To entertain so great a Guest apply O how my Thoughts distracted range How soon my Manly Resolutions change How fixt my wandring Thoughts should be From all inferiour Obligations free When not Angelick Bands But him who all the Angel-Host commands I to receive with humble Faith prepare And at a Feast of Love with my Redeemer share That sacred Ark thy Mercy 's wondrous Seat By thy peculiar Presence great That Ark the Symbol of the Deity In that Illustrious Dome Took up the noblest Room The Holiest Place as representing Thee Yet all the Sacrifices there Were but the Types of that revolving Year In which Incarnate God should fall The great Atonement and should perfect All. That great Atonement Bread and Wine To us exhibit in a Mode
Divine What Flames should then enlarge my Heart When in my Saviour I expect a Part How should I dress to meet my bleeding Lord While every Type great Kings and Saints of old ador'd David before that precious Ark of old Could not his warm Affections hold But danc'd with all his Might and loudly play'd His tuneful Harp he strung And to his Harp he sung When that thro' Sion's Gates its Entrance made Sweet were his Airs and soft his Stroke When he 'd His Jews to holy Joys provoke God's Spirit on his Heart abode And Prayers and Blessings with his Musick flow'd Such Zeal that Antient Type pursu'd And shan't my Heart with nobler Heat indu'd Shan't it with greater Spirit embrace The Substance than the Shade of future Grace Shan't I with springy Joys my Saviour meet And at his Altars bow and kiss his sacred Feet Fools oft to see pretended Reliques fly And cast a curious wondring Eye On Fanes to Saints Imaginary rais'd Where richest Silks and Gold The dowdy Corps enfold And Thieves and Rebels are for Martyrs prais'd A thousand Pilgrimages past They prove but Hell's obdurate Slaves at last O could they rest a while at home And not to follow sensless Fancies rome Wonders on Wonders here they 'd view Far more than e're Loretto's Shrine could shew Jesus with Love and Mercies crown'd Would shed his sacred Influences round And to the Loving Hoping Faithful Heart Would all his glorious Self his heavenly Joys impart O Thou great Architect of Earth and Skies Invisible to mortal Eyes To us how wondrous all thy Actions prove And here how sweet how kind Thy Favourites may find Th' immense Expressions of Prodigious Love Unfathomable Deeps how far Too short our wretched Intellectuals are When we would sound the vast Abyss Of unintelligible Mysteries What Art that Mirroir could compose By which the Souls of faithful Saints disclose Their Saviour in a Sacrament And on his bleeding gaping Wounds intent Eat his dear Flesh and drink his sacred Blood That Bread of Life and this immortalizing Flood Who can those Capillary Rills descry By which unbodied Graces fly Thro' bodied Symbols to the faithful Mind How pure Devotion 's Fires How Vertue 's warm Desires Room in the Sinner with Repentance find What hidden Sweets can Faith descry How sharp how piercing is the faithful Eye He meets a thousand Graces here Lost Vertues in his Soul reviv'd appear And tho deform'd by Sins before This can its Beauties and its Charms restore Nay the best balmy Symbols may New Life and Health to fainting Saints convey While Faithless Souls meer Bread and Wine partake And but a damning Feast of empty Symbols make But ah how cold how deadly cold we prove To meet our dear Redeemer's Love How we refuse his kind extended Arms Arms which alone can be Our Souls security From Death's Tyrannic Force and Hell's Alarms He purifies our Natures He From endless Torments dearly sets us free Beneath his Shade we safely move And feel the Beams shot from his Orb of Love Why should we then so cold appear To all his Loves Mysterious Tendries here Ah Blind ah Rocky-hearted Crew Who can so slow such wondrous Grace pursue More careless as their Master kinder grows And can with stubborn Hearts his offer'd Loves oppose Were but one single Sacrament design'd The World to one sole Priest confin'd What Sholes would to the distant Temple flow How would they stretch their Eyes To see these Mysteries How eager for that Heavenly Banquet grow But when a thousand Pastors wait And all may with their Lord participate When so immense his Loves appear Alas we nauseate the Celestial Chear Yet Jesus Holy Shepherd we Poor Exiles now present our Thanks to Thee Thy Flesh thy Blood our Souls relieves Thy tender Call our dying Faith retrieves Come all to Me with Sins vast Weights opprest I 'll give you sudden Ease I 'll give you certain Rest II. Behold how he loved Vs Believer MOV'D by thy Goodness and thy Mercies I Dear Lord to thy Assistance fly Touch'd with a thousand Plagues I come to Thee O be the great Physician Lord to Me Hungry and Thirsty Lord I bring A fainting Soul to Life's Immortal Spring A Beggar I Heaven's gracious King adore A Servant I my Master's Smiles implore Form'd by thy Hand Lord here I stand And for my great Creator's Bounties wait And for his Comforts in a ruin'd helpless State Whence is it that my God should come to Me O what am I thus grac'd by Thee How can a guilty Soul endure thy Sight How in a Miscreant can my God delight Thou know'st no Good resides in Me And I my own my inward Vileness see Thy Grace thy Goodness and thy boundless Love I own I honour and with Thanks improve And for thy sake I 'd here partake That I my tender smiling God might know O mayn't my horrid Crimes obstruct the wondrous Flow Sweet gracious God! with what respectful Praise Should I thy spreading Glories blaze Who for our sakes a mortal Nature took But who can thro' the Mystick Bounty look What can I think when worthless I May hold Communion with the Deity What can I do but with a prideless Mind Some Means t' extol thy boundless Goodness find Thy endless Praise My God I 'll raise But ever ever Lord my Self despise And from the lowliest State to heavenly Favours rise Lo Thou' rt incomprensible Sanctity A filthy loathsom Sinner I Unfit to raise my sinful Eyes to Thee But Thou Great God couldst condescend to Me. Lo Thou canst in a Wretch delight A Beggar to a plenteous Feast invite thou 'dst have me banquet on Celestial Food On Bread of Angels and Divinely Good Thou Lord wouldst be That Bread to Me That Bread of Life which from above descends And Life and Vigour thro a fainting World extends See! see my Soul whence such bright Loves can shine And Condescensions all divine What Thanks what Praise are to thy Saviour due How should thy Service as his Name be true How salutary Lord how kind In this we all thy mighty Counsels find The Food all costly and the Banquet sweet Where we by Faith our great Redeemer meet Thy powerful Cares Thy Truth declares Thy Words from Nothing sprung the World of old In less than Nothing now eternal Truths unfold My Lord my God Great God and Man that Thou Shouldst tow'rd a wretched Creature bow That thou thy self in Bread and Wine shouldst give In true Believers humble Hearts to live What Sense such Wonders can pursue So True so Strange yet not so Strange as True Thou Lord of All who hadst no need of Me Yet by a Sacrament my Guest wouldst be Lord keep my Heart O ne'r depart Till I by thy effectual Influence find A Body spotless pure to lodg a peaceful Mind It 's thy Appointment Lord design'd by Thee To celebrate thy Memory O may I oft thy Merits here record O may I oft here meet my
bleeding Lord And thou my Soul with grateful Praise Thy Dear Redeemer's wondrous Bounty blaze Who in a Vale of Tears a Wild of Woes Would such vast Springs of holy Joys disclose As oft as there My Thoughts appear So oft I read my own Redemption o're So oft partake my Saviour's Merits boundless Store His treasur'd Mercies inexhausted prove And inexhaustible his Love O then renew thy Watch thy Thoughts compose With this great Feast thy holy Tremblings close So something new and kind and sweet Thou 'lt always in that sacred Duty meet Thy Lord will to thy Heart as lively come As if just born from Mary's Virgin-Womb As if the Tree Of Infamy Just now our sacrific'd Atonement bore And all the Soil around blush'd with his purple Gore III. Shew forth the Lord's Death often till his coming Believer Lo Here I come Dear Lord to Thee That I partaker of thy Gifts may be That I with swelling Joys may taste That Holy Feast that Sweet Repast By Thee for humble Souls prepar'd In Thee Dear Lord I all my Longings see My Health Redemption Strength Hope 's in thee My Crown my great Reward Jesus I lift my Soul to Thee O let thy flowing Joys descend on Me I would with good Zaccheus fain My Gracious Master entertain With Reverence and humblest Vows I 'd fain the Son of Faithful Abraham be My Soul would fain unite it self to Thee And Thee its Lord espouse I 'm satisfi'd if Thou be Mine No Comforts Lord are valu'd here but Thine Without Thee Life no Joys can give Nor can my Soul without Thee live I 'll oft to wait on Thee prevail Lest while unfed by Thee I upward move And mighty Foes and mighty Dangers prove My wretched Heart should fail When Mercy Lord thy Tongue employ'd And sickly Worlds thy healing Balms enjoy'd thou 'dst never send 'um fasting Home Lest Fasting should to Fainting come Dear Jesus be as kind to Me Thy Flesh thy Blood refresh the fainting Soul And who prepar'd receives the wholesome Dole Life's glorious Heir shall be I feel Dear Lord I feel how Sin How Sloth how want of Zeal prevail within O could I oft with Fervour pray O could I oft my Life survey I 'd to thy Holy Table fly Then I 'd be throughly purg'd enflam'd renew'd My holy Vows should be with Joy pursu'd Which else would faint and die I Lord with deep Confusion own To Sin my very Infant-Nature's prone But when I here my Vows renew I 'd Sin detest and Good pursue Dear God that Physick grateful make Tho I receive I 'm slothful oft and cold But should for holy Works be quite unsould Should I that Feast forsake How oft I 'm indispos'd to be My God a fit Communicant for Thee But still at proper Times I 'll strive To keep my holy Flames alive And share thy gracious Mysteries This Lord supports the Faithful Soul that He To Earth confin'd may still remember Thee Thy Loves devoutly prize Wonders of Condescending Love That Thou great God of Spirits shouldst from above To those in Spirit poor dispense Thy universal Influence And all their hungry Gripes relieve Happy thrice happy Souls who swell'd with Joy All their Devotions all their Flames employ When they their Lord receive How great 's the Lord how dear the Guests How true the Friend who then invades their Breasts The Mate how sweet the Spouse how fair Lovely as fancy'd Angels are Be silent Earth be silent Skies Their Grace their Beauties all descend from Thee Yet can 't their Beauties to the least degree Of thy Illustrious Name thy wondrous Glories rise IV. They shall be fill'd with the Fatness of thy House LORD I Apply My Heart to Thee O quicken Me And let thy Grace In Me take place Till with an humble Heart Before thy Altars I Appear and take a Part In Love's great Mystery Rouze Me Lord O rouze my Soul Off its lazy Temper roll Visit Me with thy Salvation Glut my eager Expectation With all those Heavenly Sweets which rise From that prodigious Sacrifice Clear Lord my Eyes that I may thro The Bread and Wine my Saviour view May I my Saviour's powerful Words believe And Grace from thence and heavenly Strength receive Wise Angels scarce those wondrous Depths can find The Condescensions of a boundless Mind And what can Sinners do to wretched Earth confin'd To be With Thee On Wings of Love I swiftly move With Heart sincere And awful Fear And with a Faith secure Thy just Commands obey Of my Redeemer sure In his appointed way O may I but meet Thee there And as One with Thee appear Mercy Dearest Saviour send Me And let powerful Grace attend Me Till I melt down with sacred Love And ne'r for other Comforts move This is the Christian 's noblest Flight His Body's Health his Soul's Delight The heavenly Physick for despondent Souls Which kills my Follies and my Lusts controuls Abates Temptations greater Grace bestows Here Courage bolder Hope securer grows Faith greater Strength and Loves a brighter Flame disclose How free From Thee Dear Lord to those Thy Goodness flows Whose Love and Fear Attend Thee there Thence mighty Comforts flow To lay their various Woes And when they sink below On Thee their Hopes repose Grace and Safety strong and new Here their growing Hopes pursue Wishes faint and cold Affections Mighty Doubts and weak Reflections Refresh'd with this Celestial Food Are chang'd and ever chang'd for good Here Thine thy faithful Love survey And with thy Strength their Weakness weigh Cold undevout and in themselves obdur'd Till Life Devotion Heat are here procur'd Streams will be sweet where sweet the Fountains rise A constant Heat from constant Burning flies This Fire more lively Flames this Spring more Sweets supplies What tho I know My boldest Strain Can ne'r contain That endless Love Which shines above Tho no Seraphick Flame My narrow Soul inspire Yet I 'll submisly claim One Spark of Heavenly Fire I 'll my longing Heart prepare Free from Pride and free from Care And devoutly there attending Watch the sacred Gleams descending What tho I can't approach the Spring Nor Vessels to receive it bring I 'll to the Rills my Lips apply And catch some Drops as sliding by Some sliding Drops to cool my thirsty Soul Dear Jesus Holy Saviour O controul My Wants Here poor and hungry Lord I lie Yet it 's thy Word Come weary Souls and I Will all your fainting Souls with needful Rest supply I moil And toil Opprest with Sin And Pains within By Woes o're-born And rack'd and torn Beneath that dreadful weight I murmur Lord and groan And from this mournful State Of Life would fain be gone Oft Temptations break my Rest Sorrows oft distract my Breast Hell's uneasy Weights oppress Me Griefs unweildy Chains possess Me. Whence then should my Assistance rise To Thee Dear Lord I lift my Eyes O keep Me safe O guide me right From hence to reach Eternal Light Thou
which fly In my crazy Brain defy Save Me O endless Truth from Vanity O come sweet Jesus come to Me All my Lusts will fly from Thee Pardon O pardon Lord my wandring Mind Which when for earnest Prayers design'd Can such foolish Objects find I love the World too well and Thoughts will fly Where e're the vain Affections lie And the Tempter's always nigh Oft with my Lips I pray when Lord my Heart Will from that holy Duty start And from Thee my God depart Truth spoke the Word The Treasure holds the Mind The Good are all to Heaven inclin'd But I with worldly Glory blind I love the Flesh and fleshly Things pursue But could the Spirit the Flesh subdue To my God I should be true Of what I love I love to talk and hear And home the fair Ideas bear And esteem them always dear Blest Lord is He who leaves the World for Thee And by a perfect Victory Lives from Nature's Furies free Calm is his Conscience and his Prayers are pure And He 's of Angels Bliss secure Nor can the Thoughts again of worthless Earth endure XLIX I have fought a good Fight henceforth there remains for me a Crown of Righteousness Christ MY Son Since from above thou feel'st a sacred Flame For from above those holy Ardours came Long'st to be gone and with a cloudless Eye To see my Face and grasp Eternity Enlarge thy Heart and with a vast Desire Blow up thy Wishes and advance thy Fire Thank thank thy God whose kind indulgent Love To visit Thee stoops from those Realms above Enflames thy Soul and with a powerful Hand Supports thy Heart and makes thee firmly stand This neither from thy Thought nor Labour flows But wondrous Grace the wondrous Boon bestows To make thy Valour shine more dreadful bright To humble Thee before the Ghostly Fight And Thee to Godlike Loves and holy Works excite The Fire may burn but Smoke attends the Flame And holy Souls whose inward Fervours aim At heavenly Bliss yet never hope to be From fleshly Lusts or dark Temptations free They love their God but with severe Allays Nor can thy Fire without incumbrance blaze Flesh has its own Convenience first in view And can't with perfect Love Eternal Joys pursue Ask not abundance nor Delights for Thee But what accepted with thy God may be Think well Thou 'lt find my Orders wiser far Than all thy Wishes or Attainments are I know thy Wishes and have heard thy Groans Thou long'st for Palaces and glittering Thrones Shining with endless Joys and fix'd on high Where God's blest Sons enjoy their Liberty But stay a while To Day 's a time for Fight For Pains and Trials thou wouldst glut thy sight With boundless Good but must thy Heats rebate I only AM for ray approaching Kingdom wait Thou must be longer exercis'd and tri'd Have Comforts here but not be satisfi'd Take Courage then be strong to do to bear A Man quite new a Man quite chang'd appear Renounce thy Will and oft against it move Not Thine but other Mens Designs improve They shall be heard when all thy Prayers are lost They shall but ask and have thy Words and Hopes be croft They shall be talk'd of Thou in Silence die They trusted useless Thou and slighted lie Nature will flinch at this but bravely born Victorious Silence will thy Life adorn God's Servant Thus Thus must his Son be taught Thus to deny and rule Himself be brought It 's to be mortifi'd indeed to see And suffer what 's so hard my Son to Thee And tho subjected to a Power Divine It 's hard rebellious Nature to confine And the resisting Will to God's Commands resign Weigh then my Son the Fruits of all thy Pains Their swift Conclusion and their mighty Gains Such Meditations will no Wounds procure But raise thy Courage and thy Heart obdure Thy Will here quitted shall be gain'd above There thou 'lt obtain thy Wishes and thy Love Good thou shalt have and never fear to lose Thy Will as Mine no private Interest chuse None shall resist Thee there nor stop thy Way But to thy utmost Hopes thy Soul convey I 'll give thee Honours for Disgraces past For Sorrows Praises and a Throne to last Tho when on Earth beneath the meanest cast Thus shall the Fruits of just Obedience shine And humblest Penitents obtain Rewards Divine O then to human just Commands submit Beneath their Laws with humble Patience sit Thy King 's thy Friends thy Parents Pastor's Will Take well and with sincere Address fulfil Let Brutes in various ways their Thoughts engage Enjoy the Praises of a flattering Age Brag of a thousand Honours spread their Fames And to the Stars exalt their lofty Names Boast not of such Atchievements but when Grace Makes Self to God resign its darling place Come Life come Death let Love thy Heart enflame And in new Hymns of Praise thy gracious Lord proclaim L. Turn Thee unto Me and have Mercy on Me for I am desolate and afflicted Bel. MY God dear holy Father may My Soul Eternal Blessings pay To Thee whose just Resolves have stood Whose Deeds are always kind and good Let Me blest Lord rejoice in Thee But not in other Men nor Me. Thou Lord canst all my Hopes employ My Crown my Glory and my Joy Ah to what can I pretend But what God himself must send All is thine from thee it flow'd But my Age is Lord bestow'd All in Sorrows all in Tears All in tedious Doubts and Fears While the Tyrant Lust appears Lord give thy Childrens Peace to Me Who feed in Comforts light with Thee Thy Peace thy heavenly Gifts infuse And I 'll thy Holy Gifts produce And all to sing thy Praises use But shouldst Thou dear Lord withdraw I should soon forget thy Law Such a Change would make me droop Make me tremble make me stoop Not as when I felt the Streams Of thy Mercies lively Beams And beneath thy Wings could be From design'd Temptations free The Time O righteous Father's now Which must thy faithful Servant prove This happy Moment Lord will show My suffering patient lasting Love That Time Dear Father known of old To Thee has laid its hands on Me When outward Woes my Life should hold But still my Heart should live to Thee I tho grosly slighted here I the weight of Passions bear Yet from thence should quickly rise And above the lofty Skies Bask in thy refulgent Eyes Thus thy Word of old ordains it Thus my present State explains it Lord it 's a Friendly Test of Love When I repeated Sorrows prove From thy All-guiding Providence The great Events on Earth commence I for my Good thy Scourge have known Now better wiser humbler grown Tho Confusion hides my Face I implore thy saving Grace And thy Judgments deeps admire While the Good and Bad expire Since thy prudent Orders shew Equity and Mercy too I Lord thy glorious Name adore Tho compass'd round with mighty Foes Since I