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
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
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
make me neglect the opportunity put into my hand of making Peace with God and mine own Conscience I must reject suggestions of this nature and regard more the necessary concerns of my Soul then things that at the best are but sensual satisfactions Consc. And what must thy Thoughts be and what frame must thy heart be in when thou comest to the Holy Table of the Lord Christ. I must 1. Employ my Soul in Holy ejaculations such as these O who will give me to drink of the Water of the Well of Bethlehem Wherewith shall I come before the Lord How shall I bow my self before the most high Shall I come before him with Burnt-offerings with Calves of a year old O my Lord Thou hast shew'd me what is good and what dost thou require of me but to do justly to shew mercy and to walk humbly with my God! O my God I bring an humble Heart a Soul that desires to lye low before thee a Soul that longs to be clean and to be washed in the blood of the Lamb a Soul weary of Sin that sees no comfort no satisfaction no content in things below but behold's afar off the treasures of Consolation that lye hid in Christ Jesus These are things to be desired These are Mercies worth having These enrich banckrupt Souls with these Pardon is purchased and Heaven is procured O give me a Title to them Thou that art the true Morning Star O shine upon me O enlighten me O enlighten me O let me feel thy comfortable beams These burn not These scorch not but sanctify and polish and adorn I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Merits are exceeding broad They enlarge Heaven subue Death conquer Hell expel Divels and make God my friend How have I doted on the vanities of this World They are bubbles all but thou sweet Jesu art perfect Beauty a fountain of Joy which never wants Water never dries up never fails and never dies How much better is it to be here in the Courts of the Lord then in the Tents of the proudest Monarchs one day here is better then a thousand elsewhere Here God bows to poor sinners Here infinite Majesty converses with Dust and Ashes Here the King of Heaven is not ashamed to call such poor Worms as we are Brethren How different are the ways of God from the ways of Men They shun a Lazarus and a Beggar God receives them and the Soul that 's sensible of her poverty and begs to be enrich'd is refresh'd by him and invited into his bosom How Lovely art thou my Great Redeemer How Amiable How Kind How Beautiful Therefore do the Virgins love thee Could there be greater Love then to spill thy Blood for me Could there be greater Charity then to dye for me What miracles of Mercy are these I come to beg an alms at thine hands it 's too great a gift for me to ask but not too great for thee to give for it is thy self I beg O warm my Heart Touch it with a coal from the Altar O kindle Holy Fire in my Breast Burn up the dross and Tin there and let nothing but pure Gold remain Let Love prevail O change my Heart into fesrvent Love and turn all my faculties into Charity 2. I must joyn with the Congregation in their Prayers I must put my Perfumes into that common Genser that the Holy Smoak may go up with joyned force to the throne of Mercy I must not come behind my fellow-members in Zeal and Earnestness They pray for the prosperity of the Universal Church that God would guide her by his Holy Spirit so must I. They pray for all Christian Kings and Princes that they may promote the Glory of God and the Churches welfare so must I. They pray for the Ministers of God's Holy Word that they may be sound in the Faith and patterns of Holiness so must I. They pray for all distressed Members of Christ that the Consolations of Christ may abound in them so must I. They prostrate themselves in Holy Confessions of their Sins and pray for Remission and Pardon and Sanctification so must I. They pray to be made partakers of the benefits of Christ's Body and Blood so must I. 3. I must shew my compassion to the Poor by contributing to their necessities if I am able I must remember how poor how wretched how naked how miserable I was when the Son of God first took pity on me being yet in the Loins of my Father Adam I must consider that my self at this instant am lying at the pool of Bethesda waiting for the Angel of the Covenant to come down and stir the Waters that I may be healed I must look upon my self as a Person full of Sores and Sickness and reflect that I come to be cured for Gods sake by the Great Physitian of Souls From my Self I must look down on the Poor that want my help and as I would have my Great Master have compassion on me so I must have compassion on my fellow-Servants 4. I must at this time resist all worldly Thoughts and did my Oxen and my Farms and my Domestique Affairs stand aloof like Lepers that must not come near a place so full of Majesty and a Work so big with wonders I must with Mary chuse the better part and look upon Martha's serving as unseasonable I must lay aside contrivances how to make a bargain with my neighbour and know no other Covenant but what I am making with God in the blood of Jesus I must not think of my Trade and Trafick but remember it is for the Pearl of Price that I am Trading now and laying out my strength and labour I must not be disturbed with a desperate Debt that 's owing me but remember the Debts I owe to God and how I do expect that at this time they should be struck out and cancell'd for ever I must not now torment my self about a livelyhood when I come to get a Title to a Life of everlasting Glory I must not now think how to get Bread and make provision for my Family but rather reflect with joy what large provision the Almighty makes for my Soul and what care he takes to make me a Son of God an Heir of Heaven and Coheir with Christ. When sensual Thoughts fly through my Mind at this time I must continue to say to them Arise and Depart for here shall not be your rest 5. I must now make some Spiritual reflexions on the breaking of the Bread and upon pouring out of the Holy Wine On the breaking of the Bread BEhold O my Soul thus was thy Blessed Saviour's Body broken Thus was his unspotted Flesh torn asunder O my Sins ye did this barbarous act The Jews were but the External instruments ye were the fatal causes of that torture had it not been for you the Crown of Thorns had never wounded that Sacred Head Break my Heart Break it is a dismal sight A broken
〈◊〉 this Child is set for the fall and rising â—â—ain of many in Israel and for a signe â—hich shal be spoken against Luc. 2. 34. The Fire of the Altar Or Certain DIRECTIONS How to raise the SOUL into Holy Flames Before At and After the Receiving the Blessed Sacrament Of the LORDS SUPPER With suitable Prayers and Devotions To which is prefix'd A DIALOGUE Betwixt A Christian and his own Conscience Concerning the True Nature of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION Intended chiefly for the Inhabitants of St. Mary le Strand and the Precinct of the Savoy By Anthony Horneck D. D Printed by T. N. for Samuel Lowndes 〈◊〉 against Exeter Exchange in the Strand 1683. To my Beloved Parishioners the Inhabitants of St. Mary le Strand and the Precinct of the SAVOY THough I intend you a larger Treatise upon the Sacrament of the Lords Supper by the Name and Title of THE CRUCIFIED JESUS Yet I was willing to let these Directions come forth to prepare your Hearts for those larger Meditations not but that there are Books enough already Writ upon this Subject and by abler Pens too but you having for some years past known my Conversation my Temper my Exhortations and my manner of Speaking and Writing I thought something of this nature might be more useful to you then other more elaborate Lucubrations There is nothing I am more afraid of then that the generality of you both young and old either have not or will not have right apprehensions of that Christian Religion you profess some being apt to place it in a careless customary Belief of the Doctrine some in leaving a few notorious Sins Others in saying their Prayers Others in doing no body wrong Others again in having good desires and pious inlinations all which Opinions are notorious mistakes of the nature and temper of Christianity which imports a change of Nature Disposition and Acting contrary to the Humours Passions Manners Customs and Deportment of the World and this is it I must see and perceive in you before I can conclude that my pains and labours among you have not been in vain Brethren My Hearts Desire and Prayer to God for you is That you may be Saved I will assure you this is no Compliment no form of Speech no Words in course but the ardent wish of my Soul and my fervent Prayers day and night This is the desire of my soul in private and in publick for this I fill my Mouth with Arguments to that God who heareth Prayers even then when you do not think of me For this I study and take pains and am willing to spend my self and to be spent and your Salvation is the great object of my care for this end I venture your Anger and caress yonr Love For this end I walk blameless among you and am tender of your welfare For this end I reprove and exhort and intreat you and run and spend my breath and all that you may be saved I am not ignorant of the Divels devices I am sensible of the nature of sin how apt it is to deceive you and though I am not with you in all places I see by the effects how the enemy of your Souls deals with you and what will be the issue of a careless Life I consider the shrieks of the damn'd in Hell and would fain keep you from that dangerous gulph I see you stand upon the brink of destruction and cannot forbear calling to you O do your selves no harm The greatest kindness you can do me the greatest gratitude you can express the greatest civility and respect you can shew me is to do according to the wholsome Counsels I do give you whatever constructions some of you may put upon these adjurations The searcher of all hearts knows this to be true that I would rejoyce in nothing so much as in your obedience to the Gospel I would fain rejoyce with you in the great day of the Lord Jesus I would fain see you Glorious Saints in the Everlasting Mansions I would fain see you shine as Stars in the Firmament of Heaven I would see you triumph with Angels sing with Cherubim and joyn the Celestial Quire in Eternal Praises Think what a dismal sight it will be in that day to see some of your friends in the burning Lake that might have feasted with the Son of God in his Fathers Kingdom We that meet together in the Church-Militant here What a happy What a Glorious fight would it be to meet all in the Church-triumphant when these Bodies do drop from us It is no small grief to me to see some of you who have lived for some years under my Ministry given to the same sins and inordinate desires as Drunkenness Swearing Lying Cheating Dissembling Malice Wrath Hatred Passion Carelesness and neglect of the Lords Supper Quarrelling foolish Jesting filthy Talk Frothiness Pride Vncleanness c. they were formerly enamoured with certainly this must be an argument against you in that day when God shall judge the secrets of Men by the Everlasting Gospel O let 's not be forced to complain of you that we would have healed you and you would not be healed To this end I beseech you 1. To make the Rules in the following Treatise familiar to you There is nothing in it but what you 'l find exactly agreeable to that Word on which you build your Faith By making them familiar to you I do not only mean getting them by Heart but applying your selves to the serious practice of them till you get a habit of those Virtues A single act now and then when you are in a Religious humour will do no good but you must labour at them so long till they come to be incorporated with your Spirits and mingle with your Complexion and Constitution To oblige your Children and Servants to learn these Rules without Book and to admonish them to try and see whether they observe them in their Behaviour and Conversation to ask them often Whether their Actions are agreeable to these Rules and whether they are not afraid of losing Gods favour by neglecting so great a Salvation But then you must shew them a good example for all your Exhortations will be but Wind while you do not express the possibility of living up to these Rules in your own Lives Your example will make these Christian Virtues amiable and your practice must shew that you believe them necessary And oh how comfortable will it be upon your Death-beds and what joy will this testimony of your Conscience Cause that in Godly Simplicity and Sincerity not according to fleshly Wisdom but according to the Grace of God you have had your Conversation in the World God will love you even he whose loving kindness is better then life it self His Love will close your Eyes His Love will whisper the glad tidings of Happiness in your Ears His Love will be your guide through the shadow and valley of Death and this Love will see you
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
a Purple Robe How from thence he returned to Pilate and thereupon was scourged and crowned with Thorns How after this he bore his Cross and was actually crucified How he was made to drink Gall and Vinegar and at last bowed the Head and died But then I must not only barely survey these sufferings but reflect at the same time upon my sins that procured them and accuse not only my grosser sins if I have been guilty of any but my lesser errours of using the Son of God so barbarously I must not reflect upon his bloody Sweat without thinking of my proud Thoughts and Speeches and Actions that pulled it on him nor upon his wounds without beating my Breast for my Envy and Malice and revengful desires that caused them nor upon the Crown of Thorns without detesting my intemperance and sinister designs in doing good and affectation of vain Glory that set it on his Head nor on the Nails that tore his Flesh without taking a view of my pettishness and peevishness and impatience which struck them in nor upon the Spear that opened his side without entertaining some dismal Thoughts of my neglect of Meditation and Prayer and fervency of Spirit and Holy Discourses and bearing of Injuries and Heavenly Thoughts nor upon his Tears without looking stern upon my slight and superficial performances for all these help'd towards his Death and Agonies 5. I must shew my willingness to imitate Christ Jesus by doing some good Work if health and strength do give me leave This must be the first fruits of my future treading in his steps and will make my coming to the Holy Sacrament more comfortable I must in this imitate the Woman that poured out the ointment on Christ's Head before his sufferings began and Christ himself who wash'd his Disciples Feet before he refresh'd their Souls with the Holy Sacrament I must either free some prisoner to testify my resentment of the Mercy Christ shewed me in freeing me from the bondage of the Divel or relieve some poor Family to express my sense of Christ's relieving my Soul in the greatest strait or impart some good Counsel to a wicked and careless neighbour to shew how kind Christ was in visiting me with his Admonitions or visit some sick persons that are under great distress and comfort them or help them or give them or procure them some Physick that may do them good if they be needy to shew how sensible I am of Christ's being my Physician or forgive some small Debt a poor Man owes me to shew how I rejoyce at Christ's forgiving me Ten thousand Talents Or visit a man that hates me and behave my self most courteously to him to see whether his Heart will melt and come to a better temper thereby to express my sense of Christ's Love to me that have been his Enemy or give a good Book to one that hath no Money to buy one to shew my sense of Christ's feeding me with the word of Life or deny my self in a lawful Recreation or lawful Ornament or lawful Meal to shew I am sensible how Christ hath denied himself for mysake or pray earnestly for the conversion of a person I have no acquaintance with and whom I hear to be very vitious to express my sense of Christ's care of my Salvation 6. I must frequently pray that God would give me a Heart to breathe and pant after him and particularly a Heart to esteem and prize his Love manifested in this Sacrament above all the pleasures of this World that he would give me a Faith active and vigorous and which may press through all impediments and purify my Heart and Life and forget what is behind it That he would give me a contrite Spirit and Grace to tremble at his Word and threatnings that he would give me courage to undervalue and despise the World and the Glories and Vanities of it that he would give me a burning Zeal to his Glory a transcendent love to his Name and Ways and Ordinances that he would make me sincere in Devotion in Prayer and in all good Works and banish from me all sinister and worldly ends and designs in Holy performances that he would give me a firm resolution to imitate the Saints of old and the best examples at this day and to stop my ears against all the suggestions of Flesh and Blood to the contrary that he would give me a Mind which may delight in contemplating the Divine Goodness and Perfection and would teach me the great Art of Self-resignation of trusting him with my Soul and Body and of relying intirely upon his providence 7. I must resolve and unfeignedly upon my bended knees or in a very solemn manner resolve to watch and strive for the future against those particular sins and errors and sinful inclinations I am most inclined to If I have neglected such a Self-denial to neglect it no more if I have been guilty of such acts of pride and envy and ill nature to be guilty of them no more if I have been careless and slovenly in my Prayers to be so no more if I have pleased my self with vain Thoughts to please my self with them no more if I have delighted in fine Cloaths to delight in them no more if I have been false to my Vows and Promises to be false to them no more if I have made nothing of ill Names and ill Language to dread it like poison for the future I must resolve to mortifie such a habit of sin with rigors with being unkind to my flesh with Fasting and with mulcts of Money if I commit but a single act of the sin I must resolve to use the proper means to subdue such a corruption I must resolve to avoid that company where I am and have been apt to yield to a certain sin I must resolve to spend my time better and if I have spent too much of it in Dressing in Pleasure in Carding and Dice c. to do so no more whatever disgrace dis-respect or frowns I may meet with from the World or from mine Acquaintance and if I have been careless of meditating and being serious on the Lords day to make a better improvement of that day And I must so resolve as to think my self concerned to fulfil and perform my solemn Resolution unto which I have call'd God as a witness 8. I must watch against all things that would discompose and disorder my mind put me into a rage or passion and make me peevish and discontented and consequently unfit for the worthy receiving of this Sacrament I must labour to preserve a calmness and serenity of Mind and that neither multitude of worldly business do distract me nor injuries past and gone discompose me or put me into impatient Thoughts and expressions nor present disappointments rob me of my quiet I must watch against impediments that would tempt me to delay my coming to this Table and take heed I do not yield to Temptations that would
Crucifie thee to revive him that did kill thee and to Love him that did Hate thee O stupendous Mercy Henceforward no Vain Glory no Worldly Pomp no outward Riches no Smiles of great Men no outward Comfort shall have so much of my heart as thy sweet self O encrease my Faith my Hope my Love my Charity make my Soul a Temple of the Holy Ghost O come come thou Bridegroom of my Soul come and dwell in me for ever Consc. And is this all that is to be observed upon this occasion Christ. No. For after I have been made Partaker of these Mysteries and Tokens of God's Love I must 1. Bless God for the opportunity I have had of going with the Multitude to the House of God with the Voice of Joy and Praise with the Multitude which keeps Holy-day I must Magnifie his Goodness who so loved the World as to give his only Begotten Son to the end that all those that believe in him should not Perish but have everlasting Life I must summon my thoughts to enter into some such Meditation as this Whence is it that the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords in whose eyes the very Angels are not pure should come to visit such a Wretch as I O my Lord to whom doest thou stoop What is that Creature that thou bowest thus low to A Den of Thieves a Habitation of Vipers a Vessel of Dishonour O how often have I polluted my self even after thou hast washed me Is it possible that God will dwell in such a polluted House Is it possible that God will come and Feast and Sup with such an unprofitable Servant O my Soul It is not only possible but thy Lord hath done it to day Thine eyes have seen the mighty Works of thy Redeemer Thou hast seen him converse to day with a Wretch that hath undone what God hath done hath rendred him evil for good and hatred for his good-will Thou hast seen thy Lord this day vouchsafing to sit with one who is full of Bruises and putrifying Sores and those not bound up nor mollified with Ointment Alass my Lord I have abused the mighty Creator to please a Murtherer affronted the great Preserver of Men to please a Fiend and undervalued him that call'd me to Salvation to please a usurping Tyrant I can give no reason why I have offended thee except it be thy Goodness and Patience and could fair Weather make me angry What didst thou see in me Lord that should attract thee and make thee leave the highest Heavens to descend into an Abyss of Misery O my Jesus water my Soul with the Tears thou hast shed anoint me with the Myrrhe of thy Grief and Sorrow tye me by thy Bonds let thy Scourges soften my Heart let thy Derisions strengthen me let thy Cross raise me Reign over me do with me what seems good to thy Power Wisdom and Goodness O let me never depart from thee let not the Creature draw me more than the Creator Vanity more than Eternity Misery more than Felicity Filthiness more than Beauty Slavery more than Greatness Bitterness more than Sweetness My Beloved is mine and I am his he feeds among the Lillies O that thou wert as my Brother that suck'd the Breasts of my Mother I would kiss thee yea I should not be despised O Lord all my desire is before thee take away from me whatever doth displease thee Give me an humble heart that I may be content to be counted as Dung for thy sake give me an obedient heart that I may be entirely guided by thee give me a strong heart that I may cheerfully bear whatever thy hand lays upon me give me a tender heart that I may be kindly affectionate to my Neighbour give me a free heart that nothing may hinder me from running to thee give me a heart of Flesh that I may love thee perfectly Praise ye the Lord I will praise the Lord with my whole heart in the Assembly of the Upright and in the Congregation The Works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein His work is honourable and glorious and his Righteousness endureth for ever He hath made his wonderful Works to be remembred The Lord is gracious and full of Compassion he hath given Meat to them that fear him he will ever be mindful of his Covenant he hath shewed his People the Power of his Works that he may give them the Heritage of the Heathen The Works of his hands are Verity and Judgment All his Commandments are sure they stand fast for ever and ever and are done in Truth and Uprightness He sent Redemption unto his People He hath commanded his Covenant for ever Holy and Reverend is his Name He raises the Poor out of the Dust and lifts the Needy out of the Dunghill that he may set him with Princes even with the Princes of his People Praise ye the Lord. 2. I must pray for the Congregation and my fellow Christians that do eat of the same Bread and drink of the same Cup with me that they may all be satisfied as with Marrow and Fatness and their Souls may live I must beg that none of them may receive the Grace of God in vain That they may keep and stand to the conditions of the Covenant they have made or renew'd with God That they may indeed fight for the future against the World the Flesh and the Devil and be more than Conquerors through him that loved them the Lord Jesus Christ. My love to Christ must constrain me to wish and beg that every Man may love him else he doth not appear truly lovely to me I must entreat the Father of Mercies to dispense his Spirit abundantly at this time That the love of Christ prevailing may pull down in my fellow-Receivers all the strong Holds of Iniquity and all Imaginations which exalt themselves against the Obedience of Christ Jesus That Christ may Reign victoriously in every one of them live in them act in them govern them by his Spirit That they may indeed bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit Love Joy Peace Goodness Faith Gentleness Meekness Temperance c. I must be importunate with God to make them all Partakers of the Benefits of Christ's Death and Passion even of that Pardon and Peace and Salvation he hath purchased and cause them to walk worthy of it like persons that are sensible of the greatness of the Favour and the depth and breadth and length and height of the Love of God and consequently may be fill'd with all the fullness of God 3. I must be thankful for the Honor I have received at such a time I must look upon 't as more than ordinary Preferment that God hath vouchsafed me a place at his Table admitted me into the number of his Children made me Partaker of the promises of the Gospel open'd his Bosom to me received me into favour assisted me with his Spirit given me a right to
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
of Sores full of Weakness full of Errours full of Infirmities a prodigy of Frailty Here Lord here is work for thy strong Hand and for thy mighty Arm. In this Heart are Divels that must be expelled by thy Power Stretch forth thy Hand and save me Here is an object to exercise thy omnipotent hand upon My Cure requires Miracles It 's no ordinary Virtue that will set me to Rights again Thou Thou O Lord must come and strike thy Hand over the sore place and my Leprosie will be gone Thy Prophet cries by thy order Return unto the Lord your God for he is Gracious and Merciful slow to anger and repents him of the evil I believe Lord I believe My Heart is wounded within me I come I come Father I have sinn'd against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants But then I desire no other hire no other wages but thy Self Thou art my exceeding great reward Oh! How bitter a thing is it to forsake thee What have I got by offending thee What have I gained by sinning against thee Nothing but Shame and Horror and Trembling and Confusion Darkness hath covered me the shadow of Death hath fallen upon me What fruit had I then in those things whereof I am now asham'd My Soul hath been divested of her innocence her Joy her Peace her Comfort and her Satisfaction And Oh my Jesus didst not thou stand my friend now Great Mediator didst not thou stand in the gap now and plead for me O my Redeemer Didst not thou intercede for me I must be prostituted and exposed to Eternal laughter and derision Good Lord How pitiful how wretched how trivial how impertinent how inconsiderable was that pleasure that profit that thing for which I did did affront and dishonour thee When I look upon thy Creatures either above or below I wonder how they were able to contain themselves and not vindicate their Masters Honour which they saw abused by me I wonder they did not not fall upon me and crush me into perdition when they saw how bold how presumptuous this Caitiff was O my Lord For this my Soul shall mourn in secret even for this that I have not loved thee better that I have not sought thee more that I have not approach'd thee with greater veneration Hence forward Lord if all the Pleasures all the Riches all the Honours of this World were concentred in this sin that formerly I lived in it should be no temptation to me I would tear the Tyrant out of its seat It should usurp thy place no more I would pull it out of its Throne it should find no harbour in me Thy Love should constrain me to part with it I will Crucify thee no more I have trampled too long upon thy Mercy I will make light of it no more O my Jesus Remember thy Agonies remember thy Pain remember thy Sufferings remember thy Death and forget my Sins Thy Servant David cryed once I have sinned and thou didst presently take away his Sin My sighing is not hid from thee O do not hide thy Face from me Manasseh look'd up to thee and thou hadst respect unto his Prayer O give ear to my Prayer too that goes not out of feigned Lips The Ninivites humbled themselves and thou wast intreated Oh repent thy self of the evil thou hast said thou wouldst do unto me and do it not Peter wept and thou gavest him a Gracious Look I water my couch with my tears Oh smile upon me too and say I have redeem'd thee thou art mine I love thee O Lord and would have every Creature love thee I would have all things that have breath praise the Lord. I would have every creature shew forth thy Glory Thou hast loved me from all Eternity Was ever such Love heard of as thine was To come from the Mansions of the Blessed into a Valley of Tears to advance such a creature from Death to Life Eternal Thou hast made my Death a harmless nay a gainful thing Thy Cross hath sweetned all there was Death in the pot but thou threwest in Meal and didst sweeten all O blot out the very footsteps of my Sins and set me as a Seal upon thy Heart so will I give thee thanks in the great Congregation my Lips shall praise thee O my Life I would prefer thee above all thy Creatures I would look upon all these outward Comforts as a drop in the Bucket and on Thee as the Ocean On these as the small dust in the Ballance on Thee as the Rock of Ages I would love Thee with all my heart I would love Thee more then my Self O that my whole Mind were united to Thee O that I might know nothing save Jesus Christ and him Crucified O that all the powers of my Soul might embrace Thee O that I might seek thy Glory with stronger desires then Worldlings do their Wealth or the Covetous the increase of their In-comes Oh! that I could adhere unto Thee inseparably O withdraw my Heart from every evil way Incline my Heart to all Goodness Let not my Affections be henceforth corrupted with the love of the Creature Let me not be weary of loving Thee Let nothing overcome my Love Let nothing damp it Oh enable me to say Who shall separate me from the love of God! O draw my Soul with cords of Love with this Love wound and pierce my Heart and make it sick that it may insatiably long for Thee Oh! I would love Thee without ceasing love Thee without bounds love Thee without measure Oh let my Soul melt with this Fire and purge away that filth which doth so easily beset me Take away from me all that doth displease Thee Refine in me all that pleases Thee Be Thou ever present with me Live in me thou Fountain of Life and let me live in Thee and let that Charity live in me which suffers long and is kind which envies not which vaunteth not it self which is not puft up which doth not behave it self unseemly seeks not her own is not easily provoked thinks no evil rejoyces not in iniquity but rejoyces in the Truth bears all things believes all things hopeth all things endureth all things through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A Prayer for Faith O Thou from whom every good and perfect Gift descends who givest to all Men liberally and upbraidest not Thou callest Seek ye my Face Thy Face Lord will I seek Thou hast said O Lord Thy Mouth hath spoken it if ye had but Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed ye should say unto this Mountain Be thou removed and cast into the Sea and it should obey you O my Lord I have Rocks to be displaced Mountains to be removed vast loads to be freed from Rocks of Unbelief Mountains of Sin loads of Iniquity Oh lend me thy helping Hand None can give relief none can succour none can do me any good but thy self How
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
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
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
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
A Prayer for imitation of the Holy Life and example of Jesus O Thou who art the way the Truth and the Life I know thee who thou art the Son of the living God! who shall lead me into Edom who shall bring me into the strong City into that City which hath foundations whose Builder and Maker is God wilt not thou O Lord Strong and Mighty Hear O my Soul Thy Redeemer calls If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be O my Lord I had need of a guide in this age when the world lies in wickedness how many ways to ruin do I see How many Nets do I see spread for me what a snare are even these outward Comforts How do they entice and draw the heart away O Father of Mercy How many thousands do I see beguiled by the Riches and Pleasures of this Life How insensible do they grow of that life they are to live for ever How forgetful of God! How enamoured with the Gauds and Glories of this World How does the beauty of their Souls decay and wither away And one teaches the other to go to Hell O my God! what shall I do among so many enemies What shall I do in all this darkness What shall I do among all these Precipices Without thy light I must needs be lost Rise rise thou glorious morning Star that I may be able to see my way Thou art the light of the World He that follows Thee cannot walk in darkness Why should I be afraid of going astray Thou art my way How can I be deceived Thou art Goodness it self How can I mistrust Thee when thou hast spilt thy Blood for me Though naturally thou dwellest in a light inaccessible yet of invisible thou becamest visible on purpose that I might follow not the Father of Lies not Lucifer not that Enemy who transforms himself into an Angel of Light but Thee in whom all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are Great Physitian of Souls thou camest down to prescribe me physick and that I might not be afraid to take it didst take it before me and of God becamest Man that I might imitate Thee in the Holiness of thy Humane Nature This is it O my Lord that my Soul desires even to set Thee before mine Eyes to represent Thee in lively colours before my Mind and to conform to thy great example O my Jesus thy Spirit I want which may change me into thy Image from Glory to Glory from one degree of Brightness to another and enable me to comprehend with all Saints what is the depth and bredth and height and length of the Love of God and may be filled with the fulness of God! O my God! My Soul longs to say with thy Apostle I live yet not I but Christ lives in me Once thou didst create me after thy Image but I defaced it those curious lines I darknen'd and dash'd yet thou hast given me hopes to recover that Jewel and O my Lord do thou place it in its Throne again How do I long to have my Mind renew'd and my Soul transform'd that I may mind the things of the Spirit with sincerity and earnestness Who but a Fool would not tread in thy steps my dearest Lord yet such a Fool such a Sot such a Beast I have been I have seen Thee lighting me to Heaven and yet have loved Darkness better than Light O thou Eternal Wisdom I hate this Folly I abhor this Stupidity I will follow the Lamb whether soever he goes Thy Apostles follow'd Thee why should not I who le Armies of Primitive Beleevers follow'd thee Why should not I why should I become behind them why should I have a less esteem for thee than they had My very Name obliges me to follow Thee What am I a Christian for if I do not imitate Thee O let me not blaspheme that worthy Name whereby I am called I blaspheme it if by my vain conversation I give thine Enemies occasion to speak ill of thy Religion Do I call my self by thy Name and am loath to tread in thy steps My Heart is stubborn My Will perverse O do thou bow it make me ready make me willing make me expedite for this Work Thou tookest up thy Cross Oh let me not dream of Beds of Roses Thou wast Subject to thy Parents Oh make me submissive to my Superious Thou didst resist Temptations O let me not be overcome by them Thou didst despise the VVorld Oh let me not be enamoured with it Thou wentest about doing good O let me not be backward to works of Charity Thou didst deny thy self O let me not indulge my vain desires Thou didst work while the day did last Oh let me not harden my Heart in this my day Thou wast humble Oh let the same humility take root in my Soul Thou wast meek Oh let this meekness be the rule of all my actions Thou didst not aim at vain-Glory Oh let no such pitiful end defile my Soul Thou didst bear with the weak Oh let me be tender-hearted and gentle too Thou didst patiently endure injuries Oh let me not fret and murmure under them Thou wast faithful in all thy Fathers House Oh let me be so in the duties of my Calling and Relations Thou didst receive and embrace the penitent Oh let me reioyce over those who are sorry for their faults Thou didst encourage Goodness and Holy Inclinations Oh let me cherish them wheresoever I find them Thou didst do thy Fathers Will Oh let me not pretend impediments Thou didst good for evil Oh let me not recompence Sin with Sin A sense of Gods Goodness was Meat and Drink to thee Oh let it be my Diet too Thou wast a pattern of Gravity Oh let me not be vain and foolish in my Conversation Thou didst spend thy self for the good of Mankind Oh let me not indulge my Ease too much Thou didst entirely resign thy self to thy Fathers pleasure under the severest Trials Oh teach me this Art of Self-resignation too Thou wast zealous for the House of God Oh let not Luke-warmness spoil my Soul Thou wast not taken with the Pomp and Glory of the World Oh let me not be gull'd with these empty shews The frowns and contempt of Men could not make thee weary of being strictly conscientious Oh let not these pitiful things make me ashamed of thee and thy Gospel O my Jesus Thy Kingdom must suffer violence and whoever enters there must force his way through all impediments and what if I offer violence to my Lusts and Passions for a time How sweet will it be to lie encircled in thy Arms one day and to hear thee say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you Thou dost promise me that if I will fight for thee thou wilt give me to eat of the Tree of Life and to sit down with thee in thy Kingdom at thy Table and to be a King and a
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
Thanksgivings and paying my humble Vows to thy Divine Majesty and calling upon thee in the day of trouble O my God! my Soul fainteth for thee when shall I come to appear before thee My Soul is cast down within me When wilt thou comfort me I long for thy Salvation I hunger and thirst after Righteousness I see Beauty and splendor and excellency in it and would fain be cloathed with that Ornament Thou deservest my strongest desires my most vigorous Breathings my most lively Pantings after thee not to long after thee is to be a stranger to real Bliss not to follow hard after thee is to be ignorant of thy Riches and the plenty of thy House But what do I talk of desires of a single Heart would to God that all Mankind might offer unto thee their reasonable service thou deservest it and deservest all the love of Angels too But thou desirest nothing so much as the Hearts of the Children of Men The Angels are happy already only Mankind lies ingulfed in misery and so great is thy Charity that having taken their Nature upon thee thou wouldst willingly make them equal with Angels Great Darling of the Holy Trinity What haste dost thou make to dye How dost thou run to redeem the Sons of Men Nothing can hold thee nothing can restrain thee not thine own Greatness not thy Majesty not thy being the Son of God not love to thine own preservation Thou didst love me better then thy self How didst thou fly to my deliverance How dost thou leap in to prevent my hurt No Divels can fright thee no danger terrify thee no pain discourage thee no anguish make thee afraid Thou longest till the great Work be done The other Malefactors that are crucified with thee What honour had these wretches and yet were not sensible of it One at last opens his Eyes and sees it and stands amazed these held out longer on the Gibbet but thou bidst Death come away and seize thy Life It 's a pleasure to thee to die Oh surprizing Mercy Other Men seek to escape Death as long as they can they run away from the sight of the Monster if they do but see the shadow of it they tremble and to them Death is truly a King of Terrors Thou goest out to meet it as that which must put an end to thy sufferings and my misery It 's death to thee not to die Thou chidest it for staying Tâ—â—â— hast a Baptism to be Baptized with and Oh what wouldst thou that it were accomplish'd Ah! My Lord I see thy dying Lips from which dropt Speeches sweeter then Honey and the Honey-comb Death is going to close them up yet O vouchsafe me a look that may refresh my Soul And now the Glory is departed from Israel The Saviour of the World gives up the Ghost O let me die with thee O draw me after thee and I shall live I wonder not that the Graves open at thy death and the Rocks rend and the Sun hides his Face but I wonder the whole Earth did not dissolve and nature it self did not run into its primitive chaos and confusion O my crucified Master How ill art thou rewarded for thy kindness Thou wert Eyes to the blind and Feet to the lame Thou wert a Father to the Poor and a Staff to the Aged Thou didst cause the Widows Heart to sing for joy Thou didst deliver the Poor that cryed the Fatherless and him that had no helper Unto thee Men gave ear and waited and kept silence at thy Counsel after thy words they spake not again and thy Speech dropt upon them the naked deck'd themselves with the Wooll of thy Sheep and thy Door was open to the weary Traveller But now they that are younger then thou have thee in derision and they that were Children of Fools Children of base Men Men viler then the Earth gape upon thee Thou art their Song and art become their By-word They abhorr thee and flee far from thee and spare not to spit in thy Face They marr thy Path they set forward thy Calamity Terrours are turned upon thee they pursue thy Soul as the Wind and thy welfare passes away as a Cloud O infinite Patience Yet these Sinners are offered Salvation by him whom they abused thus Salvation What do I hear O then there is hopes for me for I have been one of thy enemies I have mock'd thee by by my Sins I have derided thy sufferings by my contempt of thy Laws I have scorned thee by preferring mine own Will before thine I have spit upon thee by my filthy communications I have abused thee by sheltring my Sins under thy Cross I have dishonoured thee by my Life disgraced thee by my carelesness buffeted thee by my impatience affronted thee by my pride made light of thy Power and Goodness by my mistrust of thy Providence undervalued thy Love by my affection to vanity and yet thou stretchest forth thine arm to lay hold on me art loath to see me perish unwilling to see me undone and proclaimest mercy to a forlorn wretch Blessed news O King of Kings thou cryest It is fulfilled The work is done the vast work of redemption Now thy Fathers anger is broke now the Floodgates of indignation are shut Now Heaven stands open Now thy Fathers bosom is held out to all that thirst after thee Hear this all ye prisoners listen to this message ye guilty Souls Come all that are laden with a sense of sin Open the door Throw off your Chains Run to this Rock Make haste to this Fountain Kiss this Sun Make much of this Light Embrace this Mercy Do ye dispute the thing Do ye question whether ye shall do it or no Is it possible you can stand out Is it possible you can demur upon it Is it possible your Hearts do not turn within you Can you refuse your Cordial neglect the Medicine that must recover you slight the Remedy that must fetch you to life again O Jesu Thou hast done all things well Thou hast made the Blind to see and the Dumb to speak and the Deaf to hear O open thou my Lips and my Mouth shall shew forth thy Praise Open thou mine Ears and let me hear thy loving kindness betimes in the Morning O open thou mine Eyes and I shall see how Sweet and Gracious thou art O my Life thou diest and dying fulfillest thy Fathers Will for indeed it was fit that one Man should die for the People and that the whole Nation perish not Ah! What would Mankind have done if thou hadst not paid the Ransom Whether must they have fled for refuge if thou hadst not given thy self a Sacrifice They must have wandred about in Caves and Dens destitute tormented afflicted disconsolate lived in perpetual fear of death and the dreadful consequences of it Death must have been for ever a King of terrours to them if they had but look'd upon that Hell that death would have open'd into How could they