A MOST COMFORTABLE AND Christian Dialogue, between the Lord, and the Soul.  
BY Mr. WILLIAM COWPER, Minister of God's Word.  MATTHEW 11. 28. Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will refresh you. 
The seventh Edition.  
LONDON, Printed by G. P. for john Budge, and are to be sold at the great South-door of Paul's, and at Britain's Burse. 1617.   

TO THE RIGHT Worshipful, Sir DAVID MURREY, Knight, special Gentleman of the Prince his Bedchamber.  
IT is (right Worshipful) the common condition of all Christians, howsoever disjoined in place, that they are militant in one warfare against Satan with his Principalities, Powers and spiritual wickedness, whose stratagems are innumerable, and the manner of his assaults manifold: he troubleth not all God's children one manner of way; for so every one might easily espy wherein his strength lieth, but makes choice of the temptation, as by long experience he hath learned it may be most effectual to work upon our natural disposition. Like as on the other hand, the Grace by which God strengtheneth his Children to resist him, is much more manifold; whereby they are instructed to use the Armour of God, with such variety of heavenly wisdom, that is a wonder to see, how by one and the self-same sentence of God's word, at sundry hands, sundry manner of ways, Satan is confounded: & therefore it is very needful that in the spiritual warfare there should be a mutual intelligence among the Soldiers of Christ, as well for discovering of Satan's several sleights in assaulting; for the more his policy is detected, the better may we eschew it; as also, for the manifestation of GOD'S rich mercy in assisting.  
For this cause have I been induced to communicate unto others, these Meditations, as it pleased God by experience, to communicate them unto me, for in the midst of darkness which covered the mind, and restless fear which disquieted the conscience, the Lord made them suddenly to break out, like sparkles of light, sent from his own Throne of Grace, bringing with them light, peace, and joy, which in a moment removed the former fears, and pacified the perturbations of my troubled soul. As they were unto me, so I wish they may be means of comfort unto others: but I know that the same argument of comfort, which hath comforted one in temptations, doth not always comfort another: Nay, not in the self-same temptation; for the Lord will have his praise reserved to himself, that he only is the God of all comfort. It is not the word, (saith David) but God by the word that did quicken him, Psal. 119. 9 Yea, the most comfortable promise of the Gospel is most terrible to the troubled conscience, except the Lord by it work in the heart a sense of his mercy: and therefore such as want comfort, let them seek it from the God of comfort. Nevertheless, that which we have, we give even as we have received it; that it may stand as a memorial of my thankfulness to God who showed his great mercy upon me, when within myself I had received the sentence of death; and a testimony of my love toward them who are militant against Satan: And specially of that Christian remembrance I have always of you in the Lord jesus; to whose grace I commend you, now, and for ever.  
Your Worships in the Lord jesus, William Cowper, Minister at Perth.   

A RIGHT COMFORTABLE DIAlogue, between the Lord and a troubled SOUL.  The LORD. 
O My beloved, why fearest thou, and art so cast down and disquieted within thyself? dost thou well to be angry with my chastisements? and why art thou offended, that I should make thee like to myself, causing thee to walk in that way of inward & outward griefs, which I did tread before thee? why refusest thou to take up my cross and follow me, and to taste of that cup which I drank before thee, and for thee?  The SOUL. 
O Lord, give me of thy Spirit, and all trouble with thee, or for thee, shallbe sweet unto me: what ever thou didst bear (O Lord) it was for me: and if I were so disposed as I should, then would I be content to bear all that thou (my God) shouldest please to lay on me. But alas, it is my cursed corruption that makes me think thy cross my burden. Lord, therefore uphold me with thy grace, that I may count thy yoke easy, and find joy in these sufferings with thee.  The LORD. 
I Know the cause of thy grief and terror to be the consideration of thy sins: but I pray thee, why lookest thou so to thy sins, that thou lookest not also to my mercies? why wouldst thou so extol thy evil deeds, that thou shouldest extenuat my rich mercies; or in any way compare the one with the other? was it for thy good deeds that first I entered into friendship with thee? & thinkest thou now, that for thy evil deeds I will utterly forsake thee, seeing it is among my praises, that the work which I begin, I perfect it? I like it well indeed, to see thee grieved for the sins thou hast done against me; but I would have thee also comforted in the mercies that I have showed thee. Call to mind my works of old, and what I have done to thee since thou canst remember: how cared I for thee in thy young and tender years? Look back now & see; did not the Angel of my presence lead thee, when thou hadst neither wisdom nor strength to govern thyself? did I not then begin to acquaint thee with the knowledge & fear of my Name? canst thou deny now, that my mercy preserved thee from many sins, whereunto thy nature was prone, and ready to have declined? and when thou sinnedst, with what long patience have I waited thy turning? & how lovingly have I winked at thy transgressions? & when I had given thee grace to repent of thy sins, and to seek my favour & mercy for the sins of thy youth, with a melting heart, & a mourning eye, canst thou deny that I have filled thy heart with my joys, and made thy tongue burst out in glorying speeches? and why then wilt thou not trust in my mercies to the end?  The SOUL. 
I Were, O Lord, most unthankful, if I should not confess, that many a time in the multitude of my thoughts thy mercies have comforted me: but alas, I have not answered thy loving kindness: for after many mercies received, I have sinned against thee, contrary to my light, & my sins are now before me, witnessing that I am unworthy to taste of the sweetness of thy mercy any more.  The LORD. 
IS my mercy only for a day, or for a year? or is it for ever & ever toward those whom I have made mine in Christ jesus? wilt thou restrain my mercies, and limit them within so narrow bounds, as to think they cannot be extended over all thy transgressions? wilt thou measure my mercies with so narrow a span, as to think I have no more to give, than thou hast an heart to receive? Is it not among my praises, that I am able to do exceeding abundantly above all that my Children can ask or think of me? Knowest thou not, that as the Heavens are above the Earth, so my thoughts are above thine? hast thou not considered that my mercy is above all my works? how much more than is it above thee, who art nothing in comparison of my works? and if it be above thee, how much more above all that thou canst do? why then wilt thou match thy sins with my mercies? If require such mercy in my children, that I will have one of them to forgive another, not only seven times, but seventy times seven times: what pity and compassion and readiness to forgive is in myself?  
Therefore, my beloved, despair not for the multitude of thy sins; but be comforted with my promises of mercy: I have made them without any exception of time; For, at what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sins, I have promised to put away his wickedness out of my remembrance. I have made them without exception of sins; for, albeit your sins were as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow. I have made them without exception of persons; for, whosoever shall depart from his wicked ways & turn to me, I shall receive him. Let this threefold universality of my promises sustain thee, that thy infidelity contract not my mercies into narrower bounds than I have extended them.  The SOUL. 
BE merciful (O Lord) to my infidelity: I believe in part, Lord, help my unbelief, establish & confirm my unstable heart with thy good and holy spirit. My conscience doth in such sort condemn me, that I stand in fear of thy justice; for thou art greater than the conscience, & wilt much more condemn me, if thou dost enter into judgement with me.  The LORD. 
O My beloved, consider that the cause of thy present unquietness, is, because with the one eye, thou lookest to thy sins, & my Father's justice: & with the other lookest not to me; in whom his justice is satisfied, and thy sins punished already. Tell me (I pray thee) thinkest thou to get in thyself, and the holiness of thy disposition, that which shall exempt thee from the fear of his justice? Or art thou content to seek it in me? If in thyself thou seekest it, remember what thou art doing: wilt thou have the Lord bound and obliged to thee? wilt thou be thine own Saviour? or shall it be said▪ his mercy saved thee not? if no misery were in thee, whereupon should his mercy be manifested? and if thy disposition in the earth were such as it should be, than what remaineth, but that the prais of his mercy should fall to the ground? turn thee therefore to me, and seek thy life in me.  
If thou wilt know what is thine: thou art a sinner; let my praise be reserved to myself, I am thy Saviour. Esteemest thou that my wounds are ineffectual? or that there is no force in my sufferings? countest thou thy sins so deadly, that my merit and virtue cannot cure them? Will any Physician power out a rare ointment, either where no need is; or else, where it cannot profit? and thinkest thou, that my Father would have my blood to be shed in vain? If his justice terrify thee, remember his justice was satisfied in me, and that he pronounceth this sentence himself, This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. I came into the world, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Tarry not from me because thou art a sinner, but for that cause come to me, and I will refresh thee.  The SOUL. 
O Lord, I know that there is a cleansing and reconciling virtue in thy blood; that life is in thy death: but still I fear, my sins deserve thou shouldest neither apply thy virtue nor thy merit to me: for, alas, I find that yet the old man is strong and lively in me: and that yet the motions of sin have power in me, to bring forth fruit unto death.  The LORD. 
BE not, I pray thee, injurious to the work of my Grace in thee; complain not so of thy corruption, but that thou mayst give unto me mine own praise. Canst thou deny but that thou hast felt my power working in thy Soul? Have I not sprinkled thy conscience many times with the pacifying blood of Christ; from which hath flowed to thee such a witnessing of good things; such a sense of mercy, as for the time, hath filled thy heart with joy, and thy mouth with song of praise? Have I not sometime stirred thee up in great fervency, to call on the Name of the Lord? Have I not made thee to give Christ's name a public testimony, with thine own disadvantage? and how oft hath thine heart been effectually moved at the hearing of my word, in such sort, that it hath wrought in thee an holy remorse, & an inward contrition for thy sins, which hath broken out into tears? have I not made thee a wrestler against thy inordinate lusts? have I not given thee strength many a time to stand against Satan's temptations, whereas if I had left thee to thyself, how often hadst thou been made a prey to thine enemy?  
Remember'st thou not that the Tempter hath assaulted thee, but I have withdrawn the occasion of sin? and when the occasion served, did not I restrain and hold back the Tempter? 〈◊〉, when both the Tempter and occasion were present, have I not filled thy heart with the fear & love of my name, and so kept thee from sinning against me? & whereas many times of thy weakness thou hast offended, did I not with a melting heart & mourning eye, raise thee again, and renew my former familiarity with thee; so that thou canst never say, from the first hour that I begun to renew thee, that I suffered thee to lie in thy sin, as I have done others that are strangers from my grace? And many more notable effects of my working in thee thou canst not deny.  
Are not these the undoubted tokens of my Grace in thee? will Nature do such things? mayest thou not feel by these, that I have begun to apply to thee Christ's merit for the remission of thy sin, and Christ's virtue for quickening thee to a new life? Therefore think of thyself as basely as thou wilt, but let the work of my grace be esteemed of thee according to the excellency of it, be humble & cast down when thou lookest to thine own corruption; I find no fault with thee, but I rejoice, & am glad at the new Workmanship which I have begun in thee. Indeed, if there were nothing in thee, but that which thou hast of nature, thy estate were miserable: but seeing thou seest a new workmanship in thee, be comforted: art thou so in darkness, that there is no light in thee? or doth sin so possess thee, that beside it, also there is not in thee a will to do good, & a love to righteousness? If thou sayst thou hast no sin in thee, thou art a liar: and if thou sayst that there is no other thing in thee but sin, thou art also a liar. And thinkest thou, that seeing I have begun to translate thee from darkness into my light, and to make thee a new Creature; thinkest thou that I will leave thee, until I have done my work in thee? Therefore, my beloved, give not such ear to Satan, or thine own corruption, as to take their testimony against me, or to make thee think that my pledges which I have given thee, are not worthy of credit, that by them thou shouldest be assured of mercy.  The SOUL. 
I Cannot deny, O Lord, but that many times I have felt the sweetness of thy heavenly consolations, which have greatly rejoiced my Soul. But alas, my grief is so much the greater, that by mine own default I should now be deprived of them: for I have grieved thy holy Spirit: yea, I have done what I could to quench him: & therefore it is that the Comforter, who was wont to refresh my soul, is away, nor can I feel his presence with me as before.  The LORD. 
BEcause I am not changed, therefore is it that ye, O Sons of jacob, are not consumed. Many indeed are the changes whereunto ye are subject, but I remain the same, & there is no shadow of alteration with me, I am. 1. 17. Be not therefore afraid (O my Well-beloved) neither esteem thyself to be rejected of me, albeit that sometime I hide my face from thee; all my ways are mercy and truth to mine. It is for thee, that sometimes I go from thee; and it is for thee, that again I return unto thee: for if I come, it is for thy consolation, that continual heaviness, through thy manifold temptations, should not oppress thee. How oft hast thou found this, when thou wert sick of love, I have strengthened thee with the Flagons of my Wine, & comforted thee with my Apples? My fruit hath been sweet in thy mouth, & I have put my left hand under thy head, and with my right hand I have embraced thee, Can. 2.  
But lest the greatness of my consolations should exalt thee to disdain thy brother, and offend me, by imputing that to thine own disposition, which thou hast of my dispensation: I have again withdrawn these glorious feelings from thee: give me the praise that I know best what is expedient for thee. Had my Servant St. Paul need to be humbled with the buffets of Satan, lest he should have been exalted out of measure by the greatness of his revelations, & hast not thou need that by thy inward exercises I should hold thee humble? If my comforts were always present with thee, thou wouldst think thy heaven & permanent City were on the earth, & so cease to inquire for a better to come: thou wouldst take the place of thy banishment for thy home; and the earnest for the principal sum which I have promised thee. Consider this wisely with thyself, that albeit I laugh not alike on thee at all times, & fill thee not always with my joys, yet I always love thee: for whom I love, I love unto the end. If I close the door of my Chamber upon thee, it is not to hold thee out, but to learn thee to knock. If I cover myself with many veils, that thou canst not see a glance of my loving countenance, it is only to stir thee up to seek me: & if sometime I seem to go from thee, it is to provoke thee to follow me, that thou mayest make haste from the earth to heaven, where thou shalt enjoy me without intermission. Was joseph so wise, as to conceal his tender affection from his brethren, till he brought them to an humble acknowledging of their sin? & was he again so loving, that when he saw them humbled, his affection was inflamed, & compelled him to reveal himself unto them? & thinkest thou that I am less wise and loving in dealing with mine?  
I gave at the first, sharp answers to the petitions of that Woman of Canaan▪ & so will I sometimes seem to deal roughly with those whom I love, and to be angry even at their prayers; but in the end I will make my love manifest to them, and with my endless mercies embrace them.  The SOUL. 
Suffer me yet once again (Lord) to speak unto thee, that thou mayst answer me, and I shall complain no more. If we saw that such were our disposition as thy holy word doth require in us, than should thy comforts rejoice us: but alas, how far am I from that which I should be? My strength is enfeebled, therefore do my inordinate affections oft-times overcharge me. If I turn me to pray, I cannot for the hardness of my heart: the contrite spirit, the melting heart, the mourning eye, is gone from me: If I seek comfort in thy word, I find it not, I am troubled also with doubtings, armies of fears and sorrows are against me, & all through weakness of my Faith: for partly for want of that light that should inform me, my infidelity abuseth me, to think that thy visitations come from thine anger, & causeth me to answer the errors of my conscience, as if they were just accusations, and partly for want of that apprehending and applying virtue that is in Faith, I am spoiled of the comfort that thy word hath offered unto me: Therefore, O Lord, have pity on the desolate state of my soul.  The LORD. 
LEt not (my beloved) the consideration of thy wants, defects, and imperfections discourage thee: remember that the measure of Grace which I have given to my Saints upon earth, I have called it an earnest-penny, & the first fruits of the Spirit, to tell them, that what ever grace they have gotten, it is nothing in comparison of that which they will get. Seek not therefore that in the earth, which I have resolved to give thee no ways, till thou dost come to heaven: thy blessedness in this life stands not in a satiety and full enjoying of that which thou wouldst have, but in an hungering and thirsting for it. If I had pronounced them blessed that are now satisfied with righteousness, them thy wants might most justly have discouraged thee; but I called them blessed that hunger. If therefore thou dost follow after sanctification, & art weary of the servitude of thy sin; If thou dost seek comfort in my Word, & canst find none of these at the first, as thou wouldst; yet remember I have promised to fulfil the desires of them that fear me.  
If it grieve thee, that thou canst not pray at all times alike, remember that my Children are oft-times evil judges of themselves, and that their estate is not always to be measured according to their feeling, for many prayers may be made in them to me by my Spirit, with sighs and sobs, which they themselves are not able to express, yet are known to me, and are like loud crying voices, which I cannot but answer.  The SOUL. 
O My Soul, content thee with the Lords dispensation, and doubt not, but all thy wants and holy desires shall once be satisfied: remember how careful thy Saviour was of those people that followed him. I have compassion (saith he) on this people, because they have continued with me already three days, and have nothing to eat: I will not let them depart fasting, lest they faint in the way. O most sweet and comfortable speeches! they seek not from him, and he is careful to give them. If he was so careful to satisfy their bodily necessities, will he neglect the spiritual necessities of his own? They followed him three days, and he counteth it a long time; they are to go from him, and he feareth lest they faint. O my distrustful Soul, wilt thou once learn to trust in the mercy of thy God assuredly? will he not satiate thee, who seeks him? will he not answer thee, who cries unto him? will he not care for thee who hast waited upon him, not three days, but many years? & will he let thee faint in following him, who would not let them faint, who were to go from him? O sweet Saviour, happy are they who trust in thee. (Lord) therefore increase my faith in thee, that nothing be able ever to sunder me from thee.  The LORD. 
AS for the weakness of thy Faith, which I see is the ground of all thy trouble, it proceedeth either from the want of knowledge, or else from the want of application. It is indeed a special benefit to have the mind enlightened with true light. Seek therefore my light to shine unto thee by continual prayer and searching the Scriptures, that thou be not troubled with the error of Conscience, as if it were a just accusation. I have set conscience indeed to be a warner unto thee; but then shalt thou take heed to her warnings, when they are warranted by my word. If the error of thy conscience terrify thee in any thing, and make thee think that thy crosses and visitations do come from mine anger, go and inform conscience better by the Word; remember whom I chastise, I love: & when I chastise thee, I am not seeking a satisfaction to my justice: what marvel such thoughts disquiet many? Consider, I pray thee, that notable promise of mine, made to my servant David, and in him to all the rest of my Saints. If they break my statutes, I will visit their transgressions with my rods, yet my loving kindness will I not take from them, neither alter my Covenant.  The SOUL. 
O Word full of comfort! my Soul, forget it never, that even when his rods are laid on thee, yet his loving kindness is not taken from thee; and though thy transgressions be many, yet will he not alter his Covenant with thee: remember it (I say) that in thy trouble thou give no more place to these misconceptions of Gods working with thee. As godly job thought in his trouble, that the Lord was pursuing him for his sins, and making him to possess the iniquity of his youth, which as yet appears by the course of that History, was not the Lord's intention: so have I thought many times, that the heavy hand of the Lord laid on me, had proceeded from his wrath, as if he had shut up his tender mercy in displeasure from me for ever but (Lord) let thy light abide with me, that I sin no more with such distrustful motions against thee: and now (Lord) speak on yet further to thy Servant, for thy comforts have rejoiced my Soul  The LORD. 
NOw concerning the weakness of thy faith in the apprehension and the application of my promises: remember that I am he who will not break the bruised Reed, nor quench the smoking flax: what smaller thing is there then a grain of mustardseed? albeit the measure of thy faith were no more, yet have I not excluded it from the participation of my promises.  
A loving Father will delight to be holden by the hand of his tender Child; and knowest thou not, that as a father spareth his son, so will the Lord spare them that fear him? hast thou not read, that although the faith of my servant jacob was very weak, as thou mayst perceive by the great fear he conceived of Esau, yet his weak faith was able to hold me till I blessed him? Be not therefore discouraged; for albeit thou canst not lay hold on me with the hand of strong faith, if thou canst but touch the hem of my garment with thy finger, thou shalt draw virtue out of me. Consider also with thyself, that the Faith of my children is never greater, than when their feeling is weakest, and lest perceived. It is easy for every one to believe in the midst of glorious feelings, and unspeakable joys; but when a man can feel no sensible comfort in me, and yet believeth in me, and waiteth on me for comfort, certainly the Faith of that man is great: and such was the Faith of my servant, who in his greatest trouble gave me this answer, Albeit thou wouldst slay me, O Lord, yet both against sense & feeling will I trust in thee. And did not also that woman of Canaan with invincible Faith cleave to my mercy, even then, when she had no feeling of mercy, and I gave her no favourable answer? for which in the end I called her faith, a great Faith.  The SOUL. 
O My Saviour, thou art the strength whereby I stand in temptation: cursed be he that would make my Soul to conceive wrongfully of thee. Be merciful, O Lord, unto me, and never let the malice of mine enemy prevail over me. Sweet jesus, keep the heart, that through thine own Grace would fain keep thee: and now, my Soul, remember that this is but the time of fight; the time of triumphing will come: why then shall the continuance of these restless assaults disquiet thee? If thou hadst never been victorious but once in all thy lifetime; yet what mercy had it been, that the Lord in the midst of the battle, should make thee to triumph? but thou canst not deny, that many joyful victories now and before, hath the Lord given thee.  
Therefore now, my Soul, rejoice and return to thy former rest: For the Lord hath been beneficial to thee, and account thou every one of these temporal victories a pledge to thee of that full and final victory that once thou shalt enjoy over all thine enemies, when the God of peace shall tread down Satan under thy feet.  The SOUL rejoiceth in the LORD 
O Lord, if such comfort be in thy cross, what is in thy Crown? and if thou dost give us such joy, when thou takest us into thy hand to correct us with thy rod's Lord: what wilt thou make us to find, when thou shalt embrace us in thy arms, to kiss us with the kisses of thy mouth? Oh that these feelings might for ever abide with me: what trouble would not be easy, where thy comforts are present? Surely, O Lord, all trouble vanisheth, so soon as thou dost begin to glance upon my soul. Therefore O my Love, my light, my life, my joy, my crown, my glory, my strength, my help in the time of need, stand thou on my side, and I will not fear what my enemy can do to me. O happy time that ever I know thee. Blessed be the name of the Lord for evermore.  The SOUL doth triumph over Satan. 
O Enemy Satan, albeit thine enmity be troublesome unto me: yet I thank my God through jesus Christ, that thou art against me, and that he hath put me in his warrfare to fight against thee.  
When I consider, that in Paradise the Lord proclaimed irreconcilable enmity between thee and my blessed Saviour, the seed of the woman, Christ jesus, I account my hope happy, that thou art against me: and that grace is given unto me to fight against thee: for thereby I know that I am none of thine, but that I do stand on that side, whereof Christ is the Captain, all his Saints are Soldiers, and the victory is most certain  
O deceitful Serpent! if I have found such error arising of those sins, which foolishly I did by thy enticements: what should I have found, if I had followed thee in all the rest, from the which, the LORDS preventing mercies did keep me? I have learned by experience, that thou art a faithless Traitor; thou dost tempt a man to sin, and for the same sins, which he did by thy instigation, thou art the first that doth accuse him.  
The Lord confirm this good purpose of my heart, that I never hearken any more to thy lying words, and suffer not my Soul to be circumvented with thy deceitful snares. And as for the work of my salvation, seeing it is a work that my GOD will work in despite of thee, wherefore shall I regard thy testimony? Thou didst put it in question to my Saviour, whether or no he was the Son of GOD: and what marvel, if thou darest say to his Children, that they are none of his? Is there any truth so undoubted, but thou darest deny it at any time? why therefore shall I enter into disputing with thee any more? My salvation standeth neither in thy questioning, nor in any answering, but upon the Lords unchangeable decree of Election.  
If thou shouldest speak for me, yet should I not be the better; neither if thou speak against me, am I the worse. When thou didst confess that jesus was the Son of GOD, he rebuked thee, and thought it no honour to him to have thy testimony. When thou didst cry out, that Paul and Silas were the servants of the most high GOD, albeit thou spakest the truth, yet did thy not accept of thy testimony: so although thou wouldst say to me, that I were the elect Child of GOD, shall I think myself the surer for that? and if on the contra●● thou dost deny it, a●● therefore the more unsure of salvation? Speak what thou wilt; thou art always alike thyself, thou hast been a liar from the beginning. Cursed of the LORD art thou in all thy ways, and with all thy confederates: Cursed are they that are in friendship with thee: and blessed for ever be the Lord, who hath delivered me from thy deceit and tyranny.  

The Conclusion of the Dialogue.  
BLessed be thou (O LORD) for that it hath pleased thee to visit the base estate of thy servant, to succour me in my distress, and to comfort me with thy mercies: LORD, evermore feed me with this Manna, and refresh me with the Springs of the Water of Life. Show at all times some sign of thy mercy on me, that mine enemy Satan, who laboureth to disquiet me, may be ashamed, because thou art with me to succour me.   

A comfortable Meditation.  
IF ye will mark and consider, ye shall find that the Children of God, in all their temptations, are not so much doers with their will, as sufferers against their will. This Cogitation coming to my mind, suddenly comfort did spring in the midst of trouble, God giving me Grace to understand, that these motions wherewith I am troubled, were not so much actions done by me: for in truth, neither do I like or allow of them, but as spiritual oppressions of mine enemy, who still warreth against me, sometimes with armies of fears; sometimes with armies of doubtings; and sometimes with bands of unclean and wandering motions; and sometimes with troops of worldly cares making invasion upon my Soul, and labouring to quench that spark of spiritual Life, which the LORD had begun in me: therefore answer for me (O Lord) for I suffer violence. My enemy would oppress me, but Lord, my hope for ever is in thee: secure me with thy strength and I shall live: and Lord, impute not to me any of those sinful motions, which my enemy raiseth in me against my Soul.  
Consider this wisely, O my Soul, and remember it: GOD that hath entered thee into this warfare, and is thy spectator and helper, will never reckon up to thee Satan's deeds for thine: and learn thou wisely how to distinguish them, and faint not for them, but comfort thyself as long as thou art able to stand to thy protestation, that thou dost suffer violence in them, and canst say with the Apostle: This is not I, but sin which dwelleth, in me. O LORD, deliver me from the rage of this spiritual tyranny. Many a time have I looked to have been swallowed; up but thou hast sustained me. Blessed be my God for ever, and the LORD be my strength to the end.   

A Prayer.  
O Lord, how can it be possible, that my Soul can live here in this absence from thee? or walk in the midst of these continual snares, or stand against these raging temptations, except it please thee now and then to show thy face unto me? Joseph's state in prison was not so heavy as mine; his temptations in Potiphers house were not so continual as mine are. And daniel's fear in the midst of Lions, was no greater than mine, who every day tastes of a thousand deaths. jeremy in his dark dungeon was not vexed with such horrors as daily gather themselves against me. The only comfort of my Soul is in thy mercies: thou wert with joseph, and therefore the prison was more pleasant to him then Potiphers Palace: thou wert with Daniel, and therefore the raging Lions were peaceable to him. Lord, be with me, and increase thy strength in my soul and I shall live. Though the time be not yet come, wherein I shall appear in thy presence and see thee; yet Lord, let me have in this land of my Pilgrimage those glances of thy sweet and loving countenance, that may sustain me; for thou Lord art able to let me see as much joy in thy sweet face in one hour, as may sustain me for ever: and without this sight, how can my Faith but fail, my Hope but hover, and my Life but languish? therefore O Lord, hide not thy face from my Soul for ever, but as thou dost acquaint me with troubles, so let me see at all times, that as my sufferings do abound in me, so my consolations may abound through Christ jesus. I know, thou always beholdest me in mercy; but Lord, let me see that thou lookest upon me, that I may feel thy mercies sweet unto my soul, Amen.    
FINIS,