THE SINNER'S TEARS, IN MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS.  
By THO: FETTIPLACE, Dom: Pet: Cantab.  Mat. 3.2. 
Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.  
LONDON, Printed for Humphrey Moseley, and are to be sold at his Shop at the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Churchyard. 1653.   


The SINNERS TEARS By T.F.  
Iu●●●  
Suhitp t●●v●scr●●it  
Paenitentia  
16 LONDON 53  
Printed for Humphrey Narley. at the Prince's Arms in St Paul's Churchyard   woodcut frontispiece   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE RICHARD Lord Keble, one of the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal of England, and the much Honoured Mary his truly Virtuous and Religious Lady, Grace and Peace.  
My honoured Lord,  
I Know not where to find a fit Patron for tears than your Lordship, the constant Series of whose happy days, hath been an exact pattern of true Piety, and but one entire Oblation of fincere Devotion: Greatness and goodness are the best supporters of decaying Holiness; by the one she is defended from suffering ill, by the other encouraged in doing well. These high and happy Ornaments, together with my nearness of blood unto your Honour's nearest relation; and mine infant education in that gracious Family (to which (as to the happy instruments) I thankfully ascribe my first engraftings into Christ) are strong persuasions to invite me to presume upon your Honour's Patronage of this small tract, and humbly to present you with a taste of such wholesome fruits, as (by divine increase) have had their growth from those precedent blossoms. If ever kneeling were in season, now is the needful time, when there is not only wrath gone out from the Lord against us, but even the blood, Vials of his fiercest wrath are daily poured down upon us. I willingly confess myself to have been too deep a sharer in those grievous sins, which have enforced these heavy judgements; what I cannot recall, I desire hearty to bewail, and (as a true sign of mine unfeigned sorrow) according to the measure of my weak abilities, have penned these following lines: accept of them I beseech you, as humbly devoted to your honour's service; and read them as the disturbed notions of my distracted meditations. That holy Providence which hath directed their ends, will (I trust) supply their defects; even this the least of grains (by that mercy) may become a fruitful tree, and branch itself into matter of commemoration to the learned, of instruction to the ignorant, of help to the weak, of comfort to the willing, of joy to the good, of terror to the bad, of happiness (I trust) to all that are directed to it, and especially unto their souls that stand in greatest need of comfort from it.  
I shall not presume to enlarge myself with waste expressions, because I know your Lordships more weighty affairs will not admit of such fruitless endeavours; I shall now only crave your Honour's leave, to end with Orisons; as you have been both holy in your lives, so may you be happy in your deaths, blessed in your memorials; may those hopeful pledges of your loves be faithful earnests of your joys, and future branches of the Church's Peace; may they all (by your examples) go on cheerfully, and joyfully, in those paths of Piety which lead to rest and quietness, that their seedtime being sorrow, their harvest may be joy, that all tears may be wiped from their eyes, all sorrows from their hearts; This is (my honoured Lord) the most affectionate desire, as a kinsman, the most zealous as a Christian, of  
The most humble of all your Honour's Servants, Tho: Fettiplace.   

To the Christian Reader All Christian Consolation.  
Reader,  
THe miseries of this distressed age are such, and so many, that I know well, a subject of joy would, in the world's eye, appear more seasonable, and be far more acceptable, after such a deluge of sorrow; but that heart which is as truly sensible of the weight of Sin, as of the burden of Misery, will surely find, that there is no true joy but in godly sorrow, that there is more complaceney of soul in one repentant tear, than in an age of pleasure: with grief of heart I confess, that much of my little time hath been vainly spent, I now (therefore) willingly resolve, to lament my lost hours, and shall account it my chiefest happiness on earth, to spend my short remainder, to my best advantage; I beseech thee therefore (for thine own sake) to consider with me, that God hath-reserved us unto the last, the worst, the very dregs of time; that our transgressions are innumerable, our calamities unmatchable, our griefs unutterable, that our days, our hours, our minutes, perhaps are few, and full of evil, that it were even now most just with God to bring them to an end; that Satan's cunning is unsearchable, his malice implacable, and (without divine assistance) unresistable; that there is no one minute of our whole lives, in which we are not exposed unto many great dangers, both of souls and bodies; and we shall then find, that it behoveth us to watch, and pray, that it mainly concerneth us to store ourselves with such fit remedies, as may either enable in the combat, or support us in the foil.  
Such humble Confessions, and devout Prayers, as (by God's mercy) I have found agreeable to mine own condition, I have here published for the good of thine; and such true comfort as I have enjoyed in them, I hearty desire may be derived to thee from them: And my humble and most earnest petition unto Almighty God is, that as we have been deep sharers in sinning and in suffering, so we may also be devout sharers in sorrowing, that the Vials of our tears, may pacify the Vials of his wrath, that so his fierce anger may be appeased, our crying sins pardoned, our bad consciences quieted, our bleeding hearts comforted, our languishing desires relieved, our sad divisions ended, our distressed Church restored, our dear Country preserved, and our sinful souls and bodies eternally saved.  
With this happy resolution of timely contrition, I joyfully embrace thee, and earnestly entreat to be embraced by thee, that by this blessed Union of our souls upon Earth, we may at last enjoy each other, in those sweet embraces of Eternity, which is the cordial desire, and shall be the daily and devout prayer of  
Thy servant in all good affections and hearty well-wishes in Christ Jesus, Tho. Fettiplace.   

The Sinners Complaint.  

AH Lord so long! what sudden fears?  
What cares and doubts, what sighs and tears,  
Since last thou didst afford thy loving look  
Have me oppressed,  
And robbed of rest,  
Because thou Lord thy servant hast forsaken?   

If not a look, yet hear me speak,  
And pity me; O do not break  
Thy bruised reed; why shouldst thou strive with man,  
Whose days are done,  
When but begun,  
Sith thou great God hast measured out his span?   

Amaze me not with fearful things;  
Give me thy grace, O give me wings  
Of swift desire, and holy zeal, to raise  
My soul to skies,  
With powerful cries.;  
That I may sweetly warble forth thy praise,   

Thou art my Centre, fix me there,  
Or move me in thy blessed Sphere;  
Suffer me not (dear Lord) to move from thee,  
There is no rest,  
But in thy Breast,  
And in thine absence present misery.   

O that I were at rest with thee,  
Or else that thou wert come to me,  
Since in thine absence I am so distressed;  
Thy wrathful frown,  
Hath thrown me down,  
And raised a storm in my unquiet breast.   

Come Lord, and close these wretched eyes,  
So bleared with sins and miseries;  
Resolve this erring heart to tamer dust,  
Which every day  
Thus sleals away,  
That it may rise more joyful and more just.    

THE SINNERS JOY.  

All my Soul! why so dismayed?  
Why so sad, so sore afraid?  
Canst thou think those gracious eyes,  
Drenched in tears for thee,  
Can disdain such powerful cries,  
Such humility?  
Sinners souls must sorrow keep,  
Man may mourn, when God can weep.   

Soul, though thou hast done amiss,  
Yet rejoice, for thou art his.  
See, his soul was sad to death,  
In his agony,  
Sad to case thy woeful breath,  
In thy misery.  
Be not faithless, but believe,  
Man may sigh, when God can grieve.   

Do not grudge to lend a tear,  
Canst thou doubt, or canst thou fear?  
Canst thou see his bleeding heart  
And not believe him?  
Wounded soul that bears a part,  
Can never grieve him?  
Timely tears are precious seed,  
Man may weep, when God can bleed.   

Be not so cast down; Alas!  
See his soul forsaken was,  
Frighted with his Father's frown,  
Left in pains of hell:  
Ah why art thou so cast down?  
'Twas to make thee well;  
Doubt not, but admire his cost,  
Man may stray, when God was lost.   

Soul, when thou art left alone,  
Do not deem thy Saviour gone,  
When thou canst not see his face,  
'Tis to let thee know  
That those sins withdraw his grace,  
Which brought him so low.  
See where he in grave doth lie,  
Man may faint when God can die.   

Weep no more, but wipe thine eyes,  
See, O see, thy Saviour rise,  
Happy Soul, thy debts are paid,  
He is ascended;  
Death is not, be not afraid,  
All woes are ended;  
Grieve no more, believe and live,  
Man may take, when God can give.    

DEO SALVATORI.  

WIth sighing Soul, and bended knee,  
Thy Servant vows himself to thee:  
My God, accept a broken heart  
Bleeding for Sin; O thou which art  
The Sovereign balm, vouchsafe to be  
(My dearest Lord) that Balm to me.  
enlighten with thy saving grace,  
Those eyes thou guidest to this place,  
And grant (dear God) those fins of mine  
May not obscure that Grace of thine.   
Amen.   

THE SINNER'S TEARS  

The Entrance to the Work.  
THere is no man but naturally desireth Happiness, even those unhappy ones that least endeavour for it, have oftentimes an earnest longing to it; there can be no true Happiness without Peace, no true Peace without Holiness, without offering violence to our corrupt affections, without ransacking our souls and searching out the very secrets of our Sinful hearts: the wordling may be outwardly merry, but none but the sons of sorrow can be inwardly contented; that outward Joy may delight for a season, but this inward Peace remaineth for ever.  
Peace is the richest Jewel in a Christians Cabinet, the choicest Legacy that Christ bequeathed to his chosen one's; in it there is a complication of all Blessings, and without it an expectation of all Miseries; there is no attaining to it, but by the search of him who is the giver of it, there is no following this search, but by that path which leadeth to the ready way, and there is but one guide that can direct us unto that path: Blessed God, there is no way unto thee but by thee, thou art life, and thou art the way to that life, and thou art the guide to that way, thou Lord art all in all unto me, and therefore, shalt be now and ever praised by me.  
In all awful reverence to thy sacred Majesty, in fear and trembling at the sight of thy severe Justice to impenitent sinners, in serious apprehension of thy sweet mercy in forbearing me a miserable wretch, and with unfeigned sorrow and humility of heart for grieving thy good Spirit, I here dedicate the short remainder of my sinful days to thy service; In thy name, and in thy fear, I begin my discourse, who art the God of peace, by whose holy Spirit I am guided to this happy search: Lord, lead me in it by the same Spirit, that I may become an instrument of glory unto thee, of happiness to thine, of rest to mine own soul.   

CHAP. I. Upon the consideration of our sinful thoughts touching the Sacred Deity, with holy cautions to order our Devotions aright.  
Lord,  
WHen I seriously consider what thou art (the least glimpse of whose eternal glory I can no way see but by conceiving what thou art not) when I look upon the vast distance between thee the blessed Creator, and me thy sinful Creature, I cannot but wonder at thy great patience, at thy rich goodness, at thine endless mercy towards me.  
My whole life from my nativity hath been a continued course of sinfulness against thee, mine actions highly rebellious, my thoughts finfully wicked, even the very best of them a dark, confused, indigested heap of misconceivings of thy sacred Majesty.  
Thou (Lord) art an Essence most glorious, most inconceivable, eternally enjoying Blessedness in the fruition of thyself; thy Centre is every where, thy Circumference no where; thou admittest not of Augmentation, nor of Diminution; no length of time is b●yond thee, no depth of wisdom beneath thee, no height of glory above thee, no breadth of mercy beside thee: Thou a●t●o Lord a most pure, simple, and eternal being; Pure without matter, without form; Simple without mixture, without composition; Eternal, without beginning, without end: no Created being can express thee, no imagination conceive thee, no understanding utter thee: when I think of thee as thou art, the bright beams of thy glory amaze me; when I conceive of thee what thou art not, the terrors of mine own heart affright me; even but the Least thought of this kind is impious, seeing that hereby I do not only rob thee of thy glory, but even deprive thee of thyself: and yet Lord, as thy being is most high, so is the search thereof most necessary, because from it (as from the blessed fountain) I enjoy my present, I expect my future happiness; and unto it with joy of heart, and earnestness of soul, I desire should run the current of my praises in this life, of my Allelujaes in that to come.  
When I find (therefore) any Corporal parts appropriated to the Divine nature, I there see thee graciously descending to the weakness of my frail and infirm nature, and ever bless thy holy name that vouchsafest to declare thyself, not as thou art, but as I am: Thine Eye (Lord) is thy Wisdom, thy Right hand thy Power, thy sitting thine Immutability, thy Standing thy Fortitude, thine Anger thy Justice in punishing, thy Repentance thy Mercy in pardoning, thy Hatred of sin thy Holiness, thy grieving thy Loving kindness, thy Patience and long suffering thy Goodness; all are thyself.  
Neither is it enough for me to consider the Divine nature in Unity of Essence, unless I go yet further and find a Trinity of Persons; to be curious in this search is dangerous, to be careless damnable; nothing may be here safely seen, but what is graciously revealed: Lord no man can see thee as thou art in thyself, suffer me therefore to see thee as thou art unto us, that I may know thee, and love thee, and delight in thee, and be for ever known and loved of thee.  
If there were not an eternity of being, than it may be truly said that not being was before being, and so that being had its rise from-not being, by causing itself to be when it was not; So should Privation which was eternally evil, produce that glorious being which is eternally good: Seeing this cannot be, it will hence follow, that being was from all eternity, and that this being was eternally Good; for that which was good in the effect, must needs be far more eminently good in the cause. That this eternal good being must be also infinite, because eternity itself is infinite; That this infinite eternal good being, must be of infinite power, to continue infinitely; That this infinite power must also be of infinite understanding, to support and preserve this eternal infintie good being; and this infinite understanding is God.  
Where there is an infinite understanding, there must also be an infinite object to be understood, else could it not be infinitely active, and so should both eternity and infinity suffer diminution and become defective, which were for them both to be and not to be, which is impossible; and seeing there can be no object infinite out of God; therefore this eternal infinite and ever-blessed object, must of necessity be God.  
Where there is an infinite understanding, and an infinite object to be understood, there cannot choose but be an infinite and eternal love; for from this infinite Understanding of this infinitely amiable and for ever blessed object, there must needs proceed an infinite delight, whereby it infinitely enjoyeth its own excellency, and eternally reflecteth on the beauty of its own perfection; else this infinite eternal understanding should want power to enjoy this infinitely aimiable object, and so should be neither good, infinite, nor eternal; and this infinite and eternal love is God.  
Now because this Understanding, Object, and Love are all infinite, and that whatsoever is infinite must of necessity be God; it will from thence truly and undoubtedly follow, that this understanding is God, this Object God, and this Love God. And because it is as equally impossible that there can be any more than one infinite, therefore it will as assuredly follow that these three are one, three in Existence, one in Essence, three in Order, one in Eternity; three persons, one eternal, infinite, glorious, incomprehensible, wise God; to whom be glory for ever. Amen.  
This is that blessed Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that ineffable, most mysterious Trinity in Unity, eternally enjoying blessedness in its own Essence; This is that blessed inter-union of that ever blessed Spirit, that most unspeakable, immutable, incomprehensible fruition of eternal joy, at which the blessed Angels stand amazed, in which the blessed Saints shall sweetly rest themselves for ever.  
All this, and infinitely more than this, thou art Lord in thyself, thy Wisdom, Justice, Mercy, Truth, Power, Holiness, and whatsoever other Attributes thou art pleased to take unto thy Divine Essence, are unto thee one, although unto us divers; and thou art therefore pleased diversely to manifest thyself unto us, because we cannot otherwise conceive thy being, than according to thine outward working; thy distinct operations are unto us the divers Indications of thine eternal, undivided, and for ever blessed essence.  
And now Lord, who can see thee thus and live? I have hitherto seen nothing but destruction to my body, amazement to my soul: In thine Essence there is light inaccessible, unto which no mortal eye can approach; in thine attributes terror unutterable, from which no mortal man can escape: Thy wisdom trying my corrupt heart, and scoarching my sinful reins; Thy Justice most severe, fearful in the pronunciation, dreadful in the execution; Thy truth admitteth of no alteration; no Judgement pronounced but precisely fulfiled; Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but not one tittle of thy sacred word; Thy Holiness is such, that even the blessed Angels are impute in thy sight; what then shall become of me a miserable wretch, the thoughts of whose heart are only evil, and that continually? were it not for thy rich mercy, I were lost for ever; by this alone I am for ever reconciled unto thee, and shall eternally be blessed with thee.  
I can here with joy unspeakable and glorious, behold thee my loving Father affectionately embracing me in Christ from all eternity, by the sweet working of thy holy Spirit; this is that truly-blessed vision of the sacred and mysterious Trinity in this life of Grace, that will for ever make me truly happy in that of Glory. Lord, if I find thee not Three in One to my soul's comfort in this life, I shall never be found of thee to be blessed in thee in that to come.  
Without thy Power it had not been decreed, without thy Wisdom it had never been acted, without thy Love it had never been finished: Here in a severe Judge I joyfully behold a merciful Redeemer; In a glorious Divinity a true Humanity, united to the Deity, not mixed with it; Before I had three Persons in one Essence, here I have two Natures in one Person, God and Man, one Christ, in whom, and by whom, I have a joyful interest and undoubted union in the Godhead. Here is the Father promising, the Son performing, the Holy Spirit confirming. This is alone that blessed sight of God, that bringeth rest and quietness to my weary soul: To know him to be my God, to have suffered for my sin, and risen again for my Justification. To find him supporting, sustaining me in my infirmaties, relieving my wants, chastising my errors, revenging my wrongs, repairing my breaches, directing my ways, protecting my person; wounding, rending, breaking my obdurate heart; creating in me a clean heart, and renewing a right Spirit within me; bemoaning, bewailing mine iniquities; inviting, nay compelling me to mercy and forgiveness.  
Seeing now, O my Soul, that Gods being in himself is incomprehensible; and his Love in Christ unutterable; with what Filial fear shouldst thou think of him, with what awfulness name him, with what reverence and preparedness pray unto him, with what heat of affection love him, with what carefulness and conscience fear to offend him, with what cheerfulness and holy diligence devote thy service to him?  

Blessed Lord,  
Seeing that I am utterly unable of myself to comprehend thee, O let me be graciously comprehended of thee, that corruption may be swallowed up of immortality, and humane frailty of eternal glory.  
As thou hast given me an understanding in part to know thee, so give me also affections entirely to love thee, and fixed resolutions to adhere unto thee; that as thou art truly and eternally one in thine Essence, and yet distinctly three in thy Persons; so I may be truly and entirely one in my obedience, although distinctly three in my faculties; that all may be but one, and that a pleasing sacrifice of praises unto thee, of profit unto others, of comfort to myself.  
Forgive my misconceivings of thy sacred Essence, my rash approaches to thy heavenly presence, my cold, careless, irreligious thoughts, distracted words, undesent actions. Lord, I am sailing on the stormy sea of ignorance and misery, O be thou my sure Pilot to direct me, my sweet calm to refresh me, my safe harbour to receive me; for of thee, and through thee, and to thee, are all things, to thee be glory for ever. Amen.    

CHAP. 2. Upon the consideration of God's Love, and man's Unthankfulness.  
A Meditation suited to the Morning.  
Blessed God,  
WHen I consider of the richness, of the largeness, of the constancy of thy love to man, of man's vileness and untowardness unto thee his God, I stand amazed at thy goodness, and mine own unthankfulness. How great, and invaluable a blessing do I enjoy in being made partaker of the glorious light of this present day? how vile and unworthy am I that receive it? how great and glorious art thou that givest it? Thou, O Lord, art light inaccessible, unto which no mortal eye can approach; before whose glorious Majesty the blessed Angels stand amazed; and I am dust and ashes, yea worse, Lord, (for dust was thy creation, and therefore in its entity was good) before I was dust I was not at all: This not being, by thee became a being, this being beautiful, this beauty immortal; and without thee this happy being is again become far worse than not to be.  
What can be more vain, more empty than nothing? ah woe is me, I am now become far worse than nothing; thou mad'st me all goodness, and that goodness might have made me all blessedness; but I have made myself all sin, and this sin hath made me all misery; there was darkness in not being, but that darkness was incapable, there is greater darkness in being ill; for this darkness is most capable of the privation of all light of comfort in this life, of the fruition of the blackness of darkness in hell for ever.  
This, Lord, was my condition in nature, and without thy gracious help must have been so for ever. Let me now see what my condition is by Grace, by which I enjoy not only the light of nature (without which my life would prove uncomfortable) but also a sweet and safe assurance, that thou wilt by this happy light conduct me safely to the blessed light of Glory.  
Blessed Lord, I can now look no way but to happiness, I now find a true sweetness and composedness of soul, a constant and courageous setledness of heart, even in the very height of all the disturbances of Nature, of all the inundations of Sin, of all the fluctuations of Sorrow, of all the Machinations of Satan: from the sweet fountain of thy mercy, arise those precious streams of Consolation, which abundantly relieve me in this barren wilderness.  
I find indeed a law in my members, continually rebelling against the law of my mind, but I find also thy grace to be sufficient for me, by which I am victorious here, and shallbe triumphant hereafter: Satan may strive to winnow me like wheat, but this shall make me the purer for thy Granary. I now find a total and a blessed change of the whole man; mine affections which formerly were captivated unto sin, entirely devoted to thy service; my love with holy David wonderful to thy law, my hatred perfect against sin, my desire eager for thy presence, my fear astonishing in thine absence, my delight in thy promises ravishing, my joy in thy performances triumphing.  
By these rich endowments of thine I am wrapped up above the reach of humane misery; all vain and empty desires of the besotting pleasures of this life appear truly as they are, but thorns and briars, to disturb the growth of my felicity; how sweet is their loss for thy gain? how easily, how willingly, how joyfully, how thankfully, are all these foggy mists of ignorance and error happily dispersed, by the bright rays of my ensuing glory.  
Beside these fawning enemies of Peace which flatter to unquietness, I am now able to encounter with those other which affright the soul even in their first appearance, and are able to deject the carnal man even to astonishment, and utterly to expose him to the tyranny of sin, and torture of punishment: such Lord is the vast difference between the blessed ones of thy fold, and those unhappy ones which stray from thee into the strange pastures of impiety.  
No sorrow can surprise me but for sin, and even this too thou makest to increase my joy: what affliction can be evil which is thy physic who art the fountain of all good? if it be grievous in the taste, it is joyous in the effects; If I mark the happy close, I must with joy confess, that these bitter storms will end in blessed calms, will bring to my remembrance those grievous sins that brought my Saviour to those bitter groans, will force me from the sorrows of this life, to my Celestial harbour, will bring me on my knees to see mine own vildness, will enrich me with the graces of humility, and patience, and together with them the sweet enjoyments of thy blessed Spirit; and if so, how can I complain of want, when in stead of earth I enjoy heaven?  
Lord, what can he fear that is assured of thy favour? afflictions, tribulations, crosses, sins, Satan, Death, hell itself shall work to mine advantage: as my cross is more grievous, my crown shall be more glorious; where sin and Satan have been most prevailing, there Grace and Goodness shallbe more triumphing. How truly sweet Lord is the inviolable peace of thy saints? who powerfully compelest even the very rage of earth and hell to work to their advantage. Lord sanctify the trials of this life unto my sinful soul, that by my patiented sufferings with my Saviour here, I may have peace with him and by him hereafter.  
I have hitherto looked on mine inward happiness; if I now cast mine eyes upon mine outward, I shall there see that all these outward blessings also are most peculiarly belonging to the Saints; the wicked ones of the world are robbers, and shall one day give an account of their theft; children, friends, strangers, even our very enemies, are protected, preserved, enriched, blessed for our sakes; so was Joseph and his brethren for Jacob, Zoar for Lot, Potipher for Joseph, the Centurion and soldiers for St Paul: And if thou (Lord) wilt look so lovingly upon the children of this world for thine elect sake, how graciously wilt thou one day look upon those sons that shall be made partakers of thine own inheritance?  
Who would not now be holy? seeing that in this blessed condition, there is not only safety inviolable, but peace untterable, safety in life, and sweetness in death.  
And now Lord, when I inquire for what cause thou givest me all this, I find nothing but thy mere love unto me; when I ask what thou requirest for all this, I hear thee demand no thing but the return of love: what is more easy, what more sweet than love? and what object more aimable than that glorious being that is the perfection of all love, & that love the beauty of all perfection? Thou canst not give Lord what thou hast not, the glory of thy creation is but a glimpse of that grater glory of thine essence; Lord who can deny thee Love? how sweet is this yoke, how light this burden! when I love thee I enjoy thee, and myself in thee, I possess thee, I rest in thee for ever. O my God, all that thou givest me, all that thou requirest of me, is to make me happy, to thee be glory for ever. Amen.  

Blessed Lord,  
All this I joyfully confess thou hast done for me, and yet the whole course of my corrupt life hath been nothing else but a continued Rebellion against thee: mine Eyes full of Adultery, my tongue of Corrupt communication, my hands of oppression, mine ears open to iniquity, my heart full of hypocrisy, my feet Lame in thy paths, and swift to walk in the ways of sinners, my whole man nothing else but the very body of death and destruction.  
I have sinned against precepts, against promises, against mercies, against judgements, against the checks of mine own conscience, and the blessed motions of thy holy Spirit; I have even tempted my temptations, by making daily and hourly provisions for sin; and have been so far from sorrowing for all this, that I have resolved to continue yet still. And yet so great is thy compassion towards me, that still thou storest up new mercies for me.  
Lord, I bewail my weakness, I lament my wilfulness, I abhor my filthiness; I hearty desire, and earnestly endeavour to unrip my soul, to ransack my heart, to unlock the very secrets of my thoughts, that I may have all my sins continually before me, even in their worst appearances; and I may loathe them and leave them, and obtain thy gracious pardon for them.  
I confess, Lord, that I am utterly unworthy to enjoy this blessed light, which I have so much abused to thy great dishonour; much more the light of Grace, by which thou leadest me to that of Glory; and that it were more just with thee, for ever to deprive me of these happy lights, and to expose me to the terrors of eternal darkness:  
Lord, I have finned, and cannot choose but sin; I am a great and grievous sinner, and yet I am thy child; have pity upon me, have pity upon me, for I am in misery: into the bosom of thy tender love I thrust my sinful soul for safety and protection.  
O let not thy justice triumph in my ruin, but thy mercy in my deliverance, so shalt thou have the glory, and I the sweetness of mine eternal happiness.  
Hear me, O Lord, and help me, for thy name sake, for thy promise sake, for thy Son's sake. Amen.    

CHAP. 3. Upon the consideration of Divine Providence.  
A Meditation for Noon.  
Blessed God,  
WIthout thy holy providence no creature can subsist, by thine Almighty power they were created out of nothing, and if thou shouldst not sustain them, they must needs return to nothing: how wisely, how wonderfully dost thou guide and govern these inferior creatures? All things are at once disposed of by thee, and move successively to their appointed ends: but above all, how graciously hast thou provided for the good of man? what varieties of food, how secretly, how sweetly disposed it to sustentation? No creature can be nourishing without thee, and with thee I enjoy not only nutriment, but delectation: how sweet is this thy goodness to my body? how much more sweet thy mercy to my soul? and if thy temporal refreshments are so good, how ravishing is that celestial food, with which thy Saints and Angels are delighted?  
Lord, how undeserving am I of these thy many favours? Thou givest rain to the earth, and it becometh fruitful; thou loadest me daily with thy blessings, and lo I am unthankful even those creatures that are insensible, are daily nourished into augmentation, and man alone, whom thou hast made to live for ever, contents himself with daily diminution.  
This woefully appears by my deadness and dulness in my Christian calling, by my back wardness to Holy Duties, by my carelessness and coldness in prayer, weariness in reading, irkomenesse in meditation, by my faint Hope, sick Faith, lukewarm Love, frozen Charity, lame Patience, languishing Zeal, and all those other visible decays of Goodness, which are none other than the very symptoms of a dying soul.  
Ah now, Lord, how miserably deformed must I needs appear in thy fight, that am thus ugly in mine own! Thou that hadst compassion on me when I was in my blood, and then saidst unto me, Live; that hast washed me clean from sin and pollution, and espoused me into thine own bolom, wilt thou also love me in death? Wilt thou court me in the grave? How justly mightest thou for ever leave me to mine own ruin, that can so easily, so willingly forsake thee, for the pleasures of sin; and yet how sweetly, how affectionately dost thou order all things for me? Even my very sins invite me to a more happy, to a nearer Union with thee.  

To thee therefore, O my God, the life of my life, the very being, and assured comfort of my sinful soul, and wretched body, do I address myself for mercy and forgiveness.  
I confess myself unworthy of thy gracious providence in sustaining this frail and infirm body, much more unworthy (O Lord) of thine unspeakable love, in reviving, relieving, embracing my deformed soul.  
Blessed Lord, who am I of whom thou art thus tenderly compassionate? When I was in the womb I was defiled with sin, when I came out of it I was covered with shame; the World bewitched me, the Flesh besotted me, the Devil beguiled me.  
Lord, when no eye pitied me, than thou badst mercy on me; and now at last when I am run from thee, when I have adulterated my first Love, when I am become poor and wretched, and miserable, and blind, and naked, thou freely forgivest me, thou callest me thy fair one, and givest me thy love.  
O my God, I admire thy Goodness, I deplore and abhor mine own wretchedness; O let the sweetness of thy love in Christ, inflame the dying sparks of my benumbed soul to praise thee without ceasing.  
Expatiatc my narrow thoughts, with day'y contemplation of my heavenly home, with joyful expectation of the sweet fruition of Eternity; O give me such a blessed raptasie of soul, that I may live above the reach of humane misery, and reign with thee hereafter in immortal glory.    

CHAP. 4. Upon the consideration of the sinfulness, shortness, and uncertainty of life.  
A Meditation suited to the Evening.  
Lord,  
WHen I call to mind how many days have passed me without bending of a knee, how many nights I have gone prayerless to bed, I may well wonder that I am this hour alive to speak unto thee: I have been too unmindful of thy holy providence, and am therefore utterly unworthy of thy merciful protection: Few, and full of evil have my days been in the house of my pilgrimage, I know not how soon I may go hence, and yet I still live as if I knew not why I came hither.  
I am many ways invited to my heavenly home; how sweetly dost thou wean from the miseries of life, by the blessedness of death! By this Evenings rest of my body I am put in mind of that eternal rest of my soul: This days ending tells me that the end of all things is at hand, that the fashion of this world passeth, and that all things shall become new: As this hour is the Evening to this day, so this day (for aught I know) may be the Evening to my whole life; I cannot challenge to myself one minute more; how vain am I to promise days and years? Lord, in the whole current of thy Sacred Story I find but only one, that durst presume upon so large a reckoning, and him thou brandest with the name of Fool: Let his folly (Lord) be my instruction, so shall I account each day my last, and neither care to live, nor fear to die.  
How many have been snatched out of this life, how suddenly, and to man's eye how fearfully? How unspeakable is thy mercy unto me to spare me for repentonce? how often and how earnestly hast thou invited me to mercy how coldly and how carelessly have I refused these thy gracious offers? still I sin, and still thou forgivest, and (which is the height of my impiety) I therefore am more and more evil against thee, because thou art more and more gracious unto me; and it were now most just with thee, even this very moment, to put a period to my sinful life.  
Lord, Let this teach me to improve the short remnant of my days to thy service, and that I may endeavour so to do, I will prescribe myself these following rules.  
Each evening shall take a strict account of that day's traffic for my soul, and where I find myself a loser, I will labour for supply. When I awake, my first thoughts shall begin with thee, from whom I have my first being: Nothing will more truly represent me to myself, than the first view of mine affections; if my first thoughts be seasoned with grace, my following actions will savour of goodness. My care shall be more to dress my soul, than to trim my body; I will think no pains too great, no ornaments too rich to make her beautiful. One devout sigh from a contrite heart, is of more worth (in thy sight) than an hours task of Lip-devotion. My affections are the soul of my words, without which, I speak only, but pray not: when my prayers are cold, my hopes may well be comfortless. My set hours for Devotion shall be constant; no pretence of nature shall debar me of this happiness: The Lover's eyes are often glancing on the pleasing object that delights him; if my affections be sincere, my looks will be amorous, I shall often steal a sweet Ejaculation to satisfy the longing of my Lovesick soul. When I can thus bring the day to an end, my life will be comfortable, my death happy, and I may then say with holy David, that I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest, for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safety.  
Blessed Lord, in the morning of my Creation thou gavest me unto myself, in the evening of my Redemption thou gavest thyself unto me: My Creation was wonderful, my Redemption astonishing. As this day's light is obscured for the rest of my body, so wert thou the blefied and eternal Light for the rest of my soul. Thou, O blessed Saviour, art my light to direct me, my heat to comfort me, my sweet and safe repose eternally to refresh me.  

Gracious God,  
With humble and dejected heart I ask forgiveness of the many failings of my sinfud life past, recall my sinful thoughts to my remembrance: Lord, as the burden of them is intolerable, so let my grief for them be unutterable.  
Lord, open mine eyes that I may see the foulness, and the filthiness of sin, and apprebend the greatness of thy wrath against it.  
Forgive those actual sins which this day's light hath witnessed; Lord, give me a godly sorrow for them, a perfect battered against them, a fixed and a constant resolution to forsake them.  
Lord, cleanse me from my secret and unknown sins, and keep me, for thy mercy sake, that daring and presumptuous sins may never have dominion over me.  
Make me a careful Steward of that precious time which thou haft given me, withdraw my affections from the vain pleasures of this sinful life, and grant that all the days of my appointed time I may wait readily and cheerfully until my change shall come.    

CHAP. 5. Upon our approaching unto God's House.  
Lord,  
THere is no mortal man worthy to stand at thy door, much less to appear in thy presence; and yet how often have I presumed to approach unto thee without that preparedness of heart, without that dejection of soul, without that true and holy reverence that becometh thy child.  
I am now going out of Egypt into Canaan, out of Bondage into Freedom: The sinful troubles of this life are my souls Taskmasters, to load it with a burden insupportable, and this is that place of sacrifice, that Mount of God, to ease and solace it.  
Consider therefore, O my soul, in what relation thou now standest to thy God: If thou art a true Israelite, thou wilt look back upon thy drudgery, and despise it, and offer up thyself a living sacrifice with cheerfulness, with thankfulness of heart. If thou art God's child, thou wilt love to be in God's house; Long for God's presence, thirst for his favour, delight in his Word, and rejoice to be often at his Table: Thou wilt make it thy chiefest joy to be often in that place, from whence thou mayst expect thy chiefest good.  
Lord (by thy grace assisting) I will now unclothe myself of all earthly affections, I will call to mind unto whose presence I approach, and wherefore; that I am going from this Church Militant, to that Triumphant; that thou, Lord, art as truly present here in Grace, as there in Glory (unless therefore I am in love with misery) I will leave behind me all earthly-mindedness, and carry with me a pure heart, and heavenly thoughts, a lowly mind, and reverend gesture. Lord, if I go not cheerfully to thy Throne of Grace, I may well fear I shall never go joyfully to that of Glory.  
The lowest room in thy House shall content me, Divine Worship admitteth not of disparity of persons; we are all sinners, and (as we are in nature) most impure in thy sight, the worst room in thy House is too good even for the best of us, yet decency of place may be taken with modesty, if not sought with emulation.  
During the time of this holy dispensation, I will call my thoughts unto a strict attendance; and make it part of my precedent prayer, that I may. Satan is ever most busy, when our intentions are most holy; which when he cannot divert, he labours to corrupt, and by this means when I desire to grow better, I become worse. How careful ought I to be to avoid his cunning, who can cozen me in my best actions?  
My soul shall more delight itself with the matter, than my ears with the melody of thy sacred Notes: Church-music will be then truly sweet unto me, when mine outward joy is subservient to mine inward.  
Man's sinful weakness shall not make me slight thy holy Ordinance: If my Pastor have failings, I will pity, and pray for him, but not despise him. If I look into mine own soul, I shall there find work enough to repair mine own ruins. This, Lord, shall rather move me to extol thy mercy, in upholding mine own steps, to lament the sadness of my Brother's misery. Lord, let me never think myself better than another, because I know not how soon I may become worse.  
I shall willingly continue in that Fold where thou hast placed me, and hope to remain there with comfort, till thou shalt lead me out with safety. While I am at thy feeding, I am happy; one of thy morsels well digested with humility and thankfulness, will yield me better nourishment than that other food of mine own finding. The very meanest of thy Ministers may afford me Patience, and that heavenly Grace, with thy blessing to boot, is a great advantage. If I receive thy Sacred Word with cheerfulness, with earnestness of heart, my obedience shall be accepted, my zeal rewarded.  
While I am within thy walls, I shall account that gesture most decent that is most humble, and those ceremonies most necessary that are most suitable to obedience; all matters of Doctrine (which are necessary to salvation) ought to be guided by thy sacred Word, which is the only rule of faith; all matters of Discipline, (which are necessary only to obedience) are therefore left to thy Church's care: that as thou art one, so thy Church may be one, in that blessed union of love; which is the bond of peace.  

And now, O Lord, if thou shalt call me to a strict account for all my misdemeanours in thy sacred Worship, with what confusion of face must ●needs appear before thee?  
How many evil suggestions, how many idle imaginations, how many sinful objects have I often entertained, to divert my thoughts from thy service?  
I have too often sinned in absenting thy House, but more often and more grievously in frequenting it, by coming carelessly and out of custom, by unbeseeming gestures, cold prayers, heartless hearing, profane scoffing, curious censuring, and even in the best of my performances, by serving thee my God by halves; all this I hearty bewail, and earnestly desire thy pardon and forgiveness for it.  
Lord, let this day's rest of my body, bring to my remembrance that eternal rest of my soul; let me not now think mine own thoughts, speak mine own words, do mine own actions, but come before thee with a sanctified and humble soul, with a wounded and contrite spirit.  
Repel all evil suggestions, remove all idle imaginations, divert all sinful objects; enlighten mine understanding, rectify my will, strengthen my memory, subdue mine affections, that I may rejoice in thy love, delight in thy law, long for thy presence, rely on thy promises, thirst for thy grace, and be for ever blessed in thy glory. Amen.    

CHAP. 6. Upon our returning from God's House, and the neglect of private duties.  
Lord,  
HE that knoweth thee, will undoubtedly delight to serve thee; if I call thy Sabbath a delight, my thoughts in this day will be pure, my words gracious, mine actions holy: That soul which cannot joyfully familiarize itself with thee in this life, may well be fearful to be seen of thee in that to come.  
When I seriously consider what a rich favour I enjoy, how great a distance I am at from thee my God, how sweet a mercy thou afford me to speak unto thee, I cannot but confess mine own unworthiness, if I regard not what I hear, if I rejoice not to recall thy blessed words to my remembrance.  
How dreadful was that voice that spoke in thunder! and how severe the words that then were spoken! how blessed is this still music of the Gospel! and how delightful to my wounded spirit! Lord, let this raise my soul above the reach of earthly vanities, let this encourage me to heavenly cheerfulness in heavenly duties, to be joyful in reading, fervent in prayer, frequent in meditation, constant in all: That knowledge will make woefully wise, which teacheth me to know, and not to do thy will: Meditation is the life of Hearing, Practise the life of Meditation, and a sincere heart the life of Practice.  
When I look into my life past, I find it to be all sin; when I consider of my life present, I cannot but confess it to be all shame; I am still so far from growing better, that I am become much worse; this is that blessed day which concerneth my peace, if I embrace not this happy opportunity, I may justly fear these gracious offers will be hid for ever from mine eyes: each word that I heard thy day is of weight; if I become not more holy by my heavenly improvements by it, I shall certainly become sinful by my careless neglecting of it. Thy work, O Lord, will have its end, and this end (either to my happiness or ruin) shall assuredly promote thy glory; there is no vacuity in nature, with thee, the God of nature, there can be none.  
Think therefore, O my soul, that this day's instruction may be thy last (as thou hopest) for heaven, let it not pass thee without some profit: Consider seriously how many millions of world's one lost soul would give to be restored to thy condition; that to morrow thou mayest be as one of them, and then judge how great will be thy folly, how woeful thy misery; if thou triflest with those sacred counsels which concern thy rest.  

O thou God of infinite compassions, look not upon those infinite failings of my sinful nature, but behold me in the beauty and perfection of thy blessed Son.  
Teach me, O Lord, to see the rebellion of mine own wicked heart, by his perfect obedience, my sinfulness by his righteousness, my misery by his mercy.  
Forgive my many and sinful compliances of nature, which have made me a stranger to thy graces, and mine own happiness.  
The great neglect of mine obedience unto thy commands, hath justly called for the great and heavy load of mine afflictions; the careless withdrawing of mine affections from thee my God, hath occasioned the sad departings of thy holy Spirit from me.  
O that my loss of tears might now prevail with thee, to repair the loss of thy presence in my sinful soul: Lord let the greatness of my folly in sinning, extol the richness of thy mercy in forgiving.  
Restore me to the joy of thy salvation, and establish me with thy free Spirit, so shall I have the comfort, and thou the praise of my deliverance.  
If thou, Lord, wilt give me understanding to delight in thy Law, I shall also have a sweet assurance, that thou wilt delight in me to do me good.  
Accept of my desires, strengthen my endeavours, perfect my performances, pardon my weakness, assist my willingness, forgive my sinfulness, nourish the good motions of thy holy Spirit in me, and for thy mercy's sake remove all dangers and temptations from me; that when the short and wretched race of my imperfect holiness is ended here, I may solemnize that eternal Sabbath with thy blessed Saints and Angels in thy Kingdom, and rest with thee in the perfection of true happiness for ever. Amen.    

CHAP. 7. Upon the want of due Preparation for receiving of the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper.  
Lord,  
WHen I look upon the inestimable value of that gift which I am this day to receive, when I consider of the Majesty of thee the Giver, of the misery of me the Receiver, of the vast difference between corruption and eternity, of thy strict commands for preparation to the Passcover under thy Law, of thy blessed precepts for due receiving of thy Sacrament under the Gospel, of thine own example in washing thy Disciples feet, and thereby symbolising the eternal washing of their souls; of thy Saint's practice in their solemn preparations unto holiness, by pulling off their shoes when they approached thy presence; of thy severe judgements against Vzza, for heedless touching of thine Ark; against the Bethshemites, for curiousness in looking in; against those rash Corinthians, whereof (for want of holy preparation) some were weak, some sick, some fallen asleep; and lastly, of that dreadful sentence against unworthy comers to thy Wedding Feast, pronounced by thine own mouth, I tremble at my bold approaches to thy blessed Table, I wonder at thy goodness that I am yet alive to say there is yet mercy with thee, that thou mayst be scared.  
How many blessed opportunities of coming to thy Table have I sinfully neglected! How many abused, by my sinful resort thither, by my wand'ring and idle thoughts there, by my wicked and profane actions after I returned thence!  
Lord, wilt thou still suffer me to abuse thy goodness? How long Lord, how long shall I wander in these woeful ways of wickedness? I am weary of the sins and miseries of this life, and willing to embrace this heavenly comfort for my soul. I confess myself a great and grievous sinner, and yet I know Lord, thou camest not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance: I am hungry, and poor, and blind, and naked, and miserable, destitute of all hope, of all help, but from thee alone; Lord I am unworthy of thy crumbs, yet thou admittest me to thy Table; the sinfulness of my corrupt nature hath made a woeful separation between us, but the richness of thy sufferings hath for ever made a sweet conjunction of us; all my sins are thine, all thy righteousness is mine, thou art now my wellbeloved, and I am thy chosen one, and in this blessed Union is my sweet and safe repose for ever.  
Who can enough deplore that more than woeful separation? Who can enough admire this more than wonderful conjunction? this more than happy reconciliation? Here is Justice undeniable, Mercy incomprehensible, Wisdom unutterable, Love unimitable.  
O let my soul now lose itself in the unknown paths of heavenly contemplation; let me this day apprehend thee (O my Saviour) fasting, praying, weeping, groaning, sweeting, bleeding, fainting, dying, for my sake, and now pleading to my God for mercy for me: Let me now taste the sweetness of that mercy by a lively faith, the fullness of this sweetuesse by a blessed hope, the fruition of this fullness by eternal love.  
Lord how unworthy am I of these embraces, if I bewail not, if I abhor not, if I forsake not all the wretched failings of my sinful life passed; if I rejoice not with joy unspeakable, and glorious, to be admitted to so great a mercy; if this inflame not mine affections with unspotted love to thee my God, with earnest long for thy presence of Grace in this life, of Glory in that to come?  
And now, Lord, since thou in thy rich love hast freely forgiven me my pounds, I will also most willingly and hearty forgive my brother his pence; I will have nothing to do with malice, that had so much need of mercy: I will unfeignedly, and freely, and fully forgive all injuries on earth; I will love all those that hate me, and pray for all those that despitefully use me; and all this for thy sake who haste freely loved me, and laid down thy life for me, to whom be Glory for ever. Amen.  

Blessed Lord God,  
Look down in mercy and compassion on me thy poor distressed suppliant, whom thou now vouchsafest to admit unto thy heavenly Banquet; Illuminate my blindness by the blessed light of thy most sacred Word, satisfy my hunger with the sweet refresh of thy gracious presence, enrich my poverty, with the gifts and graces of thy holy Spirit; cover my nakedness with the precious robes of thine own righteousness; swallow up the depth of my misery by the height of thy mercy, that I may this day appear before thee with a sincere heart, and happy soul.  
Lord, strengthen and support my feeble faith, make me joyfully to trust in thee, constantly to rely upon thee, thankfully to sacrifice my soul in praises to thee.  
Vouchsafe, dear Lord, that I may worthily approach thy blessed Table, that I may this day be so united to thee, that all my joy and comfort may hereafter be for ever with thee. Amen.    

CHAP. 8. Containing pious Ejaculations at the time of Receiving.  

Lord,  
THis art that blessed Bread by which my soul is nourished to eternal life; thou art that fruitful Vine from which doth flow those gladding comforts to my fainting spirit.  
Thou wert broken for my sins, thou wert bruised for my transgressions, and the chastisement of my peace was upon thee: Lord, by thy stripes let my sinful soul be healed.  
Thou tookest into thy hand the cup of trembling, thou drankest out the very dregs thereof, and thy precious blood was poured out like water for my sake.  
Sweet Jesus sustain me by this Bread, refresh me with this Wine, recover me with this Potion, cleanse me by this Effusion; that I may this day receive joyfully, return thankfully, live righteously, and die happily.    

CHAP. 9 Containing a brief Meditation, and pious Thanksgiving after our Receiving.  
I Am this day joyfully delivered from the bondage of Sin and Satan, and happily restored unto the glorious liberty of the sons of God; I have relished the sweetness of his heavenly promises, and received the seal of his gracious performances; I now enjoy that blessed Peace of God which passeth all our understanding. My deliverance is wonderful, my freedom absolute, my peace unalterable, my joy unutterable: My conscience is now quieted, my spirit ravished, mine enemies vanquished, and my God wel-pleased.  

To thee therefore, O thou blessed Fountain of eternal sweetness, do I address my joyful soul, to love and honour thee to my lives end. Lord Jesus accept of me, and so powerfully and graciously assist me, that I may savingly behold thee in thy blessed promises, that I may happily enjoy thee in thy holy Ordinances; that I may clearly see, and joyfully confess what great things thou hast done for my poor soul; that I may be daily ravished with apprehension of thine exceeding love, and hourly husied with recounting thy endless praise.  
Lord make me to forsake the sins and miseries of this life; make me more watchful over my corrupt heart, more zealous of thy glory and thy children's good; that I may never willingly offend thee, but wholly sacrifice the short remainder of my days unto thee; that so my heart and my flesh may triumphantly rejoice in thee the living God.  
Mortify my corruptions, support my weakness, accept my willingness: Let this my humiliation before thee be a pleasing sacrifice unto thee, for his alone sake whose precious life thy rich mercy hath sacrificed to thy Justice for me. Lord hear me, and have mercy on me for his alone sake whom thou hast freely given unto me, that I may truly love thee, devoutly serve thee, earnestly embrace thee, eternally enjoy thee. Amen.    

CHAP. 10. Upon a Journey undertaken, and the many dangers incident thereunto.  
I Am now going from mine own home, and know not whether I shall ever return; God I know hath set a period to my days, beyond which I cannot pass, but when, or where, or how my life shall end, I am uncertain. Many are the dangers that attend this sinful life, and many more my sins that have deserved them, I can neither number the one, nor foresee the other; this is the wretched, and the sad condition of my body, and (without unfeigned sorrow for my sins) the much more woeful case of my distressed soul.  
Lord, there is nothing so sweet as thy love, nothing so safe as thy protection, and yet I have carelessy neglected the one, and thou mayst now justly deny me the other; thou hast wooed me to mercy, and I have refused to come; thou hast graciously invited me by thy continual preservations, by thy fatherly sustentations, by thy gentle corrections, by thy faithful promises, and thy rich performances.  
Blessed Lord, how wonderful are thy compassions towards me, when I am unthankful for thy many favours, when I am unmindful of mine own miseries, even than thou graciously providest for me, and yet for all this I have not hitherto resolved seriously to come unto thee.  
Such, and so many are my sins, so great is my unthankfulness, that I now tremble to appear before thee; and yet so tender is thy mercy to me, that thou again allurest me to comfort and contentment. Lord, into the blessed bosom of thy love I cast myself for safety and protection; and in the midst of danger, even in death itself will joyfuliy rely upon thee.  

For thou, O Lord, art my strong rock and fortress, unto which I will always resort: Lord keep me as the apple of thine eye, hid me under the shadow of thy wings.  
Strengthen my weak faith against the strong assaults of Satan; support and comfort me in all the fears and terrors of mine own accusing conscience; protect and keep me in this present journey; let thy holy Angels be my blessed Guardians, to protect me in life, to preserve me in death, to assist me after death.  
O let me never grieve those blessed Spirits (which though invisibly, yet most assuredly are my attendants) Lord, as thou hast given them readiness and cheerfulness of mind to watch my preservation, and further my salvation, so give me carefulness and constancy of soul to joy them in my life and conversation.  
And seeing, Lord, I cannot know my hour of dissolution, O teach me so to number my days, that I may apply my heart unto heavenly wisdom; that I may obtain a sweet assurance of thy love in Christ; unfeigned sorrow for my sins, a sincere and constant heart to thy service, and a cheerful readiness at thy call. Amen.    

CHAP. 11. Containing pious Meditations, and zealous Ejaculations after a Journey.  
I Am now by God's gracious providence returned safe unto mine earthly home, but am still travelling to my heavenly: There is nothing in this life but labour and sorrow, nothing in that but rest and happiness, and yet I dote upon the one, and neglect the other. Lord, if my treasure were with thee, my heart would be there also: When thou givest me more knowledge of thee, I shall have more desire to come unto thee; When my sins have made me more sensible of mine own misery, thy Grace (I trust) will make me more capable of thy sweet mercy.  
Lord, if this vain unquietness be so refreshing to my mortal body, how truly blessed will thy heavenly rest be to mine immortal soul? When thou, Lord, wilt wipe away all tears from mine eyes, all achings from my heart; when there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor any more pain; when soul and body shall triumphantly and joyfully repose themselves in thee for ever: when they shall drink freely of the rivers of thy pleasures, and be for ever satisfied with the fatness of thy house.  
I confess myself unworthy to enjoy this outward rest in this mine earthy home, much more unworthy to enjoy that inward rest, that sweet assurance of a lively hope, to be partaker of eternal rest. How wretched is my body without this outward quietness? How much more wretched is my soul without thee? Thou, O Lord, art my shield to defend me, my staff to uphold me, my food to sustain me, my wine to glad me, my beloved to embrace me, my pleasure to delight me, my joy to ravish me, my sweet and sate repose for ever to refresh me.  
Let this teach me (Lord) to fix my thoughts on heaven and heavenly things; to use this world soberly in thee and to thee; to view it (truly as it is) a barren wilderness, a transitory, vain, and empty thing; far inconsistent with my real happiness; to desire nothing, to enjoy nothing in the creature, but only in, and unto thee the great Creator; so shall no vain pleasure bewitch me, no unjust profit beguile me; no sudden sorrow dismay me, no terrors of conscience affright me.  

To thee, O thou sovereign of my soul, do I devote the remnant of my sinful days, to love thee, to praise thee, to honour thee, to rest in thee for ever.  
Lord wean me from the sins and miseries of this life, and raise my thoughts to immortality: Let the sweetness of thy heavenly joys relieve the harshness of my worldly sorrows, that misery may be swallowed up of mercy and frailty of eternity.  
Unite me in a blessed union with thee, that I may constantly adhere unto thee, and be for ever graciously accepted of thee: O give me a sweet complacency of soul in thy service, and a willing and a dutiful obedience unto thy commands.  
Lord give me a thankful heart for all thy mercies to me, for thy continual preservation, for thy blessed supportation, for the enjoyment of thy needful comforts in this life, and for the glorious hopes of those in that to come.  
Blessed God, so sublimate my sinful soul, that I may see the richness of thy love in Christ, that I may soberly enjoy thy blessings here, and faithfully expect thy joys hereafter.  
Lord, all that I have without thee is mere emptiness, and nothing, mere vanity, and worse than nothing; my glory, shame; mine honour, ignominy; my health, ruin; my riches, poverty; my gain, loss; my pleasure, pain; my laughter, madness.  
Thou, O Lord, art all in all unto me, O grant that nothing may withdraw my service from thee; that no enticing pleasure may allure me, that no distracting care, or sinful sorrow may disturb me, but that my soul may now and ever safely and contentedly rely upon thee.  
Lord, thou seest all my desires, and my continual groan are not hid from thee: Thou alone knowest how weary I am of the sinful travails of this life, how earnestly I long to be at rest with thee; Lord pardon all my sins, and put an end to all my miseries: Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, wipe away all tears from mine eyes, and bring me to that rest of thine which never shall have end. Amen.    

CHAP. 12. Upon the great danger of Security.  
DEceive not thyself, O my Soul, it is not so easy a matter to inherit Heaven, as thou imaginest; there will be much fight, sweeting, bleeding, much compunction of soul, subjection of body, hard pressing towards the mark, for the price of the high calling in Christ jesus, before this happy conquest can be gained.  
Consider therefore in what condition thou now standest, what ground thou hast gained of thy corrupt nature, how much better thou art this day than the day past, than the year past, than thy whole life past; nay rather how much worse, by adding sin unto sin, by drinking in iniquity like water, by treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of thy righteous judgement.  
Philosophy will tell thee, that in all natural motions, the nearer they are to ending, the more violent their motion is; Divinity will tell thee, that in old age thou wilt be fat, and well liking: what increase of love hast thou to God's Law? what growth of hatred against sin? what bosome-sin hast thou parted with? what gracious improvement hast thou made in Knowledge, Faith, Repentance, Love, and all those other gifts and graces which concur to thy perfection?  
Holy Saint Anselm was often heard to say, If I could from hence behold the pains of hell, from thence the horror of sin, I would rather embrace those pains, than this horror: O what growth of grace was here! how far am I from this degree of holiness! how easily persuaded to delude myself with shows and shadows of perfection. There is no attaining unto happiness without holy violence, without beating down my body, without cherishing my soul; if I conquer not here, I cannot triumph hereafter.  
Lord, when I look into the strictness of the lives of thy Saints, I much lament the folly of mine own; I see holy David in sackcloth and ashes, consuming whole days and nights in mourning for s●n, washing his bed with his tears, afflicted in body, tormented in soul, grieving, crying, roaring, for unquietness of heart. Blessed Paul subduing his body, by fasting, watching, praying, toiling in the Ministry. and thou, my blessed Saviour, in continual labour and sorrow for my sake: how vain is my trust, how false my hope, how great my error, to believe I run, when I stand still? to expect a triumph without a victory, a victory without a combat. Lord, if many that strive to enter in at the straight gate, yet shall not be able: what shall become of me? who am so far from coming to thee, that I every day am running from thee; who am not only opposite unto thee, but even enmity itself against thee.  
Sometimes I feel the stings and gripe of a wounded conscience, I know myself to be a grievous sinner, but I quiet my disturbances by thee my Saviour, I willingly accept of mercy from thee, but grudgingly repine at service to thee; thou biddest me indeed to drink freely of the waters of life, but thou commandest me also to make my calling and election sure, to work out my salvation with fear and trembling; thou ordainest not the end without the means; if I rebelliously neglect the one, thou may●st most righteously deny me the other: Lord, what can it profit me to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, when I deprive my soul of happiness for ever?  
O let this teach me to deplore my dangerous condition, to go on cheerfully in the ways of godliness, to think no cost too much, no pains too great, no grief too good, to purchase Heaven; to consider seriously, that time once past can never be recalled, that this hour may be my last, and bring me to eternity of torments; where the stream is stillest, there the channel is deepest; where there is least distrust, there is usually most danger: Satan therefore disturbs me not, because I sleep in death: But when thou, Lord, shalt open mine eyes to see the subtlety of this Deceiver, I shall then find, that the waters (of sin) are gone over my soul, that I am woefully drowned in the great depth of security, and can expect nothing (without mercy) but Satan's cruelty, and mine own endless misery.  

To that sweet mercy therefore I appeal, with earnestness of soul, and humbleness of heart, bemoaning my sins, bewailing my transgressions.  
O Lord my God, when I consider of thy gracious goodness, and mine own vileness, I am utterly ashamed to appear in thy presence.  
Thou hast often called me to repentance, but I have not harkened unto thee; thou hast lovingly invited me to mercy, but I have wilfully refused; thou hast clothed me with thine own garment, and I have shamefully defiled it; thou hast enriched me with thy grace, and I have rob thee of thine honour: All this, and infinitely more than this, thou hast freely done for me, the worst of sinners, and yet for all this I have rebelliously forsaken thee, and most ungratiously been most unmindful of thee.  
And now, Lord, seeing that I am dead and putrified in sins, and rotten in corruptions, what else can I expect from thee, but to be buried out of thy sight? and yet thou still sayest unto me, live.  
O thou blessed Fountain of eternal good, convey those happy streams of comfort to my sinful soul, that may revive me from the grave of misery: open mine eyes, that I may see thee in thy long patience, in thy great goodness, in thy rich mercies, in thy fatherly affections towards me.  
I am woefully sunk into the deep mire of sin, where no stay is; Lord uphold me by thy grace, that I perish not eternally; O deliver me for thy mercy sake, for I am helpless and poor, and my heart is wounded within me.  
Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee, and thy judgements shall help me.  
As thou hast raised me by thy power, so rule me by thy providence, that thy grace may be far sweeter with my sufferings, than my pleasure with my sins.  
Restrain my lose desires, renew my good purposes, assist my weak endeavours, correct mine errors, sustain my infirmities; give me a godly sorrow for my sins, a thankful heart for thy favours, a filial fear of thy judgements, a sincere love to thy laws, an holy constancy, and happy perseverance, to my lives end. Amen.    

CHAP. 13. Upon the great danger of Presumption.  
Alas, my Soul, how vain art thou, how wretched, to presume upon the mercy of thy God? how canst thou be so foolish to believe, that God will favour thee in that, which he so severely punished in his own Son? thinkest thou that precious blood was spilt to cherish sin? Be not mistaken, for as Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners, so he came also to call sinners to repentance. Dost thou argue well to say, because God is merciful, long-suffering, and of great goodness, therefore I will abuse his mercy in sinning, his patience by my long continuing in sin, his great goodness by my great unthankfulness? is not this to mock his mercy, to bid defiance to his justice, to arm him with fury, to invite him to revenge? Assure thyself, the longer he is in drawing his Bow, the more forcible will he send his Arrow.  
Deceive not thyself therefore, God will not be so merciful to thee, as to be unjust to himself; All the ways of God are Mercy and Truth; Mercy to support thy weakness, Truth to correct thy wilfulness: There is therefore Mercy with him, that he may be feared, not that he may be slighted, not that he may be shamefully dishonoured. How full of falsehood is thy bold presumption? thou criest Peace, Peace, when sudden War is ready to destroy thee; There is no peace to the wicked, saith my God; Heaven and Earth are up in Arms against thee, and there is none left, not so much as thine own Conscience to deliver thee.  
Thou hast graciously received the knowledge of the truth, thou hast grievously sinned against the light of that knowledge, thou hast woefully continued in thy sins, without remorse of conscience, without desire of repentance, and there now remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearful looking for of judgement, and violent fire, that shall devour the Adversaries.  
O remember, that the Angels, for one sin, were thrown down from Heaven, and that Adam, for one sin, was cast out of Paradise: Thy sins (O my Soul) are innumerable, thou hast had line upon line, and precept upon precept, and yet thou addest sin upon sin, and transgression upon transgression: Thou hast sinned against many precious promises, against many gracious performances, against many fearful judgements; thou hast grieved that good Spirit, by which the Saints are sealed up unto the day of redemption: All these are heavy aggravations upon thee, to fill up the measure of thy sins, and hasten the swiftness of thy punishments.  
Ah how sad is thy condition! thou hast not only wearied out thyself in wickedness, but thy God also: hear what he faith unto thee, how he complaineth of thee, by his holy Prophet, Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is laden with sheaves, Amos 2.13. and yet thou still addest more load: but as thou addest sin upon sin, so thou callest for wrath upon wrath; as thou hast made a mock at sin, so God will make a mock at misery; as thou hast thy measure in sinning, so God will have his measure in punishing: Consider what he saith unto thee by his Prophet, Judgement will I lay to the rule, and Righteousness to the balance, Esay 28.17, 18. As he hath a bottle for thy tears, so he hath a bag for thy transgressions, Job 14.17. their growth is recorded, their number accounted, their nature examined, all sealed up against the great and fearful day of the revelation of the righteous judgement.  
O consider this thou that forgettest God, lest he tear thee in pieces, and there be none to deliver thee: Think how suddenly thou mayst be snatched away by those infernal Fiends, to endless torments, and then what tears will be enough to weep thine obsequies, to quench those everlasting burn? But then, alas, instead of tears of compassion, thou shalt have mocks of derision, the cursed Devils will laugh thee to scorn, the blessed Saints and Angels will rejoice at thy confusion, and God himself, who only can relieve thee, will for ever hid his tender mercy from thee.  
Awake therefore out of thy sleep of death, look well into thy lost estate, thou art now near unto making up the measure of thy sins, beyond which thou canst not pass: Thy God hath said to thee, as to the Sea, hitherto malt thou go, and here shalt thou stay thy proud waves: Think how suddenly thou mayest be called to thy last account, even this very hour, (for aught thou knowest) those cursed Spirits may convey thee to thy fiery Prison: O think how powerfully the wrath of God will then seize upon thee; how woefully thou wilt excrutiate thyself, with apprehension of thy former folly; and last of all, how wretchedly thou art forever banished from eternal joys, to suffer with the damned in eternal torments: L●t this move thee to amend thy wicked ways, to cry mightily to God for mercy, to judge thyself, to condemn thyself, that thou mayst not be judged of the Lord; to Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and so thou perish from the right way: If his wrath be kindled, yea but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Turn (therefore) unto the Lord thy God (O my soul) for he is gracious, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.  

Blessed Lord,  
As an unfeigned sign of my repentance, in anguish of heart, and bitterness of soul, I earnestly desire to search into the secreets of my sinful thoughts, to unbosom all my sins, and lay them open to the view of all thy Saints, that thou mayst have the glory, they the good, and I the shame of my confession; that so this penitent sense of mine iniquities (which I thankfully acknowledge cometh alone from thee) may be an evidence unto me, that thou wilt also give me pardon for them.  
Lord, I willingly confess myself to be a great and grievous sinner, mine original defiled, my birth polluted, mine infancy stained, my youth ensnared, my manhood corrupted, mine age besotted.  
Mine imaginations vain, my thoughts sinful, my words wicked, mine actions abominable, my whole life a very sink of sin and all uncleanness.  
When thy hand hath been heavy upon me, I have then promised thee amendment; when thy road hath been taken off from me, I have again returned to mine evil courses; this plainly showeth, that I have hitherto sought but any self in thee, and may therefore justly fear to be forsaken of thee.  
I have been undutiful to thee my God, envious and uncharitable to my neighbour, hypocritical to the world, deceitful to mine own soul.  
My thoughts have been wanton, my desires lascivious, my actions unclean.  
I have been blind to thy precepts, deaf to thy promises, dumb in thy praises, lame in thy services, sick at thine ordinances, dead to thy embraces.  
I have broken all my promises, I have slighted all thy threaten, I have abused all thy mercies, I have rejected all thy favours, I have delayed my repentance, I have resisted the checks of mine own conscience, I have quenched the motions of thy blessed Spirit, and turned thy grace into wantonness; and yet as if all this had been too little to condemn me, I have most daringly presumed on thy mercy, and most ungracionsly resolved to go on in my impieties.  
Lord, thou hast peomised to forgive those that repent, to ease those that are heavy laden, to raise up those that are fallen, to satisfy those that are hungry, and to bind up those that are .  
O Lord my God, I earnestly desire to repent, I am laden with a burden insupportable, I am feeble and sore smitten with the terrors of thy Law, my flesh trembleth, and my heart fainteth; I am fallen into the very mouth of hell, I am sorely wounded with the remorse of mine own accusing conscience, and hungry for the sweet refresh of thy saving grace.  
Thou, O Lord, hast made me sensible of this my great misery, and thou alone canst make me capable of thy rich mercy; unto that mercy therefore I appeal, with sighs in my soul, and sorrow in my heart.  
O thou which art the blessed fountain of all goodness, which desirest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent and live, have mercy upon me.  
O thou which art the Saviour of the world, which camest to seek, and to save those which were lost, have mercy upon me.  
O holy, and for ever blessed Spirit, thou which feedest and refreshest the distressed souls of thine Elect, have mercy on me.  
Let thy power (O blessed Father) support my weakness; thy wisdom (O blessed Son) supply my folly; thy love (O blessed Spirit) restrain my wilfulness; that as thou art eternally one, so I may for ever be at unity with thee, although most woefully divided in myself.  
Lord, as thou hast given me a heart to pray unto thee, so give me also a soul to praise thee, and a serius resolution to perform those promises I make unto thee.  
Lord sweeten all my sorrows by thy blessed sufferings, enlarge my heart with thankfulness for thy many favours, strengthen my weak faith, restrain my rebellious nature, increase daily in me the gifts and graces of thy blessed Spirit; endue me with a perfect hatred against all sin; and grant, dear God, that daring and presumptuous sins may never have dominion over me. Amen.    

CHAP. 14. Upon Quenching the motions of God's holy Spirit.  
COnsider, O my soul, from whence these happy thoughts arise, and wherefore, if they were from nature, they must needs savour of corruption, but now they are from Grace, they summon thee to goodness, they beckon thee to immortality: Thy God now calleth thee to repentance; he offers thee his gracious pardon for thy sin; his love, his protection, his peace, his grace, his glory: He now wooeth thee to favour, and thou (a woeful wretch) convicted by thine own accusing conscience, condemned by divine Justice, rebelliously rejectest all these gracious offers: Ah, what woeful folly is this! nay rather what wilful madness! As there is a time of calling, so there will be a time of rejecting; the blessed wind of God's holy Spirit bloweth but where it listeth; when it is once gone, thou knowest not whether it shall ever return: God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth, Rom. 9 Ah woe be unto that soul whose time of calling is once past, a thousand worlds cannot redeem its loss. If thou wilt not now embrace these comfortable breathe of his tender love, thou shalt then endure the bitter storms of his incensed wrath.  
If thou wilt not embrace his Mercy, thou shalt exalt his Justice: I called unto you (saith God) and ye refused to come, I held out my hand and ye would not look towards me; therefore will I forsake you in your extremity, when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you; then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer, they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. Prov. 1.24, 27, 28.  
God's clemency and patience in this life will assuredly exasperate his fury, and revenge, in that to come; as his Mercy is unutterable, so his Justice is intolerable, both are his divine being, and therefore both must needs be infinite; both are to manifest his glory, and therefore both must be eternal.  
From hence is that expression of Saint Vaul, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb. 10. From hence it is that wicked men are left unto their own swing in this life, that they may be paid home with God's wrath in that to come.  
Let this teach thee, O my soul, to welcome these endeared motions of the gladding Spirit, to thirst for them, to rejoice in them, to think no thought too dear to be dislodged for them.  
Blessed Lord, I hear thee calling thy holy Apostle Saint Peter, and I see him readily forsaking all to follow thee; how often hast thou called me, a sinful wretch, by the sweet motions of thy blessed Spirit; and I have hitherto refused to forsake the very lest of all my sins, for thy sake, who willingly forsookest all the pleasures of this life for mine? Long hast thou waited my repentance, but I have yet hated to be reform. Mercy hath been offered, and I have not esteemed it, Judgement hath been threatened, and I have not regarded it; thou hast not only whispered unto me by thy gracious visits of thy blessed Spirit, but thou hast even called me aloud, by thy divine hand of wholesome chastisement; By loss of friends, by loss of means, by loss of health, by loss of liberty, and (without thy rich mercy) by the great danger of that greater loss of thy Gospel, and thereby of thy gracious presence in this life, and thine eternal joys in that to come. All this my sins have justly brought upon me, and yet for all this, my wretched heart desires to be a stranger to thee.  
Lord, who am I that thou so graciously invitest unto mercy? Lord, what am I that now presume to speak unto thee? I am so deformed, and contemptible, that mine own knowledge cometh far short of mine own misery. O how justly mightst thou for ever leave me to myself, to eat the fruit of mine own ways, and to be filled with the falsehood of mine own devices, to possess sorrow, and inherit shame? But thou, O Lord, who art infinite in goodness, hast manifested to my sinful soul, that when I wretchedly forsake thee, thou readily forsakest all to follow me; when I run from thee, thou bewailest me; when misery compels me to return, thou joyfully receivest me, thou lovingly relievest me, thou then graciously acceptest of me; And now, O Lord, when I have even wearied out thy mercy and compassion towards me, thou still invitest me to come unto thee.  

To thee therefore, O thou blessed Shepherd of my soul, do I devote these penitent expressions: O let those tributary tears which are due to thy sufferings, be now plentifully poured forth for mine own sins. Lord pardon my contempt of grace, and graciously enable me to entertain these happy visits of thy holy Spirit, and patiently to bear these sweet chastisements of thy heavenly hand, that I may have fellowship with Christ, and peace with God.  
If thou Lord for the sins of my prosperity, shalt think it fit to bring upon me the miseries of adversity, for the great neglect of thy gracious visits, to deny me the sweet comforts of thy blessed answers, yet give me patience, and sure confidence to trust still in thy mercy, that so while I am most justly debarred of my longing desires, I may not be utterly deprived of thy loving favours.  
Lord cast me not away from thy presence, O leave me not unto myself, lest I perish everlastingly; make me to see the richness of thy love and favour towards me: Quicken the motions of thy blessed Spirit in me, renew my good thoughts, and six them wholly upon heaven and heavenly things; Lord Jesus make me joyful in them, and for ever truly thankful for them.  
Make me willing to enjoy thee, and ready to abandon all things for thee: Lord I now seek thee but I cannot find thee, I call upon thee but thou answerest me not: O kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth, for thy love is better than wine.  
Lord let thy left hand support me, and thy right hand embrace me, let me be outwardly, and inwardly, sustained by thee; my weaknss by thy power, my rebellion by thine obedience, my folly by thy wisdom, my pollution by thy sanctification, my faith by thy fruition; that I may be grieved for thine absence, delighted in thy presence, enamoured with thy beanty, enriched with thy bounty, inflamed with thy love, adorned with thy graces, comforted with thy consolation, encompassed with thy glory. Amen.    

CHAP. 15. Upon the consideration of God's peculiar Providence to his Children.  
Lord,  
NOthing can befall me in this life, without thy wife, and overruling providence; not so much as one hair of me can fail without thy allowance; for even my very hairs are numbered; as a Sparrow cannot fall to the ground, so neither a hair from mine head without thy sacred leave: And if thy blessed Providence protecteth these inferior creatures, if it extend itself even unto excrements, how much more safely dost thou guard the bodies, how much more tenderly the souls of thine Elect? Yet such is my stupidity by nature, that I seldom look beyond the seond causes; I usually content myself with casuals and contingencies, and often judge that merely accidental, which sweetly moves by thy commands, to thine appointment and thy children's good.  
Thy Providence is eternal, thy provision in time; thou, O Lord, art infinitely wise, and caused therefore provide infinitely well, the end thou ordainest to thyself, the means to thy creature; good and bad are under thy protection; the good for themselves, the bad for others; both for thy glory; the one thou willest to be happy, the other thou permittest to be miserable; neither of them can avoid their necessity of fate, and yet thou neither inclinest the one, nor inforcest the other, because unto both in their original thou gavest perfect freedom of will, to choose the good, to leave the bad; to inherit life, or purchase death.  
Blessed God, we are all debtors in our first Parents, thou mayst therefore most justly require that of us, which was lent us in them: They were able to pay, but not willing; we, their woeful posterity (as we are in nature) are neither able, nor willing; But by thy grace, Lord, we are only willing, and not able; and thou hast therefore sent thine only Son, who was both freely willing, and fully able, to appease thy Justice, to reconcile thy Mercy, to comfort us here, to crown us hereafter.  
And now, Lord, having given us thy Son, how shalt thou not, together with him also, give us all things? and yet I often see thee giving of good things to the bad, and bad to the good: there is nothing more fiequent in this life than the afflictions of thy children, nothing more common than the prosperity of the wicked, they receive their good things in this life, I shall enjoy mine in that to come, when I shall be comforted, and they tormented. Thou, O Lord, art righteous in all they ways, and holy in all thy works; thou loadest them with thine outward blessings, for their outward obedience; thou deniest me these outward favours, for mine inward advantage; by the one they are left inexcusable; by the other I am made more conformable; my patience exercised, my faith tried, my love examined, my humility proved; all these are special tokens of thy mercy towards me; for as grace increaseth here, so shall glory hereafter.  
Lord, what can he fear that is assured of thy favour? that knoweth assuredly, that all these outward things shall work together for the best, to his advantage? If Joseph be thrown into the Pit, it is to send him into Egypt; if into Prison, too preser him to Pharaoh, that so Corn may be sent into Canaan; if Satan be sent to tempt Job with afflictions, it is because Job shall overcome Satan by patience; if holy David become a sad spectacle of humane frailty by sinning, it is to make him a pattern of true piety in repenting; if the bodies of the Saints be grievously martyred in this life, it is to array them with glorious robes in that to come.  
Lord, let this teach me joyfully to entertain the saddest of events, which either thy wisdom, man's unrighteousness, or Satan's cruelty, can bring upon me; to be patiented under them, and thankful for them; to ransack my soul, and search diligently there, for what sin thou sendest this sorrow, to bewail it, abhor it, forsake it, and earnestly implore thy pardon for it: When I am thus happily resolved, I shall then have that undaunted boldness, to say with holy Job, Although thou killest me, yet will I trust in thee; with holy David, Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, yet will I fear none evil, for thou Lord art with me; and with thy blessed Apostle, that I know assuredly, that the sufferings of this life shall work for me a far greater and more exceeding weight of glory, in that to come.  

To thee therefore, O thou blessed Guardian of my sinful soul, and wretched body, do I address myself for safety and protection.  
I confess, O Lord, there is no one minute of my whole life can be safe without thy gracious providence, and yet so wretched have I been, that few or none of them have been devoted to thy service.  
Lord, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all thy truth thou hast afforded me; even the very best of all my actions hath justly merited the very worst of all thy punishments, and yet thou daily loadest me with thy blessings, although I hourly sin against thee, by my great transgressions.  
Forgive me my unmindfulness of these thy mercies, my great unthankfulness for all thy favours, and fix my sinful soul more willingly, more joyfully, more fervently, more constantly, on thy service.  
Teach me to keep a catalogue of thy mercies, to let none pass without a thankful and devout acknowledgement; to set some days apart from the year, some hours from each day, to praise thee for them.  
Forgive the pride of my prosperity, my carelessness of thee, my coldness unto thine, my crossness unto others, my cruelty to myself.  
Lord pardon my repine in adversity, my distaste of thy power, my distrust of thy providence, my denial of thy wisdom, my refusal of thy love, my contempt of thy favour, my neglect of thy grace, my despair of thy goodness.  
O give me such a blessed frame of heart, that I may cheerfully and joyfully content myself, to walk in whatsoever paths thy blessed providence shall lead me to: O hold thou up my go in those paths, that my feet slip not; teach me to make a gracious and a sweet improvement of these outward crosses, a blessed and a wise advantage of thine inward graces: Lord lead me by thy counsel here, and afterwards receive me to thy glory. Amen.    

CHAP. 16. Upon sinful Anger, and the great disturbance thereof.  
Lord,  
WHen I consider of thy patience, and long-suffering towards me, a miserable sinner, of the lowliness of thy Saints, and of the great humility and meekness of my Saviour in his sufferings, I much deplore the woeful weakness of mine own infirmities, and more admire the richness of thy goodness, in admitting me to speak unto thee.  
What pleasure, Lord, canst thou take in that service which is all sin? how canst thou delight in that which thou abhorrest? thou art a God of pure eyes, and canst not behold iniquity; if all my righteousness be in thy sight as filthy rags, and menstivous clothes, how full of ugliness and deformity will my sins then appear before thee?  
Ah Lord, thou hast often se●n how easily, how suddenly, how wretchedly, I have been swallowed up of sinful passion; how I have violated that invaluable peace which thou hast given me, by revengeful thoughts, by despiteful words, by disturbing actions: I know nothing in my corrupt nature, but to know myself miserable; I see nothing in this misery, but terror and confusion, affliction to my body, destruction to my soul; all occurrences of this life should have rather added to my growth of grace, than disturbance of nature: I have hitherto been grossly mistaken, in calling that a defect of my body, which is in truth an error in my soul: Nature was at first created pure, no disobedience was then in the passions, Man hath marred it by his Fall: all the Streams that are now troubled flow from this Fountain; this barren excuse therefore is so far from lessening sin, that it makes it bigger. I am now so much the more stained by committing actual sin, as I should have been more holy, and am not, since original.  
Lord, let this teach me to deal truly with my soul, to unclothe myself of all sinful excuses, that so sin may appear truly what it is, and may become out of measure sinful; that mine Anger may be holy, my application of it happy, that nothing may disturb me but sin; that I may be a Lion in thy cause, a Lamb in mine own; that when I hate the sin, I may love the person; when I rebuke the offence, I may pray hearty for the offender; so shall I zealously enjoy thee my God, religiously embrace my neighhour, patiently possess mine own soul.  

And now, Lord, as thou hast given me an heart to confess my sins of impatience before thee, so give me a sweet assurance in my Saviour, that by him I have assured pardon for them.  
If thou Lord for my sinful Anger shalt inflict upon me thy severe wrath; and for my long continuing in my sins, the long duration of thy punishments; yet let not thy severity exceed the measure of my Christian charity; though thou continuest my miseries, yet withdraw not thy mercies. O make me more and more humble unto thee my God, and more and more meek amongst thy children; conform me to that blessed pattern of true piety and patience; that as a sheep in thy hands (my blessed Shearer) so I may be dumb, and not open my mouth against thee.  
Lord banish from me all desires of revenge; let Patience have its perfect work, to quiet me here, and crown me hereafter,  
I confess myself to be a great and grievous sinner, and yet I am thy creature; my body is thine, and my soul is thine, both were joined in thy creation, and both are joined in my devotion; both have sinned against thee, O let them both be humbled before thee, not to satisfy thy Justice, but to implore thy Mercy; not to merit thy Grace, but to magnify thy Goodness.  
Lord make me truly sensible of the greatness of thy misery, that I may the more devoutly, the more sincerely, sue to thee for mercy: Forgive the many violent eruptions of my sinful passions, give me a meek and humble spirit, that I may happily enjoy thy presence, and mine own content. Lord grant that I may patiently and joyfully embrace the wrongs and injuries of this life, for thy sake, who hast been patiented even to death for mine.  
Let that be made easy unto me by thy grace; which by nature is impossible, that nothing may delight me but thy love, nothing grieve me but thy displeasure, nothing offend me but thy dishonour. Amen.    

CHAP. 17. Upon man's inordinate love to the Creature.  
WOE is me that I am constrained to live in Meshech, and to dwell in the tents of Cedar; woe is me that I was conceived in sin, that I was born in sin, and that I have so long been captive to the power of sin: How vain am I, how wretched, to beguile myself of rest and quietness? O how unworthy to defile my Marriage vows, to prostitute my love to these unclean, and false embraces of a s●nfull world, to dig unto myself these broken Cisterns of impure and empty joys, and to forsake those living waters of eternal life: O woeful cateif, if I well consider what I am; but far more woeful, if I seriously consider what I should be.  
Lord, when I was in my blood, thou saidst unto me, Live; when I was cast out, and none eye pitied me, than thou hadst mercy on me; when I was naked thou clothedst me, when I was wounded thou healedst me; nay more, Lord, thou didst unclothe thyself for me, and by thy wounds I am healed; when I was loathsome in mine own eyes, I was beautiful in thine; and when all this is not yet enough to manifest thy wonderful compassions towards me, thou feedest me at thine own Table, thou lodgest me in thine own bosom, thou makest me partaker of thine own inheritance.  
Blessed God, what couldst thou have done more for me that thou hast not done? And yet for all this I forsake thee, I neglect thee, I abuse thee, I adulterate those many vows and promises I made unto thee: And now, Lord, when I am even ashamed to present myself before thee, when my false heart hath been so great a stranger to thy blessed bosom, that I am even afraid to kneel to thee for mercy; thou graciously forgivest me, thou bemoanest my sin, thou hidest my shaure, thou makest love unto me, and (to the wonder of my soul) delightest still to set thy love upon me.  
Thou, O my blessed Saviour, hast told me, that if I were of this World, it would love me, but now I am not of this World, that the World hateth me: Lord, what madness is this in me to love mine utter enemy? to delight in her bosom, which hunteth for my precious life? to forlake thee, the pleasant Lily of the Valleys, the sweet Refreshments of Eternity, to weary out, and wound my soul amongst the Briars of this barren Wilderness? Thou Lord, hast said unto me, Arise my Love, my Fair one, and come away; thou invitest me from the showers and tempests of a stormy Winter, from the cares and troubles of a discontented life, to the sweet dews of thy graces, the gentle breathe of thy Spirit, the tender buds of thy love, the lovely blossems of thy goodness, the pleasant fruit of thy promises, the joyful crop of thy performances: And notwithstanding all this I still cry, yet a little more sleep, yet a little more number, yet a little more folding of the hands together; yet a little more sin, yet a little more shame, yet a little more sorrow.  
Ah, Lord, what is there in the creature, that thus strangely bewitcheth me? or rather, what is there not in it, that is not every minute ready to betray me, and despoil me of those precious ornaments of soul which thou hast given me; the cares and crosses of this life asflict me, the pleasures besot me, the profits disturb me, pride puffeth me up, and even mine own heart deceiveth me; by calling good evil, and evil good; by making that sweet in the expectation, which is bitter in the fruition: Lord, while I have sought the creature, I have lost myself, my body in distempers, my soul in distractions.  
That precious Faith which is the ground of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen, whose end is the salvation of my soul, which is thy gift who art the God of truth, is now drowned in a sea of error, and justly given up to believe dreams and delusions, and doctrines of Devils; to trust wholly in vanity, and to follow after lying.  
That saving knowledge, by which I was formerly enlightened in thy sacred Truths, is now blinded with the soggy mists of sin and ignorance: This, Lord, is my great aggravation, and just condemnation, that light is come into the world, and I have loved darkness better than light.  
That glorious hope which maketh not ashamed, but exspecteth an inheritance eternal in the heavens, which fadeth not away, is now become a vain and empty hope, delighted with sin, rewarded with shame.  
Those blessed affections by which my happy soul was wont to walk in thy ways, and to delight itself in thy commands, are now wearied out in ways of wickedness; and that heart which hath so often promised obedience unto thee any thy Laws, hath now forsaken thee the living God, and made a covenant with death and hell.  
Thus am I rob and spoilt of all, and am become poor, and wretched, and blind, and naked, and miserable; my whole head is sick, and my whole heart is faint; I have sown in iniquity, and must reap in asfliction; I am intoxicated with the wine of Error, that stings me like a Scrpent, and bites me like a Cockatrice, and yet when I awake (such is the sadness of my present condition) I say, I will seek it yet still.  
Lord, he that is once out of thy path, knoweth not the length of his journey, and may well fear to lose himself for ever.  
And now, Lord, what is my hope? truly my hope is even in thee; thou seest my weakness, and acceptest my willingness: thou that knowest it impossible that the world should be overcome by me, biddest me be of good comfort, because thou (Lord) hast overcome the world for me; if I fight not against thee, though I am often foiled, yet I am more than conqueror in thee.  
O let this teach me joyfully to rely upon thee, to make thee the height of my joy, the end of my desires, the only happy and eternal object of my sinful soul: Lord, I hearty desire thee, I thankfully embrace thee, and do for ever vow my soul and body to thee.  
Suffer me not to wander from thy blessed presence, let me not longer dally nor dissemble with my soul; O let me not think that I then love thee, when I love but myself in thee; make me now at last to know those blessed things that belong to my peace, lest they be for ever hid from mine eyes.  
Lord, by thy rich mercy I can now plainly see the vanity and emptiness of all these earthly objects, the folly and misery of those that rest in them, the rest and quietness of those that least rely upon them; in this tranfitory beauty of the Creature, I can now behold the ravishing perfections of the great Creator.  
Lord, I now exceedingly desire to know thee, that I may for ever love thee, that I may be sick of love till I enjoy thee, that I may joyfully rest in thee, and be eternally united to thee.  

For thou, Lord, art infinitely sweeter than the sweetness of thy Creatwes; they are all but emptiness and vanity, but in thy presence is the fullness of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.  
O thou blessed Fountain of eternal goodness, forgive me mine offences, cover my sins, and fix my soul upon the sweetness of thy heavenly joys; give me constancy and steadiness of heart, to cleave unto thee, and for thy mercy sake remove all vain desires that may betray me from thee.  
O thou blessed Saviour of my sinful soul, by whose persect obedience all my disobedience is forgiven me; who hast given thyself for me, and to me; give me also unfeigned repentance, that I may hearty bewail the sinfulness of my life past, that I may make a gracious improvement of my life present, and faithfully perform the vows and promises which I make unto thee, for the short remainder of my life to come.  
O blessed and eternal Comforter of all those sinful souls that put their trust in thee, give me a sweet and full assurance of thy love in Christ; withdraw my wretched heart from vanity, inflame it with an earnest and affectionate desire to thee; open mine eyes, that I may see some glimpse of thy celestial joys prepared for me; make me often to think of them, earnestly to long for them, and readily and cheerfully to part with all these earthly pleasures to enjoy them.  
Lord make me able to encounter and withstand the strong assaults of Satan, and this evil world; give me thy saving grace, and take from me what thou wilt; without thy blessed presence, all these outward joys are weariness, and emptiness; without thee, even life itself is bitterness unto me; without thy love I ask it not of thee, yea I rather beg thee (Lord) to take it from me, that so I may be joyfully released from the bondage of a sinful body, that I may love thee with a pure and spotless soul, that all mine imperfections may be done away, that so I may securely dwell with thee, in perfect holiness, and endless happiness. Amen.    

CHAP. 18. Upon the sin of Uncleanness, with encouragements to avoid it.  
COnsider, O my Soul, in what a blessed relation thou now standest to thy God; thou hast lately grieved for thy sins, and God hath also graciously accepted of thy sorrow, and thou art now at peace and union with him; his holy Spirit is thy Comforter, his holy Providence thy Guide, his holy Angels thy Guardians, his holy Saints thine Assistants; the Creatures without thee are at league and union with thee, and thy Conscience within thee is a continual feast unto thee: while thus thou continuest thy safety is inviolable, thy joy unutterable, thy peace unalterable.  
Who can express the blessedness of this condition? how ravishing is this reviving presence of the gladding Spirit, by which thou art sustained sweetly here, by which thou shalt be joyfully refreshed hereafter!  
Wilt thou now lose all this (O my Soul) for this false, this foul, this momentany pleasure? wilt thou lodge this beastly sin, where thou now lodgest thy Redeemer? Consider how vain it is, how bitter it will be; think how many sad thoughts, how many aching hearts, how many wounding sighs, this fall of thine will cost thee; what distempers of body, what disturbance of soul, what unquietness of sleep, what checks of conscience, what inward sadness in thy greatest merriment, and (which is worst of all) what a fearful apprehension of God's wrath in this life, and woeful expectation of judgement, and suffering of extremity of pains in Hell for ever.  
Let not the vain hope of God's mercy flatter thee; for while he is merciful, he will be just, yea his mercy shall provoke his justice; if his patience and long-suffering do not lead thee into timely repentance, his wrath and fury shall surely lead thee out to greater condemnation.  
If custom persuade thee, let custom also reclaim thee; if thy flesh murmur, thy spirit will rejoice: O how happy wilt thou find this opposition! how glorious this victory! even but one blessed thought of amendment, is of more value than an age of sin.  
Holy Saint Augustine, who was wont to nourish his lascivious flesh, and thought it then impossible to live without the lustful kisses of his Roman Dames, when once he had but relished the ravishing embraces of eternity, broke forth into this sweet and most divine expression, How truly sweet is the loss of this earthly sweetness! those transitory joys which I was formerly afraid to lose, I now rejoice to banish; it was thou, O Lord, who didst thrust them out; it is thou, O Lord, who art entered in, who art sweeter than all sweetness, etc.  
Lord let this example move me to a blessed imitation of this blessed Saint, to take heed of holding conference with Satan, to labour to repel the very first motions to sin; if I delight in his discourse, I shall soon consent to his counsel; if he feel me resist, I shall find him give ground. Lord let me remember what I fight for, and follow my advantage with courage and success, that when my days of warfare shall determine, I may say with joy and comfort, with thy blessed Apostle, I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, I have finished my course, from henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day, and not unto me only, but unto all those that love and expect the day of his appearing, 2 Tim. 4.7, 8.  

Lord,  
Thou hast often seen the weakness of thy sinful servant, how willingly, how wretchedly I have been yielding to the false allurements of my sinful flesh; how basely I have given ground, even upon the very first assault, without desire of resistance, without care of repentance.  
I have hitherto been so far from sorrowing for this sin, that I have much delighted in it, and often grieved thee, my God, in framing of excuses for it.  
Blessed God, how rich is that peace which I enjoy by thee, how glorious that hope which I possess in thee, how wonderful that mercy I obtain from thee? and yet how carelessly, how coldly, have I parted from thee? Lord forgive what is past, restrain what is present, prevent what is to come: O let me enjoy no sweetness but in thee, who art nearer to me than I can be to myself, who art sweeter to me than the sweetness of these earthly pleasures.  
O give me such a blessed frame of heart, such Angellike integrity of soul, that my thoughts may be chaste, my desires holy, my words gracious, my actions good.  
Give me a double portion of thy blessed Spirit, that I may double my obedience to thy sweet commands, that I may taste the comforts of thy heavenly joys, and utterly abhor the false allurements of this sinful world.  
Let the sweet showers of thy distilling graces allay these motions of concupiscence, extinguish these devouring flames of lust, that I may constantly and happily oppose this darling sin to my last hour, and joyfully triumph with thee for ever. Amen.    

CHAP. I. Upon immoderate Mirth, and the sinful inconveniencies thereof.  
Lord,  
IF I were this day to die; If thou shouldest now say unto me, Give an account of thy Stewardship, for thou shalt be no longer St ward; if mine Audit were at this instant to be given up, and all mine actions this present hour to be accounted for, how sadly should I look upon that lost time which hath been spent in sin? how many vain Items must needs appear to my deserved shame, and ondless sorrow? So many minutes wasted in unclean and wanton cogitations; so many days and nights in frivolous and idle discourse; so many weeks, and months, and years, in vain and finfull actions: How full of horror and confusion would this Account appear, even to mine own eyes With what face should I dare present itunto thine? What would I not now give to purchase but some small respite to redeem this woeful waste, this vain expense of time? What serious vows, and faithful promises should I now make of amendment? What constant hours would be now dedicated to thy service? my whole life would now seem too little to bewail my folly, to redeem my loss.  
O what madness is it then, while I have days of mercy, to despise them, to abuse them, to be utterly neglective of them? What is it, Lord, that I so eagerly pursue? Even the very height of all mine outward happiness, is but a short crackling of thorns, a sudden blaze, which may seem to warm me, but can never throughly heat me; Woe be to that soul for ever, that can find no refreshment but in this momentany fire; If thy Grace, Lord, cannot warm me, thy Glory will not comfort me.  
There can be no true joy but in godly sorrow; The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, the heart of fools in the house of mirth, Eccl. 7.6. The luxurious Wanton may be carnally joyful, but the penitent Christian is cordially merry.  
There is no better trial of this truth (Lord) than from thine own mouth, who wert a man of sorrows; thou, O Lord, hast told me, That I shall weep, but the world shall rejoice; that I shall sorrow, but my sorrow shall be turned into joy, and my joy shall no man take from me, John 16.20.  
Deceive not thyself therefore (O my soul) for if thou walkest too far in this enticing path, thou art out of thy way to Heaven; and thou mayst go so far in it as to lose thyself, and by a customary freedom of thy Christian liberty, soon find so great an indisposition unto God, and goodness, that unless the blessed Shepherd of thy soul vouchsafe to find thee, by his saving grace, it is improbable, nay it is impossible that thou shouldst ever return.  
Canst thou be so senseless to believe that thou art Christ's Disciple, when thou wilt not bear his Cross? Did ever any of his followers enjoy heaven without violence? without beating down their bodies? without cherishing their souls? without much weeping, fasting, praying, sighing, groaning for their sins? without being crucified unto the world, and the world unto them? without checking, and controlling their unruly lusts? without utterly forsaking all this earthly trash? and joyfully accounting it as loss and dung to possess Christ?  
Look upon the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Virgins, Fathers of the Church, and all the blessed company of Saints, in all times, places, Ages of the world, and thou shalt find them all to use this world as if they used it not; quietly, sparingly, soberly; Isaac at his evening devotion in the solitary fields, Eliah at his private Carmel, the Baptist in the desert, St. Paul in his desires out of the body, and with Christ, holy Simeon in his Pillar, Saint Jerome in his Cave, all of them and innumerable more of God's Saints, were true Benonies, sons of sorrow and affliction.  
Lord, with how much fervour, and alacrity of soul, did these thy blessed ones pursue thy heavenly joys? what sharp combats had they to overcome themselves? And if such chosen and select vessels as these, have had such great strive, such powerful conflicts with their finfull bodies? what will become of me? th●t have obeyed sin in the lusts thereof, that can find no pleasure but in folly, no laughter but in madness.  
Consider therefore, O my soul, whilst thou hast yet time, that there is no truer character of a graeeless heart, than profane mirth; thou art too ready to believe, that God is merciful, that all thy sins may be forgiven thee in a moment; that the good Thief was saved at the last hour, and that therefore thou mayst still go on in wickedness. God indeed is always ready to show mercy, but it is only unto those that are ready to repent: And how knowed thou whether God will accept thee in that hour? Whether he may not, whether he will not, then withdraw his saving grace from that sinful soul, which hath so long withdrawn itself from his service: This is that which thy blessed Saviour telleth thee, Not every one which crieth Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven, Matth. 7 21.  
And lest perpaps that one example of the dying Penitent may flatter thee, consider of the time, the place, the manner of his strange conversion: This was assuredly (saith St Augustine) to manifest the power and Godhead of a dying Saciour, and that upon the rare confession of an Infidel, and that at such a time when all the world forsook him, and even his own Disciples either doubted, or denied his Godhead.  
Alas, how little comfort canst thou now reap from this example: how should it rather affright thee, to see bu● one soul amongst so many millions to obtain mercy at the last hour, & that upon such weighty circumstances? on what a weak foundation dost thou build thy hopes of happiness? how easily will that devouring storm of thine accusing conscience ruin it? and then how great the fall will be, the fearful horror of thy lost estate will woefully express.  
Lord, let this teach me to redeem those precious hours which I have lost: O let each wanton thought, each idle word; be monitors to tell me how my Audit stands with heaven. I can speak nothing, I can do nothing, which I can recall; each circumstance of sin is charged in mine account, and must be reckoned for: how careful should this make me of the-expense of that time that is recorded for eternity? Thou, O Lord, art holiness itself, thy Saints and Angels are holy, and thy children must be holy; nothing but holiness can inherit heaven, no unclean pleasure, no impure joy shall enter there: How can I ever hope to be an inhabitant of that holy City, whose heavenly language I cannot speak?  
And now, Lord, seeing these things are thus, by thine assisting grace, I seriously resolve to allow myself no pleasure in this life, but what is sanctified with moderation; because I clearly see, these outward pleasures to be only so far useful unto me, as by them I am made more serviceable unto thee: Moderate and honest repast, sets an edge upon my soul, and makes it more earnest, more-active in devotion; when I take up pleasure as a trade, I become a Traitor to my body, a Tyrant to my soul.  
Lord, I am now hearty in love with heaven, and grudge at that hours liberty in outward merriment, that maketh not the next more eager of mine inward comfort; There is no sweetness but in goodness, and there is no goodness in that mirth which is not subordinate to this sweetness: Christian liberty may be easily mistaken, and become licentious wickedness; there is oftentimes most danger in those things which seem most necessary, if not used with moderation.  
And now Lord, having seriously considered what time is, and wherefore, I admire the folly, and lament the misery of all those whose only aim is to misspend it: My days are few, and full of evil, O let my greatest care be to husband my time well; I have much business, and great, to dispatch, and I know not whether this day's l●ght may be my last; Mine eternity of joy or sorrow, hath its dependence on this short moment: If I think upon it seriously, I shall grudge to spend one minute vainly: Lord, there is no distinction of time with thee, one day with thee is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day; O let me seriously consider, that with me there is, that I must work while it is called to day, that mine hours are swift and short, that the night of death cometh when I cannot work; that the end of all things cometh, when time shall be no more: By thy grace therefore I will piously devote the remnant of my life to holy duties, so shall mine age of sin be nothing in thy sight; and one day well spent (in thy remembrance) as a thousand years.  

Blessed Lord,  
Wilt thou accept of such a sinful creature as I am to appear before thee, to approach unto thee, to sue to thee for mercy? How bold am I to look up unto thee with these adulterous eyes, that have so long been gazing on these earthly joys? how much presuming on thy mercy, to implore thee with that tongue, that hath so much provoked thy displeasure? how impudent to offer that disloyal heart unto thee, that hath so fast been wedded to this sinful world?  
Lord, when mine own wretchedness had brought thy gracious visitation on me, when thy hand pressed me sore, when thine arrows stuck fast in me, and the venom of them drank up my spirits; when my heart was in hcaviness, and my soul in bitterness, when my life was drawing near unto the grave, when mine own conscience pleaded powerfully against me, and the terrors of a second death were ready to devour me; I then earnestly implored thee for mercy, and thou freely forgavest me; I than begged my life of thee, that I might thankfully devote the remnant of my life unto thee.  
Ah Lord, how wretchedly hath mine own heart deceived me? what serious vows, and faithful promises did I then make unto thee? and yet how carelessly, how foolishly am I departed from thee? how vainly have I trifled out that precious time which thou hast given me? how justly mayst thou now deprive me of this wretched life, by which I have so much dishonoured thee?  
And now, Lord, when I have even wearied out myself in wickedness, when my soul is overcharged with sin, and my heart with sorrow; when the vanity of this life is ready to forsake me, and there is nothing left but misery and shame to seize upon me; I have not yet resolved seriously to come unto thee.  
Lord, leave me not unto the weakness of mine own infirmities, expose me not unto the raging hillowes of these strong temptations, suffer me not to sink into this depth of sin, to be destroyed by this dreadful storm of Satan, and mine own accusing conscience; rebuke these winds and waves, and cause a blessed calm within me; reach out thy hand of mercy, and support me; strengthen my drooping soul, that I may joyfully, and faithfully lay hold upon thee: give me a fixed heart, that I may seriously return unto thee, and may this hour be graciously accepted of thee.  
Lord wean me from the false embraces of this evil world, turn all these sinful joys to bitterness unto me, make me to see their foulness and deformity, their emptiness and vanity, their shortness and uncertainty, their falsehood and flattery, their weariness and misery.  
O let my heart be filled, let my soul be ravished with those transcendent joys of thine which are for ever; give me a joyful soul to rest securely in them, a ready heart devoutly thankful for them.  
Lord moderate my desires to outward enjoyments; let me relish no sweetness but in thy love, no goodness but in thy grace, no comfort but in the full assurance of thy glory.  
Forgive those wretched hours which have been stolen from thy service: O Lord, my God, I hearty bewail them, and willingly resolve to spend my days in sorrow for them.  
Make me more watchful over my corrupt heart, more careful of my precious time, more serious in the weighty work of my salvation; more sorrowful for sin, more mindful of the hour of death and day of judgejudgement: That so I may affect the pleasures of this life soberly, enjoy them sparingly, and leave them cheerfully. Amen.    

CHAP. 20. Upon the great danger of deferring the hour of repentance.  
COnsider, O my Soul, of the great danger of delaying thy repentance; of judging that so easy, which will prove so difficult; of thinking that almost finished, which is scarce yet begun: Believest thou it will suffice thee to have some transitory thoughts of thine amendment, to have perhaps some pinching sighs, some stings of conscience, some shows of sorrow for thy sins; to hang down thy head like a bulrush for a day, and yet afterwards to return with the dog to thy filthy vomit, and with the sow to the wallowing in the nasty mire of sin: While thou continuest in this course, thy hopes of amendment are extreme doubtful, of reconciliation dangerous, of repentance desperate.  
If ever thou hopest to inherit heaven, let not Satan thus delude thee; look well into thine evil and corrupt heart, and thou shalt there find, that this is not the cure, but the disease of sin; that thou grievest not for thine offence, but for thy punishment; that thou mayst yet go much farther in this supposed path of thy repentance, and still be far short of that sincerity of heart which God requireth of thee, and yet have no part nor fellowship in Christ: Thou mayst with Saul express thy sorrow with thy tears; with those Believers in the Gospel, receive the word with joy; with Demas, show thine inward grace by thine outward obedience; and in some sort be made partaker of the Holy Ghost, and have a taste of the good things of the world to come; and yet for all this, come far short of this unfeigned work of true repentance. Alas, what can it profit thee to bewail that sin which thou wilt not forgo? what reward canst thou expect for that obedience which so soon fainteth? what comfort in that joy which is but temporary?  
Remember how great a work thou hast in hand, how many millions of lost souls complain eternally in hell of this neglect; O look into the foulness of thy sin, and then into the trueness of thy sorrow: If thou art God's child, thou wilt be grieved for offending of so good a Father; thou wilt abhor that sin that hath so much provoked his displeasure, thou wilt most solemnly protest against it, and seriously resolve for ever to avoid it; thy sin will be ever before thee, to humble thee here, to exalt thee hereafter.  
Thy degrees of sin will have thy degrees of sorrow; thy measure of pollution will require thy measure of sanctification: As thou hast given up thy members to be servants of sin, so thou must now yield them up to be weapons of righteousness; as thou hast been drowned in pleasure, so thou must be drenched in tears; yea those tears will be thy daily food, to nourish thee in grace, to enrich thee in glory.  
O how truly-blessed is that soul, which hath unfeignedly resolved on this good, this great, this necessary work? that can cheerfully and joyfully express itself with holy David, and say, Lord I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long, I have roared out for very anguish and unquietness of heart. If thou hast David's sorrow (O my soul) thou shalt assuredly have David's joy, thou shalt say with him also, Lord I am thy child, and the son of thine handmaid, thou hast broken my bonds in sunder, Psal. 116.16. Satan may now tempt thee, and through thy frailty and infirmity prevail against thee; but to become a customer to evil, the powers of hell cannot entice thee; a thousand worlds are not now of that value with thee, as the joyful remembrance of thy passed dangers, thy present comfort, thy future safety.  
Thou hast now seen (O my soul) how absolutely necessary this great work is; think now how happy will be the performance, how full of danger the delay: the longer thou continuest in sin, the more remote thou art from grace; What extreme folly is this in thee, to deprive thyself of that friend, of whom thou hast most need? If thou findest thyself so backward to this holy duty now, how averse wilt thou be hereafter, when sin is more deeply rooted in thee, the devil in more firm possession of thee, and God himself removed further off from thee?  
From whence now are these false hopes, these vain promises of future happiness? how darest thou refuse these gracious offers of eternity? how full of doubtfulness and extreme hazard is this false assurance of that holy Spirit, which thou hast so often grieved? Be not deceived, God is not mocked, look what a man soweth, even that shall he reap; he that soweth in the flesh, shall reap corruption; he that soweth in the Spirit, life everlasting: If thou wilt not hear Gods call in this life, he will not hear thine in that to come; if thou wilt not mourn for thy sins here, thou shalt howl for them for ever. And who shall then have pity upon thee? or who shall be sorry for thee? or who shall pray for thy peace? thou hast abandoned me (saith God) thou hast gone from me, and now will I stretch out my hand against thee to destroy thee. Jerem. 15.5, 6  
Lord, let this teach me to deal truly with myself, to search narrowly for sin, timely for sorrow, and speedily for pardon. Seek the Lord, O my soul, while he may be found, for in the great water-floods (of his eternal wrath) thou shalt not come nigh him.  

Lord,  
I have sinned, and I desire to repent; I have lain long festering in the grave of sin, and cannot be now raised without a miracle.  
I have sinned in delight, in consent, in action, in custom, in long continuance of custom; without remorse of conscience, without thought of repentance: I am grown old and impudent in sin, and am no more worthy to be called thy child.  
Lord, I am become loathsome to myself, how much more odious unto thee, who art a God of pure eyes, and canst behold none iniquity.  
I have sinned against thee, I cannot repent but by thee; my transgression is active, my obedience passive, I can no more arise from sin than death, even this desire of sorrow is from thee; the repair of my corruption is the work of thy creation; when thou hast raised me by thy grace, thou supportest me by thy goodness, thou leadest me by thy providence, thou drawest me by thy patience, thou compelest me by thy power.  
Such is my weakness, such is my feebleness by nature, that I cannot rise without thee, that I cannot stand without thee when I am raised by thee; such is my strength, such is my ability by grace, that I am able to go with thee, that I am joyful to run after thee.  
Lord quicken and revive me from the death of sin, and grave of misery; sustain my wounded conscience with the sweetness of thy saving promises; let thy patience and long-suffering lead me in to repentance, thy holy Spirit unto perfect holiness, and endless happiness.  
Lord Jesus draw me, and I shall joyfully run after thee; my body in obedience to my soul, my soul and body in obedience to thy blessed will, more zealously, more willingly, more constantly to my lives end. Amen.    

CHAP. 21. Upon Servile fear, and the danger thereof.  
NO child can fear his father as lie aught, that is not jealous of his father's honour, that is not feelingly affected with his injuries, and zealously devoted to perpetuate his praise; and it is as equally impossible that this father can affect that son, whose obedience is rather enforced by power, than invited by affection.  
If this be so in Nature, it is much more so in Grace; for thou, O Lord, art now a double father to me, thou art my father by creation, and my father by redemption: Lord, as thou hast doubled thy goodness towards me, I should have doubled my return of thankfulness towards thee: Thy love to me is absolute, no breach can dissolve it, no time determine it; thy love to me was from the beginning, and whom thou lovest thou lovest to the end: My love to thee is fickle, false, and full of imperfections; and if my filial fear, even in my rest performances, be full of spots and blemishes in thy sight, how most deformed shall I appear, when I serve thee with an irreligious, and ungodly fear? when I do thy will repiningly, and coldly, not for love of thy mercy, but for fear of thy justice? when I am knowingly and willingly consenting to thy great dishonour; when I am so zealous in the world's cause, yea, too too often, in the devil's cause, and so benumbed in thine; when sorrows dismay me, and sins delight me.  
Ah Lord! how far am I from what I ought to be? If I go on in this path, I perish everlastingly; while I continue in this course of disobedience, I hang over hell fire by the slender twig of an uncertain life, and if that once break, my loss is irrecoverable: Thou Lord hast said it (and thy word is truth) He which denieth me before men, him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven: Lord let this teach me to delight in thy service, to be jealous of thine honour, to thirst for thy favour, to tremble at thy frown, to submit to thy rod, to think nothing too dear to part withal, to purchase thy grace, to promote thy glory. Thou, O Lord, lovest not a cowardly Christian; if I prefer any thing to thy love, I am most unworthy of it; that friendship is too dearly bought, which cannot be enjoyed without the loss of thy favour.  
If my brother offend me, I will labour to restore him with the spirit of meekness, lest whilst I study to rebuke another, I become guilty myself: No sin shall pass me without some show of distaste, without some feeling of my Maker's injury, and my brother's misery; If I be not moved with compassion for another's sin, I shall never be moved with contrition for mine own; such comfort as I can willingly afford another, I may well hope shall be graciously conferred on myself.  
In my reproof of sin I will observe these holy cautions, lest while I endeavour to become serviceable unto thee, I prove injurious to my neighbour: Private sins shall not have public reprehensions; neither shall public sins be undecently reproved by me a private person; Piety must not confound Charity, nor Religion Policy. Lord, I may easily transgress, even in my best intentions; how grievously have I then failed in my rebellious actions? when I have not feared thee with that sincerity of heart which becometh thy child; when I have not loved thee for that beauty, for that richness, for that goodness which thou art, but for those outward blessings which I enjoy from thee; when I serve thee for base and by respects, such, and so unbeseeming my profession, so far below that soul which thou hast given me, that thou mayst justly now withhold thy blessings from me; when I have hitherto sought but myself in thee, when my thoughts have been carnal, my words hypocritical, my service deceitful.  
To thy glory (Lord) and mine own deserved shame, I willingly confess, that I have not only sinned through the frailty of my nature, but I have sinned also with an high hand; sin hath not only surprised me at unawares, but I have obeyed it in the lusts thereof, with willingness, with greediness, with joyfulness; I have not only corrupted mine own ways before thee, by mine own sins, but I have also foolishly contracted others faults, by hearing and seeing thee my God dishonoured in vain and sinful discourse, in more vain and sinful excess, without show of dislike, without thought of reproof; yea, Lord, I have added unto others sins by mine example, while I have feared to reprove that which I have known to be distasteful unto thee, while I have seemed to love that which hath been hateful to mine own soul: With those time-pleasing Rulers in the Gospel, I have believed in thee, but because of the Pharisees (because of outward respects) I have feared to confess thee; and have loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.  

But thou, Lord (who art infinitely good, and ever ready to forgive, whose wise and over ruling Providence is only able to produce the greatest good out of the greatest evil) Pardon and pass by my many and my weak compliances of sinful nature; supply my defects, accept my desires, encourage my endeavours: Let thy power be magnified in my weakness, thy love in my wilfulness, thy grace in my sinfulness.  
Suffer me not (O Lord) to run from thee, by a base and servile fear of thy Justice, O let me rather run into the bosom of thy love by a filial fear, in sweet and safe assurance of thy mercy.  
Lord make me to see the fearfulness and ugliness of sin, by the bright rays of thy celestial beauty: O let me patiently, and joyfully, and thankfully, endure thy sweet chastisements for it, and speedily, and constantly withdraw my long from it.  
Give me an yearning and relenting soul for grieving thy good Spirit; give me (O Lord) that chaste and blessed fear belonging only to thy children, that I may not fear thee to tremble at thee, but to love thee, to honour thee, to delight in thee, to enjoy thee.  
Lord, make me jealous of every deed, of every word, of every thought that may displease thee, and truly penitent for all those sins by which I have so much dishonoured thee: Endue me with a loyal heart to love thee truly as I ought; strengthen this love with holy confidence, and happy perseverance, that may for ever hanish this unholy fear; that so my joyful soul may live above the reach of humane misery; that I may be capable of no fear but of offending thee; and that I may not only fear thee myself, but be jealous also of thy fear in others.  
Lord, let nothing in this life withdraw me from a zealous and a constant love to thy service, from a faithful and devout endeavour to promote thy glory; that so I may be ever found truly obedient unto thee, my God, religiously acquainted with the affairs of this life, piously affected to the good of mine own soul. Amen.    

CHAP. 22. Upon the great neglect of reckoning daily with our consciences, and the benefits lost thereby.  
COnsider, O my soul, how venomous the nature of sin is; if thou canst afford to sleep in small sins, thou wilt not stick to welcome greater. Sin is of an encroaching nature; if thou suffer it to sleep in thy bosom, it will expect to dwell there: Little sins are harbingers to bigger ones; if thou lodgest these, those will challenge entertainment: Let each evening therefore take a strict account of that day's action, and where thou findest thyself failing, pray hearty for pardon.  
In thine entrance upon this holy course, thou wilt surely find three potent oppositions: Satan will tell thee, that God requireth no such strictness at thy hands; the World will tell thee, thou hast this, or that employment to consider of; thine own Corruption will persuade thee, that nature will abhor this discontented course, that thy spirits will be too much dulled, and thy life will prove uncomfortable.  
Alas my soul, these are delusions to betray thee to a greater mischief. As there are degrees of Sanctification, so there are of Pollution; no man becometh evil in an instant: from hence it is, that sometimes the soul can start even at the very thought of that sin, which by degrees it can digest without disturbance. If holy David had accounted with his conscience, after his lustful looks on Bathsheba, doubtless those fearful sins of his had never been committed. O let not any vain pretences deter thee from this task, but the blessed benefits allure thee; if the entrance be harsh, the progress will be safe, the continuance sweet, the end happy.  
By this enquiry thou shalt see thy sins (those great disturbers of thy p●ace) arraigned, convicted, condemned, and by the mercy of thy Saviour daily dying in thee; Satan repulsed, the gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit strengthened, thy mournings comforted, thine infirmities sustained, thy conscience quitted, thy rejoicings exalted, the holy Angels delighted, and thy heavenly Father well pleased. O how truly blessed are these enjoyments! what soul can be now sad in this enquiry?  
Lord, I now solemnly resolve upon this safe, this sweet, this blessed task; I willingly abandon all excuses that may hinder me, and joyfully embrace those happy duties which invite me nearer to thy heavenly presence; thy yoke is easy, and thy burden light; when thy grace hath redeemed me from the bondage of sin, and restored me into the glorious liberty of thy child en, I shall then find (to my souls comfort) that thy service is perfect freedoms, from sin, from shame, from death, from hell; from all miseries here, from all torments hereafter.  
Be wary therefore, O my soul, and careful to remove all lets that may disable thee, but those especially that turn me from a Christian to a beast. Satan hath many ways to cozen me; when he cannot beguile my judgement, he will betray mine affections, and lead me by a seeming good, in friendly society, to a●● call evil in excess, and so when he cannot corrupt my intentions, he will undoubtedly divert mine actions, as well knowing it is impossible for him to be devout, who is not temperate.  
Lord, by how much Satan is more powerful and malicious, by so much make me more wise and circumspect, that my intentions may be good, my words gracious, my actions virtuous, my life holy, my death happy.  

Blessed God,  
How large a portion of my little time have I bestowed on sin? how eager have I been of it? how negligent in ask pardon for it?  
Lord pardon my unmindfulness of holy duties, make me more watchful for the time to come, that I may constantly resolve upon amendment of my evil ways, and willingly endure thy fatherly afflictions for them.  
Forgive those sinful hours that have unfit me for thy service; suffer me not, O Lord, to wander in the ways of wickedness, and when at any time the frailty of my wretched flesh shall tempt me to exceed those blessed bounds which thou hast set me, O let thy saving grace restrain me; let not this sinful freedom captivate my precious soul, to thy dishonour, and mine own deserved shame; but let thy gladding Spirit be my joyful comfort, to refresh me in life, and protect me in death.  
Make me more zealous, more intent upon the ways of godliness; Lord suffer not my pious resolutions to abate with any outward obstacles; let me not lean upon these broken reeds, but rest on thee the rock of my defence and safety.  
Make me content to leave these earthly vanities for thy sake, who wert willing to forgo Thy heavenly Throne for mine; though the frailty of my nature hath too often led me into the bondage of sin, yet let the freedom of thy grace now guide me into the footsteps of sorrow, that this blessed sorrow may be turned into joy, and that this joy the world may not take from me.  
Lord open mine eyes, that I may see the blessedness of goodness, the perfect freedom of thy service, the glorious liberty of thy children; so shall I willingly submit to thy commands, and joyfully partake of thy rewards.  
Blessed God, with humbleness of soul I offer up myself unto thee; Lord Jesus accept of me, and so assist me with thy grace, that I may wholly dedicate myself to thy glory. Amen.    

CHAP. 23. Upon Unchristianlike dulness in affliction.  
Lord,  
I cannot live without crosses, unless I can live without sin; when they come therefore, I will bid them welcome for thy sake, from whom they are sent; not one of them can afflict me without thy leave, who hast directed their course, limited their power; let me not repine at that which I have justly deserved; let me rather rejoice, that thou vouchsafest me this favour; if I were not thy child, I should not be under thy rod; if thou Lord didst not love me, thou wouldst not scourge me; no outward thing can so well assure me of thy favour, as the fellowship of thy sufferings; for if I suffer with thee, I shall assuredly be glorified together with thee.  
Holy David was in trouble, and it was good for him: O let not that which was good for him, be evil for me. Lord, if thy physic be bitter, yet it is wholesome; if it make me heartsick now, it will make me healthful hereafter; if I disturb it not by mine impatience, it will work in me the quiet and the happy fruits of true repentance, and amendment of mine evil ways; it will remember me that I am a Stranger, and a Pilgrim here, that there is nothing in this life but wearine e and sorrow; it will drive me from the penury of sin, and tyranny of Satan, to the riches of grace, and liberty of goodness; it will encourage me to walk worthy of the richness of my calling in Christ Jesus; it will make me willing to go home to thee my heavenly Father, where I shall feel no more pain, find no more sorrow, suffer no more affliction, where thou Lord wilt wipe away all tears from mine eyes, all grief from my heart.  
Thou (O Lord) alone knowest my disease, and canst best temper my potion; each degree must be answered, so much sinful pleasure as I enjoy, so much sorrow must I drink (and woe be unto me for ever if I drink it not) if I taste not of this cup here, I shall drink of the very dregs in hell: Thou, O Lord, who hast freely forgiven me my sins, hast not fully remitted my punishments; thou who didst undergo the misery of life, and the bitterness of death for me, hast neither bought off the one, nor taken off the other, from me; by thy sufferings I am fully and for ever freed from the guilt and torments of sin; by mine own corruptions I am liable unto the act of sin, and so even unto death also, as a temporal punishment for sin: Thou camest not, O Lord, wholly to abolish sin in me, but to become righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption unto me; not to abate my sorrows, but to uphold my sufferings; that I being thereby made conformable unto thee in grace, may hereafter be partaker with thee of thy heavenly glory.  
How fearful ought this to make me to commit sin? how careful to avoid occasions of allurements to it? how thankful, how joyful, to receive Gods Fatherly chastisements for it? I may here see, and joyfully admire, the wisdom, justice; goodness, mercy, of my heavenly Father; his justice, in punishing sin; his wisdom, in the proportion and end of this punishment; his goodness, by sustaining me under it, by redeeming me from it; his mercy, by making it to work for me a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory.  
Lord he that can droop under thy Cross, shall never follow thee to thy Crown; when I once find the lightness of this load, by the strength of thy supporting grace, I shall then feel, to my souls exceeding comfort, that one sin is of more weight than an age of sorrow.  
And now Lord, I am joyfully prepared for the worst of afflictions, which either sin or Satan, life or death, can bring upon me; scourge me, lance me, bruise me, break me, do what thou wilt with me here, so thou spare me for ever; Lord, although thou killest me, yet will I trust in thee, for I know assuredly, that all these outward things shall work together for the best for me; and that my present sufferings thou hast sent in mercy to me, to humble me for sin, to preserve me from shame; I kiss them, I embrace them, and am sincerely thankful for them. Lord let me clearly see for what sin thou hast inflicted this punishment, that I may bewail it, abhor it, forsake it, implore thy pardon for it; when I am thus armed, I shall be able to encounter thy fiercest affliction; if I am found naked, the weakest will foil me.  

To thee, O Lord, whose wise and overruling hand disposeth all occurrences of life, and sweetly guides them to the good of thy children, do I address my sinful soul, for mercy and protection.  
Lord open mine eyes, that I may see and believe the constancy of thy love, in the mutability. of mine outward condition.  
Give me a patiented and a willing heart to welcome all the changes of this present life, to be humble under them, to rejoice in them, and be thankful for them.  
Forgive the pride of heart, and prodigality of hand, attending on my prosperous estate; my great repine, and ungodly passions, incident to my declining happiness, and increasing misery.  
As thou hast weaned me from the pleasures of this life, by the rod of thine afflictions, so wean me also from the sins of this life, by the staff of thy consolations, that so my heart may be wholly taken off from all earthly enjoyments; that I may become even as a weaned child, to forgo willingly what thou deniest me, to receive quietly what thou providest for me.  
What I want of these outward blessings, supply ●nto me by thine inward comforts, which are in●finitely better for me, and shall be therefore ●ver dearer to me. Lord furnish me with graces suitable to all events, and able to encourage me in all afflictions.  
Lord sanctify this present sorrow to my sinful soul; so sweeten it by thy grace, that it may bring forth in me the quiet, and the happy fruits of righteousness: Make it a sure pledge of thy fatherly affections towards me; let it daily and hourly draw me nearer to thy presence; let it wean me from the miseries of sin, and at last bring me to the sweet fruition of eternity. Amen.    

CHAP. 24. Upon Unchearfulness in Christianity, with encouragements to avoid it.  
AH Lord, from whence is my uncheerfulness, my dulness in my Christian calling? how much below that glorious hope which thou hast given me? When I consider of the richness of thy love in Christ, I find thee to be all in all unto me, and may well wonder at mine own unthankfulness, and ignorance, that is still doting on this worlds nothing and uncertainty. Thou (O Lord) art truly and eternally good, and therefore able to derive eternity of happiness. Before I was created I was thine, and when I was not mine own thou becamest mine; thou (O my Saviour) who hast given me thy s●lf, canst deny me nothing: What is too good, too great, too glorious for that so●● which thou hast redeemed at so dear a rate, ●s the price of thine own blood, and espoused to thine own bosom? Thy creatures are at peace with me, thy holy Angels attend me, guard me, fight for me, rejoice at my conversion; thy Saints triumphant pray for me, the Devils fly from me, and thou, O Lord, by thine almighty power, and gracious providence, art ever with me; thou carest for me from the cradle to the tomb; Thou art about my bed, and about my paths, and spyest out all my ways; Yea, Thy mercy embraceth me on every side; when I sleep I am safe, when I awake joyful; in prosperity I have thy rod to afflict me, in adversity thy staff to comfort me: Lord while I am in thy favour, I can look no way but to happiness; if I walk not answerable to it, I may well fear to be deprived of it.  
And doubtless (O my soul) those eyes which look so graciously upon thee in this life, will behold thee with a more earnest, with a more endeared love in that to come, these transitory glances are but the faithful pledges of those future embraces. Those arms of mercy which now support thee in thine often failings, shall then encompass thee with glory; those blessed hands which now chastise thee for thy rebellions, will then wipe away all tears from thine eyes; and that relenting heart, which sometimes is most unwillingly withdrawn from thee for thy Apostasy, will then unite itself to thine for ever.  
Lord, who can be a Christian and be sad? who can believe all this, and not triumph in joyful exaltation? and not insult over the sorrows of this life? and not contemn the joys of this bewitching world? and not resist these cloudy, discontented thoughts, these close assaults of Satan's never-resting malice? Millions of Worlds, Miriads of Angels, cannot restore that cursed spirit to this happiness which thou now enjoyest, and yet so slightly regardest.  
O let this teach thee to abhor his foul temptations, to consider of thy worth in Christ, and to raise thyself above the reach of earthly misery; to love thy God faithfully, to serve him cheerfully, to persevere joyfully; to be patiented in tribulation, to rejoice in hope, to pray continually; to thirst after the sweetness of his grace, and earnestly to long for the consummation of his glory.  

Blessed God,  
How unworthy am I to be called thy servant, who have so long been subject to the world's commands? how undeserving of the glorious liberty of thy Sons, who have so willingly been fettered by mine own corruptions? how uncapable of thy heavenly comforts, that can rejoice in nothing but these earthly vanities.  
Lord open mine eyes, that I may see the richness of the price of my high calling in Christ Jesus, and endeavour to walk worthy of it; that I may earnestly desire thee, joyfully embrace thee, and constantly and cheerfully devote my service to thee.  
Forgive my drowsiness, my dulness, my backwardness to holy duties; awake my sinful soul from sensuality, and raise it to the blessed thoughts of sweet eternity.  
Compassionate my weakness, accept my willingness, forgive my sinfulness, quicken my dulness, correct my untowardness: Lord bring me to such a blessed frame of heart, that I may willingly forgo the sins and miseries of this life, and frequently delight myself with contemplation of thy joys in that to c●me.    

CHAP. 25. Upon Man's sinful frailty in the hour of Temptation, with motives to make resistance.  
I Am now in the lists with Satan, and this hour to fight the Lords battle: God seethe me, and his holy Angels see me, I have long professed myself to be Christ's soldier, and he hath now brought me to the field to prove me, now is the trial of my courage, of my Christianity; if I overcome, I shall rejoice on earth, triumph in heaven.  
If that evil one were as powerful as malicious, I had just cause to fear him; but now my comfort and assurance is, that he cannot hurt me, but by me: He now strongly labours to incline my will (and woe were me if he might compel it) his subtle suggestions, his unclean solicitations, his fulminated motions, may be the father begetting, but mine own corrupt heart is the mother conceiving; there can be no danger from abroad, if there be no treason at home.  
Look well into thyself therefore O my soul, ascend the Watch tower of thine understanding, and see that there lurk therein no seeming shows, no specious pretences, no gross lies, no false proposals to betray thee; if thy head be surprised, thy heart cannot long hold out.  
Examine thine affections, try them by the blessed rule of divine precepts, if they be not sharply corrected, they will soon be corrupted; endeavour to resist the very first motions to sin; for if Satan can beguile thine affections, he will undoubtedly command thine actions.  
Quicken thy memory by the momentany pleasure of sin, by the heavy judgements threatened against it, by the sad consequences of it, by the eternity of torments after it: Think how often thou hast been already foiled; how many serious vows and faithful promises thou hast already made to God of thine amendment; how carelessly thou hast dispensed with them all, and how presumptuously persisted in thy follies: O think how gracious thy God hath been unto thee in forbearing, how wonderful his mercy is in pardoning, how justly he might now destroy thee, even in the very act of sinning.  
Lord, if none of all this will yet scare me from sinning against thee, nor allure me to repenting, that I may draw nearer home unto thee: O let me yet consider who it is that leadeth me to fight, and wherefore I have engaged. Thou, O my blessed Saviour, art my Captain, and Heaven is my Country; Shall I now lose those rivers of eternal pleasures, for this short, this false, this momentany joy? shall I run from thee who art the Prince of Peace, and who hast spilt thy precious blood for me, unto that cruel enemy of Mankind, who hath drawn so much blood from me? Shall I forsake thee who hast laid down thy life for me, and enslave myself to him who every minute seeketh to devour me? Shall I dishonour thee my God, grieve thine holy Angels, shame my profession, wound mine own conscience, terrify mine own soul, seek mine own ruin? If I consent to this temptation, that God whom I dishonour will abhor me, those blessed Angels whom I grieve will forsake me, those cursed spirits whom I obey will deride me, that conscience which I now wound will accuse me, that glorious Gospel which I shame will condemn me, and that ruin which I now seek will for ever seize upon me.  
Let this move thee (O my soul) as thou exspectest happiness, to take up a blessed resolution of resistance: If the assault dismay thee, let the conquest encourage thee; if the beginning be sharp, the close will be sweet; if nature be dejected, grace will be strengthened; and as grace increaseth here, so shall glory hereafter.  
Consider last of all what Saint James saith, and fix it in thy thoughts as chief of all, Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him, Jam. 1.12. Thrice happy is that soul which is faithful in God's service, although it may often faint, it shall never fail; it may sometimes be foiled, but shall never be overcome; it shall never fall totally, it can never fall finally; for thou, Lord, upholdest it, and in thy love it is sure of safety here, of triumph hereafter.  

Blessed God,  
With grief of heart I willingly confess, that I have shamefully dishonoured thy great and glorious name, by mine often failings, by my many faintings, and more wretched yielding; to the shame of my profession, the grief of thy good Spirit, and the terror of my frail condition.  
Lord how wretched is my soul without thee and yet how easily, how willingly am I enticed from thee even at this instant I am ready to forsake thee, and may most justly fear to be forsaken of thee.  
The world allureth me, the flesh besotteth me, the devil beguileth me, and mine own false heart deceiveth me, and is now ready to rebel against me: O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me? Lord Jesus assist me, and let thy saving grace be now and evermore sufficient for me.  
Lord rebuke these evil thoughts, relieve my misery, support my weakness, strengthen my willingness, give me an undaunted courage in thy service, an unfeigned sorrow for my former failings, and constancy of heart against present suggestions, and future temptations, that I may find no sweetness but in thy love, no pleasure but in thy service, no profit but in thy rewards. Amen.    

CHAP. 26. Upon the Infirmities of the Saints.  
Lord,  
WIth grief of heart I confess, that I find a Law in my members, rebelling against the Law of my mind, and leading me captive to the Law of fin, so that those things which I would do I cannot, and I daily and hourly do those things which I would not; yet my comfort is, that I make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof: By the weakness of mine own corruptions, I often fall into sin, but by the blessed assistance of thy grace I abhor to lie there; sin oftentimes surpriseth me, but by thy rich mercy hath never yet reigned over me; It hath often deceived me, but I trust shall never destroy me. It hath pleased thee, O my blessed Saviour, to conclude all things under sin, that thy grace may abound; while I strive against it, and am afflicted for it, my sinful desires will (I trust) be graciously accepted, and (in thy perfect obedience) gloriously rewarded.  
Be not dismayed therefore, O my soul, that thou sometimes art ravished with apprehension of thy heavenly joys, and suddenly relapsed to the follies of a wretched heart; the one thou happily enjoyest, by the sweet assistance of the heavenly Spirit; the other thou violently sufferest, by the strong torrent of my sinful nature. Lord, such is thy great wisdom, and inconceivable goodness towards me, that oftentimes thou leavest me unto myself, and therefore sufferest me to fall (and that most grievously sometimes) that I may see mine own infirmities, and be truly humbled for them; that I may impute nothing to mine own merits, but give all the glory to thy sufferings; that I may go out of myself, and mine own misery, into the sweet enjoyment of thy rich, and endless mercy.  
Consider therefore, O my soul, that so long as thou continuest in this valley of tears, thou canst not live without this burden of sin; so long as thou carriest this frail body about thee, continuing weaknesses will be attending on thee. O let this teach thee to bewail the misery of this frail life, which is only prone to evil, and that continually; let it humble thee for thy many failings, and invite thee to a more hearty and sincere affection to thy Saviour, by whose absolute and perfect obedience, all thine imperfections shall be done away; and lastly, to a more earnest longing for thy body's dissolution.  
Comfort thyself in this, that all the miseries of this life shall work together for the best to thine advantage, nothing can befall thee without his holy providence that so dearly loveth thee, even thy very sins shall further thee to Heaven; if thou hast now fallen, through the infirmity of thy corrupt nature, God will raise thee, by this fall of thine, to more perfection in goodness, to more vigilance, to more holiness, to more courage, to more constancy, in thy Christian calling: for, The Lord ordereth a good man's go, and maketh his way acceptable unto him, though he fall he shall not be cast away, for the Lord upholdeth him, Psal. 37.23, 24. and if that evil one be powerfully malicious, the greater shall thy joy and triumph be, when thou art happily victorious.  
Lord, how truly blessed is the condition of thy Saints? who compelest even the rage of earth and hell to work for their advantage: Why art thou then so sad, O my Soul, and why art thou so disquieted within me? still trust in God, for he is the help of thy countenance, and thy God, Psal. 42.15.  
Lord, how sad is my condition without thee? thou (who alone knowest the secrets of all hearts) knowest that I love thee, that I long for thee, that I desire nothing in compare of thee my God, and yet thou findest nothing but pollution in me: sometimes I beg to be at union with thee, and sometimes live as if I cared not for mercy from thee; still I sin, and still thou forgivest: yea I am therefore the more ready to rebel against thee, because thou Lord art most ready to be merciful unto me; and yet for all this (such are thy bowels of compassion towards me) thou bemoanest mine iniquity, thou invitest, thou compelest me to mercy.  
Lord, wilt thou still suffer me to abuse thy goodness? I have often run from thee, by relapsing into grievous sins, and thou, O Lord, as often hast received me to favour, and afforded me the sweet refresh of thy holy Spirit; I confess myself unworthy to enjoy that blessed Spirit which I have so often grieved: O let this teach me to be truly and sincerely thankful unto thee, to love thee more hearty, praise thee more joyfully, serve thee more faithfully, to my lives end.  

For thou, O blessed Lord, art all in all unto me, thou art strength in my weakness, love in my wilfulness, life in my sinfulness; thou alone knowest under what great evils of sin, under what sad pressures of sorrow I daily groan, and thou hast promised to ease those weary souls, that cry to thee for succour and relief.  
Lord save me, or I perish; Lord ease me of this heavy burden, that I sink not to eternal misery; give me thy saving grace, to guide me from these woeful ways of wickedness; O let this hour put an end to this sin: Lord lead me unto thy paths, and uphold me there, that my feet slip not; suffer me not to feed upon these empty husks; O satisfy me with thy mercy, and that soon, before I go hence, and be no more seen.  
My spirit is willing (O Lord) but my flesh is weak, have pity upon me, have pity upon me, for I am in misery.  
Lord cover my sins, Lord pardon mine infirmities, Lord Jesus accept of me, and interpose thy blessed merits for me.  
Lord raise me from this wretched fall; support my weakness, renew my repentance, increase my faith, quicken my zeal, that so by thy gracious assistance, I may be raised to more purity, to more perfection, in my Christian calling; that where sin hath abounded, there grace may abound much more, to thy great glory, and mine own endless comfort.  
O Lord hear, O Lord forgive, O Lord consider and do it, defer not for thine own sake, O my God. Amen.    

CHAP. 27. Upon Desertion.  
WHile I am in this pilgrimage of sin, I cannot be without this portion of sorrow, why complain I of that which I have so justly deserved? how often hath my God afforded me the gracious visits of his blessed Spirit? and yet how easily have I regarded them? Lord, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, much less of this invaluable favour, to enjoy the kisses of thy sacred mouth; as I am now grieved for the loss of thy presence, so I have too often grieved thee by mine own rebellious absence; this is the sad condition even of the best of thy Saints in this life; as they have had their aberrations from grace, so they have had their fluctuations in woe; these sad departings of thy blessed Spirit have ever been the just memorial of their present griefs, and former miseries.  
I see thy holy servant David, sadly bemoaning this great loss, and almost despairing of the enjoyment of thy gracious presence, I hear him crying out in bitterness of soul, Will the Lord absent himself for ever, and will he show no more favour? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he shut up his tender mercy in displeasure? Psal. 77.7, 8, 9  
How grievous was this complaint? how gracious thine answer? even in the very minute of distress, even by the very lips of the distressed; for it follows in a breath, And I said, this is my death, but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.  
Jonah's extremity was thy blessed opportunity; even when Jonah thought himself in most danger of perishing, he then found thy mercy most ready in relieving; when he thought himself cast out of thy sight, even than he found himself looking to thy presence, and ready to be received into thy favour, Jonah 2.4.  
Lord, if thou givest me but the least measure of true faith, I shall be able to remove the greatest mountains of sin, and know assuredly, to my souls exceeding comfort, that thou hidest thy face from me but for a moment in this life, that thou mayst gather me to everlasting kindness in that to come.  
Comfort thyself in this therefore (O my Soul) that God will never leave thee, that he will never forsake thee, that he will never leave thee totally, nor forsake thee finally; that he hath not now withdrawn his gracious presence from thee, but the present comfort of his grace from working in thee: as there are sad desertions, so there will undoubtedly be gracious visits; thou mayst be forsaken in sin, in the suffering of punishment for sin, in the severity of that punishment, in the fearful apprehension of God's wrath in this severity; but assure thyself (O my soul) thou shalt never be forsaken in the final execution of this wrath, in the eternal duration of this final execution.  
Lord, if my hopes of heaven were grounded on the weak foundation of mine own abilities, If mine Election were but temporary, I might justly fear this desertion would prove eternal; but now my comfort is, that Christ is my strong rock, on whom I am safely built; that nothing can separate me from his love; that his Decree of mine Election is particular, sweet, sure, and eternal; that the happy means appointed to this blessed end, is faith, holiness, righteousness, and sanctification; holiness to obey thy precepts, saith to embrace thy promises, righteousness to enjoy thy Saints, and sanctification to possess myself: Thy blessed Decree (O Lord) is so far from giving me liberty to commit sin, that it most undoubtedly restrains me from it; If I cannot make my calling and election sure, by thy decreed means of sanctification, I shall never make my comfort sure by my vain hopes of glorification.  
If I look upon Noah, Lot, David, Jonah, Christ himself, I shall there see the several and the sorrowful degrees of this Desertion: Noah and Lot fearfully sinning, David a long time resting in sin, and woefully deprived of God's gracious presence for sin; Jonah, even doubting of God's favour, in the suddenness, and the sharpness of his punishment; and thou, O my blessed Saviour, affrighted with the fierceness of thy Father's wrath for sin, and for a time (as thou wert man) despairing of his gracious presence.  
Be not afraid therefore, O my soul; for as thou art deferted for thy sins sake, so thou art beloved for thy Saviour's sake; though he hid himself behind the wall (of thy corruption) yet he will graciously look through the lattice (of thine humiliation) Cant. 2.9: Even this thy present sadness will afford thee some refresh, some gracious glimpses of his holy Spirit; and though thy heart be now disquieted within thee, thou shalt again assuredly receive the voice of joy and gladness. Lord let this teach me to abhor those sins that have deprived me of thy presence; to seek earnestly to enjoy thee; to rise early to find thee whom my soul loveth; to settle mine affections upon thy beauty, mine actions upon thy service; that I may be guided by thy grace in this life, and encompassed with thy glory in that to come.  

For thou, O my blessed Saviour, art infinitely dearer to me than the choicest of these earthly vanities; their love is false and uncertain, but thine true and eternal; abundantly sufficient to rejoice me here, to enrich me hereafter.  
O Lord my God, my soul longeth for thee, I am weary of the sins and miseries of this life, and nothing can relieve me but thy blessed presence: O make thy face to shine upon me, and save me for thy mercy sake.  
My God, my God, look upon me, why hast thou forsaken me, and art so far from the words of my complaint? O satisfy my long, for thou knowest Lord that I love thee.  
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and hid not thy face from my supplications, O hid not thyself from me, nor cast thy servant away in displeasure.  
Thou hast been my succour, therefore leave me not, nor forsake me, O God of my salvation: Make thy face to shine upon thy servant, and save me for thy mercy sake.  
O lead me from the bondage of sin, into the blessed liberty of thy children, that I may be comforted in the sweetness of thy promises, and thou mayst be delighted in the zeal of my performances.  
Give me the comfort of thy help again, and establish me with thy free Spirit; O hid not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble, make haste and hear me.  
Lord, I am defiled with sin, and disquieted with sorrow; I am daily vexed with temptations, and hourly overcome with vanity; I am wretchedly enfolded in the miseries of mine own corruptions, and woefully beguiled by the devil's subtleties; O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me?  
Lord I bewail my misery, and implore thy mercy; O that I were this hour at union with thee, that I might hereafter joyfully adhere unto thee, be graciously accepted of thee, and for ever gloriously exalted by thee. Amen.    

CHAP. 28. Upon the apprehension of sudden danger.  
BLessed God, I know that nothing can befall me without thy holy providence, even this present danger is by thine appointment, and what thou hast designed it unto I know not, I inquire not; Lord give me a sweet and safe assurance that I am thine, and then do with me what thou wilt: O let me live, and I shall praise thee, and thy judgements shall help me; but if thou haft appointed me this hour to die, O let me then go home unto thee, and be united in a safer, in a sweeter union with thee. Lord hear me, and have mercy on me, for my dear Saviour's sake, who hath given his precious life a ransom for me.  

Preserve me, O God for in thee have I put my trust; forsake me not, O Lord my God, be not thou far from me.  
Lord strengthen and support my wavering faith, forgive me all my sins, and suffer not my soul to be surprised in my last extremity.  
Hast thee to help me, O Lord God of my salvation, for thy name's sake, for thy promise sake, for thy precious blood sake.  
Into thy hands I commend my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.    

CHAP. 29. Upon the weakness of Faith, and sinfulness of Thoughts tending to Despair.  
HOW much art thou mistaken (O my Soul) to think thyself then farthest off from God, when thou art nearest unto him; to suppose thyself then most wretched, when thou art nearest to the paths of happiness? He that never doubted, never truly believed; and he that hath least assurance in himself, will have most certainty in Christ.  
Thou hast sinned, and thou art sorrowful; thou hast committed great and grievous sins, and thou abhorrest them, thou forsakest them, thou hearty desirest pardon for them; if thou hadst not a godly sorrow, thou couldst not have this godly desire; if thy sorrow were for punishment, it would cause thy death, but now it is for sin, it will lead thee to repentance; if thou grievest not so much for the severe sentence of an incensed Judge, as for the displeasure of a good and gracious Father, as thou sowest in tears, thou shalt reap in joy, nay thou shalt have great joy even in these tears, thou shalt have much sweetness even in this sorrow; and if thy seedtime be sweet, how blessed will thy harvest be? hear what thy Saviour saith, Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted; in sorrows here, in eternity of joys hereafter: who can curse, where God hath blessed? what Devil can deject, where God will exalt?  
Thou art grieved for offending thy gracious God, and thou implorest him for mercy; comfort thyself in this, that God is near unto all those which call upon him, yea that call upon him faithfully, Psal. 105.18. Be not afraid therefore; for if thy faith be weak, yet it is living; if it be languishing, it will assuredly recover more strength; if there be blossoms now, there will be fruit hereafter; these happy beginnings will have gracious proceed, blessed c●dings.  
Consider what thy God hath promised by his holy Prophet, I will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, Isay 42.3. Let not the smarting (therefore) of thy conscience trouble thee, remember who it is that searcheth it, I have wounded thee (saith God) and I will heal thee, I have broken thee, and I will bind thee up. Thou art therefore wounded, that thou mayst be healed; thou art therefore broken, that thou mayst be bound up: That sore which is insensible, is ever most dangerous; and that wound which smarteth most, is most capable of remedy.  
Blessed Lord, I now feel, to mine unspeakable comfort, that thou hast wounded me with the terrors of thy Law, that thou mayst heal me with the comforts of thy Gospel; that I am therefore bruised with the burden of my sins, that I may be ever eased by the merits of my Saviour's sufferings; all my imperfections are his, all his righteousness is mine, I may boldly challenge it, thou wilt not deny it, I may safely plead it, thou canst not refuse it.  
Consider yet further, O my Soul, what thy blessed Saviour saith unto thee, I am the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall be live; and whosever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die, joh. 11.25, 26.  
How canst thou doubt now (O my Soul) when thy Saviour biddeth thee believe, and live? what canst thou fear, when thou hast his promise for thy safety? Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but not one tittle of his Word shall fail.  
Let not the number of thy sins affright thee, for it is his blood which cleanseth us from all iniquity, 1 joh. 1.7, 9  
Let not the nature of thy sins amaze thee, for though they were red as scarlet, yet he will make them white as snow.  
Let not the long continuance of them stagger thee, for At what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sins, from the bottom of his heart, I will blot them out of my remembrance, saith the Lord, Ezech. 18.  
Thy Conscience shall not trouble thee, for Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, Rom. 5.1.  
The Devil cannot hurt thee, for Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? it is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us, Rom. 8.32, 33.  
Nay (which is the sum of all) God himself in justice cannot condemn thee, for There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit, Rom. 8.1. his justice is satisfied, his Mercy magnified, his Name be for ever glorified.  
Lord let this teach me to rely with comfort on thy blessed promises, and to walk worchy of them, in my religious performances; to manifest my increase of grace, by my increase of goodness; to fix my heart wholly upon thee, to love thee, to fear thee, to honour thee, and assuredly to rest in thee; when thy grace shall enable me to delight in thy fear, my sins can never persuade me to despair of thy favour: my peace will be then inviolable, my joy unutterable, my happiness unalterable.  

Blessed Lord God,  
When I consider of the wretchedness of mine own corruptions in nature, I am even ready to despair of thy love; But when I look upon the blessedness of my condition in Christ, I am then encouraged to sue to thee for mercy and forgiveness: Although thy justice be severe against ane, as I am a grievous sinner, yet thy mercy is most sweet unto me in my Saviour.  
I now tremble at thy judgements, yet I rejoice in thy promises; although thy Law speak never so terribly, thy curses be never so many, thy plagues be never so grievous, thy wrath never so tempestuous, yet in the sweet mercy of my Saviour I am able to abide them all.  
O Lord my God, I abhor myself, I accuse myself, I condemn myself, I am now ready with thy wrath to seize upon my sinful soul, and cast it down to everlasting misery.  
Lord, unto thee only I appeal for mercy and forgiveness: sweet Jesus accept of me, and interpose thy blessed merits for me; enrich my soul with thy sufferings, be ever present with me, and eternal comfort to me.  
O holy and for ever blesssed Spirit, thou that sanclifiest the souls of thine Elect, assist and strengthen me; quicken and revive my drooping saith, increase my hope, cherish my love, foment those dying sparks, by the sweet breathe of thy blessed Spirit, that they may zealously break forth into a pure and fervent flame of holy affections, to thy great glory, and mine own eternal happiness. Amen.    

CHAP. 30. Upon the great Neglect of the duty of Prayer.  
Lord,  
WHen I serionsly consider how manifold and great my failings are, when I think of the shortness and uncertainty of life, of the solemnity of death, of the eternity of happiness or misery after death, and by all these of the necessity, usefulness, and excellency of Prayer, I may well wonder that I am ever from my knees.  
My life is all sin, and had therefore need to be all sorrow; the greatness and continuance of my sins have added to the greatness and continuance of my misery, and there is none but thou (O Lord) that can relieve me; there is no coming to thee but by Prayer, and no Prayer powerful with thee, but that which is fervent.  
This is ●hat eye of my affection that woundeth the heart of thy compassion; this is that holy violence that taketh Heaven by force, that surpriseth thy Mercy, that manacles thy Justice, that wrestles with thy Love, and will not let thee go without a blessing: This is my strong armour to defend me, my daily food to sustain me, my safe repose to refresh me, my sweet content for ever to delight me.  
Blessed Lord, how wonderful is thy desire to man? how graciously dost thou provide for him? how daily art thou mindful of him? Thy words instruct me, thy promises allure me, thy graces sustain me, thy sacraments strengthen me, thy visits comfort me, thy embraces ravish me; And, as if all this were not yet enough to manifest thy favour towards me, so unspeakable is thy love, so earnest thy desires unto me, that thou hast even given me thyself, to be overcome by me. Lord, thou art all love, when I strive with thee for mercy, I overcome thee by thyself; how great is thy goodness? how tender are thy mercies unto man, for whose sake thou contendest even with thine own Essence? Thou hast given thy Son to die for me, and in him thyself to be overcome by me.  
Lord, let this teach me to renew my acquaintance often with thee, to labour to be powerful in my prayers; to study to be humble, zealous, earnest, even importunate in my devotions; to let no sinful thought pass me without a sigh, no sinful action without holy contrition, no divine favours, without devout and thankful acknowledgement: That soul which is truly sensible of the burden of sin, will hasten unto that heavenly help that can give it ease, and that heart which is once truly inflamed with thy love, will readily instruct ●he tongue to be zealous in thy praise. Lord let me first seek mine own heart, before I presume to come before thy Mercy seat, lest if I recall it not from the vanities of this life, my very prayers become sin, and so while I expect a blessing, I deserve a curse.  
Let no vain excuse, no barren pretence of this life, persuade me to intermit this holy duty, lest carelessness, and coldness in devotion, beget in me a loathing of that course, which by constant practice will become my constant comfort lord make me to consider of the sweetness, of the excellency of this gift, that I may daily labour to improve it to my souls eternal happiness, That when I often fall (as I needs must through the weakness of the flesh) thou, O Lord, in mercy mayst restore me through my blessed importunity of spirit.  

With grief of heart (Lord) I confess, that my great neglect of this holy duty, hath most justly occasioned the great abatement of thy holy Spirit in me, and long withholding of thine outward blessings from me.  
Lord give me yet an heart to serve thee, and then take from me what thou wilt: I desire nothing with out thee; for I know assuredily, that with thee I cannot but enjoy all things needful for me.  
O make me to bewail mine own unworthiness, my drownsiness, my dulness, my carelessness, my much untowardness in thy service: Create in me a clean heart (O Lord) and renew a right spirit within me, that I may praise thee with alacrity, and fervency of soul; that I may be daily ravished with contemplation of eternity, and hourly satisfy my thoughts with apprehension of the sweetness of my present safety, of my future glory.  
Lord make me every day more earnest in this holy duty; O give me such affectionate desires, such holy long, such insatiate appetites, such earnest importunities of heart for heavenly graces, that I may not only beg of thee, but even wrestle with thee for this blessing, although the sinful desires of my corrupt flesh go halting to the grave.  
Be merciful unto me (O Lord) for my soul trusteth in thee, and in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge until these calamities (of sins and miseries) be overpast.  
Lord hear the voice of my humble petitions when I cry unto thee, when I hold up my hands towards thy Mercy seat, show thy servant the light of thy countenance, and save me for thy mercy sake. Ps. 28.2. Ps 31.18.    

CHAP. 31. Upon the great neglect of Reading the sacred Scriptures.  
Alas my soul, how unbeseeming thy profession is this thy backwardness to holy duties? how long wilt thou grovel on this element of earth? how long be cheated with these counterfeit commodities, these childish toys of outward enjoyments? what sweetness canst thou find in those things which favour of corruption? what comfort in those joys which are but vain, vexatious, toilsome, transitory? whose seeming beauties are suddenly passing, never returning: O let this move thee to delight in that which cannot pass, to remember whence thou art, and whether thou art going, that thou mayst thereby raise thy thoughts to immortality.  
Look upon the beauty of those sacred leaves, and thou wilt loathe the falsehood of this world's embraces: Thou mayst there find the sum of all that was, or is, or is to come, conducing to thy real happiness; There is nature unboweled, hell opened, and heaven unveiled; Thou mayst there see the creature to be vanity, thyself misery, thy Saviour felicity; Thou hast there his counsel to guide thee, his wisdom to instruct thee, his power to sustain thee, his gifts to encourage thee, his threaten to admonish thee, his mercies to allure thee, his judgements to deter thee, his holy Spirit to comfort thee: There is antiquity, strangeness, truth, in history; wonder in miracles, amazement in prophecy, foundness in precepts, sweetness in promises; each syllable contained in this Book is matter of eternal moment. Take heed therefore, that thou passest by no portion of th●s sacred volume lightly, nor priest into any presumptuously; holy diligence is often blest with heavenly knowledge, and humble ignorance, with heavenly grace.  
Lord, seeing that thy word is in itself so excellently rich, and in its use so absolutely good, with what earnestness of soul ought I to embrace it? with what holy diligence peruse it? with what devout cheerfulness, and constancy of heart, apply myself unto it? These high perfectious shall religiously oblige me to repair my former neglects, by my present promises of my future performances.  
No day shall henceforth pass me, without some time allotted for this holy exercise, custo● will make it easy, profit sweet; if the troublesome affairs of this lise do sometimes (to my soul grief) disturb me in it (by thy grace assisting) they shall never divert me from it; what is borrowed from this blessed task, by enforced necessity, shall be repaid with advantage by the next happy opportunity. Lord, all is but vanity and mere nothing, in compare of thee, and thy service: If I cannot be willingly holy, I shall never be joyfully happy.  

Blessed Lord,  
So sanctify my sinful soul, that I may joyfully perform those promises I make unto thee; that I may daily dedicate some part and portion of my sinful hours, to read some portion of thy sacred Scriptures: O let them ever be the joy of my joy, the life of my life, the light of mine eyes, and comfort of my heart.  
Lord turn away mine eyes (from these outward enjoyments) lest they behold vanity, and quicken me in thy way.  
Give me an humble soul, that I may read thy blessed lines with holy fear and awful reverence; that I may be piously delighted with them, and happily instructed by them.  
Give me a discerning soul, that I may see the wonderful things of thy law, that I may truly love it, and delight in it, that my heart may be inflamed by it, and my tongue be ever talking of it.  
O let thy Statutes be my song in the house of my pilgrimage, that I may walk in thy ways with constancy, that I may run in thy race with fervency. Amen.    

CHAP. 32. Upon the neglect of Divine Meditation.  
WHat dost thou here on earth, O my soul? why art thou so perplexed with the cares and sorrows of this sinful life? so careless of the joys in that to come? Who can judge him likely to inherit Heaven, that loves not to think of it? Thou mayst measure thy degrees of Grace, by thy desires of Glory: If thy thoughts be not often, and earnestly taken up with this subject, thou hast just cause to suspect thy loving, to fear thy enjoying it; for, Where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.  
If thou livest the life of Pleasure, thou art so much worse than a beast, by how much thou oughtest by reason to be better; if of Action, thou art so much nearer to happiness, as reason is beyond sense, and yet so much farther off, as Grace is beyond Nature; if the happy life of heavenly Meditation, thou art so far above vanity, as heaven is above earth, as immotality above nature, as glory above corruption.  
O how sweet are those thoughts which lead me to Eternity, which raise my soul above the reach of humane misery, that can support me under all the heavy pressures of sin, under all the grievous burdens of sorrow, under all the sharp assaults of Satan; that 〈◊〉 make me merry in life, and triumphant in death.  
Nothing can more truly represent me to myself, and inform me that I am all earthly, than the dullness and backwardness of my thoughts to be heavenly: Who can ever hope to be an inhabitant of that City, whose language he cannot speak? Lord, when my thoughts are more zealously affected with thy heavenly joys, I shall then hope to be more frequently acquainted with thy heavenly visits; by my careless neglect of the one, I am now justly deprived of the sweet enjoyments of the other; while I am wedded to this wretched world, my thoughts must needs favour of corruption: But if thou, Lord, wilt once open mine eyes to see the glorious beauty of my heavenly home, I shall then know, and joyfully confess, that one hour thus spent, will add more comfort to my fool, more true content to my desires, than all these outward blessings, and I shall then account, and joyfully confess with thy Apostle, that all things are but loss, and dung, in compare of the richness of thy love in Christ Jesus.  

For thou, O blessed Saviour, art the blessed Fountain of eternal happiness; the joy of my heart, the triumph of my joy, the comfort of my life, the safety of my body, the rest of my soul; without thee I am far worse than nothing, and with thee I enjoy all things; for thou art in the Father, and I in thee, and thou in me; and in this happy union is contained that fruition, is enjoyed that for ever-blessed vision, in which the souls and bodies of thy Saints eternally delight themselves.  
O thou sovereign of my souls eternal comfort, how unworthy am I to enjoy thee, that have been hitherto so much unmindful of thee? how undeserving to behold thee in thy glory, that am so daily guilty of thy great dishonour?  
Lord raise my thoughts to immortality, and fix my soul upon the love of sweet eternity; let my chiefest joy be, ever to contemplate thee, who art my chiefest good.  
Pardon those wretched hours that have been lost in search of outward happiness; O make me to redeem them, by abandoning the creature, and placing mine affections wholly on the beauty of the great Creator; expatiate my sinful soul with daily meditations of my future joys, that I may love thee more fervently, fear thee more dutifully, desire thee more earnestly, long for thee more hearty, embrace thee more faithfully, and think of thee more joyfully, to my lives end. Amen.    

CHAP. 33. Upon unchristianlike Dejectedness in Poverty.  
WHY do I excruciate my soul with apprehension of a seeming evil? how unworthy am I of this life, which I hold from that God, whom I dare not trust? will God feed me with the delicates of heaven, and not give me bread? will he give me full draughts of the rivers of his eternal pleasures, and not afford me temporal refreshments? shall my death be precious in his eyes, and my life uncomfortable in mine own? can there be any evil, and the Lord hath not done it? shall he do it, and shall I complain? if poverty be evil in itself, yet it is good for me; the evil of sin hath drawn upon me this evil of punishment; so this evil is from nature, and the good from grace: By this affliction I am weaned from the world, and made desirous of my heavenly home; I am now put in mind, that my treasure being there, my heart should be there also; I am now fully assured (by my patience and humility under this affliction, and by the quiet fruits of righteousness it daily bringeth forth in me) that I am God's child; that as I am now made partaker of my Saviour's sufferings, so I shall be hereafter of his glory; that I part with earthly contentments, to enjoy heavenly comforts. Lord, when thou lendest me thy staff of consolation, I shall be well able to endure thy rod of affliction; all though my body be worse, I shall then find my soul to be much better, my present condition happy, my future blessed.  
In what estate soever I am, I will think that best, because thou (Lord) hast put me there: if my calling be low, my account will be the less; if I discharge this faithfully, I shall not lose my reward. Thou, O Lord, lookest not upon my greatness, but my goodness, my faithfulness in thy service: A pin in thy material Temple was as useful as a stone; if I be any thing in thy spiritual, it is enough; yet let me not content myself with easiness and indifferency in heavenly blessings, but labour to supply mine outward wants by inward graces; so shall this earthly bitterness be turned into spiritual sweetness, and eternal blessedness.  
Thou (O Lord) hast allotted me my portion in this life, most agreeable to thy Divine Wisdom, most suitable to my frail condition; and why take I then thought for to morrow? sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof: Thou allowest me lawful means for increasing of it, thou forbiddest me repining thoughts to distrust thee in it; Lord let me first seek thy Kingdom, and the righteousness thereof, and then I know assuredly, that all things needful for me shall be added to me.  

O thou blessed Saviour of the world, who for my sake wert willing to endure the scornful poverty of this life, to purchase my redemption, teach me by thine example, and for thy sake, to undervalue all the glorious pomps of these enticing vanities, that though my body be despised by the world, my sinful soul may be accepted with thee, and both soul and body may eternally be happy where thou art.  
Lord, by how much (by thy great sufferings) thou wert made the vilder for me, by so much (by thy rich mercy) let thy love be ever dearer to me.  
O give me graces suitable to all events; let not prosperity puff me up, nor adversity too much deject me; but for thy mercy sake, let happiness in Christ be all in all unto me; make me humble in the one, patiented in the other, thankful in either, bappy in both.  
Grant (Lord) that no ungodly care, or sinful sorrow, may disturb me, but that I may with willingness, and thankfulness, and joyfulness of heart, contentedly rely upon thee.  
every my heart with heavenly thoughts, give me that better part which cannot be taken from me; Lord, what thou deniest me of these outward comforts, make good unto me by thine inward mercies, that all these earthly things may work together to the best to mine advantage, so shall my present poverty be an undoubted earnest of my future glory. Amen.    

CHAP. 34. Upon Sickness, and ungodly repining thereat.  
AS every good and perfect gift is from above, so is also every punishment for sin, by every proportion of sorrow; For misery cometh not out of the dust, neither doth affliction spring out of the earth, job 1.5, 6. That Divine Goodness, which wisely and affectionately disposeth all things to the good of his chosen, by his holy providence hath suited their degrees, limited their powers, and appointed their ends; every pain in sickness, every pang in death, have their just number, weight, and measure.  
Ied is the Lord, let him do what he will; nothing can befall me, but by his Divine allowance; nothing shall dismay me, that my God inflicteth on me: if my visitation be grievous, I am sure it is safe, For He chastiseth me for my profit, that I may be partaker of his holiness.  
Blessed be that sorrow which allureth me from sin, blessed be that misery that inviteth me to mercy, 〈◊〉 kiss it, I embrace it, and with humbleness of heart I joyfully and patiently submit unto it: The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh, blessed be the name of the Lord, job 1.21.  
I humbly confess (Lord) that my great and grievous sins have most justly deserved this great and grievous affliction, that thou mightest long since have deprived me of my life, for depriving thee of thine honour; that I am most unworthy of this thy gentle visitation, for I am full of rottenness and corruption, and therefore can expect no other, but to be filled with sorrow and affliction; thou hast given me a body for thy service, but I have defiled it with sin and wickedness; thou gavest me a soul enriched with thy heavenly graces, but I have defaced it with unthankfulness and disobedience; no faculty of my soul, no member of my body, but are most impure, and sinful in thy sight. Thou (O Lord) knowest all my foolishness, and my faults are not hid from thee; thou seest how vainly I have misspent my precious time, how carelessly abused that continued health which thou hast given me; how seriously been busied on the Creature, how wretchedly neglected thee the great Creator.  
Thou hast often weaned me from sin, by thy blessed motions, by thy gracious admonitions, by thy gentle visitations, by a wasted body, and a wounded soul; and yet I still sin, without ceasing, without sorrowing, without repenting; such are my faults, so grievous mine offences, that I now blush to name those sins before thee, by which I have so often and so foolishly rebelled against thee: and now after all this, although thou hast with lasting patience waited my return, and art enforced to withdraw thy present mercy, yet thou art moved to behold my present misery, ev●n in thy very wrath thou hast compassion on me, Habac. 3.2. while thou seemest (by this present sickness) to withhold thy favour from me, thou graciously intendest, by this blessed means, to show thyself more lovingly unto me; for, I know Lord, that thy judgements are just, and that thou of very faithfulnesshast caused me to be troubled, Psal. 119.75. Theresore, Though thou killest me, yet will I trust in thee, job 13.15. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, yet will I fear no evil, Psal. 23.4. Behold Lord, I am willingly, and joyfully, and thankfully in thy hands, do with me what thou wilt; if I live, I shall praise thee; if I die (I trust) I shall go home unto thee, and be for ever blessed with thee.  

O thou Father of mercies, and God of all consolations, behold me thy sick servant, with thine eye of pity and compassion; O remember not my former sins, but have mercy upon me (O Lord) and that soon, for I am come unto great extremity.  
O Lord my God, I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long; thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me possess the iniquities of my youth; O let the sweetness of thy mercy qualify the sharpness of thy Fatherly correction; consider me, O Lord, that I am but dust, full of frailties and infirmities, forgive me for thy mercy sake.  
Remember not the sinful failings of my youth, but according to the richness of thy goodness, be thou mindful of me.  
O righteous Father, look not on the multitude and heinousness of mine offences, but look upon the bitter passion of thy blessed Son, he was wounded for my transgressions, he was broken for mine iniquities, O by his (blessed) stripes let my sinful soul be healed.  
Enable me to suffer this thy gentle visitation, with that meekness, and contentedness of soul, that becometh thy child; and so bless it unto me, that it may bring forth in me the quiet and the happy fruits of righteousness, that it may drive my thoughts to immortality, and fix my soul upon eternity.  
Blessed Lord, my hope is in thee, my soul trusteth in thee, and under the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge, until this misery be overpast. O Lord consider my complaint, for I am brought very low.  
Let my present anguish more prevail with thee, to move thee to compassion, than my former foolishness, to stir thy wrath and indignation: O enter not into judgement with thy servant, for no flesh is righteous in thy sight.  
Lord, I confess my wickedness, and am sorry for my sin; for thy Names sake, O Lord, be merciful unto my sin, for it is great; my confusion is daily before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me, my heart is disquieted within me, and the fear of death is fallen upon me: Lord, I am thine, O save me for thy mercy sake; into thy hands I commend myself, for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord thou God of Truth.  
Forsake me not, O Lord my God, be not thou far from me, hast thee to help me, O Lord God of my salvation. O spare me, for thy mercy sake, that I may recover my strength, before I go hence, and be no more seen. Amen.    

CHAP. 35. Upon the misery of Life, and blessedness of Death.  
I am a Pilgrim, and a Stranger here, as all my Fathers were, I am wearied out with travel, and long to be at rest; I am lodged here, but with great cost, and greater danger; this seeming sweetness hath cost me much true sorrow, many bitter sighs, and aching hearts, disturbance of body, distraction of soul; I have sought for help here below, but can find none, no creature on earth to relieve me, none to support me; I have seen pleasure to be folly, and laughter madness, men of low degree to be vanity, of high degree a lie, their understanding vain, their labours vain, their help much more vain; for who can ransom the soul of his brother? surely man must let that alone for ever. My substance is a mere shadow, and my rest unquietness; I labour for holiness, but I cannot attain it; I search for happiness, but I cannot find it; the Devil beguiles me of it, the World allures me from it; yea (so sad is my condition) that mine own soul is against mine own contentment: Mine understanding cousins me, mine affections betray me, my memory forsakes me; those things which I would do, I cannot, and I daily do those things which I would not; all that I am, all that I can be in this life, is nothing else but extreme vanity.  
What shall I think of all this? and wherewith shall I comfort me? by thy mercy, Lord, I have found out one that can relieve me; Thou (O my blessed Saviour) art unto me life, and by thee death is unto me advantage; while my body sleeps it shall rest, and that rest shall be truly blessed; I shall rest from labour, from sorrow, from sin; my sleep shall be safe, my vision happy; while my body sleepeth my soul shall awake; when my soul is unclothed of flesh, and my flesh of beauty, my spirit shall be made ready with the robes of glory; while my dust is insensible, my spirit is intelligible; mine eyes shall be then opened, and I shall see even as I am seen, with purity, and perfection of soul; no veil of nature shall obscure me, no defect of organs hinder me, no clouds of sin molest me; mine understanding shall be clear, mine affections pure, my memory perfect; I shall there be satisfied in beholding, ravished in enjoying, blessed in retaining: nothing can be there wanting where I enjoy all that was, that is, that is to come; where the happy humanity is eternally united to the blessed deity, where I am Christ's, and Christ is Gods. O happy condition of my sinful body, O blessed change of my immortal soul, the one is sown in corruption that it may rise to immortality; the other layeth down corruption, to inhere it glory; though I now leave it, I still long to enjoy it, and joy exceedingly in longing for it, because I know I shall for ever be united to it.  
But woe is me, even in this happiness I am still miserable, I have found out my quiet, but I care not to enjoy it; death offers me a crown, and I refuse to accept it; am I so senseless to affect mine own unhappiness? to rejoice in labour, and complain of rest? what do I here any longer? the world loves me not, nor I it; why do I thus dote upon mine enemy? when it frowns it afflicts me, when it smiles it betrays me; there is nothing in it but weariness and misery.  
Go out therefore, O my soul, go out cheerfully, from thy prison to thy palace, God is thy father, and heaven thy country; thou art here distressedly poor, and wretchedly naked, bereft of graces, despoiled of goodness, thou hast there much treasure, and of great price, a fair mansion, and a goodly heritage; Christ hath purchased it, and is gone before to prepare it: Thou longest much in this life to behold that which thou never sawest; here are great and glorious things prepared for thee, such as eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither have entered into the heart of man to conceive; how earnestly shouldst thou long to see them? how much more earnestly to enjoy them? how willingly should this make thee to express thyself with holy David, and say, My soul is athirst for God, yea even for the living God, when shall I come and appear before the presence of my God?  
Alas my soul, thou art here but groping in the dark, daily erring and mistaking, hourly stumbling and falling into sin, into shame, into sorrow; in great danger of the miseries of life, in greater of the torments of eternal death.  
All that thou knowest here is to know thyself ignorant: Thou only knowest things here by their events, thou shalt there know them in their first causes; thou art here wearied out in gaining this imperfect, lame, and empty knowledge, thou shalt there delight thyself in knowing all that is desirable, by knowing him in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; these drops of transitory joys are full of bitterness, those rivers of eternal pleasures, are derived from the fountain of eternal sweetness; thou hast here vain pomp to delight thee, thou hast there a far greater and more exceeding weight of glory to encompass thee; thou art here enthralled by the misery of life, thou art there enlarged by the blesedness of death.  
Blessed Lord, all this by grace I know, and faithfully believe; and yet by nature I am still blind, and ignorant, unable to discern, unwilling to desire those blessed things which are belonging to mine everlasting peace; but when thou (in thy rich mercy) shalt once open mine eyes, to see the beauty of my heavenly home, I shall then entirely love it, and unfeignedly long for it; I shall then most willingly forsake these tottering walls of my frail flesh, to dwell with thee in perfect holiness and endless happiness, that frailty may be swallowed up of immortality, and immortality may be embraced by eternity.  

O thou which wert; and art to come, who hast sweetened death by thy perfect obedience, and perfumed the grave by thy blessed sufferings, suffer me not in my last hour, for any pains of death, or terrors of hell, to fall from the fast hold of a true and lively faith in thy promises, to lose the precious hopes of immortality, and sweet enjoyments of eternity.  
Lord let me then say with thy blessed Apostle, That I know whom I have trusted, that he will keep what I have delivered to him, and restore it safely unto me at that day.  
Let me seriously consider of the misery of life, and blessedness of death; acquaint, me every day with the remembrance of it, and bless me every hour with a desire unto it; that I may willingly unclothe myself of sin and misery, and joyfully be clothed upon with immortality.  
O Lord prepare me for that blessed hour, and in my greatest weakness and extremity, even then when all the comforts of this wretched life shall fail me, Lord Jesus forsake me not, be not thou far from me.  
O give me then that inward joy, that blessed comfort of thy holy Spirit, that may support and comfort me in all the terrors and amazements of this dark and unknown passage, in all the dreadful accusations of the devil, and mine own accusing conscience.  
Lord let thy blessed Spirit then witness to my soul, that I am thy child, that thou wilt purge away all my dross, and take away all my sins; that I am powerfully protected by thy grace, and shall assuredly be made partaker of thy glory. Amen.    

CHAP. 36. Upon the great Neglect of Opportunities in doing good unto the Saints.  
Lord,  
WHen I call to mind the richness, and the largeness of thy bounty towards me, I am much grieved at the coldness, and the carelessness of my affections towards thine; each object of charity is an opportunity of mercy; If I neglect it, I am unkind to thee my Saviour, cruel to my neighbour, injurious to mine own soul.  
I am not, ●ord, but Steward of thine outward blessings, and it were now just with thee, to call me to a strict account: If any of thy Saints suffer, which thou sendest unto me for relief, their sufferings thou wilt surely require at my hands: as each cup of cold water which I have given in thy name, shall not lose its reward, so each farthing which I owe unto thee in thy members, will assuredly require its everlasting punishment.  
I have been too carefully solicitous for the things of this life, too caresly negligent of the treasures in that to come: I have had many ways to deprive myself of my present comfort, of my future happiness; when my talon hath been large, I have had no leisure, when little, no ability to works of mercy. The present necessities of thy Saints have been daily neglested, upon the false pretence of future opportunities; and those future opportunities again put off by the dilatory plea of mine own present necessities: Thus have I long kept myself in a circulation of self-couzenage, and have so lived here as if I were never to go hence, and were utterly ignorant for what cause I came hither.  
From whence is this my great neglect of charity towards my brethren, but from my greater want of love to thee my God, and from whence my disobedience to thy precepts, but from mine unbelief of thy promises? Thou biddest me Give, and hast promised it shall be given unto me, good measure, shaken together, pressed down, and running over, Luke 6.38. Thou commandest me not to be weary in well doing, and hast promised, that in due time I shall reap, if I faint no● Ephes. 6.9. If I did believe the one, I should gladly perform the other; and whose word shall I take (Lord) if I dare to question thine? All thy blessed promises are Yea and Amen, the beginning sweet, the end certain; as thou hast a bottle for my tears, and a bag for my transgressions, so thou hast also a book for mine Alms-deeds, Acts, 10.4. Not one of them shall be forgotten, but even the very lest of them shall be graciously accepted, gloriously rewarded; not for my work sake, but for thy promise sake, no: for mine own sake, but for my Saviour's sake: Lord I can merit nothing at thy hands but by thine own mercy.  
And now Lord, let me examine, What I have gained, by my want of charity. I have exchanged Heaven to enjoy earth, I have parted with thee my Saviour, in whom are all the treasures that are true and crernall, for the very basest part of earth, which is vain and uncertain; I have lost those blessed opportunities of doing good which can never be recalled, and together with them, those rewards of thine, which shall never be enjoyed. I have offended thee my God, grieved thy Saints, burdened mine own conscience, and been an utter enemy to mine own salvation.  
As my affections have been frozen towards others, so have I justly found the gifts and graces of thy holy Spirit, decaying daily in mine own soul; my love cold to thy law, mine ears deaf to thy precepts, my mouth dumb to thy praises; my faith dead to thy promises, my hope fainting, my zeal languishing, my joy perishing. These are the sad and sure effects of want of charity, the beginning sinful, the progress dangerous, the end desperate.  
Lord, if those heavenly spirits, whose very names import their ardency of love to thy glory, are yet found cold enough in thy sight, with what horror and confusion of face, will those wretched souls appear before thee, who have not been so much as lukewarm in thy service?  
By thy grace (Lord) I will therefore henceforth make a godly improvement of all future opportunities of doing good; wharsoever thine allowance is unto me, of these outward blessings, I will dedicate some due proportion of it unto works of mercy; and cheerfully, and thankfully, trust thee my God with the sustentation of my body, upon whose blessed protection, I safely rely for the eternal preservation of my soul.  
my heart, my hand, my tongue, mine actions, shall be always ready to relieve the necessities, to promote the good of thy children; and as this happy resolution hath had its beginning from thy grace, so shall its aim be wholly at thy glory.  

Blessed Lord,  
Such is thy gracious goodness unto thine, that thou even preventest them with thy blessings; while they call upon thee thou art ready to answer, and before they speak unto thee thou art willing to hear.  
Lord, I am thy child, and am therefore bold to crave a blessing of thee, and what is now more suitable to my necessities, than the sweet infusion of thy holy Spirit? for I now find (to my grief of heart) that the foreign heat of the pleasures and profits of this life, have extracted from me the inward heat of my desires and long for thy blessed presence; the adventitious heat of the love of this world, hath quite consumed in me the natural heat of my zeal to thy kingdom.  
Lord, kindle in me those decaying sparks of thy grace, that they may now grow up into a bright flame of fervent affections to thy glory, and thy children's good.  
Teach me to know that godliness is great gain, and that the truest treasures are those which are laid up with thee in thy Kingdom.  
Lord, pardon my neglects of holy duties; forgive my deadness, and my dulness unto works of mercy; repair my sinful breaches by thy present graces: O let the fervour of my future charity become a pleasing sacrifice to expiate my former misery; to reconcile my soul (in Christ) to endless mercy. Amen.    

CHAP. 37. Upon the deceitfulness of the heart in the performance of holy duties.  
NOthing is more common amongst Christians than to be deluded by the show of holy actions; the heart of man is deceitful above all things, who can know it? holy performances are usually accompanied with hellish temptations; when the Ship of our souls is under sail, and hath the freshest way for heaven, we have then most need to look to our steerage, to have an eye to the compass and landmarks.  
Which of our holy duties (which are the ships we sail in to the port of happiness) have not their rocks to split upon, or Remoraes' to hinder them, or cross winds to divert them, or leaks to sink them, or seas to overwhelm them? when we arrive at any small measure of goodness, we many times rest in it, and grow secure upon it: if grace carry us on farther, we are too apt to believe that we are far better than our neighbours, that we are highly in God's favour, and cannot but deserve his fatherly protection, his liberal remuneration; and so by this secret insinuation of pride in our hearts, we have folly in our hands, sin in our minds, and shame in our actions.  
That prayer is very rare, that is not sick of some distemper; that charity very pure, that can admit of no mistakes, and that performance very perfect, that is not soiled with some filth of wickedness: How willing are our thoughts to wander in our prayers? how cold and careless are we in them? and how remils in the performance of them? where is that constancy, that fervency, that holy importunity of spirit that is required of us in this holy exercise? which of us can truly say, that (throughout the whole course of his whole life hitherto) he ever put up one prayer unto Almighty God, that was not cumbered with distracted thoughts, that needed not a present pardon? I tremble at mine own, and grieve at others failings (O let my severest censures of my brother's sins, be assured signs of my best love) How far are we (even the very best of us) from that purity, and perfection of soul which becometh this holy duty? and yet how ready are we, even the very worst of us, to believe ourselves sufficiently holy, assuredly happy?  
We content ourselves usually with the very shells, and husks, and outsides of Religion; with shows and shadows of devotion; with customary, cold prayers; intermitted, undigested readings; careless, inconsiderate meditations; hypocrital, pharisaical fastings; popular Alms-deeds, having only the show of godliness, but denying the power thereof: All these, and whatsoever else are like to these, are odious to God, abominable to good men, and most destructive to their souls that are deluded by them.  
When, by the sweet assistance of the heavenly goodness, and gentle breathe of his blessed Spirit, we are drawing nearer to our haven; when the aguish distempers of the soul are abated, and her native and radical heat is grown strong and vigorous; when the fervency of our zeal is a rich evidence of the liveliness of our faith, of the certainty of our hope, of the perfection of our charity; when our affections are inflamed with God's love, and our actions aim only at his glory; when we are grown up to that happy state of grace, that our consciences are pure, our resolutions godly, our conversations unblamable; although we dare not then propose these base and by respects, these outward aims, unto out selves, yet how cunningly and closely will corruptions Real in upon us, even in these very blessed acts of grace? This is too truly proved, too sadly experienced, even by the very best of Christians: Lord (in thy rich mercy) give us eyes to discern it, hearts to avoid it.  
How often may we find pride in our humility, lust in our desires of chastity, our own private ends in our proposals of Gods public interest? when we bear a part amongst the mourners of Zion, when we are cast down for some humane frailty, we presently conceive highly of our own holiness, and very meanly of others in their relations unto happiness; while we have sought to become better, by the proposal of some strict rules, to preserve chastity, have we not many times become worse, by poisoning those very desires by unclean thoughts, and uncleaner actions? How many while they have sincerely aimed at God's glory, by the holy proposal, and happy performance of some real good, for the benefit of his children, have been secretly surprised with the by-end of their own deserved praise? Lord, how readily have I now met with mine own sins, to thy great glory, and mine own deserved flame? I willingly confess, that I am guilty of all this, and infinitely more than this; even these very lines are witnesses against me, of my secret corruptions; O let this my sorrowful confession purchase for me thy free and full remission, that thou mayst have the glory, I the comfort, of these weak endeavours.  

And now Lord, seeing I am thus impure, and sinful in mine own eyes, even in the very best of my performances, how loathsome must I needs appear in thy sight, who art Purity itself, and canst not behold iniquity! Blessed Lord, as thou hast given me the light of thy Word to discover me unto myself, so give me also the sword of thy Spirit, to deliver me from myself.  
Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man, from mine ownsecret corruptions, and unknown abominations.  
Although I am unto mine own soul both ruin and destruction yet let my blessed Saviour be unto me safety and salvation.  
Search my heart (O Lord) and try my reins; O let no base and by-respects inhabit there, to rob thee of thine honour; no false and vain respects, to cheat me of my present holiness, and future bappiness.  
Pardon and pass by the secret and unknown errors of my sinful life, suppress the great disturbances turbances of my corrupt affections, although they many times prevail against me, yet let thy saving grace (Lord) be sufficient for me.  
Lord make me purely and entirely holy; let me love holiness, neither for fear of thy punishments, nor for hope of thy rewards, but for thy sake only (O my God) who art holiness itself. Let me never think myself holy enough, but forget all those holy actions which are past, and press hard forward towards the mark, for the rich price of the high calling in Christ Jesus.  
Lord crown my holy desires with happy performances, and blessed perseverance, that at the end of my race I may receive the end of my hopes, the salvation of my precious soul, and that for his sake, and perfect holiness, by whom I trust these weak and sinful endeavours of mine, shall be graciously accepted, and faithfully rewarded. Amen.    

CHAP. 38. Upon the unruliness of the Tongue, with necessary cautions to restrain it.  
Lord,  
THY servant David is said to be a man after thine own heart, and yet I find him setting a watch before his lips, that he might not offend with his congue: if such a chosen vessel as he had so much need of circumspection, what holy cautions had I need to use, what strict rules to observe, who am so far from David's purity, that I am nothing else but wilful impiety? I am so far (Lord) from being at union with thee, that I am even enmity itself against thee.  
In vain had holy David set a watch before his lips, unless he had first set a guard upon his heart; where the fountain is impure, the streams can never be wholesome; if the heart be full of sinful corruption, the tongue will soon overflow with corrupt and sinful communication.  
Lord, I need none other proof of this point, than mine own sinful failings; how often have I provoked thee to anger, and displeasure against me, by that usual, but most fearful sin of swearing? of which, with shame and sorrow I confess, my younger years were sadly guilty; since when, time and experience having added more light to my mind, but thou (O Lord) especially more grace to my heart, when I would have left it, to my great grief I could not; and had not that thy saving and preventing grace restrained my depraved nature, this sin had doubtless been a sad memorial to my grave: such is the power of sin once grown habitual. O let my sorrowful confession be the reader's useful instruction, that thou mayst have the glory, I the shame of my mis-doing.  
Lord, I have often sinned against thee, by my wretched violation of the truth, in envious detractions from the good of my neighbour, vainglorious aggravations of mine own abilities, censorious taxations of my brethren's infirmities, indulgent diminutions of mine own iniquities.  
I have often grieved thy good Spirit, by which thou hast sealed me up unto the day of redemption, by my vain and idle communications, by my rash and sinful exprobrations, by my weak and froward objurgations, to the great dishonour of thee my God, to the cominuall grief of thy Saints, to the sad disturbance of myself.  
All this (to my heart's grief) have I often done, and by all this I may now plainly see, how much I have hitherto been the servant of sin, and Satan, how great an enemy to thy glory, and to the good of mine own soul: But now, Lord, by thine assistance, my special care shall henceforth be, to allow myself no liberty of speech, but what is aiming at Eternity; if my heart be heavenly, my words will be gracious, my actions holy, mine end happy; and that all this may be so indeed (by thy grace Lord) I will observe with carefulness, and constancy, these following cautions.  
1. Before I speak, I will consider, that I am in thy blessed presence, that what is once ●p●k●n can never be recalled, but is recorded for eterternity.  
2. That each idle word must be accounted for, and that my whole life hitherto hath been little else but vain and empty discourse, tending much to thy dishonour, the hurt of my neighbour, and (without mercy in Christ) the destruction of my own soul.  
3. That there is no truer testimony of a graceless heart, than a licentious tongue; that if I be not holy in my discourse, I can never be happy in mine actions.  
4. That it is impossible for those prayers to be pleasing to God, which are offered up with that sinful member, that is so shamefully defiled with evil and corrupt communications amongst men.  
5. That if I make a mock at Christianity, by having only a form of godliness in mine outward actions, but denying the power thereof in my usual conversation, God will one day pay me home, by showing me the richness of his sufferings, but denying me the benefits thereof, and the sweet enjoyments thereby.  
6. That without helinesse no man shall see the Lord; and that such as is my common, and most accustomed discourse in my life, I may well fear will be my last, and most uncomfortable expressions at my death.  
7. Unto all this I will add the shortness, misery, and uncertainty of a sinful life; the horror and amazement of a wretched death; the extremity and eternity of torments after death. Lord, when my heart is thus guarded by thy grace, my lips I trust will be ever open to thy praise.  

Blessed God,  
If thy holy Angel durst not give railing accusations against the devil; if thy Sainss in patience possess their own souls, and their speeches he seasoned with salt, administering grace to the hearts of the hearers; if thou the blessed Saviour of the world, when thou wert reviled, reviledst not again, but as a lamb before the shearers so openedst thou not thy mouth, with what comfort can I now appear before thee, with what confidence expect a blessing from thee?  
With grief and sorrow I confess, that my heart hath ever been full of corruption, and naughtiness, my mouth full of cursing and bitterness, my daily discourse full of folly and uncleanness, the whole course of my life full of misery and wickedness.  
O that my head were water, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night (that I might mourn continually) for mine own and others sins.  
Lord purify my heart, and rectify my tongue, that both may be accepted of thee, and now and ever graciously directed by thee.  
Lord, I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me; O let the sorrowful remembrance of my sins invite thee to a sweet remembrance of thy mercies, that thou mayest have the praise, and I the comfort of thy gracious pardon.  
Lord let my heart be inflamed with thy love, and my mouth filled with thy praise, that I may sacrifile my soul unto thee, that I may sanctify my soul before thee, by devout thoughts, by gracious words, and godly actions, that so I may with joyfulness and thankfulness appear in thy fight, not only all the day long, but even all my life long, that thou (my God) mayst be glorified, thy Saints delighted, and my sinfnll foul eternally comforted. Amen.    

CHAP. 39 Upon holy revenge for sin, with motives and encouragements thereunto.  
Lord,  
I Have ever been too apt to revenge the smallest injuries offered unto me by others, in relation to mine outward condition, and too remiss in that holy revenge of those great and insufferable wrongs, which I daily and hourly obtrude upon mine own soul; this plainly showeth me to have been too much savouring of flesh and blood, too little mindful of thy kingdom, and the righteousness thereof: That soul which is truly sensible of its own injury, will (by thy grace) be daily minding of its own redresle; and that sinner which is uncapable of slight offences, will in time become insensible of greater.  
My greatest enemies are those of mine own household: The world may allure me, the devil persuade me, but it is mine own false heart alone that betrays me, and mine own corrupt nature that enslaves me: my greatest care shall therefore be, to bend my strongest force against mine own corruptions; to labour much to subdue mine affections, and to take an holy revenge upon my sinful actions; not to satisfy thy justice, but to implore thy mercy, that I may thereby truly manifest my perfect hatred against sin, and the sincerity of my soul to thy service.  
There need none other motives to invite me to this holy duty, than the woeful breaches sin hath daily made in my soul, such as (without mercy) will never be repaired; this is too sadly proved by the sensible decay of goodness, and the too powerful growth of ungodliness in my corrupt heart; as it is easy for that Castle to stand a close siege, that is well fortified, man'd and victualled, so is it impossible for that Fort to hold out long which maketh no resistance.  
Lord, as mine own spiritual ruins have hitherto been caused by mine own neglects, so (by thy gracious assistance) mine own repairs shall be begun and finished, by my present desires, and future endeavours. That time which I have lost by former carelessness, and coldness in Religion, I will endeavour to redeem by holy vigilance, and Christian fortitude; and that I may sincerely be what I intent, with willingness of heart, I offer up this solemn Vow unto thee: Lord, as this holy motion came from thy heavenly Spirit, so enable me to the performance of it, by thy grace, to thy glory, and my souls eternal comfort.  
I vow myself a serious and professed enemy to all ungodliness; no sinful thought shall surprise me without a sorrowful sigh; no ungracious word pass me without a sudden retractation, and devout confession; no wicked action defile me without a sincere and godly humiliation; unto each measure of sin I will allow a due measure of sorrow; those sins that have been reigning over me, shall at set hours be constantly revenged by me; and as my body hath been a deep sharer in my sins, so it shall also be a daily sharer in my sufferings: I will at set seasons deny myself somewhat of these outward enjoyments (which thou Lord in mercy hast allowed me) as a true sign of my true sorrow for that sinful excess which I have too often taken without thine allowance. Those sinful hours which have been vainly lost in idleness and emptiness, shall be willingly redeemed in a constant observation of religious duties; no day shall pass me without a solemn and devout task of devotion, no hour without some sweet ejaculation: And when at any time the troubles and disturbances of this frail life shall deny me happy opportunities for these heavenly performances, what is wanting in act shall be made up in desire; which thou, Lord, I trust graciously accept, and look upon as done, because faithfully intended.  

O thou infinitely wise, and for ever blessed being, that art truly and eternally happy, without the sinful service of thy creature; and yet commandest us to serve thee for our own sakes, that we also may be happy in thee; thou that lovest not a false and fickle heart, nor delightest in the sacrifice of fools, give me a wise and understanding heart, that I may seriously consider of this sacred Vow; give me a constant and religious heart, that I may cheerfully perform what I have faithfully promised; give me a broken and a contrite heart, that I may bitterly bewail what I have foolishly neglected; that thy great name may be glorified, my sinful life amended, my conscience quieted, my spirit comforted, thy Saints delighted, thine Angels rejoiced, and my soul and body eternally saved in the great and dreadful day of the Lord Jesus, to whom with thee, O blessed Father, and thine holy Spirit, be all possible praise, and honour, and glory, now and for ever. Amen.    

CHAP. 40. Upon the blessed condition of God's Saints, with motives and encouragements unto Godliness.  
Lord,  
(To close up these imperfect lines) as I began with that beauty of holiness, which thou thyself art, and is essentially contained in thee, so my soul's desire is to end with that blessedness, which we thy Saints enjoy, even in this vale of misery, and is eternally derived from thee; that so I may begin, and end with thee, who art the beginning and end of thy creature, that I may lead thy servants from the pure fountain of true holiness, to the sweet streams of inward happiness, wherein we may securely bathe our weary souls in rest and quietness, until thy gracious goodness shall conduct us home, unto the full fruition of those joyful rivers, of thine endlesle pleasure.  
I am no sooner entered upon this blessed search, but I find my soul ravished with admiration at the greatness, with apprehension of the goodness, with contemplation of the freeness of thy love and favour towards me. I see thee the great and glorious God of heaven and earth, from all eternity, out of thine own gracious goodness, without all possibility in me (when I was not) either of desiring, or deserving this inestimable love of thine, electing me in Christ (of whom thou hadst no need, from whom thou couldst receive no benefit) unto holiness and happiness in this life, and unto blefsednesse in that to come; and as I find this love of thine to be purely, simply, admirably and eternally great, so is it also truly, necessarily, sufficiently and permanently good.  
If it were not truly good, it could never make me truly happy; if not necessarily good, I might then enjoy happiness without it; if not sufficiently good, my happiness enjoyed by it could not afford me satisfaction in it; if not permanently good, what I enjoy in satisfaction, I may want in perfection, by being suddenly removed from it. But thou, O Lord, hast graciously afforded me all these degrees of happiness, that I might be truly and eternally happy, that I might be happy in thee, because there is no attainining happiness but by thee, that I may be happy in soul, and happy in body, happy in life, and happy in death, happy here, and happy hereafter.  
Thou, O my blessed Saviour, art sweeter unto me than all sweetness; thou art that blessed All-sufficiency, by which I am both fully, and for ever satisfied? thou art my safe repose, my inviolable peace, my rich rest, my safety in life, my comfort in death, my glory after death. By thy patiented sufferings, I am more than conqueror of sin, of sorrow, of death, of hell; by thy glorious resurrection I have assured hope of immortality; by thy blessed ascension, of eternal glory; by the one thou hast powerfully defended me against the rage and malice of devils, by the other thou hast graciously exalted me in thy blessed union with me above the nature of Angels; thy peace thou hast left with me, thy peace thou hast given unto me, even that blessed peace of conscience which the world cannot take from me, and that eternity of peace with thee in thy Kingdom, which thou Lord in thy rich mercy hast prepared for me. O that I might now lose myself with contemplation of thine endless love, that I might be ravished into ecstasy, with apprehension of my present safety, of my future glory; that all my faculties of soul might be but one entire and pleasing sacrifice of thankfulness unto thee; that as thou (O my Saviour) and the Father are one, so I may be one with thee, to magnify thy gracious presence here, and to be for ever where thou art hereafter, to see thy great glory, and enjoy mine own end less felicity.  
From this for ever blessed fountain of eternal happiness do plentifully flow those pleasant streams of comfort, to the souls and bodies of the Saints, even in this life, by which they are securely quieted, and joyfully contented, even in the very worst of times, which either man's malice, or the Devil's cruelty, can study to inflict upon them; if they receive injuries, they return prayers, they entertain them with a Father forgive them, for they know not what they do, Luk. 23.34. and Lord lay not this sin to their charge, Act. 7.60. And so while they lose outwardly, they gain inwardly (& godliness is great gain) for by patience they possess their own souls.  
Their courage is undaunted, for The righteous is hold as a Lion, able to encounter the fiercest affliction, ready to withstand the strongest temptation; if the World frown upon them, they can cheerfully say, and faithfully believe, that A small thing which the righteous hath, is better than great riches of the ungodly, Psal. 37.16. if it smile, that They then account all things but loss and dung in compare of Christ Jesus; if outward blessings be present, they are humble under them, and thankful for them; if absent, They can patiently tarry for the Lord, for they know he is their help, Psal. 33.14. and that No good thing will he withhold from them that love him, Psal. 34.10. if sickness seize upon them, The Lord is about their bed, and about their path, and spieth out all their ways (their ways of sin, and their ways of sorrow) yea, He maketh their beds in their sickness, (by ease to their bodies, comfort to their souls;) if famine threaten them, they have God's promise to maintain them, For the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and upon all those that put their trust in his mercy, To deliver their souls from dearth, and to feed them in the time of security, Psal. 33.17, 18. if sudden danger approach them, they have heavenly succour to defend them, for The Angel of the Lord tarrieth about all them that fear him, to deliver them; yea even Death itself is an advantage to them, and therefore no ways able to affright them, for Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints; and therefore, Though the Lord kill them, yet will they trust in him, job 13.15. Lord, if thy mercy be thus great unto me, while I am yet in my sinful flesh, how unspeakable shall I find thy love, when my body is become spiritual, my joy eternal?  
From these outward enjoyments may well be derived their inward contentments, but by their inward refreshments is enjoyed that incomparable, inconceivable, unutterable sweetness, that blessed peace of God, and joy in the holy Ghost, which passeth all our understanding, God's holy Spirit witnessing with their spirits, that they are his children, and most precious in his sight, and they are now fully persuaded, with his blessed Apostle, that Neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other Creature, shall be ever able to separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, Rom. 8. 37, 38.  
How full of solid comfort is this blessed assurance? how are our souls ravished with apprehension of the sweetness of our present comforts, of the fullness of our future joys? these blessed earnests of that ever blessed Spirit, are the faithful pledges of his future embraces, far above the reach of Malice to disturb, or Devil to destroy: Hence it is that our faith is precious, our hope lively, our joy glorious, our lives safe, our deaths blessed, and from hence arise those many and those rich endowments of the Saints, their zeal burning, their love wonderful, their desires earnest, their long insatiate, their petitions for enjoy importunate: Lord, what can I desire more of thee, than what I enjoy from thee? I have thy mercy without me, and thy mercy within me, thy mercy in life, and thy mercy in death, thy mercy from the beginning, thy mercy to the end, and thy mercy without end, I am even crowned and encompassed with mercy; O let me now say with holy David, I will always give thanks unto the Lord, and his praise shall be ever in my mouth, Psal. 34.1. Let me not only praise thee myself, but (with him also) invite others to praise thee, O praise the Lord with me (all ye his Saints) and let us magnify his name together, Psal. 34.3. O taste and see how gracious the Lord is, blessed is that man which putteth his trust in him. Be glad, O ye righteous, and rejoice in the Lord, and be joyful all ye that are true of heart, Psal. 32.12.  
And now, Lord, having had a taste of the sweetness of thy Saint's happiness on earth, I willingly forsake all to follow them; I have too long been straying in the strange pastures of impiety, and am now joyfully desirous to be led home to thy fold, that I may feed in the green and fresh pastures of thy sacred precepts, and drink freely of those waters of comfort in thy blessed promises, that I may so drinle that I may never thirst, but be fully satisfied with thy grace in this life, with thy glory in that to come; O let this evil world neither allure me to its vanities, nor betray me from thy mercies, but as thou hast overcome the world for me, so (by thy grace assisting) it may be also overcome by me: Thou hast indeed told me, that I shall mourn in it, but my mourning shall be turned into joy, and that my joy shall no man take from me; Lord I believe, help my unbelief; I embrace thy cross, I despise the shame, for that glory which is set before me, of which I have a safe assurance by the blessed earnest of thy holy Spirit in me: To thee O Father, Son, and holy Spirit, one eternal, infinite, incomprehensible, and ever blessed Goodness, be all possible praise, honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.  

O thou great God, who hast tender bowels of compassions, and multitudes of mercies for us miserable sinners, who art not easy to be provoked, but ever ready to forgive, who sufferest not thy whole displeasure to arise against us, but even in thy very judgements remember'st mercy, and art then moved with the sight of our misery, have mercy upon me a great and grievous finner.  
Lord I have sinned, I have transgressed, I have done foolishly, in departing from thy judgements: But righteousness belongeth unto thee (O Lord) and unto me shame and confusion of face; O let thy bowels of compassions remove out thy sight my multitudes of transgressions, that I may now appear before thee with a joyful heart, and happy soul.  
Let thy words be sweeter to me than the honey and the honey comb (than the vain pleasures, and false profits of this life) O let my chiefest joy be in thy service, my greatest delight to walk in thy ways, and all false ways (of pollution and uncleanness) let me utterly abhor.  
Give me that inward peace, that quietness of conscience, which the world cannot take from me, that when I am afflicted by it, I may not be condemned with it.  
Lord let me faithfully believe, and graciously improve the constancy of thy love, in the world's great unconstancy, the richness of thy mercy in this wretched age's misery.  
O that my eye might drop without ceasing, that my heart might break forth into complaints, and my soul be melted into sorrows, for mine own and others sins, that have occasioned these heavy judgements, these sad complain of thy people.  
Lord, as I have been a great and grievous sinner amongst them, so let me be a constant and a true mourner for them; as thou hast beheld us sinning, so now also behold us sorrowing, that as our sins have provoked thee to anger, so our tears may move thee to compassion, that thy mercy may be magnified, our miseries relieved, our sorrows comforted.  
O let not these bitter aggravations of thy judgements extort from us the least measure of impatience, nor beget in us the least degree of distrust; let us neither complain of thy justice, nor despair of thy mercy, but quietly and thankfully rely upon thee, and in thy blessed hour enjoy a sweet enlargement by thee.  
Lord pity the forlorn condition of thy sons and daughters in affliction, repair their outward losses by thine inward graces, that what is wanting to them of these earthly comforts, may be abundantly supplied in thy heavenly joys.  
Forgive the great disturbers of the peace of this thy Zion, Lord open their eyes, that they may see how much they have erred from thy ways; Lord sanctify their hearts, that they may speedily return unto thee, and be for ever graciously accepted of thee; O that thou wouldst give us one heart, and one voice, that we might serve thee without ceasing, that we may be all truly humbled before thee, and truly joyful in thee.  
Restore me (for thy rich mercy sake) unto that blessed union of Love, which is the bond of Peace; that as thou our God art one, so thy distressed Church may be one, thy divided people one, their wishes and desires, their prayers and tears, their actions and endeavours one, for thy glory, the Church's safety, and the Nations happiness, That we may have peace with thee our God, peace with our enemies, peace with our own souls, and everlasting peace with thee in thy Kingdom. Amen.     

A comfortable PRAYER to be used at the point of death by the Visitors of the Sick.  
O Eternal, Almighty, most merciful, and for ever blessed Lord God of Heaven and Earth, we thy poor, and most unworthy creatures, miserable and distressed sinners, in all humility of heart, and dejectedness of spirit, are here prostrate before thee: Lord, we confess that we are utterly unworthy to approach thy glorious presence; Blessed God, we are confounded and ashamed to lift up our sinful eyes unto thee, whose gracious goodness we have so much neglected, whose patience and long-suffering so long abused, whose anger and indignation so justly provoked, whose wrath and fury so wretchedly deserved.  
Lord, we are heavy laden with the burden of our sins, and thou alone art able to relieve us, to thee therefore we address our sinful souls for mercy and forgiveness: O thou that art the blessed Shepherd of our erring souls, that camest into the World to seek, and to save those that are lost, have mercy upon us: O thou that hast espoused us unto thyself, and hast given us thy love, have mercy upon us; O thou that callest us to come unto thee, and embracest us when we are come, receive our prayers. Lord give us prepared hearts to meet thee in this holy duty; Quicken our benumbed souls with holy fervency, that our devotions may ascend unto thy gracious presence: Lord thou hast promised to be near unto all those which call upon thee, with sincerity, and faithfulness of heart; for thy blessed promise sake, we most humbly beseech thee, let our humiliations be comfortable, our prayers acceptable.  
In full assurance of the sweetness of thy mercy towards us, we are now bold to become Petitioners unto thee for this thy sick servant, whose life is drawing near unto the grave: Blessed Lord God, it is thou that killest, and makest alive, that bringest down to hell, and raisest up again, we most meekly beseech thee therefore, for thy rich and tender love sake to thine Elect, to mitigate that bitter curse which thou hast laid upon us all in Adam: Lord look upon his affliction and his travail, and forgive him all his sins; give him sure patience to endure with meekness whatsoever thou art pleased to inflict upon him; Lord lay no more upon his feeble body, than thou shalt make him, able for to bear; impose no more upon his wounded spirit, than thou in mercy shalt support him under: Forsake him not, O Lord our God, be not thou far from him; let him remember that this chastisement of thine, is common to thy dearest children; that thou hidest thy face from him but for a small moment, but with everlasting kindness thou wilt have mercy on him.  
Lord, settle and compose his thoughts for thy Kingdom; let no disturbance of this life distract those blessed meditations, which invite the weary soul to rest and quietness; let him now see, and joyfully believe, that thou wilt order all these outward things to thine own glory, and the good of those that have relation to him; let him freely forgive all injuries on earth, and hearty desire to meet his greatest enemies in heaven: O let his soul be now transported with the sweetness of thy love, and favour towards him. Lord qualify this bitter potion, which thy holy providence hath allotted to him; let him now remember, that the sufferings of this present life, are not worthy of that glory which shall be (suddenly) revealed in him; and when the outward man is drawing nearest to its dissolution, Lord Jesus strengthen, and rejoice the inward man, with comfort and assured confidence of thy salvation.  
To this end (O Lord) we most humbly beseech thee, to illuminate his understanding, that he may see the sadness of his own condition in himself, that ●he may deny and utterly abhor himself, that he may disclaim all sinful confidence in his own actions, and endeavours, and wholly cast himself upon the righteousness of him, in whom alone thy wrath is fully satisfied. Lord give him a serious and a true remorse of conscience for his many, and his great offences; Lord Jesus grant that they may not now appear unto the terror and amazement of his sinful soul: O let him now remember that it is thy precious blood which purgeth him from all iniquity, that thou (O blessed Saviour) art become unto him righteousness, and holiness, and sanctification, and redemption. Lord comfort and assist him in this last, and greatest trial of his faith: And because the sensible decay of his infirm body, and the violent disturbance of his sickness, will not suffer him to call upon thee with digestednesse of mind, and quietness of spirit, we therefore humbly pray thee, to sustain and comfort him, even in his greatest weakness and extremity. Blessed God, let the sorrowful sighing of thy sick prisoner now come before thee: O let thy blessed Spirit, which is in him, put up humble supplications to the Father for him; O satisfy him with thy mercy, and that soon: Let those happy sighs and groans, which cannot be expressed, become a pleasing sacrifice of thankfulness to thee, and a sweet savour of eternal rest to his departing soul.  
O thou that art the God of power, protect him from the fury of that roaring Lion, who is now seeking to devour him: O thou that art the blessed Saviour of the sinful world, compassionate his frailties, commiserate his infirmities, forgive his iniquities: Lord purge him by thy precious blood, cloth him with thine own righteousness, enrich him with thy blessed merits, and plead them to thy Father for him. O thou holy and for ever blessed Spirit, who art the pure fountain of eternal love, be present with him, relieve, and comfort him in all these bitter pangs of his last hour, endue him with a willingness and cheerfulness to leave this transitory life, and crown him with eternity of joys in that to come.  
And now, O Lord, we come unto thee for ourselves, who are here at this time upon our sinful knees before thee, Lord open our eyes, that we may seriously consider of that last, and solemn hour of our departure: Lord sanctify our hearts, that while we are encompassed with sinful flesh, we may lament our often failings, and infirmities, and every day be more and more desirous to go home to thee, who art the God of spirits. Lord give us grace, that we may walk soberly, and righteously, and holily, as becometh thy children; that at the resurrection of the just, our souls and bodies may enjoy the blessed consummation of their endless happiness. Lord hear our prayers, and let our cries come unto thee, for thy name sake, for thy promise sake, for thy blessed Sons sake. Amen.   

The Conclusion.  
BLessed Lord God, by whose only mercy I have finished this imperfect Work, as I began it by thy goodness, so I desire to end it with thy praise; Lord accept of it, and graciously afford thy blessing to it: Let not the weakness and the sinfulness of me the Instrument, be the Readers discouragement, but give glory and honour to thee the Agent; for of thee, and through thee, and to thee are all things, to thee be praise for ever. Amen.  
SOLI DEO GLORIA.   

For the comfort and assistance of those that are ready to departed this life, I have hereunto added the dying Confession of Mr. Anth●ny Sadler, Minister of God's Word, at Westthorock in Essex, of which I was an Earwitness.  
Obiit vicesimo die Maii, Anno 1643.  
THE Lord hath laid a gracious, and a gentle visitation on me; I do acknowledge (with a thankful heart) that this weakness: of body, this languishing of nature, these painful days and nights, are from him: For misery cometh not out of the dust, neither doth affliction spring out of the earth, Job 5.6. Ah (my friends) little do men think how much the great disturbances of sickness, how much he pains and infirm ties of a dec ying body, distract those blessed thoughts, those sweet and happy meditations, which the troubled soul desires; The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak; Lord Jesus strengthen the inward man, and lay no more upon this sinful b●dy, than thou (in mercy) shalt enable it to bear.  
I am now verily persuaded, that God hath purposed to determine my days, his blessed will be done, even so Lord Jesus come quickly.  
He that looketh into his life past, that ransaketh his soul, and calleth to mind the sinful failings of his youth, will find it very hard, and difficult, to make his calling and election sure: I have earnestly desired to leave no corner of my soul unsearched, and I find myself to be a very great and wretched sinner; I have committed grievous sins, very grievous sins, such sins as are not fit to be named before God's Saints; I have examined my soul by each particular Commandment, and I find myself guilty of the breach of all, and that in an high manner, especially considering that weighty Function God's providence hath called me unto: I have not only sinned against mine own soul, but against the souls of others too, whom I have corrupted by my ill example, and that very often. And now, when I look upon the glass of the Law, and there see mine own vildness, I find God's justice, and mine own deserts, even ready to surprise, and cast me down into the nethermost hell, and that most righteously.  
But O see the goodness of a gracious God I now come to lay hold upon the promises, but how? not without repentance, not presumingly; I apply them not in a general, but particular way; I do not only believe that Christ Jesus came i● to the World to save sinners, but I believe also that he died for my sins, and risen again for my justification:— God hath promised (and all his promises are Yea and Amen) that he will not forsake those which trust in him, nay he hath bound himself unto it by an oath, by two immutable things which cannot fail, his Truth, and his Holiness, Heb. 6.18. and God hath said, That he which confesseth and forsaketh his sins, shall find mercy, 1 Joh. 1.9. I acknowledge them— I confess them— I am grieved for them— I forsake them— I abhor themwhat should I do more— God requireth not more of me, 
These pauses were supplied with tears.  and yet for all this I cannot find myself assured of his favour; methinks this sorrow is not so hearty as it ought to be, and yet I know, and steadfastly believe, that if God did not work with me, this sorrow could not be, and where he worketh, there can be nothing wanting; I know that the most righteous man alive cannot perform this work so perfectly as he ought, and therefore I believe, that he which is ascended up on high, hath done it for me in that full and ample manner, which is able to appease his Father's wrath; and I now trust, that by his perfect obedience this imperfect work of mine shall find a gracious acceptation. This is my hope, and this my belief.  
Nay I can go yet a little further, to strengthen my assurance, that my peace is made with God; I every day, and every hour, do pray unto my Saviour to intercede his Father for me; and if I implore him, he will intercede his Father; and if he intercede his Father, he cannot be denied.  
O my God, impute my sins to him, transfer his righteousness to me, and then I know I shall appear a glorious soul before thee. Amen.  
FINIS.   

THE CONTENTS.  

CHAP. 1. UPon the sinfulness of our thoughts touching the sacred Deity, with holy cautions to order our devotions aright. pag. 2.  
CHAP. 2. Upon the consideration of God's love, and man's unthankfulness; A Meditation suited to the morning. pag. 9  
CHAP. 3. Upon the consideration of Divine Providence; A Meditation for noon. pag. 14  
CHAP. 4. Upon the consideration of the sinfulness, shortness, and uncertain●y of life; A Meditation suited to the evening. pag. 17  
CHAP. 5. Upon our approaching unto God's House, with necessary cautions for our behaviour there. pag. 20  
CHAP. 6. Upon our returning from God's House, and the neglect of private duties. pag. 24  
CHAP. 7. Upon the want of due preparation for Receiving of the Lord's Supper. pag. 27  
CHAP. 8. Containing pious Ejaculations at the time of Receiving. pag. 30  
CHAP. 9 Containing a brief Meditation, and pious Thanksgiving after our Receiving. pag. 31  
CHAP. 10. Upon a Journey undertaken, and the many dangers incident thereunto. pag. 32  
CHAP. 11. Containing pious Meditations, and zealous Ejaculations after a Journey. pag. 34  
CHAP. 12. Upon the great danger of Security. pag. 37  
CHAP. 13. Upon the great danger of Prosumption. pag. 41  
CHAP. 14. Upon quenching of the motions of God's holy Spirit. pag. 47  
CHAP. 15. Upon the consideration of God's peculiar Providence to his Children. pag. 51  
CHAP. 16. Upon sinful Anger, and the great disturbance thereof. pag. 55  
CHAP. 17. Upon Man's inordinate love to the Creature. pag. 58  
CHAP. 18. Upon the sin of Uncleaness, with Encouragements to avoid it. pag. 63  
CHAP. 19 Upon immoderate Mirth, and the great Inconveniencies thereof. pag. 67  
CHAP. 20. Upon the great danger of deferring the hour of Repentance. pag. 75  
CHAP. 21. Upon Servile Fear, and the danger thereof. pag. 79  
CHAP. 22. Upon the great neglect of reckoning daily with our Thoughts, and the benefits lost thereby. pag. 84  
CHAP. 23. Upon Unchristianlike Dullness in Affliction pag. 87  
CHAP. 24. Upon uncheerfulness in Christianity, with Encouragements to avoid it. pag. 91  
CHAP. 25. Upon man's sinful frailty in the hour of Temptation, with Motives to make resistance. pag. 94  
CHAP. 26. Upon the Infirmity of the Saints. pag. 97  
CHAP. 27. Upon Desertion. pag. 101  
CHAP. 28. Upon sudden danger. pag. 106  
CHAP. 29. Upon the weakness of Faith, and sinfulness of Thoughts tending to Despair. pag. 107  
CHAP. 30. Upon the great Neglect of the duty of Prayer. pag. 111  
CHAP. 31. Upon the great neglect of Reading the sacred Scriptures. pag. 114  
CHAP. 32. Upon the neglect of Divine Meditation. pag. 117  
CHAP. 33. Upon Unchristianlike Dejectedness in Poverty. pag. 119  
CHAP. 34. Upon Sickness, and ungodly repining thereat. pag. 122  
CHAP. 35. Upon the misery of Life, and blessedness of Death. pag. 126  
CHAP. 36. Upon the great neglect of opportunities in doing good to the Saints. pag. 131  
CHAP. 37. Upon the deceitfulness of the heart in the performance of holy duties. pag. 135  
CHAP. 38. Upon the unruliness of the Tongue, with necessary cautions to restrain it. pag. 140  
CHAP. 39 Upon holy revenge for sin, with motives and encouragements thereunto. pag. 144  
CHAP. 40. Upon the blessed condition of the Saints, with motives and encouragements unto Godliness. pag. 147  
A comfortable Prayer to be used at the point of Death by the Visitors of the Sick. pag. 157   
FINIS.