to try Thy Patience so Patience shines most when most severely prov'd Yet mayst thou pray to have thy Griefs remov'd Or that Grace may more largely to support thee flow Dost thou anothers sinful Failures view Twice thrice advise him if he still pursue His senseless Ways Leave him to God He 'll all His Thoughts fulfil And make His Creatures prosecute His Will And make their very Madness more advance his Praise That thou mayst others Follies calmly bear Think what thy own thy inward Failures are How great thy Sins Canst thou not then thy Bosom-Lusts restrain And yet of others Stubborness complain He who would others mend best at himself begins We'd have our Neighbours lash'd our Neighbours reign'd But hate to be our selves to Rules restrain'd So just are we So much our selves we more than others love Yet should the World around us perfect prove What would our Sufferings then for God or Goodness be But God with Wisdom tempers all Affairs And makes us toil beneath our mutual Cares That while we find None faultless none without a Burden none To perfect Strength or perfect Wisdom grown We'd be to Pity more more to Love inclin'd Comfort Advice Support Instruction so Should from our sympathizing Friendship flow In darkest Night Stars shine the brightest and our Woes declare Only how frail our Constitutions are But not to Frailty more or weak Designs invite XVII Be ye followers of me as dear Children HOW mean how trifling are our Lives compar'd With those of glorious Heroes gone before Whose wondrous Works their wondrous Love declar'd And all the Badges of their Matter wore Their Saviours Friends for Life or Death prepar'd Who all th' Extreams of Thirst Hunger bore Who cold bare in watchful Fastings spent On Prayers and holy Meditations bent Thro' all the cruel Scorns of barbarous Tyrants went What Tongue tho tip'd with flowing Eloquence Could all those mighty Woes and Pains unfold Which great Apostles in the Truths defence Martyrs and Confessors endur'd of old Those Tortures laid on Virgin-Innocence Modest as Babes as Men in Sufferings bold They'd all their dear Redeemer's Footsteps trace And in the Furies of their heavenly Race Made Earth and Life it self to Love resign the place O how they liv'd to Woods and Caves confin'd With tedious and severe Temptations prest How when to Satan's Buffetings resign'd Their fervent Prayers were to their Lord addrest How was their Flesh with rigid Fastings pin'd Their Souls with growing Zeal and Ardour blest Fierce on their Sins in their Intentions pure They'd Night and Day in Prayers and Praise endure Nor could their Foes their Minds from inward Prayers allure They all their Hours to vast Advantage spent And all too little for their Maker thought And on sublimer Contemplations bent They oft their very needful Food forgot Wealth Honours Places Friends with free consent They quitted for the sweet Celestial Draught They grudg'd their Minutes on themselves bestow'd And disincumbred from each earthly Load Their Wealth was Grace and Goodness and a smiling God Strange to the World and strange to all below They grew the great Privadoes of the Skies Mean to themselves mean to the World they 'd show But dear and priceful in their Master's Eyes Humble Obedient Patient Kind they 'd grow And thence in Grace and Godlike Vertues rise They great Examples to Believers stood And more should move us to advance in Good Than to sink down in Sloth the Lukewarm lazy Brood What holy Zeal our Priests adorn'd of old What warm Devotions what prevailing Prayers How strongly they'd the Race of Vertues hold What Discipline supprest the rising Tares How had the Shepherds of the sacred Fold In Service and Respect their constant Shares How Great how Good they were their Steps descry Beneath their Feet the conquer'd World could lie And from their powerful Faith Hell's great Commander fly He 's now a Saint who sins but privately And who a while the Yoke of Christ can bear A Saint who won't with lewdest Sinners vie Or with the Murderer or Adulterer share A Saint who weekly can the Church supply And for the Fleece the Flock neglected care Ah Sloth Ah Negligence Ah want of Heat O may I ne're my Self or Hearers cheat But all the noblest Cares of antient Saints repeat I 'm sure our publick Sins are greater far Than those amass'd from every Age before I 'm sure we 're call'd to bear a fiercer War Than that which all our great Fore-fathers bore I 'm sure our Zeal and earnest Labours are Too weak and can't our ruin'd Faith restore But O dear God my Heart my Lips unseal So I thy Bread to all thy Flock shall deal And to a careless World thy dreadful Truths reveal XVIII The Priest I Took the Charge of Souls and now must shine As Flambeaus in a gloomy Night With clear and comfortable Light My inward Garb like that without divine God views my Actions o're and he Quite thro' my Reins quite thro' my Heart can see I then must be as Angels pure If I 'de that dreadful Test those piercing Eyes endure When first I took these Robes dear Lord I gave My Self my Life my All to thee O may my Oaths repeated be And I my sacred Master's faithful Slave My Labours past are Triflings all My Services alas my Toils are small Help me my God assist me now And I 'll with utmost Zeal perform my sacred Vow I now must Pray Praise Teach invite the Guests A wretched faithless hungry Crew From starving and Damnation due Freely to feed at thy immortal Feasts But Lord I droop I sink I fail Sloth Fear Distrust on all my Thoughts prevail My Strength is weak my Wisdom slow On me dear God thy Strength thy guiding Grace bestow If I a while my constant Duties leave To visit mourning Souls or those Whom God on Beds of Sickness throws I still the Meed of Charity receive But if ungirt or lazy I From publick or from private Duties fly I to oblige a Lust resign My self to endless Flames and quit Rewards divine That I may to the World a Light appear I 'll search my Conscience throughly o're My Sins to God and Man explore And be each Day on all my Crimes severe I 'll all Hell's subtle Arts withstand My sensual Thoughts my craving Lusts command Read Write Pray Praise or Meditate And still with holy Works Hell's fiery Darts rebate In publick Duties I 'll with fervent Care To others an Example be But still without Hypocrisy And with my Voice to God exalt my Prayer But when between my God and me Alone the secret Intercourse should be Noise my Devotions shan't betray But in my Closet I 'll with secret Murmurs pray Some Holy Fasts some Feasts appointed stand Design'd for holy Exercise For raptur'd Joys or humble Cries And should our Souls with solemn Aw command I 'll in Devotion daily live And all my Life to pious Practice give But for such Times
their envious Eyes To dunghil Worms with mighty Treasures blest To worthless Sots with gaudy Glories drest Or who to Honours or to Scepters rise But he who 's envi'd ne're can find That strange Felicity But growing Cares distract his Mind And Beggars more enjoy themselves than he My very Life 's but one extended Woe My Meat my Drink my Sleep my waking Hours My Rest my Labours all uneasy grow And baffle all my Soul 's superiour Powers Could I Love 's holy Flames attain Life would be vile to me and Life's Corruptions vain Wo to the Wretch whose Dulness ne're could know The Miseries of fading Life below Wo to the Wretch whose sordid Soul For mean and transitory Joys can slight The blissful Regions of immortal Light And still on Earth in common Ordure roll Ah mad ah unbelieving Fools In carnal Wisdom great In better things mere senseless Tools Who drudg but ne're can find the monstrous But far more wise those holy Saints of old Look'd on their sinking Lives with nobler Scorn Their Expectations as their Faith grown bold To Heaven on Wings of bright Affection born Nor could the Toys which here they saw Their large aspiring Souls from unseen Glories draw Rise then my Soul no more thy Task delay Employ the present Light the certain Day Up rife put off the Day no more Now now 's the time to work the time to fight The Time to set thy Thoughts and Actions right Delays can but increase the dreadful Score What tho fierce Flames and angry Seas Oppose thy sacred Rest O let no darling Error seize Or tyrannize within thy captive Breast Shake off thy Sloth for shame attack this Foe Throw off thy Sins and Innocence pursue 'T was only Sin diseas'd our Lives below And robb'd us of our Crowns and Garlands due O on thy Maker's Mercy wait Till he thy Living Death to Deathless Life translate Thinke o're thy State on Earth How strangely frail How soon Hell's Follies o're thy Thoughts prevail To day perhaps thy Lips confess Thy mighty Sins with Floods of streaming Tears Tomorrow Hell his sanguine Trophies rears And Sins again thy weak Resolves oppress O then with humble Meekness all Thy yielding Weakness see How that in one short Hour may fall Which might the Work of toiling Ages be Ah wretched I if grown so quickly cold Ah wretched I to drowse in careless Rest As if secure I could the Garland hold Tho not with one poor Grain of Goodness blest Up try the mighty Work again If Hopes of bettering Life or stronger Grace remain XXII It is appointed for all Men once to die SEE where the naked Mormo stands See how his pointed Dart the World commands The meager Sceleton with dismal Glare Shoots thro the pestilential Air Lays Heaps on Heaps around and I Before to morrow's Sun may die Dull that I am hard-hearted Wretch to dream Of lasting Joys and Pleasures here Shine dearest God! and let one glorious Beam Of heavenly Light my gloomy Conscience clear I so prepar'd for Death may be And from my Sins and from thy Anger free To Day I 'm unprepar'd I know But shall I fit for Death to Morrow grow To Morrow's but a wild uncertain thing And may as little Wisdom bring Nor can the longest Life be sure It can repenting Thoughts procure I 've been a Christian long but still retain An unreform'd unchristian Mind Death may be dreadful and attending Pain But I more Woes in longer Life may find O may I now with daily Care And watchful Eyes for Death foreseen prepare To day my youthful Neighbour di'd And for Death's Summons I 'll to day provide I see to day but can't be sure my Sight Shall reach the next approaching Night I see the Night but never may Survive to meet the dawning Day O mayn't a sudden Death my Soul surprize When it goes off its needful Guard Death with an unimagin'd Swiftness flies No Art can its impetuous Wings retard Then I an inward Change may see And Sloth tho past my greatest Grief may be I 'm truly Wife and Blest if I Live but as well as I could wish to die If my great Soul could earthly Joys despise And to the Heights of Vertue rise If I to Discipline could bow And by my Works Repentance show Could I to God with swift Obedience fly And my dear wretched Self abjure Could I but for my blest Redeemer die And for his Love the Racks and Flames endure Much I while blest with Health may do But can't in Death those happy Works pursue Perhaps I think a Sickness might Reform my Manners and enlarge my Sight Make me review my self and straight repent And be at once an Innocent Yet I in Sickness oft have pray'd A thousand solemn Vows I 've made But still I live the same no more improv'd Than modish Travellers may come Who have long Years thro' many Countries rov'd And only brought their shameless Vices home Now now 's the time the welcome Day O don't for better Season vainly stay Rouze then my Soul thy Thoughts engage On what thy daily Weaknesses presage Fears for a time an Antidote may prove And thy eternal Fears remove Thy Fears of present Death prevent Thy everlasting Punishment Live now that when his Summons Death shall give We to unfading Joys may fly Die to the World that we to Christ may live And thou unclog'd ascend above the Sky Let 's now the rebel Flesh chastise That we may then with blest Assurance rise What canst thou dream of lengthning Days When nothing here below unalter'd stays How many have those foolish hopes deceiv'd Of Breath by sudden Strokes bereav'd This Man by some swift Bullet dies That drown'd beneath the Ocean lies This dash'd in pieces that just choakt expires Another's in his Sports destroy'd Sword Plagues attempted Thefts outragious Fires Make all their Dreams and vast Intendments void So Life an empty Shadow flies And when Death summons languid Nature dies Rouse then at last be active now Thy Neck to thy Celestial Labours bow When Death once parts us two our Hopes are vain New Overtures of Grace to gain And if our own Endeavours fail The Prayers of others can't prevail Now while Time lasts grasp at Eternal Wealth Now now encrease thy sacred Store Secure betimes thy own Immortal Health Thy God thy Saviour and his Aids implore And when thou shalt thy Fetters leave They 'l Thee to thy great Master's Joys receive Live then but as a Stranger here And unconcern'd with worldly things appear Be light be free from Cares above the Skies O raise thy long-expecting Eyes That when thy Days on Earth are past Thy Mansions there may ever last With Prayers with flowing Tears O seek the Place Where Glories all their Beams display With endless Groans O seek thy Saviour's Face And upward soar to reach that gladsome Day Where thou with Saints shalt rest above Wrapt in th' Embraces of Eternal Love XXIII And after
rebates Weak are thy best Designs and weaker far Than all thy humblest Apprehensions are Don't then my Son thy little Actions prize Nor let great Shows delude thy wandring Eyes Let not the World be sweet or dear to thee Nor fix thy Love beneath Eternity Be TRVTH thy Darling TRVTH thy Soul's Delight Thy Innate Vileness all thy Tears excite Thy Fears thy angry Talk thy Scorn and Hate Engag'd against thy inward sinful State Some with a careless Life but Curious Eye Would boldly thro my Mystic Secret pry Neglect their own and others Souls confound Till in a Sea of deep Temptations drown'd And for their mad Attempts and Godless Pride Down by revenging Strokes to endless Tortures slide Do Thou my Anger and my Judgments fear And don't too busy on my Works appear Thy Sins examine well thy Sins survey Thy frequent Negligence thy cold Delay Some on their Pray'r-Books or on Form and Show All their Devout deceitful Hours bestow They 'l Talk indeed but never Think of Me But those of Souls refin'd more clearly see And only pant and breath to reach Eternity Their Ears all Earthly Conversation hate Unwillingly on Nature's wants they wait They all the Smiles of flattering Worlds despise And higher still in Heavenly Vertues rise And spurn the Ball below and grasp the lofty Skies V. Love is strong at Death Believer TO Thee Eternal Father I With earnest Thanks and Praises fly Father By kind Adoption Mine My Saviour's by his Birth Divine Thro whom on wretched Me bestow'd Thy streaming Pity largely flow'd Blest ever blest be thy Great Name From whom my former Comforts came Who pitied oft unworthy Me For Mercy only lives in Thee To Thee to thy Eternal Son Thy sacred Spirit blest Three in One All humble Thanks all hearty Praise I 'll thro Immortal Ages raise O Gracious God! when once my Breast Is by thy sacred Love possest All Rapture then and Extasy My Heart and Soul shall wait on Thee O then my Hope my Harbour be When Seas of Tribulation compass me Weak are my Vertues weak my Love But O with Joys my Strength improve And with thy Heavenly Discipline Oft visit and my Soul refine My Passions my Affections guide That heal'd and throughly purifi'd My Love with brighter Flames may shine And Patience make me all and only Thine O what 's the Force of Heavenly Love How wondrous all its Motions prove It makes the Heavy Burden Light And always holds the Ballance right It can the Cross with Pleasure meet And make the Bitter truly Sweet Jesus that Name belov'd can raise The humblest Soul to grasp at Praise Make it to mighty Works incline And greater still and more design Love scorns the lower World and flies Like Flames to reach their kindred Skies Love hates Restraint and hates its Chains And always of its Clogs complains Sweet Love the roughest Souls can hold Enflames the Wise the Brave the Bold Makes Heaven the Rest of Saints above And God himself subsists in boundless Love The Lover smiles and springs and flies He 's free and every Bar defies Gives All to All yet keeps it All For he his God his own can call From whom the purest Blessings fall It 's not the Gift but Giver He Above all other Joys would see Love knows no Mean but burns and glows And ore its common Bounders flows Love never values Weight nor Pains Nor of th' Impossible complains But grasps at All and All can do If he who loves can be but active too Love watches in the Lover's Eyes And ne're fatigu'd nor fainting lies Love tho confin'd abroad can rove Unfrighted by the noisy Drove Love like a Torch or Astral Fire Will always tow'rds the Poles aspire If that bright Flame my Soul possess I soon to God shall find Access My God my Love my Life is mine And I Dear Lord am All and only Thine O then with Love enlarge my Heart To me that Heavenly Gust impart That I those happy Sweets may prove And always Live and always Love May Love possess me all and raise My Passions to a soaring Blaze Teach me to sing the Songs of Love And fly with Thee dear Lord above O fill me more and more till I A Phenix in those Flames may die More than my Self I 'll love Thee Lord If thou thy lightsome Beams afford And for thy sake I 'll all embrace Who love thy Glories and who seek thy Face Love when sincere is swift and warms With pleasant and delightful Charms It 's Brave and Patient Wise and True Long-suffering Manly ever New And never seeks it self but You. Love's Cautious Humble seeks the Right Not Soft Effeminate or Light But Sober Peaceful Firm and Chast A Guard on all our Senses plac't Love to its Guides Obedience gives And meanly of it self believes Devout to God and grateful proves And still by Hope's Prescriptions moves Yea tho its God His Smiles remove Since Clouds sometimes obscure the Skies of Love Fit Me for Suffering O my God O fit me for thy sharpest Rod For if I dare not smart for Thee No Lover's Name belongs to Me. All Hardship I for Thee can bear Thy Love can harshest things endear No Pains from Thee shall make me start While Grace unvails my Eyes and Love secures my Heart VI. Whom resist stedfast in the Faith Christ YEt still my Son thou' rt neither brave nor wise And Love's soft Name is but thy thin Disguise Bel. Why Lord Chr. Consider how thy Soul recoils Despairs of Comfort and desponds with Toils The valiant Lover like a Rock secure Can all Hell 's furious Arts unmov'd endure He loves me when he thrives and lives in Peace Nor can his Sufferings make His noble Ardours cease The Prudent Lover may the Gift admire But to the Giver most his Thoughts aspire The Worth but little to the Kindness seems The Giver He above the World esteems I not the Boon his restless Heart engage Yet Doubts don't straight a total Fall presage Love's Sweet and Good when fixt on Mine and Me Grace gave it Being and the Fruits may be The Foretaste of a Blest Eternity Grace yet may vary have its Ebbs and Flows And interrupt the careless Soul's Repose He 's Brave indeed who fights the Battel thro And Courage tho opprest with Odds can shew He breaks Hell's utmost Force and all his Loves are true Then let not fanci'd Beauties charm thy Sight Nor thy Sick Soul from righteous Ways invite Sometimes perhaps thy Joys are Raptures all And down straight to their former Weakness fall If thou to get an equal Temper strive That War may warm thy Soul thy dying Hopes revive Know then the Prince of Hell thy antient Foe Would all thy Faith and envy'd Hopes o'rethrow Thy Soul's Devotions from thy Maker turn And would against thy Saviour's Passion spurn He 'd fain divert thee from thy Sense of Sin From Vertue 's Progress and thy Guard within Fills thee with impious Thoughts
Wounds bestow'd No mean disgrace from nobler Hands had flow'd But all my Spleen and Anger moves To see a base ungrateful Slave His Benefactor 's Passions brave An unoblig'd a great Man's Scorn I had without Reluctance born But here I Pardon crave Fond sensless Thoughts Where heavenly Patience grows It no such nice Distinction knows Ne're values Men nor Injuries But lifts its humble Eyes To Him whose glorious Hand bestows the Victor's Prize Talk not of Patience if thy Hand must choose Thy Burden or the Weight refuse Patience regards not What nor Who An Injury may do But to the sacred Exercise submits And easy under every Trial sits It the Creator not the Creature views And with submissive Eyes pursues Its Maker's Hand and can repose On what its Maker's Hand bestows He knows small Sufferings for his Master's Name A vast Reward may claim Not to Deserts by Justice paid But by free Goodness down to humble Hearts convey'd Up then for Wars prepare If Thou the Crown wouldst wear Patience if unfading found Patience may at last be crown'd If thou manly Deeds pursue The Promise is to Sufferers due Rest by Labour is obtain'd And Victory by Fighting gain'd Believer Help then O help Me Lord by powerful Grace Impossibilities deface Impossibility's no more When Grace has fill'd the Heart before Thou know'st my Weakness Lord how soon My Hope my Strength my Vigor's done Little I little can perform To stem the Tide or face the Storm O touch my Soul with Heavenly Love Till soaring tow'rd those Joys above Afflictions I with Scorn may view And still a steady Course pursue To suffer Lord a while for Thee Must bring Salvation sure and Happiness to me XX. Miserable and Poor and Blind and Naked Believ LOrd to Thee I 'll now confess All my own Unrighteousness All my own Infirmity I 'll acknowledg Lord to Thee Oft I 'm griev'd and oft dejected When with smallest Pains affected Oft a brave Resolve I take But the least Temptations shake All my Courage and confound Me When those Common Straits surround Me. Sometimes from the meanest Cause Hell a strong Temptation draws When a sudden Blast o'rethrows Me And from all Assurance blows Me. See my Wretchedness and see Lord what Weakness reigns in Me Save Me snatch Me from the Deep Lest I there for ever sleep Most this grieves Me most it wounds Me That my Lust so soon confounds Me Tho my Soul be ne're consenting Yet the Labours of preventing Too uneasy make my Life Wearied with the constant Strife Plainer still my Frailties show While corrupted Notions flow Fast upon my Mind but prove Tedious grievous to remove Dearest Lover Lord of Souls Whose Almighty Power controuls All above and all below Pity on thy Slave bestow All my Toils and Labours view And with aiding Grace pursue Fill Me with Celestial Strength Lest rebellious Flesh at length O're my fainting Mind prevail And my inward Wisdom fail Tedious Wars may fatal be And betray my self to Me. What a wretched Life is This Where we ne're can Sorrows miss Where Perplexities and Woes Crafty Friends and mighty Foes All my Steps around enclose Some departing more approaching And the Tempter more encroaching Sorrows still on Sorrows ride With a dismal pompous Pride Like the Higre on the Tide O who can love a Life distracted so All whose Streams with Wormwood flow Fill'd with Trouble bankt with Woe How 's that true Life which Death and Plagues creates Yet how great a Number rates All those Cares as Delicates They 'l cry The World is false the World is vain And yet from it can't refrain Lust will still the Field maintain The World to Us our fleshly Lust commends That our Pride of Life pretends That our greedy Eye defends But when we think of Griefs and think of Pains Griping Mischiefs weighty Chains Hatred then triumphant reigns A vitiated Tast the Mind deceives And so false a Gusto leaves As for Honey Gall receives God then the Mind can neither taste nor see Nor how Sweet or Gracious He Nor how pleasant Truth may be But those who throughly can the World despise To their Maker only Wise Love their Heavenly Exercise They know those Sweets to well-purg'd Minds ensur'd And of Inferiour Longings cur'd Live from the World 's false Snares and wheedling Arts secur'd XXI And now Lord what is my Hope truly my Hope is even in Thee Believ LIfe my Soul of Peace possest On thy Dear Redeemer's Breast He 's the Saints Eternal Rest Dearest Sweetest Jesus store Me with Love to love thee more Than I could the World before Make Me love Thee more than Feature More than all the Pride of Nature In the fairest softest Creature More than Honour more than Glory More than boundless Territory Or a Mighty Name in Story More than Subtilty or Parts More than Riches or than Arts Or the Joys a World imparts Make Me love Thee more than Fame Or the loudest sounding Name Or than Comforts Heavenly Flame More than all those treasur'd Sweets Hope in every Promise meets When it dawning Glory greets More than Merits or Desire Or than thy Superiour Fire Can with all its Beams inspire More than Pleasure more than Gladness Or a Mind when purg'd from Sadness Extasy'd to Holy Madness More than Captain Angels more Than those Spirits which before Thy All-glorious Throne adore More than I believe or see More than all on Earth can be Which my God which is not Thee Thou my Lord my God art blest Goodness centers in thy Breast God most High and most Puissant God most full and Allsufficient Sweetest Kindest Fairest Loving And thy Kindness still improving All that 's Good and Perfect we Can at once discern in Thee All thy noblest Gifts and Light Move me not nor e're excite My faint Wishes only Thee Lord I pant and long to see O my Heart can never rest Satisfy'd within my Breast Till my Thoughts above can rise All created Joys despise Far above all Blessings soar And with Thee thy Self adore Jesus O my Love my Spouse Lord of purest chastest Vows To Whom humble Nature bows O who 'l give swift Wings to Me That I might from Fetters free Fly to Heaven and rest with Thee When O when Lord shall my Heart Gain in Thee my Love a Part And discern how sweet thou art When shall I from Sins at leisure And possest with sacred Pleasure Long and Love beyond all Measure Oft I sigh and oft I groan Much my Suffering loud my Moan In this Vale of Tears alone Oft disturb'd distracted I Hindred clouded fetter'd ly And can't to thy Embraces fly Let my Sighs my Groanings move Thee Tho distrest on Earth I love Thee Let my Sighs and Groanings move Thee Jesus O Eternal Light With Immortal Glories bright Comfort of the wandring Soul Tho my Language Silence be Silence can be heard by Thee While I thus my self condole O how long how long Dear Lord When wilt thou one Smile
Thy Longings nothing could on Earth suffice Should'st thou but miss thy Maker there Thro Me alone in Price thy Blessings rise I all the noblest Gifts endear And canst thou dream large Hecatombs Should satisfy what God requires Think'st Thou I feed on what consumes With noisom Stench and in material Fires No I thy Self Dear Soul thy All command Give then O give thy Self to Me I leave my Body in thy faithful Hand I offer'd all my Self for Thee Dearly I 'm sure I purchas'd Thee Give then O give thy Self to Me But give it freely or the Gift will be A poor unworthy Sacrifice If I must only have a Part in Thee No happy Union thence can rise A Free-Will-Offering finds a place With God and to thy Self assures Vast Liberty and wondrous Grace Which none while of himself too fond procures I 've said Vnless a Man his All forsake He 's no Disciple fit for Me And wouldst thou one of my Attendants make From all inferiour Service free Wouldst Thou my blest Disciple be Give then O give thy Self to Me IX Offer unto God Thanksgiving and pay thy Vows unto the Most High Believer WHAT e're this Lower World contains Dear Lord is Thine And since a Free-Will-Offering Favour gains I here to Thee my Self resign Lord with a Heart sincere I freely offer up my Self to Thee My faithful Service and obsequious Fear A Sacrifice of Praise to be When I thy Self Dear Lord receive And round thy Table smiling Angels wait O don't my glorious Hopes deceive But let it be New Life to Me Let Me thy heavenly Grace thy Loves participate My Sins Dear Lord for Love of Thee I sacrifice Those Sins with which from early Infancy I durst offend thy sacred Eyes Lo at thy Altars here I cast them all O let thy burning Love Consume them Lord my sinful Conscience clear And all the Stains of Sin remove That Grace which Sin had lost before That Grace of which my Self my Self bereav'd O to my Soul Dear God restore Smile Lord on Me And let Me be To thy immortal Kiss thy boundless Peace receiv'd I 've sinn'd I 'm lost Lord what shall I For Pardon do I 'll at thy Feet with deep Confession lie And all my Tears for Guilt renew Atone my God for Me To Thee I 'll offer up unceasing Cries I 'll offer up unceasing Prayers to Thee Look down O look with gracious Eyes I hate my Sins I hate them All Lord I repent indeed I mourn and grieve O save Me from a future Fall My Sins pass o're Wash out my Score My Soul with Blood redeem'd with precious Blood relieve I here for Mercy Lord resign My Self to Thee O don't repay those black Deserts of Mine But in thy Goodness deal with Me My fairest Actions here Poor weak alas I offer up to Thee O let 'um grateful in thy Sight appear Adorn'd with Life and Sanctity My Soul for nobler Actions wing And Me a senseless Brute a worthless Slave By thy all-prudent Conduct bring To that blest Place Where well-us'd Grace Shall all the bright Rewards of full Perfection have Lord at thy Feet I humbly lay My just Desire For Friends Relations Benefactors pray And all who my Relief require For them thy Aids dispose From Pains from Dangers from Afflictions free Let them thy dear reviving Smiles disclose And sing their grateful Hymns to Thee Where others Lord have injur'd Me Where I have injur'd others O forgive O let our numerous Failures be All gently past And we at last In mutual Charity and God's Embraces live Lord let our doubtful Hearts be free From Jealousy From Wrath from Malice all those Crimes which we Oft in each others Tempers see And let thy Grace remove What e're Distrust in Christian Souls can raise Or Charity confound or murder Love Or Nature's crasy State betrays Mercy we Mercy Lord implore On needy Souls thy Mercy Lord bestow And Grace from thy unbounded Store Till happy we May live with Thee Where endless Mercy reigns and boundless Pleasures flow X. Not forsaking the Assembling of your selves together as the Manner of some is Christ WOuldst Thou thy Passions utmost Rage command Wouldst Thou against infernal Malice stand More watchful yet and stronger grow Here the Springs of Mercy flow Here I every Grace bestow Here my Servants kindly know Oft at my Altars oft prepar'd appear And oft thou 'lt meet thy mighty Saviour there Hell knows what Strength my Flesh and Blood can give And tries a thousand Means and Ways And all his subtle Art displays To make the doubtful Soul in pinching Hunger live When for my Supper pious Souls are drest They 'r oft by Hell's delusive Wiles distrest He 'll still among my Sons appear Scatter Care and sensless Fear And tho I my self am near Try to make Disturbance there Scorn then his Terrors tho deform'd and foul And let Himself beneath the Burden howl Let neither Sloth nor Coldness ravish Thee Hell's Malice nor imposing Art Enslave or turn thy yielding Heart When it on joyful Wings should fly to feast with Me. He 'll tell Thee Holy Cheat He 'll tell Thee there Thy Preparations should be more severe But Thou hast ne'r confest thy Sin Never let Repentance in Never cleans'd thy self within And wouldst now in vain begin If this be true fly dearest Soul O fly And at my Feet with deep Contrition lie Before my Priest thy Follies humbly lay He bears my sacred Character And his absolving Hands confer True Life on contrite Souls and Comforts cloudless Day Throw off Hell's Poison from thy fainting Soul Sins Burden from thy drooping Conscience roll Fly then dear Soul O fly to Me I 'll thy happy Shelter be Set Thee soon from Bondage free Fly dear Soul O fly to Me Name not to Morrow that 's a tedious Day Now now thy own Internal State survey Don't with some stupid Brutes my Feast forbear Lest They more firmly ty'd should be To save themselves and honour Me But let those Vows renew'd my sacred Feast endear How low's their Love's and their Devotion 's Tide Who can so soon from their Engagements slide How dear how truly welcom 's He Who preserves his Conscience free Lives in Faith and Purity And is always fit for Me Sometimes thy Soul 's touch'd with an awful Fear Or may for some important Cause forbear But if encroaching Sloth thy Heart detain O shake it quickly off and I Will to thy fervent Bosom fly And thou shalt Loves renew'd and glowing Fervours gain If justly absent let thy chearful Will Thy eager Thoughts approach my Altars still Live so adorn'd with Innocence Lively Faith and heavenly Sense As may leave Thee no pretence With Attendance to dispense But when the Son of God assum'd the Man When his dear bloody Death thy Life began When He shook off Death's Chains and climb'd the Skies When He the glorious Spirit sent New Loves for Loves renew'd present And let Devotion 's Flames with
greater Brightness rise But He who waits for none but Festivals Between them oft to Sin remisly falls Then happy 's He and truly wise Who by constant Exercise Can to such a temper rise Duty can't his Heart surprize Come then but Antient Prudent Rules obey Abhor the busy Fools fantastick Way Break not the Churches Peace but wisely wave Thy whymsied Schemes for Publick Good Who cuts the Banks le ts in a boundless Flood Nor can the frighted Boor his drowning Pastures save XI Search the Scriptures Lord evermore give us this Bread Believer DEarest Jesus kindest Lord What Sweets that happy Soul may taste Who feeds with Thee at thy immortal Board That Board where Sinners only fast Where Thou thy Self art All Meat Drink Inviter Waiter Principal More lov'd by faithful Souls and more desir'd Than all those glittering Toys by carnal Fools admir'd Ah! how pleasant Lord and sweet Should Tears of Holy Sorrow be How should I love to wash thy sacred Feet And prove a Magdalen to Thee But where 's that flagrant Mind Where can I Sorrow's Holy Fountains find My Heart should fall in Tears in Flames should rise Since Thou art here indeed and seen by faithful Eyes Lord my sinful dazling Sight Can't thy full Beams of Glory bear Nor could the World subsist should all the Light Of thy Majestic Brows appear It 's wondrous Goodness all That God beneath my Cognizance should fall That I should him in holy Signs adore Before whose Servile Form bright Angels bow'd before O may I contented prove To live and walk in Faith's pure Light Till that Eternal Day shall dawn above And Shades and Figures take their flight When that great Day mail shine Then glorious Saints shall bask in Beams Divine View all the Godhead's dark Abyss and see That Word made Flesh of old engulph Eternity When I read those Wonders o're Scarce inward Joys can please my Mind I scorn what e're I saw or heard before Till I thy glorious Face can find O witness Lord for Me No Comfort I no Rest can find but Thee And since thy Face no Mortal Eyes can view Let me that future Bliss with Patient Love pursue Thus the Saints enthron'd with Thee Th' Effects of Faith and Patience found My Faith My Hope 's the same O may I be By Faith with equal Glories crown'd By their Examples I Soar with an active Faith to reach the Sky My Rules my Comforts Lord thy Scriptures are And my declining Hopes thy Flesh and Blood repair Life a wretched Load would be If we no Light no Food could meet But Lord thou mak'st thy Flesh a Feast for me Thy Word a Lamp to guide my feet Oh these I sweetly live Light to my Soul thy sacred Writings give And When I at thy Altars Lord appear I find the Bread of Life the great Elixir there These th' Exchequer-Tables are Where all the Churches Treasure lies To This pure Souls for Holy Food repair To That to clear their Cloudy Eyes That thro Faith's perfect Ways And thro the Vail to th' holiest Place conveys Blest be my Jesus Light of endless Light Whole Servants wandring Souls to Wisdom's Springs invite Blest O blest be thy great Name Dear Maker dear Redeemer who Couldst Love immense to sinking Worlds proclaim Yet not a Paschal Figure show But wouldst thy Self appear Expose thy Flesh the faithful Heart to chear Pour Healthful Sweets into the saving Bowl While joyful Angels wait around the thirsty Soul O how glorious is the Seat By Thee to happy Priests assign'd Who still when they thy awful Words repeat Thy Efficacious Presence find And daily feast on Thee How clean their Hands how pure their Hearts should be Good Works should their untainted Hands employ Their Lips be Love's sweet Springs their Hearts the Thrones of Joy Thus to Priests their Lord declares I 'm all Essential Holiness O Ye who wait on my Divine Affairs The same accepted Grace express O with a single Eye With Modest Looks approach the Mystery Your Hands unspotted to those Altars raise Where God at Your Request his wondrous Love displays O may We to Priesthood rais'd Thy Gracious Influences find For Holy Lives and pure Devotions prais'd And to internal Peace refin'd And tho our Lives may fail O let our Tears above our Crimes prevail While We with humbler Souls and warmer Love In all thy sacred Ways with swift Obedience move XII He who Eats and Drinks unworthily Eats and Drinks his own Damnation Christ I Love the Pure and Holiness bestow I love within a well-purg'd Heart to rest Up then my kind Approaches know Know who designs to be thy glorious Guest A rise thy noblest Room prepare Let it be furnish'd well and large and fair I with a glorious Train design To eat the Paschal Lamb with Thee And can thy Heart embrace a Guest Divine Who would a constant Inmate be Purge then that Old fermenting Poison well And let no Darling Sin within thy Bosom dwell Cast off the Follies of a sinful Age And all the vicious modish Rout exclude Thy Sins with bitter Tears engage And fly O fly the Godless Multitude The Lover when his Mistress come With costly Arras hangs his fairest Rooms And hopes his nice expensive Care May to her Eyes his Flames declare But know shouldst thou a thousand Years enjoy And all thy busy Thoughts employ The Preparation of a thousand Years To what my Justice claims a small Proportion bears Thou 'lt feed before Me but the Privilege Not thy Deserts but Grace and Mercy gave Nor would a starving Slave alledg Desert should He a rich Man's Bounty crave And at his Table feasted He Could but submissive there and thankful be Come then Dear Soul but not of Course Approach but not compelled by Force O come with holy Love and awful Fear And at my Marriage-Feast appear I call Thee I invite Thee freely I At thy submiss approach will all thy Wants supply Praise God when I Devotion 's Grace bestow Praise not thy Merits but my Mercy praise If thy Devotions colder grow Thy Prayers thy Sighs importunately raise Cease not thy Prayers and Tears till I With rilling Grace thy thirsty Soul supply Thou need'st Me I 've no want of Thee Nor can thy Knees advantage Me I come to better thy Defective Mind Thou com'st a Smiling God to find thou 'dst fain be One with Me thy Grace renew And with reviving Flames a hoiler Life pursue Don't then my offer'd Grace my Favours slight But thy poor Heart with utmost Pains prepare Him whom thy Soul adores invite And grasp and hold Him with a faithful Care But ne're in Preparations rest Nor when the Feast is past unguard thy Breast Be careful when the Banquet 's o're As when a Guest design'd before He toils as much who would his Post maintain As He who Wealth at first would gain The Heart still kept will but prepare it more And add new Floods of Grace to those imbib'd before What can