Truth improve It 's Truth I would in others find O mayn't I be my Self to Lies inclin'd From Tatling and Credulity And Words which out unguarded fly He 'll keep Himself who 'd Peace pursue And He 'll reveal Himself to few To Thee great Lord of Hearts he flies No windy Words his Soul surprize But in his Thoughts and all his Deeds He by thy sacred Will proceeds That I may keep thy Grace Divine I shan't for fond Applause design Nor vulgar Air but carefully My Soul to Life reform'd and purer Zeal apply Man bloated up with empty Praise May like a slimy Meteor blaze But soon as shooting Stars appear And fall from his exalted Sphere But who in private spends his Days Not gaining but deserving Praise He thro' his Christian Course walks all in peaceful Ways XLVI Esteeming the Reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt Christ ON Me My Son fix all thy Pains and Care For empty Words are only empty Air. If Conscience sting to mend thy Life prepare If not think what thou for thy God could'st bear Frighted with Words canst thou contend with Blows Thy selfish Thoughts thy best Resolves oppose Scar'd with Reproach Fig-leaves thy Guilt would use And with a trifling Plea thy Coward Heart excuse Look thro' thy Bosom then O search it well Close there the World and vain Affections dwell Loth to be humbled or to blush for Sin Thou show'st that World still lives and reigns within Hear Me thou 'lt all inferiour Scandal slight Tho Malice should her utmost Force excite How should they hurt thee Son despise them all They from thy Head can't make one single Hair to fall God's Fear and Wisdom scorns the World's Disgrace And sober Faith will common Fears efface I the great Judg Mens common Practice know Who bears the Injury who gives the Blow I all the Thoughts of gloomy Hearts reveal Yet from themselves the secret Test conceal While to my Sentence Guilt and Innocence appeal Mens Judgments fail but mine unchang'd remain Obscure to Fools to Men of Wisdom plain To Mine then not thy Own Decisions stand The Just unmov'd may Fate 's last Force command Unvex'd with Malice and unshock'd with Lies Not Pride but Reason is his Exercise He knows I search the Heart and try the Reins No false Appearance e're my Doom restrains What Fools as Charity and Vertue prize Casts but an ugly Shade in my severer Eyes Bel. Just Mighty Judg Dear patient Lord To me thy Faith and Strength afford Thou knowst our frail Corruptions all How short my Sense and Wisdom fall Thou knowst what 's to my Self unknown I then should thy Chastisements own Mercy to Me O Mercy show And Pardon and thy Grace bestow Thy Mercy 's more indulgent far Than all our vain Excuses are Tho not self-conscious I should be Unfit to plead my Cause with Thee Without that Mercy I and All Beneath the weighty Strokes of dismal Vengeance fall XLVII For when He is tried He shall receive the Crown of Life Christ LET not my Son those Sufferings born for Me Those Sorrows thy tyrannic Conquerors be But let my Promise strengthen comfort Thee I can beyond the largest Thoughts repay Sorrows continue but for one short Day Wait humbly and they fly on Wings away The Time shall come when all that Pain and Noise Shall cease which now thy inward Peace destroys That 's short which only Time 's short Bounds employs Up rise to work with earnest Toils regard My Vineyard then I 'll be thy great Reward Write Read Sigh Sing Pray Cease thy Passions guard Such Exercise with Manly Courage bear That glorious Crown which thou at last shalt wear More Dangers may and sharper Toils endear I see I see the blest approaching Day No Night shall its Eternal Beams allay But thee to Rest and endless Peace convey who 'll from this Load of Death deliver Me How long shall I a mournful Pilgrim be Such Cries shall never more be heard from thee Death then shall yield and Life for ever last Thy cheerful Days no Sorrow's Wormwood taste With sweet Society and Splendor grac'd O couldst Thou see the Saints immortal Crown The Saints whom sensless Worlds of old bore down Their present Honours and their vast Renown thou 'dst soon be humble scorn the Joys beneath For God's dear sake embrace approaching Death And tho by Men despis'd Celestial Honours breathe Knew'st Thou but This could this thy Heart possess thou 'dst ne'r complain but think thy Sufferings less Compar'd with thy superiour Happiness Heav'n gain'd or lost is of a vast Concern Look up then thro' the Clouds thy Lot discern Mine and my Saints advancing Glories learn We who endur'd so many Wounds of old Peace now and Joys in full Possession hold In my Eternal Father's Royal Lists enroll'd XLVIII For the Things which are seen are Temporal and the Things which are not seen are Eternal Believer O Salem with Immortal Glories light O Day for ever ever bright Free from Clouds and free from Night Where Truth 's the Sun and sheds his gladsom Rays Where he diffuses cheerful Days And the same unchanging stays Sink wretched World O Day Eternal shine That Saints may bask in Beams Divine And may their blest Lot be Mine Those Days the Saints at Rest with gladness know We find these bitter here below Full of Mischief full of Wo. We 'r here defil'd with Sins with Lusts ensnar'd With Bugbear-Dreams and Terrors har'd And with endless Dangers scar'd Wild with too curious Thoughts and Fancies vain Opprest with Errors weighty Chain Rack'd with Wants and torn with Pain Or broke with soft delights all the Tempter's train When shall these Ills be past my Soul be free From Sins extream Servility So to think Dear Lord on Thee When shall I bathe in Joys immortal Springs And free from wretched Worldly Things Mount on Freedom's airy Wings When shall my Peace be solid full secure And firm on every side endure And my Saviour's Smiles procure When Lord shall I thy Kingdom 's Glories fee And make Thee all in all to Me And for ever reign with Thee Now I a poor a banish'd Wretch appear And now a thousand Sorrows bear While by Foes surrounded here Ah to an Exile Lord some Comfort give From Woes ray wretched Heart retrieve For in Thee my Wishes live Earth's Comforts are uneasy Weights to Me I long Dear Lord I pant for Thee Ah how ineffectually Dull Earth wild Passions check my Towring Soul When I 'd the lower World controul Lust alas subdues Me whole Thus Civil Wars distract my tortur'd Breast My Mind by Rebel Lusts opprest Loses all its private Rest How great 's my Torment while my Mind aspires To Heav'n but Carnal base Desires Quench the sacred rising Fires O don't in Wrath thy wretched Servant view But with thy pointed Shafts pursue And my struggling Lusts subdue Give Me but Wisdom I 'll the World deny And those Ideas vain
thy heavy Lashes bore And inward Pangs and outward Woes Great Physician Lord of Souls Thou whose Hand our Hearts controuls None above and none below Can such Wounds and Balms bestow Thou to Hell canst cast me down Thou my Life with Health canst crown All the Sufferings laid on Me All my Comforts flow from Thee In thy blest Hands Dear Father I Beneath thy Rod's Correction lie Lash cut me deep that I may be In all submissive Lord to Thee Make me Obedient Humble Meek That I thy Will alone may seek My Self I yield my All to Thee Here not hereafter punish Me Thou knowst my Conscience throughly Lord Each brooding Thought each winged Word Past Present Future Matters lie At once before thy piercing Eye Thou my Interest only knowst What to purge my Rust it cost Let me Lord thy Subject be Work thy Pleasure Lord on Me Ne'r despise Me ne'r neglect Me Nor for Nature's Taint reject me I thy Jurisdiction own I to Thee am throughly known Lord teach Me what I ought to know And Love to lovely things to show To praise what only pleases Thee True Worth in what thou lovest to see While what Thou hat'st grows vile to Me. Let me never judg by sight Nor in empty Tales delight Wisdom's Methods let me learn And superiour Things discern From those little Toys below And thy Laws exactly know Mens Senses oft in Judgment fail And Toys on Earthy Minds prevail Who only grasp at what they see And scorn Invisibility Who tho the Rabble lift them high May still in common Ordure lie For when Cheats the Cheaters praise When the Vain their Fellows raise When the Blind conducts the Blind When the Weak's a Guide design'd All 's Deceit from first to last All their Praise an empty Blast For a Man's repute should be Only as He 's priz'd by Thee LI. Who hath despis'd the Day of small things Christ MY Son Tho now thy inward Flames supreamly shine Thy Prayers are Raptures and thy Flights Divine Yet Nature's Weakness oft will Lure thee down And Life's rough Cares thy soaring Fancies drown The Heart still of its mortal Load complains And needs must groan beneath its slavish Chains Since cramp'd so oft when it attempts the Skies And would to heavenly things and lofty Subjects rife With humble Thoughts then Holy Works pursue Till coming I thy smother'd Flames renew With heavenly Dews refresh the drowthy Plains Bless thee with Peace break thy weighty Chains Thy Heart enlarg'd thro Scripture-Vails shall rove And Thou to run my holy Ways shall love Till sure what e're thy present Sufferings are They can't with heavenly Bliss and future Crowns compare LII I have born Chastisement I will not offend any more Believer LORD I 'm unworthy of thy Comforts thy Love And thou mayst justly from my wreched Heart remove Vast Seas of flowing Tears could never make me pure My great my crying Sins might all thy Plagues endure But boundless Goodness Lord and Mercy lives with Thee And thy supporting Hand thy fading Creatures see Thou mak'st my drooping Soul thy wondrous Comforts know And find how far they pass our weak Attempts below What can I do my God to gain thy heavenly Grace So slow to Penitence so swift in Satan's Race I nothing Lord can plead if thou my Crimes survey But Hell and hellish Flames must all my Guilt repay I know I merit Lord thy utmost Hate Scorn Nor can my Name among thy Holy Saints be born Harsh tho the Reckoning prove I must the Test endure If I 'd thy Mercies Springs thy Comforts Streams procure What shall I say when at thy dreadful Bar accus'd What can a Sinner plead with inward Guilt confus'd I 've sinn'd great God I 've sinn'd O Mercy Mercy show O let my Eyes a while with unfeign'd Waters flow E're I to Death's black Shades the Lands of Darkness go A contrite humble Heart thy Bar for Sin demands In true Repentance all our hope of Pardon stands That stills those rugged Storms which o're the Conscience roll Our dying Gifts repairs shields the trembling Soul From Judgment 's dreadful Flames till delug'd round with Sweets The Soul its smiling God in Love's Embraces meets A contrite Heart to Thee 's a nobler Sacrifice Than all those Odours which from fuming Incense rise Sweet as those fragrant Oils which wash'd thy sacred Feet And as it 's humble must thy constant Favours meet Thy Arms a Refuge sure from Hellish Rage appear And our Pollutions all thy flowing Mercies clear LIII Love not the World neither the Things of the World Christ MY Smiles are pure my Son unmix'd with those Poor Comforts which inferiour Things disclose Wouldst thou obtain them Cast thy Clogs aside Thy Self within thy private Chambers hid There with thy God not Men Discourses nod Thy Mind and Conscience there with Sighs unfold Laugh at the World that sweet Recess prefer Before a King 's invidious Character For Mine and worldly Loves thou ne'r canst find A Time of leisure or an easy Mind From fondest Friends and Earth's Incumbrance free There thou mayst dedicate thy self to Me And like a Stranger and a Pilgrim move Thro' wastful Desarts here to Canaan's Rest above With what strange Joys that happy Man may die Whose Thoughts discharg'd from Earth's Engagements lie Words can't express nor curious Arts descry The real Saint the World's Concerns will leave And chiefly fears Self should Himself deceive Subdue thy Self thou'lt soon the World subdue That Conquest only is a Conquest true He who his sensual part by Reason guides Then with his Reason to his Lord subsides O're Earth o're himself a King triumphant rides Wouldst thou reach this Then like a Man begin And lay the Ax close to the Roots of Sin Heâ— down Self-love and every Thought inclin'd â—o vulgar Blisses or the Creature-kind Self-love alone the Little World confounds That master'd Peace the quiet Heart surrounds How few compleatly to themselves can die Their Bird-lim'd Wings no gallant Heights can fly But here in common Cares entangled lie But those who would at large converse with Me Must from deprav'd unruly Passions be And from their darling selves and Creature-Comforts free LIV. The natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God Christ MY Son Nature and Grace in all their Steps attend Soft is their Motion and oppos'd their End Only by men of inward Light perceiv'd Most aim at Good but are alas deceiv'd Sly Nature has a thousand Arts and Snares And only for its own Delights prepares Grace is sincere and all that 's ill declines Cheats none but all for God and Godlike Works designs Death Sufferings and Subjection Nature hates Grace struggling Lust with holy Art rebates Fain would be humble and would fain obey And not at large in fleshly Desarts stray Love's Discipline and on its Good would rest And for his sake it self of Self divest Nature for Pleasure seeks and seeks for Gain Grace only
who conquers powerful Foes And to a Throne thro mighty Dangers goes To curb thy self the noblest Conquest yields He who himself subdues may win a thousand Fields What tho thy Sins are few thy Passions low O don't presumptions thence or lazy grow Another prest with head strong Passions may Fight bravely thro and gain a glorious Day While thy unhappy slothful Temper fails And Hell too soon on all thy Hopes prevails These things may to thy Reformation tend If thou thy vicious Nature strongly bend To better Ways or with a fervent Heat Contendst to be in rarest Vertues great But chiefly from those noted Vices fly Which in another seen offend thy tender Eye Look out my Soul for good look all around And imitate the great Example found From others Sins with utmost Caution fly To mend thy own thy utmost Cares apply Remember others Eyes are sharp as thine How sweet's the Life when heav'nly Discipline Christ's zealously devout Professors guides And o're their Works and o're their Hearts presides While Sorrows break the pious Heart to see The vile and treacherous Arts of curs'd Hypocrisy Call o're thy Name that Saviour's Acts revise Who for thy Sins could fall a Sacrifice Read his dear spotless Life and read with Shame How short thou fall'st of that Illustrious Name How long a Christian but how far from Christ How soon by Hell to Hellish Crimes entic'd Read but his Life and Death devoutly o're 'T will soon appear how good how vast thy Store The Holy Jesus all thy Works will bless Jesus thy Thoughts thy Words thy All possess O were that dear that dying Saviour mine How brightly would my Will my Sacred Learning shine The zealous Christian with Submission bears That Weight wherein his Matter 's Hand appears While deep Afflictions on Afflictions roll With mighty Woes around the lukewarm Soul No inward Comfort warms his gloomy Breast But with vast Loads of inward Guilt opprest He seeks for holy Luxury and Ease But can't his bleeding Wounds his inward Pangs appease How liv'd those holy Saints renown'd of old In Sacred Fame's Eternal Sheets enroll'd In private all with meanest Food content Their Days in Watchings and in Labours spent Rough Hair their tender Bodies mortifi'd Humble within and free without from Pride Early and late their Prayers attack'd the Skies Much was their Reading much their Exercise Whole Nights they 'd oft in Sacred Praises spend Whole Days with Holy Fasts their Lord attend And canst thou all their great Examples find And be to Madness still or lazy Sloth enclin'd O were we free from all Incumbrance here Our God would in our Hearts and Lives appear From Sleep from Thirst from griping Hunger free We'd consecrate our selves dear Lord to thee 'T were far more happy so to spend our Days Than Trophies to our mouldring Flesh to raise Too rarely now Divine Delights we taste The Holy Banquet then shall ever ever last When we can Creature-Comforts once despise God will be precious in our longing Eyes We soon shall smile at all Events below Our Pleasures and our Griefs with Temper flow God will be All in All supreamly blest Our constant Hope and our Eternal Rest With whom there 's nothing present past to come But one eternal Now compleats the boundless Sum. Think oft of Death that Time once past no more Returns no Cares can flying Age restore If thou growst cold my Soul the Plague's begun Thy Joys are ruin'd and thy Hopes undone But if thy Zeal grows hot thou 'lt purchase Peace Thy Loves shall flourish and thy Grace encrease Zeal makes thee fit for all things makes thee thrive And keeps thy Courage and thy Hopes alive More Honour he who rules his Passion gains Than he who Scepters or who Crowns obtains Small Sins indulg'd rise to a greater Height A Day well spent brings on a joyful Night Watch then my Soul O rouse thy Self from Sin In all Advices with thy Self begin Rule thou thy self let others stand or fall A Conquest o're thy self a real Conquest call The Christian Pattern PARAPHRAS'D The Second Book I. That the Life also of Jesus might be manifest in our Flesh THE Mighty God in pious Hearts commands In such his sacred Empire stands Turn then to God this wretched World detest Thy Soul shall then in Safety rest Scorn outward Toys but inward Vertues prize Then in thy Breast his Throne shall rise Sweet Peace and Holy Joys to Dogs deni'd Shall in thy happy Breast reside Thy Lord to thee if thou prepare the Room Shall with a thousand Comforts come His glorious Beauties and his Charms Divine More bright in Holy Bosoms shine Where with the Soul he oft and kindly talks And in amazing Friendship walks Rouse then believing Soul with humble Care Thy Lodgings for thy Spouse prepare His Word is pass'd If any Soul improve In Holy Truth and Heavenly Love I and my Father in his peaceful Breast Will settle our Eternal Rest He comes discard all other Inmates straight Set wide for him the Glorious Gate Christ will be Riches Life and All to thee Thy Husband and thy Guardian He. No more shalt thou Inferiour Aids implore In Man repose thy Trust no more Men soon are chang'd and perish only He Lives thro immense Eternity Men are uncertain as the veering Wind To all delusive Arts inclin'd To day they 'r loving and to day they 'r kind To morrow all to Spite resign'd Trust then in God to him for Shelter fly With Love and Fear before him lie Thou 'lt find no lasting City here below But wilt a wretched Stranger grow A wandring Pilgrim and bereav'd of Rest Till of thy Christ thy King possest Earth's not an easeful Place Above the Skies O lift thy watry longing Eyes There let thy sacred Conversation be Tho clog'd with vile Mortality Think on thy Mighty Lord On Christ recline Be all thy Thoughts and Words Divine But if his wondrous Throne appear too high O to his Cross for Harbour fly Think on his gaping Wounds how deep how wide How they 'll a trembling Sinner hide There thou a Flood of healing Balm shalt find More rich than Gilead's noblest Kind Thence may'st thou look abroad with cheerful Eyes And Human Scorns and Frowns despise Thy dearest Lord was helpless here and poor And could their bold Affronts endure A Man of Sorrows and inur'd to Pain And can'st thou wretched thing complain Hated beli'd was He and wouldst thou find The World about thee Just and Kind How would thy Patience if untry'd be crown'd Thy Love be to thy Master found With him the Cross on Earth for him sustain If thou 'ldst with him triumphant reign Hadst thou thy Saviour's bleeding Bosom view'd Had Love thy tender Soul imbu'd thou 'dst ne're thy own Concern nor Ease regard But be with Joy for Shame prepar'd Where Heavenly Love in sacred Flames can rise A Man will soon Himself despise Jesus and Truth in Souls from Passions free Implant a Godlike
pries Improv'd by daily Exercise Who on his Master longs to wait And would Earth's mean Incumbrance abdicate Watch then my Soul and shut the Door Admit inferiour Toys no more But hear O humbly hear what He My God my Lord will speak to Thee He 's all thy Health thy Life thy Peace And makes thy Inward Jars to cease Cast off poor transitory things And search for Truth 's Eternal Springs The World 's a Cheat the Creatures Cheats If once their mighty Lord retreats Throw off then all those Cheats below And Faith in thy Creator show If thou'dst the utmost Sweets of Heavenly Blessings know II. Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth Believer SPeak Lord O speak thy Servant hears Unclose my Eyes unlock my Ears To me thy Sacred Dictates shew O to thy Words my Heart encline O make it yield to Truths Divine As Lillies bend with Morning Dew Thy awful Thunder's dismal Roar Made Israel's frighted Tribes implore Not Thee but Amram's Son to hear They trembled at his radiant Brow But when from burning Darkness Thou Declar'dst thy Name they dy'd for Fear With all submissive Boldness I To Thee alone for Counsel fly Speak Lord O speak thy Servant hears No Moses I no Saint require But thy dear Words alone desire O speak to my attentive Ears Sweet may the Prophets Language sound When they Mysterious Truths propound Plain are their Words their Counsels plain Without they show thy sacred Way And Plant and Water all the Day And Cry but Cry alas in vain From Thee the Spirit only flows By Thee the Heart with Fervor glows Thy Aid the Mystic Word explains Thou giv'st Perfection Strength and Light And mak'st the grateful Soil requite With weighty Fruit the Workman's Pains Then let no Moses speak to me On Thee Dear Lord I wait on Thee For Fruit for Life for endless Love O teach me what I hear to do And Love to what I know to shew And Faith by Holy Works to prove Speak then O speak thy Servant hears With Thee the living Word appears Thy Words Eternal Life bestow Speak Lord O give thy Self to Me And then my Lips and Heart to Thee Shall with Eternal Praises flow III. Be not proud for the Lord hath spoken Christ HEar then my Words my Son more sweet than those Which antient Philosophic Sages chose My Words are Life and Spirit far above That wretched Phrase which Human Senses love Not fram'd for itching Ears but humble Souls Where mighty Love the silent Thought controuls Happy the faâ—our'd Christian taught by Me Who lives from common Fears and wild Destruction free I taught my Prophets and my Priests of old And still to Men my saving Truths unfold Most lie like sensless Adders deaf or They The World more gladly than their Lord obey The World poor Trifles transient Joy propounds Yet every Street with eager Slaves abounds I promise pure Delights and endless Love Yet can't the stupid Hearts of Mortals move Nay in my Holy House the Plague prevails No little Priest for small Preferment fails To go to run to fly but scarce can crawl When I to Holy Pains and sharp Repentance call For paltry Sums how oft the noisy Bar Maintains a tedious and a costly War By Night by Day with restless Care they 'l ply If they some distant Glimpse of Gain descry But sensless Fools for never-changing Good For vast Rewards and Honour's rising Flood For Crowns of endless Bliss they 'l rarely try But at the very Thoughts of active Vertue die Blush then poor whining lazy Wretch to see How Slaves of Earth with more Activity For Hellish Deeps and Chains of Darkness strive Than Thou in thy Creator's Arms to live Those Fools can more in dull Delights rejoice Than Thou to hear thy Saviour's warning Voice Yet oft they lose their empty Hopes but I Ne'r broke my Promise nor was known to Lie Rocks may be torn and mighty Mountains fall One Word dissolve the vast Terraqueous Ball But where I find a constant Love to Me My happy Friends a full Reward shall see More than their largest Thoughts their Souls shall find Their Bosoms always calm their Maker ever kind Then on thy Heart my powerful Word engrave Peruse it well and my Assistance crave When Tempests gather in an angry Sky With Wisdom they 'll thy Head and Heart supply I oft my Friends with sharp Temptations prove As oft revive them with returning Love This makes them prosecute their Sins with Hate This makes them close at Vertue 's Altars wait But he who slights my kind Instructions shall Beneath the dreadful Stroke of weighty Vengeance fall IV. Lord I come to do thy Will Believer MY God my only Good may I To Thee one humble Word reply I wretched Worm more vile and low Than Words can speak or Heart can know Wilt thou thy worthless Servant own May I approach thy awful Throne Pity Dear Lord thy Pity send On him who nothing can pretend No Grace no Strength no Light 's in me But Weakness and Obscurity But Thou art Holy Just and Kind Immense and thy Almighty Mind Runs thro the World and fills it All But Souls which back from Vertue fall Thy Love thy tender Mercy Lord To Me a needy Slave afford Thy Goodness hates an empty Place O fill my Head and Heart with thy enlightning Grace How can I live a Stranger here Unless thy pitying Grace appear O let me Mercy Mercy see And never turn thy Face from Me Forsake not Lord my Soul lest I Like drowthy Fields or Desarts lie Unfruitful Barren Dismal Wild With Dragons and with Serpents fill'd Teach me Obedience Lord to Thee And Prudence and Humility Thy Wisdom reads my Soul my Heart Thy Truth examines every Part And e're the World or I were made Before thy searching Eyes my unborn Thoughts were laid V. And they who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth Christ WAlk then with Me Truth 's Sacred Motions trace And turn thy Heart to seek my glorious Face Truth will protect Thee from the Tempter's Rage And guard Thee from a vile seducing Age She 'll set Thee truly free and make Thee rise Above those Errors Men to break her Force devise Believer True Dearest Lord O may it be My God as Thou declar'st to Me Let Truth instruct me keep me sure And my Eternal Bliss procure From vile Affections Chains unbind And brutish Loves debauch'd and blind Then with a Heart sincere and free I 'll walk my God I 'll ever walk with Thee Christ To Thee I 'll all the Ways of Goodness show And thou my Son shalt all my Pleasure know Think on thy Sins think with the sharpest Sense Nor dream of Merits or of Innocence Thy Sins are many and thy Passions wild Thou oft by Hell's deceitful Arts beguil'd Thy Pains are worthless but thy Falls severe Chains Grief and Ruins round thy Tents appear No Praise on thy Phantastic Vertue waits But every thing thy swelling Pride
perverts thy Mind When most to Prayers and most to Heaven enclin'd He hates Confessions and to find Thee there Where Sacred Flesh and Blood to Faithful Souls appear Trust not believe Him not his Hellish Snares Are strongest then when He for Peace declares Say to Him Hence be gone false Fiend for shame No more thy Lies in pious Ears proclaim Hence vile Seducer ne're expect a Part In Me My Jesus now defends my Heart Too strong for Hellish Arms nay Death would be More welcome far than vile Consent to Thee Hold thy deluding Tongue I 'll hear no more Should'st Thou a thousand wheedling Arts explore The Lord 's my Light my Health I scorn to fear Tho round my Soul Infernal Bands appear My God 's my ready Help my Kind Redeemer near Now like a valiant Souldier keep the Field And tho sometimes thy native Frailties yield Resume thy Courage and resist thy Foe My Grace shall freely to assist Thee flow But when the Fiend shall from thy Sword retreat Beware of flattering Words or vain Conceit By these surpris'd the gallant Hero fails And easeless Blindness o're the World prevails O ne'r since warn'd approach that rocky Shore Made rich with scatter'd Wrecks of thousands lost before VII He giveth more Grace unto the Humble Christ MY Son has bright Devotion 's Flame possest With inward Sacred Heat thy Zealous Breast Then boast not of it nor too loud proclaim The wondrous Force of that Celestial Flame Fill not the Temple with an empty Noise Nor to amuse the Croud exalt thy Voice Think 't was a Grace on thy dull Soul bestow'd To make thee groan beneath thy sinful Load Think how the Prince of Hell may cheat Thee How Thy Breast may with a false Devotion glow A Lip and Tongue-Devotion where the Heart In all the Business never bears a Part. Think how a little time may quench the Fire The glaring Torch in nauseous Fumes expire Or if it were a Heavenly Gift indeed Think of thy Beggar'd State thy pinching Need Till lowly Thoughts those Heavenly Flames succeed Thou begg'st for Comforts but mayst rise as High When Comforts at a greater Distance lie If with a lowly Heart an easy Mind With Self-denial and with Thoughts resign'd Thou bear thy Wounds if still with ardent Vows With Prayers on God thy pondrous Cares repose If still thy Heart to pious Works enclines With bold Endeavours and with Wise Designs Thy struggling Arms above the Waters are Not yet by Woes opprest nor sunk by black Despair Some when they miss Success impatient prove Man can't Himself nor where He pleases move Man acts on God the whole Success depends Who where he will his blest Assistance sends Some with imagin'd Heats themselves destroy Nor can Themselves in modest Bounds enjoy But swelling with Enthusiastic Rage Beyond the Bars of sober Sense engage And while they dream above the World they fly The flashy Meteors quickly faint and die So low they fall who would so wildly soar And don't the Refuge of my Wings implore So Men unskill'd in Ways of Vertue fail Unless to guide their Feet some Wiser Heads prevail If Man who fondly in Himself confides From all the Paths of sober Goodness slides It can't be strange if Madmen scorn the Rein And hate the Doctors who their Heats restrain Mean Sense with lowly Thoughts securer far Than mighty Parts with Pride exalted are It 's more unhappy to be Proud than Poor That Man 's unwise who in his Mirth secure Forgets past Poverty and never dreams How soon a Cloud may vail Heavens kindest Beams And He 's imprudent who when prest with Woes Off all his Hopes of Peace and Favour throws And on my Mercy can't with steady Faith repose Where haughty Pride in peaceful Times prevails In Wars too oft the bloaty Courage fails Couldst Thou thy modest Thoughts with Temper guide Between th' Extremes of Baseness and of Pride thou 'dst both in Straits and Storms securely ride Be sure when warm'd within with Heavenly Light To meditate on long succeeding Night When That comes on conclude again the Day May quickly dawn and make a longer stay That for my Glory and thy Good before I brought the Night so soon and can the Day restore A Peace unshock'd has greater Dangers far Than all the Bickerings of a Ghostly War The Soul where Charity and Meekness reigns A nobler Character of Glory gains Than Those who boast of Visions and of Light And all their Cant in Scripture-Phrase indite Or on Preferment 's Pinacle can light Who seeks God's Honour best secures his Own And He who meanest in Himself is grown Who shoots bright Honour from his vigorous Eyes When scornful Worlds his humble Fates despise Must to the noblest Heights in Heavenly Favour rise VIII I abhor my self in Dust and Ashes Believer DUST and Ashes tho I be Let me speak dear Lord to Thee Should I Lord to Merit fly On my own vain Works rely Thou becom'st my Enemy All my Sins against me rise All my Sins my Heart surprize But if with a lowly Heart I from wretched Self can part If contemn'd dejected I In the Dust before Thee lie Then again thy Light thy Grace Shall my sinking Soul embrace All my Vanity and Pride That submissive Veil shall hide Lord to Me my Self display What I was and am to Day Whence I come and where I go For alas I nothing know If I Lord am left to Me All I am's Infirmity But if Thou thy Favour show O how strong my Graces grow How my bubbling Joys o'reflow Strange my God! how wondrous strange Is the sudden blissful Change When my Soul with Guilt opprest Is by thy Embraces blest From thy Springs of boundless Love My preventing Guardians move All my Wants to Thee are known Off those mighty Dangers thrown Numberless and Nameless grown In what horrid Snares I fell While I lov'd my Self too well When I lov'd and long'd for Thee I retriev'd my God and Me. How Love 's sacred Sparks enflam'd me How my own Reflections sham'd me When in Love's bright Mirror I Saw my own Deformity Found sweet Jesus found how free All thy Favours were to me When desertless hopeless grown Bright on Me thy Favours shone Sing my Soul O sing his Praise Hymns to our Redeemer raise Whose All-searching Eyelids found me Whose All-pitying Loves unbound me All my Sins and Follies past And with tendrest Arms embrac't Turn O turn us Lord to Thee That submiss and grateful we May in pleasing Sacrifice Make our Songs as Incense rise And possest with Heavenly Flame Thee our Health and Strength proclaim IX And your Life is hid with Christ in God Christ IF thou my Son wouldst be with Glories blest Make Me thy chiefest Good thy final Rest So thou too much to meaner Joys inclin'd Shalt be from those inferiour Loves refin'd It 's vain to fix thy Heart on things below Which only inward Heat and Thirst bestow Turn then to Me for I
afford To thy poor neglected Slave Send thy Hand O send thy Power Save me from the dreadful Hour From the gloomy dismal Grave Fly O fly my God to me All my Joys are fixt in Thee But without Thee Days and Hours Only hang their drooping Wings While my cheerful Table sings Furnish'd by thy kinder Powers Wretched tangled hopeless I In a gloomy Prison lie Till thy Beams of Light Divine From this Bondage set me free And thy Countenance on Me With reviving Honours shine Let others other Joys admire Thou Lord art all my Heart's Desire Thou Lord alone canst please me here My God my Hope my Safety dear I 'll ne're be silent never cease But to thy Throne my Prayers address Till to my Soul Thou speak'st these Words of Peace Christ Lo here am I Dear Soul I come to thee Since Thou hast call'd so much so long to Me Thy Contrite Humble Heart thy Prayers and Tears Broke thro the Clouds and reach'd my Sacred Ears And to assist Thee lo thy God appears And till reviving I Can thus in Heart reply Believer Lord I have call'd and long'd for Thee Prepar'd to quit the World below Since first thy Favours shin'd on Me And mov'd my Heart before too slow I 'll seek thee soon O blest O prais'd For ever be my God my Lord Who for his Slave Assistance rais'd And would his Mercy 's Helps afford What more Lord can thy Servant say But humbly at thy Footstool lay Himself His Misery and confess His Sins and native Wretchedness For Nothing Nothing like to Thee Can all Created Nature see O Thou thy Father's Wisdom may The World to Thee their Praises pay O may my Lips my Soul my All On Thee with constant Praises call While all the wide Creation vies To raise thy Sacred Name above the lofty Skies XXII Lord I remembred Thee upon my Bed and thought on Thee when I was waking Believer LOrd by thy Laws my Heart enlarge O teach Me by thy Rules to move By thy Commands my Sense improve That I may know their weighty Charge That I with reverent Industry May all thy gracious Acts recal Express a grateful Heart for all That noblest Sacrifice to Thee Yet when I 've done my Best I know My Thanks thy Favours can't repay My Merits claim one sailing Ray Since Thou' rt so high and I so low The Charming Face the Prudent Mind Inward and outward Graces all From thy extended Bounties fall And prove our mighty Maker kind Ten Talents some perhaps may gain Some only Two and some but One But all Pretence to Pride is gone Since All to Thee for All retain Those Odds no Mines of native Grace But thy discerning Goodness made And Favours there are kindly laid Where Gratitude assumes the Place That Man who can Himself despise And all his secret Frailties know And from his Knowledg humbler grow May still to greater Favours rise Nor should the meanest gifted Mind Disorder'd or dejected mourn With Anger or with Envy burn But ground for grateful Praises find He 'd thy impartial Hand adore Thy Goodness and thy Mercy free Since all at last descends from Thee Thou giv'st the least and largest Store Not Man's but God's great Wisdom knows What Seeds best sute the fruitful Field What Soils the fairest Crops can yield And thence proportion'd Gifts bestows Blest be my God whose careful Hand Kept Me from empty Glories free Lest Insolence and Vanity Should my too easy Soul command My meanest poorest Fortunes I Ungriev'd and undejected bear And with an easy chearful Air Can to my trusty Guardian fly The Poor the Wretched Lord and those Whom most the rugged World despise Are dearest to thy gracious Eyes And thy Domestick Train compose Thy great Apostles Lord were poor When o're the Convert World they reign'd Yet ne're of Poverty complain'd In their Integrity secure Their Breasts no Guile nor Malice swell'd Nor Pride but when they suffer'd Shame Dear Jesus for thy Sacred Name And Truth with firm Embraces held He then who Loves Thee Lord who knows How large thy Benefactions are Will for thy Smiles his Joys declare And for thy Love 's Immortal Flows More blest in his despis'd Estate Than those above the rest enthron'd And more at ease when scarcely own'd Than those who grasp a Regal Fate More pleas'd to be despis'd and scorn'd Unseen unknown without a Name Than Flutterers on the Wings of Fame With Honour's gaudy Arms adorn'd To Him thy Loves more Glories bring Than all Atchievements here below And thence more happy Comforts flow Than from the largest Gifts or wondrous Act can spring XXIII The Fruits of Righteousness are sown in Peace Christ MY Son I 'll teach Thee now the peaceful Way Where Freedom will with Ease around Thee stay Believer Speak Dearest Lord O speak to Me Thy Rules must all delightful be Christ Not Others Counsels but thy own refuse A small Estate before a greater chuse Love to be subject envy'd Places shun Pray that my Will in Thee may all be done Obey these Rules and they 'l thy Joys increase With perfect Pleasure and with perfect Peace Believer Few are thy Words but perfect Lord And Sense and wondrous Fruits afford O could I keep them faithfully I should from inward Broils be free And only then Disturbance find When from thy sacred Rules declin'd O Thou Almighty Lord whose Love Rests where industrious Souls improve O grant Me greater Graces still That I may all my Words fulfil And to be sav'd at last obey thy sacred Will A Prayer against Evil Thoughts O My God I fly to Thee Go not go not far from Me Help Me Lord My God receive Me Don't to strong Temptations leave Me Wild my Thoughts are vast my Fears See the threatning Storm appears How O how shall I subdue it Or unshockt unhurt go thro it Lord thy Promise was of old I 'll the Massive Gates unfold Trample or'e the Tempter's Powers Batter down the brazen Towers Set the groaning Prisoners free And reveal my Self to Thee Such thy Promise was of Old Grant O grant the Bliss foretold Then shall all my Tempters flie Then my wicked Thoughts shall die All my Hope my Consolation In the deepest Tribulation Is my God to trust in Thee Is my Lord to fly to Thee Is my Life to pray to Thee And believe Thou 'lt pity Me. A Prayer for inward Illumination FILL Holy Jesus fill my Soul With inward Light The Clouds controul Which now about my Judgment roll Keep me from Wandrings set me free From Tempters Force and Subtlety And Fight my God O Fight for Me Beat down my Brutish Lusts subdue Those Fiends which now my Peace pursue That I may Praise on Praise renew That in a Conscience clear and sound A Palace may for God be found And all with Heavenly Hymns resound Lord quell the Storm the Surges bind And hush the rugged Northern Wind That I a Halcyon Calm may find Send out thy Light thy
which fly In my crazy Brain defy Save Me O endless Truth from Vanity O come sweet Jesus come to Me All my Lusts will fly from Thee Pardon O pardon Lord my wandring Mind Which when for earnest Prayers design'd Can such foolish Objects find I love the World too well and Thoughts will fly Where e're the vain Affections lie And the Tempter's always nigh Oft with my Lips I pray when Lord my Heart Will from that holy Duty start And from Thee my God depart Truth spoke the Word The Treasure holds the Mind The Good are all to Heaven inclin'd But I with worldly Glory blind I love the Flesh and fleshly Things pursue But could the Spirit the Flesh subdue To my God I should be true Of what I love I love to talk and hear And home the fair Ideas bear And esteem them always dear Blest Lord is He who leaves the World for Thee And by a perfect Victory Lives from Nature's Furies free Calm is his Conscience and his Prayers are pure And He 's of Angels Bliss secure Nor can the Thoughts again of worthless Earth endure XLIX I have fought a good Fight henceforth there remains for me a Crown of Righteousness Christ MY Son Since from above thou feel'st a sacred Flame For from above those holy Ardours came Long'st to be gone and with a cloudless Eye To see my Face and grasp Eternity Enlarge thy Heart and with a vast Desire Blow up thy Wishes and advance thy Fire Thank thank thy God whose kind indulgent Love To visit Thee stoops from those Realms above Enflames thy Soul and with a powerful Hand Supports thy Heart and makes thee firmly stand This neither from thy Thought nor Labour flows But wondrous Grace the wondrous Boon bestows To make thy Valour shine more dreadful bright To humble Thee before the Ghostly Fight And Thee to Godlike Loves and holy Works excite The Fire may burn but Smoke attends the Flame And holy Souls whose inward Fervours aim At heavenly Bliss yet never hope to be From fleshly Lusts or dark Temptations free They love their God but with severe Allays Nor can thy Fire without incumbrance blaze Flesh has its own Convenience first in view And can't with perfect Love Eternal Joys pursue Ask not abundance nor Delights for Thee But what accepted with thy God may be Think well Thou 'lt find my Orders wiser far Than all thy Wishes or Attainments are I know thy Wishes and have heard thy Groans Thou long'st for Palaces and glittering Thrones Shining with endless Joys and fix'd on high Where God's blest Sons enjoy their Liberty But stay a while To Day 's a time for Fight For Pains and Trials thou wouldst glut thy sight With boundless Good but must thy Heats rebate I only AM for ray approaching Kingdom wait Thou must be longer exercis'd and tri'd Have Comforts here but not be satisfi'd Take Courage then be strong to do to bear A Man quite new a Man quite chang'd appear Renounce thy Will and oft against it move Not Thine but other Mens Designs improve They shall be heard when all thy Prayers are lost They shall but ask and have thy Words and Hopes be croft They shall be talk'd of Thou in Silence die They trusted useless Thou and slighted lie Nature will flinch at this but bravely born Victorious Silence will thy Life adorn God's Servant Thus Thus must his Son be taught Thus to deny and rule Himself be brought It 's to be mortifi'd indeed to see And suffer what 's so hard my Son to Thee And tho subjected to a Power Divine It 's hard rebellious Nature to confine And the resisting Will to God's Commands resign Weigh then my Son the Fruits of all thy Pains Their swift Conclusion and their mighty Gains Such Meditations will no Wounds procure But raise thy Courage and thy Heart obdure Thy Will here quitted shall be gain'd above There thou 'lt obtain thy Wishes and thy Love Good thou shalt have and never fear to lose Thy Will as Mine no private Interest chuse None shall resist Thee there nor stop thy Way But to thy utmost Hopes thy Soul convey I 'll give thee Honours for Disgraces past For Sorrows Praises and a Throne to last Tho when on Earth beneath the meanest cast Thus shall the Fruits of just Obedience shine And humblest Penitents obtain Rewards Divine O then to human just Commands submit Beneath their Laws with humble Patience sit Thy King 's thy Friends thy Parents Pastor's Will Take well and with sincere Address fulfil Let Brutes in various ways their Thoughts engage Enjoy the Praises of a flattering Age Brag of a thousand Honours spread their Fames And to the Stars exalt their lofty Names Boast not of such Atchievements but when Grace Makes Self to God resign its darling place Come Life come Death let Love thy Heart enflame And in new Hymns of Praise thy gracious Lord proclaim L. Turn Thee unto Me and have Mercy on Me for I am desolate and afflicted Bel. MY God dear holy Father may My Soul Eternal Blessings pay To Thee whose just Resolves have stood Whose Deeds are always kind and good Let Me blest Lord rejoice in Thee But not in other Men nor Me. Thou Lord canst all my Hopes employ My Crown my Glory and my Joy Ah to what can I pretend But what God himself must send All is thine from thee it flow'd But my Age is Lord bestow'd All in Sorrows all in Tears All in tedious Doubts and Fears While the Tyrant Lust appears Lord give thy Childrens Peace to Me Who feed in Comforts light with Thee Thy Peace thy heavenly Gifts infuse And I 'll thy Holy Gifts produce And all to sing thy Praises use But shouldst Thou dear Lord withdraw I should soon forget thy Law Such a Change would make me droop Make me tremble make me stoop Not as when I felt the Streams Of thy Mercies lively Beams And beneath thy Wings could be From design'd Temptations free The Time O righteous Father's now Which must thy faithful Servant prove This happy Moment Lord will show My suffering patient lasting Love That Time Dear Father known of old To Thee has laid its hands on Me When outward Woes my Life should hold But still my Heart should live to Thee I tho grosly slighted here I the weight of Passions bear Yet from thence should quickly rise And above the lofty Skies Bask in thy refulgent Eyes Thus thy Word of old ordains it Thus my present State explains it Lord it 's a Friendly Test of Love When I repeated Sorrows prove From thy All-guiding Providence The great Events on Earth commence I for my Good thy Scourge have known Now better wiser humbler grown Tho Confusion hides my Face I implore thy saving Grace And thy Judgments deeps admire While the Good and Bad expire Since thy prudent Orders shew Equity and Mercy too I Lord thy glorious Name adore Tho compass'd round with mighty Foes Since I
are strait and low and can't admit The Proud nor those who can with Scorners sit Wo to the Rich who fix their Hearts below Whose watry Eyes when all the Poor shall go To endless Joys with useless Tears shall flow Rejoice poor humble Souls my Truths embrace And God shall you at last in boundless Glories place LIX And now Lord what is my Hope Truly my Hope is even in Thee Bel. WHence my dearest Lord from whence Should I raise my Confidence Whence while here beneath the Skies Should my Hopes my Comforts rise Only Dearest Lord from Thee So immensly kind to Me. When was 't well with me without Thee When was 't ill and Thou about Me Keep me ever ever poor If I 'm so of Thee secure Heaven without Thee 's all uneasy Earth with Thee would rather please Me. Heaven would be no Seat of Blisses Hell would crown my warmest Wishes If that Hell beneath could show Thee If that Heaven could ne'r bestow Thee Thou' rt my Love my chief Desire All my Sighs and Groans aspire Only for Thee only to Thee While my liveliest Hopes pursue Thee When the greatest Wants surround Me When the greatest Fears confound Me From my God alone commence All my Hopes and Confidence Others hunt inferiour Pleasures All the sweet the charming Measures Of my Safety spring from Thee All things thence are good to Me. Oft I 'm punish'd oft I 'm tempted But by Mercy still prevented While his Rod severely proves Me Still my dearest Master loves Me Still thy Strokes are dear to Me As the softest Joys can be God ray Lord 's my Hope my Shelter When in Sorrow's Gore I welter He 's my Strength my only Stay All without him flies away Helps deceive Me Friends forsake Me Books but doubtful Answers make Me. Counsellors with Quirks confound Me Reeds alas deceitful wound Me. Thou my Help my Comfort art Thou instruct'st and keep'st my Heart All those things to Peace pretending All Felicities depending Must but vain and empty be When abstracted Lord from Thee All that 's Good and Wise and Great All to Thee their Spring retreat And thy Servants Comfort see Only when they trust in Thee Lord to Thee I lift my Eyes Whence my daily Mercies rise Kindest Father Dearest Lord Still thy Joys thy Smiles afford Bless and sanctify my Mind That Thou there a place may'st find That thy Glories there may rest In a Heart with Pureness drest Freed from Sins offensive Pest Lord as thy Goodness large appears Thy Mercies large O let thy Ears To thy poor Servant's Prayers be kind While here to Deathful Shades confin'd Protect preserve defend my Soul While Clouds and Storms about Me roll Let Grace attending thro a peaceful way My Soul to endless Life and endless Light convey Amen The Christian Pattern PARAPHRAS'D The Fourth Book Of the Eucharist The Invitation O Come ye tabouring Souls with Sins vast weight opprest O come and on your Master 's sacred Bosom rest My Flesh is Bread which I 'll on fainting Souls bestow My Blood the Source of Life to all the World below Take eat my Body here each faithful Soul shall find Eat eat it oft to keep your dying Lord in mind He whom my Flesh and Blood divinely entertains Lo I his Lord in Him and He in Me remains My Words with nobler Sense than Carnal Language shine They 'r Life and Sprit All All Mystick All Divine I. And Reverence his Sanctuary Believer THESE Words Dear Christ Eternal Truth are Thine And like thy Self they 'r all Divine At various Times in various Places us'd Each sacred Syllable Which from my Saviour fell New Life new Light quite thro my Soul diffus'd They 'r Thine as utter'd Lord by Thee But Mine as for Salvation meant to Me. I them with flowing Joys receive May they on Me a deep Impression leave They 'r holy and they 'r gracious All And like sweet Dews or Lovers Kisses fall But me my weighty Guilt affrights A wounded Soul no Visitors invites Thy dear soft Words attract my hungry Soul But Thoughts of inward Guilt my forward Haste controul Thou bidst that my Approach with Faith should be If I 'd have any Share in Thee That I 'd of that immortal Nourishment Accept an offer'd Part And with a grateful Heart My Prayers for Life's eternal Bliss present O ye Thou say'st with Sins opprest O come and on my heavenly Bosom rest Sweet Words Dear happy charming Sound About desponding Sinners ecchoing round By These poor Souls invited are In blest Communion with thy self to share But who Dear Lord or what am I Who dare approach the spotless Deity Heaven's lofty Throne 's impure compar'd with Thee And shall a sinful Soul thy glorious Palace be Who can so kind a Condescension show Whence such a tender Friendship flow Dare I before thy sacred Altars kneel Conscious of in-born Sin Who cruel Pangs within And all a wounded Soul's Convulsions feel Oft have I trespass'd in thy sight And dare I now consuming Flames invite Thy Terrors purest Saints avow To them the bright Angelick Armies bow Thou said'st O Come else Lord had we Resign'd to Fears and Incredulity Great Noah's saving Ark appears The Labour of a hundred lingring Years And can a few short Minutes fit the Soul To meet that God whose Arms the vassail'd World controul A Cedar Chest contain'd thy Laws of old Cedar o're-laid with Ophir's Gold Seven toilsom Years that King of Wisdom spent A Temple's Walls to raise To thy immortal Praise Eight Holy Pays in solemn Feastings went A thousand peaceful Offerings blaz'd A thousand Shouts that Ark of Mercy rais'd To its Majestick glorious Seat What tho I only find a Mystick Treat What tho plain Bread and Wine must be The Symbols of his Flesh and Blood to Me The Legislator's greater far Than Laws tho cut by heavenly Fingers are I 'm vile yet can't one Moment freely spend To purge my filthy Soul or lodg my gracious Friend What Art what Care the Godlike Moses tri'd That wondrous Casket to provide What Time what curious Skill what vast Expence Blest Wisdom's mighty Heir Took that He might prepare A Dome for thy Mysterious Residence But Lord what little Care can I To entertain so great a Guest apply O how my Thoughts distracted range How soon my Manly Resolutions change How fixt my wandring Thoughts should be From all inferiour Obligations free When not Angelick Bands But him who all the Angel-Host commands I to receive with humble Faith prepare And at a Feast of Love with my Redeemer share That sacred Ark thy Mercy 's wondrous Seat By thy peculiar Presence great That Ark the Symbol of the Deity In that Illustrious Dome Took up the noblest Room The Holiest Place as representing Thee Yet all the Sacrifices there Were but the Types of that revolving Year In which Incarnate God should fall The great Atonement and should perfect All. That great Atonement Bread and Wine To us exhibit in a Mode
bleeding Lord And thou my Soul with grateful Praise Thy Dear Redeemer's wondrous Bounty blaze Who in a Vale of Tears a Wild of Woes Would such vast Springs of holy Joys disclose As oft as there My Thoughts appear So oft I read my own Redemption o're So oft partake my Saviour's Merits boundless Store His treasur'd Mercies inexhausted prove And inexhaustible his Love O then renew thy Watch thy Thoughts compose With this great Feast thy holy Tremblings close So something new and kind and sweet Thou 'lt always in that sacred Duty meet Thy Lord will to thy Heart as lively come As if just born from Mary's Virgin-Womb As if the Tree Of Infamy Just now our sacrific'd Atonement bore And all the Soil around blush'd with his purple Gore III. Shew forth the Lord's Death often till his coming Believer Lo Here I come Dear Lord to Thee That I partaker of thy Gifts may be That I with swelling Joys may taste That Holy Feast that Sweet Repast By Thee for humble Souls prepar'd In Thee Dear Lord I all my Longings see My Health Redemption Strength Hope 's in thee My Crown my great Reward Jesus I lift my Soul to Thee O let thy flowing Joys descend on Me I would with good Zaccheus fain My Gracious Master entertain With Reverence and humblest Vows I 'd fain the Son of Faithful Abraham be My Soul would fain unite it self to Thee And Thee its Lord espouse I 'm satisfi'd if Thou be Mine No Comforts Lord are valu'd here but Thine Without Thee Life no Joys can give Nor can my Soul without Thee live I 'll oft to wait on Thee prevail Lest while unfed by Thee I upward move And mighty Foes and mighty Dangers prove My wretched Heart should fail When Mercy Lord thy Tongue employ'd And sickly Worlds thy healing Balms enjoy'd thou 'dst never send 'um fasting Home Lest Fasting should to Fainting come Dear Jesus be as kind to Me Thy Flesh thy Blood refresh the fainting Soul And who prepar'd receives the wholesome Dole Life's glorious Heir shall be I feel Dear Lord I feel how Sin How Sloth how want of Zeal prevail within O could I oft with Fervour pray O could I oft my Life survey I 'd to thy Holy Table fly Then I 'd be throughly purg'd enflam'd renew'd My holy Vows should be with Joy pursu'd Which else would faint and die I Lord with deep Confusion own To Sin my very Infant-Nature's prone But when I here my Vows renew I 'd Sin detest and Good pursue Dear God that Physick grateful make Tho I receive I 'm slothful oft and cold But should for holy Works be quite unsould Should I that Feast forsake How oft I 'm indispos'd to be My God a fit Communicant for Thee But still at proper Times I 'll strive To keep my holy Flames alive And share thy gracious Mysteries This Lord supports the Faithful Soul that He To Earth confin'd may still remember Thee Thy Loves devoutly prize Wonders of Condescending Love That Thou great God of Spirits shouldst from above To those in Spirit poor dispense Thy universal Influence And all their hungry Gripes relieve Happy thrice happy Souls who swell'd with Joy All their Devotions all their Flames employ When they their Lord receive How great 's the Lord how dear the Guests How true the Friend who then invades their Breasts The Mate how sweet the Spouse how fair Lovely as fancy'd Angels are Be silent Earth be silent Skies Their Grace their Beauties all descend from Thee Yet can 't their Beauties to the least degree Of thy Illustrious Name thy wondrous Glories rise IV. They shall be fill'd with the Fatness of thy House LORD I Apply My Heart to Thee O quicken Me And let thy Grace In Me take place Till with an humble Heart Before thy Altars I Appear and take a Part In Love's great Mystery Rouze Me Lord O rouze my Soul Off its lazy Temper roll Visit Me with thy Salvation Glut my eager Expectation With all those Heavenly Sweets which rise From that prodigious Sacrifice Clear Lord my Eyes that I may thro The Bread and Wine my Saviour view May I my Saviour's powerful Words believe And Grace from thence and heavenly Strength receive Wise Angels scarce those wondrous Depths can find The Condescensions of a boundless Mind And what can Sinners do to wretched Earth confin'd To be With Thee On Wings of Love I swiftly move With Heart sincere And awful Fear And with a Faith secure Thy just Commands obey Of my Redeemer sure In his appointed way O may I but meet Thee there And as One with Thee appear Mercy Dearest Saviour send Me And let powerful Grace attend Me Till I melt down with sacred Love And ne'r for other Comforts move This is the Christian 's noblest Flight His Body's Health his Soul's Delight The heavenly Physick for despondent Souls Which kills my Follies and my Lusts controuls Abates Temptations greater Grace bestows Here Courage bolder Hope securer grows Faith greater Strength and Loves a brighter Flame disclose How free From Thee Dear Lord to those Thy Goodness flows Whose Love and Fear Attend Thee there Thence mighty Comforts flow To lay their various Woes And when they sink below On Thee their Hopes repose Grace and Safety strong and new Here their growing Hopes pursue Wishes faint and cold Affections Mighty Doubts and weak Reflections Refresh'd with this Celestial Food Are chang'd and ever chang'd for good Here Thine thy faithful Love survey And with thy Strength their Weakness weigh Cold undevout and in themselves obdur'd Till Life Devotion Heat are here procur'd Streams will be sweet where sweet the Fountains rise A constant Heat from constant Burning flies This Fire more lively Flames this Spring more Sweets supplies What tho I know My boldest Strain Can ne'r contain That endless Love Which shines above Tho no Seraphick Flame My narrow Soul inspire Yet I 'll submisly claim One Spark of Heavenly Fire I 'll my longing Heart prepare Free from Pride and free from Care And devoutly there attending Watch the sacred Gleams descending What tho I can't approach the Spring Nor Vessels to receive it bring I 'll to the Rills my Lips apply And catch some Drops as sliding by Some sliding Drops to cool my thirsty Soul Dear Jesus Holy Saviour O controul My Wants Here poor and hungry Lord I lie Yet it 's thy Word Come weary Souls and I Will all your fainting Souls with needful Rest supply I moil And toil Opprest with Sin And Pains within By Woes o're-born And rack'd and torn Beneath that dreadful weight I murmur Lord and groan And from this mournful State Of Life would fain be gone Oft Temptations break my Rest Sorrows oft distract my Breast Hell's uneasy Weights oppress Me Griefs unweildy Chains possess Me. Whence then should my Assistance rise To Thee Dear Lord I lift my Eyes O keep Me safe O guide me right From hence to reach Eternal Light Thou
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
unfit Thee more to feast with Me Than to be far in Worldly Fancies lost What can a greater mischief be Than a Vain Heart by carnal Joys engross'd O fly the World's alluring Cheat And to enjoy thy God from Crowds retreat Of Me thy dearest Lord possest No crafty Thief can rob thy Breast Lo I am He who all thy Bosom claim I can't endure a Rival's Name Put off thy self then hide thy Life in me And live from every Care and every Torment free XIII With my Whole Heart have I sought Thee O let Me not wander Believer WHO Lord will give that Grace to Me That I may close with None but Thee And to enjoy my Soul 's Dear Object may My Bosom and my faithful Arms display Then shall I all inferiour Things despise No Creature shall distract my Eyes My Words with Thee my Life and Thine with Me Shall soft as whispering Lovers be Or Friends when they with Friends agree This Lord my utmost Wish shall be To live and to be One with Thee That I withdrawn from all the World below May fonder of Eternal Glories grow Swiftly to thy ador'd Communion fly And oft to Thee my Heart apply Ah when shall I Dear God! engulph'd in Thee Forget my self and only be Ever in Thee and Thou in Me Thou art my best Belov'd my Dear In whom my Soul's Delights appear Search thro the World view all the Wise the Fair None None can with my God my Life compare Thou lay'st those rugged Storms which rend my Heart Thy Smiles unfading Peace impart Thy Counsels Dearest Lord are dark but wise Thy Way obscur'd to Impious Eyes Yet plain to th' Meek and Humble lies Lord how thy Spirit gently blows How sweet thy charming Kindness flows That to thy Own thou mightst thy Love declare thou 'dst with Celestial Food their Strength repair None Lord like Vs can boast of God so near None to their Maker seem so Dear To make our Souls on Wings of Comfort rise Thy Flesh thy Blood our Want supplies And lifts us high above the Skies No Tribes e're gain'd so bright a Fame As those who bear their Saviour's Name What Creature e're was to his Lord so near As He whom pure Devotion 's Flames endear Man whom his Maker enters whom He feeds Whose Life from Mystic Flesh proceeds O condescending Grace O Love Immense Beyond our Words beyond our Sense Beyond all Dreams of Recompence What shall I render Lord to Thee For all thy wondrous Loves to Me A Heart a humble Heart is all my Store I 'll give Thee That nor can I give Thee more Vnite my Heart with Thee and all within Shall Hymns of Holy Praise begin Call then My Heart shall Eccho Lord to Thee I 'm Thine O live My God in Me That Prayer of all my Hopes the Central Point shall be XIV Whose Faith follow considering the End of their Conversation Believer O How deep the Treasures are Dear Lord of thy Immortal Sweets How inexhaustible the Share Which There thy happy Servant meets When I on that Prodigious Flame reflect Which fill'd thy happy Saints of old When I their Grace their Love their Zeal respect Their Acts in Starry Books enroll'd I die with One Eternal Blush confus'd By my Own luke-warm Heart accus'd Which had thy Loves so oft thy sacred Feasts abus'd Lord I blush to think how dry How unaffected there I came My Soul untouch'd by Sympathy Unmov'd by any purer Flame Others by vast Desires and Loves possest To Tears unsluc'd their Joyful Eyes The Floods the Flames with equal violence prest Would both with equal Fulness rise They 'd pant for Drops from Life's pure Springs distill'd Nor would their sacred Longings yield Till with Immortal Food and endless Pleasures fill'd O how soon their Faith could pierce The Shell of that Mysterious Feast How broken Bread to Longings fierce Their wounded dying Lord exprest But Lord how oft my cold Affections fail What Damps my Infant-Heats o'reflow Jesus for Pity let my Sighs prevail Some Cordial on a Wretch bestow O let my Faith my Hope my Love renew'd With more extensive Strength endu'd Only for Manna long and loath inferiour Food But thy Mercies Lord are great And can the Graces beg'd bestow And fill me with Superiour Heat And make my Passions fiercely glow Tho short of Heroes yet thy Grace may find Some Seeds in my unmanag'd Heart Tho short of Heroes my aspiring Mind Grasps at the better nobler Part. O let my Failures be by Mercy past Till with thy happy Heirs at last I may Eternal Sweets Eternal Glories taste XV. I dwell also with Him who is of a Contrite and Humble Spirit Christ WOuldst Thou Devotion 's Grace obtain Or inward holy Ardour gain O seek it Early seek it Late Let thy Petitions prove Importunate With Patience and with Faith expect the Dole Embrace it closely in a lowly Soul Improve it when it 's gain'd but leave God to appoint the Time when thou shalt Grace receive If Thou no Heat within canst find No lively Flames enlarge thy Mind O let that Thought abate thy Pride Yet not between thy Soul and Hopes divide One happy Moment oft that Gift bestows Which many tedious Years could ne're disclose God answers oft the Prayer at last Which seem'd refus'd before ere half the Suit was past Should Flames rush in at once the Soul Could ne're their rapid Force controul O then with Hopeful Patience wait If Sins obstruct or Sins thy Zeal rebate Small Sins may oft obscure or hinder Grace If those be small which mighty Gifts deface But Small or Great when once subdu'd Grace may be new infus'd or Grace decay'd renew'd To God submit thy Self thy All And ne're thy lingring Lusts recal Then Calms will soon o'respread thy Mind In Vnion with thy mighty Lord combin'd God's Will shall then thy utmost Longings move 'T will Sapid all and all Delightful prove He 's only fit for Heavenly Fires Who to his God resign'd subdues his Vain Desires A Heart from Earthly Passions free Empty of Creature-Vanity A Heart all Clean a Soul all Bright Will all the Blessings of its Lord invite The Man who these inferiour Things defies The more He to Himself corrupted dies Grace Fuller Swifter Stronger gains And his unfetter'd Soul to endless Glory strains He 'll see and Heaven's vast Stores admire And glowing with Etherial Fire He 'll to his Father's Hand resign And His to God's Eternal Will confine That happy Man who with a single Heart Seeks God and won't from Heavenly Reason start That Happy Man must sure be blest Of God so warmly sought and Godlike Grace possest When He before my Table kneels He Extasy and Rapture feels And from above swift Flames Divine With his bright Soul 's internal Glories twine And since his Master's Praise He values more Than his own Comforts or his private Store To be for ever One with Me Of His Self-Conquests all the great Reward shall be XVI He
filleth the Hungry Soul with Gladness Believer SWeetest Jesus Dearest Lord For whom my eager Passions long O now my pointed Griefs record How weak my Heart my Wants how strong How lost in Vices how immerst in Woes Tempted disturb'd opprest by angry Foes Tainted without poison'd within With the baleful Weeds of Sin Lord to Thee for Help I fly For Comfort and Support to Thee I O All-knowing God apply Who all my private thoughts canst see From Thee true Comfort true Assistance flows Thy Wisdom my defective Nature knows More indigent than all beside Till with Vertue 's Sweets supply'd Naked here and Poor I stand And pitying Grace with Tears desire O feed Me with a bounteous Hand Enflame my Heart with Love's soft Fire With thy bright Presence scale my gloomy Eyes Embitter what my Soul on Earth can prize To Patience all my Woes convert And from Creatures purge my Heart Lift my Heart above the Skies Nor let it wander here below Let me all Earthly Joys despise And Sweets which from the Creature flow Be thou my richest Bread my noblest Wine My Love Essential and my Joy Divine Ever O Dearest Jesus be All that 's sweet and good to Me Let thy Presence Lord enflame Me O warm O burn O change me quite And to thy Own blest Nature frame Me Endu'd with Vigour Beam'd with Light Let Me with Thee in Secret Vnions move And melt Me throughly with the Flames of Love Nor from thy Table let my Heart Thirsty e're or Hungry part Let thy Mercies work on Me Wondrous as in thy Saints of old O may with a Prodigy Celestial Heats my All enfold I sink but Thou the bright Eternal Fire In Me make me above the Clouds aspire My Intellectuals six above And refine my Soul with Love XVII But the Fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy c. Believer WIth true Devotions and with fervent Love And with a Heart resign'd And with an Ardent Mind Tow'rd thy Altars Lord I move Thy Holy Saints thy Servants Lord of old Were very rarely in Devotion cold But with Humility They'd bow before thy Face O may I so approach to Thee Dear Lord great Source of Heavenly Grace And with a faithful Soul thy offer'd Loves embrace I know I merit Nothing but I bring A willing Heart to Thee As if my Love could be Rais'd from some Eternal Spring Whatever Vows the purest Minds conceive I with submissive Veneration leave Before my God my King Nor would I Part detain My All I for an Offering bring Let others Sacrilege maintain I 'd with a Heart entire my Saviour entertain O Thou my Lord my God whose wondrous Art First rais'd my curious Mould And when to Follies sold Did the Kind Redeemer's part Let Me my Lord with such firm Loves embrace Such Awe such thankful Praise such humble Grace Such Faith Hope Purity As that blest Maid of old When what her Womb 's blest Fruit should be With Smiles the cheerful Angel told Lo I thy Servant Lord Thy kind Engagements hold So thy great Harbinger the Baptist too Tho in his Mother's Womb Before thee found a Room His exulting Joys to shew And when He saw thee passing humbly cry'd Lo there the Bridegroom of the Glorious Bride And I his Friend with Joy His sacred Language hear O may I so my Thoughts employ When I before thy Face appear May my exulting Heart the Robes of Gladness wear I 've heard of Holy Saints with Joys enflam'd Till the contending Soul Could not the Force controul Which their inward Joys proclaim'd I 've heard of Extasies and wondrous Lights And Glorious Visions and Mysterious Flights I 've heard the Creature loud Thy mighty Acts resound May I with inward Heat endow'd Spread thy Illustrious Glories round My Heart with boundless Joys and heavenly Raptures crown'd Accept my Vows Dear Lord accept my Praise Those holy Hymns which I Would to Infinity Vast as thy Immenseness raise Praise Lord I owe Thee and would give Thee Praise Thro' shortest Moments and thro' longest Days Nor would I Lord alone Thy Praises celebrate I 'd draw the blessed Angels down I 'd move the World's united State Till they in Deathless Songs thy Gracious Acts relate May the wide World the many-Languag'd Tribe With Fervour Lord proclaim Thy Ever-glorious Name And to thy Renown subscribe May We who here with awful Reverence feed From Faith to Faith from Love to Love proceed Till we with mutual Prayers Each others Health implore And freed from all inferiour Cares And fed from thy Immortal Store We live and ever love but jar and faint no more XVIII The secret things belong unto the Lord our God Christ SEE how the dreadful Pest o're-flows How swift the dark malignant Angel flies Enters the Heart and thence infects the Eyes See how the Fiend triumphant grows And spreads the curious fatal Temper round And makes the shallow Fool attempt the Deeps profound Poor Man abus'd by Reason's Glare Will needs into his Maker's Secrets pry And comprehend Mysterious Majesty And all his boundless Powers declare Reason a Star till Sin obscur'd the World And from its lofty Sphere the radiant Substance hurl'd It shines still but with faded Light Dim and uncertain and with Scurf o'relaid Yet now would those superiour Orbs invade It shunn'd with native Lustre bright Then Man his mighty Soveraign's Nature knew But from the dark Research with awful Wisdom flew They 'd now with false Philosophy False Reason false Discourse and false Design Beyond the harmless Protoplast refine And with a sawcy daring Eye Anatomize and quite decipher Me And like themselves would bound and mould the Delty Can't they discern how Three are One Can't they conceive how One subsists in Three Can't they my Graces smallest Movements see Thro' Holy Institutions drawn Tho Scripture both in plainest Words descry They 'l unfelt Truths abjure and give their God the Lâ—â— With rotting Limbs and tainted Souls They scorn the modest Christians humble Flight Banter's their Sense and Blasphemy their Light Yet while to Hell they sink in Sholes Men must their worldly Wisdom's Reach admire Who for a Carnal Crew a Carnal God desire Blind with the Beams of sacred Light As Batts they flutter in a Cloudless Air Nor can my Majesty's Refulgence bear But gasp and sicken at the Sight They'd my vast Sphere to their short Span confine Or like the swelling Toad with Oxlike Greatness shine For shame let Brutes at last believe God may be more than Man can Vnderstand Nor can they reach to his All-powerful Hand The humble Soul may Truth retrieve And He who bows his Head to Antient Lore May grow more wise at last tho but a Fool before Blest ever blest be sober Minds Who won't for needless Questions wildly range Nor Revelation for their Reason change What Heaps eternal Darkness finds Who with their humbler Sense dissatisfi'd Too near the scorching Sun on waxen Wings would ride I in a favour'd Saint demand Not such
a wondrous Reach or Sense profound But active Faith with Holy Practice crown'd And can that Ideot understand The Mystick Movements of Vnbounded Will Who in a paltry Fly confounds his utmost Skill To me dear Soul thy Sense submit To mighty Faith let shatter'd Reason yield Not like a Rebel proudly keep the Field I 'll give Thee apprehensive Wit Lead Thee with heavenly Wisdom's constant Light Thro all the dangerous Gloom of Intellectual Night Their Faith my Presence some dispute In Bread and Wine with Vapours both amus'd By Hell's black King in Reason's Garb diffus'd Be thou to all his Questions mute Thy Faith to my unfailing Word resign Hell's King will quickly fly before the Sword Divine Yet when the Devil baits Thee so It proves Thee not by Heaven deserted quite Hell scorns against his certain Slaves to fight But where the Plants of Vertue grow He 'll try a thousand Arts the Roots to kill And on the blooming Hopes his blasting Dews distil O to my Altars then prefer A Faith unmov'd and suppliant Reverence And tho thou feel'st thy own imperfect Sense To me the mystick Part refer Who in Himself confides Himself deceives But God the faithful Soul in no Amusement leaves My Walk with honest Hearts is free My Counsels I to humble Souls reveal And needful Truths to prideless Babes unseal Large Minds are more enlarg'd by Me But justly I refuse my slighted Grace To proud assuming Fools who curious Dreams embrace When first in Man I fixt a Light A Spotless Sun his little World survey'd By no distemper'd Organs Fumes decay'd But Sin induc'd the gloomy Night Now Reason oft an erring Guide appears While o're Life's stormy Seas Faith only safely steers Let Reason then presume no more To fix Faith's Rule or guide the wandring Mind My Word I for that constant Rule design'd But Faith's conducting Hand implore Where that thro Hell's dark Ambuscadoes leads Safe in his Master's steps the cautious Servant treads Here in the Sacramental Feast Faith walks attended by her darling Love Both here in Beauty and in Strength improve By Mystick Ways and Means encreas'd God great immense can mighty Wonders do Nor can the sharpest Eyes his cloudy Flights pursue Had Man by Wit anatomiz'd My Actions or without a Veil had shown The dreadful Honours of my Glorious Throne H 'had soon my Glorious Throne despis'd He 's not unutterably Great nor Wise Whose Strength and Wisdom plain and naked lies To shallow wordy Tongues and unbelieving Eyes FINIS The Churches Hymn after the Eucharist GLory be to God on high God who reigns above the Sky Great Mysterious Majesty May that Eternal Peace which shone With radiant Beams about thy awful Throne May she on Golden Wings descend And Her blest Influence extend Thro the rough Corners of the noisy World Late into impious Jars and dark Confusions hurl'd Welcome welcome sacred Love Welcome from those Realms above Goodness Kindness Mercy Light O dispel our gloomy Night Till inclin'd to Vertue we Only Love and Live to Thee We Bless Thee We Praise Thee In Anthems we raise Thee In our daily Devotions And kneeling before Thee We humbly adore thee And with Heavenly Motions Thy Glories we view And thy Service pursue Till on Extasy's Wings We advance from the Springs Till we flutter and dip on the fathomless Oceans Glorious God Celestial King To Thee O our Father Almighty we sing Jesus Lord Eternal Son Begot before the Birth of Time God above the Gods sublime With thy Glorious Father One Jesus Saviour condescending For a sinful World below Spotless Lamb thy Blood expending To subdue our deadly Foe Precious Sacrifice appointed Heavenly Anger to allay Prophet King and Priest anointed Thou who tak'st our Sins away O the Ways of Truth display Lord and with a gentle Sway Make our willing Hearts obey Mercy Lord we Mercy crave O our Souls in Mercy save Thou who tak'st our Sins away Bow and hear thy Servants pray Mercy Lord c. Thou who tak'st our Sins away Lord thy gracious Arms display Hear O hear thy Servants pray O Thou who sitt'st above the Sky On God's right Hand exalted high Cloth'd with glorious Majesty Mercy Lord c. Holiness belongs to Thee Holy Holy Holy We O Eternal Trinity Sing out with Angel Quires and ever sing to Thee Thou Holy Jesus art our Lord alone And with the Spirit and with the Father One Of One Immortal Throne possest And with united Praise united Glories blest Amen Haec cecini Interpres Christo Duce Auspice Christo Saucius ah Domini Pectus amore mei Vt Laudes Pater ore tuas graviore canamus In resides Animos Spiritus Alme veni Amen FINIS
thy Mercies give In Me th' Eternal Springs of Mercy live To Me their grateful Tribute all should pay As to their Parent-Seas kind Rivers find their way From me the Great the Small the Rich the Poor As from a living Fountain draw their Store And who for Me the World can freely leave Shall find his Hopes and Grace for Grace receive But he who dares without his Maker boast And trades for Pleasures from a foreign Coast Shall lose his Joys and in Himself shall find Eternal Furies to distract his Mind No Goodness then to thy vile Self ascribe No real Vertues to the Mortal Tribe But all to me from whom all Blessings flow Who all demand because I all bestow That ALL my Bounty might with grateful Praises show This Holy Truth puts Self-conceit to flight And when the Soul 's adorn'd with Heavenly Light And Heavenly Love no pining Envy there No narrow Thoughts no little Loves appear Ethereal Flames can soon those Damps controul And with exalted Thoughts enlarge the Soul If then Thou' rt truly Wife thy Joys will be Thy Hopes thy Confidence in Me to Me All Praise all Honour 's due thro vast Eternity X. Thy Service is perfect Freedom Believer ONCE Lord again I 'll Silence break Once more to my Redeemer speak To thee my God my King my Love Who dwells Invisible above With Thee what treasur'd Sweets appear For all the Sons of Heavenly Fear For all possest by powerful Love For all who faithful Servants prove Ineffable to that pure Mind To meditate on Thee resign'd How great 's thy Goodness Lord to Me Which when I was not made me Be Reduc'd me when I us'd to rove And taught me Service and enjoin'd me Love O Spring of boundless Love to Thee What should my Humble Language be Can I forget Thee Lord When I Was lost in Woes and left to die Thy Pity found and rais'd me more Than my own swelling Thoughts before Was wondrous Gracious wondrous kind When Hell and Sin enslav'd my Mind What should my grateful Offering be But to renounce the World for Thee To lay my self beneath thy Feet And count thy hardest Service sweet Is' t much if I my Service pay Where all the World around obey No But it 's Great it 's Glorious sure That I a Wretch forlorn and Poor Should in thy House Admission gain And Portions with thy happy Sons obtain See Lord how I tho wholly Thine Yet gain since Thou thy self art Mine Seas Earth and Heaven thy Word obey And all to Me their Tributes pay Nay thy Superiour Angels too Weak Me with guarding Cares pursue Nay Thou thy Self my God my Lord Couldst to the Ruin'd Aids afford A Man for wretched Man couldst be And as a Ransom give thy Self for Me. What shall I then return to Thee Dear God for all thy Loves to me O could I serve Thee all my Days O could I worthy Trophies raise To thy Immortal Name and prove The utmost Force of grateful Love Thou art my Lord thy Servant I To Thee I all my Toils apply To Thee unceasing Praises sing To Thee my Strength an Offering bring To Thee my longing Wishes fly O from thy Self Dear Lord my Wants supply Great is his Honour great his Praise Who All beneath thy Footstool lays And with a chearful Air can quit The World and to thy Yoke submit When wean'd from Fugitive Delights And all those Joys the World excites When from his sinful Self reclaim'd And with superior Loves enflam'd Thy Spirit sweeter Joys shall give And always in his Bosom live Then tho in narrow Paths He move And all the Straits of Vertue prove His Soul at Liberty shall fly And pass the utmost Barriers of the Sky Dear Slavery Delightful Chains Where Man his largest Raunge obtains Lives free from all the Weights of Sin And Holy and at ease within O happy State O charming sweet Where Men with chearful Angels meet Where Man an Angel's Work may do And Man becomes an Angel too Dear happy State God's pleasing Sight Hell's Terror and the Saints Delight Blest Chains to be with Smiles embrac't Blest Chains with Gems of Glory grac't Which bring Eternal Blessings down And all our inward Joys with endless Honours crown XI Watch and be sober Christ YET Son there 's yet a mighty Tast behind And many Rules have slipt thy wandring Mind Bel. What Lord are They Chr. That all thy fond Desires Should gladly bend to what my Will requires That Thou thy Self and selfish Love deny And to Obedience all thy Thoughts apply Ambitious Dreams rouze thy aspiring Soul Thy lazy Thoughts ambitious Dreams controul Yet think Does thy Ambition only glow With Heavenly Love or Love of Self below If I inflame Thee thy obsequious Mind Will always be to my Decrees resign'd If vain Self-Love the Plague prevails within And all thy Passions are enslav'd to damning Sin Then ne're be fond of sudden Heats nor those Too freely on thy yielding Heart impose Consult me first lest Penitence too late Thy Raptures should to dark Despair translate Ambitious Zeal may seem divinely rais'd But should when well consider'd first be prais'd Nor should those Ardours be rejected quite Since I sometimes those spreading Flames excite But still the Spirit to the Seer should yield And Extasy to Reason quit the Field Lest Madness should the fiery Soul surprize Or Scandals from ungovern'd Fervours rise Or Thou despair when All thy bold Pretence despise Yet sometimes holy Violence may controul The brutish Passions of the Sensual Soul Slight the Remonstrances of Flesh and Blood And only make its own Dominion good The Rebel to a just Subjection bring And make the Spirit reign a Sovereign King Chastise the stubborn Soul till mortify'd It lays its Vanity and veils its Pride And in a little can Contentment find To all the sharpest Pains of Heavenly Life resign'd XII In your Patience possess ye your Souls Believer AT last my God! at last I see Since Happiest Lives perplex'd may be How needful Patience is for me For tho I Peace alone pursue Rough Broils and Wars are all in view And all my Days disturb'd and few Christ True Son then never dream of Peace Where every Cross and every Pain may cease True Peace with Tribulation may reside And ne'r be lost tho fiercely try'd Thou think'st it's hard to suffer here But canst thou Hell 's Eternal Tortures bear Wouldst thou from Hell's Eternal Tortures fly Then learn to bear an angry Sky Among the softest Fools enquire They too on Earth have sometimes felt the Fire Perhaps with Pleasures mixt so roll in Sin And never feel Remorse within They 'd satiate all their wild Desires But Ah! how soon the fading Sweet expires As Clouds of Smoak in loose Dispersion fly So all the Sons of Pleasure die No Mark of all their Joys remains Their Lives are rack'd with never-ceasing Pains Those Toys in which they fix supream Delight Those very Toys their Pains excite So wisely