A Temple of thy Wisdom Blessedness and Glory O ye Powers of mine immortal Soul bless ye the Lord praise him and magnifie him for ever He hath made you greater More glorious Brighter Better than the Heavens A meeter dwelling place for his eternal Godhead Than the Heaven of Heavens The Heaven of Heavens And all the Spaces above the Heavens Are not able to contain him Being but dead and silent Place They feel not themselves They know nothing See no immensity nor wideness at all But in thee my Soul there is a perceptive Power To Comprehend the Heavens To Feel thy self To Measure all the Spaces beyond the Heavens To Receive the Deity of the eternal God And those Spaces By him into thee To feel and see the Heaven of Heavens All things contained in them And his Presence in thee Nor canst thou only feel his Omnipresence in thee But adore his Goodness Dread his Power Reverence his Majesty See his Wisdom Rejoyce in his Bounty Conceive his Eternity Praise his Glory Which being things transcendent unto place Cannot by the Heavens at all be apprehended With Reverence O God and Dread mixed with Joy I come before thee To consider thy Glory in the perfection of my Soul The Workmanship of the Lord In so great a Creature From East to West From Earth to Heaven In the twinkllng of an eye My Sight removeth Throughout all the Spaces beyond the Heavens My Thoughts in an instant like the holy Angels Nor Bounds nor Limits doth my Soul discern But an infinite Liberty beyond the World Mine Understanding being present With whatsoever it knoweth An infinite Bulk excludeth all things Being void of Life is next to nothing Feeleth not it self Is a dead Material Vain Useless But I admire O Lord thine infinite Wisdom In advancing me to the similitude Of thine eternal Greatness A Greatness like thine Hast thou given unto me A living Greatness A Soul within That receiveth all things A Greatness Spiritual A Greatness Heavenly A Greatness Divine A Greatness Intelligent A Greatness Profitable Blessed be the Lord Whose Understanding is insinite For giving me a Soul Able to comprehend with all Saints the length and breadth and depth and heighth of the Love of God which passeth Knowledge that I might be filled with all the fullness of God Eph. 3. And if the fullness of God Then not only his Immenuty Beyond the Heavens But his fullness in the Ages His Absent-Presence in all Generations He whose Greatness is the only useful Greatness Hath made my Soul the Image of his own Whose Wisdom and Greatness both are one A Simple Life An eternal sphere of infinite Knowledge In every Centre Expanded every where Yet indivisible The similitude of thine Infiniteness I see printed in it But that of thine Eternity is supremely wonderful In both I 〈◊〉 So strangely glonious Hast thou made my Soul That even Yesterday is present To mine inward eye The days of my Infancy The days of my Childhood The days of my Old Age. We have An endless Liberty Being able to see walk be present there Where neither the Eagles eye nor the Lions thought can at all approach The deeds of our Progenitors Their Lives and Persons Thy ways among the Ancients The services of the Sun in all Generations The Sun of Righteousness in his Rising and Eclipse The Creation of the World And the Government of Kingdoms Can we behold The day of Judgment The Delights of Ages The Sphere of time Nor will that contain us An infinite liberty we find beyond them Can walk in thine Eternity All at large In every moment see it wholly Know every where That from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Whose everlasting Glory is the Treasure of my Soul And thine eternal continuance a permanent NOW With all its Contents For ever enjoyed What O Lord hath thy Hand created Who how what is thy Creature O my King Thou hast made me like thee To measure Heaven with a span Comprehend a thousand Ages as one day See an Infinity before and after Thine Infinity is abused By the ignorance of men It restraineth nothing But magnisieth all Thou hast made the World Most wide and glorious In respect of its Age In respect of its Immensity In respect of its Contents To me nevertheless but The drop of a Bucket To me nevertheless but The dust of a ballance To me nevertheless but A very little thing And in compa rison of thee The Omnipresent Eternal God My Beloved God A very Nothing Unsatiable is my Soul Because nothing can fill it A living Centre wider than the Heavens An infinite Abyss So made by the perfection of thy Presence Who art an insinite KNOWLEDGE in ev'ry Centre Not corporeal but simple Life Wonderfully sufficient in all its Powers For all Objects Material Immaterial Operations Earthly Heavenly Temporal Eternal A work worthy of Immortality To create an endless unsensible Body Is not the way to Celestial Greatness A Body endless though endued with Sense Can see Only visible things Taste The Qualities in Meat and Drink Feel Cross or tangible Bodies Hear The harshness or melody of Sounds Smell The things that have Odours in them But those things which neither Sight nor Smell nor Taste can discern nor Feeling try nor Ear apprehend The Cream and Crown and Flower of all Thoughts Counsels Kingdoms Ages Angels Cherubims The Souls of Men Wisdom Holiness Dominion Soveraignty Honour Glory Goodness Blessedness Heroich Love yea GOD HIMSELF Come not within the sphere of Sense Are all Nulliries to such a Creature Only Souls immortal Souls are denied nothing All things are 〈◊〉 to the Soul of Man All things open and nal ed to it The Understanding seeth Their Natures Their Uses Their Extents Their Relations Their Ends Their Properties Their Services Even all their Excellencies And thee my God is she able to behold Who dwellest in her In all the Spaces of thy great Immensity To accompany thy Goodness and see whatsoever thy hand is doing That in the Joy of all She might abide in Communion With thee for ever Whose works are her Treasures Whose ways her Delights Whose joys thy Counsels She is fit indeed to be the Bride of God! By this I see that thy hand hath made me The End of all things I know thou hast pleased me In every Being which I am able to behold Since thou hast made me thy Image There is not a Sand In the utmost Indies Which I cannot apprehend Nor a Thought In any part of all Eternity But I am fit to know O the bounty of an eternal God! The Swiftest Thought The Smallest Sand Are infinitely enriched by thy disposal of them And every thing contained in the Womb of Eternity Made a Gift transcendent to my Soul Equally near to mine Understanding By thine infinite Goodness Wisdom Power Expressed in them Fraught with Treasure Eternally to be seen In Heaven to be enjoyed Atheists 〈◊〉 Divines 〈◊〉 All agree and consent
shine as the Sun In thy heavenly Kingdom From whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Then shall each Limb a spring of Joy be found And ev'ry Member with its Glory crown'd While all the Senses fill'd with all the Good That ever Ages in them understood 〈◊〉 are Containing Worlds of Treasure At one Delight with all their Joy and Pleasure From whence like Rivers Joy shall overflow Affect the Soul though in the Body grow Return again and make the Body shine Like Jesus Christ while both in one combine Mysterious Contracts are between the Soul Which touch the Spirits and by those its Bowl The Marrow Bowels Spirits melt and move Dissolving ravish teach them how to love He that could bring the Heavens thro the Eye And make the World within the Fancy lie By beams of Light that closing meet in one From all the Parts of his celestial Throne Far more than this in framing Bliss can do Instame the Body and the Spirit too Can make the Soul by Sense to feel and see And with her Joy the Senses wrap'd to be Yea while the Flesh or Body subject lies To those Aflections which in Souls arise All holy Glories from the Soul redound And in the Body by the Soul abound Are felt within and ravish ev'ry Sense With all the Godheads glorious Excellence Who found the way himself to dwell within As if even Flesh were nigh to him of kin His Goodness Wisdom Power Love divine Make by the Soul convey'd the Body shine Not like the Sun that earthly Darkness is But in the strengths and heights of all this bliss For God designs thy Body for his sake A Temple of the Deity to make But now O Lord how highly great have my Transgressions been who have abused this thy glorious Creature by Surseiting and Excess by Lust and Wantonness by Drunkenness by Passion by immoderate Cares excessive Desires and earthly Fears Yea had I been guilty of none of those had no Lies and Oaths polluted my Tongue no vain Imaginations 〈◊〉 my Heart no stealing my Hands nor idle Speeches profaned mine Ears Yet have I been wholly estranged from thee by the sinful Courses of this World by the Delusions of vain Conversation Being unsensible of these things I have been blind and dead profane and stupid seared and ingrateful and for living beneath such a glorious Estate may justly be excluded thine everlasting Kingdom Enable me to keep thy Temple 〈◊〉 Which thou hast prepared for thy self Turn away mine Eyes From beholding Vanity Enable me to wash my hands in Innocency That I may compass thme altar about And list up my Hands To thy Holy Oracle Put a Watch over the Door of my Lips That I speak not unadvisedly with my Tongue Let my Glory awake early in the morning To bring praises unto thee Enter O Lord the Gates of my Heart Bow down the Heavens O Lord And break open those Everlasting Doors That the King of Glory may enter in Let the Ark of thy Presence rest within me Let not Sin reign in our mortal Bodies that we should obey it in the Lusts thereof Neither let us yield our Members as instruments of Unrighteousness unto Sin but let us yield our selves to God as those that are alive from the Dead and our Members as Instruments of Righteousness to God Rom. 6. My Beloved put in his Hand by the Hole of the Door and my Bowels were moved for him I rose up to open to my beloved and my Hands dropped with Myrrh and my singer with sweet smelling Myrrh upon the Handles of the Lock O my beloved be not as a Wayfaring Man that turneth aside to tarry but for a Night Thou hast ravished mine Heart with one of thine Eyes How fair is thy Love my Sister my Spouse How much better is thy Love than Wine and the smell of thine Oyntments than all Spices Thy Lips O my Spouse drop as an Hony Comb Hony and Milk are under thy Tongue and the small of thy Garments is as the smell of Leb mon Or ever I was aware my Soul made me like the Chariots of Aminadab Return O my Love I would lead thee and bring thee Into my Mothers House I would kiss thee yet should I not be despised O let me live in thy Bosom for ever O Infinite God Center of my Soul Convert me powerfully unto thee that in thee I may take Rest for thou didst make me for thee and my heart 's unquiet till it be united to thee And seeing O Eternal Father thou didst create me that I might love thee as a Son give me Grace that I may love thee as my Father O only begotten Son of God Redeemer of the World seeing thou didst Create and Redeem me that I might Obey and Imitate thee make me to Obey and Imitate thee in all thy imitable Persection O Holy Ghost seeing thou didst create me to Sanctify me do it O do it for thine own Glory that I may acceptably praise and serve the holy and 〈◊〉 Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity Amen Let all thy Creatures bless thee O Lord and my Soul praise and bless thee for them all I give thee Thanks for the being thou givest unto the Heavens Sun Moon Stars and Elements to Beasts Plants and all other Bodies of the Earth to the Fowls of the Air the Fishes of the Sea I give thee thanks for the beauty of Colours for the harmony of Sounds for the pleasantness of Odours for the sweetness of Meats for the warmth and softness of our Raiment and for all my five Senses and all the Pores of my Body so curiously made as before recited and for the Preservation as well as Use of all my Limbs and Senses in keeping me from Precipices Fraetures and Dislocations in my Body from a distracted discomposed confused discontented Spirit Above all I praise thee for manifesting thy self unto me whereby I am made capable to praise and magnify thy name for evermore Thanksgivings for the Soul I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all Generations And the Heavens shall praise thy Wonders O Lord thy faithfulness also in the Congregation of the Saints The Heavens shall praise thy Wonders But more the Powers of my immortal Soul Which thou hast made more excellent than the Clouds and greater than the Heavens O Lord I rejoyce and am exceeding glad Because of thy Goodness In Creating the World In Giving Brightness to the Sun In Ruling the Sea In Framing the Limbs and Members of my Body But much more abundantly For the Glory of my Soul Which out of Nothing thou hast builded To be a Temple unto God A living Temple of thine Omnipresence An understanding Eye A Temple of Eternity
O Praise the Lord of heaven praise him in y e heighâ—… Praise him all ye angels of his praise him all his host Psal. 148. 1. 2. Kings of the earth and all people princes and all judges of the world Young men maidens old men and children praise the Name of the Lord for his Name onely is excellent and his praise above heaven and earth Psal. 14.8 11. 12. Lot every thing that hath breath praise y e Lord Ps. 150. â—… A SERIOUS and PATHETICAL CONTEMPLATION Of the Mercies of GOD IN SEVERAL Most Devout and Sublime Thanksgivings for the same PUBLISHED By the Reverend Doctor HICKS At the request of a Friend of the Authors LONDON Printed for Samuel Heble at the Turksbead Fleet street over against Fetser-laneend 1699. A LETTER Concerning this Book from the PUBLISHER to the BOOKSELLER Mr. Keble WHEN I desired you to Print these excellent Papers I told you they were recommended to me by a devout Person who was a great Judge of Books of Devotion having given the World one already which had been well received in three impressions and would in time furnish'd it with more And when I promis'd you to write a Preface 〈◊〉 them I knew not of any other 〈◊〉 that designed to do it but since 〈◊〉 have received one from the hand of 〈◊〉 worthy Gentleman of the Authors acquaintance who had a desire to pay his respects to his pious Friends Memory in a Preface to his noble Remains And indeed he had a much better title to write a Preface before them than a stranger who can only tell how greatly the Author of them wrote but knew not how greatly he lived I will therefore intreat you to accept of his Preface for mine and to send me twenty Copies of the Book well Bound as soon as you can and at as easy rates as you can afford them I believe I shall have occasion for a greater number for the Book in every thing answers to its title and as I have received great delight and benefit in reading of it So I shall recommend it to persons of parts and pious inclinations as I shall find Opportunities I wish all Booksellers would employ the Press so much for Gods Honour and the publick Good as you do for besides other Peices which are written with great force and eloquence to chastise the Vices of the Age you have printed many good Books of Devotion which made me desire that you should print this Had the Author 〈◊〉 to Publish it it would have come abroad with greater advantages for 〈◊〉 art some places which seem to require the hand of the same Architect who made them to reform 〈◊〉 but they are but few and such as only need to be made a little more correct or plain and we must not wonder that there are some uncorrect and obscure Passages in a Book which is so sull of Thoughts and composed in Numbers or numerous Periods which tho of the freer sort are not so easy for an Author to express his thoughts in as plain and unconfined Prose I wish you a very happy New year and remain Jan. 2d 1698. Your faithful Friend and Servant George Hickes TO THE READER THO the unhappy decay of true Piety and the lmmoralities of the Age we live in may be a discouragement to the multiplying such Books as this yet on the other hand this degeneracy of Manners and too evident contempt of Religion makes it it may be the more necessary to endeavor to retreive the Spirit of Devotion and the sacred Fires of of Primitive Christianity And since 't is hop'd this ensuing Treatise may somewhat conduce to these noble Ends It is thought to be no unprofitable Undertaking to commit it to the Press it being part of the Remains of a very devout Christian who is long since removed to the Regions of Beatified Spirits to sing those Praises and Hallelujahs in which he was very vigorously employ'd whilst he dwelt amongst us and since somewhat of Preface is become as it were a necessary part of every Book instead of any particular Dedication which is commonly overstuft with Flattery and Complements I will only give thee some account of the Author To tell thee who he was is I think to no purpose And therefore I will only tell theewhat he was for that may possibly recommend these following Thanksgivings and Meditations to thy use He was a Divine of the Church of England of a very comprehensive Soul and very accute Parts so fully bent upon that Honourable Function in which he was engaged and so wonderfully transported with the Love of God to Mankind with the excellency of those Divine Laws which are prescribed to us and with those inexpressible Felicities to which we are entitled by being created in and redeemed to the Divine Image that he dwelt continually amongst these thoughts with great delight and satisfaction spending most of his time when at home in digesting his notions of these things into writing and was so full of them when abroad that those that would converse twith him were forced to endure some discourse upon these subjects whether they had any sense of Religion or not And therefore to such he might be sometimes thought troublesome but his company was very acceptable to all such as had any inclinations to Vertue and Religion And tho he had the misfortune to come abroad into the World in the late disordered Times when the Foundations were cast down and this excellent Church laid in the dust and dissolved into Confusion and Enthusiasme yet his Soul was of a more refin'd allay and his Judgment in discerning of things more solid and considerate then to be infected with that Leaven and therefore became much in love with the beautiful order and Primitive Devotions of this our excellent Church Insomuch that I beleive he never failed any one day either publickly or in his private Closet to make use of her publick Offices as one part of his devotion unless some very unavoidable business interrupted him He was a man of a cheerful and sprightly Temper free from any thing of the sourness or formality by which some great pretenders to Piety rather disparage and misrepresent true Religion than recommend it and therefore was very affable and pleasant in his Conversation ready to do all good Offices to his Friends and Charitable to the Poor almost beyond his ability But being removed out of the Country to the service of the late Lord Keeper Bridgman as his Chaplain he died young and got early to thoses blissful Mansions to which he at all times aspir'd ERRATA The Reader is desired to pardon divers mispointings and to make these following cnrections P. 3. l. 31. read Sculptures p. 7. l. 27. r. That thou mayest p. 34. l. 16. r. While she is chiefly beautiful p. 48. l. 2. r. Snare p. 71. l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trampled p. 76. l. 9. r. thy Testimonies p. 87. l. 9. r. Know p. 95. l. 30. r.
my Exaltation His Death my Life Liberty and Glory His Love my Strength And the incentive of mine His Resurrection my Release His Ascension my Triumph His Gospel my Joy The Light of his Countenance And of thine in him My Reviving Healing Comforting Sun In the day of thy Grace let me work for thy Glory Rejoyce in thy Goodness And according to the wideness of mine Understanding The Greatness of my Soul The Liberty of my Thoughts Walk at large In all the Regions of Heaven and Earth In all the Regions of Time and Eternity Living in thine Image Towards all thy Creatures On Angels wings Holy Meditations According to the transcendent Presence of my Spirit everywhere Let me see thy Beauties Thy Love to me To all thy Creatures In the First Creation In the Government of Ages In the Day of Judgment In the Work of Redemption In My Conception and Nativity In All my Deliverances In The Peace of my Country In Noah's Ark. With Moses and David Let me behold thy ways Delight in thy Mercies Be praising thee O shew me the excellency of all thy works In the Eternity that is before the World began let me behold the beauty of thine everlasting Counsels And in the Eternity which appeareth when the World is ended let me see thy Glory O God of infinite Majesty now I confess that the Knowledge I have of thee is admirable by that which I discover in my self for if in a thing so gross as is my Body there be a Spirit so noble as is my Soul which giveth it Being and Life governeth it and in it and by it worketh such stupendious things how much more necessary is it that thou be in the midst of this extended World who art that supream Spirit by whom we all are live move and have our being Since therefore thou art my Being and my Life thou art my Soul too and I rejoice to have thee for my 〈◊〉 loving thee infinitely more than my stlf O that all did know thee and love thee more than their Life and their own Soul since thou art the true Life and Soul of all To whom be Glory Honour and Praise for evermore Amen Thanksgivings for the Glory of God's Works BLess the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his Commandments hearkening to the Voice of his word Bless the Lord all ye his hosts ye Ministers of his that do his pleasure Bless the Lord all his WORKS in all places of his Dominion Bless the Lord O my soul. Psal. 103. 21 22 23. O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the earth who hast set thy glory above the Heavens Psal. 8. 1. When I consider the Heavens the work of thy fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained What is Man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of Man that thou visitest him For thou 〈◊〉 made him a little lower than the Angels and hast crowned him with glory and honour Thou madest him to have Dominion over the works of thy hands thou hast put all things under his fect All sheep and oxen yea and the beasts of the field The fowl of the air and the fish of the sea and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas Psal. 8. 3 4 c. O Lord our God how excellent is thy name in all the world Thy works O Lord are for ever to be remembred The earth is full of thy riches The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof the world and they that dwell therein Psal. 24. 1. The heavens are the Lords but the earth hath he given to the children of men As we are visible Bodies Conversing here beneath He hath given us the Earth To his Image As we are invisible and immortal Souls Hath he given the heavens And the heaven of heavens The woods and trees and fields and valleys hast thou subjected to the Government and work of our hands The heaven of heavens to our Understand To see their glory ings Admire their greatness Enjoy their delight Possess their treasures Rejoyce in their hosts And 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 Mines of gold and veins of silver The variety of precious stones Diversity of minerals Iron Brass Copper Lead and Tin Carbuncles Emeralds Pearls Diamonds All these Hast thou given to our bodies Subjected the same to the use of our hands That we might beautify the earth With Crowns and Scepters Regal Thrones Palaces and Temples Pillars Castles Cities Closets Jewels Rings Chains Ornaments Delectable things Which by the Use of all men Become the fruition Of every holy and wise Spectator Oyl and Wine Perfumes and Spices Wheat and Rye Fruits and Flowers Hast thou given to us to delight our Senses Apples Citrons Limons Dates and Pomgranates Figs Raisins Grapes and Melons Plumbs Cherries Filberts Peaches Are all thy riches for which we praise and bless thy Name Clouds and Vapours glorify thee By serving us Springs and Rivers praise thy Name Being far more precious than gold and silver The Day is thine the Night also is thine thou hast prepared the Light and the Sun Thou hast set all the borders of the Earth thou hast made Summer and Winter He appointed the Moon for seasons the Sun knoweth his going down O Lord how manifold are thy works In wisdom hast thou made them all the Earth is full of thy riches These serve us in their glorious heights so perfectly that we cannot alter their course because we cannot mend their Operation The Fowls and Fishes Beasts and creeping things Hast thou made ours By giving them Excellencies meet to serve us Strength Swifrness Fat Skin Hair Wool Flesh Sinews Veins and Senses By giving us Understanding and Bodies to subdue them By giving us a Right and Dominion over them For all these O Lord I bless and glorify thy Holy Name And give Thee Thanks So Glorious are thy Works that Skies full of Pearl Globes of Gold Spheres of Silver greater than the Earth are Dross and Poverty in Comparison of thy Treasure All which thou offerest me to partake of The Duty to which thou hast called me Is greater than my Wealth To contemplate thy Glory The Excellency of thy Wisdom 〈◊〉 Infinite Goodness The Riches of thy Love To me thy unworthy Servant Exhibited in those Their Value Fulness Ministery My Right Interest Property Thy Blessedness Mercy Favor And in all these My Wonderful Exaltation with thee my God Blessed is the Man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee that he may Dwell in thy Courts He shall be satisfied with the Goodness of thy House even of thy Holy Temple They also which Dwell in the Utmost parts are afraid of thy Tokens thou makest the Outgoings of the Morning and Evening to rejoyce Thon visitest the Earth and waterest it thou greatly Enrichest it with the River of God which is full of Water Thou preparest them Corn when thou hast so provided for it Thou waterest the Ridges thereof abundantly thou
settlest the surrows thereof thou makest it soft with Showers thou blessest the springing thereof Thou Crownest the Year with thy Goodness and thy Paths drop fatness They drop upon the Pastures of the Wilderness and the little Hills rejoyce on every side The Pastures are clothed with Flocks the Valleys are covered over with Corn They shout for joy they also sing Psal. 65. 8 9 10 11 12 13. These O Lord being seen in thy Sanctuary Were Davids Joys Their Publick Beauty his Personal Delights O that my Heart were awake O God To see the Glory of thy Handy Work Thy visible Works are The Joy of Angels The Delight of Cherubins Heavenly Treasures When thou hadst said the Foundations of the Earth and accomplished the Creation of the World The Morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for Joy Thy Servant Moses transported into 〈◊〉 and Blessing Joseph on the brink of Glory Saw the Beauties which Angels admire The perfection of thy visible Treasures Blessed of the Lord be his Land for the precious things of Heaven and for the Deep that coucheth beneath And for the precious things brought forth by the Sun and for the precions things put forth by the Moon and for the chief things of the ancient Mountains and for the precious things of the lasting Hills And for the precious things of the Earth and the fullness thereof and for the good Will of him that dwelt in the Bush. Deut. 33. 13 14. c. Blessed be the Glory of him who created all things and upholdeth them daily by the word of his Power All these thy Goodness giveth me Which I with Moses and thy Saints enjoy Had I none other yet These alone are the Angels Songs Surrounded with these I live in Eden But thou hast reserved thy peculiar Joys And given me all other Superadded Treasure The Actions on this Theatre Of thy glorious Kingdom The Lives of thy Saints Their Souls their Tears their Praises In eternal Glory they are seen so perfect that nothing can be added nor taken from them for ever Eccl. 3. 14. And therefore is it that every Creature which is in Heaven and on the Earth and under the Earth and such as are in the Sea c. and all that are in them shall we hear saying Blessing Honour Glory and Power be to him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb for evermore Rev. 5. 13. To him that sitteth upon the Throne Because he created them To the Lamb for evermore Because he purchased them for us That we shall hear all Creatures In Heaven and Earth So praising thee Plainly sheweth that we shall Understand their Natures See their Beings Know their Excellencies Take Pleasure in them Because they are thy treasures given unto us Compleat Perfect Divine Blessed Innumerable Endless Angelical Heavenly Deep Fathomless Great Glorious Permanent Eternal In hearing all that are in them praising thee We shall behold their Centres Know their Uses See every Property Every Excellence Every Degree in every Excellence Every End to which they are ordained Every Person to whom they relate In every one of which they glorify thee By exalting us Serve us by glorifying thee By delighting all are serviceable to each And glorify my Soul by delighting all Especially by the Glory which they pay to thee Who delightest in them For the perfect Good which they do to thy sons Both here and hereafter In thy glorious Kingdom I admire the Wisdom whereby thou enrichest all thy Wonders The Sun is as a Bridegroom coming forth of his Chamber and rejoyceth as a strong man to run his Race Psal. 19. 5. His Beams Which enter and revive mine eyes Which beautify and quicken all the earth Do service unto me As if no Man were created but I alone The Moon and Stars Dew and Rain Hills and Valleys Fields and Meadows In serving Fishes In serving Fowls and In serving Beasts Serve all the sons of Men A new deep and richer way And in serving them Bless Me thy Servant Enrich Me thy Servant Serve Me thy Servant What Blindness then O Lord possesseth all the sons of men That covet Treasures in the midst of Glory See not thy Riches Gape after Honours Complain of Poverty in the midst of Wealth Turn thy Glory into Shame Love Vanity Follow after Leasing And while they have Eyes and see not The Glories of thy Kingdom Ears and hear not The Voice of thy Creatures Hearts and understand not The Excellencies in them Disquiet themselves in vain to walk in a vain shew heaping up Riches not knowing who shall gather them Psal. 39. 6. But they that will be rich fall into Temptation and a nare and into many foolish and hurt ful Lusts that drown Men in Destruction and Perdition For the love of Money is the root of all Evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many Sorrows 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. As Adam by seeking knowledge in a foolish way lost all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge which were laid up for him So do these in seeking Riches Destruction and Misery are in all their Ways Ingratidude and Wo Folly and Complaining Ignorance Stupidity Sloth and Poverty Thy Glorious Treasures They therefore Despise because they have them And will never learn to use them Till they lose the benefit and Enjoyment of them But I thy Servant will sing aloud of thy Mercy To make known to the Sons of Men thy A ighty Acts and the Glorious Majesty of thine Excellent Kingdom Psal. 145. 12. That the Sons of Men Might be shining lights To me thy Servant And praise thy Name for thy Glory To which they see thee Exalting thy Creature That I might enjoy the Benefit of the Holy Scriptures And see the use of all thy Creatures That I might see thy ways Among all the Nations And rejoice with thee In thy Judgments and Mercies That with Order and Government Laws and Customs They might beautify the World Which else would be no more than a silent Eden That I might see the good of thy Chosen Rejoice in the gladness of thy Nation And glory with thine Inheritance Psal. 106. 5. That our feet may stand within thy Gates O Jerusalem Whither the Tribes go up the Tribes of the Lord to the Testimony of Israel Psal. 122. 4. Were they Created Were they Enlarged Were they Beautified Who are Heirs with me of thine eternal Kingdom Festivals and Sabbaths Sacraments and solemn Assemblies Bishops Priests and Deacons Emperors Kings and Princes Counsellors Physicians Senators And Captains In all the Beauty of their Office and Ministry 〈◊〉 Shine like Stars In the firmament of thy Kingdom In the midst of whom Thy Servant liveth O give me Wisdom To see their Splendor To Enjoy their Influences Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward There is no man which reckoneth them
all things as he enjoyeth them Goodness To enjoy all things as he enjoyeth them Love To enjoy all things as he enjoyeth them In thy Likeness In Communion with Thee As Sons and Heirs As Kings and Priests As Brides and Friends As Coheirs with Christ As Partakers of the Divine Nature To the Praise of thy Glory To the Joy of thy Son By the Power of thy Spirit Dwelling in us Let him who is the Light of the World Be insinitly Profitable unto us The Light of Life to quicken our Sence The Light of Love to enflame with Goodness The Light of Knowledge to open our eyes O the Joy and Treasure of our Souls Jesus our Saviour Christ the anointed of the Lord Anointed for and given to us Thou artthe Purchaser of all our Glory And thy fruition of it The great Example Teaching us to enjoy it How were thine Affections here upon earth Present with all Families Present with all Kingdoms Present with all Ages Of what Esteem was every Soul in all the World By being the Image of thy Fathers Person Thou art thy self the brightness of his Glory His Son The Heir of all things Heb. 1. 〈◊〉 2 3. And the Glory which he hath given thee Thou hast give unto us Job 17. 22. O let us all with open Face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord be transformed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 13. 18. Make us to understand the Power which thou hast given us to become the Sons of God Teach us to use it For now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know when he doth appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Jo. 3. 2. Thy Father needeth not The Heavens or the Earth The Seas or Stars The Clouds or Trees or Fields or Rivers For us he made them and Enjoyeth them only by his 〈◊〉 Goodness And love unto us He needeth not Cherubims He needeth not Angels He needeth not Men Being insinitely Blessed Without beginning His goodness enjoyeth them Only by this he exalteth them to Glory His Goodness enjoyeth them By making them Blessed And by the pleasure he taketh To see them sitting Like God himself In the Throne of Heaven His Goodness only needeth them And it is his Glory that his Goodness needeth them That God from all Eternity should infinitely Delight in exalting others Create them out of nothing Make them his Image By Almighty Power Give himself to one By infinite Love Communicate himself wholly to all his Hosts By eternal Wisdom That having no use of them But meerly to imploy his Goodness Advance them and Crown them He should infinitely desire to see them blessed This is his Glory Whose Goodness is his Wisdom For by that doth he inherit all his Works His Blessedness also For so good he is that himself is crowned In every Creature Himself enjoyeth the happiness of Angels Infinitely delighteth in the Blessedness of Men And by the way of Eminence Includeth all things Being therefore himself the object of Delight The exceeding Joy Ps. 43. Of all his Creatures His Goodness is so great That then he most enjoyeth himself When he is enjoyed He loveth to be seen and delighted in To be the Glory Joy and Treasure Of all his Hosts He loveth to be delighted in Because he delighteth To be The Sun of every Eye The crown of every head The Jewel and the Joy of Every Bosom Who when he is the object of all our Joy The delight of Angels The Ineffable Fathomless Eternal Object of all Delight To all his Creatures To all his Kingdoms To all his Ages Is then himself in eternal Glory Our Author and our End Enjoying himself By that which is himself His infinite Goodness Our Joy and Blessedness O then why should not we Ponder upon the Goodness Of our Author and our End And imitate the Goodness Upon which we ponder Since as he is our Author by doing all Things for us So he is our End by calling us to contemplate what he hath done Especially what he is Whose Love is his Blessedness Since as thou O Father enjoyest all things In creating us to Glory Thine eternal Son enjoyth all things In Redeeming them for us And us for them And by the joy that he taketh In seeing us attain The End of our Redemption Yea since the Holy Ghost by Goodness enjoyeth all Things In his Elect People When having healed their Rebellion He notwithstanding their Wilfulness Openeth their Eyes Dwelleth in them Guideth their Thoughts Enliveneth their Hearts Giveth them Power And maketh them by his Grace To enjoy God In all his Works Ways Counsels Thoughts and Attributes Since goodness in the Father Since goodness in the Son and Since goodness in the Holy Ghost Are Wisdom Glory Are Peace and Blessednes Why should not we by Goodness alone Be fraught with Wisdom Glory Be fraught with Peace Blessedness And enjoy all things as God doth By delighting in his Blessedness In the Blessedness of Christ our Lord In the Blessedness of God the H. Ghost In the Blessedness of Angels and Men Especially since the Blessed of God and them is Goodness indeed the Delight which they take in our happiness O Goodness inessable Who never more expressest thy Goodness Than by making Creatures like Thee Sovereign and supreme in Goodness Restore us by thy Son and thy Holy Spirit By the Merits of the one By the Working of the other To the similitude of that Goodness Whereby thou enjoyest thy self in all things Enable us to delight in thee our God For loving us so Gloriously To delight in thy Highness In the Blessedness of thy Son In the Godhead and Blessedness of the H. Ghost In the Joy of Angels Cherubims That our selves in thy Likeness and Men May be the Joy and Blessedness Of all thy Hosts Thy Blessedness O Lord in all thy Creatures The Crown of thy Works The Centre of thy Beams The Temple of thy Goodness Thy peculiar Treasures For by this O Lord shall we Reign in Glory And now most holy Father I crave strength Eternally to perform my great desire Of Glorifying Thee Praising Thee Blessing Thee For all the Riches of thine eternal Love In the Redemption of the World Had I not seen the Excellence of thy Goodness In giving thy Son I should never have understood That thou givest us all things Had I not seen the Excellence of thy Love In giving all Things In making them Meet to be heavenly Treasures And giving us Powers endless to enjoy them I could scarcely have believed The giving of thy Son But now with Joy I praise thy glorious Name Because having made me In the best of manners Which is in thine Image To enjoy all things I know thou hast Redeemed me By the Death of thy Son And feel in my self a Nature answerable to the greatness
in its Womb In every moment an infinity of Joys Thy Ways O my God are infinitely Delicious From the beginning until now Blessed be thy Name whose infinite Wisdom Blessed be thy Name whose infinite Goodness Blessed be thy Name whose infinite Power Are in every thing Magnified Are in every thing Perfectly exalted Towards all thy Creatures Thy Condescention in creating the Heavens And the Earth Is wholly Wonderful Thy Bounty to Adam To me in him Most Great and Infinite Blessed be thy Name for the Employment thou gavest him More Glorious than the World To see thy Goodness Contemplate thy Glory Rejoyce in thy Love Be Ravish'd with thy Riches Sing thy Praises Enjoy thy Works Delight in thy Highness Possess thy Treasures And much more Blessed be thy H. Name For Restoring me by the Blood of Jesus To Thy glorious Works To Those blessed Emploments It is my Joy O Lord to see the Perfection of thy Love towards us in that Estate The Glory of thy Laws The Blessedness of thy Works The Highness of thine Image The Beauty of the Life that there was to be led In Communion with Thee Those intended Joys are mine O Lord In thee my God In Jesus Christ In every Saint In every Angel But the glorious Covenant so graciously renewed O the Floods the Seas the Oceans Of Honey and Butter contained in it So many thousand Years since my standing Treasure O reach me to Esteem it O reach me to Reposite it in my Family As that which by its Value is made sacred Infinitely Sacred because infinitely Blessed How ought our first Fathers To have esteemed that Covenant To have laid it up for their Childrens Children As the choicest Treasure The Magna Charta of Heaven and Earth By which they held their Blessedness The Evidence of their Nobility The antient Instrument of their League with God Their pledge claim to eternal Glory The sacred Mystery of all their Peace But they Apostatized and provoked thy Displeasure Sixteen hundred and fifty six Years Till thou did'st send a Flood that swept them away Yet did'st thou give them The Rite of Sacrificing The Lamb of God To betoken his Death From the beginning of the World Shewedft them thy Glory And that of Immortality By Enochs Translation Of which me also hast thou made the heir In the midst of Judgments thou hadst mercy on Noah And saved'st us both In an ARK by Water That Ark is mine Thy Goodness gave it me By preserving my Being and Felicity in it It more serveth me there where it is 〈◊〉 Than if all its Materials were now in my In that Act did'st thou reveal thy Glory As much as by the Creation of the World itself Reveal thy Glory to me and by many such Dispel the foggs of Ignorance and 〈◊〉 That else would have benighted And drowned my Soul The Rainbow is a Seal Of thyrenewed Covenant For which to day I praise thy Name As for the wicked They revolted back from the Life of God But the holy Sages brightly shined Whom thy Goodness prepared To be the Light of the World Melchisedec North 〈◊〉 himself In whom thy Goodness Blessed Me thy Servant In whom thy Goodness Blessed And all Nations Whom thy Goodness chiefly Blessed by making a Blessing When the World would have extinguished Knowledge And have lost thy Covenant Thou heldest the Clew and maintained'st my Lot and sufferedst not all to perish for ever Out of the Loins of thy beloved Thy Glory form'd a Kingdom for thy self Govern'd by Laws Made famous by Miracles 〈◊〉 by Mercy 's Taught from Heaven 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Witness thou dwelledst among them Thy Servant David in most Solemn 〈◊〉 sang Thy Praises Thy Glory appeared in Solomon's Temple But more in his Wisdom And the Prosperity of thy People Thy Prophers in their order ministred to us The concealed Beauty of thy Ceremonies Is wholly mine To me they exhibit in the best of Hieroglyphicks JESUS CHRIST The Glory of their Ministery Service and Expectation For two thousand Years is my Enjoyment For my sake and for thy Promise sake Did thy goodness forbear When their Sins had provoked Thee To destroy them wholly How did thy Goodness in the time of Distress Watch over them for Good When like a Spark in the Sea They were almost wholly Extinguished In the Babilonish Waves How Lord did'st thou Work in that Night of Darkness Making thy Glory and the Glory of Love More to appear Then was 〈◊〉 Welfare turning upon the hinge Our Hope gasping for a little Life Our Glory brought to the pits brink And beyond the possibility of human remedy Endangered in the Extinction of that Nution How then did thy Power shine In making Nehemiah the Kings Cupbearer Hester Queen Mordecai a Prince The three Children cold in the furnace Daniel Lord chief President of 127 Provinces Zorobbabel and Ezra especial favorites And in sending thy people home Without any Ransom That the influence of thy promise Might surely descend And our Saviour arise out of Davids Loins Be born at Bethlehem Crucified at Jerusalem According to the Prophesies That went before concerning him Blessed Lord I magnific thy holy Name For his Incarnation For the Joy of the Angels that sang his praises For the Star of his Birth For the Wise men's Offerings that came from the East For the Salutation of thy handmaid Mary For the Ravishing Song of the blessed Virgin For the Rapture and Inspiration of Zacharias thy Servant For the Birth of John our Saviours forerunner O Lord Who would have believed that such a worm as I should have had such Treasures In thy celestial Kingdom In the Land of Jury 3000 miles from hence So great a Friend such a Temple Such a Brest plate Glittering with Stones of endless price Such Ephod Mytre Altar Court Priest and Sacrifices All to shew me my Lord and Saviour By the Shining Light of nearer Ages By the Universal consent of many Nations By the Most powerful Light of thy blessed Gospel See that remoter in the Land of Jury More clearly to shine The universal Good which redounded to all Is poured upon me The root being beautified by all its branches The fountain enriched and made famous by its streams Their Temple Sacrifices Oracles Scriptures Ceremonies Monuments of Antiquity Miracles Transactions Hopes Have received credit and magnificence by successes By the Lustre Authority and Glory By the Conviction of Ages By the Acknowledgment of Sages By the Conversion of Philosophers By the Of Flourishing Cities Empires 〈◊〉 and mighty States All which enamel the Book of God And enrich it more for mine exaltation The very Trees and Fruits and Fields and Flowers that did service unto them Flourished for me And here I live Praising thy Name For the silencing of Oracles And the flight of Idolatry For demolishing the Temple When its Service ended For permitting the Jews In severity to them For permitting the Jews In mercy to me To kill my Saviour For
good no not one Ps. 14 2 3. They know not neither will they understand they walk on in darkness All the foundations of the earth are out of course Ps. 82. 〈◊〉 O Lord thy word testisieth What my experience seeth That the Sons of Men Err in their hearts From thy holy Ways The Glory of thy Kingdom they cannot see The Blessedness of their Estate None will regard Nor behold the Brightness of Thine eternal Treasures Nor how near they are to Thine eternal Love The glory of the Earth is Stainedby Sin Oppressed with Tares Spoiled with Briars and cursed Thorns But more with the corruptions Blindness of sinful Men. Errors of sinful Men. False Opinions of sinful Men. Wherein according to the course of this World according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience They all walk In the Lusts of the Flesh In the vanity of the Mind Having the Understanding darkned Being alienated from the life of God Through the ignorance that is in them Eph. 4. 17. 18. With one consent they wander up and down To polluted streams And will not refresh their Soul With living Waters The riches of thy bounty Which with infinite liberality Thou freely givest They disregard By that means turning the world into a 〈◊〉 Wilderness Of Owls and Dragons That thirst after happiness They know not what Seek it they know not where Find it no where They seek it in Gold not in Thee In Silver In Apparel In Feasts In Houses In any thing Little Rare False Counterseit Scarce Unknown But in the high Estate to which already they are by thee exalted they find no pleasure The freedom of thy Love hideth it from their Eyes The Truth and Commonness of thy Glorious Works They cannot see The daily Continuance and presence of thy Riches maketh them despised The Greatness of thy Wealth not understood Thou preventest us With the pure Blessings of thy Goodness Their Endlesness Excellency Abundance Service Variety 〈◊〉 Compasseth us about Yet Blmdeth our Eyes They Grope in Darkness Wander in the valley of the shadow of Death Are estranged from thy Treasures Err from Thee Hope for any End of their vain Endeavours Never attain any Rest in their feigned Riches Escape imaginary Wants But still increase Conceited Poverties O Lord they have drown'd not only themselves but the world also In Destruction and Perdition Covered it with Snares With Chains of Darkness Woes and Miseries By their false Opinions False Opinions concerning Happiness Till thy Word came and shined among us That plainly sheweth The Glory of the Father Bringing us back To the true Treasures Causeth us to see That we are already exalted And that it is not by seeking what we want But by enjoying what we have That we are truly Blessed Thy Word alone Extricateth our Souls from all their Snares Our Wants are none Thou hast wrought all things already for us Were a Sun that shineth Now to be created Millions of Gold would be thought Too little His Beams more Necessary Than the approach of Angels Are now Despised Being by reason of their presence not understood They animate our Blood Beautifie the World Give light to the Day Warmth and Spirits Without them no Morning Flowers Waters Springs could be But all the World a Cave of Datkness Death and Misery Which an Angels presence cannot mend Thy Laws thy Works thy Ways Thy Revelation from Heaven The Excellencies of our Soul The Endowment of our Body Thy Tender Love Thy Truth and Faithfulness These are the Riches Thou hast prepared for the Poor For Creatures cut out of Dust and nothing To these thy Word reduced us again That shining Light Infinitely more precious and Heavenly than the SUN That Holy Fountain Of Living Waters Refresheth the Soul Even of thy Holy Angels It self is a Treasure worth innumerable Millions of Gold and Silver A Book which thou hast sent To me from Heaven To Detect the vanities of this wicked World To Guide my feet into the way of peace To Shew me the Treasures of eternal Happiness To Elevate my thoughts Purifie my heart Enlighten my eyes Refine my Soul Direct my Desires Quicken my Affections Set my Mind in frame Restore me to thine Image Call me again to Communion with Thee In all thy Goods and Treasures O Lord thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name It sheweth me the Greatest and Highest Things Bringeth my Soul cut of Prison Leadeth me in the Paths of Blessedness and Glory Teacheth me to ponder upon the Works of thy Hands And to Meditate upon thy Laws Day and Night To speak of the might of thy terrible Acts To talk of thy Doings O my God every Day will I bless Thee and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever Ps. 141. 2. All thy Works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall Bless the Ps. 145. 10. I will sing of Judgment and Mercy to thee O Lord will I sing And talk of all thy wondrous Works Ps. 145. 2. The Sons of Men hast thou given Me The Heavens and the Earth and all that is therein Thy manifold Wonders Ancient Miracles Laws Promises H. Oracles and Blessed Revelations In thine Image to be enjoyed Thy self and All Things The best of Treasures In the best of manners I Acknowledg thy Gift Thy Heavenly Gift And I adore the Wisdom and Glory of the Way whereby thou givest me the H. Bible To deliver me from the darkness of the disordered VVorld I needed O Lord a Book from Heaven I longed to receive it And panted after it with my Expectation Which above my Hopes Was already sent Before I was born A Book inclosing the best of Tidings the wisest Counsels the newest Revelations Heavenly Discoveries the profoundest Depths the highest Wonders the rarest Miracles the most glorious Examples the treasures of Wisdom the richest Promises the joys of God Divine Affections the greatest Encouragements Halclujahs Raptures Shewing us How Man is Magnified In Covenant with God Lord of his Works His Son and Friend Ministred to by Angels Admired by Cherubims Made for Heaven Called into the Glory of Almighty God Ordained for his Throne Redeemed by his Son Shal rise from the Dead Be made Immortal Overcome the World Be more than a Conqueror Inherit all things O Jerusalem Jerusalem Hadst thou known at least in this thy Day the things that concern thy Peace But now they are hidden from thine Eyes Had you seen Oh! ye Sons of Men the High Estate of your ample Glory how would you have been ravished Ye that are Crowned with Loving Kindness and Tender Mercies Beloved of God more than Himself Doth he not love his Son as Himself Tendered as his Eye Exalted above Angels In all things magnified by his Eternal Love as much as wisdom Goodness Power infinite could atcheive By all his Counsels Laws and Works exalted As in the Death of Jesus Christ. O my God I give thee Praise For
shall I be delighted in all thy Glory And be so much pleased as if thou went only glorified for my sake And all thy Sons that glorify thee shall be my Treasures O give me grace here upon Earth to glorify thee To be tender of thine Honour and to delight in thy Praises Since at all this expence thou magnifiest thy Friend and makest me so O let me not debaso my self as low as Hell by stooping down to Earthly principles but live like thee an understanding life and faithfully accomplish the work of Love O let the perfection of 〈◊〉 Essence always ravish me Who could'st never need because never be without all thy Joys Let thy loving kindness continually be before mine eyes With joy let me suffer the reproaches of thine enemies in defence of thy Glory Let it be delicious to me to die in thy service My Joy that thou Reignest blessed in Heaven No life pleases me but the similitude of God No Riches but thine O Lord. All are thine rightly understood Let nothing satisfy me but all Eternity And all within it Since men upon earth live in darkness and are infinitely beneath thy glorious ways Let me never be subject to their vain opinions but ever mindful of thee my God To walk in thy ways is to contemplate their Glory to imitate their Goodness to be sensible of their Excellency A Thanksgiving and Prayer for the NATION REmember me O Lord with the favour that thou bearest to thy people O visit me with thy Salvation That I may see the good of thy chosen that I may rejoyce in the gladness of thy Nation that I may glory with thine Inheritance O Lord my God thou hast compassed me with Mercies on every side The Fields and Valleys Being truly seen are inestimable treasures The beauty of the Skies a magnificent joy To him that was nothing Created but yesterday Taken from the Dust To Day Half an hour since This very moment Rivers Springs Trees Meadows Even dry Land it self Clouds Air Light and Rain The Sun and Stars Are wonderful works Filling me with cheerfulness Made to serve us I praise the O Lord for the delights of Eden Such are these Among which were I alone like Adam Being wise I could not be 〈◊〉 But thou hast compassed me With innumerable Treasures Pleasant for variety Of infinite value Surmounting the created World 10000. fold The World is a Case Containing Jewels A silent Stage A Theatre for Actions Made for innumerable ends In all which thy fatherly wisdom hath shewn it self But O my God empty Cases Cabinets spoiled are dum shews The Jewels O Lord and Scenes and Actions These are the Treasures which most we prize The delights we esteem The Crown of Pleasure For the sake of which Cabinets were made Theatres erected Cases valued O Lord spare thy people Spare thy people O my God! Those Jewels in thy Cabinet those Persons on thy Stage that fill the World with wonderful Actions Make me a Moses to thee them Nehemiah to thee them Ezra David to thee them Did mine interest speak Could my heart understand it Did I see the value of all my joys Rivers of Tears running down mine eyes day and night would not suffice for the slain of my People O be not wrath very sore Let mine interest enflame me But thy goodness more Let Wisdom speak that respecteth me But Love cry out with groans unutterable For thy Mercy and Long suffering Unto this my people O Lord mine will be the loss I the sufferer My Bowels torn by those Wars My Bosom the Stage of those Calamities What ever love therefore thou bearest to thy Servant whom thou hast made a little lower than the Angels And Crowned with Glory and Honour For thy Servants sake be thou gracious to thy people Visit me with the savour which thou bearest unto them Shew it O Lord in their preservation We have sinned with our Fathers we have committed iniquity we have done wickedly We understood not thy wonders Nor remembered the multitude of thy tender Mercies But provoked our God continually Both at Land and Sea Nevertheless he saved us for his own Name sake that he might make his mighty power to be known That we might see the Glory of his loving kindness And that the goodness of God might lead us to repentance But we have been all day long a stiff necked and rebellious people When thy hand is lifted up they will not see In the Land of uprightness we deal unjustly and will not behold the Majesty of the Lord. We are infinitely seared Waxed fat and unsensible And what shall we do in the end of it The Ox knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib but Israel is a brutish People that will not consider My God hath nourished and brought up Children that have rebelled against him Ah! Sinful Nation a people laden with In iquity a seed of evil doers Children that are corrupters They have forsaken the Lord they have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger they are gone away backward Why should ye be stricken any more Ye will revolt more and more O my God! I see it plainly Neither Mercies will melt us Nor Judgment afright us Nothing soften nothing astonish us Nothing cause us to turn unto thee Thy Mercies we value not Under thy judgments are grown insensate Nothing less than the infinite multitude of thy tender mercies are able to bear with us any longer O my Bowels are yet lockt up Cannot ye be sensible of their Incorrigibleness Do what thou wilt in Judgment or Mercy We are Desperately bent to grow worse in Wickedness O Lord I confess the worst that can be spoken of us The worst that can be done have we atchieved Thy long suffering O God I importunately crave unto this people Of absolute Grace O thou in whose hands are the hearts of Kings to turn them as the Rivers of Water Rule the heart of thy chosen Servant our Royal Sovereign incline his Will to walk in thy way and make him thankful for evermore That in his prosperity we may walk in peace Convert him wholly unto thee O Lord Raise up Zerubbabels and Joshuahs Magistrates and Priests Careful Parents Of tender Bowels and contrite hearts That may endeavour the reformation of my peculiar people Leave a remnant always among us And for our Childrens sake that shall be born Throughout all Generations That these future Off-springs Of peculiar Treasures Whom thou infinitely esteemest May augment thy Kingdom O Lord if thou spare my life And give it me for a prey wherever I go Yet I shall be the sufferer in my peoples ruin Shall Nettles grow up in our pleasant Palaces Brambles in our Treasuries Owls and 〈◊〉 dwell in our Temples Briars and Thorns in the rubbish of our Stones O my Lord let me rather be blotted out of the Book of the living than be so bereaved Robbed of my Children Spoiled of my Glory Let them not lay