created all things by Christ Jesus since the very Faith of all things being created is by him also it being impossible that man should rightly know himself (s) Gal. 6.15 to be any creature 'till he is a new one They are not many thousands of years past since there was no being but thy own nor indeed is there any now whose name is Jam or is not rather a Nothing than a Being besides thy own but as if when thou created'st ours thou hadst annihilated thy own and thou hadst ceased to be scon after we began to be how art thou as sar out of mind as out of sight with me for the most part How rarely and faintly do I say (t) Job 19.25 I know that my Redeemer or my Creator either liveth So difficult it is to weak Faith to believe thee the Maker of heaven and earth that I am put hard to it many times to think thee the Maker of that little spot and clod of earth that I carry about me I am so bad at remembring thee the worlds Creator that I have much ado to remember thee my very own But did (u) Eccles 12.1 I not live move and have (x) Act. 17.28 my Being in thee the fault would be less heinous and monstrous Thou art nigher to me than I am to my self and I have as perpetually and necessarily thy upholding as my own subsisting so that did I not forget my self I could not possibly forget thee Nay and did I not forget all things 't were impossible but I must remember their Maker being all bear thy superscription yea and aloud say of thee It is he that hath made us Psal 37 17. and not we our selves (z) 1 Ti. 4.4 Every creature of God is good to teach me were I but good to learn it s being a creature and God being its Creator But oh my God! I neither learn of creatures to honour their Creator nor of the Creator to scorn creatures I can very seldome see either thee as thou art in thy self or them as they are in themselves I converse much with both and yet but little because I converse with thee without thy Attributes and with them without theirs not viewing them as insufficient or thee as alsufficient (a) Isa 54.5 If thou my Maker as the prophet speaks art my husband and jealousie be the rage of a man himself sure it concerns me to look better to my wayes than to go a whoring after the idols of my foolish imagination I find to my wo I converse mostly with nothings not with thee the Creator or thy creatures but with the idols and creatures of my own corrupt fancy For as there is no such God as I but too oft conceive thee so there are no such-creatures as I oft conceive them to be There is no God less than omnipotent there are no creatures more than nullipotent I am making an idol not worshipping thee when I contemplate of thee otherwise than of an Albeing God! and I am setting my (b) Pro. 23.5 eyes on that which is not when I am meditating of them as any other than as very Nothings as to subsistence without thy providence as they were to existence without thy creation There were variableness with thee indeed and more than shadow of turning if thou wert not as Albeing a God now as before thou madest all beings and sure if I and all thy other creatures were more than Nothings and if thou wert not-the very Being of our beings thou couldst not so be Teach me then oh my God! teach me to have all creatures manifest in my sight and thee the Creator also Shew me manifestly That thou Art as really and to Faith as apparently the Albeing God and Good as thou wast before the world began and that all thy creatures Beings consist in being Nothing without thee now as before they ever were manifest to me Oh my God! how thou hast made Nothings but very Nothings not one Being that has any Beings more without that which it derives from thy prouidence than it had without that which it drew from thy creation Not being without thee is as essential to a creature as being by thee For could it be any thing without thee its name would be I am (c) Isa 40.6 and it must be a God And wo is me if I deny the Unity of the Godhead as oft as I think of created Beings without the thought of their not Being it being not possible that thou shouldst be I Am if there be any beside thee or if there be any thing beside thee which is not a Nothing without thee Every creature declares by its experience that God is its (d) 1 Co. 15.28 All in All and God works all its works in it and for it Lord make my soul the worst of thy creatures to make thee it s All in All the Being of its being and of all other beings neither conceiving of thee as less than All things or of the world more than a Nothing I may lose it and lose nothing but were it so that I could save my soul and lose thee I should lose my All. I may gain a world and gain just nothing but could I gain thee with the very loss of my soul I should gain all things For sure I am gain is of Good onely c. (e) Mat. 19.7 There is none Good but God thy Self oh my God who dost truly say to thy creatures all without me ye can do nothing 3. A Soliloquy with the Soul of the same Argument I Will now go to my soul I will consider her wayes and be wise Come now and let us reason together oh my soul If I should ask that which was once God's Question From whence connest thou I doubt you must return that which was once the devil's Answer (f) Job 2.2 From going to and fro in the earth The earth which he hath (g) Job 38.6 hang'd on nothing and charg'd you to lay no stress upon while you keep in this my (h) Co. 4.7 earthen Vessel your life indeed must be on earth but (i) Phil. 3.20 your conversation in heaven I would that you so use the world as not abusing it or your self You are both poor enough and you know who bids you wrong not the poor because the Lord is their Maker If you tell me That God pronounc'd all that he made (k) Ge. 1.31 very good I must tell you So it was and so it is for Gods ends with it But whether it be not as very ill for your ends with it is a doubt He intended all for his own glory for which 't is good and fit if you intend it for yours you will find it much otherwise because though (l) i Co. 1.27 God has chose even the foolish things of the world to manifest his wisedom with you must chuse the wise ones of a better world to manifest yours
much (b) Pro. 7.21 fair speech do cause me to yield with the flattering of their lips they force me But when they draw me from thy Book oh my Book I find my going after them is just a meer oxes going to the slaughter and a fools to the correction of the stocks Other books (c) Pro. 25.14 boast in Title pages of false gifts and are meer clouds and wind without rain but thine gives good and (d) Jam 1.17 perfect gifts coming down from the Father of lights (e) Pro. 23.35 They have stricken me with reproofs and 〈◊〉 was not sick they have beaten me with inculked rebukes and my conscience felt it not but in thy word the (f) Mar. 26.75 Cocks crow so loud that they will make one go out of â—â—n (g) Luk 22 62. and weep bitterly that one can go out no further The word (h) Mal. 3.2 is a Refiners fire and suffers some cleansing inside and out Theirs maketh Scribes and Pharisees painted sepulchres but no (i) Joh. 1.49 true Israelites in whom there is no guile (k) Isa 5.12 the harp and the viol are in their feasts the tabret and pipe of the excellency of mans wisedom pleasing words and tinkling cymbals But thy Book gives (l) Can. 15.1 the myrrh with spice the honey with the honey-comb the wine with milk Oh my God thou hast made great (m) Psal 136.8 9. lights in thy word the Sun the Moon the Stars of precepts promises and providences else would this world be (n) Joh 10.21 22 a land of darkness and the shadow of death A land of darkness as hells darkness it self of the shadow of death without any order and where the light would be as darkness Some deal with thy word as (o) Ru. 1.14 16. Orpah with Naomi go some part of the way with her kiss her and then leave her But oh may my soul as Ruth's cleave to it and for ever say Whither thou goest I will go where thou lodgest I will lodge thy wayes shall be my wayes and thy God shall be my God (p) psal 145.10 11 12 14 15. All thy works do praise thee O Lord and thy Saints do bless thee they speak sweetly of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power but 't is thy word makes known to the sons of men thy mighty Acts of Creation and Redemption and the glorious Majesty of thy Kingdom 'T is thy word upholds all them that fall and raises up those that be bowed down Out of thy word thou givest the best meat to them whose eyes wait upon thee Thy gracious providences often make me cry out (q) psal 136.1 10 15 16 O give thanks to the Lord for he is good But 't is thy Word onely makes me add His mercy endureth for ever For why 'T is by thy Word that thou smitest Aegyptian lusts in their first-born and overthrowest reigning sins and their hosts of snares and temptations in the Sea of thy grace red with the Bloud Royal of thy Son 'T is by thy Word thou leadest thy people through the valley of sin ond sorrow into the heavenly Canaan 'T is thy Word that in the wilderness of this world (r) Psa 105.41 opens very rocks that waters gush out yea (s) Psal 107.35 that turns my part of this wilderness into a standing pool of mercies and my dry ground into water springs 11. A Soliloquy with the Soul about its sloth O My soul my soul (z) Pro. 2.6 16. 'T is in thy own conceit That such a sluggard as thou is wiser than seven men that can render a reason Dost think it enough as (a) Mat. 9.20 the woman with the bloody Flux only to come behind Christ and touch the hem of his garment Hers was a Flux of Blood thine of such sins as made a Flux of Christs Blood Her disease but of Twelve years thine of almost twice twelve for thou wast conceiv'd in it (b) Mat 9.21 As she said of Christ darest thou say of Christian Religion If I may but touch its garment I shall be whole If not why standest thou idle hath not God sent thee to hotter work (c) Mar. 6.8 9 7. Is this like a Disciple of Christ to be projecting for scrip bread money in thy purse and two coats and not be caring for power of thy unclean spirit and being shod with the sandals of the Gospel Art thou my soul the Bethlehem wherein Christ is born or the Sodom wherein pride idleness and fulness of bread reigns (d) Pro 21.25 The desire of the slothful Christian to be saved damns him because his hands refuse to abound in the work of the Lord. (e) Mat. 19.20 All these things have I kept from my youth up was the word of an hypoorite and very likely an Apostate 'T is another diligence (f) 2 Pe 1.10 ensures Election and secures from falling Be not (g) Jam 1.22 Jam. 1.21 deceiv'd oh my soul with vain words It is the doing Christian onely that undoes not himself A mans own words are not as God's able to save his soul Salvation must be (h) Phil 2.12 work'd not talk'd out Examine thy self prove thy self oh my soul for knowest thou not that great industry is in thee (i) 2 Go 13.5 except thou beest a reprobate Not to do well or (k) Gal 6. to be weary of well doing is a manifest token of God's being weary of thee and thy being so of him and every such (l) Heb. 10.38 drawing back finally persisted in is to perdition ' Tell not me there is a lion or singularity in the way a lion of censoriousness in the streets I shall be bit Thou must be so but who can help it If Christ (m) Mal 10 16 25. will send forth his Disciples in the midst of lions and wolves 't is so much the better for you if you are bit soundly you will be the more like your Master (n) Heb 10. The sacrifice of thy fame the offering the burnt-offering of it on this account is such as God will not despise but has pleasure in Men indeed and of repute for piety too many won't endure (o) 2 Ti 4.3 sound doctrine much less convincing conversation But God will have us do more (p) Mat 5.47 than others either do or allow us to do Oh my soul look right before thee Were it not better that men should say to thee and thy graces Why do ye more than others by way of accusation than that Christ when he comes should say What do ye more than others by way of condemnation Christ (q) Mat 7.29 Read the four Evangelists thy Doctor teaches not as the Scribes but as one having authority Don't thou live as the Scribes but as one having activity Christ thy Saviour did and suffered nothing but miracles for thee double miracles to wit because he did
his friends (f) Psa 45.8 All thy garments smell of myrrh aloes and Cassia but they are fearfully (g) Jude 23. spotted by the flesh if look'd into Gifts which are (h) Job 1 14 15 thy oxen thou keepest ever plowing lusts which are thy asses thou keepest feeding till the righteous God send his Executioners of Justice to take both and slay them with the sword of vengeance (i) â— Ti 6.6 Thy godliness is no gain nor is it profitable to any thing (l) 2 Ti 3.5 with its form but to gnaw out the heart of the power (l) Heb. 5.7 The strongest cries of thy prayers are but idle clamorousnesses and stark sin it 's (m) Psal 109.7 strength is just as its length but for a (n) Mat. 23.14 pretence (o) Mat. 21.13 Thy House of prayers is but a Den of thieves lying in wait for the curse of being well spoken of by all men (p) Jam 2.18 Thou shewest thy faith by thy works I 'le say it is a faith of miracles which (q) Mat. 17.20 if one have of it no more than a grain of mustard seed one shall throw away mountains of the convictions of God on ones soul (r) Heb. 11.33 'T is a faith that subdues Kingdomes indeed For I call God to witness it subdues the Kingdom of Christ (s) Ro. 14.23 in the Gospel (t) Luk. 7.50 'T is a faith that whatever is of it is sin T is a saving faith with the vengeance for I confess it saves it self though it (u) 1 Ti 1.19 make Shipwrack of a good Conscience (x) 1 Jo 4.28 Thy love 〈◊〉 Pride is so perfect that it casts out all fear of the Lord (y) Exo. 20. and shewes kindness to thousands of those both men and things which love thee and keep thy Commands But 't is true for Gods Statutes which are thy (z) Mat 5.44 enemies thou canst not love them and for Gods Attributes which despitefully use thee thou canst not pray for them Thou dost indeed oh Pride (a) Col. 3.2 set thy Affections on those things which are above and to use thy own hearts dialect (b) Psal 113.6 thou dost humble thy self to behold the things that are done in heaven But having said in thy heart That (c) Isa 45.22 Thou art God and there is non beside thee 't is the plainest thing of ten thousand (d) Psal 53.3 that every of thy affections is gone back to thy self they are altogether become filthy there is none that doeth good no not one (e) Psa 57.4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent and they are deaf adders Let God (f) Job 2.11 but touch their bone or their flesh they will curse him to his face (g) Ex. 1.12 And the more they shall be afflicted the more they will grow Let Religion ask them for water they will (h) Jud 5.25 26 27. give her milk and butter promises in gay professions but they will put their hands to the mail and their right hands to the devils hammer with the hammer they will smite piety and smite off its head when they have pierced through its Temples (i) Job 10.14 12 13. They break down godliness with breach upon breach and rush upon it as a Gyant they take it by the neck and shake it to pieces and set it up for their mark Oh pride I do not wonder that God hates even the very (k) Pro 6.17 look of thee For I am sure thou and all thy fathers house do hate God with a (l) Psal 139. perfect hatred count him your enemy Thy natural language is (m) Eze 21.26 27. Remove God's diadem take off his Crown overturn overturn overturn him I have sworn by my self that unto me every knee shall bow Oh pride pride (n) Jer. 13.27 I have seen thine Idolatries thy Adulteries and thy Neighings the lewdness of thy spiritual whoredom and all thy abominations (o) Hab. 2.16 The cup of the Lords right hand be turn'd upon thee and a shameful spewing be on all thy glory in my heart and life (p) â—â— 3. 17 18 24. The Lord smite the crown of thy head with a scab and discover thy seeret parts The Lord take away the braverie of thy tinkling ornaments In stead of thy sweet smells let there be in my soul the stink of my own corruption In stead of thy girdles a being rent and broken in spirit In stead of thy well set hair baldness In stead of thy stomachers a girding of sackcloth and burning by the (q) Heb 11.34 fire of his spirit In stead of thy beauty How joyfully could I take the spoiling of rhy Goods Have thy (r) Mat. 5.29 40. right eyes bor'd out and thy right hands cut off and not onely have thy cloak but thy coat also took away God fire out thy (s) Lu. 9.58 Foxes out of their holes and thy unclean birds out of their nests that the Son of Man and Saviour of men may have where to lay his head within my (t) Eph. 3.17 heart May thy Sun thy Moon and thy stars be darkned (u) Eccl 12.2 3 6 1. May the keepers of thy House Tremble and thy strong men bow themselves may thy silver cords be loosed and thy golden bowls be broken may evil dayes come on thee and such wherein my Soul may say I have no pleasure in thee (x) Job 4.9 By the blast of God mayst thou perish by the breath of his nosthrils maist thou be consum'd (y) Rev 2.13 I know thy works and where thou dwellest even where Satans seat is in the hearts and manners of men I know thou (z) 2 Pe 2.1 bringest in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought me Thou (a) Heb. 13.9 carriest men away with divers and strange doctrines thou makest the morality of the earth (b) Jam 3.15 earthly sensual divelish Cursed be the (c) Luk 11.27 womb that bare thee and the paps that gave thee suck (d) Psal 137.9 Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones (e) Job 20.9 May the eye of God which hath seen thee in my heart ways never see thee more nor those places know thee any more Maiest thou oh pride (f) Psal 132.18 be clothed with shame and upon all the graces of God that are thy enemies may the Crown flourish so even so (g) Psal 130.6 My soul shall wait for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning Amen Amen Amen 13. A Soliloquy with the soul about Hypocrisie MY soul my soul It is said (h) Eccl 6.7 All the labour of man is for his mouth But who had thought this could have been true of his religious labour For really though (i) Josh 1.8 the
it and very reason too in a great measure they drive it from Saints yea from men They make its dwelling with (t) Dan 4.31 32. Hos 12 1. beasts of the field they make it to eat the grass with carnal oxen with Ephraim to feed on the wind and follow after the Eastwind yea they sometimes turn the children (u) Mat 3.9 of Abraham into stones obdurate and insensible As for acts of Devotion (x) Hos 13.3 Prayer Meditation c. Vain thoughts make them First to be as the morning cloud and as the early dew as the chaff driven with the whirl-wind out of the floor and as the smoke out of the chimney which leave no sign behind them And Secondly to be meer (y) Jud. 12 13. clouds without water trees whose fruit wither without fruit twice dead pluck'd up by the roots raging waves of a sea of hypocrisie foming out the souls shame they make them grievous to us and odious to God As for the means of Devotion holy Meditation alone holy conference with Christians holy use of God's Word and good Books Oh my soul sadly dost thou know how vain thoughts make one (z) Rev 3.16 spue them out of ones mouth or at least tast no more in them than in the white of eggs Thou knowest vain thoughts make the heart like the Leviathans firm as a stone yea hard as a piece of the nether milstone and then let God's Books or his Saints or both say to us as Job to his friends (a) Job 27.11 I will teach you by the hand of God that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal Yet they will be utterly contemn'd and be to us Physicians of no value As for the Opposites and Contraries of Devotion Pride earthlymindedness Atheism it self vain thoughts are those which took them out of the (b) Psal 22.9 10. Psal 25 13. womb upon vain thoughts they were cast from the very breasts and vain thoughts were their Gods even from the belly Vain thoughts make them to dwell at ease and to lift up their heads above the heads of Humility Heavenlymindedness and practical piety All things methinks of every sort sayes to vain thoughts You are our (c) Psal 142.5 refuge and our hiding-place You are the hills whence cometh our help They will not in truth my soul they will (d) Psal 3.5 Hos 13.8 not be affraid of ten thousands of Sermons which set themselves against them They will lye down and sleep and awake while vain thoughts sustain them Sermons Conferences c. would meet every of thy sins and rent the caul of their hearts They would make their strong holds like (e) Nah 3.12 fig-trees with the first ripe figs if they were but shaken they would fall Were it not that (f) Psal 125.2 as the mountains stand round about Jerusalem so vain thoughts stand so about my corruptions that the means of Grace can't have full reach of them Would my God but cast down my (g) 2 Co 10.5 Rev. 18 2. Psal 10.4 imaginations and bring my thoughts into captivity and the obedience of Jesus then should my heart be no longer the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird But hear oh my soul if God be in all thy thoughts vanity and sin will be in all thy best words and deeds For the love of Christ go cry to thy God and say (h) Pro 6.2 Thou art snar'd with the thoughts of thy heart Beg him for Christ's sake that their root may be dryed up and they may bear no more fruit yea though they should bring forth Hos 9.16 that he would stay even the beloved fruit of their womb and dash their little ones against the stones Now consider this oh ye the poor beginnings of grace and comfort within me least vain thoughts (i) Psal 50.22 tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you 20. A Soliloquy of idle words (a) Gen 15.5 LOok now toward Heaven oh my soul and tell the stars if thou be able to number them Lift up thine eyes (b) Gen 13.14 16. look abroad from the place where thou art Northward and Southward Eastward and Westward if thou canst tell the stars and count the dust of the earth then may thy (c) Job 6.25 Mar. 7.18 words also be numbred words of which there 's not one but is very forcible whether right or no for though but too oft thou makest the words of God of none effect in one sense God will never make thine of none effect in another but will by them (d) Mat 12.37 or justifie or condemn thee (e) Jam 3.10 Out of every of thy so many words a blessing or curse is sure to proceed and wo be to thee if God make thee an offender for a word unrepented of For as every unsanctified tongue so every vain word thereof is it self a world of iniquity yea behold 't is (f) Psal 51.5 shapen in iniquity and in sin doth the heart conceive it 'T is by nature a (g) Eph 2.3 child of wrath even as other works of disobedience 't is of its (h) Joh 8.44 Joh. 8.48 Luke 10.17 father the Devil and the works of its father it will do damn it self and its corrupted hearers Say I not well to every of thy idle words then Thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil Devils without all peradventure they are and oh would God thou couldst now go say Lord these devils are subject to me in thy Name If (i) 1 Joh 3.8 such as commit sin be of the devil I am certain they are his genuine seed and issue for why (k) Ro. 3.23 sin dwelleth in them and they are carnal sold under sin they lay on thee weights and make actual sins easily beset thee Yea farther oh my soul thy idle words have not only sinned all of them and come short of the (l) Ro. 7.13 14. glory of God but they have made many to be sinful through them who else had not known the sins imparted to them In a word idle words the plague of their plagues is they become (m) 1 Jo 2.2 propitiations for sin and not for ones own onely but the whole companies God's word is indeed the (n) Psal 119.105 Read Isa â— 8 Phil. 2.16 light to our feet and the due lanthorn to our paths But the very truth is there 's a kind of ignis fatuus a false light sparkling out of ones own words which generally does lead our feet and chalk out our paths Nor have evil communications a little influence on like manners every word of ours is ordinarily a word of life in a sense God rarely holding our hearts when once (o) Psal 12.4 Psal 2. our lips are our own and our hands ever breaking his bonds asunder and casting his cords behind us assoon as his
caused thee (b) Deu 34.14 to see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not go over thither But nor yet do I hear thee say so plainly as I would Fear not it is my good pleasure to give thee (c) Luk 12.33 the Kingdom Many seek to enter in and are not able Thousands not onely say and read but cry Lord Lord Open and yet are shut out Some get so far that they be not far from (d) Mat 7.22 thy Kingdom and yet never reach it Nay the children of the Kingdom themselves Christ tells me (e) Mat 8.12 are cast into outer darkness the most part of them and if so Lord what cause have I to say to my soul as (f) Rut 3.1 Naomi to Ruth Shall I not seek rest for thee that it may be well with thee Of that soul oh my God so forgetful am I that oft it checks me as (g) Jud 16.13 15. Dalilah her Sampson Hitherto hast thou mocked me and told me lyes How canst thou say I love thee and thy heart is not with me When it reflects on the madnesses of my heart and life it fears thou wilt one day say of me as Achish (h) 1 Sa. 29.15 of David Have I need of mad men Shall this fellow come into my house (i) Heb. 4.1 It doth not infrequently alarum me in the being left us of entring into God's rest we should come short of it For (k) 1 Pe 4.12 if the righteous scarcely be saved Where shall we appear Solomon sayes Blessed is the man that fears alwayes Oh my God Let me not serve thee therefore without fear of my self (l) Psal 118.6 David said He would not fear what man could do unto him but sure he meant of other men he fear'd his own heart when he cry'd Keep yea (m) Psa 119.13 Pro. 29 25. keep back thy servant from presumptuous fins Indeed the fear of other men bringeth a snare as Solomon sayes but the fearlesness of ones self brings a million The counsel is divine not to fear other men who (n) Mat 10.28 can kill our body and no more But 't is also as divine that a man should fear himself who is not onely able but prone by sin and by disobedience to destroy both soul and body in hell Oh my God Help me to attend Moses's advice (o) Deu 4.9 Joh. 13.13 to take heed to my self and keep my soul diligently I find That in every Prayer and Conference wherein I do not so do I must cry out to my Lord and Master as Josiah to his servants when shot by the Archers (p) 2 Ch 35.23 Have me away for I am sore wounded and that in my grace and peace too As Martha of Lazarus to Christ I oft say of my faith and hope to my care of my evidences for Heaven Oh divine eares hadst (q) Joh 11.21 thou been here my faith and hope had not dyed and indeed when that is absent whatever my labour is in Duties in the end I must say as Simon to Jesus Master (r) Luk 5.5 We have toiled all night and have taken nothing Wherefore oh my Blessed God and Bounteous Grant thou that when thy holy Spirit (s) Mat 5.41 compells me to go one mile with him in securing my title to glory I may go with him twain Oh let my conscience be ever telling me like to what Michol told David If thou save not (t) 1 Sa 19.11 thy life to night by ensuring thy evidences to morrow thou wilt be slain With sins sorrows and temptations If at any time I call the proud Mal. 3.15 happy as Malachi sayes and say in a but seeming prosperity of grace that I shall never be moved Oh my God let thy good Spirit take me off as the King (u) 2 Ki. 18.19 20. of Assyria did Hezekiah What confidence is this wherein thou trustest Thou sayest but they are but vain words I have counsel and I have strength O my God say to me of the host of my corruptions my pride follie c. as once thou didst to Gideon Arise (x) Jud 7.5 Get thee down to the host for I have delivered it into thy hand Help me oh Lord incorruptly to say to Jesus of his redemption-Redemption-work redemption-(y) Rut 2.12 as Boaz to Ruth The Lord recompense thy work and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel under whose wings thou hast caused me trust and to vow unto him as Ittai to David As the Lord liveth and as my Lord Jesus liveth as the living Father liveth and Jesus liveth by the Father surely in what place my Lord the King of Saints shall be (z) 2 Sa. 15.21 Whether in death or life even there will thy servant be Help me oh my God to set my Jesus (a) Can. 8.6 as a seal on my heart and arm with a love strong as death with jealousie of all rivals cruel as the grave Give me to write on this World and the glory of it (b) Dan 5.27 TEKEL Thou are weigh'd in the balances and are found wanting of any good for my soul (c) Col. 3.1 Job 23.2 Let my affections be on things above my comforts in heaven and my hopes on high Let me know oh my God where I may find thee in all distresses and let me come even to thy seat When my heart is overwhelm'd lead me to the Rock that is higher than I (d) Psa 61.2 Ps 119.139 Job 32.12 Order my steps in thy Word let not any iniquitie have Dominion over me in health or distrust in sickness in both let me esteem thy Word above my necessary food or physick And so oh my God of my evidences for heaven (e) Mat 10.20 it shall not be I my self that speak but thy Spirit in me Amen my God Amen and Amen Whiles this Piece lay at the Press it pleased GOD to visit the Authour with the Small Pox and gave him a Recovery full of Extraordinary Providences of which upon his Friends request he hath annexed his Meditations 24. A Soliloquy with God after Recovery from a Sore Disease OH my God I am sure I can say (a) Mat 25.36 I was sick and thou visitest me Oh that in the Day of Judgement thou maist say likewise to me I was sick and thou visitedst me I read of thy own people that once (b) Isa 42.25 they had a fire about them yet they knew it not nay and it burn'd them yet they laid it not to heart Sure I am I had my Disease about me and I knew it not nay and it brake out on me and never entred into my heart what it was till by thy providence 't was made known to me So unable was I to do thy work (c) Psal 103.3 to heal all my diseases my self that in St. Paul's sense and another too I might and still must say (d) 1