long, finds the Delufion out at laft: And what he imputed to the Spirit of God, proves in the End a Suggestion of the Devil, or the eager Longing of his own vain Mind.

The fureft Way then never to offend God in thy Defires, and to be accepted in thy Addreffes to him, will be to temper all thy Inclinations with his Fear, and not so much as indulge a fecret Wifh, without fuch Reservations, as may teftify an entire Submiffion to the Divine Difpofal. And when thofe Wishes break out into Words, Men shall do well to conceive and present them in fuch Forms, as may exprefs fome Check upon themselves, and mighty Caution in reftraining their Tongues from asking any Thing in a Peremptory Manner; but leaving the Matter entirely to God's better Choice. As thus; "Lord, thou "knowest whether the baving, or the being denied the "Matter of my Petition, be most convenient; and "therefore all I beg is, that what thou feeft most expe

dient, may be done; I afk, indeed, as is my Duty, "but I prefume not to prescribe to thy heavenly Wif "dom. Give therefore, Lord, fuch Things, and " in fuch Measures, and at such Times, as thou seest "fit. Deal with me as thou knoweft is neceffary: "For that I am well affured is beft for me, which is "most agreeable to thy Will, and moft conducive to thy Glory. Appoint me any Poft, and use me as "thy own; turn and change me, and my Fortune, "at Pleasure: I only beg to be qualified for thy Di"fpenfations, to ufe them rightly, and greatly to

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improve under them. For I am thy Servant, de"voted to thee without the leaft Referve: I defire not to live to my felf, but to thee; Oh! that I "might be enabled faithfully and worthily to perform "that Homage and Duty, to all which my Heart is "most freely and fincerely difpofed.

CHA P.

Сил Р. XVII.

A Prayer for Grace to do the Will of God.

Disciple." He humbly befeech thee, and let thy Η

Ear me, moft merciful Saviour, I

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"Grace be ever prefent with thy weak unworthy Ser"vant. I am not of my self able to do, or think any thing that is good. O! let thy Spirit affift my poor "Endeavours, vanquish the Temptations that fo thick "beset me; fix my inconftant Mind, and follow me "all the Days of my Life, that I may perfevere in "good Works unto the End. Regulate my Affections and Defires, and confine them to fuch Objects

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only, as are well-pleasing in thy Sight. Let thy "Will be the Guide and Measure of mine, and let "mine fteadily conform to thy Pleasure. Remove "far from me all Inclinations and Averfions, but "fuch as agree with thofe of the Bleffed Jefus. Help

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me to die daily to the World, and to the Things of "the World; and mortify my Vanity to that degree, "that even Shame and Contempt for thy Sake, may "be not only supportable, but welcome to me. Let "all my Hopes and Wishes center in thee alone; and "nothing appear defirable, in comparison of a pure "Heart and peaceful Confcience. ForThou, O Lord,

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art my Peace, Thou my only Reft; in Thee alone "is Pleasure and true Satisfaction, and all without "Thee is Mifery and Torment. Oh! grant me this "Bleffed Retreat, this Happy Security; that I may "abandon all the falfe Appearances of Happiness here "below, and find foft Eafe and fweet Repofe in thy "Love and Favour, Thou True, Thou Chief, Thou "Eternal Good, of Pious Souls.

CHAP.

CHAP. XVIII.

God is our only Comfort in Trouble.

Difciple. W propofe, This is not the Time, and

Hatever Comforts and Happiness I

Place of enjoying them, but I expect that Bleffed Fruition in another State. For what would it avail, could I attain the utmost Delights the World can afford, when a very short Space muft of Neceffity put a Period to them? Do not then mistake thy Happiness, my Soul; for these Things are not, cannot be, thy Reft. The Fulness of Joy and undisturbed Pleasure is no where to be found, fave in God only: He is the Comforter of the Afflicted, He the Wealth of the Poor, He the Support and Strength of the Weak, He the Glory and great Reward of the Humble.

Nor let it disturb thy Peace, or difcourage thy Hope, that thou canst not yet afpire to thy promised Felicity. For God is faithful and cannot Lie. Only wait his own Time patiently, and thou shalt not fail of his Mercy, and an abundant Recompence of thy Faith and patient Truft in due Season. But if this Delay draw off thy Affections to prefent Comforts, and abate thy Zeal for future and diftant Rewards, thou fhalt defire Earthly Bleffings, and not be filled; and at the fame Time fhalt lose those heavenly and eternal Joys, which alone can fatisfy, and make thee happy. Ufe then these Temporal Things, but love none but the Things that are Eternal. The prefent were not defign'd for Enjoyment, but for Neceffity and Convenience. Thy Nature is not cut out for them, nor is it in their Power to make thee perfect; tho' all this mortal State is capable of, were united together for that purpofe. For God alone is a Good, large enough to fill the Defires of an immortal Soul; He only is proportion'd to

thy

:

thy Wants and noble Faculties: and the Happiness to be met with in Him, is not that tranfitory, imperfect Thing, which the Children of this Generation fondly Covet and Admire; but that exquifite, that infinite and inward Delight, of which the Pure in Heart, and Spiritual Perfons, receive fome sweet Foretaftes and Pledges, by having their Converfation in Heaven, while they themselves are upon Earth. For Man is vain, and all his Comforts like him; Empty and unfatisfactory, falfe and fleeting, fwift in decay, and of fhort continuance: But thofe from God refemble the Perfections of their Author, Spiritual and True, Immutable and Eternal. A truly pious Soul can never be deftitute, because he conftantly bears his Happiness about him, even the Bleffed Jefus, the Divine Comforter; and, when bereft of all befides, can thus converfe with him in the profoundest Solitude.

Bleffed be thy Mercy, O dearest Jefus! Bleffed be thy cheering Prefence! O let me never be deprived of this ineftimable Blifs. While I have this Confolation within, I feel no Want of Earthly Enjoyments: For this fupplies, exceeds them all. Oh! let me thankfully rejoice in thy Favour, and the Light of thy Countenance lifted up upon me! Or, if at any time thou withdraw thofe bright Beams, and interpofe a Cloud of Sorrow; yet even then preferve me from fad Diftruft, and let the Confideration of thy Will, which is always beft, be my Support in my blackest and most Melancholy Circumftances. Let me not caft away my Hope and Confidence, becaufe thou hideft thy Face for a Seafon; but help me to difcern the great Wisdom and Benefit of fuch trying Difpenfations, and to fupport my Faith with the Profpect of that Reward, which is laid up in Heaven for thofe, upon whom Patience hath its perfect Work. For thou, O Lord, art Gracious and Merciful, and though we perpetually offend and provoke thee, yet wilt thou not al

Pfal. ciii.

ways

ways be chiding, nor keep thy Anger for ever; but wilt turn again, and in much Compaffion quicken thy Suffering Servants, that they may rejoice in thee, and triumph over their Calamities.

Chrift.]

CHA P. XIX.

Of cafting our Care upon GO D.

M

Y Son, be content, that I fhould dif pofe of Thee and all thy Affairs, as my Divine Wisdom fees fit; for I best know what is convenient for thee. Thou judgeft rafhly, and art liable to Human Frailties. Senfe and prefent Satiffactions blind thy Eyes, and byafs thy Reafon; but Chriftians, who fhould walk by Faith, and not by Sight, muft not be govern'd by the fame Meafures, which common Men make ufe of, in diftinguishing Good and Evil Accidents.

Difciple.] Lord, I acknowledge my Infirmity ;' and am fenfible, that thy Care and Concern for me is more prudent, more tender, than that I have for my own felf. And he hath made but fmall Progrefs in the School of Chrift, whofe weak Faith is ftill to learn that Leffon, of being fatisfied with all thy Difpenfations, and cafting his Care upon Thee. All therefore that I beg, is the establishing my Heart in the way of thy Commandments; and, fo long as I fwerve not from Truth and Righteoufnefs, fecure my Soul, and, for the reft do thy Pleasure. For thou art Wife, and Juft, and Good; and fuch, I am fure, are all the Methods of thy Providence; tho' Human Underftandings may not diftinctly perceive, nor be able to account for the Reafons of them. If therefore thou condemn me to Darkness and Affliction, I will praife and