The first Step upon the First PSALM of Degrees, being the 120 PSALM.

O Most Gracious God, when I have fathomed the tossing Billows of my troubled Spirit, either by the depth of humane anxieties, or by some thwar­ting dispensation of that Providence that moves upon the great Abyss: (and was termed Fortune, by the Heathens, rolling the whole Globe upon Waves of incertain Casualties) Nay, when the Storms of my violent Passions make my wicked heart like a raging Sea (foaming out nothing but mire and dirt) in filthy Motions, and in tyrannical or rebellious Actions. O then, with Humility, Con­trition, and Sincerity of Intention, I indeavour to strike sayl, for fear of the Shipwrack of a good Conscience, and make hast to put into the Harbour of thy Goodness and Compassion. Then,

I intreat that unsealed and unexhausted Spring of Mercy, which (without upbraiding any for want of worthiness) imparts to all of [Page 2]the fulness of his Grace. I have access to thy Throne, O Father of Lights, and to Thee, O Glorious Sun of Righteousness, that with­out respect of persons, hast shined upon the just and the unjust, and lookest so kindly on the Universe, as to offer thy Beams and Beauties unto all.

While on the other side, Thou merciful Lord (crowning thy Eter­nal Glories with the continued Acts of thy Pity) hast so far lessened thy Greatness, as to receive my Petitions, and not only heard my Prayers by thy Favour, but heap'd up Answers to them by thy Grace. So that my ever-craving needs have never wanted seasonable supplies, nor my desires wearied out thy Bounty: But every wish of mine hath worn some token of thy good will to Mankind, and every Prayer hath been returned (like an acceptable Messenger) with marks of favour.

Seeing then I was made a Creature by thy Love at first, and a new Creation by thy Mercy now; I return again, O Father, with the Pro­digal, to beg the excesses of thy Tenderness, the loud soundings of thy Bowels towards me; 'Tis more than ordinary preserving or creating goodness that I want: And Thou, my Everlasting God, hast ever been my Saviour, so that to deny me now the continuance of thy Favour, or the blessing of thy Protection would be to loose the fruit of thy Labour, and the end and Harvest of thy former care.

Therefore let thy Love be still the Banner over me, while the Tongues of those who are eloquent in fraud and falshood storm my Ears daily with Inveaglements, for the drawing my Heart off from paying its due homage of Thankfulness and Obedience to Thee, the Great and Almighty King.

With the fears of thy Judgments they scare my remembrance of my faults, with the snares of their Allurements, they would draw me aside out of the way that leads to Life; And with false Flatteries, they would indulge my compliance with Sin, and masking Vice under the show of Virtue, seek to betray my soul, (that is too easie and pliable) to the Charmes of Sense, and to the Pleasures of the World.

But alass! I perceive (though somewhat too late) how these Mouths of Hell, and Oracles of Satan would christian Cruelty with the name of Justice, and name a cursed Revenge, the Way of Honour. With them, Covetousness is but Frugality; Luxury, the Law of Nature; and Envy, noble Emulation. So that being well nigh lost, and cast away amongst the dark mists or false lights of their vain conceits, I find my self deterr'd from good, and stay'd unhappily in evil.

And truly, O most gracious God, without the assistance of thy Grace, and the protection of thy Love, without the buttress of thy Power, and the foundation of thy Wisdom, What feeble Jericho's are all our Breasts? How may the strongest Walls of all our Virtues, and the highest Towers of noble Resolutions be pull'd down (as it were with ridiculous Rams-horns) with the Breath of a naughty Woman, with the blast of an evil Tongue! And who is there (since Adam, Solo­mon, Lot, and Peter, were blown down) that can avoid the fascinati­ons either of flattery, or of falsehood of the Parasite or Calumniator? Who can resist the force, or withstand the mischief of such insnaring Words, as the Lyers Lips enter the Soul withal?

The Syren's of the World, the Circe's of the Devil, and all the Idols of Sensuality may sooner be pass'd by, and more easily got from [Page 3]by the exercise of Prudence, by the rules of Reason, and by the re­straint of Laws, than the snares that are laid by a deceitful wicked Mouth. And these are so much the more invincible and unavoidable, by how much they are invisible and unknown, being spread over with the specious pretences either of Piety, or of Friendship.

The other mischiefs of this frail state here, may be grievous, dan­gerous, and mortal, but none so comparably to a false, malicious, and dissembling Tongue, which is a painted Sepulchre, full of nothing but Emptiness, Rottenness, Hollowness, and precipices instead of Amity, Righteousness, Holiness, and Piety, which it so much pre­tends to, as that it oftentimes intraps the most just and innocent, and tramples them under the feet of Calumny and Disgrace.

But O what fruit have you in those things whereof you may be now ashamed? O ye perfidious Doegs! What Pleasure, what Profit, what Honour do ye gather from your Lyes, and from your falshoods, O ye deceitful Men? Do ye Flatterers (who are the most venomous tame Beasts) look for reward, or hope for praise, or expect immunities? No, no, your Company is too Pernicious, your Teeth too Poysonous, your Sin too Presumptuous, to expect any thing from Heaven but Hate and Vengeance.

For the Javelin's darted from a strong and steady arm gash not the Flesh with deeper wounds than the Words of a treacherous and faith­less Tongue pierce the Soul of the ingenious to the quick. The glow­ing Coals of Juniper, (which have the singular property of keeping Fire) do not reserve, or afford so much heat as an evil Tongue can throw upon our affections, for that (saith the Apostle) is set on fire of Hell.

Wherefore, my God, I trust while thou dost rain down Plagues upon such sacrilegious Sinners (as thou didst upon Sodom and Gomorrah, thou wilt preserve my soul (as thou didst righteous Lot's) that was vexed with the wicked Conversation of his Neighbours) so that I may not be overthrown amongst the Pits of Dissimulation, nor be ship­wrack'd in those unstable Waters, where many a wise Pilot hath been cast away.

Lord! I would not run on the shelves of such persuasions, as drive men on further to their own Ruin: But by the wonted effects of thy Omnipotence, deliver me from those mistrusts and misunderstandings that (too much indulging the impotence of Nature) take off the Man from doing his Devoir, and from obeying thy Commands, and stays him amongst sinful Complacencies and Delights.

Against such, O Lord, arm thy just wrath, and let thy disdain strike them on the Mouths, who full of mischief and deceit become the bu­rying places of others fame and reputation.

O let the arrows of such cursed Tongues, and the Goals of their traiterous Mouths, become Thunder-bolts to chastise their mallice; and lightning, to flash for ever in their Faces, and fire to punish their Offences everlastingly.

And here now, Lord, the multitude of my Crimes committed at the instance of Sacrilegious Tongues, comes (with their Curses) fresh into my mind. Here the remorses of my Conscience tell me of the Sins (and Plagues) I have contracted by my compliance with their vain con­ceits (and company) who have too frequently taken me off from the performance of my Duty, and the observation of thy Holy Laws. [Page 4]Woe is me, wicked Wretch! O how weak! O how miserable am I! Like the Prodigal, I have stay'd too long from home, from my Father's Mansion; from thy Love and Protection! And alass, How long have I stay'd in a strange Land, and rebelled, like Absalom, in the sight of the Sun, before Heaven, and against Thee, O God! Declaring my self no Son, that I might be a Slave to the Tyranny of my basest Affecti­ons, and a Traitor to my Sovereign Lord! Surely, much too long and most unhappy hath been my Travel through this Wilderness, where I have made Woldly-mindedness my sole Companion; so that I may say too too many, because Evil have been the Days of my Pilgrimage.

And surely, no greater mishap can befal a Man, than to find himself out-lawed from thy Care, and made a Vagabond, like Cain, in the Land of Aberrations, under the Rule of Evil Spirits, and among his own Deceivings and Temptations; such evil Companions as may well be termed Arabians, from the Rudeness of their Behaviour, the Badness of their Neighbourhood, the darkness and deformity of their appearances, whereby (that Dove) the Soul, that is conversant amongst them, is blacked and sullied, as if she had layen among the Pots, and lost her silver Wings, and is by so much the more unpleasant and unfit for the Eyes of thy Purity, by how much the more pains thou hast took to make thy Psyche without spot or blemish, or any such thing, as the ugliness of Vice disguises the Soul withal.

Free me therefore, O merciful Lord, from the iniquity and perverse­ness of those Tongues that have not known the way of Peace, nor had they known it, would have loved it; because, like the grand Enemy in the Gospel, they are continually sowing the Seeds of Hatred, and the Teeth of Discord.

Nay, while they wear the Vizards of kindness and of peaceableness, they conspire treacherously against the welfare of such as would adore and serve Thee.

Such Tongues, O God, flattering the sensual Appetite, subjugate Reason unto it, and make falshood and blasphemies so allyed to them, as that although they veil the mischief of their deformities, they can­not hide them. For, Can these Aethiopians change their Skins? No, they will appear the Black Sons of Cham, and like Leopards, full of Spots, let them daub over their Actions never so deceitfully.

Lord, I wish that my Soul, being wholly devoted to Peace, may thereby join it self to thy favour, and not stray at all from thy Com­mandments, but carefully trace thy divine Examples.

O Blessed Jesu! Thou hast born so good a Will to Man, as to will Peace on Earth, as well as in Heaven, that Glory may be to God in the Highest. Thou didst teach on the Mount, how that Hatred should be banish'd, that Envy (not Justice) should fly from Earth, and that Prayers should be put up for all, even for our Persecutors, and Kindness reserved for our very Enemies.

Thou gavest thy Apostles Peace for the best Present thou couldst make them on Earth; Thou didst leave them Peace for a Legacy, when thou wentest hence, and they shall receive from Thee everlasting Peace for their felicity in Heaven.

At thy Birth, the Angels were Heralds, who proclaimed a General Peace; And what did thy bitter Death bring, but the sweetest pacifi­cation? As the first Words at thy Resurrection were of Peace.

But Gracious God, if thou deliverest me not from that Ishmaelite, (who pursues me with deadly hatred) and from his Children, who fol­low him in Flatteries and Accusations: I see, alass! the Repose of my Soul is so much broken by their Assaults, and its own Impotencies, as that it may despair of Safety. Because, without Divine Assistance, no body can resist the Witckcraft of those Tongues, that are the Fire-brands of the Devil, and by his instigation, like the Fool in the Proverbs, throw about Fire and darts, and (as if in jeast) work nothing but mischief and deceit.

The second Step upon the second PSALM of Degrees, being the 121 PSALM.

O My Soul! What dost thou look at? What dost thou look for? What dost thou look after? Whence spring the Hopes which yield some ease to the Troubles and Evils of thy Condition? Who is he that can deliver thee from the Ar­rests of Justice? Where wilt thou be secured from the Thunder of Divine Vengeance? See round about thee, nay within thee there are Ten thousand Witnesses (who are accusers also) of the Exorbi­tances of thy Passion. Observe both by the late and sad Chastise­ments of others (not so bad as thy self) how ready the abused Pa­tience of the Almighty is to change it self into Fury at thy continued provocations. Is not thy Conscience gnawing thee like a Vulture? and ready to fly in thy very Face to reprehend the vanity of thy de­sires, the extravagance of thy Appetite, the blindness of thy Affection, and the infidelity of thy Opinions? Therefore gape no longer after the Tantalizing fruit of Sodom; stare not at the Tinsell Glories of this World; but lift up thy Spiritual Eyes in Love, and Prayer, and Contemplation, to the Rock of Ages, to the utmost bounds of the everlasting Hills, to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, those Moun­tains of perfection who inclose within the bowels of their Love all the Treasures of Wisdom and Holiness, and the only means of our Salvation.

Look up unto the top of this Pisgah and see all that blessed Land; see from this Summit how those lower Heights who never feel the showers of our Sorrows, nor fear the clouding of their Heads in Dark­ness, I mean the Beatified Saints and Angels (who have such glori­ous Elevations through the Magnetick force of God's goodness upon theirs) that like the Hill of the Lord they are venerably to be re­garded, and though thy weak sight can reach no higher than these Hills, O learn from these thy Fellow-creatures the vast distance of thine own unworthiness! when but compared even to them in whom thou hast found Folly, and be confounded with Shame at thy [Page 6]far grosser failings, so shalt thou learn to turn off the Thorns of the Flesh, to turn out the Love of the World, and to turn away the Messengers of Satan.

Thou shalt learn the right Methods of a sincere and incorrupt Life, thou shalt learn to behold, and beholding admire that Hight of Glo­ry that is above, and admiring thou shalt learn to get up to that in­numerable Company of Saints and Angels already gone to an eter­nal Passover before the Lord in his Holiest Sion, and thou shalt not only have the Ministry of Angels but the help and protection of that great Angel of the Covenant the Holy Jesus, to guid thee up safely unto those who are gone before.

But since, O most gracious God! the Aids which thy Creatures af­ford are but instrumental and Ministerial, without force or advantage, but by thy Will and Permission.

I therefore look from them unto Thee directly, having recourse to thy Pity only, and imploring thy Assistance.

Thou art my Creator, my Redeemer, my Comforter; my God and my Rock, if thou shouldst reject my Supplications, to which of the Saints should I turn to offer them up?

If Thou shouldst deny a Remedy for my weak Condition, from what Angel? or from what Bethesda could I hope for succor?

If Thou, who art the Fountain of goodness, shouldst deny me to drink freely of the Waters of Life (for the restitution and repair of my Spiritual health) from what peculiar Stream or Cistern could one become so Loathsom and despicable, by reason of Infirmities, as I am, from whom, I say, could such a one as I expect a draught, nay so little as a drop of Comfort?

'Tis true Lord! my yielding to the guidance of a blind Leader hath subjected the liberty of my Will to the Tyranny of my Senses, and These adoring some weak and brittle reflexion of thy Loveliness, (in the fadeing beauty of some dying Objects) have made Earth my Hea­ven, and so ingaged me amongst worldly enjoyments, as to give me neither List nor Leisure to regard the delights above; but a Cloud of terrene satisfactions (which will soon vanish as a Mist) have taken my Jesus, my true Joy, out of my sight: and I must confess, I have been less willing to look on the feasting and refreshing Vessels of Heavenly Joys, than God hath been to prepare a Table, and to let down a Banquet for my Soul.

O! how have I scornfully passed by, and turned my head away from the good Samaritan? When my Saviour hath bowed down his Head, even unto my Ear, and called upon me thus,

‘Is it nothing unto thee, O thou that passest by? Is it nothing that I have unbarred Heaven Gates for thee, and broken down the Gates of Hell? Behold and see quite through my Body, how the way to Paradise lies open to you: and since there are so many passages made thither for Sinners through my Wounds and Heart, why will you not believe that I am the Way.’

O my dear God! I cannot excuse either my neglects or infidelity; but I know our grievous offences do Crown the glorious Actings of thy goodness, and the innumerable Train of those who are conque­red by thy clemencies do make such splendid Triumphs in Heaven as thou most delightest in.

The wondrous Frame and machine of the Heavens, the spacious Theatre of the Earth, with all the movements and spectators round about them, is the great Ball thou givest unto rational considerations, and was the work of thy Hands alone.

Nothing it self was matter enough for thy Omnipotency, from whence to build up the mighty Fabrick of the Universe. So that by the same power thou didst Create, thou mayst also Relieve and Redeem me from the Miseries wherein I am plunged by my Sins.

Without thy most Divine Assistance all my good intentions flagg and vary from the strict observance of thy Commands. My Nature habituated and grown old in Evil, wanting thy help on every side, finds the Precipices of its endless Ruin. Thou only O my God! mayst withold my falling, uphold my weak endeavours, and raise me out of the Gulphs of my Condition which is sinking down to the lowermost Hell.

Under the safeguard of thy friendly Aspect mine Eyes fear not the blinding of themselves on Sublunary Glories, my Tongue dares not Profane it self with the vain discourse of this loose Age, my Feet will not follow the motions of the Flesh, my Hands will find them­selves obliged to pious Actions, and my Ears will not admit of o­ther sounds than such as Eccho forth thy greatness and thy Glories.

'Tis so indeed, most dear Redeemer! that under the Banner of thy Love I fear not the Forces of those Enemies both to thy Cross and to my Crowning, I am sure the Captain of my Salvation will put to flight whole Armies of those aliens of vain and intemperate af­fections who would Lord it over thine Inheritance, O Lord! and thou wilt heal my backslidings so, as that Sin shall not be finished to bring forth Death eternal.

Comfort thy self then O my Soul! that the care of God in pre­serving of men is so great as not to let him seem to slumber when thou hast occasion of thy Shepheards Staff; nor will he prove such a stupid Patron as Baal did, 1 Kings 18.27, 28. when intreated by his Votaries.

But if thy greater provocations hinder not his pity, this will ever be at hand to support, to supply thy deficiency; and we have no rea­son to doubt or deny the effects of his Vigilance who with such un­wearied and constant attendance makes the Angels wait upon our Motions.

Nay, although we leave, and tire God by our Sins; yet for all our wilfull Defections and Errors God hath never yet left or aban­doned us.

This great Eye of the Universe is never closed, never blinded by our juglings, never imposed upon by appearances, never heavy with Sleep; he decks the Glories of his goodness with the particular kind­ness which he hath for the Sons of Men.

If then the Majesty of the most High not only by the Actings of his bounty, but by the Ministry of his Angels thus guards and governs, aids and accompanies frail Humanity; how comes it to pass O my Soul! that thy Affections run from such Fellowship, from such De­fence to expose themselves to the Shadows of Vanity, or the dangers of Sensuality?

Why dost thou venture thy self so alone like Hagar in a barren Wilderness far from Heaven, from Angels, and from God, to seek [Page 8]for Earthly satisfactions, or to let a servile corrupt Wilfulness do­mineer over the?

O resist stoutly the assaults of the common Enemy, who (if it were possible) would allay the scorching of his own flames by throwing thee and other Souls into them. Therefore quench the violence of those Tendencies that sink thy Soul down from Heaven. Master the power of such Affections, as despoiling thee of thy most noble part would cloath thee with the filthy Raggs of Sin: and then fear not Soul! for God is with thee.

Indeed Lord, if my frailties did not rob me of the favour, thou shouldst be my Master, teaching me the things which belong unto my peace, Thou shouldst be my Guide, not only unto but through Paradice. Thou shouldst be my safe Conuoy to defeat the Enemy of his rejoicing at my falls. Thou also shouldst be my keeper to detourne me from the Snares which are daily spread for me by the pleasures of Sense: and I am weak (as Hezekiah once said) Lord do thou undertake for me. Take upon thee my Guardianship and thou shalt see how valiantly I will resist all the Temptations of the Devil. If thy most powerful Arm dost shield my tender Heart, O Lord! what Power, though ever so insolent, dares shoot an Arrow or throw a Dart against it? If thy Right-hand be my Support, what Force can over-turn me? Heaven hath no Thunder, Earth hath never a Mouth, nor Hell it self an Abysse for such as sit under the shadow of the Almighty. When the great God sets his Hand to the Charter of our Protection, or to the securing of our safety, what alteration can all the changes of the World make on us? None, not any, Non si ruat Orbis: We cannot wander as e'rewhile from his mind, nor so grossly transgess his Precepts.

Rejoice then O my Soul! that God hath undertook thy defence by all his Divine care and industry, and hath made his Son a Ho­stage for our security, while he continually holds thee up by the out­stretched Arm of his Favour.

O most Glorious God! it is thou alone that rulest all the Motions, the Ragings, the Madness of the World, and its Elements. Thou sittest above the Heavens, (saith the Psalmist) thou presidest over all thy Works by thy Power and Mercy, so that thou canst allay the force of every Influence in such an Almighty sort as that the Sun shall have no feavourish Darts, nor the Moon any malignant Aspects to cast on those who are shielded by thy Protection.

The Fire in its own quality is so violent and greedy, as never to say it hath enough, but after it hath devoured all in its way is ready to feed (like Envy) on it self; how is it by the Heavenly Provi­dence tempered in its unbridled Nature, and restrained from doing Mischief, as held in from destroying both it self and others?

What shall I then say of those Flames of sensuality, those Fits of Intemperance, those Epilepsies of Lasciviousness, those Rapes and Vi­olences committed upon (and much against) our own Constitutions, which without a singular effect of Divine Clemency would soon tor­ment and consume our Nature.

And who is there but some time or other plays the Curtius, and desperately throws himself into the Gulph of Danger, rather than he will offer to turn the Stream of Pravity, which carries away our [Page 9]Affections so much the more precipitously and mischievously, as we allow, it Natural and Born [...] us. What force then O Lord! with­out thy Sovereign help can bear the Shock of Ambition, or bridle the fury of Passions, or resist the Assaults of Lust? Thou alone, most Gracious God! mayest enlighten the blindness of my Mind, enable the weakness of my Heart, and invigorate the desperate estate of my Soul.

He that thinks to go out by himself in his own strength alone a­gainst the Uncircumcised Enemies of our Peace, he knows not what he hath about him; how unprovided he is of Armour, and of Force to encounter such Giants as may defeat him even by the falseness of his own Nature. Man of himself being now so entangled, (in his own Land as it were) so hampered by his depraved and carnal Sense, as that his very presuming to fight his Adversary with his own sor­ry Weapons, is the shewing but of his Pride and Weakness, (the faults charged on David, and the Sins of Goliah) the defying of the Most High, and the disgracing the Armies of the Living God.

My safety therefore shall depend onely upon Gods defence, whose continual Guard and seasonable Reliefs, free me from the injurious Ac­cidents happening in the Day or in the Night. So that all my time and life finds it self exempt, or secured from such continual Perils as are encountered in an Age so full of Sin and Violence, and there­fore so full of Miseries as this Present is.

O how doest thou disarm the furiousness of my Enemies, and of the whole Creation, Dearest Lord? How dost thou stop the Mouths of the fiercest Monsters? (which are opened against Mankind since the Fall.) It is thou who dost blunt the Cruelties of Thieves and Ty­rants, and calmest the most violent Stormes, and humblest the most Lofty Pride. All Misfortunes, all Disasters, all Calamities are over­come by thy Power, and made beneficial to us by thy Providence.

Continue therefore thy Favours towards my poor Soul, which op­pressed by the weight of its Earthly-mindedness sinks down into the Pit without the support of thy Love. O [...]rcover it as thou didst Hezekiah's, and see how the Devil (that is ever imploying his usual Malice) is allways in Ambush, or in open War against her. With the Complacencies of the Appetite he Charmes her, with the Heats of Ambition he Chafes her, with the Pleasures of Sense he Diverts, with the Snares of Beauty he Entraps, and with the Glories of the World he quite dazles me, frail Mortal, so that being near lost and carried away by his cunning Devises (of which I would not be longer ignorant, O Lord!) I struggle with the utmost effort to break away from the specious promises and puissance of my Adversary, that my Mind may not be debauched by the fair shews of the Flesh, nor my Soul enslaved to the unreasonable passions of the Body: But that she may fly to thy Aid, imploring thy Succor, and sheltering me under the Wings of thy Protection.

Surely, dear Lord! I have not tired out thy Pity, for all the Ma­ladies of my Heart do want a continual Medicine; and un-interrupted applications of a Divine Hand; grant therefore O my God! through thine immediate Care and infinite Commiseration the whole course of my Life may be so directed as that I may observe thy Commands, and the end of my Designes may be wholly thy Glory; the Scope of my Desires, thy Service, and thy Love, the Center of my Affections.

May the bright Emanations of thy Grace so shine upon my doings, as they having their beginning and end under thy Favour, nothing may draw me from thy Laws, or from my hopes of Happiness.

In a special manner do I begg thy Help O dear Redeemer! in that hour when the Man being attacqued with the Horrours of Death, grows faint and weary (like Thirsting Sampson) and is in danger of quitting the Field to his greatest Foes and most dangerous Assailants. In that blackest hour (which is the Power of Darkness) oh let me have thy clearest Guidance! O let me have that supernatural As­sistance which the most dreadful Conflicts do require.

And now chear up my Soul with the assurance that thou hast re­commended thy self unto a faithful Creator, who will keep thee to the uttermost, and defend thy proceedings. He will not suffer thee to loose the excellency of thy first being, nor to be always blurred with the Sordidness of Earth. He can Seal up all thy Faculties in the Contemplation of his Greatness, and having blessed the Periods of thy Life here, will promote thee to Glory in the Ages of Eter­nity. AMEN.

The third Step upon the Third PSALM of Degrees, being the 122 PSALM.

O My God! what greater Consolation can a Soul receive here than to be fed with the Hopes of enjoying thy Divine presence hereafter? The Mirth of this World is so mixed, so dashed with Vanity or Repentance, that 'tis no wayes comparable to what Eternal Beatitude can promise. Honours and Earthly Grandeurs are overloaded with the burthen of observances, dissimulations and business, Worldly Riches are accompanyed with Labour, Snares, and Vexatious Contests. The delights of sence are va­nished almost before injoyed, and of them nothing remains afterward but dissatisfaction. All the goods of Nature or of Fortune are very fraile and momentary proving their felicities but vain and phantastick.

But the injoyment of the Light of Gods Countenance, the introducti­on into the privy Chambers of Heaven which are hanged with Eter­nity, and furnished with all real good is so great a favour, so inestimable a Jewel, so unparalell'd an advantage, as that the Soul it self cannot comprehend much less the tongue express it.

How am I then arrived? O dear Redeemer! to a blessed pitch of Confidence by considering though I find my self a very unworthy Sinner yet I may come (as I am call'd) into the Land of the living, into the Kingdom of Heaven, and when this Earthly Tabernacle shall be dissol­ved, [Page 11]I shall have a Throne, a Seat, a Building not made with hands, Eternal in the Heavens.

What greater happiness? O my God! can a Soul promise it self, then by seconding thy divine Commands, be secure of inheriting such a Throne, such a Seat, such a Kingdom in the portion of the blessed? and in the presence of Saints and Angels Communicate of thy own Great­ness, and of thy Glory? What delights can equal those of the Celestial Paradise? Speak no more of an Earthly one, for what satisfactions may keep pace with the Vision of my God? ( Adam himself could but view his works in the Universe.) But,

O thou great Ineffable, Incomprehensible, Transcendent! Wilt thou ever become the Object of those Eyes that have been prophaned by Worldly Spectacles? In thy presence is Life, full Content, and endless Joys, and these I shall as fully possess, (being instated by thy Favour) as Angels or other perfect Spirits have them, so my desires shall be still feasted with the Contemplation of thy Goodness, and my affections shall triumph in their eternal injoyments and the insatiable Nature of my Soul and sence will find enough to entertain and quiet them in the infinite Treasure of thy Love and Wisdom.

But because he deserves no admission into the Clossets of the Righte­ous who hath made his abode amongst the Carnalities of the World and inslaved his reason to the service of sin. ‘I pray thee most graci­ous God, to stay the feet of my longings from going up too hastily, too rashly: Hold my thoughts yet longer upon the Reflection of my own demerits, and then afterward fix them on the sole contemplation of Heavenly things, so I shall better find the Obligation I have to serve thee with pure intentions, and suitable operations and not continue still only fit to be shut out of the new Jerusalem that is above.’

That Jerusalem I mean whose walls are built up of several orders of Vertues, whose stately Pallaces are reared by the Law of Moses, the Revelations of the Prophets, and the labours of the Apostles, the sufferings and Patience of Saints, and the power of the Gospel, wherein the glorious Majesty of Christ Resides, and the best Apart­ments are set off with Love and Charity, and the Angels are the bright Courtiers; Thrones, Dominions and Powers, chief Officers, Arch-Angels the Guards, and the blest inhabitants are the just made perfect.

What then should a man do? or rather what should he not do or suffer, to get to this Jerusalem above? O my Soul! thou must know that Heaven is a free and General native Countrey, that is arrived at not by nobleness of Birth, nor by the pride of Life or living, not by the glories of Ancestors, nor by the Wealth nor Honours of the Earth, but by the Holines [...]acts of our desires, the sincerity of the Heart, the temperance of the Tongue, and the Righteousness of our Actions.

Here then my Soul fix all thy Complacencies; thou hast already cloy'd thy apetite on the momentary pleasures of a short Life, and thou findest how brief they are in the fruition, how bitter in the recanta­tion of them.

Get up therefore, get up to this new Jerusalem which the pity and good­ness of my God doth promise thee, while by his infinite Mercies he lets thee tast the fruit of his planting, the wonderful Conjunctions of Faith and eternal Glories, and will let thee partake of the chief good (that com­mon portion of such as are found worthy to be called the children of God.)

Hast thou no reason then, O Soul! to give thy self up absolutely to the goodness of my God? what should hinder or impeach thy sub­mission? is not this due to the merits of his goodness and to the de­merits of thy former Operations? Yea surely by so much the more art thou oblig'd to his service, by how much the more his bounties have been extended towards thee. Therefore after all this his payment of thy debt of transgressions, I find thee bound more fast to thy debt of Duty, to fear Gods Power, to adore his Majesty, to be humbled for my Pride, and ashamed of my follies.

Heaven is no place thou knowest for the unclean, there are none but Innocents or Penitents, such as have needed no Repentance or else have used it.

O thou most gracious Monarch of the World! whosoever pretends to aproach thy Throne, to partake of thy Glories, or to enter into thy garden of Life: He must of necessity be installed with the Vesture of thy Grace and be stript of all Earthly compliances which so intangle men amongst the snares of Offences or the miseries of this Life.

All they who to this time have stay'd in the Presence-chamber of the Heav'n of Heavens, have been signalized with the special characters of thy Love (without which all our indeavours are alike Blind and fruit­less,) they alone have gained that place and honour, by the sincerity of their Consciences, by the purity of their Lives, by the cleanness of their hands in thy sight O Lord, as saith the Psalmist.

Let this be owned by (those Children of Israel, those chosen people and that Royal Priesthood of Thine,) who being advanced to an heavenly height by the steps of their Vertues, have made thy greatness (conjoyn'd with thy goodness) to be Ecchoed through the Universe, to the shame and confusion of others more oblig'd who not­withstanding they be inriched by millions of Benefits yet know not how to respect the Donor, acknowledg the Gift, or sanctifie thy Holy name therewithall.

Lord I am sensible of the backwardness of my Heart to any grate­fulness, it is conscious of it's own Guilt, and would not go no farther till it hath confest, how the observation of thy Commands hath been the least of its care, and thy Love, (which ought to have been the first desire of my Heart) hath by my ignorance been so neglected, as that the fading sparks of a beautiful look have more easily inflamed it then thy presence.

As many Objects as have been offered to my sense, became so many Idols, to the which my passions were devoted.

Thy divinest Name hath been cast out of my Mouth in a Thousand vain asseverations, and these have been uttered to no other end, then to give Credence to the vanity of my intentions, or the falsehood of my Speeches. How then, can these Eyes, these Ears, these Hands, these words of mine, plead themselves guiltless of any Crime? since they have or would have offended in all, and this conviction of my own guilt, frights me with the thoughts of thy comeing with thy Holy ones to judge the World, lest I be then found in the number of such profane wretches as shall be shut forth of thy Caelestial Mansions.

I therefore dread that last and great Assizes of thy Saints, most glorious God I fear that general Summons, and the Assembly of thy first born, least when that Bench sits upon the examination of my [Page 13]Actions and Omissions, how I have neglected the directions of their Doctrine, and not imitated the goodness of their Manners, nor traced the footsteps of their Charity, nor admired the proofs of their Patience: ‘I being so vile a sinner, (such reprobate silver) may be rejected, for if I am apprehended without the wedding garment of Christs righteous­ness; I have nothing to say for my self, no plea to make, saving the inexpressible desire of my poor Soul, not to be excluded with Doggs, but to enter into the Holyest City the new Jerusalem.’

I confess good Lord, that I have neither worth nor will, to follow the conducts of thy grace, nor to arrive at thy Favour: all the courses of my Life have been great aggravations of my guiltiness, for I have slighted thy Omnipotency, by prideing my self in thy extraordinary gifts. The very sight and heat of the Sun have appeared, not the Loanes of thy peculiar bounty but things made on purpose for my con­venience.

The return and pleasure of each season, hath been reckon'd the unavoidable actings of sublunary Creatures. Thunder, Lightning, and storms of Hail, were too often counted the necessary effects of second causes. Thus Brutish have I been, thus blind and yet I knew full well there would not be a Breath of Air, nor so much as a lease wag un­less it were by thy appointment, that makes every Creature live and move and have a Being.

Yet alass, for all I can so speciously declare this, I must confess also that many a time when my tongue undertook to disclose thy Name, with the due Attributes of thy greatness; my wild heart hath then witheld its assent, and been ready to give the lye to my speech.

Since therefore all that I can say of my self speaks me very guilty be­fore thee O Lord, I Plead, not any Merits but those of my Saviours Passions, not any goodness but that of thy Divine Nature; afford me these, through thy Grace, and then I shall have that peace (which is an inseparable accident to it) I shall have such a Magazine of blessing as may render my Soul like a strong fortress, well provided against the assaults of the World, and the snares of the Devil.

Gratious Lord! I have often begg'd the favour of thy mercy to draw me out of that wretched state of my prevarications, and from the slavery of Concupisence, and from the Tyranny of evil habits, I know how weak, how blind, how false or infirme, our own Nature finds it self at the best, and therefore he that supposeth (without the assistance of thy goodness, without the armour of thy Grace, with­out the incouragement of thy Love,) either to quell the impetuous­ness of his Lusts, or to get up to the holy Hill, destroying like a Jo­nathan all his enemies in his way, such a one must surely be more then a Man, or mistakes himself grosly; for he should know 'tis only from the excess of thy pitty, that a sinner is turned from the evil of his way.

The prodigal soul that hath long strayed, can never make up its losses nor mend its condition, unless it be by the inexhausted treasures of thy Grace.

Help me therefore, and redeem me from the power of Satan unto God, that being intrusted with thy Talents I may shew forth to all thy manifold goodness, and tender Bowels of Compassions so that sinners (many with my self) may be farther converted un­to Thee, and by my example inflamed with thy Love, renounce [Page 14]Earthly Toyes and pay thy Clemency the due Tribute of penitential Tears.

And from whence dear God! art yet more glorified then by for­giving us poor sinners? Thy mercies are likewise a guide for ours, since all the Acts of thy goodness and kindness, may in some degree be imitated by man. He was formed after thy Image, and the more just and holy he is, the more doth he approach unto Thee. That Prince who best resembles God on Earth, must own his power to re­ward or to punish from thy special grant O Jesu.

The Martyrs have essayed to copy out thy patience, the Virgins thy purity, Confessors thy truth, and Hermits thy Innocence. ‘But alass! How far short are they of the Original? They have repre­sented thy image as St. Paul speaks but as in a glass very darkly, and deficiently. For as the Heavens are higher then the Earth so far more excellent are thy operations and affections then ours,’

‘The proofes of thy goodness are infintly Transcendent and inex­pressible, rather to be admired then exemplifyed, and did not all the Prerogatives of Heaven and Earth, concur to set forth thy greatness and to speak thee the Lord of Hosts: Yet thy goodness alone would describe thee most admirably according as thou declaredst thy self un­to Moses, the Lord, the Lord merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in truth and goodness.’

Therefore extend these glorious attributes towards my relief, and ad­vance thy lovely Titles, by the forgiveness of my sins, I have no far­ther cause to urge, but that by how much the more unworthy my Soul is of pardon, by so much the more will thy pity be ador'd in the pardo­ning of me.

The fourth Step on the fourth PSALM of Degrees, being the 123 PSALM.

COme Lord! O come and and help my sinking Soul, that being sear'd with many troublesom Illusions, will let me fall (I doubt) into the dark of sin, I have experienced to my cost how much the ill propensities of my Nature corrupt my sentiments, and habituating me to the relish of tentation, almost per­swade me 'tis impossible to resist.

I live indeed with my self, far from my self, at such a distance from a good mind, as to be without the neighbourhood or acquaintance of my own bad one.

Self love deludes me with false reflexes and gives to vice it self the surname of Vertue, it makes me a self-deceiver and a gross flatterer of my own opinions, so that I am apt to spare and connive at my self [Page 15]in the midst of my greatest delinquencies; but not to entertain my self any longer among the miseries I contract, nor to cast away my life too blindly amongst errors. I lift up the Eyes of my Soul to the light of thy divine Presence, and with a steady Faith, a lively Hope, a most ardent Love, a fixed Contemplation, a strong Patience, and a sincere Indeavour, I implore thy Assistance, and intreat thy Mercy.

My sight hath lost its ability in regarding worldly Objects, and I would not injoy any other Visive faculty, but that which thy wonderful grace may afford me, let him aim and look at dirt, who full of earthly designs waits for all his comforts here below, I who for my part store my chiefest Treasure of bliss and solace in a Heav'n above, turn all my thoughts and my affections towards thee, who art my only Lord and Master; I have ventured again to lift up these two doores of mine eyes, these humble gates of vision, even to the lofty Throne of thy Majesty, and my desires have made bold to enter like Esther unto Ar­taxerxes, even into the Cabinet of thy graces and glories; unto the bosome of thy Love Christ Jesus, and they have found admittance hi­therto by the confidence thy goodness, and pity doth afford Them in a Saviour.

I acknowledg my self like an humble slave that waits for pardon of his faults, Relief of his necessities, protection from injuries, freedom from his chains, deliverance from further persecutions, in a word I expect through thee my dear Redeemer Jesus whatsoever may advan­tage my outward man, or felicitate my inward. I am not for retire­ing any farther from thy presence like a guilty Cain, since it is by the light of thy countenance, by the favour of thy grace, that I would chase away the thick clouds of my sins, and never more loose the light of thee, my Father which art in Heaven, &c.

‘Thou art the Chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof, the put­ting thee far away from us is the foolish and desperate attempt of loosing God, of loosing his favour indeed as Jonas once did to meet with what is monstrously Horrid, but not of getting out of thy sight (as that Prophet did experiment) for though we goe down into Hell: There art Thou also and thine eye can reach us.’

Therefore will I keep mine eye fixed on thee: O thou Father and fountain of Lights! and will fear to fall under any such eclipses as thy displeasure, or my transgressions may bring upon me. I was once so hoodwinckt by the pleasures of sin, as to be led about fondly by the false glitterings of the World, I have been dazled by a frail Womans beauty so as to think there hath been no Heaven like a kind look from her, nor have I look'd at any other happiness, then hath shone from from her eyes, which were two wandering stars alass, which in a little space of time must set without hopes of shineing out again.

My blind ambition carried me no farther then mortals praises and my designs smelt of the ground from whence they sprang, my passions grew not feebler while my person did but waxed more robust as I grew older, and when I became nearer to my end (and had less need of worldly entertainments such as wealth and honour,) then I became more greedy after them.

How base is that mental Idolatry inslaves us to the worship of that which hath it self no more value then is given by the opinion of some foolish adorers? and as the femal graces of shape or complexion come [Page 16]as it were by accident, so these are subject to ten Thousand casualties from them, neither gave these to themselves, nor can keep them, (unless by great deceipt and Colour.) I now see what phantasmes all those honours are, which are sought with great pain, possess'd with fear, and lost again with torment.

Therefore dearest God! I am returning to thee and leaving worldly pomps and passions, to thee alone address my prayers, my desires and my vows. I will be like those Domesticks, who serve faithfully and and seek Diligently to please their Lord, by minding his business, and his beck, that they may please and profit him to the utmost.

I will attend with longing eyes for thy favour and pardon, and look to thy mercy seat, while I cast not a glance upon the glories of the world (as I have done, Psalm 19. that Basilisk shall no more inven [...]ome my life by its regards, but shall be trampled under the feet of my contri­tion; luxury, and vain glory, shall be trod down into the dust as low as Humility can lay them or me; and the richest intrals of both Indies shall have no treasures big enough to bribe my desires from the service of thy Heavenly Majesty.

Have mercy then, O gracious Lord! have mercy on thy poor in­debted steward, and deliver me from the evil of this defect and trans­gression, both from sin and suffering by grace and glory.

If thou dost not by the transcendencies of thy power and goodness, free me from the miseries of my guilt, and restore me to some degree of pardon (which is Innocence in thy sight) where can I firm my hopes, from whom can I expect Salvation?

I was form'd according to thy Image, imbellished with thy resem­blance in a superfluity of spiritual and temporal indowments, and yet I could not for all this preserve my selfe in a state of purity or safety: So that without the renew'd favours of thy goodness, I might expect no­thing but thunders and lightnings from the Throne, and flashes from the lake that burns for ever. Without thy Assistance O my God! I am affraid of thy foregoing promises, that I shall not be able to keep my word with thee, nor keep my heart from worldly lusts, for in­deed I have sound my spirit running out of it self too often, into the Arms of sin and mischief; frail humane nature being utterly dis­abled from maintaining thy favour, without thy overruleing grace.

I am not a little sensible of the impotent commotions of my Soul, and the frequent domineering of my passions, sometimes Ambition drives me after the seeking a trouble (which our ignorance calls a Title) of Honour. Somtimes I am wrackt with suspicion of disgrace, or I hunt after reputation by any means but by godliness. Now I am affraid of dying, or of leaving that to the earth which was borrowed of her for me: anon I am vex'd in the possession or acquest of Riches which some call felicities, others find to be torments, and then complain of any slight mischance as if these happened without thy providence, or were not produced by my demerits.

Thus my state doth sufficiently experience, each excess of humane wretchedness by the agitation of my faculties to my disturbance or danger, nor without thy help and mercy, Lord can I find how to get out of this wretched condition, nor how to keep my self well if I were out.

My weak shoulders stoop under the weight of thy commands as if [Page 17]these were like my sins too heavy for me to bear; and my corrupti­ons exhale matter continually to cross my resolutions, of not offend­ing thee.

Stay therefore O Lord, and take the sword of thy Spirit, and stop the way for me. Stetch forth thy hand above the fury of mine ad­versaries, and shield me with thine arm against them.

Let not the fiery darts of my Concupiscenses divert or prevent thy bounties or turn thy patience into displeasure. For (as I have said before) I must again acknowledg, that (without thy continual aid) I shall become a prey to their force and malice who (to the disparage­ment of thy power) would in spight of it subdue and inslave me.

The Fifth Step on the Fifth PSALM of Degrees, being the 124 PSALM.

IF in defence of my known weakness, thy power O God! were not provided with a like infinity of commiseration; and if this did not seasonably come in to my relief, how should I Stem the tide of Passions which dangerously swells up my breast? what would become of me in such a deluge as they would throw upon me? Ah! let the purest Soul confess, and the choisest Spirits acknowledg together with the Elect and confirmed Angels: that if the Holyness of a Saviour had not shelter'd theirs; if Jesus had not bid the Waves and Winds be quiet and obey him; who of them all might not have sunk down and perished in the stormy Lake? Had not Christ halcyon'd the proud storms of our Passions, had he not quel'd the miseries of this life, who could have born them? who amongst us could have rid safe through such tempests? or have held out against such attacks as the sin beleaguer'd Soul incounters? None could have promised ease or a sanctuary to our vex'd minds, none could have reach'd to the serenities of Heaven.

Our strength is weakness (say the Scriptures) if not strengthn'd by divine supplies. The Mettal, or condition of our humanity is too brittle to be trusted, if not back'd by the author of our Salvation.

Keep therefore with my heart continually O God! that the Image of thy Son may not fall in darkness or in the shadow of death, nor that soul be lost for which he took to himself a body.

If I have not thine ayd O Lord! I cannot get out of the dungeon of my sins, nor avoyd the stings of that infernal scorpion, but thou without looking on the demerit of my crimes, and the transgressions of my past life, wilt I hope assist and deliver me from the perills both of soul and body, wherewith I may be surrounded.

I am ready to cry out who is sufficient for these things? How can I resist the attempts of the flesh, the allurements of the world, or the assaults of our cunning adversary the devil? I am intangled as the unhappy Laocoon is said to be. Aenoid. lib. 2.

When three such poysonous serpents, crawling out of the earth are twisted against me: They make sure of my ruine; and how can I break the knots of such a triple League? since the beauty but of one face (adorned with several charms) had almost got the command of my heart? and the solace of idleness, the sweets of riches, the sa­vour of vain glory many times captive my affections ere I am aware of them, what may not the cunning therefore of the Father of these falshoods impose upon me, since he differs not in power from the best of the Angels, but in the manner of his operations, if not restrain­ed by thine immediate hand?

When such dangerous enemies had attacqued my inconsideratness, and batter'd my cowardice, I having but little or no constancy nor integrity, I had certainly become the prey of their malice, and they must needs have left me in the very jaws of death and damnation.

Away then from me all ye instruments of sin and mischief above named, goe ye buisy seducers of the best mens ways, ‘Ye with your jugglings dazle the eyes of the Soul, that like a Sodomite it should not find the Dore of Life,’ the way to get into the City of the Lamb, ye so varnish over the Copy of Falshood, as it proves a hard matter to discern her from the Original of truth; and our Consciences are hurt (not purg'd) by your sugaring over the draught of Sin.

Nevertheless, O merciful God! let that invincible power by which Lucifer was tumbled down from Heaven, and Hell it self led Captive, free me from these Hunters after my Life, these noisom Pestilences to my Health, these tyrannick Nimrods against my Liberty; if their malice be once turned into fury what shall I do? for if thou hadst not been my Refuge and Fortress I had fallen through that baseness of Mind which is incident to the Sinner, who doubts of finding any Friend in his own Heart, or any Evidence in his Conscience, but what will be against himself. If thou hadst not by thy unspeakable bounty afforded me some patience and perseverance to disentangle me from many wicked devices, perhaps the Waves of my Afflictions and Tri­alls would have swallowed up all the Faculties of my Soul, and made my Heart a Cage of unclean Birds, a Vessel full of nothing but what was foul and bestial.

But by thy aid I must acknowledge it is that I have given place to Charity and Forgiveness (without regarding the nice punctilioes of the blinded World) then when Egg'd on by the desire of Revenge, (which is the keenest Goad in the sides of Flesh and Blood) I strove to set up my self far above my self even in thy Throne of Venge­ance. But,

For all I might have once too vainly thought to secure the best share of thy favour, when I made a Covenant with my Eyes (which are as Tinder to the Fire of Amorous passions) not to stoop at any Femal Object: and when I farther attempted to set up the Government of Reason over all the mutinies of my sense, and so to get a Triumphal-Wreath by the passing safely through those dangers [Page 19]which threatned to overwhelm my Soul. O Lord! I find now that I Designed too much; Doing so little and Considering less; that without thy gracious and continual Assistance, without the extrea­mest Acts of thy bounty my utmost endeavours had been but Flourishes in the Aire, and Paeans before a Victory. ‘They might have allarmed my Adversary, awaked his greater force and policies. But the e­scaping his malicious devices would have been without the com­pass of my Power and Arms.’

‘When I perceived this, I could discover also that it was thy good will I should gain a Conquest, and though my strength was but weakness, yet that this my weakness should not be wrought upon too far by all the force and cunning of my Adversaries.’

Therefore gracious Lord! I pray, that thy Goodness may have its due praise, that thy Mercy be greatly blessed, and thy Greatness glo­rified; since thou hast not suffered my visible or invisible Foes to triumph over me, but thou hast delivered me (like Daniel from the jaws of those Abaddons) who would have torn and miserably destroyed, even my better part, my Soul.

O that I could immortalize my Voice to resound thy Name more Gloriously! O that all my Words might become Spirits, and that I could devote them all to the service of my God, as a small acknow­ledgment of the grace received from thee!

However I fall short I will endeavour to speak my self not insen­sible though unworthy of thy Favours. I will try if my Arms (who have hitherto served as Chains to embrace the Debauches of the World) may be turned into Columns erected unto Heaven in Thanksgiving and supplications for thy help. I will try if my Mouth (which hath been the Gate of Dishonesty) may become a Theatre echoing forth thy Praise, as in thy holy Temple. I will strive to fit up my Heart into a Lamp for thine Altar, where it should be still flaming with a Zeal for thy Glory.

It hath been a Vessel foully savouring of the smutty affections of Earth, but I hope to cleanse it from such taints, now that I may liken my Soul to a Bird, which hath broken through the Snares of the Fowler.

Thanks to thy Pity gracious Lord! I now find the Devil was not so skilfull in laying his Snares, as thy Wisdom hath been in the de­feat of his Stratagems. He like Nimrod is a mighty Hunter, ever pursuing our fearful Hearts, that he may chase them from their re­pose and shelter, and then surprize, take, and slay them. His Toils are the Pleasures of the World, his Darts are a Thousand Temptati­ons, his Hounds are profane and wicked men, and what pains doth this Enemy of mankind refuse? so that he may but compass his ends, by entangling us in wretched bondage, and enslaving us under the dominion of Sin?

He hath sometimes endeavoured to enthral me by a handsome Face, whispering it out as a Ray of thy fairest Light: and hath made use of the Gloworm Lustre in two sparkling Eyes to lead me out of thy way, into a Night of error, and when therein, now would he scare me with the severity of thy Justice, anon lull me asleep with the excess of thy Mercy; and then divert me by the evil customs of others, or charm me by my own bad Inclinations, perswading by false and carnal Reasonings.

But, dearest God how little doth the allurements of this Circaean World bewitch us? how heavily do the Goads of Sense drive us on? how soon are the jugglings of the grand Impostor manifest when our Souls are directed, defended, and instructed by thy Goodness? Let the greedy pursuers pitch their Nets and make ready their Ar­rows upon the String, all their designes and Bows shall be broken by thy commiserating care, O Lord.

If at any time the many incentives to Sin do take hold of me I trust by thy helping hand to recover my Liberty.

'Tis true my blessed Redeemer! these Eyes of mine have strangely confined their happiness within the proportions of external Beauties. Tis true my Mouth hath not ecchoed thy Glories, but proved the Temple of Sensualities, my Heart hath rebelled against thee, and sworn allegiance to the World, my Hands would not hold that puri­ty thou requirest in them, nor would my Fancy be less than my God. For my own Opinion hath Exacted my Worship, and I have not been moved at all towards Offices of Charity; & in Acts of Faith have been weak and wavering.

But yet Lord 'tis as true that the Devil all this while hath gone cunningly about me, to watch and to hedg in my ways that I might not escape his artifices; so that my failings have been occasioned less by my own naughtiness than by his, and chiefly through his cunning Traps and devices, whereby my unwary Foolishness hath been inveigled.

Now that I can find my self in some such freedom as Repentance brings along with it. I can discern the Devil's malice, and Sin's Fetters broken, my Sense being led in Triumph by my Reason. I rally all my Spiritual Forces for the service of my God, and for the Worship of that goodness which hath rendered me such a mighty Object of it.

Mine Eyes shall summon all their Visive Powers to look up unto Jesus, my Mouth shall be no longer as sounding Brass or as a crakt Trumpet, giving false allarms, but like a Seraphim's touched with the fire of thine Altar to eccho forth Thanks and holiness to the Lord. Exod. 4.25, 26. My Heart shall throw all its affections (now Circumcised) at the Feet of thy Grace, and my Hands shall be lift up continually to im­plore and to praise thy Mercies, O my God; because thou only by the Rays of thy Favour canst enlighten my Soul in such a manner as that it may drop no more into the Darkness of Sin.

All our humane Strengths are nothing worth; no more to be trusted too than the Reeds of Egypt; all our safety and refuge lies in thy Power. The welfare of my little World depends on his Arm who hath made all the other Worlds, Job 26.6, 7. and hanged the Universe upon Nothing, stretching forth the Globe over the empty place.

The sixth Step on the sixth PSALM of Degrees, being the 125 PSALM.

O Ye Sons of mortal men, Psal. 4.5. how long will ye turn your Bo­dies into weapons of Sin, your Souls into Vessels of Disho­nour, your Glory into Shame; your Shame into your Boast? in believing Vanities, and seeking after false things? On what Rock but Christ can you anchor the Hopes of your Salvation and Eternity?

Will ye trust the fading Beauties of Flesh and Blood, which are superfluous gifts of Nature, vanished in a moment, scarcely en­tertained or taken notice of before they take their leave and are gone?

Will ye confide on the Vigor and strength of youth? Know Death makes no distinction of ages, and after a short space of time both Youth and Health are dissolved into the imperfections of decrepid years.

But perhaps ye will trust (as ye doat) upon the worldly Ho­nours? but ponder a while what Weights they are; and like Phari­saïcal burthens too grievous for most good men to carry. Experience shews that too many, even of the best, by the desire or Act of Ruling others grow irregular themselves, and disordering their own thoughts and quiet thereby, distemper their felicities, if not debauch their Souls: and who so trusts in uncertain Riches is worse than a Gospel Fool. ‘Gold is but a Wasp though it look yellow, it hath Wings to fly away from us, and stings to leave behind it at its de­parture, even such stings as are like Goads, apt to push on our greedy and brutish appetites to the most sordid and sinful Acti­ons.’

But ye would have a Cordial made up of all these ingredients, that rare Catholicon called Worldly felicity, which ye think might recover and secure the Spirits from all those Qualmes and Lypothy­mies that many times seize upon them, notwithstanding all your false jollities and merry Companions. But alas what is any happiness of this lower Globe, but like it self turning about. ‘'Tis but a Scene upon this Theatre, 'tis shifted and changed often from one to ano­ther; and appears always moving and inconstant, as long as this lifes Opera is acting.’

Trust then in God, and in God alone, for if you be under his pro­tection you need fear neither the Infirmities of Life nor the Injuries of Death.

Let God be your Honour, Joy, Delight, and Treasure; in him con­sists all Happiness and Glory. Wherefore,

Blessed God, as long as I am sheltered by thy Divine Goodness, I will not fear the Tongues of this evil World, nor the Venom of that most evil One, let them joyn all the force of their Malice and per­fidiousness [Page 22]together, I will remain firm and unshaken like Mount Zion, and baffle their attempts and deride their ineffectual fury.

The good Angels are appointed by thy great care over us, to be a watchful Guard and Bulwark for our weakness, and they are cal­led Mountains of strength from the excellency of their natures and thy supporting Grace. But for all that they are not strong enough (or rather not commissioned) to keep us always from the attacks of Sin, or from the Snares of the Devil.

Doubtless those Guardian Spirits direct us to Good, and very oft do turn us from Evil.

But alas the pravity of our Nature makes it not still capable of Angel-like perswasion, we are so immersed in the satisfaction of our Lusts, and so inured to sinful compliancies, that we have neither Ear nor Heart left us to listen to the Whispers of Holy Spirits. We still want O Lord! thy Admonitions, Assistance, and Conduct; 'tis to the Glory of thy Omnipotence onely, that I owe my safety. Hence­forth I live with a chearful trust sprung from the greatness of thy Mercy, that thou wilt ever stand by my Soul in its frequent perils, and every action of my Life shall be smiled on with the favour of thy presence, and with the direction of thy Will.

For, as the Mountains give a defence and shelter round about the City of God, so God (who is the Rock of Ages, a vast Mountain of Power and Charity) will continually succor and secure his Peo­ple.

Since 'tis the peculiar effect of thy gracious Providence, O my God! to favour and defend such who (relying on thy Pity) still implore thy help, and Sanctuary themselves under thy Providence; this is al­ways ready to lend a helping hand to such as rightly ask it, and al­though sometimes the Righteous Cause is oppressed by wicked Judges, and Cruelty domineers over Goodness, and the Purple of Tyrants is double dyed in the Blood of Innocents, yet all this is done upon righteous and wise grounds.

Thereby thou hast a mind, O Lord! to try the Constancy of thy Servants, to Correct their Errors, to exercise their Patience, to brighten or refine their Graces, or else thou wouldst have them serve for excellent patterns and directions for others, that they may become thy Portion, and be fit to address themselves to thee, and then thou sufferest not their Slavery to be tedious, nor their Rod too heavy. Because they who are thus Obedient both to thy preceptive and providential Will are thy Children, Heb. 12.5, 6, 7. whom thou Chastisest as a Father, and wilt not suffer the Scourge of the Wicked to dwell long upon thine Inheritance, Psal. 80.4. especially when it earnestly begs Relief.

It would be no less contrary to that Dear Relation thou standest in to us, than to the proper goodness of thy Nature, not to re­strain the fury of the impious, didst not thou hook up Leviathan in dne time, it might be dangerous, that thy weak and infirm Di­sciples (waving thy protection) would depart from thee, and either abandon themselves to Vice (charmed by the short prosperity of evil doers) or else grow fearful of Persecution, and so put forth their hands to Iniquity, and render themselves uncapable of thy Compassion.

Therefore most Gracious Lord do not forsake them who adore the [Page 23]greatness of thy Love and Wisdom, and study to observe the Ho­lyness of thy Will and Pleasure. Heap thy bounties on their Good­ness, which hath no other end but God and Righteousness. O how blessed is the Man who by the integrity of his Affection, hath fouled neither Hand nor Tongue in the blemish or blood of his Neighbour! How blessed is he that by not obeying the usurpations of Sin, hath not made his Reason close Prisoner to his Concupiscence! He is al­so blest, who content with what he hath, would not robb nor envy the enjoyments of others. And he is blest too, that by the sincerity of his Behaviour, by the probity of his Life, by the faithfulness of his Heart, by the innocence of his Eyes, hath endeavoured to fit him­self for the High-calling whereunto he is called in Jesus Christ; and thereby gain thy favour, and work out his own Salvation.

I am assured O Lord that thou powerest forth the Treasure of thy Blessings on them who make streight paths for their Feet, who keep the way of Righteousness, and are as constant as Couragious to resist all Vice; since to accommodate the Thoughts, and fix the Will to thy Dispensations, is the way to get Christ, and to be found in him, not ha­ving our own Righteousness.

But on the contrary, Those who forget thy greatness, O Lord! and fall down to the Worship of themselves; those who enter the wrong way into their Mother's Womb, and embowel the Earth to steal away her Treasure, and seem to have no other end thereby than to bury their Souls and Hopes therein; Those who being swallowed up in Voluptuousness believe no other Paradice than the delights of Flesh and Bloud: or those who place next their own misfortunes, every prosperous event of others, such as choak all Virtue by imperi­ous appetites; and Sacrifice their best faculties unto Fury and Mad­ness; turning all Sobriety and Reason out of doors. Lastly, such as being lost to themselves, and in their own Opinions too, sometimes knowing not how to wake themselves out of the Lethargy of Vice, nor get up beyond the terms of nothing (that is, Sin and Vanity.) Such as all these are, I say, these unhappily cursed ones, shall be struck down from Heaven's glorious presence, like Nimrod's Gyants, with hot Thunderbolts, they shall be confounded with Babel's Workmen, and become the wretched Objects of the severity of such Corrections as are given by a Hand no less Powerfull and Just, than Jealous and Pure. They shall feel the Scorching of those immortal Flames, which yet can never burn out their Spots, since they have ren­dered themselves Heirs of Wrath, and Children of the Devil; where­as the Righteous (before-mentioned, such as may be set far from these Goats) blest with thy Love and Protection, O Lord, shall enjoy the serenity of that peace which resides in thy favour, and surpasseth our Understanding.

The seventh Step on the seventh PSALM of Degrees, being the 126 PSALM.

O My God! how can I express the Consolation of my Soul? My Words are lost in my joy of Heart, and can break forth but lamely at my Lips, for I behold my self Redeemed, I find my self delivered also from the dangerous Labyrinth of my winding Errours, thanks be to thy goodness only.

The confused Chaos of my Life hath been called to by thy Word, and looked on by the Beams of thy Grace, nay, distinguished and re­formed by thy Son into a new Lump, a new Conversion.

The mischiefs of my guiltiness are not aggravated by the continual Remorse of Conscience, but my steps are directed by sweet methods how to keep thy Statutes to the end.

Terrene Objects have now no priviledge to control my Thoughts. My Delights and Desires retain no other relish than of a Crucified Savi­our. Mine Ears took up with the name of Jesus, cannot understand or listen to the low dumb Musick of Vanity. Mine Eyes are fa­scinated by one glance of thine, and follow none of those Wildfires which did use to misguide them. My Tast savouring the things of God, the Glories of another State, disgusts those Treats which Satan entertained me withal (while he would have me take Stones for Bread:) All those Appetites which mere most my own, and seemed Connatural to a deluded mind, (having left me nothing but Shame and Sorrow) they take their leave of me (I trust for ever) not to return any more (with seven Devils worse than themselves) to pos­sess me.

Wherefore advanced by so much Grace, and replete with so much Happiness as to find Favour in thy sight, O most gracious Lord! how great is my Jubile! how infinite my Consolation!

Methinks the rough and narrow way to Heaven is now made plain and smooth before my Face, and my Feet are not apt to wan­der so as they did formerly, but are more steadily guided to the Ob­servance of thy Commands: and I find these, as David saith, exceeding broad on every side of me, that I have no Temptation (without much perverseness) to depart from them. My Conscience doth not Goad me with unsound Repentance, or unsafe Despair. Mine Eyes do not stay themselves on terrene Objects, except it be to make them more contemptible, even to my outward sense. The Sin that erewhile was the Idol of my enjoyments, is now the Subject of my Hate and Abhorrence. My Actions are levelled at the love of Virtue. My Desires are converted (from the enhansing my Account, and run­ning on further on the score of guilt) to the making all the satis­faction I can, for the Debts I have contracted, and my hope is grounded on thy Mercy (not on my poor endeavours) for the raising up the Pillar of my constant happiness.

And can the Mouth that is filled with such good things savour any thing else than the repetition of thy Bounty, and the excesses of thy Love? Surely my Tongue shall be now as the Pen of a ready Wri­ter, and being urged on by the Solace of my Heart, (shall like the Angels by whom thou dost succour me) resound the Praises, and the Proofs of thy Divinity, far and near, by thy saving and conserving of my state.

O dearest Lord! thou hast condescended, more than once, to seek and to save that which was in danger to be lost, and to call not the Righteous but Sinners to thee! How doth the particular care thou takest of Sinners, even to this day, encrease and burnish the Glories of thy Name, Jesus!

When the very Heathens view the Smoak of Sensualities to a dis­appearance, and the brighter Sparks of holy Affections mounting up in lieu of the other in us. When they observe the Rebellions of our Hearts turned into Evidences of Obedience, and shall behold such a Worm as I am, the greatest of Sinners, no longer a servant of Sin but a contemner of the World and a resister of the Devil; surely they will glorify the Operations of thy Power, and the mighti­ness of thy love, in the Pardon and Conversion of so frail a Crea­ture.

Even those very Animals (as the Apostle calls them) who were lost in the Labyrinths of their vicious Habits, 1 Cor. 2.14, 15. and sought not the Clew of Repentance to help them out of Perdition. Psal. 51. They shall be converted unto thee, through the demonstratio of thy goodness to others they shall be convinced (as the Idiotae were in the Primitive Church) and be constrained to magnify thy Kindness, implore thy Mercies, and advance thy Praises.

‘For to see a man who in himself is poor and naked, and stript by his Infernal Enemies of all succour, divested of all good, and left in a more wretched condition than the wounded Travellor to Jericho, or than the Daemoniack among the Tombs to behold such an one cloathed and in his right mind, dressed in the needful habit of Reason, and trimmed up with the ornaments of Grace, installed in the Throne of Piety, which is at the Feet of Jesus, and there instructed better than under a Gamaliel.’ What an Argument of Wonder may be such an example? and such an one I wish to be; that while I stir up admiration by the recount of what thou hast done for my Soul I may perswade the un-resolved that thou canst do far more for them, and that these are but small instances of thy Almightiness in respect of its infinity. ‘Thou canst doe, thou canst suffer, much more for the good of Mankind, if so be they will but credit thy mighty Works, and not be like Bethsaida and Capernaum.’ Woe be to such as believe not the marvellous testimonies of thy good will to the Sons of Men. For didst not thou, Eternal Lord! incorporate thy self with our na­ture, as if thou didst esteem it braver than thy own Divinity? Art thou not ready to wash out the stains of our Nature even with the Life and Blood of thy assumed one which hath so wonderfully over­valued ours? Wouldst thou not load thy most glorious person to re­move our Burthens? taking off the pressures of our base Captivity by the perfect ease of thy Yoke?

Lord Jesu! thou hast humbled thy self to a servile state, to a con­versation [Page 26]upon earth, to reconcile contradictions, the Son of God, and the Sons of Belial, and so to unite the most sinful to the most Holy, though not as they are impure, as themselves; but as cleansed by thy Grace, and Redeemed to be thine. By these effectual merits of thy working upon Earth by Water and Blood, by thy Tears and Prayers, by thine A­gony and Bloody Sweat, by thy Cross and Passion, and by the co­ming of the Holy Ghost (though he be grieved also) in the handing of the benefits thou hast purchased for such Enemies as we have been, both to them, to thy Spirit, to thy Love, and to thee. The sense of these over-flowing Bounties like strong perfumes to a weak body, might easily dissipate my Spirits and untie my being, I might be soon unloosed from Life and all the World, as I desire to be, by the full apprehen­sions of their Vigor. In the mean time good God accept my Heart, all Jubile, and Thanksgiving, for that thou hast dealt so strangely with thy Servant as to give me enough, nay all, yea, more than this All, far more then my Capacities or the Universe may contain. I have all and abound, and what more can a Sinner expect or Receive? What more can a God do for such a Sinner? Yes, he can still enlarge my measures for Reception, as well as fill them more and more un­to Eternity. Bless the Lord then always, O my Soul! and least at any time thy Joys should flag or lessen; be daily taking preservatives against Sin, and get farther from the Plague of this mortal conditi­on, from the Offending of so Good a Lord; O could I fly out of the reach of such infection, I might then judge my satisfaction no less secured than unspeakable! whereas the frequent receipts of thy Kind­ness paid here with cold affections or ungrateful acts, cast too oft a a damp over the Wings of my joy, and is a sad abatement of that Towring comfort which I might pitch upon in the Expressions of thy Love and mine.

Free me therefore I beseech thee, dearest Lord! from the Bondage of my Corruptions, Suffer not the wounds of Original Sin to rankle or gangrene in my Heart, least these become so outragious as to re­fuse or fear the help of thy Hand for its healing and binding up.

‘Such a Wolf did once eat off the Breasts of the beloved Spouse, the Church of Israel, and turned her to a dry and barren Wilder­ness. But, Lord, prevent the spoil that such ravenous furies would make in thy Vineyard, and heal our Souls though we have Sinned against thee.’

Let not the filthyness of my actual Offences poison the health or Salvation of my State: let not worldly greatness or sensual pleasures enveigle my Thoughts from thy worship, to other services (which in­deed are meer slaveries and the basest of such.) But as the South­winds (or Sirocco's) do usually impregnate and swell up Torrents, so let the Gifts and Graces of thy Holy Spirit augment all probity and Virtue in my Soul, tending to the Ocean of Eternal Perfections. And farther impower my Heart to be truly penitent that the Springs from thence running through my Eyes, may help to wash off the spots which have besmeared my Conscience.

I Know, Great God! that whosoever doth exercise himself in the Olympicks of true Devotion, he that outbraves the fashions or flat­teries of the World, he that adores thy Greatness with humility and fixes his hopes on Gelestial Objects: He it is that sowes to the Spi­rit [Page 27]such a Seed that will instantly bear Thirty fold in the return of more Grace, and hereafter an hundred in the Harvest of Glory. And he that sheds the Teats of Religious mourning upon Earth shall reap Comfort and Joy in Immortality, when all Tears shall be wiped off, and Sorrows and Sighings shall melt away.

Give me then leave to attend thee with all sorts of the Grain of Tears. I would weep for the pardon of my Guilt, to save my self from the Foulness of it, I would weep for displeasing thee, as for the deserving thy Vengeance, and this to quench the fervours of my Lusts. I would weep over the Miseries of our present Mortality, to solace my down-cast Spirit in her clayie Prison and Relegation. I would weep for my ‘ Tamuz, for my Adonis, for my Adonai, for my self and for others, Ezech. 8.14. for my vile Idolatries and Prostitutions, for my Spiritual Forni­cations, for my own and others manifold defilements, according as thou, dear Lord! didst advise thy people when thou didst command them saying, Weep not for me, but weep for your selves; and I will weep for thee also, O my Adonai, my Love, my Dove, my Undefiled one, for having treated thee so savagely and occasioned others to affront thee too, and [...] to procure ease and satisfaction to thy self, to others, and to me.’ Even to the screwing up of the Joys and Harmony of the Celestial Mansions. And Lastly, I will weep to encrease my Thirst of that Country which thou hast promised us above, that I may fill up such a Nilus here, as may render the Egypt of my Conditi­on more fruitful under all thy Providences.

Now that I find my self embarrassed in great streights, in a World Malevolent to real Bliss, where the Prince of it is still trying the strength of my Constancy, and Sense is offering violence to my Rea­son, where Company by ill examples and incitements increase my frailties, where Beauty, Ambition, Honours and Anger, Covetous­ness and Sloth, would play the Dalilahs to abuse and snare me; give me leave, O God! while I am a Travelor in the Vale of Misery to dig up Fountains of Penitential Waters, to cleanse off the Scales from my Eyes which have been so often blinded by the treacheries of my and Enemies, and thine.

O that I could now cultivate the ground of my Heart by Fasting, Prayers and Tears, by deeds of Charity and Offices of Devotion and then with the Four and twenty Elders in the Revelations, demise at thy Feet such Crowns and Palmes, such Talents and Abilities as thou hast put into my Hands to account for in thy Kingdom; for thine is the Domi­nion, Power and Glory, and thou art onely worthy to receive the Profits of thine own. No Soul can tast more joy than his that can approach unto thy dreadful Throne with a Conscience so void of Of­fence (as not to accuse it self) and with a small treasure of good Works (such a Present as the Patriark sent the Egyptian Governour, Gen. 43.11.) which may bring whole sheaves again to us.

Finally, Grant that all my Faculties may count themselves bound to honour thy name for ever; that my Heart may be all on fire for thy Love, and my Affections own no other Object nor employ but thy Service, nor my Senses relish other Beauties, Hopes, or Acquests than those of Heaven and Eternity.

Let me have with thee all the Conditions and Qualifications of a true Votary in Serving, Imitating and Suffering, serving thy Com­mands [Page 28]with all my Powers, Copying thy Actions with all diligence, and enduring all oppositions with an humble fortitude, that I may reap the fruit of Holiness, and its end Everlasting Life. Amen.

The eighth Step on the eighth PSALM of Degrees, being the 127 PSALM.

MY Soul is so beleaguered with dangers, that like a long besieged City; 'twill fall at last into the Enemies Hands, un­less it be relieved by thine extream Compassion, what pi­tiful succour hath all things besides thee brought? alas I can hardly owne that I have been helped even by the best preaching of thy Ministers, nay, what good doth Moses and the Prophets to my wretched State? All thy most holy Doctrine, O thou Holy of Holies! all those most excellent patterns and precepts of Saints and Martyrs afforded to me, reach not far enough to jogg my Senses out of the Lethargy of Sin, unless thou stretch forth thy Arm, O God! (even Christ out of thy own Bosom) and put him into mine, that that Sun of Righteousness may enlighten and enliven my dark Breast. This hath devoted all its affections to thy service, 'tis true, but in­deed it cannot keep them to their duty without thy constant over­looking of them. Although in thy holy Sacraments thou breathest down thy Spirit for us to receive, what care do we take (for all thine) to Welcom, House, or entertain it by the small remainders of Faith, Hope, or Charity.

And as all their Efforts are vain and fruitless, who toile to build up their worldly satisfactions without thy blessings; so is all the in­dustry of the Mind to no purpose for the acquiring or preserving of Grace, without thy good will or Divine assistance, since from thee we have our principles and beginnings, our conservation, protection, and perfection.

‘Without thee (as thou hast told us) we can do nothing but we must likewise know that thou art not far from any one of us, nor forsakest such as seek thee truly.’

Many do mis-conjecture that the height of Walls, the depth of Waters, the thickness of Works, the courage of Men, the good­ness of Arms, the fulness of Provisions, the watchfulness of Guards, and the wisdom of Commanders will secure any Regular Fortifica­tion; when alas all the Ramparts will founder, all the Bastions and Lines fall in together, (like the walls of Jericho) the Curtains will drop down, or rend in pieces, (being too thin and sleight to keep out an Enemy) while wrapped in them the sleepy Centinels shall be carried off to Eternal Slumbers, unless thy Providence and Protection, [Page 29]O Lord of Hosts be over such a Fortress, for it is thy favour that must be its strong Tower and Rock of defence, and Magazine of safety; without that all we can do signifies nothing. How far can humane industry advance to raise a man up (like Jeremiah out of the Dun­geon) from the pit of Sin, or despair? or to support him in thy pre­sence? till thou sayest the Comfortable Edict, I will be thou clean? 'Tis true the Angels are ministring Spirits, and Holy men help instru­mentally to the conservation of Grace, and to the disposing of our Minds to good by their exhortations and examples. And,

'Tis certain that I am not seldom affected with the consciousness of my provocations, so that I resolve then vigorously to spend the residue of my dayes amongst the Rigors of an Austere Repentance: while my Remembrance shames me with the Thoughts of thy abused patience (which must needs be turned into fury, and this be imbittered by delay.) Yet for all this without thy special Grace and particular assistance all my Resolutions are but Spiders Webbs, my strongest attempts but as Stubble before a consuming fire, very weak and ridiculous motions. It is not in Man (saith the Prophet) to direct his Steps.

Therefore trust not, O mortal men! either to your selves or to your possessions; trust not your enjoyments of great Knowledge, or of great Strength, no not of the chief Natural or Corporeal Facul­ties, no more than you would credit the turning Wheel of Fortune, or the Top of worldly Pomp and Honours.

Can ye think by robbing your Eyes of Sleep, your Minds of Rest, your Limbs of Ease, or your Bodies of Health, ye may do any thing on your own score, to gain the applause of Heaven, or to throw open the Gates of Paradise? No, no, the Roots of your Merit should be set on another Ground, it is not a Plant that will grow in the barren soil of our Earth, we must have God's daily Cultivation, his Love, his Shelter, and his Sun too, or else we shall go without it.

And to obtain some worthiness of thy Regard, some favour in thy sight, a sound and sincere reliance upon Christ doth avail more than all the Watchings, Fastings, Austerities and Rods, which some make such a bustle withall, and too often to little purpose; for their rising at Midnight or before Day, is but a walking in dark­ness; their arrogant reliance on their own Performances, is but increasing the difficulties of such achievements as depend not on our own Strength or Merit; but on God's Free-will, and his alone good pleasure.

Assist me therefore, O most gracious Lord! with such a Grace as may gratifie my humble requests, and graciously receive the submis­ness of my Heart in all its acts of Penance with sincerity of Address, of Trust, and Obedience to thee, and to thee onely, (for to which of the Saints may I turn?)

That although I have been long embraced within the Arms of Sin, I may now break away from that Harlot, and from the bondage of my Guilt, and fly unto thee for a place of rest in the Bosom of thy Favour and Compassion.

Lord suffer not the naughtiness of my Heart to inveigle me to any further expectation of Comfort, or hope of Satisfaction, than in those things that are above, and there promis'd me by thy Truth and Good­ness. [Page 30]Let not Worldly concerns, or poor transitory Prizes allure my Soul, which stoops too oft at low Objects; she should tower more out of sight of Earth, like a Bird of Paradise, and direct her mount to that Summit, or height where should be her Airie, and which was her Country, Ah! did she ply her Wings thitherward (like thy ho­liest Dove) she would not be endangered by the Floods of Humane unhappiness, she would reach home with her Olive and Myrtle bran­ches, with Peace, and Purity.

While Imploying all the Labours of my Life and longings of my Heart after a sight of God in such Righteousness, (as Peace and Ho­liness bring along with them) I my self might be secured both in Life and in Death; and I should find Death but as a sleep and Hea­ven as an Inheritance, long promised to the Faithful, and laid up for us in those promises; as laid out in that other Life, where those who are faithful unto Death may expect a full satisfaction of their Pains, Hopes and desires, and meet with a farther Solace in a Know­ledge of one another, and of all their Fellow-brethren, even the whole flock of Christ; which shall then appear in his Presence, and enter into his Joy, and triumph in his Courts to all the Ages of an hap­py Eternity.

I will therefore, O my God! assert my self thy Creature, the work of thy Almighty Power, the Fruit of the Body of Christ, begotten again to a lively hope by his blood, and seeking Regeneration by his Ordinances, and by my Faith; so that I may not love the World nor the things of it, but do the will of our Father which is in Heaven.

But doth it not require much Sweat, vast Pains and violent Exer­cises, and very great Self-denial, to enter in at the strait Gate, and to walk worthy of the Denomination of a Son of God? Yea surely. 'Tis therefore needful to leave off the pursuit of all those vain com­placencies which have served onely to amuse and to deceive me here below.

'Tis needfull, O my Soul! that thou being armed by devout Prayer and Fasting, shouldest be sober and watchful to repell the most fu­rious attacks of his Temptations, who is come forth against thee like a ravenous Lion. 'Tis needful for thee to make Reason thy Pilot, Religion thy Load-star for thy better passage through the waves of this troublesome Life, and if thou steerest wisely in the faithless Sea of this World, weathering all the stormes of Impetuous affections, thou mayest at last arrive at the Haven where thou wouldest be: and as the feigned Son of Jupiter is said to overcome the many-headed Mon­ster, so thou mayest by thy several Labours in Charity, Love, Faith, Repentance, and Restitution, subdue the Hydra of Sin, and approve thy self a Child of God according to the Apostles assertion.

Now thou mayest understand that the Sons of God are like Ar­rows in the Hands of a Gyant, they wound the Hearts of Gods Enemies, and scatter such as delight in Mischief; destroying and beating down what is evil, quickening Faith and working Love in the Godly; and the Effects of such Divine Instruments as these, are the discou­ragement of Sin, the feeding the Hungry, Cloathing the Naked, suc­couring the Poor, entertaining the Stranger, visiting the Prisoner, freeing the Captive, burying the Slain, correcting the Obstinate, coun­selling the Ignorant, comforting the Afflicted, assisting the Weak, [Page 31]forgiving the Injurious, and praying for the Persecutors. In fine, all the most accomplished performances of the Memory, Will and Intel­lect, are but as so many barbed Arrows put into our Hands by God to be shot against his Enemy Satan, and (the maker of the Devil,) Sin.

How happy then is the Christian Warrior, who makes use of these Weapons! How happy is the Jonathan that can strip himself of his Harness of Worldly mindedness, of the full Quiver of his Lusts, of the Girdle of Self-love (wherewith he is too often girded) for the sake of the Son of David! He is Lovely as much as Lowly, who can hate himself and all things here below. He is Just and strong indeed, who can do Violence to his own Interest for the greater benefit thereby to his Neighbour. He is wise, that can chuse a Saviour's Thorns rather than the sweetest Flowers of Sin, which are but for a season. He is Noble, that makes use of Greatness chiefly for the Glory of God. He is Rich, that will lavish his Mammon here to make himself Friends therewith hereafter. And he in truth, is the alone happy man who with ardent affection and continued watchfulness hears, receives and obeys the truth of thy Work, and allows no Resting place, no Ark, nor any Asylum, to unlawful desires or inordinate affections with­in him.

Such men as these before-mentioned, they are who in the midst of the Fire, the Thunder and Lightnings, Cries and Terrors of the last Judgment, shall never be daunted in the presence of their Judge, nor by the Indictment of their Accusers.

For being kept in perfect Peace by the stay of their Souls on thee, good Lord! they are safely brought into the Harbour of a quiet Con­science, and under the shelter of a mighty Jesus, who is able to save them to the uttermost from all their Adversaries, and from all such accusations as may not then touch the justified by Christ, although they may serve to convince other Sinners, and display the Ungodliness of Sin.

The ninth Step on the ninth PSALM of Degrees, being the 128 PSALM.

HE that would gain the Beatitude of thy Favour, O Lord! must of necessity fear thy greatness and obey thy precepts, so that he is the blessed man upon Earth that knows ex­actly how to guide his Feet into the ways of Peace, into the paths of thy Commandments, and doth meet with no other in­conveniences in his way, than the doubts he may sometimes en­counter about thy Love and Favour to him. The fear of thy Power, [Page 32]and the Reverence of thy greatness, is so needful, even for the very best, Dan. 4.31, 32. Ier. 51.9. else why hath thy justest Vengeance armed it self with Thun­der to strike down the presumptuous? Why hast thou by Fire from Heaven extinguished the memorial of Transgressors?

Why didst thou command the Waters to climb above the highest Mountains, but that thou mightest overcome the greatest Sinners? and shew how by thy wrath (as by thy Love) thou couldest hide a multitude of faults. Thou hast bred Monsters within men by conscious apprehensions, and often surroundest those Scilla's with terrors of guilt. Thou hast many times suffered thine Enemies to punish one another by their Cruelties. And not seldom by Earthquakes, by panick Confusions or Fears, by Portentous Signes, and strange Such as were [...], fre­quently heard before the De­struction of Je­rusalem. Voices, thou wouldst instruct all them who listen to thee, speaking either on Earth or from Heaven, and thou wouldest also correct the infidelity of others, and thereby convince such how thou art to be feared.

Yet surely the fear that is struck into us by the Effects of thy Power is not so kindly welcom to thee, nor so agreeable to us, as that which proceeds from a sense of thy Love and pity: and I know by expe­rience that thou wouldst be loved chiefly, because thou art Long-suf­fering, rather than Omnipotent; and thou hast proved thy self most a God by shewing mercy, in being not called now the Lord of Hosts, but the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom dwels the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and in him thou art our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, &c. How wonderfully this advan­ces the proof of thy Clemency above that of thy Power! to the end that mans Fear and Reverence of thee may Spring rather from his filial affection, than from thy Supreme Authority.

And doubtless he that fears thee, O my God! out of a regard to thy Statutes, that he may not infringe them, nor hazard the Loss of thy Favour, nor lose the Hopes of his Adoption, or of his Admission into the Joy of his Lord, he surely reaps the best of Heaven and Earth, the truest Comforts of this life and of a better. Therefore I wish all Mankind would take such a Course as this! How health­ful then would be your Sweats, how blessed your Pains, how profi­table your Labours, O ye Mortals! who too often spend your Strength in vain, and your time in fruitless works of darkness. Then your Wealth would not be impaired and blasted as 'tis now frequently by the Rapine of others, [...]. by the Rigour of ill seasons, or by a Thou­sand Cross events, but it would be an enjoyment as sweet as 'tis a Possession, and serve for your just Satisfactions and Necessities, as well as for the profit of many more. The care you would then take to be Charitable, and the sincerity ye would use in the Application of your Mammon to good purposes, would make it return double to you (like Job's Estate) and be preserved to you by God himself: who seing you not besmeared with Envy or Covetousness, in respect of these deceitful Goods, or mis-led by Pride, or Worldly-mindedness, he would delight in your Abundance together with your selves, and (while ye tasted the sweets of all your Industry) he, the good Hus­band-man (so called John c. 15. v. 4.) would also tast a grateful, be­cause a gracious Return and Relish of that full Cup of yours, which he had first put into your hand, as likewise of that penalty (which we may thus happily undergoe) how in the Sweat of our brows [Page 33]we may eat here comfortably, and get up to God's holy Hill at last.

For let us be convinced, 'tis by taking pains, and in the fear of the Lord, that all the Felicities of every estate must be acquired.

Universal Nature hath no Bliss, nor Pleasure for such as do not fear and tremble, pant, and struggle after it, in Gods way. Such as do, lack nothing (saith the Scripture). The Stars and Elements jointly concur, not to fight against them (as against Sisera) but to pour upon them benign influences, nay the Incarnate Wisdom of the Dei­ty, which is the Bridegroom of every pious, and lowly Soul, continu­ally waters the Garden of his Spouse, and (like the Spirit in the Blood) runs through the abstrusest Chanels of the Breast, and some­times produces the Peace of God (which passeth all understanding,) sometimes it nurtures Chastity (which is as admirable as rare,) now it presents it modesty, by which the most exorbitant ambitions may be checked, and then points it out to the means of acquiring true Honour. Sometimes it exhorts to the Possession of that Heritage St. Peter speaks of, which is all one with a happy Eternity: 1 Pet. 1.4. and directs the wandring Thoughts (which were nigh lost upon worldly Objects) to the contemplation of the Greatness, and of the Goodness of that Portion prepared in Heaven.

At other times it augments the proofs of a right Charity, which gilds the way to Happiness.

And thus at last true Wisdom proves a Vine, which being planted in our mortal earth, proves like Joseph very fruitful, and brings forth Clusters unto Holiness, stretching out its Roots towards the Well of Life, and its Armes to kiss the top of Glory, and rests its whole force and State upon the sufficient strengths of a Saviour.

Hence comes it to pass, that all the Operations of such an one as fears God, spring constantly from his Union with the Eternal Wis­dom, and are very compleat acts of Probity and Vertue.

His thoughts mount even to the third Heaven, not stooping in their flight towards mortal things, for any other reason, than to make it afterward force up the higher; his Heart becoms so emptied of Vanity, that no Impressions find long harbour there, but such as Limn out Divine Love. His eyes enamoured with the Beauties of Heaven, meet no objects here below, but such as seem unworthy its regards. His Tongue that perhaps had been an Eccho to the Licentiousness of the Age, now utters nothing but what is full of moral conclusions for himself, full of good Counsels for others, and more full of ac­knowledgements of God's kindness to all.

Those his desires which were once inveigled by the prettiness of a Face, by the possession of Wealth, or by the vanity of Honour, now are settled on the Glories of Heaven, on the Indies of another World, on the Beauties of Holiness, on the Charmes of the Grace of God, that hath appeared unto all men.

And thus the men which are rightly said to fear the Lord, ( Mal. chap. 4.) and reverence him indeed with sacred Worship, they are renewed in the Spirit of their minds, and are still fresh and flourishing like Olive-branches in the House of their God.

‘They are (Festoons) the Garlands which crown his Temples, and imbellish his Triumphs for ever more. About their rich adornments [Page 34]and noble stations, we may find enwreathed such instructions, (as the Psalmist presents us here) Lo! thus shall be done to the Man whom the King will Honour; Lo! thus shall he be blessed that feareth the Lord.’

Whosoever therefore will learn to joyn Obedience to a Devout fear, by holding down his own restif Will to the Law of God, and (being jealous of his natural Infirmities) prove still sollicitous to be safe by taking care not to offend in Thought, Word, or Deed, such a man may be assured of Divine Grace, and the Consequence of this both in time, and beyond it also.

Lord, I perceive thou requirest nothing of me but a willing mind; but that Fear, and that Obedience, that should be as easily, as duely gi­ven thee; and how come we to Sin, but by disobedience? what is the chief occasion of our offending thee, but the not dreading thine An­ger? If I would learn rightly how to fear, I might shun the Hazards both of Life and Death. Negligence for the most part makes us Con­tumacious, whereas on the contrary Fear drives away neglect, deters us from Vice, learns us Discretion, fences the Soul against temptati­on, and plies it to all probity, of which in some sort it may be termed the chief Cause. Therefore,

Grant me thy Grace, O merciful God! to be qualified by the acts of Love, and Charity, to fear thy Power and Majesty, without ceasing (as Joseph did,) under the greatest temptations. Grant that being enamoured with the sanctity of thy Precepts, I may not be perverted by the enveiglements of Sinns, nor by the vanities of this Age. Grant that loosing my Heart from all Worldly dissoluteness, it may abide a Vessel of Honour, and Purity, of Holyness, and Election: By these means, O my God! I shall hope thy blessing, and, dearest Lord! thou canst not deny the effects of thy Grace, towards those who serve thee humbly, and love thee sincerely, and trust intirely upon thee.

Wherefore, my Soul being parched up with the fervour of my Love for thee, waits like a thirsty Land, for the Dew of thy blessing to re­fresh it, so as to make it recover the verdure of its Hopes, and shoot up like the poor Mustard seed until its Armes may reach up to Heaven, and take hold of that Glorious Eternity, which makes thy Church there Triumphant.

Extend thy acoustomed goodness (for thine Arm, O Lord! is not shortened that it cannot save) and answer, I beseech thee, my Prayers, with such Blessings, as are still sought for by the good, and feared by the evil, hoped for by the Faithful, and despaired of by the Cast-away. For they are Sanctified Mercies, and the chief blessing of Sanctifica­tion, which secure a future Inheritance, as likewise many temporal Felicities, of those kinds as are ordinarily thrown unto the Worst, and but seldom allowed unto Gods own Children, without a su­perabundant measure of Holiness, and devout Care; but these being bound up with the richest Jewels of the Crown, inaugurate us with the Earnest of thy Spirit, and ensure us that after the troublesome exile of this mortal Life, we shall be made Heirs of that Glorious Kingdom, which is inconceivably Happy, and Desirable, and for which we implore thy Favour, through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

The tenth Step on the tenth PSALM of Degrees, being the 129 PSALM.

FEar not Temptations, O my Soul! the Apostle saith, We should count it all joy when we enter into them, for these are but to exercise thy Patience, to prove thy Sincerity, and to ju­stify thy Fidelity. How canst thou hope to arrive at Gods Favour, like one of his dear Children, unless thou endure the Fiery tryal?

Resist therefore, O my Soul! if it should be even to Blood, because at last, even by the Temptation, God can make a way for thy escape, and thy God shall be with thee, thy tribulation shall but compleat the worthiness of thy condition.

How oft in the more florid times of Youth, when that cooler reason, like a Winter fled from the Spring of Sense, (and by the growing heat of this, the other was driven away:) then how did the great Ene­mies of my Welfare play their Game most cunningly, to estrange my Heart from due Obedience to its Maker? How oft did those deadly Foes of mine make use of the Charmes of such Beauty, as had but borrowed all its fine Feathers from Art, and adorn'd its Trophies with the spoils of many Graves? and all this to fetter me like a Bond­slave, to fix me to this lower World, so that I might not be able to run the way of the Commands of God, nor to find the Path of Life, and Tranquillity. Thus my Companions, whether good or bad, can witness against me, for to both indeed, (though in different man­ners) I have imparted the Conspiracy of my rebellious Affections.

There are some debauched persons, who have too often accompa­nied me, and there are some devout persons who have admonished me, when I have been in the midst of my Extravagancies, and I must confess, (that for all the Aid I have craved, and the Advice I have de­sired, of the best men for the mastering of my Sensualities,) the very Principles, and first motions of my Repentings have been laid at ter­ribly, and much attacked by the Suggestions, and Temptations of my invisible Foes, and by the ill examples, and false colours of my appa­rent Friends, who indeed have been the mortallest Adversaries to my welfare, by representing Lust to me, as an unavoidable warmth of Nature; Anger, as the Effect of my Vigorous Soul; Avarice, as the Daughter of Prudence; Idleness, as the Balsome of Health; Glut­tony, as the needful Magazine for the Body; Envy, as the wise and usual Virtue of Emulation; Pride, as a convenient quality for High-born persons, and to be assumed, together with the titles of our Ancestors.

In fine, by their Tyrannizing over my Will, they have not left tempting of me, till through their Authorities, and worse Examples, [Page 36]together with my own Corruptions, I have been drawn into the fowlest Crimes, and most dangerous Offences.

But now being armed by the Power of thy Glorious Name, O holy Jesus! and by the Divinity of thine Instructions, I hope to overcome all the Malice, and all the Violence of my Adversaries, who shall be so lost in their own Confusion, and Disappointments, as that they shall onely serve to advance the proof of my Constancy, and to ac­celerate the destruction of their own Malice.

For alass! how often have these cruel hunters laid snares to entrap my Soul by Sin? They have allured me by the feigned sweetness of Worldly Pleasures; they have perswaded me to offend out of a rash confidence of Pardon; they have diverted me with such Sensualities; as might soonest abuse my Constitution; they have entrapped me with such false arguments, as might soonest deceive the simple, and betray the innocent.

Lord! How often have they derided thy Power, with impious, and prophane Discourses, becoming the Oracles of Hell, they have vented Blasphemies against thy Holiest Name? And, Ah! too often, with Raillery, and Scorn, have they attacked my Obedience, and overthrown my observance of thy Precepts. Every-ways they did so batter my Faith, that I seemed to bear in my Bosom the rebukes of many, and to have the weight of their Sin upon my Shoulders; this was a Load so insupportable to my weakness, as hereupon my Afflictions be­came the more grievous, by their continuance upon me in such a woful manner.

But Lord! that Sovereign Justice of thine, which deals Rewards, and Punishments; (and is constantly impartial in thy Corrections, as in thy Remunerations,) 'tis that which at last hath discovered the Cheats, defeated the force, and repulsed the pride of those impious Sinners, who insnared my Safety, contrived my Ruine, and digged Pitts (as the Prophet saith) for my Soul.

Thou, most Glorious God! hast done Gloriously, thou hast trod down the Pride of those spurners at thy Greatness, thou hast yoaked their stiff Necks, for all their wild boasting, that they go down with the most pompous Train, and with the best Company. How will they dwell in darkness? lost in the Confusion of Eternal Shame, and in the total Eclipse of thy Favour; who with Infernal Malice did persecute him that worshiped thee, and despised him that served thee, and hated him that loved thee? Shall such at all enjoy the sweet fruits of thy bounty? Or be remembred when thou makest up thy Jewels, any otherwise than to be condemned, and blotted out of the Book of Life? No surely, they shall sink under the weight of their Crimes, and be buried, as well as die, in those Sins wherein they chose to live.

In the mean time, what Praise and thanks do I not owe to my Gracious Redeemer's goodness? since thou, Lord! hast been so ready to free my Shoulders from the burthen which might have broke my Back, and my Heart from those Snares that would have endangered my Life or Liberty. With what excess of Pity hast thou corrected the mistakes, and prevented those slips of my Carriage, that might have drove me down a Precipice of Despair?

Thou, dearest Lord! hast washed out the spots of my Uncleanness, [Page 37]which would have made me odious to God, and Man. Thou hast healed those Wounds which were grown old and rankled by my Carnal compliances, and would have rendered my safety very doubtful; so that the Enemies of my Salvation, and of thy Glories, O God! shall no farther triumph over my weakness, nor Captivate my will that is so bound to thy Goodness.

But those our Enemies who would not have thee to rule over my Soul, may become like the Herbs growing on the House top, that wither and come to nothing e're they can attain to any perfection of growth or Beauty. So let their vain Images be despised and neglected, as that nothing of them may be saved or gathered up by the meanest care of Men or Angels, at that great day of Harvest, when every ones Works shall be made manifest of what sort they are.

Deal thus, Great God! with those impious wretches, who are guil­ty of High-Treason against thy Majesty, and of Felony against my Soul; let them fall the Victims of thy just Displeasure, and help by their punishment to mitigate the Sorrows of such poor wretches, as they drew into the Nets of their Sins, and so into joint sufferance with themselves: and let them glorify thy Name, even in the Fire, through that probation of thine unalterable Justice.

In the World let them meet with no success, until they Repent; let them hast away like Shadows of the Night, because they have loved Darkness, and ventured to hide themselves from the sight of God.

Nor may they be Blessed by any one that passeth through the Val­ley of the Shadow of Death, so that they may be shut out of all hopes of Happiness, for indeed obstinate Sinners are like the Ground which the Lord hath Cursed; unworthy to have one Shower of good Wishes, or Consolations bestowed upon them from good men, and much more uncapable of the Dew of God's Blessing. But, Ah! let not my Portion be with such, nor shut up my Life with the Bloody-minded, but impower me to resist the Malice of the Evil-ones, and so to rely upon thy Favour, as to live under thy Protection and Cognisance, and to be known for ever by the white Stone with a new name, even by the blessing of thy holiest Name, O Lord Jesus! Amen.

The eleventh Step on the eleventh PSALM of Degrees, being the 130 PSALM.

O Lord how wretched, woful, lamentable is the Condition of a Sinner! who being turned into his own Enemy doth nothing but lay Ambushes for himself; while he forgets un­gratefully thy benefits, he becomes most worthless, and ha­ted both of Heaven and Earth! He deserves no Mansion but in Hell. Alas, unhappy Sinner! how art thou forsaken by thy Creator, Re­deemer, and Comforter, even by all of thy God! and thy hope­less state is the more dreadful, being accompanied with the fearful ex­pectation of Judgement. Thy Crimes bring with them unspeakable bitterness, because they fore-bode Eternal Torments, and thy Life is but a continual Death, by reason of the gnawings of Conscience, the Horror of thy guilt, and the domineering of thine Enemies over thee.

Yet for all this with the lowest Humility that is due to the height of thy State, and to the meanness of mine own; while the requests of my Heart keep time with the Words of my Mouth, I am bold to cry aloud for Mercy, and beg thy Compassion, O Lord God! although thy Mercy and Compassion may seem to stoop too low, while they take up my Petitions unto thine Ears. And if these are better emploied in hearkening to the Ecchoes of thy Glories, to the Lauds of thy Saints, and to the Harmony of Heaven, yet let them not disdain the importunity of those longings after thee, which arise from a firm de­sire, and a deliberate Resolution, and address themselves to the Foot­stool of thy Goodness.

O Lord, I know the King of Israel is a merciful King. I know thou takest pleasure in hearing the Requests of thy poor Creatures, especially if they proceed from humble Hearts, and contrite Spirits. I know that thou art ready to put a stop to the Musick of Heaven, and to give a pause to thine own Praises, rather than the Prayers of such a poor Supplicant's should not be listened to.

Therefore Receive with grateful attention those cries of mine, which bring with them the true evidences (as I trust) of Conversion, as well as of Contrition. It is the great prerogative of thy Uncircum­scribed Majesty, as to hear and determine of my guilty State; So by thy Mercy to receive my Petitions, and reprieve me from the Sen­tence passed on me by reason of my Crimes.

Therefore I beg thou wouldst not regard the number of my Sins, nor the Quality and Aggravations of them, which I will not pretend to enumerate by some few instances, because thou knowest the minutest grain of my Offences. Thou hast a particular of them all. And,

Shouldest thou weigh our Guilt in the Ballance of thy Justice only, [Page 39]shouldst thou be extreamly severe in thy punishment of what is amiss about us, if thou shouldst not in thy Displeasure think upon thy pi­ty, and give this leave to Plead while the other arraigns; O Lord, who might abide thy presence, or stand before thee in Judgment? The brightest Angels are not pure in respect of thee, and the most Holy would scarce be safe! Where then should the Wickekd and Sin­ner appear, but in the bottomless Pit of Destruction? Had thy Wis­dom thought good to have set thee only upon the Correction of our failings, the World it self, as well as we, had been long since buried in the Cinders of our last Funerals; and wholly burnt up with the Fire of thy just Displeasure.

‘But since thou hast set thy Pity and Good-will, thy Son and thy Spirit, as better Advocates between thy own Purities and thy Creatures Frailties, than Mans weakned Nature or worse Infirmi­ties could be: for we all are too apt to set these on pleading for us, as being ever near us, yet, Ah! let us beseech thee rather to listen to the others in our behalf, hearken to that chiefest Councellor of thy self and us, the most holy, and gracious Paraclete; and hear thy Son Interceding for us Wretches, more freely than we hear him in­structing of us.’

Continue the incomparable Acts of thy Mercy, and exercise the ac­customed proofs of thy goodness towards us, with the merits of Christ's precious Blood wash out my spots, with the floods of my Tears quench the fire of my Lusts, that I may not be found the Heir of Wrath, or Child of the Devil.

For indeed the true Repentance of a Sinner is the sole effect of thy Bounty. Man that is now made up of nothing but the mud of Earthly Debauches, cannot so little as look up to Heaven (with the Publi­can, though he look no higher than the Clod he stands on) with­out thy special influencing aid. But this Ray thou hast promised by Ten thousand solemn attestations, and 'tis the Light of Mankind which thou hast afforded, that it might light every one coming into the World. Saints and Prophets have born witness that thou art the God of Sinnes, if Penitent; thou art the Redeemer of the most vile and miserable when they truely return to their Father's embraces.

Let it then be an Addition to thy Glories, that thou hast more of Pity, than I have of Provocation, and that thou yet retainest better Dispositions to pardon Sins, than I have Inclinations to commit them. Through the excess of thy Goodness, thou hast bounded thy own self, and given less to thy Power and Justice than it might have challen­ged, and therefore have I long waited for thy Salvation, O Lord.

I have endured the Stings of delay while I looked for thy Re­demption, and sighed for the effects thereof; and I must avert my Labour hath not been in vain, for I have found the Hopes thou ga­vest me, to be answered; thy Word concerning me to be true and good; and thy promises to be performed.

They may be left to their own deceivings; who wait upon the vanity of the world, and build their expectations on mortal assuran­ces. My Heart being fixed on the verity of thy Covenant, on the certainty of thy Promises, on the Anchor of a lively Hope, secures it self of meeting with such favour as is inseparable from thy Maje­sty.

For my own part, I am guilty of a Thousand Crimes, nor is there any thing in me but Filth, and Frailty.

I have triumphed in my Vices, as if I had liberty to commit them, and not to overcome them, even while I denied my betters the li­berty of reprending them.

Instead of abasing my self to the Dust, (that Principle of my Be­ing) I have dared to contend with Omnipotence Death and Hell have been imagined Dreams and Phantasms, only to scare the simple; and not to be Instruments of thine anger, to scourge the guil­ty.

But yet my Soul doth humbly now suppose it self an Object, not less proper for thy incomprehensible Mercy, because of its infinite Un­worthiness, and will rely only upon that Mercy of thine, since it is worse than Folly to trust in any thing else.

He that doth place his hopes under the protection of great men, doth but pass away his Liberty into the Hands of Tyrants. He that founds his security on the Commonweal's, builds up his Comforts on great Improbabilities. He that counts Wealth the Mine of all Happiness, is not acquainted with the Wheel of Fortune; he that sooths himself with pleasures in worldly Knowledge, knows not enough the weakness and incertainty of our Understandings, as well as of all intelligible Subjects; and whosoever presumes upon his own Me­rits let him call to mind from whence he came, and whither he must return; being liable to Myriads of Infirmities, and to more than a single Death.

Friends themselves, and Health, (the best of humane enjoyments) are in this point like Honours, Riches, and other mortal entertain­ments, very short and transient, under the influences of a changing state, subject to alterations from our own age; as much as from the malice of our Enemies.

Therefore, O Mortals! cast your Anchor on no other security but on my God; there is no Rock like him, as I have experienced. He can Love us freely, and Defend us fully, he doth heal our Infirmities, and makes up our Losses, he protects our Weakness, and succors our want.

Where he associates, there it is that Felicity both Roots and Flowers; To him let us have recourse every Watch of the Night, and every Minute of the Day. To him let us offer up both our Lives and Deaths, the Beginning, and Accomplishment of all our Underta­kings.

For, he that is all Goodness, hath no other Scope but our Happi­ness. Deut. 32.4. By how much the more our humane Ignorance tempts us out of the Road to Heaven, by so much the more his Pity strives to lead us the right way, and to keep us in it.

For all [...] universal Impiety weaves a Spider's Webb in every ones Mansion; Prov. 30.28. and Pride heaps up Mountains of Guilt to defy Heaven; while Avarice scrapes up Dirt to make an Idol of it, and Lascivious­ness dissolves its own pleasure by excess: though Gluttony returns often with the Dog, and Idleness looks after no good, nor Anger meets with any thing but Precipices.

Yet for all these the goodness of God abides continually, and is not discouraged by our Unworthiness, (when even this is aggrava­ted [Page 41]by his Love) but strives the rather to appear still as far above our Vileness, and beyond our Merits, as the Heavens are distanced from the lowest Earth.

And, shall I not fly to this City of Refuge, when pursued by a many ful-mouth'd Sins, that cry aloud for Vengeance? the Diseases and Corruptions of my Nature, and Condition, are not so inveterate, but there is Balm in Gilead, and a Physician there, who can ease them.

My Wounds, though festered by long and evil Habits, are not gangrened by Despair, nor is thy Hand shrunk up into thy Bosom, but thou wilt put it forth to reach me a Cure. Thy Remedies, O Lord! are always ready as thy mind to recover us and thou art ne­ver weary of well doing.

Thou alone canst reduce me into a state of doing better than I have done, Thou alone canst pour the Oyle and Wine into my Hurts, and bear the Charges of my Recovery. Lord! lay down the price of this, and give Bail for me thy Insoluble Debtor.

As thou didst upon the cursed Tree Redeem thy Israel from trouble, so let the Merits of thy bitter Passion be the powerful means of my deliverance from the slaveries of Sin, that I may serve thee without base Fear, without any great Disease, or Disgust, or Luke-warm in­difference.

It must be the heat of thy Love which can dissipate such bad Di­stempers of my Soul, as have brought an Ague upon my Devotion, and a Plague upon my Heart. Lord! see me set right again, by the health of thy Countenance; when I am made whole, see that I Sin not again, lest worse things fall upon me. But assure the whole residue of my time, by such a just and severe Repentance, (for my past Infirmities) as that I may never relapse into them, nor thou strive with me, who have contended too long with thee: But crowning the greatness of thy Glories, by the Pardon of my greatest Sins, thou mayest give me leave to rely wholly on thy sweet Compassion, till I may take Harbour in a Course of Sanctity, in the state of Justifica­tion, and at last, in a full and perfect Redemption. Amen.

The twelfth Step on the twelfth PSALM of Degrees, being the 131 PSALM.

O Lord! I perceive the greatest Enemy of Mankind leaves no means un-attempted whereby he may draw us out of thy blessed way. Sometimes with prosperous Success, and sometimes with earthly Grandeurs, he well-nigh masters such (to their Eternal Ruine) as he durst not assail by Crosses, or by Want.

At other times, when neither fair means nor foul will do his Work, he takes a stranger course, and represents to those too good Opini­ons, (which we ordinarily have of our selves) a long Bead-roll of Religious Performances, that wee Priding our selves in our own do­ings might infect them, and arrogate that to our own merit, which is wholly due to thy goodness.

Aristot. in Eth. 1.4. & 4.3. inquit, [...]. Ita fecrunt Optimi Gentium (Stotcorum scilicet & Epicuraeorum) qui dixerunt. Nos ex­aequat Victoria Caelo, immo & ipse Philosophorum & Romanorum Imperator, Marcus Aurelius erat famae suae curi­osissimus, &c.The Best men of all are too much addicted to this Sacrilege; and few there are, alass! who are so well bred in Humility, as not to like their own Reputation, or not to covet Glory here, no less than above.

Who doth not think too well or too much of his Service, if it appear faithful to God, and Charitable to others? while he is pati­ent in Adversity, and temperate in all his Desires; Is he not apt to be exalted above measure?

Therefore while I purpose with my self to avoid the Pride and Pomps of the World, and to give my self up wholly to the execu­tion of thy Commands, let not my Heart applaud it self in pri­vate, but so turn mine Eyes to thy Testimonies, that they may not cause, nor discover any Vain-glory about me.

Give me such a likeness to my Jesus, such a lowliness of Spirit, as to referr all things duely to thy bounty, and nothing to my Power or Merit.

And as by the excesses of undeserved loving-kindness, thou hast advantaged my Birth with the Characters of Illustrious Parentage. Thou hast enriched my Well-being with many temporal Honours, and Privileges above others: so grant that I may not exceed the Li­mits of my Duty, nor presume to take thy Praises to my self.

For my Birth (whether high or low) was not my choice, but thy good Will, and I can no more secure my Life, than I could at first chuse it. For my Death shall come as my Life did, when it shall please thee to send it; and that too, shall pull off all disguises; leaving me naked, as from my Mothers Womb, and in no better a condition [Page 43]than the poorest Mortal. And this the Princely Job taught both him­self and us, when humbled to the very Dunghill. Job 1.20, 21.

‘Worldly Honours are designed by thy good Providence to be Spurs to our Vertue, while we ride through the short Stages of this frail Life, and they should be looked on as streams issuing from thee their Fountain; so that when we grow proud of them we kick a­gainst thee, and make brutish returns of Ingratefulness to thy spe­cial favours.’

Humane Learning (which is meer ignorance in respect of thy knowledg) is an Oyntment that is fly-blown, corrupt and unsavoury; when the Philosopher is such a Fool as to glory in his Wisdom.

Therefore entertain my notions, good Lord! within the compass of a just moderation, that they may not boil over with conceit, or opinion; nor build Castles in the Air, (like Aesop's Eagles) soaring above the proper reach of my own capacities.

Give me, I beseech thee, an exact and sober understanding of my self, that Pride may have nothing to do within me, nor without. But that Humility may take its right place about me, and not be wrongfully ejected by Worldly Circumstances.

Though Titles, Wealth, and Friends, may difference me from others. Gracious Father! I desire that my best skill may be used in the ac­commodating me to others, in the levelling my conceit of my self to him that hath the meanest thoughts of me; while I confess my self as miserable a Sinner as mortal a Creature, as the most abject wretch in the World can be.

If I strive for Precedence, let it be only as Christ's Disciples did, to be nearer to Jesus, to out-strip others in Prayer, and Fasting, and such like Acts of Piety as may prove, that I have drank of his Cup of Grace.

I would divest my self of all such habits as like false Glasses render me bigger than the Life, and count my best efforts for thee to be nothing in comparison of what thou hast done me, dear Saviour! and thus will I traffick for true Glory, by getting all the Praise and Honour which I can for thee, till I come into the Harbour of thy Eternal Grace, and Goodness.

Should I indulge the Pride of my Nature, I should lose the pleasure of thy Love. For Pride is a Sin so hainous as that it could trans­form an Angel, and throw him out of Heaven, and Man out of Pa­radice, for both their High-Treasons against thy Majesty; whereas Humility is the eldest Sister of the Graces, and the first born of the Beatitudes, having promises like the Fifth Commandment, both for this Life and a better; and although Haughtiness of Temper is one of the Goads of Nature which pushes Man forward (since he was made with expectation of Dominion) yet Lord! abase this Domi­neering humour, least Pride, that is the Queen of Vice, and first be­gotten Child of Sin, and the immediate Successor of Wrath, and Vengeance, lest Pride, I say, should get the better of that Lowliness, I would still keep in my Soul for the better imitation of my Sa­viour.

When I consider how that dangerous forementioned Crime hath armed Legions of Angels to revenge it; ‘I fear lest it should make me be (not like David in this Psalm) but like an unhappy Child of [Page 44] Rachel, snatched away from the Bosom of my dearest Parent, as un­worthy of the sweet and precious Milk of thy Word; or of any Spiritual refreshment.’

But for all Humility is so needful, (as the Mother of Vertues) yet a man should not rely upon the brittle staff of the best natural performances, even in the very Duty of meekness, and lowliness of Mind. Since our Salvation is secured by thy goodness, and in our holiest Operations there is no Merit to Redeem us from Sin, or to entail thy Graces on us, upon thee alone we must ground our hopes; from thee onely springs our Happiness, by thy good pleasure Eternity is consigned to us.

He that sets his Heart on Riches, what doth he, but rear up Pi­nacles, whereon his Soul may be tempted, and his Life indangered? Gold is said to be Devoted to Pluto, because he that trusts therein can promise himself nothing at the last but the lowermost Pit. Ho­nours, are rather the Gifts of Fortune than of Merit, and abandon, men usually at the approach of Calamities. Friends are gained by interest, and lost by Death, if not by some odd Casualty before. Health is short and fleeting, made so by change of Diet, Air, and every mo­tion of Soul or Body. In fine,

All mortal Hopes and Joyes are liable to the Tempests of innume­rable Accidents.

Thou onely, Almighty Lord! art He that changest not, and there­fore art my safe Anchor-hold, and the Rock of my Hope.

In thee Devout Souls pitch their absolute trust, because there is no time wherein thou art not able, willing, and ready to accommo­date them with Mercies, and with thine infinite Beneficence. Amen.

The thirteenth Step on the thirteenth PSALM of Degrees, being the 132 PSALM.

O Gracious Lord! Look with the Eyes of thine infinite com­passion upon a wretched Sinner, and remember that I am thy Servant, I am thy Servant, and the Son of thy Hand­maid; let me refuge my self now at thine Altars, though I have been such an Idolater, as to worship most of the World's Naughtiness.

I have adored earthly pleasures, yet deny me not thy favourable protection, look not upon me as on such an huge offender (who hath warred against thy Holiness, by heaps upon heaps of vain aspiring thoughts.) But,

Consider me as thy Creature, as a penitent and humble Convert, who may be a fit Object for thy mighty Compassion, through the sense I have at present of my Vileness. This is great, since I have been Impotent, Impious, nay Sacrilegious.

My Tongue hath dared to profane thy sacred Attributes. My Hands have not spared the Blood or Honour of others, my Heart hath pitched its delight among brutish and sensual pastimes, even such as have been repugnant to thy laws, and to those of Humanity.

But now that by my Conversion thou mayest be glorified; Hast thou not obliged thy self by the truth of thy promises, to receive such guilty ones as are Weary and heavy laden? because thou art a God of Mercy, and There is more joy in Heaven for one Sinner that Repents, than for Ninety and nine such Righteous persons, as think with the Phari­sees, they need no Repentance.

I know mine Eyes have been treacherous Scouts to my Soul. I know mine Ears have been like the Adder's, and deaf to thy Com­mands, and to every good Exhortation, though open to the Whispers of a lying World. The motions of my outward man, like those of my inward, have been but to hurry me to ruine. I know my Heart hath been most vain in its desires, blind in its appetites, mad in that indulging of them: yet I rely upon thy Pity, and despair not of thy Forgiveness.

As thou didst comply with the Vehement struglings of Jacob for a Blessing, when he had cause enough to fear his own weakness; so do thou afford me thy Guidance and Protection, that I may not only begin well to turne towards Thee, but that I may go on from Strength to Strength to meet Thee, and if thy Grace so forward my Regene­neration, I shall not doubt of performing what I have promised, (that is) to give Thee all which the devoutest Soul can offer.

My Heart would have no other place to recreate its affections in, but in the Presence-Chamber of thy Love.

What do the richest Marbles signify (though they have often sweat under the Tools of Cunning Workmen, for the adorning of some Closet for me) if my Rocky Heart be not broke by thy divine Pre­cepts? The Battels wrought in Tapistry, which hide the nakedness of my Walls, do silently upbraid my Vanity, Hypocrisy, the Com­motions, and Quarrels that engage my Soul by many differing Passi­ons; all which make spoil of my Reason, instead of serving her.

While the Eye Tries it self, through a long Prospect of Apartments, wherein much skill might be likewise tired by its Observations of Ten thousand Rarities: even there my Remembrance offers me an Inventory of my faults, which seem desperate enough to snatch the Golden Scepter of thy goodness, even out of thy Hand, and to cut me off from all hopes of Mercy.

Yet Lord! cast me out of doors, let me be onely covered with the Canopy of Heaven; take away, not onely my Fineness and Superflui­ties, but my Ease and Prosperity: nay, even my Houses and Lands, my other Comforts, and Health too, from me, rather than deny me thy Grace, for what greater Blessing can I beg than it?

The Favours of Princes are lightnings that blind us with their Splendor. Riches and Beauty corrupt daily; They seemingly depend upon strange uncertain accidents.

Power and Honours are no less dangerous than Elevating: But the possession of thy Favour is a boundless Gulf of Happiness. What Golden Shours of ineffable sweetness are pour'd into their breasts who enjoy the priviledg thereof?

Wherefore although I should deny Sleep to mine Eyes, and Slumber to their Lids, for thy sake, O God! yet even by such actions I should meet with the greater Repose: nay, with that unspeakable Quiet, and serenity of thy beloved and chosen People.

So that I desire not that any part of me should find Ease and Rest, without a sensibility of thy Grace, and a respect to thy Will.

All my Bones shall say, Lord! Who is like thee? and as thou hast obliged, so do thou unite all my disorderly affections: Bind them with the Cords of Divine Love unto thine Altars; that they may not be undone by the dissoluteness of this Age; strengthen my Weakness, encourage my Resolutions to get the better of my Frailties, and of my Inconstancy, least I fall into every Temptation of Sin, or Snare of the Devil. I seek no farther security than thy Favour, no fairer Boon than thy Grace, no fuller Bliss than thy Bosom affords.

But to obtain these, Lord! there is requisite a more intire Obedi­ence to thy Will, a continued Repentance of my Transgressions, and a resolution fixed rather upon dying than offending Thee any more.

And is not this Disposition the Ephratah mentioned, wherein we may find Christ?

Surely he that can behave himself Righteously, Soberly, and Holily towards the World, Himself, and Satan, need not doubt but that he may see God's Face, and Live also.

For God is good, and doth good to all such as keep his Testimo­nies, and walk in his wayes.

‘Where there is any goodness, he will not be a far off, Where there is any true Piety there is God at hand: for he loves to Crown his own Gifts, and to Glorify his own Graces, and to have his [Page 47]delights with the Sons of Men, when these are willing to become the Sons of God, by coming to his onely begotten Jesus Christ.’

This I have found by experience; and how great is my Obliga­tion to thee, most dear Redeemer! who would suffer thy self to be found in the sharp Covert of my Breast, in that strong Wood, where Sin left none of the Cedars of God (which are full of Sap) but only a few Shrubs of impotent affections, which are so full of Briars, and Asperities, as that they opposed thy entrance into my Soul, and pre­sented Thee with nothing, but another Crown of Thorns.

Yet since I have not onely heard of Thee with the Hearing of the Ear, but my other Senses have been sufficient Witnesses of thy in­estimable Kindness, and of thy Addresses to me, that I might find thee. O that I may find such favour in thy sight, as to have a sight still of thy Favour! Let my Worshipping of Thee keep some measure with thy Working upon me, that I may be renewed day by day.

Undress my Soul of all such mean Garbs, and sinful Compliances, as will render it uncomly or unfit for thy sight. This Soul, dear Lord! of which thou wouldest be the Maker and Redeemer also; doth not more triumph in thy present bounty than it is afraid to forfeit it. Therefore,

Come now, and take up thy abode therein: Shall my Sins keep Thee knocking at the Door? No, dearest Lord! come in; my Lord come in while I am ready (as thy Spouse should always be) to enter­tain Thee my beloved Bridegroom.

What Sinners need despair of Mercy, while a Saviour Invites, In­treats, and even pulls them by force out of the Sodom of their Sins and dangers, unto a Repentance which may bring them to Salvati­on? And,

How easily is Heaven opened by the Tears of Contrition? How pleased is the Divine Pity at such Tears?

These Showers return again upon the Earth with Peace to it, Good will to Men, they bring God Glory, and his Glory to us, they cause Heaven's Jubile, and the Angels Triumph, because the Return of a Sinner is the most grateful Tribute that the Creature can offer to its Creator, and God delights himself in the Election of such Instruments as are changed from Vessels of dishonour, and fitted for his service by Conversion: Since the procurement of his Grace and Favour is not the Fruit of our Merit, but of his own Goodness.

For all we may Weep, Sigh, Pray, Fast, make Restitution, give Almes, resolve against Sin, and mortify our Passions, and bridle our Affections, and our corrupt Appetites, in some decent manner; yet our Nature hath many Frailties, and renders our best deeds so imper­fect, as without the excess of thy Compassion, without the Merits of Christ's sufferings we should still be found such wicked and unprofi­table Servants, as to have no more hope than worth in our best per­formances.

On therefore, O my Soul! and (for all thy former demerits) in­deavour by the devoutest applications of God's Grace to be raised un­to Mount Sion: and to be made thy self a Temple, an Habitation for the God of Jacob, where thy Lord himself may delight to dwell; thou canst not aspire to more Happiness than to be a Mansion for his Son, and Spirit.

Therefore know the way of truth, and walk in it, make right paths for thy Feet, since they that wander through Ignorance, are lost or confounded by their own darkness.

Let thy Knowledg, and thy Zeal prevent thy self, and other Sinners too, from rejoicing in their own Errors; by due Austerities detourn them from their Perverseness. By good Counsel assist others in their affairs, and succor them in their affliction. With the Shield of Pa­tience break through the thickest Ranks of thine Adversaries, and overcome them by thy Charity. Receiving Injuries without being galled by them, without retorting such venomed Artillery, but rather pray for Enemies, do good to such as hate and persecute, and then thou shalt find (as the Hospitable King of Israel did) that God shall be on thy side, 2 King. 6.16, 23. and more for thee than against thee.

But woe to that Soul that by its dis-belief of God's Word hath trespassed so hainously, as to drive away God's Love that was un­willing to leave it. Woe to that Soul which becomes blind by its profane Obstinacy, in such a manner as to make it self an Object of God's Scorn and derision then, when it might be the Object of his Love and Delight!

No Words, no Thought can exemplify the direful miseries of that State, which becomes so infinitely wretched as not onely to be left Sentenced by God, but justly Punished and Condemned: ‘Nay, Scor­ned and derided and instead of being pitied by the unspeakable Bowels of an Heavenly Father, (for its perpetual loss and torment) have the Furnace of Hell made seven times hotter, by the derision of God and holy Angels, as if they rejoyced, and took pleasure in the Pains of the Damned: while they adore and praise the Justice, and Holiness of God, in giving to each one his due. And,’

‘Thus it comes to pass, as there is Joy in Heaven for the conversion of a Penitent; so there may be Joy too there, for the eternal Punish­ment, and deserved Ruine of an un-repenting and obstinate Offender.’

‘As we may infer from the words of Divine Wisdom spoken in the First Chapter of Proverbs from the 24th Vers. to the end of that Chapter. Prov. 1.24.’

‘So that of all those many Showers of Grace that God so plentifully and continually sends down, in these days of our Visitation; there will not be one drop left to cool the tongue of a Dives, when he may be sweltring in perpetual Flames.’ All that which might have nourished and feasted the Soul; turns to its Poyson, and infects it more with the Disease and Nature of the Devils.

But on the other side, ‘How blessed is the choice Spirit which laying hold on the Promise, and obeying the Precepts of its God, thrives so wonderfully under his gracious Blessing, Dan. 4.12, 13. as to be fruitful notwithstanding its height, and out of danger of falling.’

‘No evil Spirit shall have power to cast it down since it is watched by an Angel, and an Holy one receiving the Birds of Paradice within its Arms.’

O Lord! What Solace, and what Happiness may I not secure to my self, if I have the favour of thy good Will and Protection? for thou dost not baffle the hopes of such as anchor themselves upon the Rock Christ Jesus; thou dost not break the Knees that are bowed down, or bruised in their frequent Devotion before thee.

Thou dost not weary our Expectations, neither dost thou hate our Prayers or our Persons: but thou lovest thy Creature, yet not his Sin, Thou hearest his requests by Christ's Intercessions.

Thy Promises (not blended with self-interest) are never subject to alteration, as men's are too much. Thine immense bounty is the Parent of thy good Will to Mankind; and is unchangeable, because exempt both from Jealousy and Fear. Thy wisest Providence leades all our operations through several amazing Labyrinths to most ex­cellent ends, and many times far otherwise than we designed them.

Thy Mercy, that is so tender as to be wrought on by a Mortal's Sigh or Tear, calls every Sinner, watches, and waits his leisure (as it were) accepts and welcoms him almost at any time, after it hath provided the Festival too for his Cheer, without any Contribution, or Charges of the Guest.

Thy Wisdom is a depth past fathoming too, and therein like, (though transcending our Demerits) it knows (though we do not) always who are thine, and can work good and Glory out of the worst of man's Misery, and the Devils Malice.

O that this fore-praised Wisdom, and Love of thine, may work these following Effects.

First, Let the one subdue those Adversaries of thy Glory, and my Good, who oppose themselves to my thorough Conversion, Tyrannizing over my Will, and perverting the devout Affections that now and then warm my Heart.

Secondly, Let the other enrich my Soul with Grace. As David was blessed in thy Love, and became an Illustrious Instrument for the ad­vancing thy Glory: So I may be installed for ever with the tokens of thy Favour, and with the ornaments of thy meek and holy Spirit.

I see the World arrayed with Vanity, and dawbed over with ex­cesses, its sweets (like too hot perfumes) strongly assault the weakness of our senses, and the softness of my Constitution discover the Rebel­lions of the Flesh against the Spirit.

I fear my Levity, and inconsideration will lay me open to the inveiglements of my subtilest Foes. And shall I not pray then against their wickedness? that thou wouldest frustrate their attempts against me, and confound their Devices. Least I be confounded, who repair to thy holiest Sanctuary for Protection.

Save me then, O Lord! who Renouncing the Devil and his Works, and forsaking the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World, and all the sinfull Lusts of the Flesh, would be faithful unto death, and re­ceive from thee alone a Crown of Life, of Grace here, and Glory hereafter. Amen.

The fourteenth Step on the fourteenth PSALM of Degrees, being the 133 PSALM.

LIft up thy self, O my Soul! and be thou raised up from the burthen of my Sins, unto the Throne of the Most High: for though God be the absolute dispenser of his own Grace, yet he loves to have it coveted, and looked after by Man­kind, since his delights are placed amongst us. Be sure not to leave his presence; wander no more like a Cain from his sight: for although nothing be covered from his inspection, yet as he that travels far Northward banishes himself from the Sun's power, and will not be advantaged by his heat, so much as if he stayed near the place where the Sun makes his Bed at Noon: So neither can he receive the warmest influences of Gods Favour, who departs from it, like an offending Adam.

Therefore, O my Soul! Renounce thy Worldly affections altogether, and know that whosoever leaves his Heart to be entrapped by the fair semblances of Earthly Toys, may lose his share in an Eternity of Glory, while he embraces nothing but a Cloud, and catches unhappily at a Shadow.

Alas! all Sublunary things are too slight to be compared with the pleasures at God's Right-hand. What is most compleat here is ever assailed by its contraries, and what appears most Gygantick, or mighty, is but the greater Imposture, cheating our apprehension by the cast of a huge Shadow.

That which is sweetest to our Senses is incompassed with the most stings, as our loveliest Roses have the sharpest prickles; here is no Hony but what is scoured with Wormwood, and the whole course of our Lives is but a L'ambigue, a strange Hotchpotch of Good and Evil. But in God, in God alone is found true Good, and perfect Hap­piness.

Many things that are useful are not pleasant, and many pleasant things are noxious. Fasting, Abstinence, and large Alms-deeds en­rich the Mind, mortify the Passions, while they seem to impair our Worldly Concernments.

On the contrary, the satisfaction of sensuality may caresse the Body, but they torture the Soul. In God alone meets that Profit and plea­sure which constitute the chief Good. Therefore,

O my Soul! with fervent Devotion, sincere Conversion, and set­tled Resolution, be fixed to thy Redeemer, and enjoy such bliss as is made over to those who are acquainted with God's Mind, and obedi­ent to his Commands.

How unhappy are the Scorners of such acquaintance, and Union with God; Sit not thou in their place, if thou meanest to be happy: [Page 51]for they have took leave of their Felicity, they have shook hands with Faith, and Charity; they are Eclipsed from the Beams of the Sun of Righteousness.

Yet let those sottish Animals inform me (if they can) why the bright Planet of the Day is so welcom to universal Nature? Why the sending forth its Light and Heat draws up their Eyes, and the Faculties of the whole World, as it were, to the admiration of it self? Why are the four Elements so needful, if they be not Communi­cative and assistant to every Body? and is not the Maker of these much more wonderful, as much more necessary to us all?

He that will lean to his own imaginations, makes them his Idols; and forfeits the Inheritance, that might be had by Communion with God. But he that with a right affection, and with Filial Reverence binds up all Cravings within the good pleasure, and will of God, may re­ceive all the Joys that can be handed to him by a Deity, for such an Observance. Such Union of a Soul to Christ, is more sweet and accep­table to Heaven, than was that holy Oyle which the High-priests onely were to make and use.

And as the Heavenly dew that falls upon the Hills of Hermon, and of Sion, brings Fruitfullness to their Rocks, and Health to their Inhabitants, so the Largesses of the Divine Bounty, many ways ad­vantage all such as are united to a Saviour, and to one another by a copious Charity.

The Dew comes down silently from Heaven, and waters the Earth, being nourishing, and medicinal: and such a Celestial thing is Love and Concord, Curing all the Diseases of the Mind.

It softens the very Marbles of a proud Niobe, improves the sterile bottom of Good-works; sweetens the Asperities of Contrition, and prevents the withering of our Hopes.

Send down this precious Dew upon my Soul, O Lord! as thou didst another on the Fleece of Gideon, that being over-shadowed by thy Love, I may never Divorce my self again from it, but value my affections (as thou dost) even as Faculties more considerable than are all those earthly Objects upon which they have been too often cast away: but since Mundanities are so imperfect Comforts, & so vanishing; they should be despicable. And I would devote my Heart altogether to those Joys of thine, which are Eternal.

Guard it therefore with a generous Fortitude to resist all the as­saults of the Devil, to disarm all my Senses, to defeat all my Cor­ruptions, from ever having any more Power to make me rebel against thy Goodness. And, Lord! command all the Forces of my Soul to concur in the desires of thy Mercy, in the doing thy Will, in the mag­nifying thy Greatness; so shall I be secure of thy Grace here, and of thy Glory hereafter. Amen.

The fifteenth Step on the fifteenth PSALM of Degrees, being the 134 PSALM.

O My Soul! how art thou engaged by the Mercies of thy Creator to reinforce thy Powers for the setting forth his Praise; Now lay the Top-stone of thy Happiness in the blessing of thy dear Redeemer; who hath suffered thee to get up thus near unto him, and to free thee from Sin, hath shewed the mighty skill of his Mercy in diverse manners.

First, In the delivering thee from the perils of Infidelity and Pro­faneness:

Secondly, In giving thee the due confidence thou oughtest to have in his Goodness.

Thirdly, In letting thee see how all true pleasures flow from him, who is all Love and Kindness.

Hath he enriched thee with the Ornaments of Hope? Hath he built thee upon the Groundwork of Charity, with the strength of a right Faith? Hath he taught thee the fear of the Lord, and the respect due to his Command? Hath he shewed thee the Consequence of Holy Sorrow, Meekness, and Exinanition? and at last invited thee to all Happiness, by a perfect union to Himself? And,

‘Art thou not inaugurated with a Crown of Privileges? Art thou not wholly subdued to God, and overcome by such powerful Rea­sons to confess, that Religion must needs be thy greatest advantage, and highest advancement also?’

Then forget not thy self so much as not to exalt his Merits, and bless his Mercy, and declare what he hath done for thee, as Loudly, as Plainly, as Continually, as 'tis possible for thee to do.

If thou slipp the time for these requisite performances, (and which is thy time but the present?) It will look like an Act of Ingratitude, and an effect of Obduration.

To the wicked, saith God, What hast thou to do to take my Name in thy Mouth, since thou hatest to be reformed. O Lord! thou wilt have none of their Commendations, who indeed are unworthy to utter thy holiest Name, being thy professed Enemies, their Addresses are but like the gnashings of the Damned, meer Profanations, and no Worship of Thee.

But thy Servants are the Ecchoing Trumpets of thy Goodness; Thou lovest their Eulogies, whom thou hast adorned with thy Favours, and Redeemed from the Tyranny of their Accuser.

Consider then again and again, O my Soul! how Great! how Incom­prehensible! is the Goodness of thy God! since he would Create thee after his likeness, and give thee Understanding, and Dominion over and above thy Fellow-creatures? Since he would place thee at first but little lower [Page 53]than the Angels, and hereafter will promote thee even above those blessed Spirits; since he would save thee with no less a Price than his Son's Blood; and make thee the chief Magazine, or Store-house of all the Treasures of his Grace: since he would Manumitt thee by his Service, from the Tyranny of thy Sensualities, and from the Slavery of great Transgressions (which bind up Lucifer himself in Chains of Darkness.) O! do not fall (like him) again into the Hell of In­gratitude, since thou art raised thus into the Favour of the Most High: Employ thy faculties to his Honour, else thou art such another un­worthy Monster as deserves to be entombed in the bottom of that Gulph which burns for Ever and Ever.

Shew at least how thou savourest the things of God, by acknow­ledging of them; 'Tis true, thou canst never render unto him ac­cording as thou hast received, yet return thy improved Talents, and thy utmost abilities, or else thy chearful readiness, for the owning thy self Obliged, and not unkind, to the Donor.

Suffer no Excuse or Accident to put thee off from thinking of his Goodness, or from thanking of it.

Thy Prosperity is the Issue of his Providence, not of thy Merit. God (saith the Wise man) enables us to get Wealth, and all good Fortune. Thy Adversaries celebrate his Wisdom, for by them art thou taught how he knows thy desert, and would try thy Patience, and deals not so hardly by thee as he is provoked.

Therefore in all Conditions set forth his most worthy Praise; with clean Hands, and a pure Heart lifted up by devout Expressions. Let us lead on our Desires, and endeavours to set the Crown upon his Head, and to put the Scepter into his Hand, whose right it is.

I mean let our Church (with that which is Triumphant) ascribe All Honour, Power, Dominion, and Glory unto him who sits upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb, for evermore: blessing God every manner of way, whereby the Creature may be said to Glorify his maker. As,

First, By speaking of God with that Reverence which the Majesty of his Person doth require.

Secondly, By living according to the Rules of Probity, that by our good actions, both our selves and others may think well of his Ser­vice.

Thirdly, By rendering unto God the Honour due to his Name, in whatsoever condition may we be, that whether he gives or takes away, there may be no shipwrack of a good Conscience, or of a chearful Spi­rit, because we own our dependance not upon our selves but Him.

Fourthly, By Giving Thanks always for all things unto God, Eph. 5.20. (as saith the Apostle) while we entertain a grateful Tast and Remembrance of the most ordinary Mercy, for there is none to be looked upon as little, if we justly regard either God or our selves.

NOW, most Gracious Lord! since thou hast called up my Soul to this exalted Throne of Felicity, to this highest Round of Hea­venly Comfort, (to wit) to the resounding of thy Praises, for the efficacy of thy Favours towards a penitent Sinner: I beseech thee, dearest Lord! shower down continuall thy Gifts and Graces upon my humbled Soul, that it may be fruitful in every good Work, and shew no wretched marks of its former Sterility, though it Merits not the [Page 54]smallest Dew of thy Blessing, nor the least warmth of thy Love; (having scarce put out the fire of extravagant Lust.) Yet since thou hast founded the vast Machine of the Universe upon the empty place; Thine out-stretched arm can amend and sanctify whatever is amiss about me.

Thou art both our Lord, and our God; a Maker, and Redeemer too; whose Operations are beyond all impossibilities, and thy Bene­fits above our Desires, espcially in Heavenly things, no less than a­bove our Deserts.

However, give me leave, here at last, to beseech thee so to fit me for thine Eternal Entertainments, by a thankful Sense, and constant relish of thy Love and Goodness to me here, as that I may pass along safely and contentedly through the many disquiets of this mortal Life, to the continual Praising, and endless Fruition of thee in Heaven.

our Father which art, &c.