and entangle my affections; fo that I cannot have a free approach to thee, nor enjoy thy ravishing embraces, in company with the bleffed Spirits for evermore. Incline thine ears to my fighing, and remember my manifold defolation upon earth.

IV. O Jefus, thou ineffable fplendor of eternal glory, thou only folace of the pilgrim foul in her abfence from thee; my heart, without voice or language, is prefent with thee, and fpeaketh unto thee in filent tears and groans unutterable. "How long "will my Lord, how long will he delay his

coming? O that he would come to me " his poor afflicted fervant, and make me: glad with the joy of his countenance! O "that he would put forth his hand, and "fnatch me, wretched man, from every an

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guifh! Come, Lord Jefus, come quick"Iy; for without thee, no day, no hour "will pass with joy or comfort: For thou "art my comfort, thou art my joy, and "without thee my table is empty. I am "wretched, and in a manner imprisoned, " and loaded with irons; till thou revive me " with the light of thy prefence, and reftore me to liberty, and thew me the favour of thy countenance.

“.

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V. Let others feek instead of thee any "thing else whatsoever liketh them: as for my felf, no other thing pleaseth, nor fhall please me, but thou, my GoD, my hope, my everlasting Salvation. I will not keep "filence, nor ceafe to pray, till thy grace return, and thou fpeak inwardly to my «foul.

JESUS-CHRIST.

Behold here I am: Behold I am come unto thee, because thou invokedst me. Thy tears, and the longing defire of thy foul, thy humiliation, and the contrition of thy heart, have moved my bowels, and brought me down unto thee.

THE SOUL.

And I faid: Lord, I called thee, and defired to enjoy thee, being ready to forfake all things for thee. For thou firft excitedst me to feek thee. Bleffed therefore be thou, O Lord, for this marvellous condefcenfion and goodness which thou haft fhewed to thy fervant, according to the multitude of thy mercy.

VI. What hath thy fervant more to fay in thy presence, but to humble himself profoundly before thee, ever mindful of his own iniquity and vileness? For there is

none

none like unto thee in all the Wonders of Heaven and Earth. Thy Works are very good, thy Judgments true, and by thy Providence all things are governed. Praife and glory therefore be rendred unto thee, O thou eternal Wisdom of the Father: Let my mouth, my foul, and all created things together, laud and bless thee world without end. Amen.

I.

CHAP. XXII.

Of the Remembrance of the manifold
Benefits of GOD.

Ο

THE SOUL.

PEN my understanding, O Lord, in thy law, and teach me to walk in thy precepts. Grant me to have a perfect knowledge of thy will, and with great reverence, and diligent confideration to recollect thy Benefits, as well in general, as in particular; to the end I may be thereby able worthily to thank thee for them. But I know, and confefs, that I am not able to

a Pfal. cxix.

R 3

render

render thee due praife and thanks for the very meaneft of thy favours. I am less than the leaft of thy mercies: And when I confider thy noble works and infinite perfections, my fpirit is overwhelm'd and fwallowed up in admiration of thy excellent greatnefs.

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II. All our advantages and bleffings of foul and body, and what things foever we poffefs, outwardly, or inwardly, naturally, or fupernaturally, all are the effects of thy bounty, and speak thee beneficent, tenderly kind, and good, from whom we have received all Goods. And altho' one hath received more, and another fewer, yet all are thine: And without thee, not even the leaft can be had. He that hath received greater gifts, cannot glory in his own Merit, nor be lifted up above others, nor infult over his weaker Brother: Because he is the greateft, and best man, that afcribes leaft to himself, and is most humble and devout in his grateful acknowledgements. And by how much any one thinks himself the vileft, and unworthiest of all men, fo much the fitlier difpos'd and qualify'd he is for the receiving a more abundant measure of thy gifts and graces.

III. Again, he that hath received more fparingly, ought not to grieve, not to repine and

i

and murmur, or to envy the larger portion of his wealthier neighbour: But rather to keep his eye intent upon thee, and more highly to extol thy goodness in difpenfing thy gifts fo abundantly, fo freely, and voluntarily, and without refpect of perfons. All things come from thee, and therefore in all things thou art to be praised, Thou knoweft what is expedient to be given to every person: And why one man one man hath more, and another lefs, this is not in us, but for thee only to difcern, who weigheft every one's refpective Merit.

IV. Wherefore, Lord GOD, I account it even a great mercy, not to have many of those qualities and advantages, which outwardly, and to the eye of the world, appear glorious, and worthy of praife and admiration: So that a man, upon the view of his poverty, and the meannefs of his perfon, fhould be fo far from being disquieted, or griev'd, or dejected, that it ought rather, to be matter of comfort, and joy to him: Because thou, O GOD, madeft choice of the poor, and humble, and contemptible of this world, for thy particular Friends, and Domesticks. A proof of this are thy Apostles themfelves, whom thou haft made Princes