with the found of their own words. But the truth of the Lord endureth for evera.

I.

CHAP. XV.

How we ought to ftand affected, and in what manner we should address our felves to God in all our Defires.

S every

JESUS-CHRIST.

ON, let this be thy language upon occafion: "Lord, if it be thy " pleasure, grant me this request. If this " conduce to thy glory, be it done in thy "holy Name. Lord, if thou feest that this " is expedient for me, and will turn to my "advantage, then grant it me, and with it

grace, to use it to thy honour. But if "thou knoweft it will prove hurtful to me, ❝ and that it is no furtherance to the good "of my foul, remove from me fuch a defire:

For every defire is not from the Holy Spirit, tho' it may feem right and good in a man's own eyes. It is difficult to judge certainly, whether thou art acted by a good

Pfal. cxvii. V. 2.

1

or

or an evil Spirit, in defiring this or that; or whether thou art not push'd on by thy own inclination, and fome private refpects. Ma ny in the end have been deceived, who at first thought themselves under the influence and conduct of a good Spirit.

2. Whatsoever therefore prefents it felf unto thy mind as defirable, the fame muft thou defire and ask always in the fear of GOD, and with humility of heart: And thou must be fure to leave the whole matter, with an entire fubmiffion of thy own will, to my difpofal, and to fay: "Lord thou knowest "what is beft; Let this, orthat thing be ❝ done, even as it feemeth good to thee. "Give me what thou pleafeft, and as much as thou pleaseft, and when thou pleasest. "Give me fuch things, and in fuch mea"fures, and at fuch times, as thou thy felf

pleaseft. Deal with me, as thou knowest " is convenient, as it feemeth best toothy "divine will, and is most conducive to thy "own glory. Place me where thou wilt, "and difpole of me in all things at pleasure. "I am in thy hand, turn, and return me, " from place to place, from fortune to "fortune. Behold, I am thy fervant, rea dy prepared for all things; fince I de"fire not to live unto my felf, but unto

Q

thee:

"thee: And O that I could do it worthily " and perfectly!

APrayer for Grace to do the Will of GOD.

G

may

III. Rant me, sweetest Saviour, the grace of thy Spirit; that it be prefent with me, and labour with me, and perfevere with me even unto the end. Grant me ever to defire, and to will that, which is most acceptable, and best pleafing unto thee. Let thy will be mine, and my will always follow thine, and perfectly agree with it. Let me have the fame likings, and diflikings with thee; nor let it be poffible for me to like, or diflike any thing, but what thou likeft and diflikeft.

IV. Grant me to die unto all things, that are in the world; and for thy fake to welcome fcorn and contempt. But grant me above all defires to reft in thee, and to repofe my heart in thy peace. Thou art the true peace of the heart, thou the only reft; out of thee all is trouble and difquiet. In this Peace, for that very end, that is, in thee, the one Sovereign Eternal Good, I will lay me down, and take my reft. Amen.

■ Wild. ix. 10.

CHAP.

CHAP. XVI.

That true Comfort is to be fought in GoD

1.

W

alone.

THE SOUL.

Hatfoever of comfort I can poffibly either defire or conceive, I expect not here, but hereafter. And had I alone all the comforts, and could I enjoy all the delights the world can afford, certain it is they could not laft long. Wherefore thou canst not, O my foul, be fully comforted, nor perfectly delighted, fave only in GOD the comforter of the poor, and fuftainer of the humble. Wait a little, my foul, wait the divine promife, and thou fhalt have an abundance of all good things in Heaven. If thou covet inordinately the prefent enjoyments of this life, thou fhalt lofe thofe that are eternal, and heavenly. Use these temporal things, but defire only those that are eternal. Thou canst not be fatiffied with any temporal good, because thou waft not created for the enjoyment of fuch.

II. Tho' thou wert poffefs'd of all created goods, yet couldft thou not be happy and bleffed but in GOD, the Creator of all

:

things, thy whole bleffedness and felicity confifteth: not fuch as is feen, and extoll'd by the foolish lovers of the world; but fuch as the good and faithful difciples of Chrift expect; and the fpiritual, and pure in heart, whofe converfation is in Heaven, have fometimes a foretaste of. Empty and fhort is all human comfort. Bleffed, and true is that comfort, which is infpired into the heart by Truth it felf. The devout man conftantly bears about with him his Comforter Jefus, and faith unto him: "Be with me, Lord Je"fus, in all places, and at all times. Be this

my confolation, to be contentedly desti"tute of all human comfort. And if thy "confolation fail me, let thy will, and righ❝teous probation be unto me instead of the higheft comfort. For thou wilt not always be chiding, neither wilt thou keep "thy anger for ever.

a Pfal. ciii. 9.

a

༈་

CHAP.