CHAP. LIX.

That all our Hope and Confidence is to be fixt in GoD alone.

I.

L

THE SOUL.

ORD, what is my Hope in this life? Or what is my greatest comfort, of all the things under Heaven? Is it not thou, my Lord GOD, whofe mercies are infinite? Where hath it been well with me, without thee? Or when could it be ill with

me, when thou wert prefent? I had rather be poor for thy fake, than rich without thee. I would chufe rather to be a Pilgrim upon earth with thee, than to poffefs Heaven without thee. Where thou art, there is Heaven; and there death and Hell, where thou art not. Thou art the longing defire of my foul; and therefore my fighs and groans, my cries and prayers must needs be continually directed to thee. There is none, in fine, that I can fully truft in, none that can feafonably help me in my neceffities, but thou alone my GOD. Thou art my Hope, and my trust; thou my comfort, and moft faithful friend upon all occafions.

II. All

II. All feek themselves, and their own intereft: Thou intendeft my Salvation and Proficience alone, and convertest all things into good to me. Tho' I be expofed to various temptations, and adverfities, all this thou ordereft for my advantage, who art wont to prove thy Beloved Ones a thousand ways. In which tryal and probation, thou oughteft to be no lefs lov'd and blefs'd, than if thou hadst filled me with heavenly confolations.

III. In thee therefore, O Lord GOD, I place my whole hope and refuge; In thee I depofit all my tribulation and anguifh; because I find all weak and unstable, whatsoever I behold out of thee. For a multitude of friends will not avail, nor will mighty aids be able to fuccour, nor prudent counsellors to give wholesome advife, nor the Books of the Learned to comfort, nor any precious fubftance to deliver, nor any fecret and delightful place to fecure; unless thou thy felf ftand by, help, fortifie, comfort, inftruct and guard.

IV. For all the things, that feemingly tend to peace and felicity, are nothing in thy abfence, and do, in truth, contribute no felicity. Thou therefore art the ultimate perfection of all good, the height of life, and

the

the depth of wisdom: And to hope in thee above all things, is the strongest confolation of thy fervants. To thee are my eyes lifted up, in thee I truft, O my God, thou Father of mercies. Blefs and fanctify my foul with heavenly benediction, to the end it may become thy heavenly habitation, and the feat of thy eternal glory; and that nothing may be found in the Temple of thy Excellence, which may offend the eyes of of thy Majefty. According to the greatnefs of thy goodness, and the multitude of thy mercies, look upon me, and hear the prayer of thy poor fervant, banished far in the region of the fhadow of death. Protect and keep the foul of thy vaffal, amidst the numerous perils of a corruptible life, and thy grace accompanying him, direct him in the way of peace to a country of everlasting brightness. Amen, fo be it,

The End of the Third Book.

OF THE

IMITATION

O F

CHRIST.

BOOK IV.

Of the SACRAMENT of the ALTAR.

A Devout Exhortation to the Holy Communion.

C

The VOICE of CHRIST.

OME unto me, all ye that travel, and are heavy laden, " and I will refresh you, faith "the Lord, Matth. xi. 28.

"The

"The Bread that I will give, is my "Flesh, which I will give for the Life " of the World, John vi. 51.

یا

"Take, eat, this is my Body, which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me, I Cor. xi. 24.

"He that eateth my Flesh, and drink"eth my Blood, dwelleth in me, and I in ❝ him, John vi. 56.

"The words which I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are Life, John ❝ vi. 63.

CHAP.