rub the ears of a little standing corn? Jacob could purchase his sick father's blessing with a downright lie, and may I not dissemble for a life? The. young man's great possessions taught his timorous tongue to shrink from, and decline, his heart's profession; and who could blame him? Come, if thou freely give thy house, canst thou in conscience be denied a hiding-room for thy protection? The Syrian Captain (he whose heart was fixed on his now firmly resolved and true devotion) reserved the house of Rimmon for his necessary attendance, and yet went in peace. Peter (upon the rock of whose confession the Church was grounded) to save his liberty, with a false, nay with a perjured tongue; nay more, at such a time when as the Lord of Life (in whose behalf he drew his sword) was questioned for his innocent life, denied his Master; and shall I be so great an unthrift of my blood, my life, to lose it for a mere lip-denial of that religion, which now is settled, and needs no blood to seal it?

BUT stay! my conscience checks me; there's a judgment thunders-Hark!

I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return; that unto ME every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swear. Isaiah, xlv. 23.

He that denies me before men, him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven. Matthew, x. 33.

Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he shall come in glory. Luke, ix. 26.

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With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. Rom. x. 10.

Know that in the latter days perilous times shall come':

For men shall be lovers of their own selves. 2 Tim. iii. 1, 2.

HIS SOLILOQUY.

My soul, in such a time as this, when the civil sword is warm with slaughter,* and the wasting kingdom welters in her blood, wouldst thou not give thy life to ransom her from ruin? Is not the God of heaven and earth worth many kingdoms? Is thy welfare more considerable than his glory? darest thou deny him for thy own ends, that denied thee nothing for thy good? Is a poor clod of earth (we call inheritance) prizeable with his greatness? or a puff of breath (we call life) valuable with his honour, in comparison of whom the very angels are impure? Blush, O my soul, at thy own guilt: he that accounted his blood, his life, not worth the keeping to ransom thee, a wretch, lost by thy own rebellion-deserves he not the abatement of a lust, to keep him from a new crucifying? My soul, if religion bind thee not, if judgments terrify thee not, if natural affections incline thee not, yet let common reason persuade thee to love Him above a trifle, that loved thee above his life: and thou that hast so often

*The above was written during the civil wars between Charles I, and the Parliament.

EDITOR.

denied him, deny thyself for ever, and he will own thee: repent, and he will pardon thee; pray to him, and he will hear thee.

HIS PRAYER.

O GOD, whose glory is the end of my creation, and whose free mercy is the cause of my redemption; that gavest thy Son, thy only Son, to die for me, who else had perished in the common deluge of thy wrath; what shall I render for so great a mercy? What thankfulness shall I return for so infinite a love? Alas! the most that I can do, is nothing; the best that I can present is, worse than nothing, sin. Lord, if I yield my body for a sacrifice, I offer nothing but a lump of filth, and loathsome putrefaction; or if I give my soul in contribution, I yield thee nothing but thy image quite defaced and polluted with my lusts; or if I spend the strength of the whole man, and with both heart and tongue confess and magnify thy name-how can the praises of my sinful lips, that breathe from such a sink, be pleasing to thee? But, Lord, since thou art pleased in thy well-pleasing Son to accept the poverty of my weak endeavours, send down thy Holy Spirit into my heart, cleanse it from the filth of my corruptions, and make it fit to praise thee: Lord, open thou my mouth, and my lips shall shew forth thy praise. Put a new song into my mouth, and I will praise thee and confess thee all day long; I will not hide thy goodness in my mouth, but will be shewing forth thy truth, and thy salvation; let thy praises be my honour, and let thy goodness be the subject

of my undaunted song.

Let neither reputation, wealth, nor life be precious to me in comparison with thee: let not the world's derision daunt me, nor examples of infirmity deject me. Give me courage and wisdom to stand for thy honour. Oh! make me worthy, able, and willing to suffer for thy name. Lord, teach me to deny myself, and to resist the motions of my own corruptions: create in me, O God, a single heart, that I may love the Lord Jesus in sincerity; remember not, O Lord, the sins of my fear, and pardon the hypocrisy of my self-love. Wash me from the stains and guilt of this my heinous offence, and deliver me from this fearful judgment thou hast threatened in thy word. Convince all the arguments of my unsanctified wit, whereby I have become an advocate to my sin. Grant that my life may adorn my profession, and make my tongue an instrument of thy glory. Assist me, O God, that I may praise thy goodness, and declare thy wonders among the children of men: strengthen my faith, that it may trust thee, and let my works so shine, that men may praise thee; that my heart believing unto righteousness, and my tongue confessing to salvation, I may be acknowledged by thee here, and glorified by thee in the kingdom of glory,

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THE WORLDLY MAN.

HIS VERDURE.

FOR aught I see, the case is even the same with him that prays, and him that does not pray; with him that swears, and him that fears an oath: I see no difference; if any, those that they call the wicked have the advantage. Their crops are even as fair, their flocks as numerous as theirs that wear the ground with their religious knees, and fast their bodies to a skeleton; nay, in the use of blessings (which only makes them so) they far exceed; they term me reprobate, and style me unregenerate: 'tis true, I eat my labours with a jolly heart, drink frolic cups, sweeten my pains with time-beguiling sports, make the best advantage of my own, pray when I think on't, swear when they urge me, hear sermons at my leisure, follow the lusts of my own eyes, and take the pleasure of my own ways; and yet, God be thanked, my barns are furnished, my sheep stand sound, my cattle strong for labour, my pastures rich and flourishing, my body healthful, and my bags are full; whilst they that are so pure, and make such conscience of their ways; that run to sermons, jig to lectures, pray thrice a day by the hour, hold faith and troth, profane, and drinking healths a sin, do often find scanty harvests, lean flocks, and empty purses. Let them be godly that can live on air and faith; and, eaten up by zeal, can whine themselves into an hospital, or bless their lips with charitable scraps. If