But what is there, my Soul, to Tempt to Stay here, or that should engage me to Jet up my Rift below, and fall in Love with thi World? Bifides the Sins, the Plagues, and be frequent Uproars, which make it even like the Suburbs of Hell, Let me but well Berbink my felf, and what shall I ever find, even at the beft, but Imperfection in the place of our preJent Habitation? Where all are Minors, Pu pils, Pilgrims, Valetudinarians, Labourers, Warriers, Sufferers, and Plaintiffs. In wha Region davels the Satisfaction that's Compleat, and Adequate to all my Wishes? But only in that Heaven it felf, which alone is the Place of full Poff ffion and open Vision, of found Health and Sweet Reft, of endless Vacation and entire Fruition, of glorious Triumph, and compleat Satisfaction; yea, of all Eafe, with the height of Pleafure and Fulness of Joy, to endure for ever.

A IM

O my Soul, Be not deceived and abus'd. Do but know and remember thy own Worth and Dignity, So as to value thy felf upon thy high Birth, and noble Capacity; As thou deriveft from the Father of Spirits, and art Born of God, to a Kingdom infinitely greater, richer and better, than all the Kingdoms of the Earth put together. And then, Lay it on like Thy felf, and foorn to dabble thy Wings in the Mud of this World. Never take up with thofe poor dirty Delights, which are the share of fuch Beafts of the People, as have all their Portion

in

in this Life. But aim Higher, and fly Aloft, to unite with the eternal Fountain of thy Blifs, as well as of thy Being; Who is not afhamed to be Called thy God; Because he has Prepared for thee Like Himself, infinitely Good, to make thee the most Happy, and that Eter nally. O fet thy Affection on things Above, not on things upon the Earth. Let the eye of thy Faith fix and dwell upon thofe Unfeen things, which thou mayst affure thy felf are the Best of all things, Because like the Beft of all Beings, whom no man hath seen, or can fee.

Rouze then, and Chear up, my Soul; Don't fay, 'Tis High,I cannot Attain toit: So many Difficulties in the way, I shall never go thro' 'em: I fhall never perform the Conditions,nor bo'd out, andEndure to theEnd: But Faint and Perifh by the way; Lofe all that I feem'd to Attain, and Fall fhort of the bleed Prize at last. Toos much ground for fuch Deffonding thoughts, (I confefs, Looking no farther than thy weak finful Self. But remember who it was did firft put thee upon the feeking of his Kingdom, and has brought thee on fo far hitherto. Is not be thy Father, that has fown the feed of Life in thy Heart, and given thee that Bent Heavenward, which by Nature thou hadst not, couldft not have? Go forth then in the ftrength of thy Lord God: And Look unto Jefus whe is the Author, Expecting him to be aljo the Finifher of thy Faith. For has be not faid,

N. 30

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Joh.

Joh. 11. 40. If thou wouldst Believe thou fhouldft fee the Glory of God? Yes, (thou may'st say,) the Glory of his Power; yea, and of his Kingdom too. For bas be not Laid again, fob. 3. 16. Whofoever Believeth in Him fhall not Perifh, but have Everlasting Life? Believe therefore, That be who has Begun the Good work in thee, will never Leave me nor Forfake me ; But Perfect what concerns me; and bring me to the End of my Faith, the Salvation of my Soul.

Why art thou caft down then, my Soul, and by fo Difquieted within me? Whenever tky Progrefs through this tiresome World throws the upon feme heavy ways, or under fome ftormy Weather, where thou art plung'd in the Water and Mire, in the Deep and Dark Lock up and perfuade thy felf, That he who bus Helped, mil Help thee; and thou shalt yet. fee better Times, and find fairer Ways; yea, Ways of Pleafantnefs, and Paths of Peace. The thiu- only in Care to Follow thy Lord and Savicur fill, whitherfoever he Calls thee: and are thy felf, that he has no Defign upon thee; but to Save thee. Yea, bis Word èffures thee, That he gives his Sheep Eternal Life and they fhall never Perifh: Nor fhall amy pluck 'em out of his hands. Feb. 10. 28. Tho' true it is, They would Stray, and be Loft, of Left to themfolues; yet dies bis Grace, that

first Quicken'd'em, ftill Secure 'em, till got paft every Hazard, to be ever with the Lord.

What time I am Afraid then, I will Trust in Him. Tho' I will distrust my self, and take Heed to my Ways, and be cautious to avoid the Occafions of Falling: Yet when I do fall thro' my Frailty, I will not despair of Rifing again, thro' his Mercy; But still Truft in the Name of the Lord, and ftay my felf upon my God: Depending on his never-failing Word, and bis ever-enduring Mercy, To be Guided by his Counfel, till receiv'd into his Glory.

Thus Jhall my Life be a Life of Faith, and Hope, and Love; a Life of Care and Pains; and a Life of Prayer and Praife. I' will Believe, to fer the Goodness of the Lord, in a better Life and Place, than this Land of the Living. I will Hope for what I fee not; and Chrift in me, shall be my. Hope of Glory. I will Love Him, who with an Everlasting Love, Bath First Loved me; and Prepared fuch unspeakable things, for them that Love Him. I will be in Care and dread of Following a Multitude, in the broad Way, to a Curfed End; Tho' never fo much upbraided with my Singularity, as like No body. And my continual Concern fhall be, not to Lock back, after I have put my hand to the Plough; Nor to be of them that draw back to Perdition; But keep my Heart. as well as any Feet, that I decline not from

the

the Way of Life. I will give Diligence to make my Calling and Election fure; and Jo Labour to work out my Salvation, that I may Enter thro the Strait Gate, into God's Reft; and there Reft for ever from all my Labour. I will Pray to the Lord, and beg ftill for more and more of his Grace from Above, To Raife and help me safe and fure thither: Tea, Pray that I may have ftill clearer Views of Heaven, more eager Longings after it,and a betterFitness for it: That God who has Spoken Life to me, would be pleas'd still farther to Renew me, Till be has Compleated his gra cious work upon me: And then Defire to Loofe from hence, andDepart in Peace; and to be where 'tis Beft, with Chrift, in the Joy of my Lord.

Yea, I will Blefs, and Praise the Lord, for what I have already received of his Grace, and Rejoice in Hope of his Glory. So fhall my Soul Glory in the God of my Salvation, That bowever I am Threatned from an Inhofpitable perilous World, or its infernal Ruler; Ill be, not only Hopeful, but Fogful in fuch a Savi eur. Becaufe Greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the World: Even the Lord Almighty, able to. Subdue all oppofing Powers, who will bruise Satan under my feet, and Preferve me to bis. Heavenly King

dem.

To him therefore will I commit the Keeping of thee, my Soul, and all that ever con

cerns