hell, may, under the protection of this glorious conqueror, be assured of admittance into his heavenly country. I needed none to help me in offending thee, but without help I never could have been reconciled to thee. Thou, therefore, who alone couldest be, thou my God wast my helper; and thy beloved Son has effected, that which could not have been effected, had he not taken my nature upon him, in order to cure my infirmities. Thus hath his grace made me an object of thy mercy; while sitting at thy hand in my substance, he gives me hope that thou will not hate that in me, which thou canst not but love in him. This is my hope, and the joy of my confidence.

If then I do, as well I may, seem vile and despicable in thy sight, through my own impurities, yet look upon me at least with an eye of pity, when thou beholdest my likeness in the Son of thy love. Hide my sins in his wounds, and let my stains be washed in his most precious blood. Flesh provoked thee to wrath, let flesh likewise prevail with thee for mercy and as my flesh drew me into sin, so let my Saviour's draw thee to compassion. Great I confess are my faults, and the punishments due to them; but greater, infinitely greater, are the merits and sufferings of my dear Redeemer. Between my sins and his righteousness there is no comparison, no proportion at all, either for quality or degree, no more than there is between God and man, between an atom and an infinite.

For what is it possible for man to be guilty of, which the Son of God made man must not needs have compensated? What pride can be so extravagant, that his humility did not exceed and make amends for? What dominion could death have so

absolute, that the death of the cross should not utterly overthrow it? If then Almighty God would be pleased to weigh the sins of man in a balance against the goodness of his Saviour, east and west, heaven and hell, are not so far distant from each other. And therefore, O my God, let my manifold offences be pardoned, for the many more pains and sufferings of thy dear Son: let his piety atone for my want of it, his ready obedience for my perverseness, his meekness for my untractable temper: set his humility against my pride, his patience against my discontent, his kindness against my hard-heartedness, the calmness of his soul, against my fretfulness and unruly passions, his gentleness against my rage, his universal and unwearied love against my hatred, revenge, and cruelty.

MEDITATION X.

Dependence upon the Holy Ghost.

AND now, O Holy Spirit, love of God, who proceedest from the Almighty Father and his most blessed Son, powerful advocate, and heavenly comforter, pour out upon me thy grace, and descend plentifully into my heart; enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling, and scatter there thy cheerful beams; dwell in my soul which longs to be thy temple; water this barren soil, overrun with weeds and briars, and lost for want of cultivating, and make it fruitful with thy dew from heaven. Heal the lurking distempers of my inward man; strike me through with the dart of thy love, and kindle thy holy fire in my breast, that it may flame out in a bright and devout zeal, actuate and enliven the heavy mass, burn up all the dross of sensual affections, and, diffusing itself through every part, possess, and purify, and warm my whole spirit, and soul and body.

Make me to drink of thy spiritual pleasures as out of a river; and let their heavenly sweetness so correct my palate, as to leave no desire, no relish for the gross unhealthful fulsomeness of worldly delights. Judge me, O Lord, and defend my cause against the ungodly people. Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee, for thou art my God. I believe, that in whomsoever thou dwellest, the Father and the Son do likewise come, and inhabit that breast. And, oh! happy is that heart, which

is honoured with so glorious, so divine a guest, in whose company the Father and the Son always come, and take up their abode! O that it may please thee to come to me, thou Comforter of mourning souls, thou mighty defence in distresses, and ready help in time of need. Come, thou strength of the feeble, and raiser of them that fall. Come, thou putter down of the proud, and teacher of the meek and humble. Come, thou hope of the poor, and refreshment of them that languish and faint. Come, thou star and guide of them that sail in this tempestuous sea of life; thou only guardian of the tossed and shipwrecked. Come, Holy Spirit, in much mercy, enable me to receive thee, condescend to my infirmities, that thy strength may be made perfect in my weakness. Bring me to the feet of my Saviour Jesus Christ, my only hope, who, in the unity of thee, O Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth with the Father, one God, world without end. Amen.

MEDITATION XI.

The Word made flesh.

MAY my heart believe unto righteousness, and my mouth confess unto salvation, that unspeakable goodness bestowed upon mankind in these latter ages of the world. Thou, O Father, art the only person, of whom we no where read that he was sent. But of thy Son, the apostle hath instructed us, that when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son. By saying God sent him, he means that the person thus sent, came into the world, when he condescended to be born of the vir gin Mary, and made his appearance in our flesh a true and perfect man.

But what means that passage of the great evangelist, He was in the world, and the world was made by him? Surely that he was sent hither with regard to his humanity, but was really here before, in respect of his divinity. Now this mission I believe, and thankfully acknowledge to have been the work of the whole Trinity. But, O holy Father, how great was thy love, and how tender the Almighty Creator's concern for his poor creatures, which spared not his own Son, but delivered him up freely for us, and which is the most astonishing circumstance, for us while we were yet sinners! That Son became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, he took the hand-writing that was against us, and nailed it to that cross of his; thus crucifying sin and slaying death. He only was