flower, the fpiritual image of the feed, manifefting itself in it!

rance.

O may thy light shine down into the Tempepowers and appetites of my inferior nature, to take away the darkness, impurity, intemperance, and diforder, from them! May I be fanctified throughout, in fpirit, foul, and body; that the lower part of my life, which is moft engaged in flesh, may have a beauty of temperance and patience upon it, proportionable to that virtue and knowledge, which, in the upper part of my life, thou art pleased to communicate unto me!

Mayft thou, my Sun, my Saviour, Patience. ever fhine within me warmly and sweetly; that I may have a peaceful poffeffion of myself in thy glory, in every state and condition, and enjoy myself in thee in the deepest calamity! O forsake me not in the winter of old age! withdraw not the fap of thy ftrength and sweetness,

Godli

nefs.

fweetness, when the ftrength and comforts of nature fail me, when forrows and fears hunt me from place to place! In this winter and old age, may I flourish up on high, and bring forth more abundant fruits of love, purity, and joy in the spirit!

May I have continual communion with thee, in thy person, thy ordinances, and all things; for thy ordinance is with the fun, the moon, and every creature! May I fee thee, who art invifible to the natural eye, in the court and in the country; in every act of mine, in every thing that befals me! May I have fellowship with the Father, and the Son, in the light of their life, in all my light and darkness, life and death! May I converse with all things in "the myf"tery of godlinefs, GoD manifested in "the flesh, juftified in the fpirit, feen "of Angels, preached unto the Gen

"

"tiles,

"tiles, believed on in the world, re"ceived up into glory!"

Kindness.

And as I converfe with thee in all Brotherly things, fo may I converse with all things in thee! The love of thee, as the Father, the fulness; the love of faints, men, creatures, as children of this Father, as brethren in this fulness, are both godliness and brotherly kindness. O receive every Chriftian, and every creature in its rank, " as my own bowels;" as I hope and pray thou wilt receive myself!

As faith draws forth all from thee, Charity. through JESUS CHRIST; fo charity carries all back again into thee, by him. When I have done all, may I own all in thee alone; that I, and all my actings and objects, may ftand together comprehended in thee; in that band of unity, which binds up all in eternal life;

that

that love, which is GoD clafping the creature in himself!

"O that I were in the light, as thou, my GOD AND FATHER, my SAVIOUR AND REDEEMER, art in the light! that THE BLOOD OF CHRIST

may cleanse me from all fin; may "clear the guilt, and kill the power of "fin within me! that THE BEAUTY "OF CHRIST may shine forth through "my spirit; and I may have fellowship "and communion with CHRIST, with "the FATHER, ANGELS, ALL SAINTS, "IN A DIVINE LIFE!"

O grant, that I may not be spiritual in my studies and contemplations, and carnal in my affections and converfation! that I may not think of having the sweet bloffoms of brotherly kindness, virtue, and godlinefs, without CHRIST in the root by FAITH, and GOD in the ripe fruit by CHARITY!

May

May every Grace, as a member in the body, have his due nourishment and increase with the reft, that fo I may

grow to the ftature of a perfect man "in CHRIST!" May my difcoveries, devotions, and duties, answer one another; may my light, love, and life, go on equally in clearnefs, fweetness, fanctity, and felf-denial !

66

May all Graces be in me and abound; 2 Pet.i.8. may they cover my heart and spirit, "as the waters cover the fea; may they "drown my lufts, as the flood did the "men of the old world!" O may there be a riches, power, and glory of Grace in me, prevailing mightily and effectually over all my corruptions!

As the fun stands in the midst of the planets as their fountain and king, fo may THE PERSON OF THE SPIRIT live. and reign in the midst of my Graces; that THE SPIRIT may be their root, and

CHRIST