Man be ashamed, when he shall come

in glory.

Rom. x. 10.

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

2 Tim. iii. 1, 2.

Know that in the latter days perilous times shall come:

For men shall be lovers of their own selves.

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 consider

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

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able 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 affection 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 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

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, e 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 corrup

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tions: 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 of fence, 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.