of a bleeding heart, and withdraw not thy mercy from a penitent soul. Give me new thoughts, O God, and with thy holy Spirit new-mould my desires: inform my will and sanctify my affections, that they may relish thy sweetness with a full delight. Create in me, O God, a spiritual sense, that I may take pleasure in things that are above. Give me a contented thankfulness for what I have, that I may neither in poverty forsake thee, nor in plenty forget thee. Arm me with a continual patience, that I may win cheerfully put my trust in thy providence. Moderate my care for momentary things, that I may use the world as if I used it not. Let not the loss of any earthly good too much deject me, lest I should sin with my lips and charge thee foolishly. Give me a charitable hand, O God, and fill my heart with brotherly compassion, that I may cheerfully exchange the corruptible treasure of this world, into the incorruptible riches of the world to come; and proving a faithful steward in thy spiritual household, I may give up my account with joy, and be made partaker of thy eternal joy in the kingdom of thy glory. THE SELF-LOVER. His Self-fraud. God hath required my heart, and he shall have it: God hath commanded truth in the inward parts, and he shall be obeyed: my soul shall praise the Lord, and all that is within me, and I will serve him in the strength of my desires. And in common cases the tongue's profession of his name is no less then necessary: but when it lies upon a life, upon the saving of a livelihood, upon the flat undoing of a reputation, the case is altered: my life is dear, my fair possessions precious, and my reputation is the very apple of mine eye. To save so great a stake, methinks equivocation is but venal, if a sin. If the true loyalty of mine heart stands sound to my religion and my God; my well-informed conscience tells me that in such extremities my frightened tongue may take the privilege of a, salvo or a mental reservation, if not in the expres sion of a fair compliance. What! shall the real breach of a holy Sabbath, dedicated to God's highest glory, be tolerated for the welfare of an ox? May that breach be set upon the score of mercy, and commended above sacrifice for the safeguard of an ass? dispense with a bare And And may I not lip-denial of my urged religion, for the necessary preservation of the threatened life of a man? for the saving of the whole livelihood and subsistence of a Christian? What! shall I perish for the want of food, and die a martyr to that foolish conscience which forbids me to 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 whenas 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? Bur 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. Matth. x. 33. He that denies me before men, him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven. Luke, ix. 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, of him shall the Son of H |