to rescue me, the meanest of Thy little flock, cast down Thy gracious eye upon the weakness of my nature, and behold it in the strength of Thy compassion: open mine eyes that I may see that object which flesh cannot behold. Enlighten mine understanding, that I may clearly discern that truth. which my ignorance cannot apprehend: rectify my judgment, that I may confidently resolve those doubts which my understanding cannot determine: sanctify my will, that I may wisely choose that good which my deceived heart cannot desire fortify my resolution, that I may constantly embrace that choice which my inconstancy cannot hold: weaken the strength of my corrupted nature, that I may struggle with my lusts, and strive against the base rebellions of my flesh. Strengthen the weakness of my dejected spirit, that I may conquer myself, and still withstand the assaults of mine own corruption: moderate my delight in the things of this world, and keep my desires within the limits of Thy will; let the points of my thoughts be directed to Thee, and let my hopes rest in the assurance of Thy favour: let not the fear of worldly loss dismay me, nor let the loss of the world's favour daunt me let my joy in Thee exceed all worldly grief, and let the love of Thee expel all carnal fear: let the multitudes. of my offences be hid in the multitude of Thy compassions, and let the reproachfulness of that death which Thy Son suffered for my sake enable me to suffer all reproach for His sake let not my sin against Thy mercies remove Thy mercies from my sin; and let the necessity of my offences be swallowed up in the all-sufficiency of His merits let not the foulness of my transgressions lead me to distrust, nor let the distrust of Thy pardon leave me to despair. Fix in my heart a filial love, that I may love Thee as a Father, and remove all servile fear from me, that Thou mayest behold me as a son. Be Thou my all in all, and let me fear nothing but to displease Thee; that, being freed from the fear of Thy wrath, I may live in the comfort of Thy promise, die in the fulness of Thy favour, and rise to the inheritance of an everlasting kingdom."-Quarles. "Let us not slip out of Thy leash, but hold us fast; give us not up, nor cease to govern us, nor take Thy Spirit from us. For as a hound cannot but follow his game when he seeth it before him, if he be loose; so cannot we but fall into sin when occasion is given us, if Thou withdraw Thine hand from us. Lead us not into temptation. Let no temptation fall upon us greater than Thine help in us; but be Thou stronger in us than the temptation thou sendest, or lettest come upon us. Lead us not into temptations, Father, though we be negligent, yea, and unthankful and disobedient to Thy true prophets, yet let not the devil loose upon us to deceive us with his false prophets, and to harden us in the way in which we gladly walk, as Thou diddest Pharoah with the false miracles of his sorcerers; as Thine apostle Paul threateneth us. A little thread holdeth a strong man, where he gladly is. A little pulling draweth a man, whither he gladly goeth. A little wind driveth a great ship with the stream. "As a stone cast up into the air can neither go any higher, neither yet there abide, when the power of the hurler ceaseth to drive it; even so, Father, seeing our corrupt nature cannot but go downward only, and the devil and the world driveth thereto that same way, how can we proceed further in virtue or stand therein, if Thy power cease in us? Lead us not, therefore, O merciful Father, into temptation, nor cease at any time to govern us. Now, seeing the God of all mercy, which knoweth thine infirmity, commandeth thee to pray in all temptation and adversity, and hath promised to help, if Thou trust in Him ; what excuse is it to say, when thou hast sinned, I could not stand of myself, when His power was ready to help thee, if thou haddest asked?"-Tyndale. "Ejaculations are short prayers darted up to God on emergent occasions. If no other artillery had been used this last seven years in England, I will not affirm more souls had been in heaven, but fewer corpses had been buried in earth. Oh that, with David, we might have said, 'My heart is fixed,' being less busied about fixing of muskets. "The principal use of ejaculations is against the fiery darts of the devil. Our adversary injects (how he doth it God knows, that he doth it we know) bad motions into our hearts, and that we may be as nimble with our antidotes as he with poisons, such short prayers are proper and necessary. In hard havens, so choked up with the envious sands that great ships drawing many foot water cannot come near, lighter and lesser pinnaces may freely and safely arrive. When we are time-bound, place-bound, and person-bound, so that we cannot compose ourselves to make a large solemn prayer, this is the right instant for ejaculations, whether orally uttered, or only poured forth inwardly in the heart."-Thomas Fuller. 223 MEDITATION. 'Let the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord:" PSALM XIX, 14. "ACCUSTOM yourself to a serious meditation every morning. Fresh airing our souls in heaven will engender in us purer spirits, and nobler thoughts. A morning seasoning would secure us for all the day. Though other necessary thoughts about our callings will, and must come in, yet, when we have despatched them, let us attend our morning theme as our chief companion. As a man that is going with another about some considerable business, suppose to Westminster, though he meets with several friends in the way, and salutes some, and with others with whom he hath some affairs he spends a little time, yet he quickly returns to his companion, and both together go their intended stage. Do thus in the present case. Our minds are active, and will be doing something, though to little purpose, and if they be not fixed upon some noble object, they will, like mad men and fools, be mightily pleased in playing with straws. The thoughts of God were the first visitors David had in the morning (Psa. cxxxix, 17, 18); God and his heart met together as soon as he was awake, and kept company all the day after. In this meditation look both to the matter and manner."Charnock. "Look to the manner of your morning meditation. Let it be intent. Transitory thoughts are like the glances of the eye, soon on, and soon off; they make no clear discovery, and consequently raise no sprightly affections. Let it be one principal subject, and without flitting from it; for if our thoughts be unsteady, we shall find but little warmth: a burning-glass often shifted fires nothing. We must look at the things that are not seen, as earnestly as men do at a mark they shoot at. Such an intent meditation would change us into the image, and cast us into the mould of those truths we think of; it would make our minds more busy about them all the day as a glaring upon the sun fills our eyes, for some time after with the image of it. To this purpose look upon yourselves as deeply concerned in the things you think of. Our minds dwell upon that whereof we apprehend an absolute necessity. A condemned person would scarce think of anything but procuring a reprieve, and his earnestness for this would bar the door against other intruders."-Ibid. : "If thou canst not thus meditate methodically and fully, yet do it as thou canst; only be sure to do it seriously and frequently. Be acquainted with this heavenly work, and thou wilt, in some degree, be acquainted with God; thy joys will be spiritual, prevalent, and lasting, according to the nature of their blessed object; thou wilt have comfort in life and death; when thou hast neither wealth, nor health, nor the pleasure of this world, yet wilt thou have comfort; without the presence or help of any friend, without a minister, without a book, when all means are denied thee, or taken from thee, yet mayest thou have vigorous, real comfort. Thy graces will be mighty, active, and victorious; and daily joy, which is thus fetched from heaven, will be thy strength. Thou wilt be as one who stands on the top of an exceeding high mountain; he looks down on the world as if it were quite below him; fields and woods, cities and towns, seem to |