2. I long after the joy of peace, I earnestly crave the peace of thy children, that are led by thee in the light of thy comfort.

If thou give peace, if thou pour into my heart holy joy; the soul of thy servant shall be full of gladness, and shall become devout in thy praise :

O righteous Father, and ever to be praised, the hour is come that thy servant is to be tried. Behold, dear Father, meet it is that in this hour thy servant suffer something for thy sake.

O Father, evermore be honoured; the hour is come, which from all eternity thou didst foreknow should come; that for a short time thy servant should outwardly be oppressed, but inwardly live for ever with thee;

That he should be a little despised, humbled, and made abject in the sight of men, that he may rise again with the morning of the new light, and be glorified in heaven.

Holy Father, thou hast so appointed it; and it is fulfilled, which thyself hast commanded.

3. It is a favour to thy friend, that he may suffer and be afflicted in the world for the love of thee, how often soever, and by whomsoever, thou permittest it to fall upon him. Nothing cometh to pass on earth without thy counsel, without thy providence, or without a cause.

It is good for me, Lord, that thou hast afflicted me, that I may learn thy righteous judgments, and cast away all haughtiness of heart, and presumption.

It is profitable to me, that shame hath covered my face, that I may rather seek to thee for comfort than to men.

4. I have learned also to dread thy unsearchable judgments, who afflictest the just with the wicked, but not without equity and justice.

There is none under heaven that can comfort me, but thou my Lord God, the heavenly Physician of souls, that strikest and healest, bringest down to hell, and bringest back again.

Let thy correction be upon me, and let thy rod instruct me.

5. Behold, dear Father I am in thy hands; I bow myself under the rod of thy correction :

Strike my back and my neck, that my perverseness may be conformed to thy will.

Make me a holy and humble disciple of thine, (as thou art wont to do,) that I may be ready at every beck of thy pleasure.

I commend myself, and all that is mine unto thee to be corrected. It is better to be corrected here than hereafter.

Thou knowest every thing, and there is nothing in the conscience of man hidden from thee.

Before things are done, thou knowest that they will come to pass; and hast no need that any should teach thee, or admonish thee of those things which are done on earth.

Thou knowest what is expedient for my profiting, and how fit tribulation is to scour off the rust of my sins.

Do with me according to thy good pleasure, and disdain me not for my sinful life, better and more clearly known to none than to thee alone.

6. Grant me, O Lord, to know that which ought to be known, to love that which ought to be loved ;

To praise that which praiseth thee most, to esteem that which is precious unto thee, to despise that which is contemptible in thy sight.

Suffer me not to judge according to the sight of the outward eyes, nor give sentence according to the hearing of the ears of ignorant men ;

But to discern invisible and spiritual things with a true judgment, and, above all things, ever to search after thy good will and pleasure.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

That a Man ought to esteem himself unworthy of any comfort.

Christian.-LORD, I am not worthy of any comfort, nor any spiritual visitation. And therefore thou dealest justly with me when thou leavest me poor and desolate.

For though I could shed a sea of tears, yet I were not worthy of thy comfort.

For, alas! I deserve nothing, but to be scourged and punished, in that I have grievously offended thee, and have sinned greatly in many things.

But thou, O merciful God, who willest not that any should perish, to show the riches of thy goodness, vouchsafest to comfort thy servant above the manner of men.

words of men.

For thy comforts are not like the

2. What have I done, O Lord, that thou shouldest bestow any heavenly comforts upon me?

I remember not that I have done any good, but have been always prone to sin, and slow to amend

ment.

This is true, and I cannot deny it if I should say otherwise, thou wouldest stand against me, and there would be none to defend me.

What have I deserved but hell and everlasting fire?

I confess in very truth, that I am worthy of all scorn and contempt, and it is not fit that I should be numbered among thy saints.

3. What shall I say, guilty as I am, and full of confusion? I have nothing to say, but this: "I have sinned; Lord, I have sinned: have mercy on me ; pardon me!

"Suffer me a little that I may vent my grief, before I go into the land of darkness, a land covered with the shadow of death!"

What dost thou so much require of a guilty and miserable sinner, as that he be contrite, and humble himself for his offences?

Of true contrition ariseth hope of forgiveness; the favour of God, which was lost, is recovered; man is preserved from the wrath to come, and God and the penitent soul meet together with a holy kiss.

4. Humble contrition for sin is an acceptable sacrifice unto thee, O Lord, savouring much sweeter in thy presence than the perfume of frankincense.

This is also the pleasant ointment which thou wouldest should be poured upon thy sacred feet. For thou never despisest a contrite heart.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

Of the different Motions of Nature and Grace. Christ.-SON, mark diligently the motions of nature and grace; for they move in a very subtle manner; and they cannot be discerned but by him that is spiritually enlightened.

All men, indeed, pretend some good, in their words and deeds; and therefore, under the show of good, many are deceived.

Nature is crafty, and seduceth, entangleth, and deceiveth many, and always proposeth herself for her end:

But grace walketh in simplicity, useth no deceit, and doth all things purely for God's sake, in whom also, she finally resteth.

2. Nature will not willingly die, nor be kept down, nor be overcome, nor be subject to any, nor be subdued:

But grace studieth self-mortification, resisteth sensuality, seeketh to be subject, is willing to be kept under, and will not use her own liberty:

She loveth to be kept under discipline, and desireth not to rule any, but always to live and remain wholly subject to God, and for God is ready humbly to obey all men.

Nature striveth for her own advantage, and considereth what profit she may reap by another:

But grace considereth not what is profitable and advantageous unto herself, but rather what is profitable to many.