thou didst give me what my unthankfulness hath taken from me; but thou hast taken from me what thy goodness hath promised to supply: thou hast given and thou hast taken, blessed be thy name for ever! Thou then, O God, who art no less able to perform than willing to promise, whose mercy is more ready to bestow, than my misery is to beg, strengthen my faith, that I may believe thy promise; encourage my hopes, that I may expect thy performance; quicken my affections, that I'may love the promiser; be thou all in all to me, that am nothing at all without thee; sweeten my misery with the sense of thy mercy, and lighten my darkness with the sun of thy glory; seal in my heart the assurance of adoption, that I may with boldness call thee my father; sanctify my actions with the spirit of meekness, that my conversation may testify that I am thy child; wean my

heart from worldly sorrow, lest I mourn like them that have no hope; be thou my bridegroom, and let our marriagechamber be my heart; own me as thy bride, and purify me with the odours of thy spirit; prevent me with thy blessings; protect me by thy grace; preserve me for thyself; prepare me for thy kingdom. Be thou a father to bless me; be thou a husband to comfort me. In the midst of my want, be thou my plenty; in the depth of my mourning, be thou my mirth. Raise my glory from the dust, and then my dust shall shew forth thy praise. Be thou a wall to support my vine, and let my branches twine about thee: let them flourish in the sunshine of thy grace, that they may bring forth fruit to the glory of thy name.

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THE AFFLICTED MAN.

His Trouble.

WHICH Way Soever I turn my eyes, I see nothing but spectacles of misery, and emblems of mortality; if I look up, there I behold an angry God, and I am troubled; look downwards, there I see a prepared hell, and I am terrified; look on my right hand, and there prosperity emboldens me to a secure presumption; look on my left hand, and there adversity enforces me to a sad despair; look about me, and there I find legions of temptations beleaguering me; look within me, and there I see a guilty conscience accusing me; in all which I perceive nothing but misery, nothing but man; and in that misery, the paraphrase of man: "Man that is born of

if

a woman, hath but a short time to live, and is full of trouble." Were not man's time short, man were the miserablest of all creatures, and I the miserablest of all men. I am still haunted with three enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devil. The world troubles me with her cares; the flesh troubles me with infirmities; the devil troubles me with temptations. If I am rich, I am troubled with fears to lose; poor, I am troubled with cares to get. If single, troubled to seek a wife; if married, troubled to please a wife. If I have children, every child is a new trouble; if childless, I am as much troubled for an heir; if sick, troubled with distempers and drugs; if sound, troubled with lust or labour; if in my business, troubled with vexation; if in my devotion, troubled with distraction. Man that is born of a woman, hath but a short time, and is full of trouble.

Where shall I turn me to avoid this toil? what steps shall I tread to escape this trouble? Shall I incline my heart to mirth? mirth is but madness, therefore trouble. Shall I quicken my spirits with plenteous wine? in much wine is much distraction, therefore trouble. Or, shall my wiser heart search out the bounds of knowledge? in much wisdom is much grief; and who increaseth knowledge, increaseth trouble. Whom shall I call to aid? to whom shall I address my sad complaints? Call to my kindred, they disclaim me; call to my friends, and they deride me. Oh, that I had the wings of a dove, that I may fly away and be at rest! But whither wouldst thou fly?

FLY from thyself, my soul, and haste thee to that voice that says,

Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I will hear thee.