viour; so when thou discoverest the disease, thy disease will discover a remedy. When the fiery serpent has stung thee, the brazen serpent must heal thee. Nothing, O my soul, makes thy sin too great for mercy, but despair; this only excludes repentance, and impenitence alone makes thee incapable of pardon. He that hath promised forgiveness at thy repentance, hath not promised repentance at thy pleasure. Haste, therefore, O my soul, and reconcile thee to thy God to-day, lest it should prove too late to-morrow. Turn thy hand from thy present sin, and God will turn his eyes from thy past sin: cry aloud, and spare not, lest thy sin cry aloud, and he spare not. Let thy confession find a tongue, and his compassion will find an ear.

His Prayer.

O God, that art in thyself most glorious, but in thy Son most gracious;

to the rebellious, terrible; but to the penitent, merciful-I, the work of thine own hands, but wholly disframed by mine own corruptions, humbly prostrate my sinful self before the footstool of thy mercy-seat, totally miserable through my sins, but truly penitent for my offences. Lord, if thou shouldst proceed against me in thy justice, my portion would be no less than eternal death; but thy delight is rather to extend thy mercy in the conversion of a soul, than exercise thy justice in the confusion of a sinner. Bow down, therefore, thy gracious ear to a poor wretch that stands trembling before the bar of thy justice, and from thence presumes to appeal to the seat of thy mercy. I know, O God, mine iniquities are greater than my knowledge, but yet thy mercy is greater than mine iniquities. I know, moreover, that thou art most just, but in shewing mercy thy justice will be no

loser. Lord, I am miserable, therefore a fit object for thy mercy; Lord, I am penitent, and therefore a proper subject for thy pity; for I know thou art a gracious God, of long sufferance, and slow to anger, else had I now been roaring under thy justice, that am here suing for thy mercy. Lord, I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me; the number of them is innumerable, and the burden of them is intolerable. I have sinned against a just God, I have sinned against a gracious Father; I therefore fly from thee as a sharp revenger, and to thee as a sweet rédeemer. Remember not thy justice towards a sinner, but think upon thy benignity toward thy creature. Have respect to what thy Son hath done for me, and forget what my sins have done against me: wash my guiltiness in his blood, and in the multitude of thy compassions behold the multitude of my

transgressions.

Pardon what is past,

and arm me for the time to come; that, being purged from my sins, and cleansed from my offences, I may be clothed here with the robes of grace, and crowned hereafter with a crown of glory.

THE SINNER.

His Thirst.

Lo, I, that, like the prodigal, had once the freedom of my father's table, could now be satisfied with the crumbs beneath it: I, that could clothe me with change of garments from my father's wardrobe, could now be thankful but for rags to hide my nakedness: 1, that forsook him like a disobedient son, would hold it now a happiness to be his

meanest servant.

What shall I do? or

whither shall I go? By whose charity shall I subsist? My weakness will not give me leave to work; my unworthiness will not suffer me to appear; nor have I friend to help me. I, that have renounced my Father, have made myself no son; and being no son, how dare my boldness call him father? I have offended him, and who shall reconcile us? I have grieved him, and who shall make my peace? I have forsaken him, and who shall restore me to him? Can I expect a blessing from him I have offended? Can I presume of favour from him I have so grieved? Can I deserve a birth-right from him I have forsaken? O my soul, how, how hast thou beslaved thyself, and lost that freedom, without the enjoyment whereof thou art utterly lost? Thou hast lost that Father that was wont to bless thee; thou hast left that Lord that was pleased