Book III. of J E s u s Christ. 241

£i/e endure and groan under cheir Exile, and cannot but lament the bitternefs of this imperfed: gloomy Day, which Men on Earth call Evil. A Day but (hort, and, which is worfe, difmal and uncomfortable. For, who can worthily exprefs the Pains, the Perplexities of Body and Soul, which are the neceflary, the infe- parable Incumbrances of Man's prefent Condition ? A Condition , wherein he is polluted with fo many Sins, entangled in fo many Difficulties, befet with (b many Misfortunes, opprefs'd with fo many Fears, d'u ftraded with fo many Cares, difturbed and diverted from his main Concern by fo many Impertinencies, deluded with fo many Vanities, confounded with fo many Errors, wafted and worn out with fo much La- bour and Trouble ; affaulted by Temptations, ernaf- culated by Pleafures , and tormented with great va- riety of Neceflities and Wants ?
01 When will there be an end of this fo complica- ted Mifery ? When may I hope to be enhrged and re- leafed from this Bondage of Sin ^ When fhall my Thoughts and Defires center, and be for ever fixed in Thee, my God, alone ? When may I hope to at- tain true Joy in Thee , without any allay of bodily Suffering, without any .diftradion of Mind ? When ftall I reft in firm untroubled Peace ? Peace from Ac- cidents and Temptations without, Peace from Guile and Mifguiding, from the Solicitations of Luft, and the Violence of Paflion within.^ When fhall I fee my Jefus Face to Face, and contemplate the Beauties of his Kingdom and Glorious Godhead ? When will my deareft Saviour be my All in All, and receive me to thofe blifsful Habitations, prepared for them that love him, and that are loved by him, before the Founda- tion of the World ?
Behold ! I am here defolate and poor, a Stranger and alone in an Enemy's Country ; where Wars rage and never ceafe, and terrible Diftreftes come thick
and
:2,4x )flDf tl^e limitation BookiiL
. and ftrong upon me every Day and Hour. Be thou mv Comfort in this exiled and defolate Condition ; Ail wage my Pain, and incline thy Favour to thy Ser- pfal. cxlili, vanty whofe parched and languifliing Soul
gaffeth unto thee as a thirfty Land. Thou only art able to do this • For, u^hat the miftaken World calls Comforts, are but fo many frefh Additions to my Burden. I long moft earneftly to enjoy, but cannot yet attain my Wifli. Fain would I grafp and cling to heavenly things, but am detained and faften- ed down to Earth, by Vanities below, and unmorti- fy'd Affedions. My Mind labours to get above thefe, , but even, when the Spirit is willing, I find the Flefli extreamly weak, and my fenfual^ prevails over my better and heavenly. Inclinations.'
Thus am I, wretched Man, involved in a perpetual War, and live in contradidion to my felf ,* my own Hindrance and Torment, moving different ways, and . purfuing different Ends, and Profpec^s, at one and the fame time. How great is my Concern and Conflid, - when 1 {ct my Mind to Meditate and Pray, and, m the mid It of this Exercife am interrupted by a Clut- ter of worldly and carnal Imaginations crowding in upon rric ? Go ml far from me^ O my Gody 7}eltber caH away .thy Servant m D If ])leii fur e. Scatter thefe dar^k and gloomy Clouds, which intercept my Vifion of thee, by the Brrghtnefs of thy Lightning j Thunder p-fi4 cxliv upon chem from Heaven, ca It cut thine Ar^
rows and dlf com ft them. ^Recoiled my Bro- ken and Scattered Thoughts, help me to forget the things of this World, to rejed, and defpife, and ef- fect uaUy drive away all fmful Imaginations. Aflift me, thou fubffantial Truth, and root me faff, that no Maff of Vanity may fhake and unfettle my Heart. Difiufe thy Heavenly Sweetnefs through my Soul, and, chafe away all naufeous, unfavoury, and impure Affections, for thefe cannot itand before thee.
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