nor let the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and that I am the Lord.

knoweth me,

Gal. v. 26.

Let us not be desirous of vain-glory,

&c.

His Soliloquy.

VAIN-GLORY is a froth, which, blown off, discovers a great want of measure: canst thou, O my soul, be guilty of such an emptiness, and not be challenged? Canst thou appear in the searching eye of Heaven, and not expect to be cast away? Deceive not thyself, O my soul, nor flatter thyself with thy own greatness. Search thyself to the bottom, and thou shalt find enough to humble thee. Dost thou glory in the favour of a prince? the frown of a prince determines it. Dost thou glory in thy strength? a poor ague betrays it. Dost thou glory in thy wealth?

the hand of a thief extinguishes it. Dost thou glory in thy friends? one cloud of adversity darkens it. Dost thou glory in thy parts? thy own pride obscures it. Behold, my soul, how like a bubble thou appearest, and with a sigh break'st into sorrow! The gate of heaven is strait; canst thou hope to enter without breaking? The bubble that would pass the floodgates, must first dissolve. My soul, melt then in tears, and empty thyself of all thy vanity, and thou shalt find divinę repletion; evaporate in devotion, and thou shalt recruit thy greatness to eternal glory,

His Prayer.

AND can I choose, O God, but tremble at thy judgments? Or can my stony heart not stand amazed at thy threatenings? It is thy voice, O God, and thoụ hast spoken it: it is thy voice, O God,

and I have heard it. Hadst thou so dealt by me, as thou didst by Babel's proud king, and driven me from the sons of men, thou hadst but done according to thy righteousness, and rewarded me according to my deservings, What couldest thou see in me less worthy of thy vengeance than in him, the example of thy justice? or, Lord, wherein am I more incapable of thy indigna-. tion? There is nothing in me to move thy mercy but my misery. Thy goodness is thyself, and hath no ground but what proceedeth from itself, yet have I sinned against that goodness, and have thereby heaped up wrath against the day of wrath; that insomuch, had not thy grace abounded with my sin, I had long since been confounded in my sin, and swallowed up in the gulf of thy displeasure. But, Lord, thou takest no delight to punish; and with thee is no re、 spect of persons: thou takest no pleasure

in the confusion of thy creature, but re▾ joicest rather in the conversion of a sinner. Convert me, therefore, O God, and I shall be then converted: make me sensible of my own corruptions, that I may see the vileness of my own condition. Pull down the pride of my ambitious heart; humble me, thou, O God, and Į shall be humbled: wean me from the thirst of transitory honour, and let my whole delight be to glory in thee: touch thou my conscience with the fear of thy name, that in all my actions I may fear to offend thee. Endue me, O Lord, with the spirit of meekness, and teach me to overcome evil with a patient heart: moderate and curb the exorbitances of my passion, and give me temperate use of all thy creatures. Replenish my heart with the graces of thy Spirit, that in all my ways I may be acceptable in thy sight. In all conditions give me a contented mind, and upon all occasions

grant me a grateful heart, that honouring thee here in the church militant before men, I may be glorified hereafter in the church triumphant before thee and angels; where, filled with true glory, according to the measure of grace thou shalt be pleased to give me here, I may with angels and archangels praise thy name for ever and ever.

THE OPPRESSOR.

His Plea.

I SEEK but what is my own by law: it was his own free act and deed: the execution lies for goods or body, and goods or body I will have, or else my money. What if his beggarly children pine, or his proud wife perish? They perish at their own charge, not mine; and what is that to me? I must be paid, or he lie by it, until I have my utmost farthing