intolerable. And now, in these great exigencies and extremities of nature, where can I look for help? or what salvation can I expect for my sinking soul? What counsel shall I take? what direction shall I follow? Who, or where is he, that is by way of eminence and distinction stiled the Guardian Angel, the Almighty Saviour? It is Jesus, my Judge, even within whose arms I tremble.

But take heart, O my soul! and do not quite despair: hope in him whom thou fearest; fly to him from whom thou hast fled; and whilst thou art yet in the way, be reconciled to thy dear Redeemer. Blessed Jesu! according to thy name, so be thy mercy. Look upon me, a miserable supplicant at the throne of thy grace,

who will not cease to call upon thy name, wherein is salvation. If thou wilt vouchsafe to receive me into thy arms, I know they will not be the straighter for thy acceptance of me; nor thy bowels ever the more contracted for my admittance into them. I confess, O my God! that I have deserved damnation, nor can any repentance of mine make the least atonement or compensation for my sins but then I know withal, that thy mercy is infinite, and therefore

can

surmount my foulest offences and my greatest provocations. In thee, O Lord, is my confidence: and therefore, I beseech thee not to cast me from thy presence, and so shall I not perish for ever.

OF THE BENEFITS OF OUR LORD'S

PASSION.

FROM THE LATIN.

As often as I fix my contemplations upon the sufferings of our Lord, so often do I entertain great things, both with respect to the love of my God, and the pardon of my sins. Nay, the very circumstances of my Saviour's death, are lively emblems of his mercy insomuch, that when I behold his head reclining on the cross, methinks I see him ready to salute me. When I view his wide expanded arms, they seems to me as in a posture to embrace me. His open hands are representations of the benefits he is ready to bestow upon me; and his gaping side loudly

speaks the ardour of his love. He is therefore lifted up on high, that he may draw all men to himself; and his wounds streamed out with blood, that we sinners might partake of the fountains of living water. They look black indeed, with anguish, but they shine bright in love; and through the opening of his wounds we have access to the secrets of his heart; and the plenty of livid gore plainly shews us, that with him there is plenteous redemption. As the grape that is pressed in the wine-press, diffuses its juice in abundance, so the flesh of Christ, labouring under the weight of divine wrath, and the heavy burden of our sins, sheds forth plenty of blood to heal our stripes, and to divert the infliction of an

offended justice. When Abraham was about to offer up his son in sacrifice to the Lord, the Lord said, "Now know I that thou lovest me, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me." And thou in like manner, O my soul! must for ever acknowledge the unspeakable love of thy eternal Father, since he has not spared his own Son, but freely gave him up for us all: so that while we were yet sinners, we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son. Is it possible then that he should ever forget us, while he looks upon us through the Son of his love? Nay, can he ever forget that precious pledge of his Son's love, the ransom of his blood, when he tells us, that "he puts our tears into his bottle,