Joy in Tribulation, Chapter 35
CHAP. XXXV. Con…luding all with Prayer.
OH glorious Trinity of persons, in the unity of one God, draw mee nearer into that holy fellowship, that more than heavenly Fellowship, which you purposed, purchased, and sealed to mee.1 Ioh… 1.3. O Father of all mercies, seeing thou hast accepted mee, so poore, miserable, sinfull wretch, and adopted mee; seeing (by that immortall seed) thou hast begotten me to thy selfe; make mee, oh make mee greatly to longue after my Fathers house; weane mee from my pilgrimage; suffer me not to stay, and linger in these vanities; suffer mee not to do at upon vexation. Thy bountifull hand hath given mee all things;1 Cor. 3.…2 Things present, and things to come, all are mine: Some are mine to use, some to enjoy: to use this world, not abusing it; to enjoy thy selfe, and the world to come. Oh then let me not seeke to enjoy those things which I should onelyonly use, lest I be held from those things which I should enjoy. Give mee every day more clearely to perceive that I am on earth a stranger, and so journer, a Traveller toward thy heavenly Jerusalem: teach me to cast behinde my backe what I know I must shortly leave bhinde me; and set my face fully toward thee. For what inheritance have I in the world? What portion on earth? Thou art my rich inheritance, my All-sufficient God; oh cast mee not away from thee, thou Supreme good, and highest happinesse, so shal I never want any thing that is truly good and happy.
Oh my gracious Saviour, my soule panteth after thee; weary of this sinfull world, more weary of this sinfull flesh, chained miserably to this body of death, and led captive after sinne; it lookes up to thee, and sighes after thee my glorious deliverer; when shall I appeare in thy presence? When shall this weather-beaten Tabernacle be dissolved, to be builded up againe, and fashioned according to that Temple of thy glorious body?Psa… 116.16 O Lord, truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid: thou hast broken my bonds. Now therefore take, and challenge thine owne.Esa. 26.13. Other Lords beside thee have had dominion over me; but I will remember thee onelyonly, and thy name. Cruell, imperious, and shamefull Lords have tyrannized over me, and wasted my soule: The false world, and worse than it, Satan; and worse then hee, Sinne; their service, slavery; their wages, death: When I was theirs, I was neither thine nor mine owne. But Lord rescue the price of thine owne blood, restore mee to thee, and to my selfe: Nay, cut me off from my selfe, that I may be grafted, and abide wholly in thee; empty me of my selfe that I may be filled with thee; let me dye in my selfe, that I may live in thee; let mee bee nothing in my selfe, that I may be all in thee. Oh ravish my heart with thy beauty, and teach me to abhorre the painted harlotry of this sinfull world; unite my heart unto thee by faith, and knit it fast in love: And seeing thou hast sought up this lost sheepe, and brought mee into thy flocke, fold me in thy protection, and feed me in these greene pastures, till I rest with thee for ever.
Oh thou holy and blessed Spirit, who sealest unto mee those precious promises, apply powerfully this signet to my heart, and seale it up in thy Covenant. Open mine eyes, and fasten them on Christ, and those things where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God: Make mee to know, and remember that I can lose no good thing, so long as I enjoy thee: Oh, with all thy other graces, I beseech thee speake peace to this troubled heart, and give thy servant to heare what thou speakest. Say to my soule, The Father of Christ is thy father, the Lord Jesus is thy wisedome, thy righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption. I am thy life, thy pledge, and earnest of that purchased inheritance; I am thy stay, I am thy Comforter:Dan. 10.19 Feare not, peace be unto thee, be strong, and of a good courage, so shall thy weake Temple be strengthened, so shall all earthly sorrow, and tormenting fears vanish as a morning cloud, and my soule shall ever rejoyce in thee my most mercifull God, my most gracious Redeemer, and sweetest Comforter. Amen, Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Phineas Fletcher, Joy in Tribulation (1632)