God scourgeth some severely, some He spares; But all in smart have less or greater shares.

God is not only merciful to call Men to repent, but when He strikes withal.

Verse. My God, I’m wounded by my sin, And sore without, and sick within. Ver. Chor. I come to Thee, in hope to find Salve for my body and my mind. Verse. In Gilead though no balm be found To ease this smart or cure this wound, Ver. Chor. Yet, Lord, I know there is […]

God, when for sin He makes His children smart, His own He acts not, but another’s part; But when by stripes He saves them, then ’tis known He comes to play the part that is His own.

God’s rod doth watch while men do sleep, and then The rod doth sleep, while vigilant are men.

Do with me, God, as Thou didst deal with John, Who writ that heavenly Revelation. Let me, like him, first cracks of thunder hear, Then let the harps enchantments stroke mine ear: Here give me thorns, there, in Thy kingdom, set Upon my head the golden coronet; There give me day; but here my dreadful […]

Afflictions they most profitable are To the beholder and the sufferer: Bettering them both, but by a double strain, The first by patience, and the last by pain.

God, as He is most holy known, So He is said to be most one.

God has His whips here to a twofold end: The bad to punish, and the good t’ amend.

My God! look on me with Thine eye Of pity, not of scrutiny; For if Thou dost, Thou then shalt see Nothing but loathsome sores in me. O then, for mercy’s sake, behold These my eruptions manifold, And heal me with Thy look or touch; But if Thou wilt not deign so much, Because I’m […]

Those saints which God loves best, The devil tempts not least.

If all transgressions here should have their pay, What need there then be of a reckoning day? If God should punish no sin here of men, His providence who would not question then?

God pardons those who do through frailty sin, But never those that persevere therein.

God strikes His Church, but ’tis to this intent, To make, not mar her, by this punishment; So where He gives the bitter pills, be sure ‘Tis not to poison, but to make thee pure.

God hears us when we pray, but yet defers His gifts, to exercise petitioners; And though a while He makes requesters stay, With princely hand He’ll recompense delay.

In prayer the lips ne’er act the winning part, Without the sweet concurrence of the heart.

In the old Scripture I have often read, The calf without meal ne’er was offered; To figure to us nothing more than this, Without the heart lip-labour nothing is.

When once the sin has fully acted been, Then is the horror of the trespass seen.

Why wore th’ Egyptians jewels in the ear? But for to teach us, all the grace is there, When we obey, by acting what we hear.

Thou hast promis’d, Lord, to be With me in my misery; Suffer me to be so bold As to speak, Lord, say and hold.