towards God then presently God will withdraw his hand of mercy and bounty from vs. Thankesgiuing I Thanke thee O mercifull Father Lord of heauen and earth for all thy mercies and fauours continually heaped vpon me for that thou hast not onely created me after thine owne Image and likenesse Gen. 9.6 and giuen to me a body with all the parts and members thereof and a soule with all the powers and faculties thereof that with them and by them I might know loue and serue thee but that thou hast so gratiously preserued both body and soule from time to time from all dangers Thou hast alwayes beene my refuge in tribulations and my defence and succour in aduersities When I went astray thou didst reduce me into the right way when I offended thee thou didst gently correct me when I was sad thou didst comfort me and when for the grieuousnesse of my sinnes I was ready to despaire thou of thy mercy and compassion didst strengthen me and keepe me from vtter ruine I acknowledge O Lord thy more then fatherly indulgence toward me from my birth to this present time for volesse thou of thy goodnesse hadst vpheld me I had long ere this time beene drowned and ouerwhelmed in the bottomlesse gulfe of my sinnes But thou hast deliuered me from the iawes of the roaring Lyon who hath daily sought to deuoure me 1. Pet. 5.8 and hast defended me from al his snares and assaults And as thou hast of thy mercy preserued my soule from destruction so thou hast oftentimes deliuered my body from the gates of death when many sickenesses and infirmities tooke hold of me I thanke thee also O Lord for all other thy temporall blessings which thou in plentifull manner hast heaped vpon me as foode rayment wealth possessions and children For my health and liberty for the prerogatiue which thou hast giuen mee ouer all thy creatures in their subiection to my seruice and vse I thanke thee also O Sweete Sauiour for the infinite worke of my Redemption and for thy exceeding great loue in accomplishing that great worke that thou wouldest suffer so many torments sorrowes labours and griefes yea so bitter and disgracefull a death euen the death of malefactors to Redeeme me from a most desperate and certaine state of damantion which I must iustly haue fallen into to a state of Glory and Immortality which I by no meanes could haue deserued I thanke thee also O Lord most holy for all other thy Spirituall graces and blessings as my Regeneration Vocation Sanctification for thy blessed Sacraments for my preseruation and hope of glorification O Lord I am not sufficient to render vnto thee condigne thankes and praises for all these thy mercies yet accept I humbly pray thee these poore and weake thankes which I offer vnto thee according to my bounden duty and Seruice For as there is no houre of my life wherein I doe not enioy thy fauours and taste of thy goodnesse so if my frailty would permit I should spend no time of my life without remembring them and praising and blessing thee for the same Glory bee therefore to thee O Lord my Creator Glory be to thee O Iesus my Redeemer Glory be to thee O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier Glory to the high and vndiuided Trinitie whose workes are inseparable and whose dominion endureth world without end Another ALmightie and euer-liuing God I humbly thanke thy heauenly Maiestie for all thy blessings which thou hast vouchsafed to mee poore and sinfull creature that thou hast created me and giuen to me a body the worke-manship and excellency whereof when I behold and well consider I finde so many seuerall benefits receiued as I haue members veines ioynts sinewes and nerues all which discouer and manifest the wisedome and power of the Maker of them The benefit of which seuerall parts none can so well know as they which want any of them or are grieued with the infirmitie or weakenesse of them I therefore blesse thee that thou hast not created me blinde lame deafe or dumbe euill-shaped or weake in my sences but hast giuen me a sound and right minde in a healthfull body I further praise thy name O Lord for that thou hast infused a soule into this my body a worke so glorious and transcendent that if I were not altogether stupid and void of all Iudgement I would not by my actions account so basely of it as I seeme to doe nor defile it with such impure contemptible and vucleane workes as I daily commit I thanke thee O Lord that I was not borne among Infidels and amongst those who doe not truely call vpon thy Name but in that part of the world where thy Gospell is truely preached and thy Sacraments duely administred I thanke thee also for thy gratious preseruation of me from my birth to this present houre I confesse O Lord that it is of thy mercy and goodnesse that I am thus preserued for if thou shouldest but with-draw thy hand of preseruation from me it could not be but that in the twinckling of an eye I should miserably perish and returne to nothing I thanke thee that thou hast of thy prouidence appointed all thy Creatures for my sustenance and seruice some for health and some for delight Grant O Lord that I may vse them to those ends for which thou hast created them and that by them I may be mooued truely to meditate on thy goodnesse and seriously praise thee for them I further thanke thee O Father that when as by our first parents fall all mankinde was in the state of damnation it pleased thee not to deale with vs as thou diddest with Lucifer whom thou vtterly expelledst thy presence but to send thy onely Sonne from thy bosome into this world that by his bitter death we might be restored to our former estate I acknowledge O Lord that I owe much vnto thee for my Creation but much more for my Redemption For what would it haue profited me nay what misery should I not haue suffered to haue beene borne and afterward to be condemned for euer I thanke thee O Lord that thou hast also vouchsafed to call me out of the depth of darkenesse and shadow of death wherein I lay by the admirable light of thy Iustifying Grace to the true knowledge and loue of thee It is not the least of thy benefits O Lord it sheweth not the least part of thy power that thou hast called me from so vile an estate whereinto I had cast my selfe after Baptisme and in the same had continued many yeeres rebelliously to the estate of Saluation For it must needs be acknowledged that thy mercy is great in pardoning sinners their offences but withall it cannot be denied but that thy power is greater in making sinners righteous and iust Great was the benefit of my Creation but by that act I was only made the Son of man but greater is the benefit of Iustification for thereby in Christ I am made the
our Neighbour And in these two words is the Summe of the Gospell contained In Father our Faith In Our our Charity Which art in Heauen There are Earthly Fathers These leaue and forsake vs Their hands bee shortned Wee call not to them but to thee which art in Heauen Esa 66.1 Mat. 5.34 Psal 19.1 Heauen is thy Throne The Heauens declare the Glory of God Not that thou art only included in the Heauens for as Solomon said the Heauen of Heauens cannot containe thee 1. King 8.27 but as if that were thy Royall Palace where the Elect shall enioy thy Blessed presence Thou art euery where By thy presence Ier. 23.23 Esa 66.1 In Heauē By thy excellence Jn Heauen A word of Hope For if thou be our Father and Lord and King of Heauen then our hope is that our Inheritance is there also That thou wilt not denie vs an Inheritance that hast vouchsafed to vs the Title of Sonnes Let vs therefore take the wings of the Eagle and bee lifted vp in our meditations to Heauen being made heires thereof Let vs looke vp to Heauen while we are on Earth By Hope By Meditation Psal 25.1 Vnto thee O Lord doe I lift vp my Soule Psal 121.1 123.1 I will lift vp mine Eyes to the hills whence cōmeth my helpe Psal 130.1 Out of the deepe haue I called to thee O Lord. A word of Power Jn Heauen For thou art in that place from whence at all times Thou canst send vs helpe in danger good things in our need plagues for our offences Let vs therefore be respectiue of his awfull Maiestie and make our petitions to him in feare and trembling in all humilitie and reuerence And let vs not beerash with our mouthes Eccles. 5. nor our hearts hastie to vtter any thing before him for God is in Heauen and we poore creatures vpon earth which is but his footestoole Hollowed be thy Name Being thus intituled and dignified with the Honour of Sonnes wee ought presently to consider our Duties what we should render backe And what can a Son desire more then the Honour of his Father Blessed bee thou our Lord who hast giuen this power to men To Hallow To Magnifie To Glorifie Thy Name which in it selfe is Holy Which all thy workes in generall doe sanctifie Psal 103.22 104.31 145.10 Esa 43.20 Psal 97,5,6 Which all the vnreasonable Creatures doe hallow and praise Which all reasonable Creatures as Angells and Men doe glorifie The Angels and hosts of heauen Esa 6.2,3 Psa 103.20,21 Men. In Heauen already In Earth By their works Mat. 5.16 In the Congregations In Afflictions Iob 1.20 Let vs therefore doe it And that not contemptibly or sleightly but Holily and Carefully in Thought Word and Profession Thine And Lord Ezech. 36.23 let thy Name bee sanctified by others beside vs dilate this Power of Sanctifying thee communicate thy Name more and more to the Gentiles Exod. 9.16 make thy Gospell to spread to the ends of the earth from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same let thy Name be great among the Gentiles Psal 115.1 Not to vs Lord not to vs but to thy Name be the Glory Thou art worthy O Lord to receiue Honor and Glory Reuel 4.11 And thy Name ought to bee sanctified by vs aboue all things for all other things are for vs and we for thy Glory only Not that God shall get any thing thereby or that hee hath neede of our sanctifying But in regard of the Benefit which will accrew to vs by it for this honour will be an honour to him that giueth it Them that honour me I will honour 1. Sam. 2.30 saith God 2. Thes 1.12 Thy Kingdome come In this Petition wee pray First for the comming of Gods Kingdome That hee only may rule ouer vs. Secondly for the destruction and euersion of the kingdome of Sathan The Kingdome of God is threefold First of Glory Secondly of Grace Thirdly of Power 1. Of Glory hereafter which indeede should bee the scope of our desires for wee ought so to liue here that we may desire without feare the comming of this Kingdome So to be affected at our death that we may say Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in peace Luc. 2.29 So to bee affected in our life that we may often say when shall I appeare before the Lord I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ Phil. 1.23 Come Lord Iesus come quickly Reuel 22.20 2. Of Grace in this life in vs. Luc. 19.11 That wee be not of their mindes who said wee will not haue this man raigne ouer vs. But subiect vs O Lord to this Kingdome that easie yoake of thine that in all things wee may be obedient to thee Gouerne vs and raigne in vs that Sathan or sinne raigne not in our members If thou be pleased so to rule in vs here wee shall raigne with thee hereafter 3. Of Power for there are many Rulers in this world which oppose thy Kingdome Arise O Lord and take the Rule into thine owne hand Raigne thou ouer vs. Gouerne vs within and without Let thy Kingdome come and that it may come in vs let it come into our Rulers Make them like to thee in their gouernment Let them rule to thee not to themselues Let thy Kingdome be in them And because when this earthly Gouernment is at the best it is laborious and vnperfect Hasten thy Kingdome of Glory wee beseech thee in which will bee no cause of complaint but all things will be absolute and perfect To which all the Creatures together with vs Rom. 8.18 earnestly waite euen with groanes For all the votes and desires of the a Esa 64.1 Luc. 10.24.2.19 Old Testament were pitched vpon the first comming of Christ and all of the b 2. Tit. 13. New vpon the second looking for that blessed Hope 2. Tim. 4.8 and Glorious appearing of the great God Reuel 22.20 and our Saniour Iesus Christ Come Come to vs but not vpon vs. Certainely it will come will we nill we Let it come to vs not against vs. Let vs feele the happinesse of it O Father in comming not the violence of it in rushing vpon vs. In the meane time let it come to vs here though not in the full fruition yet in the certaine hope and expectation say vnto each of our soules Psal 35.3 I am thy saluation Thy will be done Thy absolute and Eternall Will which none can oppose or withstand Esa 14.24,27 Thy reuealed Will which wee may contradict Let both be done Let vs shew our obedience to thee here Psal 103.20 as the Angells doe in Heauen All other Creatures obey thy Will Mat. 18.10 only Man is disobedient to it Thy Reuealed Will which commandeth vs to be humble in conuersation firme in faith
Mat. 11.25 When you stand praying forgiue if you haue ought against any that your Father also which is in Heauen may forgiue you your trespasses And againe Mat. 6.14.15 if you forgiue men their trespasses your Heauenly Father will also forgiue you But if you forgiue not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgiue your trespasses 2 Secondly in praying for his wants and supplying them to our powers according to Saint Iames direction Ia. 5.16 1. Tim. 2.1 Pray for one another And to Saint Paul I exhort that first Prayers c. bee made for all men And to encourage vs to relieue them our Sauiour pronounceth a blessing to all that are charitable in that kinde Blessed are the mercifull Mat. 5.7 for they shall obtaine mercy So that by this we may plainly see that if we be vncharitable our prayers wil be barren and vnfruitfull 5. Humility Fifthly with these Humility must goe along for by it wee acknowledge with the Publican Luc. 18. whom our Sauiour commended to vs for a patterne our owne vnworthinesse to deserue any fauour which Humility as appeareth by that story or parable made his prayer more acceptable to God then the vaunting and boasting of the proud Pharise And Dauid saith Psal 51.17 A broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise And the Sonne of Sirach The prayer of the Humble pierceth the Clouds Ecclus. 35.17 And the Virgin Mary he hath exalted the humble and meeke Luc. 1.52 And this Humility is likewise two fold First of the Spirit Secondly of the Body 1. For by the Humility of the Spirit we acknowledge the impurity of our soules and confesse our selues wicked miserable and wretched in our owne sight and that our strength is not worth the boasting of which kinde or manner of praying hath euer wrought effectually with God as by the Prophet Esay he confesseth To this man I looke Esa 66.2 euen to him that is poore and of a contrite Spirit And the Psalmist testifieth how propense and propitious God is to such kinde of petitioners The Lord is nigh vnto them that are of a contrite heart Psal 34.17 and will saue such as bee of an humble Spirit and the Blessed Virgin acknowledgeth that she found the fruits of her Humility Luc. 1.48 He hath regarded the lowlinesse of his Handmayden 2 Secondly wee must shew our Humility by a reuerend posture of the Body too For it was euer the ancient and vsuall custome in prayers and supplications to vse the most humble and decent gesture of body that might be thereby to testifie the Sympathy of the Body with the Soule a 1. King 8.22 Solomon at the dedication of the Temple stood before the Lord and spread forth his hands to Heauen b Luc. 18.13 The Publican stood and smote his breast c Exo. 17.11 Moses held vp his hands to Heauen d Dan. 6.10 Daniel e Act. 7.60 Stephen f Act. 9.40 Peter g Paul kneeled h Psal 95.6 Dauid kneeled and lifted vp his eyes i Matth. 26.39 Lastly our Sauiour Christ euery one of whose actions ought to be a rule to vs sometimes fell on his face sometimes k Lue. 22.41 kneeled and sometimes l 10.11.41 lifted vp his eyes when he Prayed And to this reuerend gesture of the Body must be added the vnconering of the head m 1. Cor. 11.4 Our heads must be bare and not pray so familiarly as if we were speaking to our equals for the higher and more eminent the person is whom we petition the more reuerend and submisse ought our behauiour to be to him 6. In Perseuerance In the next place wee must resolue with our selues not to be impatient of delayes as we call it if God seeme not to heare vs presently But we must Pray with perseuerance Our Sauiour himselfe immediately after he had prescribed vnto his Disciples that absolute forme of prayer taught them also and vs in them the effects of this perseuerance by the Example of the friend that came in the night to borrow loanes Luc. 11.8 Which effects also Psal 40.1 Dauid and the woman of Canan felt Matth. 15.28 Wherefore not without good reason did Saint Paul so often consaile this assiduity Colloss 4.2 and instancie in prayer 1. Thess 4.17 If therefore our prayers be not heard as we conceiue at the first second or third time shall wee then giue ouer Surely no wee must not leaue so For no doubt but he which said Luc. 11.9 Aske and yee shall haue will also giue what he hath promised when hee thinketh expedient that wee should receiue it O tary thou the Lords leysure saith Dauid And let not vs prescribe to God Psal 27.14 either time place or manner but let vs in all modestie willingly and patiently attend his good pleasure For he many times deâ—…yeth vs and putteth vs off either to prooue our faith perseuerance and patience and so to reward vs the more plentifully or else least wee should loath or litle esteeme his Blessings by obtaining them too easily Feruency and ottention Two other qualities there are which seeme to depend vpon this vertue of perseuerance namely feruency of the Spirit for what we craue and Attention and regard to what we craue For it is not a chill and cold Perseuerance or expectation that will serue our turnes to preuaile with God but a feruent Spirit to pursue the same For God heareth not at least regardeth not cold faint and drowzie prayers nor loud crying long babling or many tautologies or repetitions not intending or minding what wee pray for which proceede onely from the lips but it is the affection and zealous desires of the deuout mixed with sighes teares Ro. 8.26 and grones not to bee vttered which mooue and preuaile with him For God being a Spirit looketh to bee worshiped in Spirit To which purpose it is that our Sauiour Christ aduiseth vs when we pray to enter into our Clossets and to sâ—ut the doore intimating to vs thereby Mat. 6.6 that we being alone and priuate should cast away all publike wandering and worldly thoughts which trouble our deuotions and hinder vs from lifting vp our hearts vnto God and wholly feruently and considerately bend our thoughts and desires vnto him And these retired Soliloquies and priuate meditations and conferences betweene God and our soules and betweene our selues and our soules haue euer beene much approued by the Ancients Our prayer saith an ancient Father ought to be in such manner Ephr. Syr. 1. Sam. 1. as Hannas was She wept praid and her lippes onely were perceiued to moue Let euery one heare this and imitate it especially they who with extreame babling without all modesty yet with lowdnesse of voice make their prayers Let vs therefore pray with sighes and groanes But withall taking heed as much as we can
prescribe vnto his Disciples a forme of Prayer to be offered vp to thee and hast deriued the same from them to vs. Behold me most wretched sinner wholly depraued and corrupt intreating thee by the same Sonne that for his sake thou wouldest infuse thy holy Spirit into mee which may adopt me into the number of thine Elect that it may teach me how I ought to pray according to thy Holy Will that it may allay all troublesome and wandering thoughts in me while I offer vp my prayers and praises vnto thee Suffer me not to serue thee with my lippes and be absent in heart from thee but create a right spirit within me that I being sensible of all thy graces and comforts may with ioyfull and holy zeale performe my dutie to thee that so my prayers and desires may appeare before thee and in thy Sonnes Name I may effectually be heard and my petitions may bee granted to the glory and honour of thy most Holy Name and the endlesse comfort of mine owne Soule through the same our only Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Before a Sermon O Most louing SAVIOVR I most humbly intreat thee that rhou wouldest be pleased at this time to enlighten my vnderstanding and to open my inward eares with the grace of thy holy Spirit that I may heare the Sacred VVord with an humble heart and reioyce in it in the obedience of the Spirit that I may be fully instructed thereby how to doe good and auoid euill and bring forth the fruite thereof in my life and conuersation that thy Honour and Glory may bee thereby increased the Deuill and all other the enemies of my soule may bee vanquished my Soule may bee saued and at the last I may appeare with boldnesse before thy Tribunall and receiue the reward of a good and faithfull seruant euen his Masters ioy euerlasting Blessednesse and that by thy merits onely O Blessed Sauiour Petitions for Temporall Blessings In which we are to desire of God THat he would be pleased to continue vnto vs The Blessing of a good King iust and religious To giue vnto vs Magistrates and Iustices vpright and carefull to see good Lawes duely executed Teachers to direct vs in the Truth That he would blesse vs with Length and goodnesse of Dayes Health of Body Contentednesse of Minde Competencie of Estate Foode and Rayment Conueniencie of Dwelling Wholesomenesse of Ayre Fruitefulnesse of Cattell That he would make vs happy In Wedlocke In Children In Faithfull friends In Peaceable louing neighbors In Honest Seruants In Skilfull Phisicians That hee would preserue Our Goods Good Name Our Senses and vnderstanding That he would protect vs From Trouble From Enemies From Dangers From Losses From Sicknesses That he would giue Peace To all Nations To our Land In our priuate dwellings Rules to be obserued in the Morning WHen thou awakest in the Morning shut and close vp the entrance to thy heart from all vncleane prophane and euill thoughts and let the consideration of God and goodnesse enter in When thou art arisen and art ready retire thy selfe to thy Closet or other priuate place and offer to God the first fruits of the Day and in praying to him and praysing him remember 1. To giue him thankes for thy quiet rest receiued for deliuering thee from all dangers ghostly and bodily and for all other his benefits to thee 2. Offer vnto him thy selfe and all things that thou dost possesse and desire him to dispose of thee and them according to his good pleasure 3. Craue his Grace to guide thee and to strengthen thee from and against all Tentations that so thou mayest doe nothing the day following contrary to his will 4. And lastly beg of him according to the Rules before prescribed all things needfull for the Soule and Body To which purpose pray as followeth Morning Prayer I Thanke thee O Heauenly Father LORD of Heauen and Earth for all thy Blessings which I vndeseruedly haue receiued from thee that thou gauest me a being from honest Parents and in that part of the world where thy Sonne Christ Iesus is purely professed that thou didst endue me with reason and vnderstanding and didst also giue mee perfect members and sences that thou hast preserued me since my birth and vouchsafed me health and liberty and a competencie of meanes to maintaine me and those whom thou hast placed vnder me that thou hast Elected me in thy Loue Redeemed me by thy Sonne Sanctified me by thy Spirit and kept me this night past from all perills of body and Soule and giuen me a sweete and comfortable rest O Lord I commend into thy hands my soule and body thoughts words and actions and humblie beseech thee that thou wouldest guide and order them all to thy honour and glory and my endlesse and eternall happinesse Enlighten my minde that the Darkenesse and cloudy mists of mine offences being dispelled I may walke before thee in my vocation without offence as in the day cleane vnspotted and vnblameable Giue vnto me thy Holy Spirit which may bridle my vaine cogitations and head-strong desires and order thou I beseech thee my words and rectifie all my actions O Lord as thou hast of thy bounty raised vp my body from sleepe so stirre vp my drowzie soule from the sleepe of sinne and carnall securitie Let my body be euer assistant to my soule in all good actions in this life that they may both be partakers of life euerlasting Thou O Lord hast promised to those which shall faithfully aske all things necessary for this life giue I beseech thee vnto mee if it seeme good vnto thee such a competent estate as shall be expedient to support my life in a ciuill modest and religious manner Giue vnto me that which shall be conuenient but especially O Lord 1. Tim. 6.8 a heart and minde contented with whatsoeuer thou shalt be pleased to allot vnto me Grant O Lord that in thy Name I may cast forth my net into the Sea of this world and diligently carefully and with an vpright conscience follow that vocation in which thou hast placed me that by thine aid and assistance I may prosper and haue good successe in all my affaires Blesse O Lord the Kings Maiesty gouerne his heart in thy feare and guide his vnderstanding to doe those things which shall be acceptable to thee and profitable to his kingdomes Giue him louing and loyall Subiects and suppresse his open and secret enemies And together with him blesse his Queene make her as the fruitfull Vine on the house top Psal 128.3 Blesse all the estate Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill from the highest to the lowest Comfort the comfortlesse and helplesse Bring all Trauellers to their owne beings in safety and direct all vpon the Seas to their safe Ports Shew the light of thy Truth to those which wander out of the right way Giue to all sinners true and hearty repentance strengthen those which haue begun well and giue them thy
this bread 1. Cor. 11.27 and drinke this cup of the Lord vnworthily shall bee guilty of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. I am in such a streight that I know not what to doe For gladly would I receiue this Sacrament being desirous to liue but fearefull I am to take it vnworthily trembling at thy Commination I come therefore to thee the fountaine of mercy hoping that thou wilt wash me I come to thee the good Samaritan Luc. 10.34 hoping that thou wilt cleanse my wounds I open my griefe and discouer my iniquities to thee I looke vpon my finnes great and grieuous and thereupon tremble Yet beholding thy mercies great and plentifull I am therewith againe refreshed Remember O Lord how many drops of Sweat and Bloud thou didst shed How many Paines and Sorrowes thou didst sustaine to expiate my sins I entreate thee therefore by them to purge and purifie me that I may worthily bee incorporated into thy body which is thy Church and may worthily also receiue this blessed Sacrament that so together with thy whole Church I may giue thee praise euerlastingly Or thus O Mercifull Lord Iesus I confesse my selfe to be a most grieuous and wretched sinner not worthy to approach into thy presence altogether vnfit and vnmeet Luc. 7.6 to receiue thee vnder the roofe of my soule in respect of the staynes and pollutions thereof and that it is not decked and fitted with such good graces as thy Maiestie and presence requireth and therefore am afraid to come neere vnto thee Yet O Lord considering thy comfortable saying that Thou dost not desire the death of a sinner Mat. 11.28 but that he should turne vnto thee and liue and thy blessed inuitation how louingly with the armes of thy mercy stretched out thou hast called all that are heauily oppressed with the burden of their sinnes to come to thee for comfort and ease And lastly thy vsuall practize in pitying and releeuing those which were cast downe with the thought of their misdeedes as the a Luc. 23. Theefe on the Crosse b Luc. 7. Mary Magdalen c Ioh. 8. The woman taken in adultery the d Luc. 18. Publican e Luc. 26. Peter and Paul all of them grieuous sinners I am comforted and emboldned to come vnto thee assuredly trusting that thou wilt of thy goodnesse supply my defects and make me a worthy receiuer of the high mystery and benefit of thy blessed Sacrament whereof of my selfe I am altogether vnworthy Stretch out thy right hand O sweete Iesu to me thy poore seruant and giue out of thy rich store-house of mercy what I want that thereby I may be made a liuing Temple to thee and an acceptable habitation for thine honour to abide in And grant that being cleansed by thy mercy and goodnesse I may by thy grace and power perseuere in all godlinesse and holinesse of conuersation to the end of my dayes and attaine to that blessed place where thou raignest with the Father and holy Spirit world without end Amen Meditations and Prayers after the Sacrament receiued IF all the Creatures in the world should offer themselues together with me to praise thee O Lord yet is it certaine that we could not giue thee sufficient thankes for the least of thy mercies and if together we cannot sufficiently praise thee for the least how much lesse can I alone performe so great a duty for such inestimable blessings as I haue at this time receiued for vouchsafing to visite me comfort me honor me with acceptance and admittance of me to thy blessed Table Luc. 1.43 If Elizabeth the mother of Iohn Baptist vpon the Virgin Maries entrance to her house said Whence is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me What shall I say whom the Lord himselfe hath visited and vnited to him by his blessed Sacrament being a vessell and receptacle of all impuritie who hath so often offended despited and neglected him King Dauid wondred Psal 8. why God should so esteeme of or visite man But I wonder much more why hee should be made man for man abide with him suffer death for him and giue himselfe to him for spirituall food Salomon after he had built a Temple to God reasoned thus 1. Kings 8.27 But will God dwell indeed on the earth Behold the heauen of heauens cannot contayne thee how much lesse this house that I haue builded May not I much more maruell that God will not disdaine to come and abide in this my poore and wretched soule What greater benefit or grace what greater argument of his loue is there can there be shewed to me Oh my soule if thou wouldest but throughly conceiue the happinesse that commeth to thee by this holy Sacrament then consider and well weigh what benefits it bringeth with it By it the sonnes of men are made the Sonnes of God and all that is earthly or carnall in vs is mortified that the Deity may liue and abide with vs. What therefore O my Lord shall I doe What thankes shall I render to thee with what feruency shall I loue thee For if thou so mightie a Lord hast vouchsafed to loue me poore wretched creature how should it be but that I should returne loue againe to thee And how shall I expresse my loue better then in forbearing those things which thou dost abhorre and following those things which thou dost command Giue O Lord to this end thy concomitant grace to mee whereby I may returne a reciprocall loue to thee and loue those things which are acceptable to thee and auoide those things which are to thee vnpleasing Giue me a heart which may loue thee with so true faithfull and constant affection as that nothing vnder the Sun may separate me from the loue of thee Rom. 8.39 Let me not follow the loue of the world or delight in the vanities of it any longer but giue me power to kill and quench all other loue and desires and to loue thee onely desire thee only and only thinke of thee and thy Commandements that all my affections and thoughts may be fixed on thee that in all tentations and aduersities I may haue recourse to thee onely and receiue all comfort from thee alone who liuest and raignest one God world without end Amen Another I Humbly thanke thee O sweet Sauiour Iesus Christ that thou hast so plentifully refreshed my dry and fainting soule with the holy Sacrament of thy pretious bodie and bloud I earnestly entreat thee further that whatsoeuer is in me vicious or contrary to thy blessed will may by vertue of this Blessed Sacrament bee rooted out of me that my soule may become a fit habitation for thy holy Spirit Let it be to me the absolution of my sinnes the confirmation of my faith an encrease of all thy graces in me the viands of this my peregrination and pilgrimage the only delight of my soule peace and ioy in tribulation health and