or approve you according to your doings 2. Making you most gracious promises upon obedience to his will and following his counsels and again grievously threatning you upon contempt of his laws and these promises And using all possible means your liberty being reserved and your will not forced to wean and fright you from the ways of death and allure you to the ways of life 3. Redeeming you after that in your natural condition you became dis-obedient when without strength Rom. 5 6 when a sinner ver 8. when an enemy ver 10. from sin death satan hell into whose cruel hands you were fallen by his own Son Him that was brought up with him his dayly delight Prov. 8.30 sent out of his own bosome Jo. 1.18 Even by him God that made the world to be given up to death to be hanged on the tree for you and in your stead Remitting all your Sin gratis for his sufferings without requiring of you so strict an account for offences how grievous soever committed in the time past before you were by the receit of the stronger iluminations of his Spirit converted unto him 4. Calling you by being born according to his good pleasure in a Christian Common-wealth to Grace i. e. To the hearing of his holy word To the use and benefit of his holy Sacraments the sure pledges of his love and seals of the future performance of all his promises of remission of sin of increase of Grace c. _____ To the guidance and assistance of his holy Clergy To the Example of many holy Saints 5. Having long patience and forbearance with you whilst notwithstanding these you continued still vicious ready to be reconciled whenever you would return unto him and with all patience waiting for your repentance and himself practising most exactly towards you all the rules of long-suffering and forgiveness which he hath enjoyned you towards others 6. In your Conversion preventing you with his Grace regenerating and making you a new Creature after the image of his Son by infusing into you a new principle the Spirit which remains in you during your whole life and sufficiently enabling you in all the parts of holiness if you be not wanting to it on your part 7. Giving you day by day many illuminations divine inspirations and admonitions and by his Grace in you making you capable of and rewardable with new mercies unto you 8. Ordaining you after a few days spent here on earth to an immortal condition and unconceivable joys in heaven and to have this your vile Body after its corruption raised again in great glory and beauty §. 174. 9. Affections and Resolutions Such as these 1. Admiring his Goodness Your Ingratitude 2. Sorrow for ever having offended him 3. Re-loving him 4. Indeavouring hereafter to serve him 5. Suffering any misery for him 6. Imitating his goodness to you in yours to others c. For Considerations are easily multiplied §. 175. VI. HEADS for Meditation on the Several Offices and Benefits to Mankind of Jesus Christ our Lord extracted out of the larger Discourse of our Saviour's Benefits Consider 1. The world being full of ignorance and sin Jesus Christ 1. Law giver and Apostle The Truth the holy one of God in the fulness of time anointed by the Father and sent into the world A new Law-giver ministring not the letter of the law but the Spirit An Apostle preaching the Gospel Remitting Sins Conferring the Holy Ghost having the Keys of and admitting some into and shutting others out of the Kingdome of Heaven And who before his necessary departure ordained others by succession of Ordination to be continued to the world's end Sending them as the Father sent him delivering over his doctrine and delegating his authority and embassy and keys unto them and unto the end of the world from heaven assisting their Ministry Matt. 28.20 Appellations relating unto this Office Shepherd Pastour Bishop 1. Pet. 2.25 1. Pet. 5.4 §. 176. 2. After thus teaching the Way of life Christ the Exemplar and Pattern to mankind in his life and death The Way 2. Exemplar of all obedience to God's commands and of all suffering for righteousness sake which God hath here required And in his Resurrection and Ascension of the reward which God hath for hereafter promised §. 177. 3. God's former Covenant of Works being found unprofitable unto us 3. Mediatour upon the breach thereof now liable to God's wrath and eternal death Jesus Christ the Mediator of a new Covenant and Testament founded in remission of sins reconciling sinners to God Sealing this Covenant with his Blood the blood of the New Testament Luk. 22.20 and ratifying this Testament with his death and after his Resurrection having put into his own hands by the Father the donation of the rewards promised to those that keep the conditions of this Covenant §. 178. 4. God's justice not pardoning Sin gratis Christ the Sacrifice 4. Sacrifice the lamb of God the true sin-offering for the world expiating our guilt and our passover delivering us sprinkled with his blood Heb. 12.24 from the destroying Angel And our peace-offering by eating whereof we have Communion with God with his Son and all that is his with the Saints and all that is theirs Lastly by eating whereof being the Bread of Life our Souls and Bodies are preserved unto everlasting life as in paradise they should have been by the tree of life §. 179. 5. Man being indebted to God's justice by him unsatisfiable and in bondage to sin 5. Redeemer to the law to death and to Satan the grand Executioner of God's justice and Prince of this lower world Jesus Christ the Redeemer by paying a ransome freeing us from our debt and by making a conquest delivering us out of our slavery By whom we are freed already from the dominion of sin from the condemnation of the law from the chains of Satan from the approach of death eternal from the hurt and therefore from the fear of death temporal that being now only a passage to happiness But when the good time is come shall be by the same Redeemer yet more perfectly freed from all these than as yet we are namely from any adherence or possibility of sin from any temptation of Satan from being restrained to any law from being capable of any mortality through Jesus Christ our Lord. §. 180. 6. God making a Covenant with the first Adam made of the earth involving his seed 6. Second Adam The Life 1. Cor. 15.45 and he by his pride transgressing it so both losing the reward and bringing death both on himself and his posterity Jesus Christ the second Adam descending from heaven assuming our nature entring a Covenant involving his seed fulfilling it by walking a contrary way to the first i. e. by humility and so receiving the reward for himself and for his seed Both the holy spirit and immortality which were lost by the first Adam being now in their due time
the flesh and delighteth in the severest afflicting and subduing thereof especially taketh pleasure in its Purity and Chastity and eminently opposeth all uncleanness and those risings of Concupiscence which sin first discovered in our first Parents Who also continually warreth against this world opposing the vain shews of this present life with the representation to the eye of Faith of the Glories of that to come Who also fighteth against Satan and being stronger than he hath cast him out and possessed his house from whose gracious descent upon our Saviour's ascension this evil Spirit hath suffered a great restraint of his former delusions by his Oracles being silenced and Idolatry destroyed §. 192. The Internal Intercessor and Advocate The Holy-Ghost the Paraclete our Intercessor and Advocate here on earth within us to the Father and as the Son is in heaven with God Who helpeth our Infirmities not knowing what we ought to pray for and maketh intercession within us for us with groans that cannot be uttered Who maketh intercessions according to the will of God because he knoweth the deep things of God and God that searcheth the heart knoweth the secret mind of this Spirit Who crieth in our hearts Abba Father and teacheth us to pray by which Spirit all our Prayers must be offered as they are offered through the Son that we may find any access unto the Father Who abiding here on earth with us is the effectual Reconciler and maker of our peace for any sins which we commit whether against the Father or the Son But when we sin against him also and make him depart from us we are desolate since there is no person any more left that can acceptably sue or make request for our pardon without this Spirit §. 193. The Internal Comforter The Holy-Ghost the Comforter whose Divine presence rendreth all sufferings not only supportable but pleasant that which is contrary to the flesh being so much the more grateful to the Spirit who graciously doth afford in all mortifications and sufferings sufficient ability internal peace and spiritual joy who freeing us from the former spirit of fear is the author of a lively constant hope and confidence in God whereby we always rejoyce in and long and wait for that blessed day of our Consummation and the appearance of our Saviour that so we may enter into the joy of our Lord. §. 194. The Spirit of Obsignation and Vnction The Holy-Ghost the Spirit of Vnction and Obsignation an Vnction and a nointing from the holy one whereby we are consecrated unto God as the Lord Jesus was and made Kings and Priests hereafter to reign under Him and to serve Him in his heavenly Temple who is the Seal of God upon us that we are already his adopted Sons and shall be Heirs of all his rich Promises in their due season who is the Earnest of his Covenant made with us and first fruits of the plentiful Harvest to come by whom we have now a foretast of those heavenly Gifts and of the good word and promise of God and of the power of Christ's Kingdome and of the world to come §. 195. The Spirit of Miracles and wonderful Works The Holy-Ghost the Spirit of Power and Might of all miraculous and wonderful Works over all the Creatures and over all the Works of Nature which at first he made Spiritual and Corporal over Satan and all his instruments expelling them and confining them at pleasure over all infirmities and diseases Who only doth great wonders upon the earth above and contrary to the course of Nature healeth the sick enlighteneth the blind strengthneth the lame restoreth the withered multiplyeth food raiseth the dead freeth the possessed cureth the wounded Soul and broken Spirit sanctifieth perverse inclinations to testify to men the power and presence of God amongst them §. 196. The Internal Seed of Immortality The Holy Ghost the Seed of Immortality in our corruptible Bodies and a fountain in us springing up unto eternal life By whose virtue and efficacy It being here sown in shame will hereafter spring up glorious weak shall come up in power natural shall come up spiritual and angelical Who dwelling in this our flesh will never forsake it until as it did raise the Body of Christ our Head from the Dead so it shall have raised up the Body of us his Members and until these Bodies also by the virtue of this Spirit shall ascend like unto his and be caught up in the Clouds to meet him Until this our vile Body shall be made like unto his glorious Body and until as we now bear the image of the earthly Adam so we shall bear the image of the heavenly into which we shall be changed by the Spirit of the Lord from Glory to Glory till with the Angels and Saints the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs we be all made one in God and God all in all To whom be given all Glory unto all Eternity Amen FINIS LITANIES The LITANY to the Sacred Trinity O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the World Have c. O God the Holy-Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son Have mercy on us O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity three Persons and one God Have mercy on us Holy Holy Holy Lord God Omnipotent which art which wast and art to come Have mercy on us Who manifested'st thy Name I am that I am to Moses whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain and the whole Earth is filled with thy Majesty Have mercy on us Everlasting King Immortal Invisible who inhabitest that Light unto which no man can approach great in counsel and mighty in work and of whose wisdome there is no end Have mercy on us Who only dost great things and unsearchable marvellous things without number who workest all things according to the purpose of thy will and madest all things for thy self Have mercy on us One God and Father of us all who art above all and thro all and in us all from whom by whom and in whom are all things in whom we live and have our Being Have mercy on us Who hast disposed all things in number weight and measure who madest heaven and earth and all things therein who createdst the earth by thy power and the universe by thy wisdome Have mercy on us The Lord forming light and creating darkness making peace and creating evil in whose hands is the life of every living thing and the breath of all flesh Have c. The Lord that searchest the heart and triest the reins who quicknest the dead and callest those things that are not as if they were whose eyes are brighter than the Sun beholding all the ways of men Have mercy on us On whom the eyes of all wait and thou givest their meat in due season who openest thy hand and fillest with thy blessing every living thing Have mercy on us Who executest judgment for the oppressed who givest food to the hungry
hast translated us into the kingdome of the Son of thy love Have mercy on us Who without accepting of persons judgest every man according to his work Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and hear us O Lord. Be merciful and deliver us O Lord. From all evil and from the power of Satan Deliver us O Lord. From anger hatred and malice from the imminent mischiefs of sin and from everlasting death Deliver c. By thine infinite wisdome whereby thou seest the most secret things by thine endless power by which out of nothing thou createdst all things by thy infinite goodness whereby thou filledst all things by thy gracious providence whereby thou sweetly governest and disposest all things and by thine eternal charity wherewith thou lovest the world Deliver us O Lord. In the day of Judgment Deliver us O Lord. We sinners do beseech thee to hear us O Lord. That thy name may be always and every where sanctified that thy Kingdome may come into us that thy Will may be done in and by us in earth as it is in heaven by the holy Angels We beseech thee to hear us That thou would'st vouchsafe to give us this day our dayly bread to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and to defend us under the shadow of thy wings and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from all evil We beseech thee to hear us That our works may so shine before men that they may glorify thee our Father which art in heaven We beseech thee to hear us That what we faithfully ask may effectually be obtained We beseech thee to hear us O Father in the name of thy Son We beseech thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away sins Have mercy c. O Lord our Protector behold us And look upon the face of thy Christ Remember us O Lord with thy good pleasure And visit us with thy Salvation Convert us O Lord God of Hosts Shew thy face and countenance upon us and we shall be saved O Lord hear our Prayer And let our cry come unto thee See the Prayer Pag. 277. LITANIES to God the Son O God the Father of heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O only begotten Son of God who art in the bosome of thy Father the beloved Son of God in whom the Father is well pleased in whom the fulness of the Trinity inhabiteth bodily Have mercy on us Arm of God upholding all things by the word of thy power God by whom all things were made and without whom nothing was made Father of the world to come Have mercy on us The splendor of eternal light the brightness of the glory of God and the express image of his person whom he hath appointed Heir of all things Have mercy on us Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace in whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge the way the truth and the life the Sun of Justice and bright Morning-Star Have mercy on us The Alpha and Omega the beginning and end the first and the last who art who wast and art to come the Heir of all things the beginning and first-born of every creature Have mercy on us The Word made Flesh full of grace and truth Immanuel our God seen on earth and conversant with men the Messias the expectation of all Nations Have mercy on us The true light which enlightenest every man that cometh into the world the righteous branch of God truth sprung out of the earth Have mercy on us The great Prophet that was to come upon the earth mighty in word and deed before God and all the People Have mercy on us The anointed of God by the Holy Ghost with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows Have mercy on us O Son of God who emptiedst thy self taking upon thee the form of a servant who wast sent to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the broken in heart and to publish freedome to the captives Have mercy on us O Son of Man meek and humble in heart who camest to seek and save Sinners that were lost who camest not to be ministred unto but to minister a man of sorrows and acquainted with infirmities Have mercy on us O Son of God made obedient to thy Father even to the death of the Cross that wast led like a sheep to the slaughter and dumb before the shearers the good Shepherd that layedst down thy life for thy sheep Have mercy on us Who lovedst us and washedst us from our sins in thy own blood on whom was laid by thy Father the iniquities of all Have mercy on us Who truly barest our infirmities and by whose stripes we were healed who wast wounded for our trangressions and broken for our offences Have mercy on us O immaculate Lamb slain from the beginning of the world who takest away the sins of the world the propitiation for our sins the author and finisher of our faith the Mediator and Angel of the New Testament the faithful and true Witness Have mercy on us The Stone which the Builders refused and yet made the head of the corner who wast delivered for our offences and didst rise again for our justification who art the resurrection and the life and the first-born from the dead Have mercy on us Who art made unto us by God wisdome justice sanctification and redemption the great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls the Apostle of our profession and High-Priest of good things to come Have mercy on us Our Peace who hast made of two one Nation who hast made us Kings and Priests to God and the Father the Bridegroom of the Church beloved fair and ruddy chosen amongst thousands Have mercy on us Who art ascended above all Heavens a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech an High-Priest holy innocent unspotted and separate from Sinners one Mediator betwixt God and Men the Man Christ Jesus Have mercy on us Who sittest at the right hand of his Majesty in the highest at whose Name every knee doth bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth to whom a Name is given above all Names Have mercy c. The Head of all Principalities and Powers the Lord of Lords and Prince over the Kings of the earth who hast the keys of hell and death who are constituted by God Judge of the living and the dead Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and hear us O Lord. From all evil Deliver us O Lord. By thy eternal generation of the Father by thy Nativity in the fulness of time of thy Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary by thy most holy life and conversation and by thy death and most bitter
thy Saints we may also imitate their faith and patience We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may keep inviolably the Catholick Faith so stoutly maintained by them that like as thine Elect in heaven so we may readily do thy will on earth that we may hate our own Souls in this world that we may preserve them to eternal life that thou wouldst vouchsafe to admit us into the inheritance of thy chosen in light We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may continually praise thee in thy Saints that we may laud thee with thy Saints in Heaven and magnify thee for ever We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Our Father which art in Heaven c. PRaise the Name of our Lord praise him ye Servants of our Lord. Who stand in the house of our Lord in the courts of the house of our God Praise our Lord for he is good sing unto his Name for it is sweet Sing unto our Lord a new Song his Praise in the congregation of his Saints For our Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will magnify the meek with Salvation Let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds Let the high Praises of God be in their mouth and a two-edged Sword in their hand To execute vengeance upon the Nations and punishment upon the people To bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of Iron To execute upon them the Judgment written This Honor have all his Saints Hallelujah Let us pray WE give thee thanks O Lord with all our hearts for that thou hast chosen thy Saints and justified them by thy infinite grace for that thou hast prevented them with the blessings of thy sweetness and preserved them in their way thro all the impediments of their Salvation We give thee infinite thanks O God for all the Graces and Benefits which thou hast bestowed upon them in time and reserved for them to Eternity O ye blessed Servants and Friends of God who confirmed in all Grace and now have received the Crown of heavenly Glory and with joy behold the Sacred Trinity face to face praising him with unspeakable gladness everlastingly obtain for us your Supplicants free pardon of our sins and a perfect denial of our selves that we may follow your steps thro the narrow way as also an intimate and sincere love of God wherewith you being enflamed have valiantly and gloriously overcome the world the flesh and the devil with all the crosses of this present life pray for us now and at the hour of our death that when we are to pass hence and to appear before the fearful Tribunal of the great Judge he would not enter into judgment with us but judge us according to his infinite mercy that so at length we may be admitted into the blessed Fellowship in that supernal Jerusalem where we altogether may praise extol and magnify our Lord God for ever and ever Amen O Lord God multiply upon us thy Grace and grant us to follow in a holy profession the joy of thy Saints whose memories we celebrate through Jesus Christ thy only Son our Lord. Amen MOst gracious God the Author of all Sanctity and lover of Unity whose wisdome hath established an admirable communion between thy Church triumphant in heaven and militant on earth as members of the same mystical Body whereof thy Son Christ Jesus is the Head mercifully grant that as thy Blessed without ceasing pray to thee for us we may continually praise thee for them and in correspondence to their perfect Charity with pious observance celebrate their memories till we all meet before thy glorious Throne and with one heart adore the Saviour of us all who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen O All ye blessed Saints of heaven and Spirits Angelical whom God with the brightness of his presence makes everlastingly joyful pray for us We salute and honour you we give praise and thanks to our Lord who hath chosen you and made you eternally happy with his benedictions obtain from him for us forgiveness obtain for us grace that at the end of this frail life we may be admitted to the fruition of your heavenly Society thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ALmighty God and most merciful Father favourably regard the imperfect Prayers of thy servants here on earth which we present unto thee by the most efficacious intercession of our fellow members the Saints in heaven and grant that as their Sanctity is exalted by thee to a supreme degree of glory so their Charity may obtain for us the especial assistance of thy Grace thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen GRant O Almighty God that we who celebrate the Memories and reverence the Holiness of all thy Saints may be assisted with Thee by their intercession and rejoyce in their protection thro Jesus Christ Amen O Almighty and Eternal God who vouchsafest us the Grace to reverence the Holiness of all thy Saints Grant us we beseech Thee the desired plenty of thy mercy by their multiplied intercessions thro our Lord Jesus Christ Amen The LITANY of Penitents O God the Father of heaven our Creator Have mercy on us O God the Son our Redeemer Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier Have mercy c. O strong just and jealous God taking revenge upon all sin and iniquity who sparedst not the Angels that sinned but castedst them down into hell to be tormented From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who hast appointed death the stipend of Sin who didst shut Adam after he had sinned out of Paradise and subjectedst him to many Curses From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who sparedst not the old world but punishedst it overwhelmed in sin by the flood From thy great wrath c. Who utterly consumedst Sodom and Gomorrah burnt to ashes and miraculously punishedst Pharoah and the Aegyptians hardening their hearts against thee From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who sparedst not thine ancient people the Jews rebelling against thee but deliveredst them up into the hands of their enemies and into the Babylonish Captivity From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who at last scatteredst them throughout all the world whilst persevering in their sins and gavest thy beloved City and thy Sanctuary to be trodden under foot of the Enemy From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us O God to the relenting and penitent gracious and merciful long-suffering and abundant in mercy and repenting thee of evil who lovest every thing and hatest nothing that thou hast made From thy great wrath c. Who pitiest all and winkest at the sins of men for their amendment of life who wouldst have none to perish but all be converted and in whose presence there is joy over one sinner that doth penance From all thy great wrath c. Who calledst
with Grace seasoned with Salt that we may know how to answer every man and our discourse such as may some-way edify and minister Grace to the hearers that this busy member being defiled with no filthy or vain communication here may be the more hallowed in the world to come to sing Hallelujahs Doxologies and Thanksgivings for ever and ever to the Blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen A DOXOLOGY to the Blessed Trinity GLory be to the Father of mercies the Father of Men and Angels the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Glory be to the most holy and eternal Son of God the blessed Saviour and Redeemer of the world the Advocate of Sinners the Prince of Peace the Head of the Church and the mighty Deliverer of all them that call upon him Glory be to the holy and eternal Spirit of God that searcheth all things even the depths and hidden things of God the Holy Ghost the Advocate the Comforter the sanctifying and life-giving Spirit All glory and thanks all honour and power all love and obedience be to the blessed and individual Trinity one God Eternal It is most just and right to praise and to glorify to worship and adore to give thanks and to magnify thee the great Maker of all Creatures visible and invisible the Treasure of all good temporal and eternal the Fountain of all life mortal and immortal the Lord and God of all things in heaven and earth the great Father of thy servants the great Master of thy children The Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens and every Power therein the Sun and the Moon and all the Stars of the Sky the Sea and the Earth the heights above all the depths below Jerusalem which is from above the Congregation celestial the Church of the first born written in the heavens the Spirits of the Prophets and just men made perfect the Souls of Apostles and all holy Martyrs Angels and Archangels Thrones and Dominions Principalities and Powers the Spirits of Understanding and the Spirits of Love with never ceasing Hymns and perpetual Anthems cry out night and day and let the humble voice of thy servants also be heard amongst them saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts heaven and earth are full of thy glory The Heavens declare thy glory the Earth confesseth thy providence the Sea manifests thy power and every Spirit and every understanding Creature celebrates thy greatness for ever and ever Especially thy miserable creature Man is bound to praise thee because thou mad'st him according to thy own Image because thou gav'st him the riches and the rest of Paradise and when he fell and broke thy easy Commandment thou didst not despise his folly nor leave him in his Sin but didst chastise him with thy Rod and restrain him by thy law and instruct him by thy Prophets and at last by the coming of the second person God the Son into the world did'st renew and repair this thy broken Image for which praised be the Lord God Almighty good and gracious dreadful and venerable holy and merciful to the works of thy hands Hosannah blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Hosannah in the highest for ever and ever Amen A DOXOLOGY concerning the Ways of God's Providence § 1 O The depth of thy Knowledge and Wisdome O God! how unsearchable are thy Judgments and thy Ways past finding out O Lord how great are thy works how deep are thy thoughts Who can utter thy mighty Acts O Lord Who can shew forth all thy Praise Even from the Creation thy Power delighteth to manifest it self in high and difficult matters and thou walkest contrary to the wisedome of men Thy whole work is to do wonders and by these thou being invisible in person declarest thy presence on the earth Thou bringest light out of darkness good out of evil and strength out of weakness Content and satiety out of poverty and glory and honour out of humility True wisdome and knowledge out of holy simplicity and self-disesteem the greatest consolations and joys out of adversities and sufferings Thou makest thy foolishness to be wiser then men and thy weaknes stronger then men By the foolish things of this world thou confoundest the wise and by the weak things of the world thou confoundest things that are mighty By the base and despised and things that are not thou bringest to nought things that are On the contrary thou bringest scorn and contempt out of the highest of pride ambition and glory covetousnes and unsatiableness out of plenty and abundance Extreme folly out of secular wisdome and cunning and sudden want out of ill gotten wealth Distraction out of the fulfilling our desires and sighing and mourning out of secular joys and pleasures Thou delightest to take the wily in their own craftiness and to deceive the deceivers To make his own net that he hath hid to catch himself and himself to fall into the same destruction he hath prepared for others Thou lovest to judge men by their own self-condemnation and to make the guilty pronounce sentence upon himself To punish men by their faults and to make their own way and not thy power to overthrow them Out of deep security and confidence thou bringest adversity and trouble and death when men think most enjoying life When they say Peace behold a sudden destruction and in the midst of War behold a sudden Peace Thou shewest strength with thy arm O Lord and scatterest the proud man in the imaginations of his heart Thou puttest down the mighty from their seat and dost exalt the humble and meek Thou fillest the hungry with good things and the rich thou sendest empty away Thou makest him who disperseth his goods to the poor to abound in wealth and those who heap them up to suffer penury The Race is not to the swift nor the Battle to the strong nor Bread to the wise nor Favour to the skilful nor Riches to the Understanding but as thou distributest them O Lord to those who depend on thee § 2 The way by which thou appointest man to be happy is that which humane reason judgeth contrary to it Here repeat the Preface and which seemeth to render him most unhappy By his abondoning all things he comes to possess all things and by his desire of nothing he attains to want nothing By his being careful for nothing but the serving of thee he becomes provided of all things by thee and in his flying from the world the good things thereof follow him To cross and forsake his own will he finds the way to true tranquility of mind and to forsake his own reason with dependance on thee the way to true wisdome To be careless of and to lay down his life for thy sake the surest way to save it whilst others by seeking to preserve do lose it By his humility he attaineth to honour and in voluntary poverty he findeth content He taketh pleasure in infirmities in necessities in
MOTIVES TO Holy Living OR Heads for Meditation Divided into CONSIDERATIONS COUNSELS DUTIES Together with some Forms of Devotion in Litanies Collects Doxologies c. OXFORD Printed in the Year MDCLXXXVIII 1. Jo. 5.19 The whole world lyeth in wickedness 1. Cor. 2.14 The natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit for they are foolishness unto him Jo. 15.19 If you are not of the world the word will hate you Maxima pendent ex minimis Qui modica spernit paulatim decidit Qui sibi benè temperatat in licitis nunquam cadet in illicita Ex hoc momento pendet Aeternitas Matt. 20.16 Many are called but few are chosen Luk. 13.24 Strive to enter in at the strait Gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Ecclesiasticus 5.5 Concerning Propitiation be not without fear to add sin to sin Prov. 28.14 Blessed is the Man that feareth always 1. Cor. 13.15 If any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer loss Himself shall be saved yet so as by fire Act. 10.34 Non est Personarum acceptor Deus Matt. 11.12 The violent take heaven by force 1. Cor. 9.6 He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly Matt. 25.29 To him that hath shall be given from him that hath not shall be taken away Luk. 14.17 Well thou good servant bear thou authority over ten Cities 19. ver Be thou over five Cities Matt. 19.12 There be Eunuchs who have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdome of Heavens sake he that is able to receive it let him receive it 1. Cor. 7.38 He that giveth her in Marriage doth well ver 36. sinneth not but he that giveth her not in Marriage doth better Matt. 19.16 Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may inherit eternal life ver 17. Keep the Commandments ver 20. What lack I yet ver 21. If thou wilt be perfect Go and fell that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven Vers 27. We have forsaken all c. What shall we have therefore ver 29. Every one that hath forsaken c shall receive a hundred fold c. Tacit. Hist 5. l. of the Christians Nec quicquam prius imbuuntur quam contemnere Deos Gentilium exuere Patriam Parentes Liberos Fratres vilia habere Luk. 12. Sell that ye have and give Alms and provide a treasure in the heavens that faileth not ver 33. compare 31 32 34. Act. 2.37 Men and Brethren what shall we do ver 45. And they that believed sold their possessions and parted them as every one had need Matt. 13.45 46. The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant Who when he had found out one Pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it Luk. 16.8 The Children of this world are in their Generation wiser than the Children of Light Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's will crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Esay 58.13 Not doing thy own ways nor finding thy own pleasure nor speaking thy own words Membra Christi Quales oportet nos esse in Sanctis conversationibus Pietatibus 2. Pet. 3.11 Templa Spiritus Sancti Quales oportet nos esse in Sanctis conversationibus Pietatibus 2. Pet. 3.11 Filii Dei Quales oportet nos esse in Sanctis conversationibus Pietatibus 2. Pet. 3.11 Eph. 5.19 Loquentes vobismetipsis in psalmis Hymnis Phil. 3.20 Cantantes in cordibus Deo 1. Thess 5.17 Sine Intermissione orantes In omnibus Gratias agentes Spiritum non extinguentes Phil. 4.13 We can do all things through Christ who strengthneth us 2. Pet. 1.3 His Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness Matt. 11.28 c. Come ye that labour Take my yoke upon you and ye shall find rest For my yoke is easy 1. Jo. 5.3 And his Commandments are not grievous Prov. 3.17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Par mundus dat onus graviusque THE CONTENTS I. CONSIDERATIONS Concerning 1. OVR present and future Condition § 1. Pag. 1 2. The Condition of all present things about us § 2. p. 2. 3. The unreasonableness and hurt of Sin § 3. p. 3. 4. The difficulty of Repentance § 4. p. 10. 5. The measure of this Reformation § 5. p. 12. 6. The Reasonableness and Benefits of Piety § 6. p. 18. 7. The Faisibility Easiness Excellencies of it § 10. p. 25. II. COUNSELS Concerning 1 the forbearing many things lawful and not prohibited 2 And practising many things not commanded i. e. under guilt of sin in the matters § 14. p. 38. 1. Of Riches and Wealth § 15. p. 39. Recommendation of Poverty p. 40. 2. Of Honor Preferment and Reputation § 16. p. 41. Recommendation of a low Condition § 16. n. 4. not minding Reputation § 16. n. 4. p. 42 43. Recommendation of Self-contempt § 16. p. 46. 3. Of lawful Sensual Pleasures § 17. p. 47. Recommendation of Celibacy § 17. n. 2. p. 47. 4. Of Affection to Earthly things § 18. p. 56. 5. Of Temporal Employments § 19. p. 57. Reliance on God's Providence for Necessaries § 19. n. 6. p. 59 6. Of Meat and Drink § 20. p. 60 The Happiness of Old Age § 20. Digr 3. p. 65. 7. Of Sleep § 21. p. 67. 8. Of Recreation and Vacancy from Employment § 22. p. 69. 9. Of Company and Secular Converse § 23. p. 69. Recommendation of Solitude p. 73. 10. Of Discourse and Compliance § 24. p. 74. Recommendation of Silence p. 83. 11. Of extraordinary abilities and perfections natural or acquired § 25. p. 84. 12. Concerning the avoiding usual and former occasions of sinning § 26. p. 84. 13. Resisting first and small Temptations c. § 27. p. 85. 14. Suppressing evil thoughts and first Motions of Sin c. § 28. p. 87. Ways to break ill Habits p. 88. 15. Cherishing all good Motions in the Soul § 29. p. 89. Of the great power of Custome p. 90. 16. Subjecting your Actions to anothers Conduct § 30. p. 91. 17. Restraining your liberty with Resolutions and Vows § 31. p. 91. 18. Imposing voluntary Mortifications § 32. p. 92. A Catalogue of several sorts of Mortifications § 33. p. 94. 19. Confessing frequently your Sins to your Spiritual Guide § 34. p. 95. 20 Openly professing a zeal of Piety and Christian Virtues § 35. p. 96. 21. Strongly apprehending God's presence § 36. n. 1. p. 93. 22. Reflecting on his Omni-Agency § 36. n. 2. p. 97. III. DUTIES 1. Active Doing Good § 37. p. 99. 1 Towards your Self Moral § 38. p. 99. The Purity and Sanctification of the Body p. 100. 1. Temperance § 39. p. 100. Of its Opposites Ibid. 2. Chastity § 40. p. 100. Of its Opposites Ibid. 3. Humility 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 41. p. 105. Of its Opposites § 42. p. 105. 4. A sober and right ordering of the Judgment § 44.
pag. 107. 1 Concerning Good and Evil Ibid. 2. Concerning Truth and Error § 45. p. 114. 5. Industry and a Vocation § 58. p. 127. 6. Contentedness and Indifferency § 60. p. 132. 2. Towards your Neighbour Civil § 62. p. 136. 1. Justice Ibid. 1. Doing no Wrong Ibid. 2. Doing all Right § 63. p. 136. 2. Mercy § 66. p. 137. 1. Doing no Hurt Ibid. 2. Doing all Good § 67. p. 140. Of Alms and Deeds of Charity § 68. p. 140. A Catalogue of the many several ways of shewing Charity p. 144. 1. To the Soul § 71. Ibid. 2. To the Body § 72. p. 146. 3. To the Estate of our Neighbour p. 148. Several sorts of Charities more Vniversal p. 148. 3. Toward God Religious § 75. p. 152. 1. Loving him Ibid. 2. Believing and hoping in him § 76. p. 154. 3. Worshipping him § 77. p. 155. 1. With Prayer and in this Ibid. 1. For our Selves with 1. Confession Ibid. 2. Thanksgiving § 78. p. 156. 3. Petition § 79. p. 156. 4. Praise § 80. p. 157. 5. Resignation § 81. p. 158. 2. For others with Intercession § 82. p. Ibid. Benefits of Prayer § 84. p. 159. 1. The great power of Prayer with God And the Conditions to make it effectual § 85. p. Ibid. 2. The Benefit of the exercise of Prayer upon our selves § 89. p. 164. IV. Counsels and Directions concerning several Religious Exercises P. 165 1. Concerning Prayer and in this Conc. § 90. p. 165. 1. Preparatives to Prayer Ibid. 2. Corporal reverence in Prayer p. 166. 3. Guard of the Eyes § 92. p. 167. 4. Encitement of a suitable Passion § 93. p. Ibid. 5. Imagination of God's Presence § 94. p. 168. 6. Recollection of mind and senses in Prayer § 95. p. 170. 7. Heightning and enlargement of the affections § 96. p. 171. 8. Imaginary place of address § 113. p. 186. 9. Frequency of Prayer § 118. p. 189. 10. Ejaculations in the intervals of Prayer § 119. p. 191. 11. Recitation of Psalms § 120. p. Ibid. 12. Length of Prayer § 121. p. 192. 13. Repetitions § 124. p. 194. 14. Importunity in Prayer § 125. p. 195. 15. Liberty of Expression in Prayer § 126. p. Ibid. 16. Ways of enlarging Prayer § 127. p. 196. 17. Particularizing in Prayer § 128. p. 199. 18. Colloquies to be used in Prayer § 129. p. 200. 19. Scripture-Expressions § 130. p. 201. 20. Advantages to Prayer from § 131. p. Ibid. 1. Publick Assemblies and Communion of Saints Ib. 2. Holy Places § 132. p. 202. 3. Holy times § 133. p. 203. 4. Holy Persons § 134. p. 204. 2. Concerning Meditation § 135. p. 205. Meditation practised four ways By § 136. p. Ibid. 1. Imagination Ibid. 2. Reasoning § 137. p. 206. 3. Affections § 138. p. Ibid. 4. Resolutions § 139. p. 207. Several Subjects of Meditation § 141 p. 208. 3. Concerning Examination of Conscience § 142. p. 211. 4. Conc. Reading the Scriptures and pious Books § 143. p. 212. 5. Concerning using of pious Discourse and Company § 144. p. 215. 6. With the Celebration of the Eucharist § 145. p. 215. The necessary duty and great benefit thereof § 146. p. 216. As being 1. The most effectual intercession to God made on earth Ib. 2. The Seal of the new Covenant and the Christians perpetual Sacrifice § 147. p. Ibid. Sacrifice 1. Propitiatory § 148. p. Ibid. 2. Impetratory § 149. p. 217. 3. Federal § 150. p. 217. 4. Eucharistical § 151. p. 218. 5. The Christians Passover § 152. p. 219. 6. A duty of Homage for the use of God's Creatures § 153. p. Ibid. 7. The Symbol of our Resurrection and Immortality § 154. p. 220. 8. The Symbol of our Christianity § 155. p. Ibid. 3. The danger and loss in neglecting the frequent use of these Holy Mysteries § 156. p. 221. 4. The danger of using them unworthily and without due preparation § 157. p. 222. 2. Passive Suffering Evil § 158. p. 223. 1. Christian Patience Ibid. Advices concerning behaviour before and in Sickness § 159. p. 225. 2. Christian Fortitude § 161. p. 227. Considerations conc the Good of Evils § 164. p. 230. Certain HEADS on Seven Principal Subjects of MEDITATION 1. On Sin § 167. p. 232. 2. On Sickness Death and the day of Judgment § 168. p. 233. 3. On the Extreme and Eternal Torments of Hell § 170. p. 244. 4. On the unspeakable Joys of Heaven § 171. p. 245. 5. On the Benefits to man in General and our selves in particular of God the Father § 172. p. 255. 6. On the several Offices and Benefits to mankind of Jesus Christ our Lord § 175. p. 259. 1. Law-giver and Apostle Ibid. 2. Exemplar § 176. p. Ibid. 3. Mediator § 177. p. Ibid. 4. Sacrifice § 178. p. 260. 5. Redeemer § 179. p. Ibid. 6. Second Adam § 180. p. 261. 7. High-Priest and Intercessor § 182. p. 262. 8. King § 183. p. 263. 9. All these to all Ages § 184. p. 264. 7. On the several Offices and Benefits to mankind of the Holy Spirit § 184. p. 265. 8. The love and power of the Father and the Son § 185. p. 265. 9. The Spirit of Promise § 186. p. Ibid. 10. The Spirit of Regeneration § 187. p. 266. 11. The Spirit of Illumination § 188. p. 267. 12. The Spirit of Love § 189. p. 268. Toward God Ibid. Toward our Brethren § 190. p. 268. 13. The Spirit of Corporal Purity and Mortification § 191. p. 268. 14. THe Internal Intercessor and Advocate § 192. p. 269. 15. Internal Comforter § 193. p. Ibid. 16. The Spirit of Obsignation and Vnction § 194. p. 270. 17. The Spirit of Miracles and wonderful Works § 195. p. Ibid. 18. The Internal Seed of Immortality § 196. p. 270. LITANIES 1. To the Sacred Trinity p. 273 2. To God the Father p. 277. 3. To God the Son p. 280. 4. To God the Holy Spirit p. 285. 5. Of the Blessed Eucharist p. 292. 6. Of the Life and Death of our Saviour Jesus Christ p. 300. 7. Of the Blessed Virgin p. 307. 8. Of the Holy Angels p. 311. 9. Of all Saints p. 317. 10. Of Penitents p. 324. 11. For the Sick and those that are Dying p. 333. 12. For the Dead p. 340. 13. Of Christian Virtues p. 344. DOXOLOGIES A Doxology to the Blessed Trinity p. 353. A Doxology concerning the Ways of God's Providence p. 355. CONSIDERATIONS Exciting to HOLY LIVING 1 Concerning our present and future Condition I. Concerning our present and future Condition Consider 1. OUR future Condition immutable and eternal 2. Our present very short in nature by casualties yet shorter Hoc modicum longum nobis videtur quoniam adhuc agitur cum finitum fuerit tunc sentiemus quam modicum fuerit 3. Death ordinarily seizing us at such a time when less than at other expected Luk. 12.38 39 40. Matt. 25.5 24.50.44 Rev. 3.3 Eccl. 9.12 Luk. 21.35 1 Thes 5.2 3. Luk. 17.26.28 Jam. 4.13 14. And the
acquiring Christian perfection §. 90. 1. Concerning Prayer Concerning Preparatives to Prayer 1. BEfore your appearing before God in Prayer clearing your self as God hath commanded so far as it is in your power from your sins towards your Neighbour and quitting all his toward you In satisfaction either already performed to him or seriously promised to God where injuring and in forgiveness presented likewise then to God where injured Matt. 5.23 24. 1. Tim. 2.8 Mark 11.25 Jam. 3.9 10. 2. Performing your devotions either when fasting or very temperate and at some reasonable distance from your meals and sometimes also preparing your self son them by some acts of mortification Nothing is so opposite to devotion and the Spirit as intemperance strong drink and excess in diet See Eph. 5.18 Act. 10.30 Matt. 17.21 Luk. 1.15 Psal 35.13 Dan. 10.1 2. 12. Act. 13.2 3. 3. 1 Not coming to them with your mind and thoughts already tired out and spent in other business which accordingly must needs be less serviceable to you in this your greatest duty and some little time before them if you can deserting other employments 'T is beneficial before you go to Prayer to read something pious or if you please to read some Prayer before praying so to retire your mind from secular thoughts and dispose it to Divine 3. 2 When you go to Prayer with an hour-glass measuring your time and taking some Book of Devotion or Saints life with which you use to be much affected to lye by you and for this also chusing a place of Prayer convenient for light and reading and when sterilities and dulness or much distraction of thoughts assault you reading so long till something affect you This hath been the practice of many great Saints And he who useth this stome will go much more chearfully to this spiritual exercise and spend longer time in it having these Arms about him to repel the ordinary disturbers of it 4. In the morning performing your Devotions first whilst the mind is clear and not engaged in other thoughts 5. In the Evening last when the mind hath for that day taken her leave of all other business and that so your time of Prayer also may not be limited by them 6. Since for every day you perform and renew them applying your Prayers Confessions Petitions c. more chiefly to the occurrences of the present day as that of our Lord Give us this day c. which will make your Requests as being for things near at hand more affectionate and your endeavours that day in the seconding of your Prayers and rendring them not frustrate more vigilant and earnest 7. Using all humble reverence of the Body Corporal Reverence in Prayer c where opportunity yet not confining your self for all the time of Prayer to any one posture thereof after it begins to be painful or tedious whilst you retain the same humility and devotion in all nor omitting the substance of the Duty of Prayer for being hindered perchance of such circumstances Freely expressing also and venting the holy passions of your mind and of the Spirit by the exterior indications and effects thereof As by sighing groaning weeping c. §. 91. Digr 1. Of the great impression the behaviour of the Body makes upon the Soul And that the devotion is much increased by the body's humiliation and the more if this sometimes varied Digr 2. Of the several postures and deportments of the body used by holy men in the time of Prayer As Standing up Prostration and falling on the face and lying on the ground Contemplating the heavens therefore going up to the house top to pray Lifting up casting down the eyes Lifting up spreading forth the hands Smiting of the breast Bowing down of the head Bowing baring the knee kissing the ground Covering the Body with sackcloth or raggs Sighing groaning weeping §. 92. Guard of the Eyes 8. In all places and business where you would enjoy a greater recollection of your mind and thoughts but especially in the service and meditations of God publick or private keeping a strict guard over your eyes which having liberty to wander the mind is filled with many fancies and very difficulty fixed Custodia Oculorum Custodia Cordis §. 93. Exciting of a suitable Passion 9. Striving before hand to excite in your self a passion suting to the particular act of your devotion As great sadness in confession of sin Great humility and lowliness and self-abjection in petitioning Chearfulness and joy in thanking and praising The passion of love in oblation and resignation c. Compassion in Intercession And observe that our intention much helpeth the production of such passion by the lively presentation of such an object to our mind as viz. Death Corruption Hell Heaven Light Glory Musick c. usually excites it the affections being thus subject to the understanding and the will as well as in other respects these faculties are to them Praying before to God to give you such a passion whereby you may be helped to do such a duty Not entertaining at the same time of prayer a contrary passion though it be very pious for so neither can it be so well prosecuted §. 94. Imagination of God's presence 10. In the time of Prayer Imagining God or our Saviour not a far off but present by or within Ps 16.8 you so speaking and discoursing with him hearkning to and attending upon him as one that is present in the innermost part of your soul and heart as indeed if our eyes were but opened as were those of Elisha and his Servant we should see him in all things and in our selves and all things and our selves also in him for these are both one compassing us round as the air or the light doth and again throughly penetrating all things and us as the light doth the air or the fire the glowing iron Omnia implendo continens continendo implens Austin and see our selves again moving in him as fishes or spunges in the Ocean or Atoms in a Sun-beam See Acts 17.27 28 For if the whole earth be but as a small point to the Sun how much less are we to God! But above all creatures more specially we should see him dwelling in the hearts of the faithful therefore called his Temple See 2. Cor. 6.16 1. Cor. 6.17.19 or see them dwelling in him for where things are perfectly united these two expressions are the same and promiscuously used See 1. Jo. 4.13 6.56 Rom. 8.10 comp 2. Cor. 5.17 1. Cor. 1.30 comp 2. Cor. 5.21 See him there speaking to the Soul and visiting it with frequent inspirations the signs of his presence and the interior language wherein God speaks to us and therefore is there to be attentively hearkened to by us Luk. 17.21 Jo. 16.32 8.29 Heb. 11.27 1. Jo. 14.13 4.16 As for those words in the Lords Prayer which art in Heaven they are not mentioned to direct the petitioner to him as a far off but to magnify to
fervore labora Sic erit lora brevis labor ille levis 26. Therefore always entertaining besides Prayer another continual and daily employment for as no vocation may be entertained that very much or wholly hinders our devotions so neither are our devotions amongst so many other Christian duties and interests to be made our whole vocation §. 119. Ejaculations in the Intervals of Prayer 27. In the intervals of set times using continually short versicles of Devotion pious ejaculations and aspirations to God for one is always thinking on what he most loves and these ejaculations belonging to any part of Prayer i. e. thanking or praising or confessing or petitioning c. And let these oblations continually ascend from the Altar of your Soul even whilst you follow your worldly affairs stealing as it were from them into the temple of your heart to worship God and to fan and keep in there the fire of your Devotion 28. Taking occasion from any thing that occurs to your senses to bless God and to use those called occasional meditations See Introd Part. 2.13 cap. Digr A Collection of some Exemplary Forms §. 120. Reciting of Psalms 29. Committing to memory Psalms altered to your purpose or other Hymns which may be continually ready to be offered to God in your Soul now the temple of his Spirit as God required concerning the law Deut. 6.7 when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way when you lye down and when you rise up and when you put on your cloaths when in impertiment company when at meals c. to prevent evil thoughts vain discourse or attention to it intemperate eating to divert any temptation to recover your self out of a passion c. Eph. 5.19 20. Col. 3.16 Jam. 5.13 the saying of which will put the mind into devotion when they find it not so 30. Many times the Soul is more affected with them when sung or used in verse 31. At a set time of the day saying such a Psalm fitted for your purpose which needs to take up no time almost from your employment and will renew in you the Spirit 32. For better fitting them for your purose Omitting transposing some verses Joyning some parts of several Psalms into one Changing David's professions into petitions As for I love Let me love c. Changing the present or preter tense into the future and è contra Making universals every where particulars as for we our us I me my Using your praises c rather in the second than third person and discoursing not only of God but with him as O Lord thou art rather than the Lord is which causeth to you more reverence and attention to what you say and minds you more of God's presence Applying to Christ and the Church and their triumphs or troubles all said of David and Sion And to your and the Church's spiritual enemies flesh or its lusts world and devil all his deprecations against his foes doing this also in your mind whenever you hear them read Furthering your self with some of a several devotion according to the several parts of Prayer i. e. for Confession for Thanksgiving for Doxology for Aspiration c. §. 121. Length of Prayer 33. As tasking your self to set times so at every of these times to a large proportion thereof measured by a glass clock or watch indispensably to be bestowed on this holy exercise This time of Prayer being the chief and most proper season of all good thoughts and holy inspirations and strong resolutions to Piety 34. And this set and large proportion of time Both because so all festination and sudden riddance of a set form which most are liable-to in this so burthensome-accounted duty may be prevented And also because much hesitancy dulness unpreparedness coldness evagation of thoughts hardly yet diuerted from our last employments do accompany the beginning of Prayer but much tenderness and consolation and complacency and incalescence of holy affections arise from the continuance of it long meditation of God as it were irresistibly kindling and then inflaming our passions towards him For which reason it is said motto pict vale il fin d'oratione ch'il principio So that who makes hast to end their Prayers entertain only the pain and toil but forbear to tast the sweetness and benefit thereof See several ways for enlarging Prayer below §. 122. Digr 1. Of the exceeding small number of those minutes of the day which are ordinarily spent in this negotiation of our Salvation and intercourse with Heaven And of the gross abuse of that text Matt. 6 7. urged in general by slothful and carnal Christians against all repetitions and long Prayers notwithstanding the known contrary practice of our Saviour who continued whole nights in Prayer and rose a great while before day to pray c. and of the Saints See Luk. 6.12 Mark 1.35 Luk. 2.37 1. Tim. 5.5 Act. 12.12 comp 6. Eph. 6.18 1. Thess 5.17 c. Digr 2. That Holy men have recommended an hours time to be spent in it the half of which seems the least that may be for those of less practise herein to perform them with any considerable devotion It being observed that any extraordinary visitations and consolations of the Spirit happen not but after long time of Prayer unless only to those who have a long time exercised themselves in this divine duty Digr 3. That to those in whom the love of God is perfectly formed Prayer is the chiefest pleasure of their life nor do they force themselves to lengthen but to restrain the time spent therein nor to heighten their passions therein but to abate them And the vehement desire of this perpetual converse with God makes company eating the necessary exercises and recreations of the Body c. that hinder them from it very painful to them §. 123. 35. One long time of Prayer better than many short ones 36. A short time better spent in some one head of Prayer than in hastily running through all for devotions continually flitting are frigid and languishing and so often changing of the fewel hinders the enkindling of the passions nor have they that earnestness and importunity with them which is required in this wrestling with God Yet where is a sterility in thinking on any subject there is a necessity to change it 37. Avoiding taedium and wearisomeness of mind if any happen before our time expired by change of our meditations and of our posture or by spending part of our time in meditation recitation of Psalms c. part in prayer or part in a set form and part in mental prayer and abiding in that wherein we are most affected §. 124. Repetitions 38. Often using Repetition especially in set forms of Prayer by which if we passed over any thing slightly the first time we may better remind it the second or if at first any thing said do much move us we may the longer continue the same passion A great help
forewarned us like a thief at a time when we are asleep and think less of it than at other times we do Now this imagined great distance still from our death chiefly ariseth from every ones reckoning his own end only from deficiency of nature which yet not one of 1000 dyes of and not from accidental distempers when as most commonly this our lamp goes out either choaked with its own nourishment or violently extinguished by some external accident before its Oyl is half consumed And since nothing is more common then example of this in others on every side what self love and dotage is it to promise our selves a better destiny till we also surprized become the like example to others 23. And consider likewise and think with your self how many are dying in that very time you are thinking and meditating of it 24. 2 When this time shall come your impotency and unfitness from your fears your pains and many times the want of your senses that will then be to order either the matter of your Soul or of your worldly affairs to do any thing with sufficient devotion or prudence and also your friends at that time hiding from you as much as they can the danger of your sickness Nay your self perhaps when decumbent under the stroke of death yet removing it a far off still and certainly presuming being loath to imagine the worst of a recovery only because some few so sick have not dyed of whom your unkind friends will not be wanting to mind you also because your self formerly have recovered 25. For exciting your resolutions and affections Indeavour to make the same judgment of things for the present and to have the same opinion now of your sins of the world and its pleasures and its cares and your designs in it and what you imagine you should in such a case at such a time purpose now resolve upon 26. Prepare your self for that terrible and dreadful hour in some of those Duties set down before 27. Avoid not but use and seek out all the sad memorials of death that may be as visiting Hospitals the sick sore and putrifying dying persons hearing their speeches their groans looking on the skeletons of the dead frequenting funerals Making many reflections on the passing of time decays of your own Body or other mens c. Remembring often Eccl. 7.2 3 4. Repeating often the 90 Psalm Recalling to mind and keeping a Catalogue sometimes to be reviewed of your friends and acquaintance deceased Considering what they were did are Thus much for Sickness and Death §. 169. For Consideration of the General day of Judgment some more particulars may yet be added Consider 1. That that is the proper day of justice and wrath as the present is of Grace and Mercy See Rom. 2.5.8 9. 2. Thes 1.7 8. Rev. 11.18 6.16 Luk. 18.7 2. Cor. 5.11 God's justice upon sin by Christ's Mediation being delayed till that time that many might come to repentance 2. Pet. 3.9 and these his present temporal punishments being inflicted chiefly not for vengeance but for other ends either for their good that suffer or other mens that behold it Therefore the present called our day Luk. 19.42 2. Cor. 6.2 wherein our free will doth as it pleaseth That the day of the Lord 2. Pet. 3.10 1. Thes 5.2 wherein removing this free power we yet enjoy God will gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and all that do iniquity and cast them into the furnace Matt. 13.41 2. The dreadful signs that shall be then of God's wrath and the terribleness of the appearance of that day beyond all other terrors and the alteration of Heaven and Earth and putting out of the Sun before the sitting in judgment Rev. 20.11 comp 12. tho not till after the resurrection 1. Thes 4.16 See 2. Pet. 3.10.12 Psal 18.7 c. Nahum 1.3 c. Esai 30.27 c. Matt. 24.29 c. Rev. 20.11 Joel 3.2.12 c. to 17. Zechariah 14.4 Luk. 21.36 3. As the Bodies of the righteous raised in great beauty and glory so those of the wicked in great filthiness and deformity 4. The horrible fear and trembling of the wicked then living Matt. 30. Luk. 21.25 26. Rev. 1.7 6.16 11.18 Rev. 1.7 this day coming upon them when full of sin and security Matt. 24.12.38 Luk. 18.8 21.35 1. Thes 5.3 2. Thes 2 3. And of the Souls of the formerly dead then being brought out of their prisons 1. Pet. 3.19 and reunited to their loathsome companion the Body Now to be sentenced together with the devil to eternal torments whom also we may suppose deprecating as the Devils Luk. 8.31 5. The confidence and joy of the righteous then living and of the Souls of the dead then coming out of the place of rest and bliss and reunited to their Bodies their Bodies carefully gathered up and brought together by the Angels and such as they are described 1. Cor. 15.42 c. 2. Thes 1.10 both these being then caught up in the clouds and having their ascension like our Saviour's and meeting the Lord coming in his Glory with his Blessed Angels to Judgment in the air 1. Thes 4.17 Luk. 21.28 1. Jo. 2.28 1. Cor. 7.7 2 Tim. 4.8 Tit. 2.13 1. Thes 5.4 2. Pet. 3.12 whom we may suppose singing together as in Rev. 19.6 7 8. 6. A particular appearance and examination of all the Sons of Adam assembled together Sodom and Gomorrah in Abraham's time then confronting Corazin and Bethsaida in Christ's time c. And every one giving account of himself to God the Counsels of all their hearts being made manifest and secrets divulged Rom. 14.10.12 1. Cor. 4.5 Matt. 10.15 Rev. 20.12 Rom. 2.16 Ecclesiastes 12.14 7. Books kept containing all mens works then brought forth and opened Rev. 12.20 In which how many sins never thought of for Repentance shall be then brought to our Remembrance for Condemnation And besides them a peculiar Book of life called also a Book of remembrance Mal. 3.16 being not of actions but only of names i. e. of those who have here served and pleased God that none of them might be forgotten or unrewarded in that day All the rest who are not writ in that happy book being abandoned to eternal destruction Exod. 32.32 33. Phil. 4.3 Rev. 3.5 20.15 Luk. 10.20 Jo. 10.28 29. 8. The manifestation at that time of God's just judgment the manner whereof is set down by St. Paul Rom. 2. from 6. to 17. verse which shall be upon no other point but down-right according to works Rom. 2.6 Rev. 20.12 Matt. 16.27 c. In which works words Matt. 12.37 Jud. 15. and thoughts Rom. 2.16 are contained According to works either those that men have persevered in without any repentance of them at all or where any repentance of them hath been which cancels all the work before it Ezech. 18.21 22. according to the works done after it whether these be good or whether they be evil which being evil
Cor. 1.26 Matt. 19.23 24. 1. Cor. 9.27 1. Jo. 5.19 Joel 2.32 Zech. 13.8 9 spoken of the last times Luk. 13.27 And this also may be gathered from the small number of those saved in the flood and in the destruction of Sodome Types of the last destruction of the world and of the wicked 2. Pet. 2.5 6. comp 9. Matt. 24.38 And of those entring into the earthly Canaan 1. Cor. 10.5 a type of the Heavenly So in the Parable of the Seed Matt. 13. which was not sown every where where sown only one part of four fructified And experience shows most part of the world to be unbelievers of Christians wicked Luk. 18.8 21.35 14. For exciting affections meditate on 2. Pet. 3.11 1. Pet. 1.17 c. Luk. 21.36 §. 170. III. HEADS for Meditation on the Extreme and the Eternal Torments of HELL Use some of the Considerations p. 7 8. 27 28. p. 9. Digr §. 171. IV. MEDITATIONS on the unspeakable Joys of HEAVEN 1. Consider here that the greatest Saints and also our Lord himself have set before them this Contemplation as a most effective motive to encourage them against all present labours and hardships Inclinavi cor meum ad faciendas justificationes tuas in aeternum propter retributionem saith Holy David Psal 118. and Moses esteemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Aegypt for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward saith the Apostle of Him Heb. 11.26 And our Lord saith the same Apostle Ibid. 12. c. 2. v. for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross having despised the shame And Rejoyce saith our Lord Matt. 5.12 to his Disciples and be exceeding glad for your reward is very great in Heaven And again In this rejoyce not that the Spirits are subdued unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in the Heavens Luk. 10.20 2. Consider to ascend by degrees in the survey of this future bliss according as the Scripture in many fair Metaphors and Similitudes hath represented it unto us first at the resurrection the contemptible dust of these our vile bodies wherever scattered and dispersed by the four winds carefully gathered together again by God's holy Angels He shall send his Angels and they shall gather together his chosen from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other Matt. 24.31 The harvest is the end of the world the reapers be the Angels Matt. 13.39 Raised again by the love and affection to us Of our omnipotent and dearest Saviour And this is the Fathers will That of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day c. And I will raise him up at the last day Jo. 6.39 40. And of God his and our Father For if we believe that Jesus dyed and rose again even so them also which sleep by Jesus will God bring with him 1. Thess 4.14 Raised again by the sound of the Trumpet signifying our Lord's approach before or together with the change that shall be of the Saints also then living who then shall be caught up into the air and saved from the last flood of Fire that shall destroy the world as righteous Noah and his Sons were from the flood of Water that destroyed it See Matt. 24.36.40 41. comp Luk. 17.37 2. Pet. 3.6 7 12. 1. Thess 4.16 1. Cor. 15.52 2. Thess 2.1 These bodies then not built of corruptible flesh and blood Now this I say That flesh and blood cannot possess the Kingdome of God 1. Cor. 15.50 See 1. Cor. 6.13 But made like unto the Angels of God in heaven Matt. 22.30 Act. 6.15 Raised not in dishonour but in glory 1. Cor. 15.43 not in weakness but in power Immortal Spiritual 1. Cor. 15.44 Celestial vers 40. being an house of God An house from heaven 2. Cor. 5.2 bearing the image of the heavenly 1. Cor. 15.49 Fashioned like unto the Son of God's glorious body Who will reform our vile body that it may be configured to his glorious body Phil. 3.21 Glorious not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but holy and unspotted Eph. 5.27 Like our Saviour whatever his Glory is 1. Jo. 3.2 Sons of God in a glory and fashion suitable to this Title Luk. 20.36 by being then Sons of the Resurrection And Adoption and Redemption of our Body saith the Apostle which as yet we groan and wait for Rom. 8.23 2. Cor. 5.2 These Eagles gathered together where our Lord is and our Bodies caught up as his was in the clouds to meet our dearest Lord in the highest regions of the air and so to be ever with him 1. Thess 4.17 Descending with him coming to Judgment and there after our receiving an Absolution before the Tribunal of Christ through the application of his merits to all his members informed with his Spirit and after the sentence Venite Benedicti sitting together with him or standing about his Throne in his passing Judgment upon the wicked Angels and Men. 1. Thess 4.14 Matt. 19.28 1. Cor. 6.2.3 2. Thess 1.1.8.10 Now all things made new Rev. 21.5 A new earth and a new heaven wherein inhabiteth no more sin but all purity and justice created for them 2. Pet. 3.13 And this new world enlightened by the glory of God himself Rev. 21.23 We here made partakers of the lot of the Saints in Light Col. 1.12 Admitted to have fellowship with all the just men that ever were consummated and made perfect Heb. 12.22 Coming to the general Assembly and Church of the first born Heb. 12. Made fellow-citizens c. Eph. 2.29 Sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Matt. 8.11 To an innumerable company of Angels To Jesus the Mediator Heb. 12.24 Now making up altogether the measure of the stature of the fulness and compleatment of our Saviour's Body Eph. 1.23 4.13 To see him now as he is 1. Jo. 3.2 To God the Judge of all Heb. 12 23. To behold the face of God Matt. 5.8 Apoc. 22.4 Then to enter into a restored life Matt. 18.8 Life eternal everlasting In which life to enjoy rest from our labours Rev. 14.13 A perpetual Holy-day and Sabbath Heb. 4.9 to be comforted Luk. 16.25 having all tears wiped away from our eyes Rev. 7.17 21.4 Where there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying nor pain Rev. 21.4 No hungring nor thirsting any more They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more no more death neither sorrow nor crying nor pain quoniam priora transierunt And the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of water Rev. 7.16 17. 21.4 There to have our knowledge perfected 1. Cor. 13.12 And our Appetite satisfied Satiabor cum apparuerit Gloria tua Psal 17.15 To be rewarded with an open Matt. 6.4 full 2. Jo. 8. great Matt. 5.12 exceeding great Gen. 15.1 Reward pressed down and running over Which all the afflictions of
judge the living and the dead Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed O Lamb of God at whose presence the earth shall be moved and the heavens melt away Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed O Lamb of God in whose blessed book of Life their names are written Give eternal rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed The Antiphon DEliver us O Lord and all thy Faithful in that day of terror when the Sun and Moon shall be darkned and the Stars fall down from heaven in that day of calamity and amazement when heaven it self shall shake and the Pillars of the earth be moved and the glorious Majesty of Jesus come with innumerable Angels to judge the world by fire Deliver us O Lord in that dreadful day And place us with thy blessed at thy right hand for ever O Lord hear our Prayers And let our Supplications come to thee ALmighty God with whom do live the Spirits of the perfect and in whose holy custody are deposited the Souls of all those that depart hence in an inferior degree of thy grace who being by their imperfect Charity rendred unworthy thy presence are detained in a state of grief and from thy beatifical sight as we bless thee for the Saints already admitted to thy glory so we humbly offer our Prayers for thy afflicted servants who continually wait and sigh after the day of their deliverance Pardon their sins supply their unpreparedness and wipe away the tears from their eyes that they may see thee and in thy glorious light eternally rejoyce Thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Eternal God who besides the general precepts of Charity hast commanded a particular respect to parents kindred and benefactors grant we beseech thee that as they were the instruments by which thy providence bestowed on us our birth education and innumerable other benefits so our Prayers may be a means to obtain for them a speedy delivery from any privation of bliss which they may suffer for their sins and a free admittance to thy infinite joys Thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen MOst wise and merciful Lord who hast ordained this life as a passage to the future confining our Conversion to the time of our Pilgrimage here and reserving for hereafter the state of punishment and reward vouchsafe us thy grace who are yet alive and still have opportunity of reconcilement to thee so to watch over all our actions and correct every least deviation from the true way to Heaven that we be neither surprised with our sins uncancelled nor our duties imperfect but when our Bodies go down into the grave our Souls may ascend to thee and dwell for ever in the mansions of eternal felicity Thro Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen The LITANY of Christian Virtues O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have c. O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Lord just and good and a rewarder of all those that seek thee diligently Have mercy on us Who createdst our first Parents in innocency and holiness after thine own image and gavest a testimony to the offerings of just Abel Have mercy on us Who savedst in the Ark from the Flood Noah a Preacher of Justice and deliveredst from the Fire just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked Have mercy on us Who gavedst the Promise to Abraham found faithful after many trials Have mercy on us Who deliveredst Jacob endued with a wonderful patience and confidence in adversities from all evils and gavest a joyful end to thy servant Job that pattern of patience Have mercy on us Who rewardest the singular modesty and chastity of Joseph with the rule over Aegypt Have mercy on us Who choosest Moses the meekest man upon earth to be Ruler over thy people and electedst Joshuah notable for valour and constancy to lead thy people into the land of Promise Have mercy on us Who gavest the Priesthood to the Sons of Levi for their great courage in vindicating thine honor and deliveredst from all dangers the Prophet Elias for his incomparable Zeal for thy true worship against the false Prophets and at length took'st him up into heaven Have mercy on us Who set'st Samuel Judge over thy people a lover of Justice and free from bribes And liftedst up David a man after thy own heart in the faithful service of thee to be King of Israel Have mercy on us Who replenishedst Solomon humbly begging Wisdome of thee both with it and many other Graces And adornedst Daniel and his Companions being singularly temperate and sober with wisdome and beauty Have mercy c. Who chosest the Blessed Virgin Mary adorned with singular chastity humility obedience and all other Virtues to be the Mother of thy Son Have mercy on us Who sentest John Baptist a fore-runner of thy Son a Preacher of penance and of great austerities and abstinence Have mercy on us Who sentest JESUS Christ thy only begotten Son into the world the pattern of all Holiness that we should follow his example Have mercy on us Who hast chosen us in him before the foundations of the world that we also should be holy and unblameable in thy sight Have mercy on us Who hast predestinated us that we should be made conformable to the image of thy Son and hast created us in him to good works which thou hast ordained that we should walk in them Have mercy on us Who hast redeemed us from our vain conversation by the precious blood of Christ and hast regenerated us by thy word unto a lively hope of an eternal inheritance Have mercy on us O Jesu who knewest no sin neither was guile found in thy mouth but appearedst to take away the sins of the world Have mercy on us JESUS who barest our sins in thy body on the Cross that we being dead unto sin may live unto Justice and Holiness Have mercy on us Who hast delivered us out of darkness into light from the power of Satan into thy Kingdome and hast bestowed upon us the remission of sins and an inheritance amongst thy Saints Have mercy on us Who promisedst thy Disciples that forsook all for thee twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel who committedst unto St. Peter notably confessing and loving thee the feeding of thy sheep Have mercy on us Who vouchsafest to St. John notable for chastity the singular priviledge of thy love Have mercy on us Who sendedst thy holy Spirit whereby divine Charity is spread abroad in our hearts Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and grant unto us O Lord The virtue of humility and patience spiritual poverty and meekness longanimity and obedience to those that are set over us Grant unto us O Lord A quiet mind and contented with our present condition true peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Grant us c.