enemy nor that all is well because every thing is according to his minde nor that he is a holy person because he prayes with great sweetness and comfort But he is at peace who is reconciled to God and God loves him â—…hen he hath overcome himself and â—…ll is well when nothing pleases him but God being thankful in the midst of his â—…fflictions and he is holy who when â—…e hath lost his comfort loses nothing of his duty but is still the same when God changes his face towards him POSTVLANDA OR Things to be prayed for Jubet Deus ut petus si non petis displicet non negabit quod petis tu non Petes S. August A FORM of PRAYER By way of Paraphrase Expounding The Lords Prayer Our Father MErciful and Gracious thou gavest me beeing raising me from nothing to be an excellent creation efforming me after thy own Image tenderly feeding me and conducting and strengthning me all my dayes Thou art our Father by a more excellent Mercy adopting us in a new birth to become partakers of the inheritance of Jesus Thou hast given us the portion and the food of Sons O make us to do the duty of Sons that we may never lose our title to so glorious an inheritance Let this excellent Name and Title by which thou hast vouchsafed to relate to us be our Glory and our Confidence our Defence and Guard our Ornament and Strength our Dignity and the endearment of Obedience the Principle of a holy Fear to thee our Father and of Love to thee and to our Brethren partakers of the same Hope and Dignity Unite every member of the Church to thee in holy bands Let there be no more names of Division nor Titles and Ensigns of Error and Partiality Let not us who are Brethren contend but in giving honour to each other and glory to thee contending earnestly for the Faith but not to the breach of Charity nor the denying each others Hope but grant that we may all joyn in the promotion of the honour of thee our Father in celebrating the Name and spreading the Family and propagating the Laws and Institutions the Promises and Dignities of our Elder Brother that despising the transitory entertainments of this world we may labour for and long after the inheritance to which thou hast given us title by adopting us into the dignity of Sons For ever â—…et thy Spirit witness to our Spirit that we â—…re thy children and enable us to cry Abba Father Which art in Heaven Heaven is thy Throne the Earth is thy Footstool From thy Throne thou beholdest all the dwellers upon earth and triest out the hearts of men and nothing is hid from thy sight And as thy Knowledge is infinite so is thy Power uncircumscribed as the utmost Orb of Heaven and thou sittest in thy own Essential Happiness and Tranquillity immoveable and eternal That is our Countrey and thither thy Servants are travelling there is our Father and that is our inheritance there our hearts are for there our treasure is laid up till the day of Recompence Hallowed be thy Name Thy Name O God is glorious and in thy Name is our hope and confidence According to thy Name so is thy praise unto the worlds end They that love thy Name shall be joyfull in thee for thy Name which thou madest to be proclaimed unto thy people is The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty In this glorious Name we worship thee O Lord and all they that know thy Name will put their trust in thee The desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee Thou art worthy O Lord of honour and praise and glory for ever and ever we confess thy glories we rejoyce in thy mercies we hope in thy Name and thy Saints like it well for thy Name is praised unto the ends of the world it is believed by Faith relied upon by a holy Hope and loved by a great Charity All thy Church celebrates thee with praises and offers to thy Name the Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving Thou O God didst frame our Nature by thy own Image and now thou hast imprinted thy Name upon us we are thy Servants the relatives and domesticks of thy family and thou hast honoured us with the gracious appellative of Christians O let us never dishonour so excellent a Title nor by unworthy usages profane thy holy Name but for ever glorifie it Let our life be answerable to our dignity that our body may be chaste our thoughts clean our words gracious our manners holy and our life useful and iunocent that men seeing our good works may glorifie thee our Father which art in Heaven Thy Kingdome come Thou reignest in Heaven and Earth O do thou rule also in our hearts advance the interest of Religion let thy Gospel be placed in all the regions of the earth and let all Nations come and worship thee laying their proud wills at thy feet submitting their understandings to the obedience of Jesus conforming their affections to thy holy Laws Let thy Kingdome be set up gloriously over us and do thou reign in our spirits by thy Spirit of Grace subdue every lust and inordinate appetite trample upon our pride mortifie all rebellion within us and let all thine and our enemies be brought into captivity that sin may never reign in our mortal bodies but that Christ may reign in our Understanding by Faith in the Will by Charity in the Passions by Mortification in all the members by a right and a chaste use of them And when thy Kingdome that is within us hath flourished and is advanced to that height whither thou hast designed it grant thy Kingdome of Glory may speedily succeed and we thy Servants be admitted to the peace and purity the holiness and glories of that state where thou reignest alone and art all in all Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Thy will O God is the measure of holiness and peace thy Providence the great disposer of all things tying all events together in order to thy glory and the good of thy Servants by a wonderful mysterious Chain of Wisdome Let thy Will also be the measure of our desires for we know that whatsoever thou sayest is true and whatsoever thou doest is good Grant we may submit our wills to thine being patient of evils which thou inflictest lovers of the good which thou commandest haters of all evil which thou forbiddest pleased with all the accidents thou sendest that though our nature is weaker then Angels yet our obedience may be as humble our conformity to thy will may arise up to the degrees of Unity and theirs cannot be more that as they in Heaven so we in Earth may obey thy will promptly chearfully zealously and with
inquisitive after thy will pure and holy thoughts strong and religious purposes and thy grace to perform faithfully what we have promised in the day of our duty or in the day of our calamity Hear our prayers c. O teach us to despise all vanity to fight the battles of the Lord manfully against the Flesh the World and the Devil to spend our time religiously and usefully to speak gracious words to walk alwayes as in thy presence to preserve our souls and bodies in holiness fit for the habitation of the holy Spirit of God Hear our prayers c. Give us a holy and a perfect repentance a well instructed understanding regular affections a constant and a wise heart a good name a fear of thy Majesty and a love of all thy glories above all the things in the world for ever Hear our prayers c. Give us a healthful body and a clear â—…nderstanding the love of our neighbors â—…nd the peace of the Church the publick â—…fe and comfort of thy holy Word and â—…acraments a great love to all Christians â—…nd obedience to our Superiors Eccleâ—…astical and Civil all the dayes of our â—…ife Hear our prayers c. Give us spiritual wisdome that we may â—…iscern what is pleasing to thee and folâ—…ow what belongs unto our peace and let the knowledge and love of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord be our guide and our portion all our dayes Hear our prayers c. Give unto us holy dispositions and an active industry in thy service to redeem the time mispent in vanity for thy pity sake take not vengeance of us for our sins but sanctifie our souls and bodies in this life and glorifie them hereafter Hear our prayers c. Our Father c. IV. To be added to the former Letanies according as our Devotions and time will suffer For all states of men and women especially in the Christian Church OBlessed God in mercy remember thine inheritance and forget not the congregation of the poor for ever pity poor mankinde whose portion is misery and folly shame and death But thou art our Redeemer and the lifter up of our head and under the shadow of thy wings shall be our help untill this Tyranny be overpast Have mercy upon us O God and hide not thy self from our petition Preserve O God the Catholick Church in holiness and truth in unity and peace free from persecution or glorious under it that she may for ever advance the honour our of her Lord Jesus for ever represent is Sacrifice and glorifie his Person and â—…dvance his Religion and be accepted of â—…hee in her blessed Lord that being filled with his Spirit she may partake of his â—…lory Have mercy upon us c. Give the spirit of Government and hoâ—…iness to all Christian Kings Princes and Governours grant that their people may obey them and they may obey thee and â—…ive in honesty and peace justice and holy Religion being Nursing Fathers to the Church Advocates for the oppressed Paâ—…rons for the widows and a Sanctuary for the miserable and the fatherless that they may reign with thee for ever in the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Have mercy upon us c. Give to thy servants the Bishops and all the Clergy the spirit of holiness and courage of patience and humility of prudence and diligence to preach and declare thy will by a holy life and wise discourses that they may minister to the good of souls and finde a glorious reward in the day of the Lord Jesus Have mercy upon us c. Give to our Relatives our Wives and Children our Friends and Benefactors our Charges our Family c. pardon and support comfort in all their sorrows strength in all their temptations the guard of Angels to preserve them from evil and the conduct of thy holy Spirit to lead them into all good that they doing their duty may feel thy mercies here and partake of thy glories hereafter Have mercy upon us c. Give to all Christian Kingdomes and Common-wealths peace and plenty health and holy Religion to all families of Religion and Nurseries of piety zeal and holiness prudence and unity peace and contentedness To all Schools of Learning quietness and industry freedome from wars and violence factions and envy Have mercy upon us c. Give to all married pairs faith and love charitable and wise compliances sweetness of society and innocence of conversation To all Virgins and Widows great love of Religion a sober and a contented spirit an unwearied attendance to devotion and â—…he offices of holiness protection to the fatherless comfort to the disconsolate paâ—…tience and submission health and spiritual advantages to the sick that they may feel thy comforts for the dayes wherein they have suffered adversity Have mercy upon us c. Be thou a star and a guide to them that travel by land or sea the confidence and comfort of them that are in storms and shipwracks the strength of them that toil in the Mynes and row in the Gallies an instructer to the ignorant to them that are condemn'd to die be thou a guide unto death give chearfulness to every sad heart spiritual strength and proportionable comfort to them that are afflicted by evil spirits pity the â—…unaticks give life and salvation to all to whom thou hast given no understanding accept the stupid and the fools to mercy give liberty to prisoners redemption to captives maintenance to the poor patronage and defence to the oppressed and put a period to the iniquity and to the miseries of all mankinde Have mercy upon us c. Give unto our enemies grace and pardon charity to us and love to thee take away all anger from them and all mistakes from us all misinterpretations and jealousies bring all sinners to repentance and holiness and to all thy Saints and Servants give an increasing love and a persevering duty bring all Turks Jews and Infidels to the knowledge and confession of the Lord Jesus and a participation of all the Promises of the Gospel all the benefits of his Passion to all Hereticks give humility and ingenuity repentance of their errors and grace and power to make amends to the Church and Truth and a publick acknowledgement of a holy faith to the glory of the Lord Jesus Have mercy upon us c. Give to all Merchants faithfulness and truth to the labouring husbandman health and fair seasons of the year and reward his toil with the dew of heaven and the blessings of the earth To all Artizans give diligence in their Callings and a blessing on their labours and on their families To old men piety and perfect repentance a liberal heart and an open hand great religion and desires after heaven To young men give sobriety and chastity health and usefulness an early â—…iety and a persevering duty To all families visited with the rod of God give consclation and a holy use of the affliction and a speedy deliverance To us
and delivered him over to Pilate and by importunity and threats forced him against his Conscience to give him up to be scourged and then to be Crucified The Souldiers therefore mocking him with a robe and a reed and pressing a Crown of Thorns upon his head led him to the place of his death compelling him to bear his Cross to which they presently â—…il'd him on which for three â—…urs he hang'd in extreme torture â—…ing a sad spectacle of the most afâ—…cted and the most innocent pern of the whole world Dead When the Holy Jesus was weariâ—… with tortures and he knew all â—…ings were now fulfilled and his â—…thers wrath appeased towards â—…ankinde His Father pitying his â—…nocent Son groaning under such â—…tolerable miseries hastened his â—…ath and Jesus commending his â—…irit into the hands of his Father â—…ied with a loud voice bowed his â—…ad and died and by his death â—…aled all the Doctrines and Revelaâ—…ons which he first taught the â—…orld and then confirmed by his â—…ood he was consecrated our merâ—…ful High-Priest and by a feeling â—…f our miseries and temptations beâ—…me able to help them that are temptâ—… and for these his sufferings was â—…alted to the highest Throne and â—…eat of the right hand of God â—…nd hath shewn that to heaven there is no surer way then suffering for his name and hath taught us willingly to suffer for his sake what himself hath already suffered for ours He reconciled us to God by his death led us to God drew us to himself redeemed us from all iniquity purchased us for his Father and for ever made us his servants and redeemed ones that we being dead unto sin might live unto God And this death being so highly beneficial to us he hath appointed means to apply to us and to represent to God for us in the Holy Sacrament of his last Supper And upon all these considerations that Cross which was a smart and shame to our Lord is honour to us and as it turned to his glory so also to our spiritual advantages And Buried That he might suffer every thing of humane nature he was by the care of his friends and disciples by the leave of Pilate taken from the Cross and embalmed as the manner of the Jews was to bury and wrapt in linnen and buried in a â—…ew grave hewn out of a Rock â—…nd this was the last and lowest step of his humiliation He descended into Hell That is He went down into the â—…ower parts of the earth or as himself called it into the heart of the â—…arth by which phrase the â—…ture understands the state of sepaâ—…ation or of souls severed from their â—…odies by this his descending to the land of darkness where all things â—…re forgotten he sanctified the state of death and separation that none of his servants might ever after fear the jawes of Death and Hell whither he went not to suffer torment because he finished all that upon the Cross but to triumph over the gates of hell to verifie his death and the event of his sufferings and to break the iron barres of those lower Prisons that they may open and shut hereafter onely at his command The third day he rose again from the Dead After our Lord Jesus had abode in the grave the remaining part of the day of his Passion and all the next day early in the morning upon the third day by the power of God he was raised from death and hell to light and life never to return to death any more and is become the first-born from the dead the first-fruits of them that slept and although he was put to death in the flesh yet now being quickned in the Spirit he lives for ever and as we all die in Adam so in Christ we all shall be made alive but every man in his own order Christ is the first and we if we follow him in the Regeneration shall also follow him in the Resurrection He ascended into Heaven When our dearest Lord was risen from the grave he conversed with his disciples for forty days together often shewing himself alive by infallible proofs and once to five hundred of his disciples at one appearing having spoken to them fully concerning the affairs of the Kingdome and the Promise of the Father leaving them some few things in charge for the present he solemnly gave them his blessing and in the prefence of his Apostles was taken up into heaven by a bright Cloud and the ministery of Angels being gone before us to prepare a place for us above all heavens in the presence of his Father and at the foot of the Throne of God from which glorious presence we cannot be kept by the change of death and the powers of the grave nor the depth of hell nor the height of heaven but Christ being lifted up shall draw all his servants unto him And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty I believe that Jesus Christ sitteth in Heaven above all Principalities and powers being exalted above every Name that is named in heaven and earth that is above every creature above and below all things being put under his feet he is alwayes in the presence of his Father interceding for us and governs all things in heaven and earth that he may defend his Church and adorn her with his Spirit and procure and effect her eternal salvation There he sits and reigns as King and intercedes as our High-Priest He is a minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which God made and not man the Author anâ—… Finisher of our Faith the captain of our Confession the great Apostle of our Religion the great Bishop of our souls the Head of the Church and the Lord of heaven and earth and therefore to him we are to pay Divine Worship Service and Obedience and we must believe in him and in God by him and relie entirely on the mercies of God through Jesus Christ From thence he shall come In the Clouds shining and adorned with the glory of his Father attended by millions of bright Angels with the voyce of an Archangel and a shout of all the heavenly Army the Trump of God and every eye shall see him and they that pierced his hands and his feet shall behold his Majesty his Terror and his Glory and all the families of the earth shall tremble at his presence and the powers of heaven shall be shaken and the whole earth and sea shall be broken in pieces and and confusion for then he shall come to put an end to this world and To judge the Quick and Dead For the Father judgeth no man but hath given all judgement to the Son and at this day of Judgement the Lord Jesus shall sit in the Aire in a glorious
as often as it is convenient or can be had let the publick Prayers of the Church or some parts of them be said publickly in the family and let as many be present as you can The same rule is also to be observed for Sundays and Holy-dayes for their going to Church Let no Servant be alwayes detained but relieved and provided for by changes 19. Let your meal be temperate and wholesome according to your quality and the season begun and ended with Prayer and be sure that in the course of â—…our meal and before you rise you reollect your self and send your heart up â—…o God with some holy and short ejaculaâ—…ion remembring your duty fearing to â—…ffend or desiring and sighing after the â—…ternal Supper of the Lamb 20. After meal use what innocent reâ—…reshment you please to refresh your minde or body with these measures 1. Let it not be too expensive of time 2. Let it not hinder your devotion nor your business 3. Let it be alwayes without violence or passion 4. Let it not then wholly take you up when you are at it but let your heart retire with some holy thoughts and sober recollections left your minde be seised upon by it and your affections carried off from better things secure your affections for God and sober and severe imployment Here you may be refreshed but take heed you neither dwell here nor sin here It is better never to use recreation then at any time to sin by it But you may use recreation and avoid sin and that 's the best temper But if you cannot do both be more careful of your soul then of your refreshment and that 's the best security But then in what you use to sin carefully avoid it and change your refreshment for some other instance in which you can be more innocent 21. Entertain no long discourses with any but if you can bring in something to season it with Religion as God must be in all your thoughts so if it be possible let him be in all your discourses at least let him be at one end of it and when you cannot speak of him be sure you forget not to think of him 22. Toward the declining of the day be sure to retire to your private devotions Reade meditate and pray In which I propound to you this method On the Lords day meditate of the glories of the Creation the works of God and all his benefits to Mankinde and to you in particular Then let your devotion be humbly upon your knees to say over the 8th and 19th Psalms and sometimes the 104th with proper Collects which you shall finde or get Adding the form of thanksgiving which is in the Rule of Holy Living pag. 378. in the manner as is there â—…ected or some other of your own â—…oofing Mediate on Munday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday on 1. Death 2. Judgement 3. Heaven 4. Hell â—…aying your usuall Prayers and adding â—…me ejaculations or short sayings of your â—…wn according to the matter of your deâ—…otion On Friday recollect your sins that you â—…ave done that week and all your life â—…ime and let your devotion be to recite â—…umbly and devoutly some penitentiall â—…etanies whereof you may serve your â—…elf in the Rule of Holy Living page â—…73 On Saturday at the same time meditate on the passion of our blessed Saviour and 〈◊〉 the mysteries of our Redemption which you may do and pray together by â—…using the forms made to that purpose in the Rule of Holy Living page 391. In all your devotions begin and end with the Lords Prayer Upon these two dayes and Sunday you may choose some portions out of the Life of Christ to reade and help your meditation proper to the mysteries you are appointed to meditate or any other devoâ—… books 23. Reade not much at a time bâ—… meditate as much as your time and capacity and disposition will give you leave ever remembring that little reading anâ—… much thinking little speaking and mucâ—… hearing frequent and short prayers anâ—… great devotion is the best way to be wise to be holy to be devout 24. Before you go to bed bethinâ—… your self of the day past if nothing eâ—…traordinary hath hapned your Conscience is the sooner examined but if you have had any difference or disagreeing with any one or a great feast or great company or a great joy or a great sorrow then recollect your self with the more diligenceâ—… ask pardon for what is amiss give Goâ—… thanks for what was good if you have omitted any duty make amends next dayâ—… and yet if nothing be found that wâ—… amiss be humbled still and thankful anâ—… pray God for pardon if any thing be amiss that you know not of If all these things be in your offices for your last prayers be sure to apply them according to what you finde in your examination but if they be not supply them with short 〈◊〉 before you begin your last â—…ayers or at the end of them Rememâ—…r also and be sure to take notice of all â—…e mercies and deliverances of your self â—…d your relatives that day 25. As you are going to bed as often 〈◊〉 you can conveniently or that you are â—…ot hindred by company meditate of â—…eath and the preparations to your grave â—…hen you lie down close your eyes with short Prayer commit your self into the â—…ands of your faithful Creator and when â—…ou have done trust him with your self â—…s you must do when you are dying 26. If you awake in the night fill up â—…he intervals or spaces of your not sleepâ—…ng by holy thoughts and aspirations and â—…emember the sins of your youth and sometimes remember your dead and that you shall die and pray to God to send to you and all mankinde a mercy in the day of Judgement 27. Upon the Holy-days observe the same Rules onely let the matter of your meditations be according to the mystery of the day As upon Christmas day meditate on the birth of our blessed Saviour and reade that story and Considerations which are in the Life of Christ and to your ordinary devotions of every day adde the Prayer which is fitted to the mystery which you shall finde in the Life of Christ or in the Rule of holy Living Upon the day of the Annunciation or ouâ—…Lady-day meditate on the incarnation of our blessed Saviour and so upon all the Festivals of the year 28. Set apart one day for fasting once a week or once a fortnight or once a moneth at least but let it be with these cautions and measures 1. Do not choose a festivall of the Church for your fasting day 2. Eat nothing till your afternoon devotions be done if the health of your body will permit it if not take something though it be the less 3. When you eat your meal let it be no more then ordinary lest your fasting day end in an intemperate evening 4. Let the actions of all the day be proportionable to it abstain from
perfeâ—… knowledge my weaknesses and disâ—… 〈◊〉 the strength and beauties of the Sons â—…f God V. â—…N the mean time use what means thou 〈◊〉 pleasest to conform me to the image of â—…hy holy Son that I may be gentle to â—…thers and severe to my self that I may â—…t down in the lowest place striving to â—…o before my brother in nothing but in â—…oing him and thee honour staying for â—…ny glory till thou shalt please in the day â—…f recompences to reflect light from thy â—…ace and admit me to behold thy glories Grant this for Jesus Christs sake who â—…umbled himself to the death and shame of the Cross and is now exalted unto glory Unto him with thee O Father be glory and praise for ever and ever Amen For MUNDAY A Prayer against Covetousness I. O Almighty God eternal Treasure of all good things thou fillest all things with plenteousness Thou clothest the lillies of the field and feedest the young ravens that call upon thee Thou art all-sufficient in thy self and all-sufficient to us let thy Providence be my store-house thy dispensation of temporal things the limit of my labour my own necessity the measures of my desire but never let my desires of this world be greedy nor my labourimmoderate nor my care vexatious and distracting but prudent moderate holy subordinae to thy Will the measure thou hast appointed for me II. TEach me O God to despise the world to labour for the true riches â—…o seek the Kingdome of heaven and its â—…ighteousness to be content with what â—…hou providest to be in this world like a â—…tranger with affections set upon heaven â—…abouring for and longing after the posâ—…estions of thy Kingdomes but never â—…uffer my affectious to dwell below but â—…ive me a heart compassionate to the â—…oor liberal to the needy open and free â—…n all my communications without base â—…nds or greedy designes or unworthy â—…rts of gain but let my strife be to gain â—…hy favour to obtain the blessedness of doâ—…ng good to others and giving to them â—…hat want and the blessedness of receivingâ—…rom thee pardon and support grace and â—…oliness perseverance and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord For TUESDAY A Prayer against Lust I. O Eternal Purity thou art brighter then the Sun purer then the Angels and the Heavens are not clean in thy sight with mercy behold thy servant apt to be tempted with every object and to be overcome by every enemy I cannot O God stand in the day of battel and danger unless thou coverest me with thy shield and hidest me under thy wings The fiery darts of the Devil are ready to consume me unless the dew of thy grace for ever descend upon me Thou didst make me after thy image be pleased to preserve me so pure and spotless chaste and clean that my body may be a holy Temple and my soul a sanctuary to entertain thy divinest Spirit the Spirit of love and holiness the Prince of Purities II. REprove in me the spirit of Fornication and Uncleanness and fill my soul with holy fires that no strange fire may come into the Temple of my body where thou hast chosen to dwell O cast out all those unclean spirits which have unhallowed the place where thy holy feet have trod Pardon all my hurtfull thoughts all my impurities that I who am a member of Christ may not become the member of a harlot nor the slave of 〈◊〉 Devil nor a servant of lust and 〈◊〉 desires But do thou purifie my 〈◊〉 and let me seek the things that are 〈◊〉 hating the garments spotted with the 〈◊〉 never any more grieving thy holy 〈◊〉 by filthy inclinations with impure 〈◊〉 phantastick thoughts but let my 〈◊〉 be holy my soul pure my body 〈◊〉 and healthful my spirit severe 〈◊〉 and religious every day more and more that at the day of our appearing 〈◊〉 may be presented to God washed and cleansed pure and spotless by the blood of the holy Lamb through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen For WEDNESDAY A Prayer against Gluttony and Drunkenness I. O Almighty Father of Men and Angels who hast of thy great bounty provided plentifully for all mankinde to support his state to relieve his necessities to refresh his sorrows to recreate his labours that he may praise thee and rejoyce in thy mercies and bounty Be thou gracious unto thy servant yet more and suffer me not by my folly to change thy bounty into sin thy grace into wantonness Give me the spirit of temperance and sobriety that I may use thy creatures in the same measures and to the same purposes which thou hast designed so as may best enable me to serve thee but not to make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof Let me not as Esau prefer meat before a blessing but subdue my appetite subjecting it to reason and the grace of God being content with what is moderate and useful and easie to be obtained taking it in due time receiving it thankfully making it to minister to my body that my body may be a good instrument of the soul and the soul a servant of thy Divine Majesty for ever and ever 11. PArdon O God in whatsoever I have offended thee by meat and drink and pleasures and never let my body any more be oppressed with loads of sloth and delicacies or my soul drowned in seas of â—…ine or strong drink but let my appeâ—…ites be changed into spiritual desires that 〈◊〉 may hunger after the food of Angels and thirst for the wine of elect souls and may account it meat and drink and pleasure to do thy will O God Lord let me â—…eat and drink so that my food may not become a temptation or a sin or a â—…ease but grant that with so much caution and prudence I may watch over my apâ—…petite that I may in the strength of thy â—…mercies and refreshmnets in the light of thy countenance and in the paths of thy Commandments walk before thee all the dayes of my life acceptable to thee in Jesus Christ ever advancing his honour and being filled with his Spirit that I may at last partake of his glory through the same Jesus Christ our Lord Amen For THURSDAY A Prayer against Envy I. O Most gracious Father thou Spring of an Eternal Charity who hast so loved mankinde that thou didst open thy bosome and send thy holy Son to convey thy mercies to us and thou didst create Angels and Men that thou mightest have objects to whom thou mightest communicate thy goodness Give me grace to follow so glorious a precedent that I may never envy the prosperity of any one but rejoyce to honour him whom thou honourest to love him whom thou lovest to commend the vertuous to discern the precious from the vile giving honour to whom honour belongs that I may go to heaven in the noblest way of rejoycing in the good of others II. O Dear God never suffer the Devil to rub his vilest Leprosie of Envy
dearest union of love and holiness and mine to him in all sweetness and charity and compliance Keep from me all morosity and ungentleness all sullenness and harshness of disposition all pride and vanity all discontentedness and unreasonableness of passion and humour and make me humble and obedient charitable and loving patient and contented useful and observant that we may delight in each other according to thy blessed Word and Ordinance and both of us may rejoyce in thee having our portion in the love and service of God for ever and ever IV. OBlessed Father never suffer any mistakes or discontent any distrustfulness or sorrow any trifling arrests of fancy or unhandsome accident to cause any unkindness between us but let us so dearly love so affectionately observe so religiously attend to each others good and content that we may alwayes please thee and by this learn and practise our duty and greatest love to thee and become mutual helps to each other in the way of godliness that when we have received the blessings of a married life the comforts of society the endearments of a holy and great affection and the dowry of blessed children we may for ever dwell together in the embraces of thy love and glories feasting in the Marriage-supper of the Lamb to eternal ages through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Amen A Prayer for a holy and happy Death Oeternal and holy Jesus who by death hast overcome death and by thy Passion hast taken out its sting and made it to become one of the gates of heaven and an entrance to felicity have mercy upon me now and at the hour of my death let thy grace accompany me all the dayes of my life that I may by a holy conversation and an habitual performance of my duty wait for the coming of our Lord and be ready to enter with thee at whatsoever hour thou shalt come Lord let not my death be in any sense unprovided nor untimely nor hasty but after the manner of men having in it nothing extraordinary but an extraordinary piety and the manifestation of a great and miraculous mercy Let my senses and my understanding be preserved intire till the last of my dayes and grant that I may die the death of the righteous free from debt and deadly sin having first discharged all my obligations of Justice leaving none miserable and unprovided in my departure but be thou the portion of all my friends and relatives and let thy blessing descend upon their heads and abide there till they shall meet me in the bosome of our Lord Preserve me ever in the communion and peace of the Church and bless my Death-bed with the opportunity of a holy and a spiritual Guide with the assistance and guard of Angels with the reception of the holy Sacrament with patience and dereliction of my own desires with a strong faith and a firm and humbled hope with just measures of repentance and great treasures of charity to thee my God and to all the world that my soul in the arms of the holy Jesus may be deposited with safety and joy there to expect the revelation of thy day and then to partake the glories of thy Kingdome O eternal and holy Jesus Amen FESTIVAL HYMNES I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding also HYMNS Celebrating the Mysteries and chief Festivals of the Year according to the manner of the Ancient Church fitted to the fancy and devotion of the younger and pious persons Apt for memory and to be joyned to their other PRAYERS Hymns for Advent or the weeks immediately before the Birth of our blessed Saviour I. WHen Lord O when shall we Our dear Salvation see Arise arise Our fainting eyes Have long'd all night and 't was a long one too Man never yet could say He saw more then one day One day of Edens seven The guilty hours there blasted with the breath Of sin and death Have ever since worn a nocturnal hue But thou hast given us hopes that we At length another day shall see Wherein each vile neglected place Gilt with the aspect of thy face Shall be like that the porch and gate of Heaven How long dear God how long See how the Nations throng All humane kinde Knit and combin'd Into one body look for thee their Head Pity our multitude Lord we are vile and rude Headless and sensless without thee Of all things but the want of thy blest face O haste apace And thy bright self to this our body wed That through the influx of thy power Each part that er'st confusion wore May put on order and appear Spruce as the childhood of the year When thou to it shalt so united be Amen The second Hymn for Advent or Christs coming to Jerusalem in triumph LOrd come away Why dost thou stay Thy rode is ready and thy paths made strait With longing expectation wait The Consecration of thy beauteous feet Ride on triumphantly behold we lay Our lusts and proud wills in thy way Hosanna welcome to our hearts Lord here Thou hast a Temple too and full as dear As that of Sion and as full of sin Nothing but Thieves and Robbers dwell therein Enter and chase them forth cleanse the floore Crucifie them that they may never more Profane that holy place Where thou hast chose to set thy face And then if our stiff tongues shall be Mute in the praises of thy Deity The stones out of the Temple wall Shall cry aloud and call Hosanna and thy glorious footsteps greet Amen Hymns for Christmas-day I. MY sterious truth that the self same should be A Lamb a Shepherd and a Lion too Yet such was he Whom first the shepherds knew When they themselves became Sheep to the Shepherd Lambe Shepherd of Men and Angels Lamb of God Lion of Judah by these Titles keep The Wolf from thy indangered Sheep Bring all the world unto thy Fold Let Jews and Gentiles hither come In numbers great that can't be told And call thy Lambs that wander home Glory be to God on high All glories be to th' glorious Deity The second Hymn being a Dialogue between three Shepherds 1. WHere is this blessed Babe That hath made All the world so full of joy And expectation That glorious boy That crowns each Nation With a triumphant wreath of blessedness 2. Where should he be but in the throng And among His Angel Ministers that sing And take wing Just as may Echo to his Voyce And rejoyce When wing and tongue and all May so procure their happiness 3. But he hath other Waiters now A poor Cow An Ox and Mule stand and behold And wonder That a stable should enfold Him that can thunder Chorus O what a gracious God have we How good how great even as our misery The third Hymn Of Christs birth in an Inne THe blessed Virgin travail'd without pain And lodged in an Inne A glorious Star the signe But of a greater guest then ever
came that way For there he lay That is the God of Night and Day And over all the pow'rs of heaven doth reign It was the time of great Augustus Tax And then he comes That payes all sums Even the whole price of lost humanity And sets us free From the ungodly Emperie Of Sin and Satan and of Death O make our hearts blest God thy lodging place And in our brest Be pleas'd to rest For thou lov'st Temples better then an Inne And cause that sin May not profane the Deity within And sully o're the ornaments of Grace Amen A Hymn upon S. Johns day THis day We sing The friend of our eternal King Who in his bosome lay And kept the Keys Of his profound and glorious Mysteries Which to the world dispensed by his hand Made it stand Fix'd in amazement to behold that light Which came From the Throne of the Lamb To invite Our wretched eyes which nothing else could see But fire and sword hunger and miserie To anticipate by their ravish'd sight The beauty of Celestial delight Mysterious God regard me when I pray And when this load of clay Shall fall away O let thy gracious hand conduct me up Where on the Lambs rich viands I may sup And in this last Supper I May with thy friend in thy sweet bosome lie For ever in Eternity Allclujah Upon the day of the holy Innocents MOurnful Judah shreeks and cries At the obsequies Of their Babes that cry More that they lose the paps then that they die He that came with life to all Brings the Babes a funeral To redeem from slaughter him Who did redeem us all from sin They like himself went spotless hence A sacrifice to Innocence Which now does ride Trampling upon Herods pride Passing from their fontinels of clay To heaven a milky and a bloody way All their tears and groans are dead And they to rest and glory fled Lord who wert pleas'd so many babes should fall Whil'st each sword hop'd that every of the All Was the desir'd King make us to be In Innovence like them in Glory thee Amen Upon the Epiphany and the three wise men of the East coming to worship JESUS A Comet dangling in the aire Presag'd the ruine both of Death and Sin And told the wise-men of a King The King of Glory and the Sun Of Righteousness who then begun To draw towards that blessed Hemisphere They from the furthest East this new And unknown light pursue Till they appeare In this blest Infants King's propitious eye And pay their homage to his Royalty Persia might then the rising Sun adore It was Idolatry no more Great God they gave to thee Myrrhe Frankincense and Gold But Lord with what shall we Present our selves before thy Majesty Whom thou redeem'dst when we were sold W' have nothing but our selves scarce that neither Vile dirt and clay Yet it is soft and may Impression take Accept it Lord and say this thou had'st rather Stamp it and on this sordid metal make Thy holy Image and it shall out-shine The beauty of the golden Myne Amen A Meditation of the Four last things Death Judgment Heaven Hell For the time of Lent especially A Meditation of Death DEath the old Serpents Son Thou had'st a sting once like thy Sire That carried Hell and ever-burning fire But those black dayes are done Thy foolish spite buried thy sting In the profound and wide Wound of our Saviours side And now thou art become a tame and harmless thing A thing we dare not fear Since we hear That our triumphant God to punish thee For the affront thou didst him on the Tree Hath snatcht the keyes of Hell out of thy hand And made thee stand A Porter to the gate of Life thy mortal enemie O thou who art that Gate command that he May when we die And thither flie Let us into the Courts of Heaven through thee Allelujah The PRAYER MY Soul doth pant tow'rds thee My God Source of eternal life Flesh fights with me Oh end the strife And part us that in peace I may Unclay My wearied spirit and take My flight to thy eternal Spring Where for his sake Who is my King I may wash all my tears away That day Thou Conqueror of Death Glorious triumpher o're the Grave Whose holy breath Was spent to save Lost Mankinde make me to be stil'd Thy Child And take me when I dye And go unto my dust my Soul Above the sky With Saints enroll That in thy arms for ever I May lye Amen Of the Day of Judgement GReat Judge of all how we vile wretches quake Our guilty bones do ake Our marrow freezes when we think Of the consuming fire Of thine ire And horrid phials thou shalt make The wicked drink When thou the winepress of thy wrath shalt tread With feet of lead Sinful rebellious clay what unknown place Shall hide it from thy face When earth shall vanish from thy fight The heavens that never err'd But observ'd Thy laws shal from thy presence take their flight And kil'd with glory their bright eyes stark dead Start from their head Lord how shall we Thy enemies endure to see So bright so killing Majesty Mercy dear Saviour Thy Judgement seat We dare not Lord intreat We are condemn'd already there Mercy vouchsafe one look On thy book Of life Lord we can read the saving Jesus here And in his Name our own Salvation see Lord set us free The book of sin Is cross'd within Our debts are paid by thee Mercy Of Heaven O Beauteous God uncircumscribed treasure Of an eternal pleasure Thy Throne is seated far Above the highest Star Where thou prepar'st a glorious place Within the brightness of thy face For every spirit To inherit That builds his hopes on thy merit And loves thee with a holy charity What ravish'd heart Sâ—…raphick tongue or eyes Clear as the mornings rise Can speak or think or see That bright eternity Where the great Kings transparent Throne Is of an intire Jaspar stone There the eye O'th'Chrysolite And a sky Of Diamonds Rubies Chrysoprase And above all thy holy face Makes an eternal Clarity When thou thy Jewels up dost binde that day Remember us we pray That where the Beryl lyes And the Crystal 'bove the skyes There thou may'st appoint us place Within the brightness of thy face And our Soul In the Scrowl Of life and blissfulness enrowl That we may praise thee to eternity Allelujah Of Hell HOrrid darkness sad and fore And an eternal Night Groans and shrieks and thousands more In the want of glorious light Every corner hath a Snake In the accursed lake Seas of fire beds of snow Are the best delights below A Viper from the fire Is his hire That knows not moments from Eternity Glorious God of Day and Night Spring of eternal Light Allelujahs Hymns and Psalms And Coronets of Palms Fill thy Temple evermore O mighty God Let not thy bruising rod Crush our loins with an eternal
pressure O let thy mercy be the measure For if thou keepest wrath in store We all shall die And none be left to glorifie Thy Name and tell How thou hast sav'd our souls from Hell Mercy On the Conversion of S. Paul FUll of wrath his threatning breath Belching nought but chains and death Saul was arrested in his way By a voice and a light That if a thousand dayes Should joyn rayes To beautifie one day It would not shew so glorious and so bright On his amazed eyes it night did fling That day might break within And by those beams of Faith Make him of a childe of wrath Become a vessel full of glory Lord curb us in our dark and sinful way We humbly pray When we down horrid precipices run With feet that thirst to be undone That this may be our story Allelujah On the Purification of the blessed Virgin PUre and spotless was the Maid That to the Temple came A pair of Turtle-doves she paid Although she brought the Lamb Pure and spotless though she were Her body chaste and her soul faire She to the Temple went To be purifi'd And try'd That she was spotless and obedient O make us to follow so blest Precedent And purifie our souls for we Are cloth'd with sin and misery From our conception One imperfection And a continued state of sin Hath sullied all our faculties within We present our souls to thee Full of need and misery And for Redemption a Lamb The purest whitest that e're came A Sacrifice to thee Even he that bled upon the Tree On Good-Friday THe Lamb is eaten and is yet again Preparing to be slain The Cup is full and mixt And must be drunk Wormwood and gall To this are draughts to beguile care withall Yet the Decree is fixt Doubled knees and groans and cries Prayers and sighs and flowing eyes Could not intreat His sad Soul sunk Under the heavy pressure of our sin The pains of Death and Hell About him dwell His Fathers burning wrath did make His very heart like melting wax to sweat Rivers of blood Through the pure strainer of his skin His boiling body stood Bubling all o're As if the wretched whole were but one dore To let in pain and grief And turn out all relief O thou who for our sake Didst drink up This bitter Cup Remember us we pray In thy day When down The strugling throats of wicked men The dregs of thy just fury shall be thrown Oh then Let thy unbounded mercy think On us for whom Thou underwent'st this heavy doom And give us of the well of life to drink Amen On the Annunciation to the blessed Virgin A Winged harbinger from bright heav'n flown Bespeaks a lodging room For the mighty King of Love The spotless structure of a Virgin womb O'reshadow'd with the wings of the blest Dove For he was travelling to earth But did desire to lay By the way That he might shift his clothes and be A perfect Man as well as we How good a God have we who for our sake To save us from the burning lake Did change the order of Creation At first he made Man like himself in his own Image now In the more blessed reparation The Heavens bow Eternity took the measure of a span And said Let us make our self like Man And not from Man the Woman take But from the Woman Man Allelujah we adore His Name whose goodness hath no store Allelujah Easter day WHat glorious light How bright a Sun after so sad a night Does now begin to dawn Bless'd were those eyes That did behold This Sun when he did first unfold His glorious beams and now begin to rise It was the holy tender Sex That saw the first ray Saint Peter and the other had the reflex The second glimpse o'th'day Innocence had the first and he That fled and then did penance next did see The glorious Sun of Righteousness In his new dress Of triumph immortality and bliss O dearest God preserve our souls In holy innocence Or if we do amiss Make us to rise again to th' life of Grace That we may live with thee and see thy glorious face The crown of holy Penitence Allelujah On the day of Ascension HE is risen higher not set Indeed a cloud Did with his leave make bold to shroud The Sun of Glory from Mount Olivet At Pentecost hee 'll shew himself again When every ray shall be a tongue To speak all comforts and inspire Our Souls with their celestial fire That we the Saints among May sing and love and reign Amen On the Feast of Pentecost or Whitsunday TOngues of fire from heaven descend With a mighty rushing wind To blow it up and make A living fire Of heavenly Charity and pure desire Where they their residence should take On the Apostles sacred heads they sit Who now like Beacons do proclaim and tell Th' invasion of the host of Hell And give men warning to defend Themselves from the inraged brunt of it Lord let the flames of holy Charity And all her gifts and graces slide Into our hearts and there abide That thus refined we may soar above With it unto the element of Love Even unto thee dear Spirit And there eternal peace and rest inherit Amen Penitentiall Hymns I. LOrd I have sinn'd the black number swells To such a dismal sum That should my stony heart and eyes And this whole sinful trunk a flood become And run to tears their drops could not suffice To count my score Much less to pay But thou my God hast blood in store And art the Patron of the poore Yet since the Balsam of thy Blood Although it can will do no good Unless the wounds be cleans'd with tears before Thou in whose sweet but pensive face Laughter could never steal a place Teach but my heart and eyes To melt away And then one drop of Balsam will suffice Amen II. GReat God and just how canst thou fee Dear God our miserie And not in mercy set us free Poor miserable man how wert thou born Weak as the dewy jewels of the Morn Rapt up in tender dust Guarded with sins and lust Who like Court flatterers waite To serve themselves in thy unhappy fate Wealth is a snare and poverty brings in Inlets for theft paving the way for sin Each perfum'd vanity doth gently breath Sin in thy Soul and whispers it to Death Our faults like ulcerated sores do go O're the sound flesh and do corrupt that too Lord we are sick spotted with sin Thick as a crusty Lepers skin Like Nuaman bid us wash yet let it be In streams of blood that flow from thee Then will we sing Touch'd by the heavenly Doves bright wing Hallelujahs Psalms and Praise To God the Lord of night and dayes Ever good and ever just Ever high who ever must Thus be sung is still the same Eternal praises crown his Name Amen A Prayer for Charity FUll of Mercy full of Love Look upon us
upon me never let me have the affections of â—…he desperate and damned let it not be â—…ll with me when it is well with others â—…ut let thy holy Spirit so over-rule me for ever that I may pity the afflicted and be compassionate and have a fellow-feeling of my brothers sorrows and that I may as much as I can promote his good and give thee thanks for it and rejoyce with them that do rejoyce never censuring his actions curstly nor detracting from his praises spitefully nor upbraiding his infelicities maliciously but pleased in all things which thou doest or givest that I may then triumph in spirit when thy Kingdome is advanced when thy Spirit rules when thy Church is profited when thy Saints rejoyce when the devils interest is destroyed truly lovieg thee and truly loving my brother that we may all together joyn in the holy Communion of Saints both here and hereafter in the measures of grace and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen For FRIDAY A Prayer against Wrath and inordinate Anger I. O Almighty Judge of Men and Angels whose anger is alwayes the minister of Justice slow but severe not lightly arising but falling heavily when it comes Give to thy servant a meek and a gentle spirit that I also may be slow to anger and easie to mercy and forgiveness Give me a wise and a constant heart that I may not be moved with every trifling mistake and inconsiderable accident in the conversation and entercourse of others never be moved to an intemperate anger for any injury that is done or offered let my anger ever be upon a just cause measured with moderation and reason expressed with charity and prudence lasting but till it hath done some good either upon my self or others II. LOrd let me be ever courteous and easie to be intreated never let me fall into a peevish or contentious spirit but follow peace with all men offering forgiveness inviting them by courtesies ready to confess my own errors apt to make amends and desirous to be reconciled Let no sickness or cross accident no imployment or weariness make me angry or ungentle and discontent or unthankful or uneasie to them that minister to me but in all things make me like unto the holy Jesus Give me the spirit of a Christian charitable humble merciful and meek useful and liberal complying with every chance angry at nothing but my own sins and grieving for the sins of others that while my passion obeys my reason and my reason is religious and my religion is pure and undefiled managed with humility and adorned with charity I may escape thy anger which I have deserved and may dwell in thy love and be thy Son and Servant for ever through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen For SATURDAY A Prayer against weaâ—…ness in well-doing I. O My God merciful and gracious my soul groans under the loads of its own infirmity when my spirit is willing my flesh is weak my understanding foolish and imperfect my will peevish and listless my affections wandring after strange objects my fancy wilde and unfixed all my senses minister to folly and vanity and though they were all made for Religion yet they least of all delight in that O my God pity me and hear me when I pray and make that I may pray acceptably Give me a love to Religion an unwearied spirit in the things of God Let me not relish or delight in the things of the world in sensual objects and transitory possessions but make my eyes look up to thee my soul be filled with thee my spirit ravished with thy love my understanding imployed in the meditation of thy Law all my powers and faculties â—…f soul and body wholly serving thee â—…nd delighting in such holy ministeries II. O Most gracious God what greater favour is there then that I may and what easier imployment can there be then to pray thee to be admitted into thy presence and to represent our needs and that we have our needs supplied onely for asking and desiring passionately and humbly But we rather quit our hopes of heaven then buy it at the cheapest rate of humble prayer This O God is the greatest infirmity and infelicity of man and hath an intolerable cause and is an unsufferable evil III. O Relieve my spirit with thy graciousness take from me all tediousness of spirit and give me a laboriousness that will not be tired a hope that shall never fail a desire of holiness not to be satisfied till it possesses a charity that will alwayes increase that I making Religion the business of my whole life may turn all things into Religion doing all to thy glory and by the measures of thy Word and of thy Spirit that when thou shalt call me from this deliciousness of imployment and the holy ministeries of grace I may pass into the imployment of Saints and Angels whose work it is with eternal joy and thanksgiving to sing praises to the mercies of the great Redeemer of Men and Saviour of Men and Angels Jesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and worship all service and thanks all Glory and Dominon for ever and ever Amen A Prayer to be said by a Maiden before she enters into the state of Marriage I. O Most glorious God and my most indulgent Lord and gracious Father who doest bless us by thy bounty pardon us by thy mercy support and guide us by thy grace and govern us sweetly by thy providence I give thee most humble and hearty thanks that â—…hou hast hitherto preserved me in my Virgin state with innocence and chastity â—…n a good name and a modest report It â—…s thy goodness alone and the blessed â—…manation of thy holy Spirit by which 〈◊〉 have been preserved and to thee I reâ—…urn all praise and thanks and adore and â—…ove thy goodness infinite II. ANd now O Lord since by thy dispensation and over-ruling providence I am to change my condition and enter into the holy state of Marriage which â—…hou hast sanctified by thy Institution and â—…lessed by thy Word and Promises and â—…raised up to an excellent mystery that it might represent the Union of Christ and his Church Be pleased to go along with â—…thy servant in my entring into and passing through this state that it may not be a state of temptation or sorrow by occasion of my sins or infirmities but of holiness and comfort as thou hast intended it to all that love and fear thy holy Name III. LOrd bless and preserve that dear person whom thou hast chosen to be my Husband Let his life be long and blessed comfortable and holy and let me also become a great blessing and comfort unto him a sharer in all his joyes a refreshment in all his sorrows a meet helper for him in all accidents and chances of the world Make me amiable for ever in his eyes and very dear to him Unite his heart to me in the