THE THIRD PART OF THE PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN Consisting of Meditations and Psalms illustrated with Notes or Paraphrased relating to the Hours of Prayer the ordinary Actions of Day and Night and several Dispositions of Men. By R. SHERLOCK D. D. Rector of Winwick Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous Judgments Psal 119.164 LONDON Printed by R. Flesher for R. Royston Bookseller to His most Sacred Majesty at the Angel in Amen-corner MDCLXXV THE PREFACE OF Continuing in Prayer and frequent Meditation and the Design of this Second Part. THAT holy Catholick Church which is one of the XII Articles of the holy Christian Faith is partly Triumphant in Heaven and partly Militant on Earth both make but one Spouse of Christ and therefore the true Members of both are alike minded and alike employed in reference to the worship of the common Lord of both They who are true Members of Christs Church below are conform to the glorious Saints in Heaven above a Exod. 25.40 Act. 7.44 Heb. 6.11 They do the will of God on earth as 't is done in heaven b Mat. 6.11 and that 's undoubtedly the way to Heaven we cannot possibly lose our way thither whilst we follow their steps who are thither gone before us Those Triumphant Saints in Heaven rest not day nor night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty c Isa 6.3 Rev. 4.8 Whereunto conforms the man after God's own heart saying O Lord God of my Salvation I have cryed day and night before thee d Ps 88.1 Our Lord commends it as a Duty incumbent that men ought always to pray e Luk. 18.1 And by his Apostle commands it positively Pray without ceasing f 1 Thesl 5.13 Giving thanks always g Eph. 5.20 Praying alway with all Prayer and Supplication h Eph. 6.18 But these Examples and Commands are not so to be understood as if we should do nothing else but pray S. Aug. l. de haer Theod. Eccles hist l. 4. c. 10. which was an old Heresie of the Messalians and Euchites long since condemned by the Church of Christ as being a thing impossible to pray without ceasing in the bare literal sense because this corruptible body presseth down the Soul and corporal necessities do call for supply Neither yet That we should make long Prayers which is the new Error and great mistake of these Times The which though generally the most used and best liked as being set off with the paint of seeming zeal and pretense of the Spirit yet the unlawfulness of such long Prayers will appear if we will without prejudice and partiality consider that 1. They are forbidden by our Lord saying When you pray use not vain repetitions Matth. 6.7 in which words our Lord means not the same Prayers repeated as is falsly objected against the Prayers of the Church for thus our Lord prayed himself Matth. 26.39 44. Where his Prayer was short and three times repeated And therefore undoubtedly by vain repetitions in Praying is understood multitude of words and variety of expressions to the same purpose or rather to no purpose since our desires both may and ought to be expressed in few words and pertinent according to the Pattern our Lord hath given us And that 't is the meaning of our Lord when he saith After this manner pray ye that our Prayers should be generally formed to the length of his Prayer prescribed will appear 1. From the Context if seriously weighed and rightly understood wherein is manifest that the manner of Praying by such a short Form is commanded in opposition to the heathenish use of much speaking in Prayer 2. From the parallel Text in the Margin Eccles 5.2 Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few 3. From the Prayers of Christs Church which are in all Liturgies of the Christian World for the most part of the same length and surely the general practice of the Church is the best interpreter of holy Scripture 4. Such are generally also all the Prayers of the holy Spirit of God which stand upon record in holy Writ viz. the Book of Psalms with many more we meet with none that are of such a continued length as are in use amongst us but they are all divided by distinct Verses into so many several shorter Prayers Long Prayers are forbidden by our Lord because such is the custom of the Heathen Matt. 6.7 as the Heathen do who mind more the Oratory and Language Tone and Pronunciation than the Humility and Devotion of the Soul in Prayer and 't is much misbecoming Christians to worship the true God as the Heathen do their false and feigned Deities And Because they imply a false Notion of the Majesty of Heaven and a misbelief of his divine perfections as if he were asleep and must be awakened or did not understand our wants and desires or being otherwise imployed he could not intend our petitions except in multitude of words exprest and loud talking for audience So prayed the Priests of Baal 1 King 18.27 and so saith our Lord of all Heathen people That they think they shall be heard for their much speaking which is directly contrary to the true Faith of a Christian who believeth and acknowledgeth the Omniscience and Omnipresence of God as it follows in the 8. vers Your heavenly Father knoweth what things you stand in need of before you ask which divine Truth is implicitly denied by loud and long Prayers Long Prayers are not only forbidden by our Lord Matt. 6.5 cap. 23.14 Mark 12.40 Luk 20.47 Joh. 12.43 as the custom of the Heathen but also frequently reproved by him as the practice of Hypocrites who love to stand praying in the Synagogues and in the corners of the Streets that they may be seen of men that they may be taken notice of for godly men desiring rather to seem than really to be religious loving the praise of men more than the praise of God To pray continually then is neither to be understood of doing nothing else but pray nor yet of using long Prayers the one being prohibited by our Lord and the other condemned by his Church but in this and the like expressions is commanded The intense Devotion of the Soul in prayer So our Lord expounds his own Cammand that men ought always to pray viz. that they faint not a Luk. 18.1 to wit for want of that holy fervour and devout Zeal which is the Life and Soul of an effectual Prayer and this same celestial fire of holy zeal in Prayer spends not it self in multitude of words and much babling of the lips but is expressed in sighs and groans which cannot be uttered b Rom. 8.26 which are tru◠〈◊〉 breathings of the holy Spirit of God in Prayer who dwells not upon the Tongue but in the
Heart To pray continually enjoyns the constant and continued returns of this holy Duty that we lose no time neglect no opportunity either of publick Prayers of the Church or of private Prayer and Closet-devotions upon the set solemn and accustomed times thereof remembring that the time only which is employed in the sacred acts of Piety towards God and Charity towards Man is redeemed c Eph. 5.6 out of the all-devouring jaws of death and dark oblivion to be the Seminary of a blessed Eternity d Gal. 6.8 when Time shall be no more That we ought always to pray i. e. say the Fathers upon the Text at those appointed Hours observed by the Church of God both under the Law called therefore the hours of the Temple and under the Gospel called the Canonical hours so generally observ'd formerly of all devout Christians that S. Hierome with his Quis nescit takes it for granted that no godly Christian is either ignorant or negligent in the observation of such hours as being probably observed by holy David saying Psal 119.164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments To continue in Prayer is to have our hearts so inflamed with the love of God as to be in a continual disposition to Pray and this not only at all set and accustomed times but at all times and upon all occasions and objects presented to raise up our Souls upon the Spiritual wings of holy Meditations celestial affections devout colloquies and ejaculatory converses with Heaven Thus Enoch walked with God and was translated a Gen. 5.24 Heb. 11.5 Thus King David professeth I have set God always before me b Ps 16.9 And I will give thanks unto the Lord his praise shall ever be in my mouth c Ps 34.1 no time omitted Evening and Morning and Noon-day d Ps 55.17 18. early and late e Ps 63.1 7 no place pretermitted in the Wilderness in the land of Jordan and the unbeaten paths of Hermon f Ps 42.8 S. Hierom professeth of himself that often on the tops of Mountains and in hollow Valleys and craggy Rocks with eyes lifted up to Heaven and flowing with tears he poured forth his Soul in holy Prayers and Meditations g S. Hierom Ep. ad Eustor So Meditates S. Austin also Te Domine mediter per dies sine cessatione Te sentiam per soporem in nocte Te alloquar h Aug. Medit. O that I could Meditate upon thee O Lord through the whole day and not cease to be affected with thee in the night my Spirit speaking unto thee and my mind conversing with thee alway and alone Blessed are they who think of nothing speak of nothing but the Lord who love nothing above thee desire nothing besides thee Blessed are they whose hope alone is the Lord and all whose work is Prayer And several of the devout Fathers computed all that time lost wherein God was not in their minds and memories and there is great reason for it as the same S. Austin meditates For as there is no moment of time wherein we enjoy not the sweet influences of the divine goodness and stand in need also of God's protecting presence with us So there should be no time wherein we have not God in our thoughts i Aug. Marcu Wait on thy God continually k Hos 12.16 Seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore l Ps 105.4 Thus S. Paul and all truly devout Christians with him have their conversation in heaven m Phil. 3.20 whilst they are upon earth and that 's the way surely to have our conversation in Heaven when we shall be taken from the earth This Second Part of the Practical Christian consists of Ejaculatory Prayers and Meditations with several Psalms paraphrased and illustrated relating to the hours of Prayer and to other subjects both useful and necessary to be considered by every such devout person as seriously minds the eternal Salvation of his Soul 'T is not hereby intended magisterially to impose upon any persons either at what hours they shall pray precisely in their Closets or that they should thus or thus punctually Meditate and Pray at all such times and upon every such subject prefixed But To put all good Christians in mind of those hours of Prayer which the Church and people of God and many thousands in all the parts of Christendom do still observe as such and therefore they are the most fitting seasonable times wherein to make our religious addresses to Heaven if we desire to be true Members of the holy Catholick Church and to practise the Communion of Saints and to reap the fruits of the Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Faith That the ensuing Meditations may be helps of Devotion to the more weak and imperfectly religious who may have here seasonable hints to raise up their Souls to converse with Heaven at all times and upon all occasions And the more perfect also may here meet with some Notions and remembrances to excite them unto higher and more sublime elevations So many Psalms are added to every Chapter of Meditations to recal if possible the Devotion of the present times to the ancient and sure way of Religious exercise which was and is still by all sound and Orthodox Devotaries in the devout use of the Psalms of David 't was thus that all the triumphing Saints in Heaven have prayed themselves thither as far forth as their Religious practises appear unto us upon record in Ecclesiastical Story and 't is a safe way to follow their steps rather than the fanciful conceptions of our own heads especially remembring that it is acknowledged by all Christians that the Psalms of David are the Treasury of all Devotion 'T is known that they are and ever were the constant Prayers of the Church and People of God at all times and upon all occasions It cannot be denyed but that they are the immediate Dictates and Prayers of the holy and true Spirit of God and therefore it must surely follow that they are of higher dignity greater efficacy and acceptation with God than the most seemingly-zealous and pathetical expressions in Prayer which flow from the spirit of the most learned and ready tongue'd man It is to be lamented even to astonishment at the madness and folly of many persons professing to be godly that they do so highly extol the Praying by the Spirit and yet altogether neglect the use of those Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs commanded Eph. 5.19 Col. 3.16 and are the infallible and undeniable Prayers of the Spirit of Truth and Holiness But 't is the fond imaginations of their own hearts that such do mean by the Spirit if they blaspheme not and 't is these indigested conceptions of their own brain which blinds their Zeal and darkens their Vnderstanding to slight both the Prayers of David and of the Son of David also even all the immediate
temptation he is defective in some exterior acts of obedience 6. At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto Thee because of thy righteous judgments Davine Praise is to be celebrated night and day and our failings of divine Worship in the day may be supplied in the night 7. I am a companion of all them that fear thee and keep thy Commandments The society of holy men is both a great comfort and a great furtherance in the way of godliness 8. The Earth O Lord is full of thy mercy O teach me thy Statutes Gods common blessings are extended unto all but his special favours are reserved for them that keep his Commandments Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer WHat ever my part or portion be upon earth be thou my portion O Lord and the lot of mine inheritance Preserve me in the Unity of the Holy Catholick Church and in the Communion of Saints to the hopes of eternal glory through Jesus Christ The Ninth Part. Verses 1. O Lord thou hast dealt graciously with thy servant according to thy Word Gods gracious promises do move him to be merciful in his dealings with us far beyond our merits 2. O learn me true understanding and knowledge for I have believed thy Commandments In the mysteries of godliness what we cannot believe by Understanding we must understand by Believing 3. Before I was troubled I went wrong but now have I kept thy Word The rod of affliction and good discipline keeps the Soul in humility and obedience 4. Thou art good and gracious O teach me thy Statutes Even in adversity God is no less gracious than in prosperity 5. The proud have imagined a lye against me but I will keep thy Commandments with my whole heart Though the Devil and his instruments invent and suggest lyes to subvert the truth yet by a sincere obedience they are discovered and rejected 6. Their heart is as fat as brawn but my delight hath been in thy Law Through pride and luxury the heart of the wicked is fatted with delight but humility and obedience is the joy of the righteous Soul 7. It is good for me that I have been in trouble that I may learn thy Statutes Temptations and troubles yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby 8. The Law of thy mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of gold and silver Grace excells gold as much as heaven excells earth or the soul the body Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer THou art good and gracious O Lord even in the chastisements of thy servant Let both thy favours and thy frowns be sanctified unto me and all the temptations of my ghostly enemies make me cleave more stedfastly in my obedience to thy most holy Lawes esteeming thy Commandments far above all earthly treasures as being the way to those never-failing treasures of Celestial glory through Jesus Christ The Tenth Part. Verses 1. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me O give me Vnderstanding that I may learn thy Commandments To know God and obey his Laws is the End of our Creation after the Image of God and the perfection of our Being is thereby attained 2. They that fear Thee will be glad when they see me because I have put my trust in thy Word Examples of piety rejoyce the hearts of them that truly fear God 3. I know O Lord that thy judgments are right and that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled 'T is most righteous and just that they who fall from God by pride and disobedience be first humbled by afflictions before they be restored to his grace and favour 4. O let thy loving kindness be my comfort according to thy Word unto thy servant Let this be my comfort in all my troubles that they are sent according to thy Word in mercy to humble not in fury to consume and destroy me 5. O let thy loving mercies come unto me that I may live for thy Law is my delight Both the life of grace and glory are the issue of God's loving mercy and the soul is qualified for this mercy by love and delight in the Lawes of God 6. Let the proud be confounded for they go wickedly about to destroy me but I will be occupied in thy Commandments A constant regular obedience to God's Commandments confounds all the machinations of the devil and all his instruments 7. Let such as fear Thee and have known thy Testimonies be turned unto me Wherein the Prayers and example of the godly are both strength and consolation 8. O let my heart be sound in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed The sincerity of the heart in the performance of Religious duties will preserve us from that confusion which is the portion of Hypocrites The Prayer THat I may attain that perfection and felicity whereunto thou hast created me O Lord I humbly beg the spirit of wisdom and understanding both to know and in all things to obey thy most holy will In all my Humiliations for my sins and temptations of the devil let thy loving mercies support me the prayers and examples of thy Saints and Servants assist me O let my heart be sincere and sound in thy service that I may escape that everlasting confusion which is the portion of Hypocrites and my lot may be with thy faithful servants for ever to sing Glory to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c Our Father which art c. CHAP. III. Of Meditations for the Sixth hour of Prayer or twelve a Clock AT Evening and Morning and at Noonday will I pray So resolved holy David Ps 55.18 Dan. 6.10 and so prayed holy Daniel and at this hour prayed S. Peter also a Act. 10.9 And shall not such eminent examples move thee also at this hour to converse with heaven especially remembring I The arrow that flyeth by day and the destruction that wasteth at the noon-day Ps 91.5 6. The Arrows of Temptation fly thick about us and the devil as a roaring Lyon continually goeth about seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 Fly then to the God of thy refuge upon the sacred wings of devout Prayers and holy Meditations Call to mind II. That 't was at this hour our first Parents for their Pride and disobedience were driven out of Paradise and let this consideration humble thy Soul at this Hour under the mighty hand of God that he may draw thee out of that mass of corruption wherein with the rest of mankind thou art originally involved and exalt thee to the hopes of admittance into the celestial Paradise which being lost by the disobedience of the First Adam was regained by the obedience of the Second Adam who III. As at this hour of the day was listed up on the Cross as was the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness Luk. 23.44
drowsiness O my Soul begging of God with humble Prayers Heb. 1.14 that those Celestial Spirits who are sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation and more particularly that thy guardian Angel may both guide and protect thee that no destroying Angel no terror of the night no pestilence that walketh in darkness no fiery darts of the Devil no arrows of Temptation by any filthy dreams or noysome lusts may infect and taint thy innocence or disturb thy peace in the Lord. For ye were sometimes darkness Eph. 5.8 but now are ye light in the Lord walk therefore as children of the light And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness ver 11. but rather reprove them O blessed Father of Lights Jam. 1.17 with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning shew the light of thy Countenance upon thy servant and save me for thy mercies sake II. 'T is in the Night we generally believe the Son of man shall come to judge both the quick and the dead Mat. 25.6 Mar. 13.36 37. and he hath commanded thee to watch for his coming that he find thee not sleeping remembring that his coming shall be in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that obey not his Gospel whereof this is a part watch and pray confirmed by his own example who continued all night in prayer unto God by the example of holy David frequently at his prayers in the night Luk. 6.12 Ps 6. 63 119. Isa 26.9 of the Prophet Isaiah With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early and of the Prophet Jeremiah Arise Lam. 2.19 cry out in the Night in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord. Thy heart may now most opportunely most intensely most freely and fully be poured out unto the Lord whilst the cares and businesses of the day distract thee not whilst no external objects or tumultuous noise disturb thy wandring imaginations to withdraw thy heart from divine and celestial Contemplations Tu Christe somnum discute Tu rumpe noctis vincula Tu solve peccatum vetus Novumque lumen ingere III. 'T was in the deep silence of the Night thy blessed Saviour was born And the Shepherds who kept watch over their flock Luk. 2.7 8 had therefore the happiness to receive the first tydings of Salvation by an Angel from Heaven 'T is now very seasonable to Meditate upon those great mysteries of Salvation the Incarnation and Birth of thy Redeemer the Holiness and Innocence of his Life his whole nights Devotions and Prayers the many conspiracies against his life which he purposely assumed to lay down for the sins of the world 'T was in the night as being the cursed deeds of darkness that thy Lord was apprehended in the Garden and then bound with Cords of violence and by rude hands drag'd and hurry'd to be arraigned as a Malefactor falsly accused spit upon and buffeted examined with intents of blood judged and condemned say then now in the words of the holy Spirit of God PSALM II. Verses 1. WHy do the heathen so furiously rage together and why do the people imagine a vain thing By the heathen is meant Infidels and such as be without the pale of the Church By the People Hereticks and Schismaticks within 2. The Kings of the earth stand up and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed b This Prophecie is remembred to be fulfilled by the Conspiracies and practises of the Chiefs both of the Jews and Romans against Christ Acts 4.25 26 27. Saying 3. Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us By Bonds are meant the Laws of Christ and by Cords those promises threats exhortations examples which draw our hearts to obey his Laws 4. He that dwelleth in Heaven will laugh them to scorn the Lord will have them in derision The neglect and contempt whereof God is said to deride as seeing it to be the high-way to destruction 5. Then shall he speak unto them is his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure For when he shall call such proud contemners to account it shall be not in mercy but in wrath to their eternal vexation and torment 6. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Sion 'T is not the utmost malice of men or Devils can weaken the power or frustrate the Government of Christ in his Church 7. I will preach the Law whereof the Lord hath said unto me g Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Not hinder the publication of his Gospel received from God Founded in the eternal and temporal Son-ship of Christ who was both begotten from all eternity as the Son of God and born in fulness of Time as the Son of Man 8. Desire of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession In respect of his Godhead he is Lord of the whole earth in respect of his manhood he obtained by intercession as Mediator betwixt God and Man that all people both Jews and Gentiles be called to the state of Salvation through him 9. Thou shalt bruise them with a rod of iron and break them in pieces like a Potters vessel Whom he governs by subduing and mortifying their rebel lusts both sensual and worldly 10. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be learned ye that are Judges of the earth Which is that true wisdom which chiefly all that are in authority should learn as by whose power and example others may be conrerted 11. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce unto him with reverence Both fear and joy are necessary qualifications in Religious duties that we neither be affrighted with the difficulty nor puft up with the consolation that attends his service 12. Kiss the Son lest he be angry and so ye perish from the right way if his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are they that put their trust in him There is a Kiss both of Love and Honour and of Obedience the which in all respects is due to our Redeemer the neglect whereof is the way to perish by his wrath as to obey him and trust in him is the way of true blessedness Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer O Blessed Jesus in Thee have I put my trust let me never perish from the right way of that love and obedience I owe to thy Sacred Majesty and let all the Nations of the earth submit to thy Sceptre of Righteousness that they perish not in thy wrath but may inherit the blessings of them that put their trust in Thee who art only Saviour and Redeemer Amen IV. Meditations for the Night THe Angels of Heaven rest not day and night crying Holy holy Lord
't is the extreamest of folly not so to consider the superexcellency of the divine wisdom in his works as to see and love him in them and for them 7. When the ungodly are green as the grass and when all the workers of wickedness do flourish then shall they be destroyed for ever but thou Lord art the most highest for evermore The wicked that do not this though they may flourish for a time yet their punishment proceeding from the decree of the most high God shall be everlasting 8. For lo thine enemies O Lord lo thine enemies shall perish and all the workers of wickedness shall be destroyed and unavoidable because all wicked persons are the enemies of God 9. But mine horn shall be exalted like the horn of an Vnicorn for I am anointed with fresh oyl But the strength and vigour of the righteous shall encrease through the Unction of the Holy One or the Graces of Gods Spirit 10. Mine eye also shall see his lust upon his enemies and mine ear shall hear his desire of the wicked that rise up against me Whereby all the sinful lusts of the flesh are master'd and all the assaults of ghostly enemies are subdued 11. The righteous shall flourish like a Palm tree and shall spread abroad like a Cedar in Libanus Like a Palm the righteous man sinks not under the weight of afflictions or violence of temptations but grows the more in Grace thereby 12. Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God Whilst they are and continue to be true members of Christs Church against which the gates of hell shall not prevail 13. They also shall bring forth more fruit in their age and shall be fat and well liking They shall increase in Grace as in years being fruitful in all good works acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ 14. That they may shew how true the Lord my strength is and that there is no unrighteousness in him And such happy people do truly praise the Lord both with their lips and in their lives as from whom all their strength in Grace and goodness is derived Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer I Know O Lord that 't is a thing both joyful and profitable and my bounden duty to give thee thanks both night and day in prosperity and adversity for the great mercy and truth of thy promises is manifested at all times and in all conditions Let me never forget to meditate in thy works and though I cannot fathom the depth of thy wisdom in them grant me the more to love and admire thy transcendent perfections appearing in all the operations of thy hands works of Wonder for and in the which I humbly beg I may continually praise thy Name not only in word but also in deed and in truth and that as the night of my life cometh on and I grow more full in dayes so I may be also more fruitful in all good works to the glory of thy Name through Jesus Christ PSALM CXXXIV To be used in the Night as wherein the people of God excite each other to the praise of God in their night Assemblies in his house Verses 1. BEhold now praise the Lord all ye servants of the Lord. Divine praise being the highest of Religious duties becomes the lips of such only as are devoted to the service of God 2. Ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord b Who both night and day are intent upon this high and holy employment in the Courts of the house of our God But especially such as be ordained to the administration of Holy Offices in the House of God Mystically God hath 3 Courts through which we must enter into his House the Church and be entitled to his Praise 1 Faith which is the outer Court 2 Hope gives a nearer admission into his presence 3 Charity unites our hearts unto God and inflames them to his praise 3. Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary and praise the Lord. Not by our words only but by the works of our hands God must be glorified Mat. 5.16 And to do this worthily 4. The Lord that made heaven and earth give the blessing out of Sion Is a blessing that descends from above but is conveyed by the ministery of the Church Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer O Lord who hast made Heaven and Earth for the service of man and man more immediately to serve Thee Give unto all thy servants Grace and to me also to lift up holy hands and pure hearts to praise thee night and day in the Courts of thy house and in all the works of our hands to glorifie thy Name And to this end let thy blessing through the ministery of thy Church descend upon us in this life that we may inherit the blessings of thy Church triumphant in heaven through Jesus Christ The CXXXIX Psalm PARAPHRASED Verse 1 O Lord the Righteous God who tryest the very hearts and reins Thou hast searched me out through all the windings and turnings of my deceitful heart and known me in all the most hidden and inmost of my thoughts and desires Thou knowest my down-sitting both withwhat company and when alone both with what intentions and what affections and my up-rising with what guilt or innocence I arise from every of my actions in all which thou understandest my thoughts long before even before they be conceived in my mind as knowing my inclinations to entertain such or such thoughts verse 2 Thou art about my path wherein I walk and about my bed wherein I rest and spiest out all my ways seeing both the equity and iniquity both of my affections and actions in all my ways both of rest and motion ease and labour verse 3 For lo there is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it altogether both First It s original conception in my mind Secondly My intention in its utterance with my mouth Thirdly It s good or bad influence upon others O set a watch over my mouth and guard the door of my lips that I offend not in my tongue Thou hast fashioned me behind and before moulded me throughout into this goodly shape and proportion of parts whereof I consist and laid thine hand upon me supported me in this being thou hast given me verse 5 Such knowledge as appears both in my Creation and preservation is too wonderful and excellent for me I cannot attain unto it it excells the reach of my apprehension even to wonder and astonishment verse 6 Whither then shall I go from thy Spirit which filleth the world and containeth all things or whither shall I go from thy presence who art every where by thy Essence Power and Presence both within and without the world verse 7 If I climb up into heaven thou art there in highest Majesty and
obstructs thy way and slackens thy pace towards this place of joy unspeakable and glorious O how slight and trivial how inconsiderable are all the most strict and rigid labours of Repentance and mortification of the most profound Piety and ample Charity in respect of those celestial joyes whereunto they lead thee And if it shall once please God through the merits of Christ to receive thee into Heaven thou wilt then think all thy prayers and tears sighs and groans fastings and watchings all thy labours of love both to God and man very well spent that they have wafted thee over the troublesome waves of this worlds vast sea into the haven of eternal peace and felicity MEDITAT II. Of the place we call Heaven and first its Greatness THat Empyreal Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 Dent. 10.14 2 Chr. 6.18 which is the seat of God and of all his holy Angels and Saints for ever is called also the Third Heaven and the Highest Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens and 't is of all the places of the Universe the most spacious large and ample for it contains all the heavens and the earth also even the whole Creation within its verge and compass Do but consider the vastness of the Sun and of the Moon with the multitude and magnitude of all the Lights of Heaven most of which are greater and some of them far bigger than the whole body of the Earth Consider also that besides the vast number of Stars there are empty spaces in the firmament for as many nay for many more than as many yet and then admire with astonishment the vast extent and amplitude of the Heaven of Heavens which containeth all these and all that is above and all that is below all these within its circuit and circumference Secondly Its Brightness and Beauty The brightness of the Sun the Moon and the Stars do but imperfectly represent the Beauty and Brightness of Heaven as 't is described Rev. 21.23 Rev. 21.23 And the City had no need of the Sun nor of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof which exceeds as much the light of the Sun as the Suns light transcends that of a glimmering Taper The Air of this countrey of Heaven is continually pure and clear bright and splendid 't is not capable of any clouds mists or vapours not lyable to any rains storms and tempests no thick infectious air offends the inhabitants of this happy land whilst the wretched miscreants of the nether hell are involved in blackness of darkness stifled with the suffocating fumes of sulphureous fire without the least hope of any purer air wherein to breath for ever Thirdly Its Tranquillity All in this City of God is peaceable and quiet tranquil and secure and free even from the fear of the least disturbance no evil comes nigh this dwelling Ps 90.10 What the Lord promiseth to his Church Militant is fulfilled in his Church Triumphant The Lord hath made fast the bars of thy gates Ps 147.13 they are inexpugnable by any by the utmost force and fury of all the Spirits and powers of darkness The Lord maketh peace in thy borders 14. Blessed peace dwells here without the least fear or danger of interruption For the grand enemy of Peace is hence cast down faln like lightning from Heaven Luc. 10.18 there 's no room here for that author of all division nor yet for any of his instruments Ps 68.30 The people that delight in war 'T is the inheritance of Peace-makers Mat. 5.9 and of the peaceable minded and of such only as live in peace upon earth And O that it might please the God of Peace to allay that rancour to depress that tumour to asswage that itch of contention which now so much disturbs the peace of his Church upon earth and obstructs the way to this heavenly Hierusalem the City of peace Follow peace with all men Heb. 12.14 and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. O God the author of peace and lover of concord in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life whose service is perfect freedom defend us thy humble servants in all the assaults of our enemies that would disturb our peace that we surely trusting in thy defence may not fear the power of any adversaries through the might of Jesus Christ MEDITAT III. Of the good things of Heaven 1. HONOUR HOnour in Heaven is not that which swells with vain-glory is pust up with the infectious breath of Flattery and the praise of men but the honour that cometh from God only Joh. 5.44 Honour is the reward of vertue and he who is the donor of vertue and obedience has promised to Honour the obedient and vertuous saying If any man serve me Joh. 12.26 him will my Father honour What and how great this honour is we read Rev. 3.31 To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my throne Rev. 3.31 even as I have overcome and am set down with my Father in his Throne There cannot be surely an higher Honour than this to be exalted by the right hand of the most High and placed in the same Throne with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords O what Hymns of divine praise what applauses and exultations what shouts of joy shall sound through the whole Court of Heaven when thus it shall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour Esth 6.11 2. POWER 2. Honour without Power is but a titular empty aiery happiness and the Power of the Saints in Heaven is promised by the Lord of all power saying of the faithful and wise servant Mat. 24.45 47. he will make him ruler of all his goods implying a power given to his Saints not only over all that is called good upon earth but also over all the joys of heaven which are an aggregation of all that is good Gloss ord in loc Rev. 21.7 and He that overcometh shall inherit all things wherein are implicitely promised 3. RICHES 3. The Riches of Heaven are not such corruptible things as Silver and Gold gorgeous Attire delicious Fare large Demesnes fair Habitations but without any such frail deceitful pelf there shall be abundance of peace Ps 72.7 Cor. 4.17 2 Cor. 15.28 a fulness of perfection and felicity an exceeding and eternal weight of glory and in a word in heaven God shall be all in all He who is the Fountain and Well-spring of all good gifts and graces upon earth will be himself the reward and crown thereof in heaven than the which there can be nothing more high and honourable nothing more great and powerful nothing more rich full eminent perfect joyous and all that can be desired conducing to true happiness Happy then and thrice happy are they who now in this life covet chiefly covet only to have the Lord for their portion saying
subdued to the spirit rejoyce in the living God there 's no joy like the joy of his presence who giveth life and a heart to pant and breath after the joys of life eternal verse 3 The sparrow hath found her a house and the swallow a nest where to lay her young even thy Altars And O that my Soul could mount as doth the Sparrow upon her wings with inflamed affections after the pleasures of thy house and that my flesh might be instrumental to my Soul in bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit to be sacrific'd upon the Altar of Praise and Thanksgiving unto thee O Lord of hosts my King and my God whom alone I desire to adore worship and obey verse 4 Blessed are they here in hope hereafter in fruition who dwell in thy house of Grace below of Glory above They will alwayes be praising thee 'T is our principal errand to the house of God upon earth and shall be our only employment in his house of Heaven always to praise the Lord. But we of thy house and family here below like the young birds near thine Altar are unfledged and empent in the nest of this corruptible body which weigheth down the Soul so that mount to Heavenward we cannot without the divine assistance therefore verse 5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee who derives strength of Grace from thee to praise and glorifie thee and this not only with their mouths but in whose heart are thy ways cordially resolving and uprightly walking in the wayes of thy service and of their own salvation verse 6 Who going through the vale of misery in their pilgrimage through the miseries of this sinful life below use it for a Well even the deep fountain of a broken heart from whence the Pools are filled with water the eyes flow with tears of that godly sorrow which worketh Repentance unto Salvation not to be repented verse 7 They will go from strength to strength from one degree of grace to another adding to Faith Vertue to Vertue Knowledge to Knowledge Temperance to Temperance Patience to Patience Godliness to Godliness Brotherly kindness and to Brotherly kindness Charity 2 Pet. 1.5 Vnto the God of gods appeareth every one of them in Sion each person thus qualified shall appear in the presence of the supreme Majesty of Heaven which being the felicity whereunto I am created and earnestly long for I therefore humbly beg verse 8 O Lord God of hosts hear my prayer thou art the Donor of all those powerful Graces which mount up our Souls to Heaven and the Lord of all those hosts of Heaven amongst whom my Soul longeth to be enroll'd Hearken O God of Jacob assist me in all my wrestlings with my ghostly enemies that I may prevail and obtain thy blessing which is to be call'd Israel Seeing God the felicity of Heaven verse 9 Behold O God our Defender against all the crafts and assaults of the Devil the world and the flesh Look upon the face of thine anointed our blessed Redeemer sitting on thy right hand and interceeding for us and may the sacred beams of his celestial light shine in our hearts and appear in the holiness and righteousness of our lives that going from strength to strength we may appear before the Lord in Sion verse 10 For one day in thy Courts amongst the Quires of Heaven where the day is but one as knowing no morrow day is better than a thousand of the fliting transitory dayes of this mortal life verse 11 I had rather be a door-keeper lye at the threshold submit to the lowest condition in the house of my God the place where his Honor dwelleth who is the God of my worship and joy than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness be conversant amongst the ungodly of this world in the most splendid condition with all the delights of the sons of men for 't is not all the pomp and glory all the pleasures and treasures of this life can give any solid satisfaction to the vast desires of my immortal Soul verse 12 For the Lord is a light and defence a light for direction in the way of peace and a defence for perfection against all whomsoever or whatsoever might disturb the innocence and peace of my Soul He will give grace and worship Grace to serve him truly here and Worship or Glory to crown our services hereafter and no good thing will he withhold from them that lead as godly life who truly love and fear God and wait for his promises in the obedience of his precepts shall enjoy all that is truly good or conducible to their eternal happiness in heaven And therefore verse 13 O Lord God of hosts blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee not roving in his hopes and desires after the exterior empty transitory consolations of the creature but among the sundry and manifold changes of the world hath his heart surely fixed there where true joyes are to be found which is alone in the presence of the God of Heaven where all do rejoyce together and sing for ever Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. AS an Earnest of this everlasting joy and felicity One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require Ps 27.4 even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple A MEDITATION Upon the VOW in BAPTISM Out of S. Chrysostome de Martyribus SERM. II. REmember the Covenant Attend the Condition Acknowledge the Warfare The Covenant thou hast made with God the Condition whereby thou wast received into this Covenant the Warfare unto which thou art hereby engaged The Covenant is to be a member of Christ a child of God and an heir of Heaven or the Covenant of Grace and Salvation the Condition is to renounce the Devil and all his works the pomps the Warfare thou hast undertaken is manfully to fight under the banner of Christ against these ghostly enemies to this end thy Christian name is enroll'd amongst the musters of the Church Militant wherein thou hast promised to continue Christs faithful servant and souldier unto thy lifes end Thou art too delicate a Christian to dream of a Victory without fighting for it of a Conquest without exercise of armes of a Triumph without tryal of strength Phil. 3.14 The price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus is not to be obtained but by contest with and mastery over all our ghostly adversaries Rev. 2.7 17 26. ch 3.5 To him that overcometh only is the promise made Rowse up then thy self thou secure and slothful Christian stir up the Grace of God within thee and which was communicated unto thee when first by holy Baptism thou wast enlisted a Christian soldier under the Captain of our Salvation draw not back thy foot from the combate but take courage and
is a thirst for God 2. even for the living God the fountain of living waters when shall I come to appear before the presence of God Oh my God when will that happy hour come wherein I shall be fatisfied with thy presence wherein I shall praise thee according to my duty and desire wherein thou wilt be all in all to my Soul When I awake up after thy likeness I shall be satisfied with it till then I must not hope to enjoy any real solid contentment For Whom have I in heaven but thee Ps 73.24 and there is none upon earth that I defire in comparison of thee There is none in heaven or earth that can satisfie the desires of my Soul which being stampt after the image of God and capable of her Creator cannot be filled with the greatest sufficiency of all created Beings My heart and my flesh faileth 25. my flesh will soon wither and fail to be the habit tion of my Soul and my heart will be also swallowed up of sorrow and despair but that God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever II. O God Psal 63.1 thou art my God my God and my All all that I am and all that I have and all that I hope to be and therefore early will I seek thee in the morning of the day in the morning of my life in the morning or light of divine Grace for 't is thereby I am excited both early and late to seek thee My Soul thirsteth for thee 2 my flesh also longeth after thee my flesh that being in subjection to the Spirit both Soul and Body may rejoyce in thee in whom alone true joy and satisfaction is attainable for I am here in a barren and dry land where no water is such is the wilderness of this world it affords no waters of refreshment to satisfie the desires of the immortal Soul Thus have I waited for thee in holiness 3 And O that I could wait for thee and wait upon thee with such separate affections from all sensuality and earthiness that I might behold thy power which is chiefly manifested in shewing mercy and pity and thy glory even the Glory of thy Grace and Favour For thy loving kindness is better than the life it self 4 without thy loving kindness O my God my life of nature is but a living death and my life of Grace with the hopes of the life of Glory are but the glimpses and scattered raies of thy loving kindness and therefore my lips shall praise thee and this also is an effect of thy loving kindness that my heart dictates to my lips to praise thy Name Blessed is the people Ps 89.16 O Lord that can rejoyce in thee they shall walk in the light of thy Countenance Their delight shall be daily in thy Name 17 and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast For thou art the glory of their strength 18 and in thy loving kindness thou shalt lift up our horns For the Lord is our defence 19. the holy one of Israel is our King Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting and world without end and let all the people say Amen even so Amen Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. MEDITATIONS Of Fasting and Almsgiving to be practised with holy Prayer and Meditation THat my Prayers and Meditations may ascend into Heaven and be there treasur'd up to my comfort in the day of my account 't is necessary that the Christian duties of Fasting and Almsgiving be frequently intermixed for these are the Two Wings whereupon Holy Prayer is mounted into Heaven and graciously accepted in the presence of God These Three are those spiritual Sacrifices acceptable unto God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 whereby every sincerely devout Christian as a member of the holy mystical Priesthood sacrificeth all that he is and all that he has unto God from whom he hath received all Heb. 13.15.16 Ro. 12.1 Phil. 4.18 His Soul is poured forth by Prayer his Body is sacrificed by Fasting and his Goods are offered by Almsgiving We have no more to give and not in some considerable proportion to give them unto God is to rob him of that tribute which is due unto him as an acknowledgment that all we are and all we do possess is held from him in Capite as the chief Lord of all To pretend that all these Christian duties are implied and may be supplied through the fulness of Faith in Christ is a false and mistaken notion of the holy and true Christian Faith which both Commends and Commands not the aiery empty notions but the real performance of all these Religious duties Our blessed Lord in his heavenly Sermon on the Mount joyns these together and we may not without danger to our Souls presume to part them or vainly conceive that any one without the other will be accepted of God but being all sincerely practised as our Lord directs Mat. 6.1 5.16 we shall then as he Commands lay up for our selves treasure in Heaven where are neither moth nor rust ver 20. Thus devout Cornelius sent up such a plentiful treasure into Heaven Act. 10.2 3. v. 30. as brought down thence one of those Celestial Spirits for his guidance and direction in the ways of life Holy Prayer is that whip which drives the Devil and all his Temptations out of the Temple of the heart leaving it to the possession of the Holy Jesus and Fasting is as that Scope or Besom which sweeps and keeps clean this spiritual Temple of the Lord Mar. 9.29 by both conjoyned the strongest Devil is master'd and ejected Prayer is as the Chain which tyes up Satan and by Fasting the Chain is strengthned and made to hold But a Three-fold Cord is not easily broken if with your Prayers and Fastings you conjoyn the Christian acts of holy Charity also a Chain of these several links composed will not only tye up the Devil that his temptations shall not reach to hurt your Soul but also secretly bind the hands of the Almighty that they be not stretched out for the punishment of your by-past Transgressions for Charity shall cover a multitude of sins 1 Pet. 4.8 Let not the lust of the flesh or the lust of thine eyes so bewitch thee O my Soul as to rob thy God of what is due unto Him both from thy Body and Estate Whilst thou courtest thy God with Prayers alone thou servest him with what doth cost thee nothing nothing but the labour of thy lips 'T is my self my whole self the Lord requires with my Prayers my Soul in its devoutest affections my Body in the mortification of all its exorbitant Lusts my Goods in the relief of my wanting Brethren otherwise my Prayers will flag and grovel here below when they want these spiritual Wings whereupon to mount to the Throne of Grace to find
into Heaven if thou tread them under thy feet For every sin and vanity trodden down Gen. 28.12 subdued and mortified is one step one scale or round of that celestial Ladder which being set upon the earth reacheth up unto Heaven which the Angels of heaven rejoyce to behold Luc. 15.7 And may the right hand of God assist me to lay aside every weight Heb. 12.1 and the sin that doth so easily beset me and to run with patience the race that is set before me Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith 2. who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross and despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Blessed Lord who hast made me after thine own Image to attain the perfection and felicity of my Being in the beatifical vision and fruition of thy Majesty in heaven vouchsafe here to guide me with thy Counsel and after that to receive me with glory through the merits and mediation of thy blessed Son and my dearest Saviour Jesus Christ Our Father which art in c. The XXIV Psalm PARAPHRASED verse 1 THe earth is the Lords and all that therein is the compass of the world and they that dwell therein The heavens are the Lords chief dwelling place the earth and all the nations thereof he hath given to his Son Jesus as he is Redeemer of the world as Ps 2.8 Desire of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession verse 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas and prepared it upon the flouds As God hath so wisely ordered the earth and the water that the one may refresh not overflow the other so he hath founded his Church upon a rock above the flouds of secular cares and turmoils and all the rising waves of this worlds vast sea which is signified by the scituation of his Temple on a hill And verse 3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord or who shall rise up or stand in his holy place who is he that shall be qualified to appear and stand in the presence of God and to joyn with his people in that solemn worship which in his holy Temple is exhibited unto him Such a one is also qualified to ascend and raise up his Soul to those mountains of joy in the celestial Sion verse 4 He that hath clean hands The works of whole hands are clean from all injustice and impurity and washed with the tears of true penitence from the filth of all former pollutions And a pure heart to all outward an inward holiness is required which consists in the purity of the heart viz. to be pure from all sordid and vile affections to be sincere and without hypocrisie in all Religious performances that hath not lift up his mind to vanity who follows not those pomps and vanities of this wicked world which he once so solemnly renounced nor sworn to deceive his neighbour that will not say much less swear an untruth nor yet break his word especially when confirmed with an oath Such is the holiness and innocence that entitles a people to the presence of God in his Temple upon earth and in his House in heaven 1 the holiness of the heart 2. of the hands 3. of the tongue or Holiness in thought word and deed verse 5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord The blessings of the Lord shall descend upon him when he ascends into the hill of the Lord and righteousness or mercy in the pardon of his sins or the reward of righteousness i. e. Salvation not of or from himself or from any but from the God of his Salvation verse 6 This is the generation of them that seek him these are those holy and happy people who so faithfully seek the Lord that they find him viz. in grace here in glory hereafter which is the double blessing of them that seek thy face O Jacob All that be true Israelites indeed thus make their holy and humble addresses to the God of Jacob for his grace and favour verse 7 Lift up your heads O ye gates or lift up your gates O ye Heads or Princes of the heavenly Hierusalem and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors which open the passages to life everlasting and the King of glory shall come in he who hath vanquished and gloriously triumphed over the gates of everlasting death over all the spirits and powers of darkness is ascended to open the gates of the kingdom of heaven to all Believers verse 8 Who is the King of glory in whose glorious conquests we may glory and in whose righteousness we may make our boast it is the Lord strong and mighty who although he submitted himself to be betray'd apprehended arraigned and condemned to death yet is he even the Lord mighty in battle who naked and unarmed hath vanquished by his sufferings and by his death overcome death and him who hath the power of death the Devil for which victory he rides in Triumph upon the clouds of Heaven and therefore verse 9 Lift up your heads O ye gates of the celestial paradise which have been shut against the sons of men from the fall of the first Adam and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors Raise up your selves ye immortal souls open and be enlarged in your desires and affections unto him who hath opened unto you the everlasting doors of glory and the King of glory shall come in He who is ascended will also descend into you if pure and heavenly minded and thither enwrap and raise you whither himself is gone before if yet for your further satisfaction you desire to know verse 10 Who is the King of glory by whose triumphant ascent into Heaven we believe and hope thither to ascend also It is even the Lord of hosts he who hath the command of all the powers of Heaven Earth and Hell who hath the command especially of all the powers and operations vertues and graces of the Holy Spirit of God and dispenseth them accordingly unto all that love and fear his name He is the King of glory he is glorious indeed above all and God over all blessed for ever and therefore to him as is most meet be all glory ascribed Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The LXXXIV Psalm PARAPHRASED verse 1 O How amiable are thy dwellings especially in the high and holy place thou Lord of Hosts even of the numerous troops of Angels and Archangels and of all the powers of Heaven verse 2 My soul hath a desire which is more than ordinary 't is a longing even to a separation from its self to enter into the Courts of the Lord to view those several Mansions of glory and the blissful condition wherein all the Courtiers of the King of Heaven do praise him for ever my heart and my flesh when
and Reverence prostrate upon your knees offer unto God your Morning sacrifice 1. Of Thanksgiving for your preservation and refreshment the night past 2. Confessing with all godly sorrow your sins and failings even in the best of your performances and more particularly in what the night past you offended either by thought or desire word or deed in your dreams sleeping or waking and humbly beg pardon for the same 3. Imploring God's gracious assistance to direct you in all your intentions and undertakings to strengthen you against all Temptations to enable you to fulfil and put in execution all your good purposes and holy resolutions PSALMS for the MORNING or First Hour of Prayer with Notes for Illustration The CXIX Psalm The First Part. 1. BLessed are those that are undefiled in the way and walking in the way of the Lord. This present life is called the way because it is the thorough fare to Life eternal and to keep unspotted of this world is the way to be blessed in the world to come 2. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and seek him with their whole heart That we may keep Gods Laws which is the way to blessedness we must with all fervor of Spirit implore the assistance of divine Grace 3. For they who do no wickedness walk in his ways To do wickedly is to walk every one in the ways of his own heart which are contrary to the ways of God 4. Thou hast charged that we shall diligently keep thy Commandments 'T is not enough to decline the ways of wickedness except we be also diligent in doing the good works God hath commanded 5. O that my ways were made so direct that I might keep thy statutes So directed by thee 6. So shall I not be confounded while I have respect unto all thy Commandments Disobedience to God's Commands is the high-way to confusion 7. I will thank thee with an unfeigned heart when I shall have learned the judgments of thy righteousness Unfeigned thanks are to be given unto God as the chief author of all our knowledge and obedience 8. I will keep thy ceremonies O forsake me not utterly Or that I may keep thy Laws in every circumstance thereof O Lord forsake me not or if for a while thou leave me that I may be sensible of my frailties yet forsake me not utterly Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer WIth my whole heart do I seek and sue unto thee O Lord that thy Truth may so direct me and thy Grace support me in the way of thy Laws and in the works of thy Commandments that being holy and undefiled in the way of this Life I may be for ever blessed with thee in the Life to come through Jesus Christ The Second Part. Verses 1. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way even by ruling himself after thy Word The regenerate or new Man preserves himself clean and pure by squaring all his intentions and actions by that infallible Rule of Righteousness which God has prescribed 2. With my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not go wrong unto thy Commandments Either by misunderstanding thy word for want of divine Illumination or by disobeying the same for want of divine Grace 3. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I should not sin against thee c That we sin not is the great end why the Word of God is given us 4. Blessed art thou O Lord O teach me thy statutes To bless God for gifts already received is the readiest way more fully to understand his Will 5. With my lips have I been telling of all the judgments of thy mouth Divine knowledge must not be buried as the Talent in a Napkin but be outwardly exprest to the glory of God and edification of others 6. I have had as great delight in thy testimonies as in all manner of riches The highest delight of man is the pleasure of his highest Faculties the Understanding and the Will which consists in the knowledg of the truth and obedience thereunto 7. I will talk of thy Commandments and have respect to thy ways True Religion will manifest it self both in words and deeds 8. My delight shall be in thy Statutes and I will not forget thy word Whilest I delight to obey my God I cannot forget the Rule of that obedience which he requires The Prayer GRant me blessed Lord to delight in thee and in obedience to thy Laws more than in all earthly treasures devoting both my youth and ripe age hereunto That so keeping thy Commandments I may enter into life thorough Jesus Christ The Third Part. 1. O do well unto thy servant that I may live and keep thy word To do the good works God has commanded in his Word is to live the life of Grace which is the way to the life of Glory 2. Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law Without the right understanding of the excellency of those duties God commands there can be no true Religion either in the heart or in the life 3. I am a stranger upon earth O hide not thou thy Commandments from me Not the earth but Heaven is our native home whereunto the knowledge of and obedience unto Gods Commandments doth entitle us through Christ 4. My soul breaketh out for the very fervent desire it hath alway unto thy judgments The beginning of true Wisdom is the fervent desire thereof 5. Thou hast rebuked the proud and cursed are they that do err from thy Commandments Spiritual pride is hateful before God as being inconsistent with obedience to his Laws 6. O turn from me shame and rebuke for I have kept thy testimonies Or turn from me that shame and curse which thou hast threatned to the proud and disobedient 7. Princes also did sit and speak against me but thy servant is occupied in thy Statutes 8. For thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellers Against all the powers of earth and hell God's Word is our counsel by its direction and our comfort in its practice The Prayer O Lord the giver of all good things vouchsafe unto thy servant fervently to desire rightly to understand and constantly to persevere in the practice of all thy Evangelical Precepts Let not any Powers upon earth nor all the Princes and Powers of hell withdraw my heart from thee or my actions from the Rule of Righteousness but let thy testimonies be ever both my Counsel and my Comfort in my pilgrimage upon earth that in the end I may safely arrive in my native Countrey of Heaven to ascribe for ever Glory to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Fourth Part. 1. My soul cleaveth unto the dust O quicken me according to thy Word or My soul is too much set upon earthly things do thou quicken me with spiritual wisdom and heavenly affections according to thy promise in thy Word 2.
Numb 21.9 S. Joh. 3.14 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And my soul is wounded by the frequent bitings of that old Serpent the Devil but mine eyes are ever looking up unto thee Holy Jesus the great Physician of Sin-sick Souls who hast made a salve for such of thine own wounds and blood Heal O heal my Soul Ps 41.4 for I have sinn'd against thee Blessed Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world take away mine also O blessed Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world grant me thy Peace even that Peace which as at this hour thou so dearly purchased for me IV. At this Hour my dear Redeemer was expanded upon the Cross as on a tormenting rack where wounded nayled and bleeding he continued for three long hours together whilst the Sun being in its full strength withdrew the influence of its Light from those merciless wretches who Crucified the Lord of Glory S. Mark 15.33 And when the Sixth hour was come there was darkness over the whole Land The Sun hid his face being as 't were ashamed to behold the Sun of Righteousness eclipsed and in the shadow of death And this most justly ought to represent to my Conscience my manifold deeds of darkness which were the cause of my Saviours death and do dayly eclipse the light of Gods countenance from shining upon me O Holy Jesus who didst humble thy self unto death upon the Cross for us miserable sinners who sate in darkness and in the shadow of death vouchsafe to illuminate my darkned Soul with the light of Grace and Truth which lead to that everlasting Light which is not liable to any Eclipse in the least degree of diminution The great Captain of our Salvation having by his painful sufferings and meritorious death vanquisht him who hath the power of death the Devil having overcome both the first and second Death and shewed himself alive to his Apostles by many infallible proofs being seen of them forty dayes and speaking of all things pertaining to the Kingdom of God having in a word perfected the great and mysterious work of our Redemption for the which he invisibly descended from Heaven 'T was V. At this Hour he visibly ascended again into Heaven Now then raise up thy self O my Soul and let thy most ardent affections thorough thy gazing eyes be thither enwrapt whither thy glorious Redeemer at this hour ascended Shall not the heart be there where the Treasure is Act. 1.11 All thy Treasure surely all thy hopes of life and happiness are treasur'd up in thy blessed Saviour who is gone into Heaven GRant I beseech Thee Almighty God that like as I do believe thy only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the Heavens So I also may in heart and mind thither ascend and with him continually dwell who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost one God world without end Amen PSALMS For the Sixth Hour of Prayer Psal CXIX Part 11. Verses 1. MY Soul hath longed for thy Salvation and I have a good hope because of thy Word God's promise of Grace and Salvation in his Word inflames the pious Soul with longings thereafter 2. Mine eyes long sore for thy Word Saying O when wilt thou comfort me Which is expressed by the frequent elevation of the Eyes which are the windows of the heart unto Heaven waiting for the Consolation thereof 3. For I am become lik a bottle is the smoak yet do I not forget thy Statutes Contemplation is not to be so dry and withered as to be forgetful of holy works commanded 4. How many are the days of thy servant when wilt thou be avenget of them that persecute me The more short and uncertain our dayes be the more vigorously should we resist and more earnestly implore the divine assistance against our ghostly adversaries 5. The proud have digged pits for me which are not after thy Law Whose temptations to assault and entrap the Soul are such as tend continually to the transgression of Gods Commandments 6. All thy Commandments are true they persecute me falsly O be thou my help The more such suggestions oppose the Truth the more earnest we must be in our prayers unto God for his help to resist them 7. They had almost made an end of me upon Earth but I forsook not thy Commandments And to continue constant in our obedience to the divine precepts though the oppositions do even destroy all our earthly interests 8. O quicken me after thy loving kindness and so shall I keep the Testimonies of thy mouth But such a holy obedience proceeds from the power of Gods quickning Spirit which is therefore constantly to be prayed for Qui conservat legem multiplicat orationem Ecclus. 35.1 Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer BOth my heart and mine eyes do I lift up unto Thee O Lord longing greatly for that Grace and Salvation which thy Word doth promise Let no persecutions either from my bodily or ghostly adversaries rob me of the hopes thereof Let no false suggestions either withdraw my heart from the love of thy Truth or from the practice of it in all the actions of my life but of thy loving kindness vouchsafe so to quicken all my holy desires and endeavours that when the few days of this life take end I may inherit that life which knows no end through Jesus The Twelfth Part. Verses 1. O Lord thy word endureth for ever in Heaven The Counsels of God are immutable in Heaven though they seem variable in their respective dispensations upon Earth 2. Thy Truth also remaineth from one generation to another thou hast laid the foundation of the Earth and it abideth God's revealed Truth to his Church and People upon Earth is successively continued from one generation to another whilst the world continues 3. They continue this day according to thine ordinance for all things serve thee There is a law impos'd upon all men and upon all things who both by their obedience and disobedience thereunto do serve the ends of Gods ordinances and decrees 4. If my delight had not been in thy Law I should have perished in my trouble Which Lawchearfully obeyed is a sure support in the worst of troubles 5. I will never forget thy Commandments for with them thou hast quickned me He therefore forgets himself who forgets Gods Commandments which quicken the soul to life eternal 6. I am thine O save me for I have sought thy Commandments I am devoted thy servant by solemn promise in my Baptism and I am resolved to continue thine and therefore vouchsafe as thine to preserve me to keep thy holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the days of my life 7. The ungodly laid wait for me to destroy me but I will consider thy Testimonies By devout Meditations upon those truths God hath testified
feet All the apostate crew of evil angels with all their poysonous infusions thou shalt overcome and subdue so the Lord promises also Luk. 10.19 Behold I give you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions And the reason is added in the name of the Lord saying verse 14 Because he hath set his love upon me therefore will I deliver him All things work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 I will set him up above his enemies round about because he hath known my name his knowledge being enspirited with love and obedience verse 15 He shall call upon me to have a heart to pray rightly and reverently is a great blessing and I will hear him so as to grant the requests of such as call upon me faithfully yea I am with him in trouble and when his faith and patience humility and obedience is throughly tryed I will deliver him out of all his troubles and bring him to honour promote him in the land of the living for verse 16 With long life will I satisfie him a life replete with all fulness of satisfaction and shew him my Salvation or manifest my self unto him in whose presence is fulness of joy O remember me according to the favour thou bearest unto thy people and visit me with thy Salvation That I may see the felicity of thy chosen and rejoyce in the gladness of thy people and give thanks with thine inheritance who cease not day and night saying Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. THE SONG of SIMEON Which is said by the Church at this hour as wherein we commend our selves unto the Lord and desire we may both sleep and dye in Peace 1. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace (a) Peace in life and death sleeping and waking is the portion of the Lords servant alone for there is no peace saith the Lord to the wicked Isa 48. according to thy Word 'T was Gods promise he should not dye till he had seen the Messias in the flesh 2. For mine eyes have seen thy Salvation The Saviour of the world is seen as Man only with the eyes of Flesh but as both God and Man by the eye of Faith 3. Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people God was made man that the eyes of all flesh might see in whom to believe and whom to follow as the light of the world 4. To be a light to lighten the Gentiles (e) Who sate in darkness and in the shadow of death and to be the glory of thy people Israel The greatest of all the wonderful mercies shewed by God to his old people the Israelites was that of them Christ was born and exhibited in the flesh Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer LIghten my darkness O Lord whose mysterious Incarnation and Nativity is the Light of the Gentiles and the Glory of Israel and by thy great mercy defend me from all the perils and dangers of this night O blessed Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world grant me thy Peace even peace with God and peace with man peace of Conscience at home upon Earth and the peace of the long home of Heaven Such a peace the world cannot give 't is only attainable from thee and by thee and through thee the Prince of peace who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost one God c. IN the order of our Church Devotions after this Song of Simeon follows the Creed for since the end of our Faith is the Salvation of our Souls it is very fit then that we both begin and end the day in the Confession of the Faith And as the Church in publick so every devout Christian in private who resolves to dye in the true Faith will not go to sleep without it but will say before he go to bed not slightly and customarily but reverently and understandingly I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ c. All this I stedfastly believe into this Faith I was baptized and in this Faith 't is the hearty desire of my Soul and shall be my constant endeavour to continue unto my lifes end Grant me blessed Lord in the profession of this Faith to war a good warfare and to finish my course that after this mortal life is ended I may receive from the author 2 Tim. 4.7 8. and finisher of our Faith the crown of righteousness which is laid up I believe and hope for me as for all those that love his appearing After these or other Bed-time Meditations your usual Prayers Confessions and Thanksgivings relating to the day past Meditate As you Vndress your self This Body of mine I am now striping of its clothing is but the clothing of my Soul that 's the man in me my body is but the garment my soul doth wear And 't is not long ere I shall put off this body of flesh as I now do the garments which cover its nakedness And that I may do this in peace and to my future happiness my soul must be stript and put off concerning the former conversation the old man Eph. 4.21 22. which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts and put on that new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Put on the Lord Jesus Ro. 13.14 That 's thy clothing that 's thy ornament O my Soul to obey the doctrine and follow the example of the holy Jesus making no provision to fulfil the lusts of the flesh For Gal. 6.8 he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting When you lay aside your Garments Assist me blessed Lord wholly and altogether to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armor of Light that when my Body shall lye down in its bed of darkness my Soul may pass into the Regions of Light to live and reign with Thee for ever When you go into Bed I will lay me down in peace and take my rest for 't is Thou only that makest me dwell in safety Or II. In the Name of my Lord Jesus Christ who was Crucified on the Cross and laid in the Grave for me I lay me down to rest and to sleep He vouchsafe to bless me save and defend me sleeping and waking And may I evermore blessed Jesus rest in thy Peace live in thy Fear dye in thy Favour and be raised by thy power unto life everlasting Amen CHAP. VII Of Meditations and Psalms for the Night season I. 'T Was in the Night the Angel of the Lord destroyed all the first-born in the Land of Egypt Exod. 12.29 Wisd 18.14 15. 2 Kin. 19.35 And the host of Senacherib that besieged Hierusalem Now then arise from thy bed of sloth and
God of Hosts And if thou desirest to serve God upon earth according to the pattern of his worship in Heaven then let not thy sensual inclinations to sleep and ease defraud thee of the happiness to joyn in the night as well as in the day with the Celestial quire in the praises of God For if this be done cordially chearfully and constantly in this life there will be no question of being admitted into that blessed society to glorifie God in a higher degree of perfection and joy in Heaven PSALM VIII Which is believed to be divinely composed for the praise of God in the night because therein is mention of the Moon and of the Stars and not of the Sun Verses 1. O Lord our Governour a The Lord is Governour of all men and of all things by his power and providence but especially of his Church and people by his Righteousness and Truth how excellent is thy Name in all the world b The glory of God's name is celebrated in all the parts of the world more especially in the Heaven above Thou hast set thy glory above the Heavens And yet 't is far above what those most intelligent Beings the Angels of Heaven are capable to behold or conceive 2. Out of the mouths of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger The most imperfect Beings have in them strength of argument sufficient to maintain both the providence of God over all and the d spensation of Grace and Salvation through Jesus Christ against the most bitter enemies of either witness the cry of little children Mat. 21.26 and the conversion of the World by illiterate Fisher-men 3. For I will consider the Heavens the work of thy Fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained To consider the excellent workmanship influences and revolutions of the heavens and all the hosts thereof ordained for the service of man and the highest heaven also for his everlasting abode enwraps the devout soul with admiration of the love of God to man 4. Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him Especially that frail sinful man should be so regarded by the great Lord of heaven as to be visited by him in the likeness of humane flesh 5. Thou madest him lower than the Angels to crown him with glory and worship Though man be lower than the Angels above yet is he adorned with eminence above all earthly things and with respect subjection and obedience from them 6. Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet God having given him power over all sublunary creatures and made to submit to his Command and service 7. All Sheep and Oxen yea and the beasts of the field 8. The Fowls of the Air and the Fishes of the Sea and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the Seas Even all the inhabitants of the air and of the Sea and of the dry land 9. O Lord our Governour how excellent is thy Name in all the world And therefore with Angels and Archangels and all the Company of Heaven and Earth I will magnifie God's holy Name and praise him saying Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. V. Meditations for the Night HOw aptly doth the darkness of the night represent the gloomy shades of death wherein all those lightsome Consolations which this vain world affords are buried in the grave of dark Oblivion That 's the land where all things are forgotten Ps 88.12 The living know that they shall die but the dead know not any thing Eccl. 9.5 and Sleep is the image the brother of Death in many respects they resemble each other for 1. In both thou art blind deaf dumb only Death is a longer and more perfect privation of sense 2. Rev. 14.13 In both thou art at rest from thy labours and thy works follow thee being often represented to thy fancy by way of Dream but more fully and clearly to thy Conscience when thou shalt awake to Judgment 3. Both are temporary For as thou dost dayly awake from thy natural Sleep and arise from thy Bed upon the approach of the day So certainly shalt thou awake from the sleep of death and be raised out of thy bed of clay the Grave when the day of the Lord shall come And since that day will come as a Thief in the night 2 Pet. 3.10 Psal 119.148 let mine eyes prevent the night O Lord that I may be occupied in thy words 4. As Sleep is the brother of Death so Death is the sister of Sin And this also in Holy Writ is called a Sleep Eph. 5.14 1 Cor. 15.34 Awake thou that sleepest Awake to Righteousness and sin not 'T is fabled that Somnus tempting Palinurus when he fell asleep tumbled him into the Sea and drowned him And if the sleep of Death find thee securely sleeping in any known Sin unrepented he that hath the power of death will hurl thee headlong into the bottomless Abyss of death eternal Ps 13.6 O lighten mine eyes O Lord that I sleep not in death lest mine enemy say I have prevailed against him Grant me blessed Lord Aug. med so to order govern and end my life that death may seize me but as a sleep and this sleep may be in rest this rest in Security and Security in eternity Amen PSALMS For the Night season PSAL. XCII Verses 1. IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy Name O most Highest To praise the Lord is good in both the kinds of goodness viz. of Profit and Pleasure 2. To tell of thy loving kindness betimes in the morning and of thy truth in the night season In the morning which represents the rising prosperity of man it is good to give thanks for the loving kindness of the Lord and in the night of adversity also to praise him for his truth and righteousness at all times and in all conditions 3. Vpon an Instrument of ten strings and upon the Lute upon a loud Instrument and the Harp To employ both our hearts and voices as the loud instruments of his praise 4. For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works And I will rejoyce in giving praise for the operation of thy hands The works of God do then truly delight the Souls of the righteous when in them they both see the goodness wisdom of the Lord and praise his name that made them 5. O Lord how glorious are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep The pious Soul is ravisht with love and admiration in contemplation of Gods works as excelling in glory and depth of wisdom her frail capacity 6. An unwise man doth not well consider this and a fool doth not understand it And
Mercy and to obtain Grace in the time of need MEDITATIONS Upon Unity in the Publick Worship of God SUch as be truly members of Christs mystical body The holy Catholick Church do conceive that they ought to be unanimous in the service of God as the only way upon earth to partake of the benefits of the Communion of Saints That we should all joyn in Prayers unto God after one way and one manner is not only Commanded by our Lord Mat. 6.9 but also in the use of the same words Luk. 11.2 whereunto also we are admonished Rom. 15.6 that ye may with one mind and with one mouth glorifie God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 'T is observable by sad experience that variety of Prayers in Publick by Ministers of the same Church hath bred and so doth still foment variety in opinions and various opinions in Religion have bred such a contrariety of affections as hath dissolved all the bonds of Christian Charity Under the sad pressure of this Schism we have a long time groan'd and been brought even to the last gasp of exspiration nor can we hope to have the still bleeding wounds of our Divisions healed whatever other remedies may be prescribed till waving that fondness which most men have for private Prayers in a Publick Congregation we do all joyn with Reverence and Devotion in those Holy Prayers and divinely inspired Praises of God which are prescribed and have been practised in the Church of Christ in all the Ages thereof We cannot reasonably imagine that our various and multitudinous private Prayers in Publick do conduce to the more pleasing of God who requires no such service from us and cannot be pleased with such Prayers as are breaches of our solemn promises when ordained Ministers of the Church no alas such prayers are not to please God but to please men to tickle the itching Ears of men of corrupt minds and 't is the scratching of these Ears that hath brought such a scab upon the Church as hath fester'd and eaten into her bowels and endanger'd the very life and being thereof We all profess to worship one God in Trinity and this Trinity in Unity but this we do not nay this we cannot do without Unity and Unanimity and Uniformity in our divine Worship but this Unity is destroyed by dividing from that Sound and Orthodox Worship which the Church of Christ exhibits to her Lord whilst each man advances his own private conceptions in Prayer above if not in opposition to the publick commanded Forms God whose very Being is Unity is the Author and great lover of Unity especially in the Worship of his divine Majesty and the Devil is the author and great promoter of all Division 't is his very Being as he is a Devil for he became so by dividing from the Church of God viz. from the Church which is now Triumphant in Heaven and therefore his Instruments they are who either in Doctrine or Worship divide from the true Church of Christ here Militant upon Earth The CXXXIV Psalm PARAPHRASED verse 1 BEhold how good and joyful a thing it is both profitable and pleasant for brethren Sons of one God the Father and of one Church the Mother to dwell together in Vnity in the house of God to joyn as members of the same mystical body in the profession of the same Doctrine and Practice of the same Worship verse 2 'T is like the oyntment which being compos'd of many rich perfumes sent forth a most sweet odour fitly representing that sweetness of joy and complacerce which flows from the Union of many hearts and voices in the service of God Vpon the head which went down to the beard even Aarons beard Aaron was a type of Christ and the oyntment upon his head typified the spiritual Unction of Christ our head Psal 45.7 Heb. 1.9 which Unction of the Spirit from him descended upon his Disciples mystically signified by the High Priests beard and from thence went down to the skirts of his clothing even to all the other parts and members of his mystical body for of his fulness we have all received Grace for Grace Joh. 1.16 verse 3 As the dew of Hermon which fell on the hill of Sion as both these hills become fruitful by the dew of heaven descending on them so the sons of Sion or people of God become fruitful in the gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit through their Unity and Unanimity in the devout service of God for whilst they glorifie God with one heart and with one mouth after one way and one manner they mightily prevail with the one only God to dwell amongst them according to his promise 2 Cor. 6.16 and so it follows verse 4 For there the Lord promised his blessing in all assemblies thus united in the service of his Majesty Mat. 18.19 20. which is undoubtedly the way to life for evermore which is the height and perfection of all the blessings of God in the Quire of Heaven to sing with concordant hearts and voices Glory to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer O God who art the author of Peace and lover of Concord who makest men to be of one mind in a house and art best pleased with the unanimous agreement of thy people in thy House of Prayer that it may please thee to rebuke that foul spirit of discord and division intermixt amongst us which dictates the building of Babel by the confusion of Languages in our addresses to the Throne of Grace And vouchsafe to send the Holy Ghost the Spirit of love and unity to unite our hearts and tongues in the publick Service of thy Sacred Majesty make us all as brethren to dwell together in Unity to joyn in our Prayers in one way and after one manner to glorifie thee with one heart and with one mouth that the celestial dew of thy blessing may descend upon us so plentifully to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit that we may reap in time of harvest life for evermore through Jesus Christ MEDITATIONS WITH PSALMS Illustrated or Paraphras'd Upon the Four last Things I. Death II. Judgment III. Hell IV. Heaven By the Author of the PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Deut. 32.29 LONDON Printed for Richard Royston Bookseller to His most Sacred Majesty 1675. OF The Four last Things in GENERAL THe clean Beast which was only commanded to be offered in Sacrifice unto God under the Law was such as chewed the Gud Lev. 11.3 and divided the Hoof mystically representing the qualifications of the clean and pure Christian who is himself that spiritual Sacrifice God requireth under the Gospel Ro. 12.1 1 Pet. 2.4 5. By chewing the Cud holy and divine Meditation is intimated by dividing the Hoof may be mystically meant the last end of man which is a dividing asunder the Soul from the Body by Death and
the change of a troublesome for a quiet life of a frail for a fixed and permanent being of an uncertain for a certain abode and of a temporary for life everlasting 'T is but the falling in pieces of an earthly Tabernacle and when it is dissolved 2 Cor. 5.1 thou hast a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens The Prayer O Almighty God who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men grant unto thy people and to me with them to love the thing which thou commandest and desire that which thou dost promise that so among the sundry and manifold changes of the world our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found through Jesus Christ MEDITAT III. Of the frequent Remembrance of Death 1. CLimacus records a story of a Brother that had lived negligently for many years Clim scal grad 6. and was at last surprized with such a desperate disease that he continued for a long space of time deprived of his senses and supposed to be dead but recovering again he immediately secluded himself from all society and continued for twelve years together which was the remainder of his life lamenting the sins and negligences of his by-past life and seriously pondering the sad condition of all such persons as dye in their sins unrepented And when the time of his death indeed approached many of his fraternity flockt to him desiring to hear some more than ordinary instructions and directions from him for the good of their Souls but all that he would say unto them was this as the sum of Christian wisdom If you desire so to live that ye may dye happily then meditate continually upon death for 't is scarce possible for that man to sin who with due regard remembers Death the wages of sin This is also the advice of the wise Syracides Remember thy end Ecclus. 28.6 and let enmity cease Remember corruption and death and abide in the Commandments 1 Cor. 15.31 And 't was surely thus S. Paul dyed daily 2. To dye the death of the righteous is the desire even of the wicked but his last end shall be very unlike the others for he that will dye the death must live the life of the righteous The only way to dye well Numb 23.10 is to live well and he that will live well must live by dying principles saying with holy David Psal 119.109 My Soul is continually in my hand and for ought I know it may expire at my next breathing since many thousands in this very moment do breath their last And 't is only this moment I can call mine what is past cannot return to be again enjoyed and what 's to come is not in mine but in the Lord's hand Ps 31.17 Act. 17.28 My Time is in thy hand In him we live and move and have our Being Ask thy self then in every thing thou dost Would I now do this were I ready to dye 'T is the Wise mans advice Ecclus. 7. ult Whatsoever thou takest in hand Remember the end and thou shalt never do amiss From the forgetfulness of my end and of the uncertainty of my Life from every evil work and from a sudden and an unprovided death good Lord deliver me 3. The Lord clothed our First Parents with the skins of beasts to put them in mind of that mortality and corruption of the flesh they had contracted by their disobedience to his Commandments The which as we their sinful off-spring do dayly bear about us so ought we also to have the same in a continual remembrance for the keeping under the unruly lusts of the flesh that we pass not from a spiritual to death eternal And thus O that I may thus daily remember the imminent the unavoidable death of my corruptible body so as to keep my Soul unspotted of the world and alive from the death of sin continually mortifying all my evil and corrupt affections and daily proceeding in all vertue and godliness of living 4. With the holy Apostle of our Lord to dye daily is not only daily to remember death but also so to dye unto sin and live unto righteousness as thereby to live up to the hopes of eternal life and happiness slighting all the false and flattering felicities of this fawning world as being not only empty and unsatisfying but also mortal and dying A holy confidence to dye well De imit Christi lib. 1. ca. 23. and in hopes to enjoy eternal life after death is begotten in the heart saith the spiritual Akempis 1. By a perfect contempt of the world 2. By a through self-denyal 3. By a fervent desire and endeavour of proficiency in Grace 4. By the love of Discipline or strict corporal austerities 5. By the unwearied labour of true Repentance 6. By a willing and ready obedience to all Gods Commands 7. By suffering contentedly and joyfully all adversities for the love of Christ And thus prepare for thy Change to come looking not as becomes an Immortal Soul at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal The Prayer O God the Protector of all that trust in thee without whom nothing is strong nothing is holy Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy that thou being our Ruler and Guide we may so pass through things temporal that we finally lose not the things eternal Grant this O heavenly Father for thy Son Jesus Christ MEDITAT IV. Of the Horror of Death 1. SAint Augustine being with his Mother Monica invited to Rome by Pontianus the Prefect to view the stately Edifices and ancient Monuments of that eminent City amongst other rarities he saw the great Caesars Sepulchre and therein his Carcase of a livid ghastly colour his Face faln away to such a meagre leanness as scarce of skin and bone consisting his Lips being rotted his Teeth were seen black and corrupted his Nose so consumed that only the wide hollows of his nostrils appeared his Belly burst and swarming with Worms and Serpents his Eyes sunk into his head and in the two holes thereof two loathsome Toads were feeding Then turning towards his Mother he said What now dear Mother is become of the great Caesar whose Pomp Power and Policy whose Riches Honour and Dignity whose many Victories Conquests and Triumphs rendred him the most admired Heroe the world afforded Where now is all his glory where the conquering Armies he commanded The Nations Countries Cities he subdued The numerous train of Nobility Gentry Souldiery that attended him The vast Riches and boundless Authority he acquired Whereunto the pious Matron answered O my Son no sooner did his spirit fail and his breath expire but all his splendid enjoyments all his flattering worldly felicities forsook him his Riches his Friends his Attendants all his Conquests and Triumphs all the Honour
which through so many perils he acquired have all now left him alone in this ghastly silent Sepulchre accompanied only with Worms Stench and Corruption Such is the end of all flesh 'T is as true of the greatest Prince as of the meanest Peasant When a man is dead Ecclus. 10.11 he shall inherit creeping things beasts and worms All the difference in the grave betwixt the dust of the rich and of the poor of the honourable and the base is this that the dust of the rich through the luxury lasciviousness and intemperance of their life is more corrupt and loathsome after their death than is the dust of the poor whose food and nourishment was more course and sparing Why then my Immortal Soul art thou so fond of thy corruptible companion the Body Remember its beginning is uncleanness and its end rottenness 'T is thy servant for the present but if thou too much cocker and pamper it 't will rebel subdue and lead thee captive to a worse death than that whereunto its self is lyable even the death of the nether Hell Mar. 9.44 where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched 2. Death is the wages of Sin And I have sinned vile wretch that I am I have sinned and what shall I do or what shall I say unto thee O thou preserver of man Job 7.20 All that I can say is the same still I have sinned and as long as I have a day I will say it I will confess my wickedness and be sorry for my sins Mercy 21. good Lord mercy I humbly beg O why dost thou not pardon my transgression and take away mine iniquity Are not my dayes few Job 10.20 cease then and let me alone that I may bewail my sins and take comfort a little in the hopes of the pardon of them through Faith in the blood of my Redeemer before I go from whence I shall not return 21. to the land of darkness and the shadow of death 3. Job 18.14 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. Heb 2.14 I know that to flesh and blood death is of all terribles the most terrible but my blessed Redeemer by his bitter death hath pulled out the sting and quelled the terrors of death and hath also enchained him who hath the power of death the devil so that now when death approacheth through Faith and a good Conscience I shall have hope with all patience and contentment to drink off that Cup how bitter and painful soever saying with my blessed Lord and Master upon his approaching death Mat. 26.42 Father not my will but thine be done The Prayer ASsist me mercifully O Lord to subject my rebellious flesh to the guidance of the Spirit and my spirit to the laws of my Redeemer that when my body shall be the inheritance of worms and creeping things my Soul-may possess an inheritance uncorruptible and undefiled 1 Pet. 1.4 that fadeth not away reserved in the heavens through Jesus Christ MEDITAT V. Of the uncertainty of Death and preparation for it 1. AS there is nothing more certain than death Ps 89.47 for what man is there that liveth and shall not see death So there is nothing more uncertain than the Time Mat. 24.36 for of that day and hour knoweth no man the uncertainty of Death engageth every wise man to a certainty in his preparation and provision for it Remember that death will not be long in coming Ecclus. 14.12 and that the covenant of the grave is not shewed unto thee Do good unto thy friend before thou dye 13. put it not off to thy last Will and Testament but according to thy ability stretch out thy hand and give unto the poor That the poor when charitably relieved are our best friends and that thus we are to prepare for death is commanded by our Lord Luk. 16.9 Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness in the pious charitable distribution of your worldly goods Luk. 16.9 that when you fail your bodies corrupt and moulder into dust your Souls may be received into everlasting habitations 2. In this life our condition is changeable from better to worse and from worse to better but in death all hopes of bettering our condition are buried with the liveless corps 2 Cor. 6.2 Now is the acceptable time now is the day of Salvation i. e. the day of this life wherein I am commanded to work out my Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 for the night of death cometh wherein no man can work Eccl. 9.10 There is either work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave where thou goest It follows therefore whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might be active be vigorous be zealous Col. 1.10 be fruitful in every good work 'T is the Soul that is laden with the fruits of well-doing 1 Pet. 4. ult Rev. 14.13 Luk. 16.9 which in deaths approach may chearfully commit her self unto the will of God as to a faithful Creator 'T is these good works that follow the Souls of the righteous to the Tribunal of Heaven to plead for their admission into celestial habitations And these are 1. Devout Prayers Mat. 6.1.5.16 which do indeed and more immediately commend our Souls unto God and render them amiable in his sight especially when accompanied 2. With Religious Fastings often Ro. 12.1 whereby we present our bodies also unto him and withal do 3. Heb. 13.15 16. By charitable Alms-deeds dispense our Goods to our wanting brethren for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased Lord I pray thee that thy Grace may alway prevent and follow me and make me continually to be given unto all good works which are the never failing fruits of a true Christian Faith and by these inseparably conjoyned to make my Calling and Election sure sealed in the blood of my dear Redeemer 3. There are three general messengers of Death 1. Chance 2. Sickness 3. Old age Chance renders the life of man doubtful and uncertain Sickness makes it grievous and troublesome Old age makes life tedious and death inevitable Some persons are stifled in their mothers womb and dye before they see the light of life some dye in their Infancy some in their youth some in their mans estate And some there be but these are of all others the fewest in number that dye in their old age and yet most of men do not only desire but fondly conceit they shall live to be old and yet never think themselves old enough to dye which makes so many millions of men dye unpreparedly and so pass from a Temporal to death Eternal For the prevention of so great and general a mischief and perdition of ungodly men the all-wise and good providence of Heaven hath ordained that in all ages estates and conditions of men this life shall take end that so none how young and lusty
soever with his bone full of marrow might yet dare to live unprepared for death presuming still upon further time and space for Repentance and amendment Lord make me ever mindful of my latter end that I may so live in thy fear as to dye in thy favour and a well grounded hope to live with thee for ever 'T is to little purpose to remember my death except I remember also the sins of my by-past life both the sins of my youth and of my riper age mine ignorances my negligences my manifold omissions of my duty towards God towards my neighbour towards my self and these to bewail with the tears of godly sorrow that my polluted Soul being washed I may through Faith in the blood of my Redeemer chearfully commend the same into his merciful hands and say Into thy hands I commend my Spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of Truth Every change in my frail constitution every little pain and ache in my corruptible flesh all distempers diseases are as so many memorials of my mortality but the older I grow the nearer still is the approach of my dissolution by the hand of death Heb. 8. ult for that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away The Prayers LOok graciously upon me O Lord I beseech thee in the time of my approaching dissolution and the more the outward man decayeth strengthen me so much the more continually by thy Grace and Holy Spirit in the inner man give me unfeigned repentance for all the errors of my life past and a stedfast Faith in thy Son Jesus that my sins may be done away by thy mercy and my pardon sealed in Heaven before I go hence and be no more seen II. IN the midst of life we be in death of whom may we seek for succour but of thee O Lord who for our sins art justy displeased Yet O Lord God most holy O Lord most mighty O holy and most merciful Saviour deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death Thou knowest Lord the secrets of our hearts shut not up thy merciful ears to our Prayers but spare us O Lord most holy O God most mighty O holy and most merciful Saviour thou most worthy Judge eternal suffer us not at our last hour for any pains of death to fall from thee III. IN my last hour O Lord I humbly beg thy protection from the busie suggestions and direful insultings of my grand enemies the Devil and his Angels Oh let not then my Faith fail or my Hope wither or my Charity wax cold with the waining flesh But when all my joynts shall tremble by the batteries of death mine eyes be darkned and my tongue falter then O then let my heart be enlarged towards my God waiting upon thee longing for thee and incessantly praying shew me thy mercy O Lord and grant me thy Salvation The XXXIX Psalm Verses 1. I Said I will take heed to my wayes that I offend not in my tongue The meditation of death makes every wise man careful of all his wayes and more especially to avoid the offences of the tongue 2. I will keep my mouth as 't were with a bridle while the ungodly is in my sight The tongue is an unruly evil and must be tam'd as a wild horse with a bridle when provok'd by captious contentious and quarrelsome persons 3. I held my tongue and spake nothing I kept silence yea even from good words but it was pain and grief unto me Reproaches are best answered with a discreet silence so was our Lord as a Lamb dumb before the Shearers 4. My heart was hot within and while I was thus musing the fire kindled d To abstain from good words is sometimes necessary for the avoiding of an evil construction but such silence is grievous to the pious Soul which burns with the fire of divine love and zeal to God's glory The zeal of thine house bath even eaten me and at the last I spake with my tongue Though it be often inconvenient to speak before wicked men yet 't is alway necessary to speak unto God by Prayer 5. Lord let me know mine end and the number of my daies that I may be certified how long I have to live 'T is a blessing we ought alway to pray for to be feelingly sensible of the shortness of our life 6. Behold thou hast made my dayes as 't were a span long and mine age is nothing in respect of thee and verily every man living is altogether vanity The life of man if compar'd with God's everlasting being is rather to be called a death than a life a vanity not a verity of being 7. For man walketh in a vain shadow he disquieteth himself in vain he heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them The hearts of men are darkned with the shadows of happiness whilst they vainly care for worldly wealth which is as transitory and uncertain as the life it self 8. And now Lord what is my hope truly my hope is even in thee 'T is not in riches nor in all the world affords but in God alone that all hope of true happiness is attainable 9. Deliver me from all mine offences and make me not a rebuke to the foolish Our sins deprive us of all true weh-grounded hopes in God and make us lyable to the scorn even of foolish men 10. I became dumb and opened not my mouth for it was thy doing We must with a patient silence suffer the reproaches of others because occasioned by our offences and because sent from God for our amendment 11. Take thy plague away from me I am even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand And confess withal that we deserve to be consumed by the just judgments of God 12. When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin thou makest his beauty to consume away as 't were a moth fretting a garment every man therefore is but vanity Whose lightest chastisements do easily deface the beauty and decay the strength of this corruptible body 13. Hear my prayer O Lord and with thine ears consider my calling hold not thy peace at my tears Therefore the devout Soul is poured forth in Prayers with tears of godly sorrow for her offences from whence all the miseries of this life do flow 14. For I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were The earth is a strange land to the Immortal Soul whose native home is heaven where she was framed by the hands of the Almighty after his own Image 15. O spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen Which Image being defaced by her sins she humbly begs with tears time and space by Repentance Faith and new obedience to recover her native strength and beauty before she leave her tabernacle of flesh Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer SInce my
which from thy Wounds and Stripes and Bonds does flow Ps 25.14 Pluck my feet out of the net of every temptation to finfulness and error Ps 119.48 and let my hand be continually lift up unto thy Commandments to do them that I be not lyable to be bound by any of the spirits of vengeance in the fiery chains of the nether Hell where is weeping and wailing MEDITAT VI. Of the Laments of Hell THere shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Mat. 25.30 They shall deservedly weep in Hell whose eyes upon earth have been full of Adultery 2 Pet. 2.14 lasciviousness and greediness of the creature whose eyes have been set upon their covetousness Pro. 30.13 and their eye-lids lifted up with scorn and contempt of others who have been guilty of any of these or of any other sinful pollutions and have not wept and bewailed the same with the tears of Repentance Wo unto you that laugh now in your sinful pleasures Luc. 6.25 for ye shall mourn and weep either here or hereafter And 't is sad and sottish to put off this necessity of weeping to the other world where the tears of sorrow and sad Repentance shall avail nothing And this is all the water that Hell affords Luc. 16.24 not a drop to cool the tongue tormented in those scorching flames only those driesly tears which the violence of her torments do extort which being salt and brinish and spent in vain shall the more increase the bitterness and augment the miseries of the condemned sinner O that now my head were waters Jer 9.1 and mine eyes a fountain of tears by weeping here to prevent the weeping in Hell hereafter now to bewail my sins that I sorrow not when 't is too late where weeping and wailing shall not asswage but augment my sorrows Lament O sinner and gnash thy teeth through a holy indignation to be so foolish and mad as for a little sinful pleasure or dirty delight to run the hazard of being obnoxious to never ending pains and sorrows Blessed are they that mourn Mat. 5.4 both for their own sins and for the sins of others through the fear of Hell and desire of Heaven for they shall be comforted their fears prevented their desires obtained A broken and a contrite heart Ps 51.17 O God thou wilt not despise A heart broken with godly sorrow for sin and venting it self in tears with Prayers Humiliations and Confessions mixt with Faith in the blood of my dear Redeemer Thus Lord thus I humbly beg to be delivered from thy wrath and from the deplorable wailings of a sad eternity Amen MEDITAT VII Of the perpetuity of Hell Torments THe Perpetuity of Hell torments is in the thought thereof a Torment unspeakable for in every instant of the Sufferings of the damned they suffer all the torments of those infinite thousands of years to come the continuance whereof is not measured by Time but by the bottomless abyss of eternity and the immutability of divine justice and what is time to eternity Behold as a drop of water is to the sea Eccl. 18.10 and a gravel stone in comparison of the sand so are a thousand years to the dayes of etcrnity In this life fear hath torment but torment hath no fear but hope rather of release and delivery but in Hell the damned both fear what they suffer and also suffer what they fear even the everlasting duration of their sufferings They that are cast into the Lake of fire and brimstone shall be tormented day and night for ever Rev. 20.10 and ever Are not they then without understanding that work wickedness Ps 14.4 who being endued with Reason and capable of counsel who knowing the shortness of this life and the uncertainty of the same and withal believing the everlasting duration of the life to come do nevertheless bend all their thoughts and endeavours upon what concerns this present remporary Being even to the great hazard of being obnoxious to the Pains and Inrments of a sad eternity such madness in the hearts of men can never be throughly bewail'd even with tears of blood Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3.7 That there is a wrath to come every Christian believes and 't is a fierce wrath and a terrible even indignation and wrath Rom. 2.8 9. tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil and hath not repented him of the evil and of the iniquity he hath done Of the coming of this wrath also frequent warning is given both by the works and by the word of God by the Ministers of his Church but who takes warning given who regards the power of this wrath very few regard it though the less it be regarded the more fierce it will be for even thereafter as a man feareth so is thy displeasure Ps 90.11 Fear thou the Lord Pro. 3.7 O my Soul fear the Lord and depart from evil Thou Ps 76.7 O Lord thou alone art to be feared and who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life Pro. 14.27 to depart from the gates of death Fear not them that can kill the body Mat. 10.28 but are not able to kill the Soul but fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12.28 For our God is a consuming fire 29. The LXXXVI Psalm PARAPHRASED verse 1 BOw down thine ear to him who now bowes down his heart and bear me O Lord confessing for I am poor extremely wanting of the graces of thy Spirit which should make me rich towards God I have little or no treasures laid up in Hearen and therefore I am in misery lyable to the eternal miseries of Hell But verse 2 Preserve thou my soul from that dismal place of torments for I am heby separate and devoted to thy service though a poor unprofitable servant and upon this account I make bold to call thee my God whom I worship and serve and humbly beseech thee to save thy servant who putteth his trust in thee for the riches of grace and salvation wherein verse 3 Be merciful unto me O Lord who art rich in mercy for I will call dayly upon thee that it may please thee in great mercy to deliver me from that misery whereunto my poorness in grace but abounding sins make me obnoxious verse 4 Comfort the soul of thy servant that the sorrows of death overwhelm me not For unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul being hereunto encouraged by thy grace and goodness verse 5 For thou Lord art good even the inexhaustible fountain of goodness and gracious propitiously inclined to hear the supplications of thy people and of great mercy against the greatness of iniquity unto all them that
put thy self on manfully to resist the Devil and all his works of temptation unto sin Thou needest not to be afraid of all his fiery darts for these cannot pierce but when enflamed by the fire of thine own concupiscence Covetousness and Pride or the Pomps and vanities of this wicked world with Luxury and Voluptuousness or the sinful lusts of the flesh these are the weapons wherewithal the enemy wars against the Soul By the stedfast belief of all the Articles of the holy Christian Faith and a constant obedience to God's holy will and Commandments they are renounced resisted beaten back and overcome This thou hast solemnly vowed in the open face of Christs Church whosoever thou be that art rightly called Christian and though thy Christendome was not thus right Orthodox and Legal yet this must be performed if thou wilt be or being continue within the Covenant of Grace to the eternal Salvation of thy Soul Raise up O Lord we pray thee thy power and come amongst us and with great might succour us that whereas through our sins and wickedness we are sore let and hindred in running the race that is set before us by thy bountiful grace and mercy we may be enabled to withstand the temptations of the Devil the world and the flesh and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee the only God through Jesus Christ our Lord MEDITATION Of the Cure of the Soul before that of the Body THere is a vast difference betwixt the Soul and Body in the dignity of their nature the Soul is of a heavenly descent and original but the body is of earthly mould and making the Soul is framed by the hands of the Almighty after his own Image but the Body is begotten of earthly parents after the likeness of sinful flesh the Soul is of the same nature with the Angels of Heaven but the Body is of kind and constitution with the beasts of the earth the Soul being the infusion of Heaven represents the beauties and perfections of the most high and holy God but the Body being the result of carnal copulation assimilates only the fading shadows of beauty in irrational beings Lastly whatever beauty strength motion or Life it self the Body enjoys is by the vertue vigor and actuation of the Soul which manifests its immortality and separate subsistence from the dying Body Very pertinent then is that question of S. Augustine to fond senseless man Laboras ut non moriatur homo meriturus non laboras nè peccet in aeternum victurus Why art thou so solicitous to preserve the body from death which must dye and dost not endeavour rather to preserve from sin thy Soul which will live for ever If but a finger of the Body ach 't is bemoaned and lapt and every petty sore is salv'd and carefully kept from the least touch that may annoy it and to cure the diseases of the Body no cost or pains is spar'd the most bitter drugs are swallowed lancing burning fasting any trouble or torture is willingly endur'd but the sores of sin are suffered to fester and the diseases of the Soul are slighted without any regard had to the devout use of those holy means which the great Physician of Souls hath prescribed for their recovery O remember and wisely consider that by how much thy Soul transcends thy Body in purity of nature and dignity of condition by so much thy spiritual diseases are more mischievous and destructive than any bodily distempers can be The ilness of the Body tends only to the disanimation of the corruptible flesh but the maladies of the Soul render her both loathsome in the eyes of God and all good men and also obnoxious to the Second death the unsupportable torments of the nether hell O that the blessed Spirit of God would vouchsafe to anoint the eyes of my mind with the eye-salve of celestial grace Rev. 3.18 that mine eyes may be opened to see mine own vileness and nakedness and to discover all the sad distempers of my Soul to see them in their stain guilt and pollution in the loathsome and destructive nature of them that seeing I may wash them with my tears lance them with the knife of holy Mortification rip them up by Confession and lay them open to the view of the great lover of Souls and pray Arise blessed Jesus Mal. 4.2 Arise thou Sun of righteousness upon my darkned diseased Soul with healing in thy wings whither shall I fly for spiritual health but to the God of the spirits of all flesh Num. 16.22 1 Sam. 2.6 Ps 147 3. who killeth and maketh alive who bringeth down to the gates of death and bringeth up again who healeth those that are broken in heart and giveth medicine to heal their sickness Whither shall I go for health and salvation but to the Saviour of the world who came to visit the sons of men when sick in sin and sick unto death the wages of sin who is both our Physician and our physick both our Doctor and healing medicine who after a wonderful manner has made a salve for the sores of sin of his own stripes and wounds and bloud Through Faith in this bloud intermixt with my penitent tears will I bathe my diseased Soul and ever pray by these stripes to be healed 1 Pet. 2.24 I said and I will ever say it whilst I have a day to live Ps 41.4 Lord be merciful unto me and heal my Soul for I have sinned against thee MEDITATION Upon the Tears of the devout Soul MY Tears have been my meat day and night Ps 84.6 this present life is to the truly devout Christian a valley of Tears whose broken heart is the Well from whence the Pools are filled with water the eyes with Tears wherewithal the religious soul is fed and fatned as is the body with meats and drinks These Soul-saving waters are of two sorts 1. Such as flow from the heart wounded with the love of Christ and enflamed with desires of a nearer and more immediate union and communion with the Triune God saying Ps 42.2 My Soul is a thirst for God even the living God when shall I come to appear before the presence of God when shall I be so happy as to see my God not as now in a glass darkly but face to face to the ravishing of my Soul with joy unspeakable and glorious Or 2. Such Tears as do flow from the heart pierced with godly sorrow for sin which separates and exiles the Soul from God whilst the Devil and his Angels insulting dayly say unto me Where is now thy God ver 3. Both these sorts of Tears S. Augustine humbly beg'd of God under the notion of the upper and lower springs Jos 15 19. both Tears of divine Love and Devotion to Heaven above and Tears of godly sorrow for sin upon earth below Blessed are they that thus sow in tears Ps 126.6 for they shall reap
in joy He that now goeth on his way of holy Religion 7. weeping and beareth good seed such tears of godly sorrow as bring forth fruits meet for Repentance shall doubtless come again with joy and bring his sheaves with him being treasured up in the granary of heaven Such devout penitents go from strength to strength adding to their Faith vertue 2 Pet. 1.5 6. and to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness Charity Thus they ascend as by steps and to the God of gods appear every one in Sion Blessed Lord who fashionest the hearts of all the sons of men and turnest them as the rivers of water vouchsafe by the celestial influences of thy holy spirit to turn the stream of my corrupt affections from all the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and from the sinful lusts of the flesh Strike the rock of my hard heart with the rod of thy fatherly correction that both the upper and the lower springs may issue thence and the graces of thy holy Spirit may there spring up to everlasting life Joh. 4.14 I am a great sinner I confess and O that my heart were so deeply wounded with the sense of my sins as to lament them with that godly sorrow for sin as worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 Ps 39.12 I am a sojourner upon earth as all my fathers were O pierce my soul with the dart of divine love to bewail the deadness of my affections towards thee to lament that I am so much a stranger to my native home of Heaven that my heart is not surely fixed there where true joys are to be found but grovels in the dust of worldly vanities to grieve that I walk in the midst of manifold temptations and my ghostly enemies do dayly prevail against me and dayly cast in my teeth my dayly backslidings from the love and service of my God But be thou merciful unto me O Lord Ps 41.10 Raise thou me up again and I shall reward them by my future conquests over all their temptations MEDITATION Of the dwelling of God in the hearts of his People WHosoever desires that the Lord would vouchsafe to come unto him must himself first prepare his heart to come unto God And this not by Faith alone but by divine love and obedience to his most holy Laws If any man love me he will keep my Sayings Joh. 14.23 and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him How and when the Lord comes and abides with us must be known by the influences and operations of his presence as the tree by its fruits or the cause by its effects 1. God is light and in him is no darkness at all 1 Joh. 5.7 and such are the blessed Souls in whom he abides 1 Thess 5.5 they are all children of the light and of the day not of night and of darkness Their understandings are enlightned to know God both in himself and in the ways of his service and of their own Salvation and this light of their Faith shines before men in all the good works of Soberness Righteousness and Godliness to the glory of God the father of lights 2. God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 and accordingly the Souls possessed by him are purged as with fire from all the sordid lusts of the flesh and of the world their affections are purified the rust of sloth and negligence in the ways of life is scowred off their hearts as with fire are inflamed with the sacred ardors of divine Love of a holy and discreet Zeal of a fervent Devotion in their Prayers unto God and praises of him and with earnest defires of a nearer and a more immediate Communion with his divine Majesty 3. God is the fountain of living waters and accordingly where he dwells Jer. 2.13 he does allay the heat of carnal concupiscence subdue the inordinate love of riches quench the fire of strife and contention of blind Zeal and Faction and of every exorbitant lust being in himself a full satisfaction to all the vast desires of the immortal Soul As water he satisfieth the desires of all who hunger and thirst after righteousness and by the influence of his divine grace makes the barren ground of the heart to be fruitful unto every good word and work 4. God is all purity and holiness goodness and mercy justice and truth and in a word the summary of all perfection and felicity and therefore all those happy Souls where he dwells are holy as he is holy pure as he is pure merciful as he is merciful just and good gracious and long-suffering and in a word perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect 'T is such divinely enspirited persons and only such can say with the heavenly inspired Psalmist I will love thee O Lord my strength the Lord is my stony rock and my defence my Saviour my God and my might in whom I will trust my buckler and the horn of my salvation and my refuge Psal 18.1 and Psal 27.1 The Lord is my light and my salvation whom then shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afraid and Psal 28.8 The Lord is my strength and my shield my heart hath trusted in him and I am helped therefore my heart danceth for joy and in my song will I praise him The Lord is my strength and he is the wholsom defence of his anointed O save thy people and give thy blessing to thine inheritance feed them and set them up for ever Our Father which art in c. THE END ERRATA PAge 3. Line 12. read shew thou me the way p. 5. after line 7. adde From this vain world my affections wein p. 10. l. 9. r. grant me p. 14. l. 15. for unto r. out off p. 24. after l. 8. adde O holy ghost into my mind send down thy heavenly light p. 27. l. ult dele And. p. 52. l. 2. for hearest r. teachest p. 63. l. 19. for Love r. Have p. 66. l. 5. r. should engage p. 93. l. 26. for love r. lone p. 131. l. ult r. made them p. 181. l. 18. dele Holy p. 188. l. 3. for them r. each of these p. 201. l. penult for the r. these p. 317. l. 24. for joy r. so p. 330. for perfection r. protection