is slow to anger Psal 103.8 A God that delighteth not in the death of a sinner His own nature inclines him to save us our sins urge and provoke him to damne us Therefore if he must punish he comes as it were unwillingly to it and reserves it for the last place CAP. III. The sentence of condemnation THe sentence of Condemnation shal be denounced in these words Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel his angels Mat. 25.41 Not a word in this sentence but is a wound not a syllable but is a sword piercing the heart not a letter but is as loud and terrible as a clap of thunder How shall the loyns of the wicked tremble and their joynts be loosed their knees knock together to hear Christ pronounce them cursed Cursed because of the punishment of losse Depart ye There is their banishment exclusion from him who is the fountain of life the light of glory and in whose presence there is fulnesse of joy Cursed because of the punishment of Sense Depart ye into fire there is the extremity Into fire everlasting there is the eternity Prepared for the Divel and his Angels there is their Company Immediately after these sentences are pronounced shall follow execution The wicked shall goe away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall Mat. 25.46 SECTION V. IT remains now in the last place to view the use and influence which the consideratiō of this great day of the Lord ought to have upon our affections It is matter of terrour to some of comfort to others but of instruction to all CAP. I. Terrour to the wicked AS Paul reasoned of righteousnesse temperance and judgment to come Felix trembled Acts 24.25 The Jews fell backward when they came to apprehend Christ in the days of his humility how then shal they stand before him when he shal come in glory and majesty How terrible must this day needs be when The mountaines shall quake at him and the hills melt and the earth bee burnt up at his presence yea the world and all that dwell therein Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide the fiercenesse of his anger his fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are throwne down by him Nah. 1.5 6. What a hard distresse shall the wicked be in when they shall have On one side their sins accusing On the other the justice of God terrifying The gulf of hell gaping under them An angry Judge frowning over them Within them a conscience stinging Without them the world burning Anselme Surely the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every free man shall hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and shall say to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Rev. 6.15 16 17. Rejoyce ô young man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine own heart in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment Eccles 11.9 O consider this you that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Psal 50.22 Knowing the terrors of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5.11 CAP. II. Comfort to the godly THen shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory And when these things begin to come to passe then look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh Luke 21.27 28. The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangell and with the trump of God c. Wherfore comfort ye one another with these words 1 Thes 4.16 17. When Christ ascended the Angels comforted the Disciples in this manner This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven Acts 1.11 Hence it is that the righteous are said to love the day of his appearing for then they shall receive a crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Nahum 1.7 But of this we have heard before where this day in respect of the godly is called a day of refreshing redemption CAP. III. Instruction to all IF it be thus what manner of men ought we to be in all holy conversation on and godliness 2 Pet. 3.11 That which raised up the soul of S. Jerome to such a pitch of devotion was the continuall meditation of this day Whether I eat or drink or whatsoever I do me thinks I hear the last trump sounding in my ears Arise ye dead and come to judgment We must give an account not only for our presumptuous sins but for our smallest sins I say unto you That of every idle word that men shal speak they shall give account thereof at the day of judgment Mat. 12.36 We shall reckon not only for our own sins but for the sins of others which we have occasioned by our command company counsell or ill example We shall reckon for the talents of grace and nature and for the precious time afforded to us Hear the end of all fear God and keep his Commandments for God will bring every work into Judgment Eccles 12.13 14. Abound in the works of mercy and charity for according to them wee shall be judged Mat. 25. Judge your selves here you shall not be judged hereafter 1 Cor. 11.31 As for the time when or the place where the Judgment seat of Christ shall be erected O my soul enter not into these secrets Such knowledg is too wonderfull for thee Secret things belong to the Lord our God and revealed things to us and our children A short Prayer for the day of Judgment O Most blessed Lord Jesus who now sittest at the right hand of God the Father and from thence shalt come to judg both the quick and the dead in power and great glory I confess and acknowledge that such is the hainousnesse of my sins the guiltinesse of my Conscience and the dreadfulness of that day that my very flesh trembleth and my heart melteth within me when I consider that I must appear before the tribunall of thy just Judgment to give an account of whatsoever I have done in the flesh whether good or evil I know ô Lord that if thou shalt enter into Judgment with me I cannot be justified in thy sight and if thou shalt be extreme to mark what amisse hath passed from me I shall not be able to answer thee one for a thousand I appeal
nor my tongue begged pardon Good Lord deliver me From the whole corruption of my nature from all the temptations of the Divel from the allurements of the world from the lusts of the flesh and eyes Good Lord deliver me From all vanity of minde dulness of understanding perversnesse of will crookedness of affections deadness hardness of heart and from a benummed blinded or seared conscience Good Lord deliver me From all wandring imaginations from all loosness of desires from all transgressions of thy holy and just commandments and from the first motions to any sin against thee or my neighbour Good Lord deliver me From relapsing into the sins that I have repented from turning thy grace into wantonnesse from treading under foot the bloud of thy covenant from neglect and contempt of the meanes of salvation Good Lord deliver me From all schism heresie from infidelity and apostasie from the sin against the holy Ghost Good Lord deliver me From famine scarcity from plague and pestilence and from all other thy sore and heavy judgements at this time and ever hereafter Good Lord deliver me From poverty and extreme necessity from sickness and diseases in my body from grief and vexation of mind from losse of liberty goods or friends from blemish and scādal of my good name Good Lord deliver me From giving offence unadvisedly and from taking offence unjustly Good Lord deliver me From thy wrath and indignation from final despair of thy grace and pardon and from sudden death Good Lord deliver me From the sentence of condemnation from the Lake of brimstone from the chains of everlasting darkness from the worm that dies not and the fire that shall never be quenched Good Lord deliver me O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul Psal 116.4 Amen Amen And that for Jesus Christ his sake in whose most blessed name and words we conclude these our imperfect prayers saying as he himself hath taught us OUR Father which art in heaven c. Morning Prayer O Lord our heavenly Father almighty everlasting God which hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day defend us in the same with thy mighty power grant that this day we fall into no sin neither run into any kind of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance to doe alwayes that is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Evening Prayer LIghten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night for the love of thy only Son our Savior Jesus Christ Amen THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen III. SUPPLICATION SUpplication is another branch of praier whereby we intreat of God that hee would give us such blessings as we want or continue and inlarge such blessings as we have received And these blessings are either corporal or spiritual temporal or eternal For such blessings as are spiritual and accōpany salvation pray for them in the first place First seek the Kingdom of God the righteuosness thereof we may pray for them absolutely for the other we must pray conditionally with a reference submission of our will to Gods will who best knows what is good for us Not my will but thine be done Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven O Thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come Psal 65.2 Lord hear my voice let thine eares be attentive to my supplications Psal 130.2 Behold now that I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord who am but dust and ashes O let not the Lord bee angry and I will speak THE LETANY of Supplication THat it may pleafe thee to fill mine heart and my mouth with thy praise all my life long for all thy faithfulnesse and truth and loving kindness shewed to me in the land of the living I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to give me a clear judgment to see my sins holy affections to hate and abhorre them true repentance to bewail and forsake them with a stedfast purpose and resolution against them for the time to come I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to wash mee throwly from mine iniquities and to cleanse me from my sins that I may be whiter then snow I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to apply to my conscience the obedience of the life and the sacrifice of the death of Jesus Christ for the assurance of thy favour and my pardon I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to create in me a clean heart to renew a right spirit within me to give me truth in my inward parts and to establish me with thy free Spirit I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to give me such graces as I want and to increase those which I have that I may grow frō strength to strength till I become a perfect man I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to make me an instrument of thy glory to direct all my thoughts words works for the inlargement advancement of thy Kingdome I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to establish in mee the Kingdome of thy power to rule and awe me and the Kingdome of thy grace to sanctifie me to the knowledge love and obedience of thy will I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to enable me to doe thy will with chearfulness alacrity with perseverance and constancy as thy blessed Angels and Saints in heaven do it I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to open thy full hand to bestow upon me the necessaries of this life the fruits of the earth in due season with the continuance of health liberty and peace I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to give me thy blessing with them that I may use them wisely soberly justly charitably thankfully and contentedly I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to blesse me in all the works of my calling with grace and strength to obtain to keep and to use a good conscience towards thee my neighbours to my lives end I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to sanctifie my life to sweeten my death and to raise up my body in the day of the Lo Jesus I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. Finally that it may please thee to give me my masters joy my fathers inheritance the Crown of righteousness the glory of the new Jerusalem to satisfie me with that fulness of joy which is in thy presence I beseech thee to heare me
good Lord. O Lord hear my praier and let my cry come unto thee Amen Amen And that for Jesus Christ his sake in whose most blessed name and words we conclude these our imperfect prayers saying as he himself hath taught us Our Father which art art in heaven c. Morning Prayer O Lord our heavenly Father almighty everlasting God which hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day defend us in the same with thy mighty power grant that this day we fall into no sin neither run into any kind of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance to doe alwayes that is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Evening Prayer LIghten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night for the love of thy only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ Amen THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen IV. THANKSGIVING Thanksgiving is a branch of praier which like the Leper in the Gospell turns back to God with a confession and â—â—â—â—â—tiation of what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath done for 〈◊〉 And it is so necessary and essâ—â—tiall a part of Gods woâ—ship that it is the very condition of the obligation wherein God hath bound himself by his promise to hear us Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt praise me Psal 50.15 so that if we praise him not we break the Covenant and are usurpers upon all his blessings and deliverances Thy loving kindness is better then life therefore my lips shall praise thee Psal 63.3 4. Thus will I magnifie thee al my life and lift up my hands in thy Name Seven times a day do I praise thee Ps 119.164 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousnesse and thy salvation all the day long for I know no end thereof Ps 71.15 While I live I will praise the Lord I will sing praises to my God while I have any being Psal 146.2 Blesse the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Psal 103.2 O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Psal 51.15 THE LETANY of Thanksgiving FOR the grace of Election by which I was chosen according to the good pleasure of thy will My soule doth magnifie thee O Lord. For the grace of Creation by which I was made after thine image in righteousnesse and holiness My soule doth magnifie thee O Lord. For the grace of Redemption by which I was recovered from the guilt dominion of sin from the power of Satan and the second death My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For the grace of Vocation wrought in me by the inward working of thy Spirit the outward ministry of thy holy Word and Sacraments My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For the grace of Justification whereby I am clothed with the righteousness of Christ Jesus My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For my measure of Sanctification by which I am made a new Creature My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For my formation in the womb my birth my baptisme the illumination of my understanding the correction of my will and all the spiritual graces received froÌ„ thee My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For the liberty of thy Word and Sacraments for thy sanctuary and solemne assemblies and for thy gracious presence with us in them My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For thy constant providence in supplying my necessities and defending me from dangers My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For my good parents my education my health liberty and peace for the comfort of my friends for my daily bread and for all thy temporall blessings My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For thy prevention of evils subvention in evils deliverance from evil My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For thy patience in forbearing for thy mercy in forgiving for thy bounty in giving even when I sinned against thee with a high hand My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For my life and the season given me for repentance good works and for thy holy means of grace and salvation My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For the checks of mine own conscience for the instruction of thy word for the motions of thy good Spirit which have either restrained me from sin or caused me to repent of it My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For thy fatherly corrections by some spirituall conflicts with Satan by diseases or hurts in my body by griefs of mind losse of goods molestation of injuries discomforts for or from those to whom naturall civil or Christian acquaintance had indeared me My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For all the holy Patriarchs and Prophets for the ever blessed Mother of our Lord for all the holy Apostles and Evangelists for all the godly Bishops and Pastors of the Church for all the noble Army of Martyrs and Confessors and for all the faithfull that have lived and died in the Lord My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For the happy translation of all Saints departed in peace from this vale of tears to the inheritance of the just My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For thine holy Angels and the charge which thou hast given them to minister unto us to pitch their tents about us to keep us in all our ways and to convey our souls into Abrahams bosome My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For Jesus Christ the author and finisher of our faith and the fountain and foundation of all these favours For his conception birth For his circumcision and baptism For his fasting and temptation For his doctrine and miracles For his agony and bloody sweat For his cross passion For his death burial For his victorious descension into hell For his glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven For his sitting at the right hand of God to make intercession always for us For his sending the holy Ghost to a bide with his Church for ever and for his being with us to the end of the world My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For thy blessed Spirit the enlightner of my understanding the sanctifier of my will the helper of my infirmities the comforter of my conscience the pledge and witness of my adoption and the seal of my salvation My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For all my personall particular deliverances for the religion peace plenty strength and honour of the State wherein I live for saving it all times especially from the Spanish invasion and the Popish powder treason My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. For all the secret favours which thou hast done for us for all the mercies which we have received from thee and are slipt out of our remembrance and for all the goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee and
religious education the Seaman with a prosperous voiage the Husbandman with a plentifull harvest the captive with patience and deliverance and all prisoners with repentance and amendment I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to instruct the ignorant to convert the obstinate to confirm the righteous to comfort the distressed to binde up the broken-hearted to rectifie those that erre and to reduce them that wander into the right way I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to remember thine ancient people the Jewes to open their eyes that they may see him whom they have pierced and beleeve in him I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. That it may please thee in thy good time to bring in the fulnesse of the Gentiles and to reveal the glorious light of thy Gospel to such as yet sit in darkness and in the shadow of death I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. That it may please thee to forgive those that persecute and speak evil of me those that injure and molest me those that slander and traduce me and to soften the hearts of all those that are mine enemies I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. O Lord hear my praiers for my self O Lord hear my prayers for others O Lord hear the prayers of thy Son Jesus Christ for us all who sits at thy right hand making intercession for us and hath taught me to come to thee in this most perfect and absolute form of prayer OUR Father which art in heaven c. Morning Prayer O Lord our heavenly Father almighty everlasting God which hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day defend us in the same with thy mighty power grant that this day we fall into no sin neither run into any kind of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance to doe alwayes that is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Evening Prayer LIghten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night for the love of thy only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ Amen THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen A peculiar Letany to be used by or for sick persons Collected out of severall places and passages of holy Scripture IN those dayes was Hezekiah sick unto death Then turned he his face unto the wall and prayed unto the Lord. And Hezekiah wept sore And the Lord said Behold I will adde unto thy dayes fifteen years Isaiah 38.1 2 3. THE LETANY O God the Father of heaven whose property it is to kill and to make alive to wound and to heal to bring down to the grave and to raise up again Have mercy upon me Thou who didst heal Naaman of his leprosie David of his noisome disease Job of his ulcers Hezekiah of his desperate sicknesse Have mercy upon me O Christ the Son of God who madest the blinde to see the dumb to speak the deaf to hear and the lame to walk Have mercy upon me Thou who didst cure Peters wives mother of her fever the Centurions servant of his palsie the ten Lepers of their leprosie and didst help such as were possessed with Divels Have mercy upon me Thou who didst cure her that was diseased with an issue of bloud twelve years her that was bowed together eighteen years and him at the pool of Bethesda that had an infirmity thirty and eight years Have mercy upon me Thou who didst restore to life the daughter of Jairus the widows son and raised up Lazarus out of his grave Have mercy upon me Thou who didst bear our sicknesses and sorrows thou who hast styled thy self the Physician of the sick thou who hast called all such as are weary and heavy laden to come unto thee promising them ease and refreshment Have mercy upon me By thy fasting and watching by thine hunger thirst by thy grief and sadness by thy agony and bloudy sweat by thy cries and tears by thy Crosse and Passion Have mercy upon me That it may please thee who diddest cure many diseases by Peters shadow many sicknesses by Pauls handkerchief the eyes of the blind with clay spittle the leprosie of Naaman with the water of Jordan and raisedst up the dead by the bones of thy Prophet to blesse all those means that are or shall be used for my recovery I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. That it may please thee to give me grace to submit my self wholly to thy will to take thy visitation with patience thankfulness to drink of this bitter cup without murmuring or repining I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to streng then me against all the temptations of the divel to succour me in all the agonies conflicts of mine own conscience and to lay no more upon me then thou shalt inable me to bear I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. That it may please thee to continue unto me my memory and understanding my speech and senses the comforts and graces of thy holy Spirit that I fall not away from thee I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee if it be thy will to give me a longer time of repentance to rescue me from the gates of the grave to spare me a little before I go hence and be no more seen that I may still praise thee in the land of the living I beseech the to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee if thou hast appointed me for death to fit and prepare me for it to strengthen my faith to pardon and forgive me all my sins and to assure me of my salvation that I may render up my soul with comfort and chearfulness I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. Finally that it may please thee when I have rendred it up to receive it into thy hands to deliver me from the pangs of everlasting death and to set open unto me the gates of everlasting life I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. Psal 6.2 4 5. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed Return O Lord deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee and who shall give thee thanks in the pit Psal 38. Thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore ver 2. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin ver 3. For mine iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burded they are too heavy for me ver 4. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness ver 5. I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day
own conscience I have quenched the motions of thy Spirit I have put off the good works whereby I might have glorified thee bettered my self benefited my neighbour Lord be merciful to me a sinner I have corrupted the best of my thoughts words works and ways by cherishing the corruptions of mine own nature by entertaining the secret temptations of Satan and the open inticements of the wicked world Lord be merciful to me a sinner I have been an evill husband of the talent of grace which was committed to my improvement I have been an unthrift of that time which was lent me for repentance and the work of my salvation Lord be merciful to me a sinner I have belied my corrupt heart with fair semblances of goodness and have hypocritically deceived the good opinion of charity which beleeveth the best I have boasted in the praise that I deserved not to thy offence who requirest truth in the inward parts Lord be merciful to me a sinner I have overweened the measure of grace in my self corrupted it with my pride I have undervalued the goodness of my neighbour and either have lessened it with abatements or depraved it with unjust imputations Lord be merciful to me a sinner I have heard and seen thee my God dishonoured my neighbour traduced and wronged I have done right to neither but either for fear of offence for partial affection for base flattery or ungodly modesty or for uncharitable envy I have forborn to arise in their just defence Lord be merciful to me a sinner I have not alwayes sought the outward blessings of life by good meanes sanctified by prayer I have not alwayes received them with thanksgiving and contentednesse I have not alwayes used them with sobriety nor dispensed the over-measure with the piety and charity that I ought Lord be merciful to me a sinner I have not used my lawful pleasures so seasonably so moderately so religiously so thankfully as I ought but I have offended thee my God in my mirth Lord be merciful to me a sinner I have not sought peace with all men nor always imbraced it when it hath been offered I have not loved mine enemy nor blessed him that cursed me nor done good to him that meant or did me hurt I have not given him such pardon as I begged from thee for my self Lord be merciful to me a sinner I have sinned in vaine thoughts in vast desires in ungodly hopes in unchaste dreams in secret covetings of the goods or delights of my neighbour Lord be merciful to me a sinner I have sinned in the unconscionable practice of these sins without remorse or repentance or if any good motions of thy Spirit have bred in me a godly sorrow for them the next temptation hath either replased me into the old or implunged mee in some new sin Lord be merciful to me a sinner I have hid some of these sins as Adam some of them I have excused with pretences some I have denied against the testimony of my accusing conscience some I have wickedly maintained none I have throughly repented amended Lord be merciful to me a sinner I have committed many secret sins that I have not been aware of I have sinned in the best of my works and intentions of piety and charity even when I most laboured to doe thee service Lord be merciful to me a sinner I have sinned all these wayes and done many evils that I have forgotten many that I have past over without consideration and repentance and now what shall I do to thee O thou preserver of men and Judge of the whole world Lord be merciful to me a sinner Have mercy upon me O Lord according to thy loving kindnesse according to the multitude of thy tender compassions blot out all my offences Amen Amen And that for Jesus Christ his sake in whose most blessed name and words we conclude these our imperfect prayers saying as he himself hath taught us OUR Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen Morning Prayer OLord our heavenly Father almighty everlasting God which hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day defend us in the same with thy mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin neither run into any kinde of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance to do always that is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Evening Prayer LIghten our darknesse we beseech thee O Lord and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night for the love of thy onely Son our Saviour Jesus Christ Amen THe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen II. DEPRECATION DEprecation is a branch of prayer directed to God either for the aversion and prevention of an evill before it comes or for the removing and taking it away when it is come And the evil which we deprecate may be either the evill of sin or the evill of punishment When we either feel or fear an evil we must not with Eliah or Jonah sit down and in a sullen humour wish our selves out of the world but we must pray as Christ did for his Disciples Joh. 17.15 not that he would take us out of the world but that he would keep us from the evil And so doing we have Gods promise not to be tempted above our strength For either he will abate the crosse or increase our strength to bear it either he will remove the temptation or give us his grace which is sufficient for us Deliver us from evil Luke 11.4 Deliver me from all my transgressions Make me not the reproach of the foolish Psal 39. Remove thy stroke from me Deliver my soul from the sword my darling from the dog Save me from the Lions mouth from the horns of the Unicorns Psal 22.20 21. THE LETANY of Deprecation FRom all the sinnes that I have done and from all that I would have done if thy grace had not prevented and restrained me Good Lord deliver me From my close bosome sins and from those sins to which I am inclined by nature or inticed by company or allured by pleasure and profit or drawn by the example of this evil world Good Lord deliver me From all the sins that I have felt in my conscience and confessed with my mouth and bewailed with my heart and begged pardon of thee with my tongue Good Lord deliver me From all the secret unknown sins which my conscience hath not felt nor my mouth confessed nor my heart bewailed
love thy coming My soul doth magnifie thee O Lord. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord Psal 116.12 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever with my mouth wil I make known thy faithfulnesse to all generations Ps 89.1 Let them that fear the Lord say alwayes The Lord be praised Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shal be world without end Amen Amen And that for Jesus Christ his sake in whose most blessed name and words we conclude these our imperfect prayers saying as he himself hath taught us OUR Father which art in heaven c. Morning Prayer OLord our heavenly Father almighty everlasting God which hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day defend us in the same with thy mighty power grant that this day we fall into no sin neither run into any kind of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance to doe alwayes that is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Evening Prayer LIghten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night for the love of thy onely Son our Saviour Jesus Christ Amen THe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen V. INTERCESSION INtercessiō is abranch of prayer extending and inlarging our desires for others as we see in Abraham who interceded for Sodom and Mases for Israel and Samuel for Saul And this duty is very acceptable to God for necessity constrains us to pray for our selves but charity moves us to become petitioners for others And the prayer of charity is more acceptable to God then the prayer of necessity Again it is very profitable for us for though our prayers should not profit them yet they will profit us for they shall be turned into our own bosomes Psal 35.13 Si pro te tantum roges pro te tantum rogabis Si autem pro omnibus roges pro te omnes rog abunt Amb. l. 1. de Cain c. cap. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplication prayers intercessions giving of thanks bee made for all men for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 1 Tim. 2.1 3. And pray always with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints And for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to publish the secret of the Gospel Eph. 6.18 19. Is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him And the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sinnes they shall be forgiven him James 5.14 15. But as for me when they were sick my clothing was sackcloth I humbled my soul with fasting and my prayer returned into mine own bosome Psal 35.13 Peter was kept in prison but earnest prayer was made of the Church for him Acts 12.5 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee Psal 122.6 THE LETANY of Intercession THat it may please thee to bless thy Church militant here on earth to preserve the purity of doctrine the due administration of the Sacraments and the preaching of thy Word that the gates of hell may not prevaile against it I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to purge it from schism and heresie and to reconcile all unhappy differences that we may keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to fence it about with the wall of thy providence to infatuate the counsel to disperse the powers and projects of all those that wish evill unto Sion I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. That it may please thee to blesse that part of thy Church wherein thou hast planted me and to whose brests thou hast applied me with peace and plenty with a free exercise and reverent esteem of all thine ordinances I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. That it may please thee to bless our gracious King Charls our royall Queen Mary our hopefull Prince Charls and all others that are derived from that same sacred stock or ingraffed into it I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. That it may please thee to bless the government preaching of the Clergy make them painful in their Ministry and exemplary in their lives that they may save themselves and those that hear them I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to blesse the Councell with wisedome the Judges with integrity the Magistrates with courage the people with obedience our Armies with strength victory I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to blesse all schools and seminaries of learning religion especially the two Universities of this Land I beseech thee to he are me good Lord. That it may please thee to blesse all those that are near and dear unto me by the bond of nature or Christian acquaintance I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to blesse all those that have been instruments of my good and are yet living Such as have educated and instructed me Such as have counselled and advised me Such as have clothed and fed me such as have reproved and corrected me when I sinned I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. That it may please thee to remember the reformed Churches beyond the seas to repair the ruines desolations which her enemies have made in her to reduce such as are banished to inlarge such as are imprisoned to relieve such as are impoverished and to comfort such as are persecuted for the testimony of a good conscience and the truth of thy Gospel I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. That it may please thee to raise up such as are dejected with the guilt of their own consciences with the horror of their fins with the apprehension of thy wrath with the weaknesse of their graces or jealousies of thy mercy and to say to their souls that thou art their salvation I beseech thee to heare me good Lord. That it may please thee to prosper and assist all those that jeopard their lives for the maintenance of the Gospel go forth with their Armies cover their heads in the day of battel and bring them home with honour and victory I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. That it may please thee to bless all women with child with safe deliverance all young children with a godly and
Ezekiah call thy self to an account for all thy sins mourn for them in the bitternesse of thy soul confesse them to God and ask forgivenesse 2. Send for thy Minister To whom if need be make a speciall confession and take along with thee the benefit of his absolution Whos 's soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained John 20.23 If I forgave any thing to whom I forgave it I forgave it in the person of Christ 2 Cor. 2.10 Secondly let thy Minister pray over thee Is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him If he hath commited sins they shall be forgiven him Jam. 5.14 15. Thirdly let him give thee the Sacrament of the Lords Supper This is the best viaticum and provision for so long a journey I may say to thee as the Angel to Eliah Arise and eat for the journey is too great for thee And if with Eliah thou dost eat and drink thou maist travell in the strength of this meat to Horeb the mount of God 1 Kings 19.7 8. This is the bread that came down from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day Joh. 6.51 54. V. Euseb hist l. 5. c. 45.3 Set thine house in order 2 Kings 20.1 This will not make thee die more quickly but more quietly 4. Remember the poor When we have beene kindly entertained at a friends house it is good manners to give the servants something when we goe away Blessed is he that considereth the poore the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing and will make all his bed in his sicknesse Psal 41.1 3. 5. If thou beest a father or mother of children call them before thee and blesse them So did Jacob when he departed Gen. 49.1 6. Make restitution if thou beest able to such as thou hast wronged and defrauded Without restitution there is no remission Enquire with Samuel whose oxe thou hast taken or whose asse thou hast taken whom thou hast defrauded whom thou hast oppressed or of whose hand thou hast received a bribe and restore it Send for them who have offended thee and forgive them and for those whom thou hast offended and ask forgivenesse Lastly resign and give over thy self to God Behold here I am let the Lord do to me as seemeth good to him 1 Sam. 15.26 Not my wil but thine be done And if thus thou beest prepared at the day of death oh well is thee and happy shalt thou be Psal 128.2 Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall finde thus doing thus dying Mat. 24.46 A short prayer for a happy departure O Most glorious Lord the GOD of the spirits of all flesh in whose hands are the times of all men and the keys of the Grave I most meekly beseech thee of thy goodnesse to pardon and forgive me all my sins and to make me ever mindfull of my mortality Lay often before mine eyes by thy remembring spirit that the days of my pilgrimage are but few and evil that I have here no abiding and continuing City that all flesh and the goodlinesse thereof is but a flower that fadeth a shadow that vanisheth away that so numbring my days I may apply my heart to wisedome and with the wise Virgins provide Oil in my Lamp and make my calling and election sure before I go hence be no more seen And when it shall please thee to cast me upon the bed of sickness and to compasse me about with the sorrows of the grave I beseech thee for thy names sake for thy mercies sake for thy Son Jesus Christ his sake not to be far from me in that needfull time of trouble when I shall finde heavinesse in my flesh and there be none to deliver me But draw near unto my soul and be about my bed to pardon my sins to pacifie my conscience to strengthen my faith to mitigate my pains to receive my soul when it shall be commended unto thee Receive it O God the Father for thou hast created it Receive it O God the Son for thou hast redeemed it Receive it O God the Holy Ghost for thou hast sanctified it Receive it ô holy blessed and glorious Trinity that being translated out of this vale of misery it may raign with thee one everliving and immortall God in the Kingdome of Glory world without end Amen SECTION I. Of the day of Judgement CHristian Reader let my Meditations now passe as thou thy self must from the day of death to the day of Judgment For it is appointed for all men once to die and after that to come to judgment Heb. 9.27 CAP. I. There shall bee a day of Judgment IT is an Article of our faith that CHRIST who nâ—w sits at the right hand of his Father shall come from thence to judg the quick and the dead Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied of it saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints To execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against hâ—m Iude 14 15. God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evill Eccles 12.14 I saw the dead small and great stand before God The Sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to his works Rev. 20.13 It is very observable that all other Articles of the Creed have been opposed by Heretiques either in whole or in part but no Heretique denied a day of judgment Vide Danaeum in his Cat. of heresies against the Creed In this world Solomon says no man can know love or hatred by all that is before them For all things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath Eccles 9.1 2. Now shall not the Judge of all the world do right Gen. 18.25 There must be a day wherein the wicked shall be punished and the vertuous rewarded A day wherein God will put a difference betwixt an Israelite and an Aegyptian betwixt a Sheep and a Goat betwixt wheat and tares There shall be a day when I will make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God
and him that serveth him not Mal. 3.17 18. I confesse the wicked are sometimes punished in this world to assure us there is a God yet it is but sometimes to assure us there is a day of judgment Verily there is a reward for the righteous verily there is a God that judgeth the earth Psal 58.11 CAP. II. An Objection answered IT is certain that the soul so soon as it is separated from the body is presented to God and receives an irrevocable doome either of woe or weal. The rich man died and presently was in hell in torments the begger died and was immediately carried by Angels into Abrahams bosome Luke 16.22 23. So that it may be demanded What need is there of a general day of judgment seeing every man is judged at the day of his death Answ 1. Every man consists of a Soul and a Body The Soul is judged at the day of death the Body also at the day of judgment For as these two doe either sin together or serve God together so they shall either burn together or reign together Every man must receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 Yet because the Soul may and often doth sin or serve God without the Body it may in the state of separation be either punished or rewarded though the Body rest in the grave Answ 2. There must be a general Judgment for the manifestation of Gods Justice God disposes of every man at the day of his death that according to the rule of Justice yet that which he did in secret he will doe in the view of the whole world that so the generall Assembly of men and Angels may give this testimony and applause of his just proceedings Righteous art thou O Lord and righteous are thy judgments Psal 119.137 Answ 3. There must be a judgment besides that at the day of death because men after they be dead may be Instruments and occasions either of vice or vertue of sin or the service of God The Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Fathers of the Church are dead and gone yet still they doe good in the Church of God by their godly examples and holy writings Jeroboam Machiavel Marcion all Heriticks and prophane persons die yet they poison the air with ill example wicked books divelish principles and after their death infect posterity for many generations Their word eats as doth a canker or gangrene 2 Tim. 2.17 Hence it is that as there is a particular Judgment to reward the good or punish the evil they have done themselves in their life time so there shall be a generall Judgment to reward or punish them for that which after their death they have occasioned to be done by others V.S. Basil in l. de vera virginit CAP. III. The Names given to this Day THis day is called in the Scripture The day of the Lord. Alas for the day for the day of the Lord is at hand Joel 1.15 Your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night 1 Thes 5.2 Looking for and hastning unto the coming of the day of GOD 2 Pet. 3.12 This life is called Our Day O Jerusalem if thou hadst known at least in this Thy day the things that belong to thy peace Luke 19.42 For we think our own thoughts speak our own words and doe our own pleasure But that shall be the Lords day for the lofty looks of man shall be humbled the haughtiness of men shal be bowed down and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day Isa 2.11 Secondly it is called a Day of Revelation or Opening Rom. 2.5 Never was there such an opening as will be at that day The heavens shall be opened and those everlasting doors shall be lift up that the King of glory may go forth with his Angels to judge the world and return back again with his Saints when he hath judged it The Earth shall be opened for the stone shall be rolled from the mouth of every Sepulchre and the graves shall give up their dead The Books shall be opened I saw the dead small and great stand before the Lord and the books were opened and another book was opened which was the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Rev. 20.12 The secrets of all hearts shall be opened There is nothing hid that shall not be manifested neither any thing kept secret that shall not come abroad Mar. 4.22 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospell Rom. 2.16 Hell shall be opened to receive those wretches to whom it shall be said Goe ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the divel and his angels Thirdly it is called a Day of refreshing Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 What a refreshing wil it be when our rotten and worm-eaten carkasses shall rise up in honor and in incorruption as flowers after a long winter What a refreshing wil it be when these two ancient friends the soul and the body after so long a separation shall imbrace and kisse each other What a refreshing will it be to see the Divel our worst enemy and Death our last enemy cast into the lake of fire What a refreshing wil it be to see Jesus Christ the Savior of the world and the head of his Church come in his glory attended with an innumerable company of Angels What a refreshing wil it be to hear those sweet sentences of absolution Well done good and faithfull servant enter thou into thy Masters joy Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you Fourthly in respect of the wicked it is called a day of wrath After thy hardnesse and impenitent heart thou treasurest up for thy self wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 As also a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and of thick darknesse Joel 2.2 The Sun is pleasing to a good eye but offensive to an eye that is ill affected The day of judgment is a bath of refreshing to the godly but a burning Oven to the wicked Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an Oven and all the proud yea and all that doe wickedly shall be stubble Mal. 4.1 Fiftly it is called a great day The Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains of darknesse unto the judgment of the Great day Jude 6. The Sun shall be turned into darknesse and the Moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come Acts 2.20 It is a great day indeed sith so many great and notable things shall be done in it For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel 1 Thes 4.16 And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together the Elect from the four winds from one end of heaven unto the other Mat. 24.31 And then the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 How great a day must that needs be wherein the accompts and reckonings of all Days must be audited and cast up Lastly it is commonly and usually called the Day of Judgment for it is the generall Assise wherein every man must be arraigned and hold up his hand at the barre Both old men and maidens young men and children Kings of the earth and all people Princes and all Judges of the earth SECTION II. THus having seen that there shall be not only a particular but a generall judgement also let us in the next place inquire who what manner of Judg he is who shall pronounce the sentence of life or death upon us CAP. I. Christ is the Judge IT is true that the whole Trinity shall judge us for so great an action cannot passe without the consent and authority of the three Persons Yet it is ascribed to Christ in respect of immediate execution He shall appear visibly in his humane nature give the sentence The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son John 5.22 He hath appointed a day wherein he will judg the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained Acts 7.31 We shall all stand before the Judgment seat of Christ Rom. 14.10 So that where Christ sayes he came not to judg the world Joh. 12.47 understand it of his first not of his second coming Fit it is that Christ should judg the world who was judged by it that so once in this world he may shew his power and Majesty in the sight of all his creatures especially of Pontius Pilate Annas Caiaphas and the Jews who condemned and crucified him They shall look upon me whom they have pierced Zach. 12.10 Fit it is that Men should be judged by one that is a Man The comfort that we have against the terrors of this day is that we shall be judged by the Man Christ Jesus One man is a God unto another Fear not I am your brother Ioseph CAP. II. Christ a severe Judge CHrist in his first coming was a Lambe but in his second he shall be a Lion His fan is in his hand and he will throng hly purge his floor and gather his wheat into his garner but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire Mat. 3.12 Hence it is that the very best of the Saints tremble at the apprehension of this day David was a man after Gods own heart yet My flesh trembleth for fear of thee I am afraid of thy judgments Psal 119.120 Enter not into judgment with thy servant ô Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Psal 143.2 Job was a man eminent for all graces yet he stood amazed at the consideration of this Iudge Whom though I were righteous I would not answer but I would make supplication to my Iudg Iob 9.15 What shall I do when God riseth up when he visiteth what shall I answer him Iob 31.14 Paul was a chosen vessell one that knew nothing by himself yet says he I am not thereby justified for it is the Lord that judges me And the Lord judges not as a man judges 1 Cor. 4.4 S. Ierome confesseth that his whole body trembled so oft as hee thought upon this day The righteous shall scarcely be saved 1 Pet. 4.18 Many there are who passe currant in the judgment of the world who when they shal be weighed in Christs ballances will be found too light Good reason then hath every man to pray as the Church teaches him In the day of Judgement good Lord deliver me CAP. III. Christ an upright Judge HEE shall judge the world in righteousnesse he shall minister judgment to the people in uprighteness Psal 9.8 The Lord cometh to judge the earth with righteousnesse shall he judg the world and the people with equity Psal 98.9 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day 2 Tim. 4.8 The Iudges of the earth may absolve the guilty and condemn the innocent being corrupted By fear Pilate for the fear of Caesar condemned Christ whom the testimony of his own conscience pronounced innocent But this judge cannot be thus corrupted for Whom shall he fear that is omnipotent or of whom shall he be afraid that shal come with great power and glory Mar. 14.26 Or they may be corrupted with their own affection of love or hatred Herod adjudges John Baptist to death for the love of Herodias daughter Josephs brethren cast him into the pit because they hated him Ge. 37.4 But this Judg cannot be thus corrupted for He is no accepter of persons Acts 10.34 He shall not judg after the sight of his eyes but with righteousnesse shall he judge his people Isa 11.3 4. He will render to every man according to his deeds whether Iew or Gentile Rom. 2.6.9 Or they may be corrupted with bribes Jethro well advised Moses to chuse such men for Judges as hated covetousnesse Exod. 18.21 Thou shalt not wrest judgment thou shalt not respect persons neither take a gift for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the righteous Deut. 16.19 Christ our Iudge cannot be so corrupted If he would take a bribe thou shalt have none to give him at that day But if thou couldest give him the Kingdoms of the world the glory of them he would refuse for he is the Lord of lords a great God a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh reward Deut. 10.17 A good conscience wil doe us more good then then a full purse Riches profit not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse delivereth from death Prov. 11.4 CAP. IV. Christ an All knowing Judge AS his uprightnesse is such that he cannot be corrupted so his knowledge is such that he cannot be deceived He shall not reprove after the hearing of his ears Isa 11.3 He shall not judge us according to the report and testimony of others which is uncertain but according to his own intuitive knowledg which is infallible Come and see a man which told me all the things that ever I did Is not this the Christ John 4.29 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb 4.13 The word in the Originall imports such an openness as when the skin is pulled off the back chined down so that the very entrails