THE Daily Practice OF DEVOTION OR The Hours of Prayer FITTED To the main Uses of a CHRISTIAN LIFE Also Lamentations and Prayers for the Peaceful re-settlement of this Church and State By the late Pious and Reverend H. H. D. D. Cum clamore valido lachrymis preces offerens exauditus est pro sua reverentia LONDON Printed for R. Royston Bookseller to His most Sacred Majesty MDCLXXXIV The Introduction ALL things tend naturally toward some certain End and desire some Good the attainment of which is the Perfection of their Nature and the enjoyment of it their Supreme Happiness The highest Perfection and Happiness of Mankind consists in their nearest approach unto God the supreme End and only Good The only means of thus approaching and applying our selves to God is a sincere Love of him the Natural effect and expression of which is our keeping his Commandments 1 John 3. 5. Now the whole Service of God which is that we call Religion being in the Holy Scriptures largely and plainly declared to the meanest understandings may seem to be all comprehended under these three Heads Faith Works and Prayer I. By Faith we nnderstand the hearty Belief of whatsoever is revealed by God II. By Works the diligent Observing of whatsoever is commanded by God III. By Prayer the humble Petitioning for all requisites to that end Of the First we have a short Summary in the Apostles Creed Of the Second in the Two Tables of the Law Of the Third we have an excellent Pattern in the Lords Prayer Of which though the last be the only Subject of our present Discourse yet the First and the Second were to be mentioned being the natural Introductions to it The Apostles Creed I Believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life everlasting Amen The two Tables of the Law I. THou shalt have none other Gods but Me. II. Thou shalt not Worship any kind of Image III. Thou shalt not take the Name of God in vain IV. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day V. Honour thy Father and thy Mother VI. Thou shalt do no Murder VII Thou shalt not commit Adultery VIII Thou shalt not Steal IX Thou shalt not bear False Witness X. Thou shalt not Covet any thing that is thy neighbours The Lords Prayer OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom 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 Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen The Contents OF the daily practice of Devotion Pag. 1 Of set Forms of Prayer 2 Of the Lords Prayer 3 The Lords Prayer 4 The Paraphrase 5 Of the parts of Prayer 7 Of the Difficulty of Prayer 9 Preparatives to Prayer 10 Preparatory Prayers 14 A General Form of Prayer 15 The Seven Hours of Prayer for every day 31 The First Hour 35 The Second Hour 43 Of Publick Prayer the third hour 59 The Third Hour 63 The Fourth Hour 69 The Fifth Hour 79 The Sixth Hour 85 The Seventh Hour 93 Of Solemn Repentance 109 A General form of Confession 115 Of the Lords Supper 129 Of Frequent Receiving 133 Of Preparation 137 Prayers before the Sacrament 141 Before the Bread 146 After the Bread 147 Before the Cup. 148 After the Cup. ibid. An Hymn 149 After the Sacrament 151 An Admonition after Receiving 153 Of Death 157 A Prayer Preparatory to Death 160 Lamentations and Devotions for Times of Captivity 163 Psalms 172 Prayers 183 A Prayer for the Church 190 A Prayer for the King and State 195 A Prayer for all Christian Princes and the Ecclesiastical State 202 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alexander Stromat lib. 7. p. 728. OF THE DAILY PRACTICE OF DEVOTION Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do Justly and to love Mercy and to walk Humbly with thy God Of Prayer AS Religion is the Life of the Soul so Prayer is the Soul of Religion and the Breath by which it lives and moves without which it is stifled up and dies It is a piece of Service as most acceptable to God so most useful to us for as in it we make our daily acknowledgment and do homage as it were to the Great King so in it we have continual access into his high Court to offer up our Petitions to Him to make known our Wants and implore his gracious Relief Of set Forms of Prayer AND although the perpetual changeableness of all things in this transitory Life do every day alter our occasions and create to us new necessities yet our great and common wants and interests remaining still the same in all reason we may still use the same words to express them to God Our extraordinary Necessities may be added and inserted in their proper places in our ordinary Prayers as our daily occasions shall require Otherwise being comprehended under the general heads expressed in our usual Form it will not always be necessary to mention them particularly to Him that knows what things we have need of before we ask and neither hears us the sooner nor understands us the better for our many words Of the Lords Prayer AND indeed any sober Christian may abundantly satisfie himself both of the Lawfulness of Set Forms and the Usefulness of Short ones from the Direction and Example of our Lord who Himself prescribed to His Disciples a Brief Form of Prayer still remaining upon record in the Holy History and daily used in the Catholick Church Which excellent Pattern doubtless we may do well to imitate in our Devotions as that which in a fit method and few words comprehends and summs up all necessaries as may appear by this Short Paraphrase The LORD's PRAYER OUR Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom 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 Kingdom the Power and Glory for ever and ever Amen The Paraphrase O Mercifnl Lord God who hast vouchsafed to adopt and receive us Thy
thee are both alike For my reins are thine thou hast covered me in my mothers womb I will give thanks unto thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my soul knoweth right well My bones are not hid from thee though I be made secretly and fashioned beneath in the Earth Thine eye did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy Book were all my members written Which day by day were fashioned when as yet there was none of them How dear are thy counsels unto me O God! O how great is the summ of them If I tell them they are more in number than the sand When I wake up I am present with thee Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen O Lord God who by the power of thy Word didst produce a glorious Light out of Darkness Let thy Sun of Righteousness with healing in his wings arise upon us and enlighten the darkness of our hearts and rescue us from the shadow of death that we may walk in the light of thy Grace here and rejoyce in the light of thy Glory in thy Heavenly Kingdom hereafter through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen And the very God of Peace sanctifie us wholly that our whole Spirit and Soul and body may be preseved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen THE SECOND HOUR OF PRAYER AT THE Sun-rising or First Hour of the day About VI. in the Morning Eccles 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thy heart and in the sight of thine Eyes But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into Judgment Chap. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them MORNING I Laid me down and slept and rose up again and the Lord sustained me Psal 3. 5. I. As soon as you open your eyes lift them up unto the Hills from whence cometh your help and begin the work of the day with thanksgiving to God who hath delivered you from the dangers of the forepassed night refreshed your weary body with quiet sleep and brought you safely to the beginning of another day II. Consider That perhaps many others no worse than you have this night been hurried from their beds to the bar of Judgment and there received a sad sentence of eternal woe yet God of his infinite and undeserved goodness hath spared you until now to repent and prepare your accounts III. Return him all possible thanks and praise for this inestimable mercy and commend your self to his Grace and protection for the following day and the rest of your life humbly beseeching him to continue his mercy and goodness to you in preserving you from all evils and supplying you with all neccssaries spiritual and temporal and implore his Grace to guide and direct you in all your undertakings and actions as may most conduce to the glory of his great Name and the good of your own soul IV. Consider what sin or sins you have more especially been guilty of yesterday or since the last time of your solemn repentance and resolve by the grace of God assisting you to avoid those sins and all occasions of them V. Consider what you have to do this day Resolve not to spend it in idleness or evil imployments and be careful to undertake nothing in which you cannot with confidence and a good conscience desire the gracious assistance of God without which all endeavour and industry all toil and travel is vain and fruitless Whatsoever thou takest in hand remember the end and thou shalt never do amiss Ecclus. 7. 36. VI. Keep diligent watch over your self in all your ways and where you find you have gone awry delay not to return presently for the longer you go forward the farther you have back again and the less time left for that and the rest of your Journey VII Be careful of your precious Time that you do not lose it in doing nothing or cast it away on that which is worse for you know not how soon you may be called to account for every idle and ill-spent minute Resolve to spend this day as that which for ought you know may be your last and remember that as the Night so Death draws on every hour and may perhaps overtake you before Mid-day Morning Prayer O Let me hear thy Loving kindness betimes in the morning for in thee is my trust Shew thou me the way that I should walk in for I lift up my Soul unto thee Psal 143. 8. O hearken unto the voice of my calling my King and my God for utto the will I make my Prayer My voice shalt thou hear betimes O Lord early in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up But make me to remember that thou art God and hast no pleasure in wickedness neither shall any evil dwell with thee Psal 5. 2 3 4. OUR Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom 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 Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Lord open thou my lips And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Psal 19. THE Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work One day telleth another and one night certifieth another There is neither speech nor language but their voices are heard among them Their sound is gone out into all Lands and their words into the ends of the world In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun which cometh forth as a Bridegroom out of his chamber and rejoiceth as a Giant to run his course It goeth forth from the uttermost part of the Heaven and runneth about unto the end of it again and there is nothing hid from the Heat thereof The Law of the Lord is an undefiled Law converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure and giveth wisdom unto the simple The Statutes of the Lord are right and rejoyce the Heart the Commandment of the Lord is pure and giveth light unto the eyes The Fear of the Lord is clean and indureth for ever the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether More to be desired are they than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter also than Honey
and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Lord open thou my lips And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Psal 25. UNto thee O Lord will I lift up my Soul My God I have put my trust in thee O let me not be confounded neither let mine enemies triumph over me For all they that hope in thee shall not be ashamed but such as trangress without a cause shall be put to confusion Shew me thy ways O Lord and teach me thy paths Lead me forth in thy Truth and learn me for thou art the God of my Salvation In thee hath been my hope all the day long Call to remembrance O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindness which hath been ever of old O remember not the sins and offences of my Youth but according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness Gracious and righteous is the Lord therefore will we teach sinners in the way Them that be meek shall he guide in judgment and such as be gentle them shall he learn his way All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies For thy Names sake O Lord be merciful unto my sin for it is great What man is he that feareth the Lord Him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse His Soul shall dwell at ease and his Seed shall inherit the Land The Secret of the Lord is among them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Mine eyes are ever looking unto the Lord for he shall pluck my feet out of the Net Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and in misery The sorrows of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my troubles Look upon my adversity and misery and forgive me all my sin Consider mine Enemies how many they are and they bear a tyrannous hate against me O keep my Soul and deliver me let me not be confounded for I have put my trust in thee Let perfectness and righteous dealing wait upon me for my hope hath been in thee Deliver Israel O God out of all his troubles Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen ALmighty Lord God who hast created all things for thine own Glory and Service give us grace to direct all our thoughts words and works to that one end that so having served thee faithfully here we may glorifie thee eternally in thy Kingdom hereafter through Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen NOW unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the Power that worketh in us unto him be Glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Amen THE FOURTH HOUR OF PRAYER AT THE Sixth Hour or Mid-day About XII at Noon Psal 34. 12. What man is he that lusteth to live and would fain see good days Keep thy Tongue from Evil and thy Lips that they speak no Guile Eschew Evil and do Good Seek Peace and ensue it Psal 102. 24. O my God take me not away in the midst of mâ—e Age. As for thy years they indure throughout all Generations HEar me when I call O God of my righteousness have mercy upon me and hearken unto my Prayer Psal 4. 1. OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom 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 Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Lord open thou my lips And my mouth shall shew forth thy Praise Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Psal 27. THE Lord is my light and my salvation of whom then shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afraid When the wicked even mine enemies and my foes came upon me to eat my flesh they stumbled and fell Though an host of men were laid against me yet shall not my heart be afraid and though there rose up war against me yet will I put my trust in him One thing I have desired of the Lord which I will require 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 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his Tabernable yea in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me and set me up upon a rock of stone And now shall he lift up mine head above mine enemies round about me Therefore will I offer in his dwelling an oblation with great gladness I will sing and speak praises unto the Lord. Hearken unto my voice O Lord when I cry unto Thee have mercy upon me and hear me My heart hath talked of thee Seek ye my face thy face Lord will I seek O hide not Thou thy face from me nor cast thy servant away in displeasure Thou hast been my succour leave me not neither forsake me O God of my salvation When my father and mother forsake me the Lord taketh me up Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in the right way because of mine enemies Deliver me not over into the will of mine adversaries for there are false witnesses risen up against me and such as speak wrong I should utterly have fainted but that I believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living O tarry thou the Lords leisure be strong and he shall comfort thine heart and put thou thy trust in the Lord. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen The Song of SS Ambrose and Augustine WE praise Thee O Lord we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord. All the Earth doth worship Thee the Father everlasting To thee all Angels cry aloud the Heavens and all the Powers therein To Thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabbaoth Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory The glorious company of the Apostles praise Thee The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise Thee The noble Army of Martyrs praise Thee The Holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge Thee The Father of an infinite Majesty Thine honourable true and only Son Also the Holy Ghost the
Comforter Thou art the King of Glory O Christ Thou art the Everlasting Son of the Father When thou tookest upon Thee to deliver man Thou dist not abhor the Virgins womb When Thou hadst overcome the sharpness of Death Thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the Glory of the Father We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge We therefore pray Thee help thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed deemed with thy precious blood Make them to be numbred with thy Saints in Glory everlasting O Lord save thy people and bless thine heritage Govern them and lift them up for ever Day by day we magnifie Thee And worship thy Name ever world without end Vouchsafe O Lord to keep us this day without sin O Lord have mercy upon us have mercy upon us O Lord let thy mercy lighten upon us as our Trust is in thee O Lord in the have I trusted let me never be confounded WE humbly beseech Thee O Father mercifully to look upon our infirmities and for the glory of thy Names sake turn from us all those evils that we most justly have deserved and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy and evermore serve Thee in holiness and pureness of living to thy Honour and Glory through our only Mediator and advocate Jesus Christ our Lord Amen NOW the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant make us perfect in every good work to do his will working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen THE FIFTH HOUR OF PRAYER AT THE Ninth Hour of the Day About III. After-Noon Preparative to the Publick 1 Thess 5. 2 3. 4. The day of the Lord so cometh as a Thief in the night For when they shall say Peace and Safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as Travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape But ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief ENter not into judgment with thy servant O Lord for in thy fight shall no man living be justified Psal 143. 2. OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom 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 Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Lord open thou my lips And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Psal 39. I Said I will take heed to my ways that I offend not in my tongue I will keep my mouth as it were with a bridle while the ungodly is in my sight I held my tongue and spake nothing I kept silence yea even from good words but it was pain and grief to me My heart was hot within me and while I was thus musing the fire kindled and at last I spake with my tougue Lord let me know mine end and the number of my days that I may be certified how long I have to live Behold Thou hast made my days as it were a span long and mine age is even as nothing in respect of Thee and verily every man living is altogether vanity For man walketh in a vain shadow and disquieteth himself in vain he heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them And now Lord what is my hope truly my hope is even in Thee Deliver me from all mine offences and make me not a rebuke unto the foolish I became dumb and opened not my mouth for it was thy doing Take thy plague away from me I am even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin Thou makest his beauty to consume away like as it were a Moth fretting a garment every man therefore is but vanity Hear my prayer O God and with thine ears consider my calling hold not thy peace at my tears For I am a stranger with Thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were O spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the begininng is now and ever shall be world without end Amen O God from whom all holy desires all good counsels and all just works do proceed work in us thy unprofitable servants both to will and to do that the Glory of both may return to Thee the giver of every good and perfect gift through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen NOW unto Him that is able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before the presence of his Glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and for ever Amen THE SIXTH HOUR OF PRAYER AT THE Twelfth or Last Hour of the Day About VI. in the Evening Deut. 32. 29. O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Job 14. 1 2. Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble he cometh forth like a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not PRaise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Which forgiveth all thy sin and healeth all thy infirmities Which saveth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom 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 Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Lord open thou my lips And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Psal 90. LOrd Thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another Before the mountains were brought forth or ever the earth and the world were made Thou art God from everlasting and world without end Thou turnest man to destruction again thou sayest come again ye children of men For a thousand years in thy sight are
OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom 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 Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Lord open thou my lips And my mouth shall shew forth thy Praise Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Psal 91. WHoso dwelleth under the defence of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty I will say unto the Lord Thou art my hope and my strong hold my God in him will I trust For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter and from the noisom pestilence He shall defend thee under his wings and thou shalt be safe under his feathers His Faithfulness and Truth shall be thy shield and buckler Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night nor for the arrow that flieth by day For the pestilence that walketh in darkness nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day A thousand shall fall beside thee and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee Yea with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the ungodly For thou Lord art my hope thou hast set thine house of defence very high There shall no evil happen unto thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling For he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways They shall hear thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone Thou shalt go upon the Lion and Adder the young Lion and the Dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet Because he hath set his love upon me therefore shall I deliver him I shall set him up because he hath known my Name He shall call upon me and I will hear him yea I am with him in trouble I will deliver him and bring him to Honour With long life will I satisfie him and shew him my Salvation Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Psal 121. I Will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help My help cometh from the Lord which hath made Heaven and Earth He will not suffer thy foot to be moved and he that keepeth thee will not sleep Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep The Lord himself is thy Keeper the Lord is thy defence upon the right hand So that the Sun shall not burn thee by day neither the Moon by night The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil yea it is even he that shall keep thy Soul The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth for evermore Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen The Song of Simeon LOrd now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy Word Luke 2. 29. For mine eyes have seen thy Salvation Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people To be a Light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the Glory of thy people Israel Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen BLessed be thy holy Name O Lord my God who hast shewed me the light of thy countenance and caused me to see thy goodness in the land of the living who hast preserved me in all my ways and delivered me from all the dangers and evils of this day and brought me safe thus far of my life to the beginning of this night O Lord I beseech thee forsake me not in the vanishing of my days but still contiuue the protection of thy gracious hand upon me be thou my light and defence my guide and guard through the valley of misery and tears and the shadow of death to that Holy Hill where thine Honour and our Rest dwelleth Give me grace to remember the many days of darkness and prevent the long night of Death by a timely preparation for it that being always ready and provided whensoever thou shalt call me to judgment I may give an acceptable account how I have spent my time here Lord as we add days to our days so we add sins to our sins Father I have sinned against Heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son Luke 15. 21. But I will confess my wickedness and be sorry for my sins Psal 30. 18. Here make a particular Confession of the sins you have committed this day or since your last solemn account THus have I wandred from the right way of thy Commandments walking after the foolish Imaginations of mine own corrupt heart and wearying my self in the by-ways of vanity and wickedness all the day long But now O Lord I desire to turn from my evil ways and evening after evening I return to thee with all my heart and seek thy face O hide not thou thy face from me nor cast thy servant away in displeasure Out of the deep my soul crieth unto thee O hear my voice and have mercy upon me Have mercy upon me O Lord after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin Forgive and put away all mine offences and abominations for the merits and satisfaction of thy dear Son in him be reconciled unto me and restore me again to thy grace and favour to the peace and comfort and communion of thy holy Spirit that mine eyes may see thy Salvation and thy Servant may depart in peace Luke 2. 29 30. And now O Lord I go to my bed as to my grave and know not but that I may awake in another world Live or die I commend my self to thy mercy and goodness beseeching thee to receive me under the wings of thy protection where I may rest safe and secure from all evils And with my self I commend unto thee all whom any relation or occasion hath made near or dear unto me Thou Keeper of Israei who dost neither slumber nor sleep receive us all into thy keeping and preserve our Souls in perpetual peace and safety And the peace of God which passeth all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord And the blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be with us this night
3. The incomparable love of Christ in that he vouchsafed to be born meanly to live in poverty and contempt to die in shame and torment and endure those pains which were due to us for our sins that he might redeem and rescue us from both These and such like are to be remembred and considered with joy and thanks and praise Prayers before the Sacrament NOW for particular Forms of Prayers Meditations and other Exercises of Devotion before and at and after the holy Sacrament the many books designed peculiarly to that purpose will abundantly furnish you with such and these short ones following will not hinder the use of them Before the Sacrament DEpart from me for I am a sinful Man O Lord Luke 5. 8. I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof For the House of my Soul which thou hadst made a fit Temple for thy Holy Spirit to inhabit in I have defaced and defiled with all manner of pollutions and abominations It is become a den of ravenous beasts and a cage of unclean Birds and every corner so crowded with filthiness that Thou wilt not find where to lay thy head Luke 9. 58. But Thou O Lord which despisest not a penitent Sinner but hast promised to dwell with the humble and contrite spirit I beseech Thee cast me not away from thy presence but cast out all profaneness and uncleanness out of my heart and remove every thing that may offend the pure eyes of thy Glory and the holiness of thy Presence and then O Lord vouchsafe to come and enter in and dwell there and abide with me for ever Behold O Lord I am before Thee in my sins clothed with filthy garments and Satan standing at my right hand accusing me and bringing my transgressions into remembrance before Thee with loud clamours for justice against me O Lord I acknowledge and confess my self guilty and that I have deserved the utmost of thy wrath and indignation But O Lord I appeal from thy seat of Judgment to thy Throne of Grace and Mercy humbly beseeching Thee to rebuke and repel the malicious Accuser of thy servants and hearken to the intercession of our Advocate in thine own bosom For his sake have mercy upon me and pardon my offences and blot out the Hand-writing that is against me and put away all mine iniquities and drown them in the depth of the Sea Wash me throughly from all my pollutions in that fountain which Thou hast opened for Judah and Jerusalem to purifie in and then cloath me in that white robe of thy Sons righteousness the Wedding-garment requisite at this Feast and admit me to thy Table which Thou hast prepared for thy children And grant O Lord that when I have tasted of these thy Heavenly dainties I may no more return like the Dog to his vomit nor as the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire but I may keep my self unspotted from the world and walk before Thee in all purity and holiness And now O Lord Thou invitest and exhortest me to come to thy holy Table O my God I know mine own unworthiness yet in the multitude of thy mercies I will humbly approach to thine Alter beseeching Thee to behold me not with a severe but a gracious eye Thou knowest the earnest desire of my Soul be thou pleased to pass by the weakness of the flesh and accept the willingness of the spirit and grant that I may now receive this holy Sacrament to the Honour and Glory of thy Name and the Good and comfort and Salvation of my own Soul The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God the Lord God of his Fathers though he be not according to the Purification of the Sanctuary Before the Bread O Blessed Lord God who hast given us thine only Son to lay down his life for our Sins and his flesh for the food and nourishment of our Souls purge and purifie my vile and sinful Soul that it may be a fit habitation for his pure unspotted and precious Body and that no unclean thing may presume to enter where his holy feet have trod from henceforth for ever After the Bread BLessed be thy holy Name O Lord my God who hast vouchsafed to feed me with that Bread from Heaven the Flesh of thy dear Son grant that in the strength of this food I may walk before thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life till I come to the Mount of God the holy Hill where thine Honour and our Rest dwelleth Before the Cup. O Blessed Lord God who hast given the Bloud of thine only Son to be shed for our sins and to refresh and restore our weary gasping Souls cleanse and sanctifie me O Lord that I may receive this cup with a pure heart and not with polluted lips to the eternal comfort and refreshment of my Soul After the Cup. BLessed be thy holy Name O Lord my God who hast vouchsafed me to drink of this Fountain of Living Water the precious bloud of thy dear Son grant that this holy Cup may be an Antidote and Preservative against all sin and evil and may keep my Soul in health and strength to the end of my days An Hymn O Lord who didst not despise nor forsake Man transgressing thy commandment and falling But as a tender-bowell'd Father didst visit him sundry ways Giving him that great and precious Promise concerning the Blessed quickning Seed Opening unto him a door of Faith and Repentance unto life And in the fulness of time sending the same Christ to take the Seed of Abraham And by the oblation of his life to fulfill the obedience of the Law And by the sacrifice of his Death to take away the curse thereof By his death to redeem the World And by his Resurrection to quicken the same Who didst all things to this end to bring back Mankind to thee that he might be partaker of the Divine Nature and Eternal Glory Who diddest attest the Truth of thy Gospel By many and manifold Miracles By the ever-memorable Conversation of thy Saints By their supernatural patience under torments By the most wonderful Conversion of the whole World unto the Obedience of Faith without Strength Rhetorick or Force Blessed praised and hallowed be thy Name the Mention and Memory and all the Monuments thereof both now and for ever Amen After the Sacrament LOrd what is Man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of man that thou visitest him Psal 144. 3. What is thy Servant that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I 2 Sam. 9. 8. The Dogs eat of the crums that fall from their Masters Table but thou hast fed me with the Bread of thy Children and given me to drink of thine own Cup. Thou hast fed me in a green pasture and leadest me forth beside the waters of comfort Psal 23. 2. O taste and see how gracious the
holy mountain because for our sins and for the iniquities of our Fathers thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us Now therefore O our God hear the prayer of thy servant and his supplications and cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate for the Lords sake O my God incline thine ear and hear open thine eyes and behold our desolations and the People which is called by thy Name for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousness but for thy great mercies O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do defer not for thine own sake O my God for thy people are called by thy Name III O Lord God destroy not thy People and thine Inheritance which thou hast redeemed through thy Greatness which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand Look not unto the Stubbornness of this People nor to their Wickedness nor to their Sin lest the Land whence thou broughtest us out to say Because the Lord was not able to bring them into the Land which he promised them and because he hated them he hath brought them out to flay them in the Wilderness Yet they are thy People and thine Inheritance which thou broughtest out by thy mighty Power and by thy stretched-out Arm. O my Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from us nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt Abba Father all things are possible unto thee take away this Cup from us nevertheless not ours but thy will be done Amen TWO PRAYERS For the Peaceful re-settlement of this Church and State IV. A Prayer for the Church O Blessed Lord who in thine infinite mercy didst vouchsafe to plant a glorious Church among us and now in thy just judgment hast permitted our sins and follies to root it up be pleased at last to resume thoughts of Peace towards us that we may do the like to one another Lord look down from Heaven the Habitation of thy Holiness and behold the ruines of a desolate Church and compassionate to see her in the dust Behold her O Lord not only broken but crumbled devided into so many Sects and Factions that she no longer represents the Ark of the God of Israel where the Covenant and the Manna were conserved but the Ark of Noah filled withall various sorts of unclean Beasts and to complete our misery and guilt the spirit of division hath insinuated it self as well into our affections as our judgments that badge of Discipleship which thou recommendest to us is cast off and all the contrary wrath and bitterness anger and clamour called in to maintain and widen our breaches O Lord how long shall we thus violate and defame that Gospel of Peace that we profess how long shall we thus madly defeat our selves lose that Christianity which we pretend to strive for O thou which makest men to be of one mind in an house be pleased so to unite us that we may be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment And now that in Civil affairs there seems some aptness to a Composure O let not our Spiritual differences be more unreconcileable Lord let not the ronghest winds blow out of the Sanctuary let not those which should be thy Embassadours for Peace still sound a Trumpet for War but do thou reveal thy self to all our Eliah's in that still small voice which may teach them to Echo thee in the like meek treating with others Lord let no unseasonable stiffness of those that are in the right no perverse obstinacy of those that are in the wrong hinder the closing of our wounds but let the one instruct in meekness and thou be pleased to give the other repentance to the acknowledgment of the Truth To this end do thou O Lord mollifie all exasperated minds take off all animosities and pre udices contempt and heart-burnings and by uniting their hearts prepare for the reconciling their opinions and that nothing may intercept the clear sight of thy truth Lord let all private and secular designs be totally deposited that gain may no longer be the measure of our Godliness but that the one great and common concernment of truth and peace may be unanimously and vigorously pursued Lord the hearts of all men are in thy hands O be thou pleased to let thy Spirit of peace over-shadow the minds of all contending parties and if it be thy will restore this Church to her pristine state renew her days as of old let her escape out of Egypt be so entire that not an hoof may be left behind But if thy Wisdom see it not yet a season for so full a deliverance Lord defer not we beseech thee such a degree of it as may at least secure her a being if she cannot recover her beauty yet O Lord grant her health such a soundness of constitution as may preserve her from dissolution Let thy providence find out some good Samaritans to cure her present wounds and to whomsoever thou shalt commit that important work Lord give them skilful hands and compassionate hearts direct them to such applications as may most speedily and yet most soundly heal the hurt of the daughter of Sion and make them so advert to the interests both of truth and peace that no lawful condescention may be omitted nor any unlawful made And do thou who art both the wonderful Counsellor and Prince of peace so guide and prosper all pacifick endeavours that all our distractions may be composed and our Jerusalem may again become a City at unity in it self that those happy primitive days may at length revert wherein Vice was the only Heresie that all our intestine contentions may be converted into a vigorous opposition of our common enemy our unbrotherly feuds into a Christian Zeal against all that exalts it self against the obedience of Christ Lord hear us and ordain peace for us even for his sake whom thou hast ordained our peace-maker Jesus Christ our Lord. V. A Prayer for the King and State O Most gracious Lord who dost not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men who smitest not till the importunity of our sins enforce thee then correctest in measure we thy unworthy creatures humbly acknowledge that we have abundantly tasted of this patience and lenity of thine To what an enormous height were our sins arrived ere thou beganst to visit them and when thou couldst no longer forbear yet mastering thy power thou hast not proportioned thy vengeance to our crimes but to thy own gracious design of reducing and reclaiming us Lord had the first stroke of thy hand been exterminating our guilts had justified the method but thou hast proceeded by such easie and gentle degrees as witness how much thou desiredst to be interrupted and shew us that all that sad weight we have long groaned under hath been accumulated only by our own incorrigibleness 'T is now O Lord these
unworthy Creatures into the number of Thy Children and Heirs of thy Kingdom we beseech Thee grant us the assistance of Thy Grace that we may reverently worship Thee diligently serve Thee and readily and chearfully obey Thy holy Will here on Earth even as those Blessed Spirits do in Heaven And whereas by reason of our many weaknesses and Frailties we are often hindred and always negligent in the performance of these Duties We beseech Thee continually to relieve and supply us with all Spiritual and Temporal necessaries for our help and furtherance in thy Service And in whatsoever we have hihâ—erto been wanting or have otherwise transgressed Thy Holy Will We beseech Thee mercifully pass by and pardon it even as we our selves do heartily and sincerely forgive all those who have wronged or offended us And that we may not for the future fall again into the like sins We beseech Thee graciously to assist and preserve us in all Temptations and powerfully defend and deliver us from all the assaults of our daily Enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil For Thou O Lord art the Supreme King Thou art able to do All things and to Thee is due the Honour and Glory of All both in this world and that which is to come Amen And thus the very excellency of the Prayer it self both for the Matter and Method beside the dignity and veneration of the Author may sufficiently commend it to our use it serving so properly either for a Beginning or a Conclusion to our other Devotions Of the Parts of Prayer THE several sorts or parts of Prayer are by the Apostle reduced to these four Heads 1 Tim. 2. 1. SUPPLICATION PRAYER INTERCESSION THANKSGIVING I. Supplication is the Confessing of Sins and imploring Pardon and Reconciliation with God II. Prayer is the petitioning for supply of all good things Spiritual and Temporal which we have need or use of for our Souls or Bodies III. Intercession is the praying for others as well as our selves extending to all sorts and states of men in the world IV. Thanksgiving is the returning of Praise to God for all his Mercies and Blessings bestowed on us And this last is the most pleasant and delightful part of all the worship of God according to that saying of the Prophet David It is a good thing to sing Praises unto our God yea a joyful and pleasant thing it is to be thankful Psal 14. 7. 1. Of the Difficulty of Prayer FOR otherwise Prayer in respect of the other parts though as it is ordinarily used or abused it be taken for an ordinary matter yet indeed to perform it rightly and duly is the highest and hardest piece of all the service of God For beside the qualifications required to fit us for the preformance of it Prayer being in it self a Duty wholly Spiritual and requiring a Spiritual intention of the Soul to God it will be found a very difficult and rare thing for us who are continually clogged and incumbered with Flesh and blood so to abstract our thoughts from all bodily and worldly things as to place them freely and purely upon an invisible Object And to this occasion the craft of our old Enemy is no way wanting who as he is always impertinently interposing in every good action so is he never more importunate and impudent than when we are busie at our Devotions Preparatives to Prayer I. THerefore in this as in all other things before you begin sit down and consider with your self what you are about to do II. Resolve that to make any Address to God without a Resolution at least to set your self heartily and wholly to his Service is not only fruitless but hurtful and that which will turn your very Prayer into sin For to hope for any favour at his hands and yet continue in your sinful course is to make him such an one as your self III. Remember your own meanness and the Majesty of Him to whom you speak that he is the Great King sitting in Heaven and you a poor worm creeping on the Earth IV. Consider how unworthy you are to receive the least favour from him whom you have so often and so highly provoked in despight of his continual mercies to you V. Consider how great a favour and benefit you enjoy in this liberty of approaching and speaking to God VI. Be sober and moderate in your Petitions regulating and submitting your desires both for the Matter and Manner and Measure and Season to his Wisdom and Will VII Remember that he is a Spirit and sees into the heart and therefore not only your words and behaviour but also your thoughts and imaginations must be such as may not offend his pure eyes VIII Let your Praying be rather frequent than long that the tediousness of many words may not weary and dull the Devotion of your Mind IX Recollect and take up your thoughts from the world and worldly things that they may be wholly intent upon the business you are about And this you may do by a short Meditation or preparatory Prayer or reading somewhat in the Scripture or some other pious Book X. Now when you have thus brought your gift to the Altar remember the advice of your Saviour first put away all malice and hatred out of your heart and forgive all others before you presume to ask pardon for your self And know that this is a qualification so necessary so essential to the due performance of any Devotions that our Saviour in that very short Prayer of his own thought it worth the mentioning and that as a kind of Condition Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us Preparatory Prayers GIve ear to my words O Lord consider my meditation Hearken to the voice of my cry my King and my God for unto Thee will I Pray Psal 5. 1 2. Thou that hearest the prayer unto Thee shall all flesh come Let not my Lord be angry if I who am but dust and ashes presume to approach and speak unto Thee O Thou that art easie to be intreated and rejoycest in doing good bow down thy gentle ear and hear me and have mercy upon me Raise up my soul and sanctifie my heart and lips that I may ask those things which are most agreeable to thy holy Will Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my Strength and my Redeemer A General Form of Prayer HEar my Prayer O Lord and hearken to the voice of my supplication when I cry unto Thee when I lift up my hands toward the Mercy-seat of thy holy Temple O Holy Lord God whose pure eyes will not behold iniquity I the vilest of all thy Creation and most sinful among all the sons of men do yet presume to cast my self down before the foot-stool of thy Throne of Grace humbly beseeching Thee to stretch forth Thy Golden Scepter of Peace that I may touch it and
not die but live to praise thy mercy I confess O Lord that I was even conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity and though thou hadst wash'd me from that Original Pollution of Nature in the holy Fountain of Baptism yet have I since again defiled my self with all manner of actual Abominations O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee for mine iniquities are increased over mine head and my trespasses are waxed great unto the Heavens Since the days of my youth I am in a great trespass and my whole life is nothing else but a continued transgression of thy Law and provocation of thy wrath I have but slightly performed or neglected and wholly omitted and even contemned those Duties and Services which thou requirest of me but have greedily committed and carelesly and even presumptuously continued in those sins which thou hast strictly forbidden and severely threatned So that if thou shouldst enter into judgment with thy Servant I could expect nothing but to receive my portion with hypocrites and unbelievers and to be cast out into utter darkness in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for evermore But thou O Lord which desirest not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live turn thou me O good God turn me from all my transgressions and let not iniquity be my ruine Open thou mine eyes and awaken my dull and stony heart that I may see and understand the vileness and misery of my sinful state that I may hate and abhor and forsake all my evil ways and turn to thee with all my heart and with all my strength Give me that Godly sorrow which worketh true repentance forgive and put away all my sins and offences nail them to the Cross of Jesus Christ and bury them in his Grave that they may never rise up in judgment against me Receive me O my Father and be reconciled unto me in the mercies and merits of thy dear Son for his sake restore me again to thy grace and favour and the light of thy countenance and establish me with thy free Spirit Psal 51. 12. Send down the dew of thy heavenly grace the light of thy Holy Spirit into my heart to lead me in thy way and enable me to walk in it Give me strength to resist all temptations and to stand against all assaults of the World the Flesh and the Devil that no Allurement may draw no Terror may drive me from the streight path of thy Service but that I may persevere in it to the end of my days that having lived in thy fear I may die in thy favour rest in thy peace rise in thy power and reign with thee for ever in thy Glory And thou O Lord which hast promised to add all other necessaries to them which seek first thy Kingdom and the righteousness thereof remember me also with thy temporal blessings as shall seem best unto thee and may be most for the advancement of mine Eternal Interest Give me health of Body soundness of Mind competence of means comfort of Friends peace in this world and contentment of mind what state soever thou shalt please to call me to Give me grace to set my heart not on things below but on things above that I may chearfully expect when it shall please thee to translate me from thy blessings in this world to the joys of thy Eternal Kingdom And thou O Lord which hast commanded us to make prayers and supplications for all others as well as our selves we beseech thee to extend thy mercy and goodness to all mankind in all the corners of the Earth Open and enlighten the eyes of them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death and guide their feet into the way of peace that thy way may be known upon earth and thy saving health among all nations Psal 67. 2. Inlarge the bounds of thy Catholick Church Unite and sanctifie all that are already received into her bosom and restore her to her ancient purity and prosperity Send such Priests whose lips may preserve knowledge and make the People diligent to seek thy Law at their mouth and so direct and rule both Priests and People that by their holy conversation they may shine as Lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation And thou who hast promised to make Kings and Queens the Nursing Fathers and Nursing Mothers of thy Church protect all the Governments of the world especially Christian Kings and Princes and more particularly Him whom thy particular Providence hath placed over us Preserve and prosper him in all his ways give him success in all his undertakings and actions that having lived and ruled here in justice piety prosperity peace and happiness he may quietly pass from this earthly and transitory to a heavenly and eternal Crown Bless his Illustrious Family and the whole State under him Distribute thy blessings to every one as thou shalt judge most meet and as may best fit and enable and encourage them in their several Places and Callings in the performance of their duties of Worship and Obedience to thee and of justice and Honesty and Charity to their Brethren Bless all those to whom I am bound by any special Relation Parents Freinds Kindred Benefactors Family Thou O Lord knowest the Name and place of every one Thou knowest our several desires and wants We beseech Thee to proportion thy reliefs and blessings to every one that we may be mutual helps and comforts to each other in our passage through this vale of misery and tears Have mercy and compassion upon all that are under any calamity in body or mind or outward condition especially those that suffer for righteousness sake Give them Patience to bear and Prudence to make a right use of all their Afflictions and in thine own good time relieve and restore them here or take them away from these temporal miseries to thine eternal rest in Heaven And let not my Lord be angry and I will speak but this once and that in obedience to thy command for our Enemies Slanderers and Oppressors especially those that have caused or increased the publick Distractions Lord restrain their malice and open their Eyes and Hearts that they may see the crookedness of their own ways and return into the streight path of meekness and Charity that we may live together in Peace here and reign together in thy Glory hereafter And that our Ingratitude for Thy former Blessings may not make us more unworthy and uncapable of the future we humbly desire to offer up our sacrifice of Praise and Thansgiving for all thy goodness and loving-kindness multiplied and continued upon us That Thou hast been pleased to create us men after thine own Image the most excellent of all the works of thy hands And when by our own sin and fall we had made our selves worse than the vilest of all
eating of Bread and drinking of Wine are in themselves actions so very ordinary that they are also very inconsiderable yet in this they are made use of to signifie to us the most extraordinary and excellent mercy that ever the Great King of Heaven bestowed upon his poor Subjects and Servants here on earth For I. It is the Commemoration of the death of his own only Son for the redemption of lost Mankind the wounding of his body signified by the breaking of Bread and the shedding of his Bloud by the pouring out of Wine II. Besides this it is also an Evidence of Gods reconciliation and favour to us and demonstration that we are in League and Amity with him in that we are admitted to his own Table to eat of his Bread and drink of his Cup. III. It is a means and instrument of conveying grace and strength to the Souls of Worthy Receivers IV. It is our Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for all his mercies and blessings particularly temporal the good things of this World the fruits of the Earth which we here offer unto him under these two Principal of Bread and Wine Of Frequent Receiving THis then being a Service so acceptable to God and so beneficial so necessary for men it were but reason to expect that all good Christians would shew themselves ready and forward to the performance of it And accordingly in the first Age of the Church when Religion and Zeal were in their youth and vigour it was the good custom to celebrate this Sacrament if not every day as it is thought yet at least every Lords day But afterward as Piety began to grow more dull and Love more cold it was by little and little brought down to once a Month. And this Order still remains in the Church of God though now somewhat disturbed by prevailing Sectaries among us And at those times the Supper is appointed to be made ready and the Table furnished for all such as can think fit to spare so much time from their worldly business to come to the Marriage-feast of the great King of Heaven For herein they are yet left to more liberty and not necessarily required to come oftner than thrice a year And truly such is the negligence of many who yet would be accounted Christians that they are not ashamed to stretch this libetty to the utmost Yea and it were well if even then they would come meetly provided and had not more respect to the Shame of the World than to the Honour of God or their own Good Certainly any sober Christian cannot consider without shame and indignation how much Mankind are fallen from their first love But that which is ordinarily brought for an excuse is in it self so unworthy and unreasonable that it makes this Neglect yet more abominable and intolerable And indeed it is somewhat worse than that for which those invited in the Gospel received a severe Censure There it was they were taken up with their several Affairs one had bought a farm or a Yoke of oxen another had married a wife and therefore they could not come But here one is engaged in such a sin which he hath no mind to leave yet another is not in charity and in general they are not prepared and therefore they cannot that is they will not come Such is the ridiculous madness of men in this barbarous and brutish Age that they can think fit to excuse and justifie one fault by pretending more and greater But if you are not prepared to meet your Saviour at his Table to celebrate the memorial of his Mercy how would you appear before him at his Seat of Judgment to which yet you know not but you may be sooner called If therefore you could wish to be always provided for Death which often comes suddenly always uncertainly think not much to bestow a little time in preparing your self for this Sacrament as often as you may have an opportunity of receiving it And those which in these days of Captivity have not that convenience of receiving from the hands of them who have authority to give it may yet do well not to omit the Duty of Preparation Let them do that which they can and for that which they cannot God will accept the will for the deed Of Preparation THE best Preparation to this holy Duty is a continued habit of holy living and frequent meditation upon Heaven and Heavenly things particularly the great mercies of God in the Bloud of Jesus Christ But because the minds of men cannot be always so intent and circumspect but that they need some more solemn Excitations and Exercises it will be requisite to set apart some few days before to be imployed more particularly in this business I. Therefore Examine your self and inquire strictly into the state of your Soul and take a view of your whole Life especially since the time of your last Recieving Observe and consider how you have performed this duty formerly whether worthily or unworthily and what good or ill effect it hath wrought in you what progress you have made in Grace and Goodness or whether you grow worse and worse in sin and what are the Causes and Occasions of either II. Confess and humble your self before God and earnestly intreat and contend for his mercy and pardon and reconciliation and grace and favour in the Merits of Jesus Christ that he will wash you from all your Pollutions in his Bloud and cloath you in the White robe of his Righteousness that so having on a Wedding garment you may be a welcom Guest to his Table And here solemnly renew that Promise and vow which you formerly made in that other Sacrament of Baptism and repeated since every time you have received this That you will forsake Sin and Satan and cleave to the Lord your God with all your heart and by the assistance of his gracious Spirit walk before him uprightly and serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of your Life III. Consider that you are now to communicate not only with God but also with the congregation of your fellow Christians and that the Rule and Essential Character by which you are to know and declare that you love God is that you love your brother also I John 4. 21. Therefore take care to reconcile your self with the World by freely forgiving and meekly desiring forgiveness and endeavouring to restore and establish peace and charity and brotherly kindness aud right understanding between your self and all with whom you have had any kind of difference IV. Recollect and raise up your thoughts from the earth and worldly things and devoutly meditate on heavenly and spiritual matters such as 1. The Creation and Fall of Mankind and the great Miseries which we were thereby engaged in 2. The inestimable Mercy and Goodness of God in bestowing his own only Son for our redemption and restoring us again to a capacity and hope of his heavenly good things