his needs require and our abilities will permit They want much of this charity who clap up poor debtors in prison when they know they have nothing to answer the debt which is a great cruelty to make another miserable when nothing is gained to our selves by it 10. Fourthly We should give liberally we must not be strait handed in our alms and give by such pitiful scantlings as will bring almost no relief to the receiver for that is a kind of mockery 't is as if one should pretend to feed one that is almost famisht by giving him a crumb of bread such doles as that would be most ridiculous yet I fear 't is too neer the proportion of some mens almes such men are below those Disciples we read of who knew only the Baptism of John for 't is to be observed that John Baptist who was but the fore-runner of Christ makes it a special part of his Doctrine that he that hath two coats should impart to him that hath none Luk. 3. 11. He sayes not he that hath some great Wardrobe but even he that hath but two coats must part with one of them from whence we may gather that whatsoever is above not our vanity but our need should thus be disposed of when our brethrens necessity requires it But if we look into the first time of the Gospel we shall find Christianity far exceeded this proportion of Johns the converts assigned not a part only but frankly gave all to the use of the brethren Acts 4. and though that being upon an extraordinary occasion will be no measure for our constant practice yet it may shew us how prime and fundamental part of Christâ—anity this of charity is that at the very first founding of the Church such vast degrees of it were practised and if we farther coâ—sider what precepts of love are given us in the Gospel even to the laying down our lives for the brethren 1 Io. 3. 16. We cannot imagine our goods are in Gods account so much more precious then our lâ—ves that he would command us to be prodigal of the one and yet allow us to be sparing of the other 11. A multitude of Arguments might be brought to recommend this bounty to all that profess Christ I shall mention onely two which I find used by St. Paul to the Corinthians on this occasion The first is the example of Christ 2 Cor. 7. 9. For ye know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ who though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich Christ emptyed himself of all that glory and greatness he injoied in Heaven with his Father and submitted himself to a life of much meanness and poverty onely to enrich us And therefore for shame let us not grudge to empty our Coffers to lessen somewhat of our heaps to relieve his poor members The second is the expectation of reward which will be more or less according to the degrees of our Almes 2 Cor. 9. 6. He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully We think him a very improvident husband-man that to save a little seed at present sowes so thin as to spoil his crop and the same folly 't will be in us if by the sparingness of our Almes we make our selves a lank harvest hereafter lose either all or a great part of those rewards which God hath provided for the liberal Alms-Giver What is the proportion which may be called a liberal giving I shall not undertake to set down there being degrees even in liberality one may give liberally and yet another give more liberally then he besides liberality is to be measured not so much by what is given as by the ability of the giver A man of a mean estate may give less then one of a great and yet be the more liberal person because that little may be more out of his then the greater is out of the others Thus we see Christ pronounces the poor widow to have given more to the Treasury then all the rich men Luk. 21. 3. not that her two mites were more then their rich gifts but that it was more for her she having left nothing behind whereas they gave out of their abundance what they might easily spare Every man must herein judge for himself we see the Apostle though he earnestly press the Corinthians to bounty yet prescribes not to them how much they shall give but leaves that to their own brests 2 Cor. 9. 7. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart so let him give But let us still remember that the more we give provided we do not thereby fail in the support of those that most immediately depend on us the more acceptable it will be to God and the more rewardable by him And to secure the performance of the duty of Almes-giving whatever the proportion be we may do very well to follow the advice St. Paul gives the Corinthians in this matter 1 Cor. 16. 2. Vpon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him If men would do thus lay by somewhat weekly in store for this works of Charity it were the surest way not to be unprovided of somewhat to give when an occasion offered it self and by giving so by little and little the expence would become less sensible and so be a means to prevent those grudgings and repinings which are apt to attend men in greater disbursments And sure this were in other respect also a very proper course for when a trades-man casts up his weekly account and sees what his gains have been 't is of all others the most seasonable time to offer this tribute to God out of what he hath by his blessing gained If any will say they cannot so well weekly reckon their gains as by longer spaces of time I shall not contend with them for that precise time let it be done monthly or quarterly so it be done But that somewhat should still be laid by in bank for these uses rather then left loose to our sudden Charities is sure very expedient and I doubt not whoever will make trial of it will upon experience acknowledge it to be so 12. The fourth exercise of our Charity is towards the credit of our Neighbour and of this we may have many occasions sometimes towards the innocent and sometimes also towards the guilty If one whom we know to be an innocent person be slandered and traduced Charity binds us to do what we may for the declaring his innocency and delivering him from that false imputation and that not onely by witnessing when we are called to it but by a voluntary offering our testimony on his behalf or if the accusation be not before a Court of Justice and so there be no place for that our more solemn testimony but that it be onely a slander tost from one
me and what ever good work thou hast wrought in me be pleased to accomplish and perform it until the day of Christ. Lord thou seest my weakness and thou knowest the number and strength of those temptations I have to struggle with O leave me not to my self but cover thou my head in the day of battel and in all spiritual combats make me more then conquerour through him that loved me O let no terrours or flatteries either of the world or my own flesh ever draw me from my obedience to thee but grant that I may continue stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord and by patient continuance in well-doing seek and at last obtain glory and honour and immortality and eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. A brief Paraphrase of the LORDS PRAYER To be used as a Prayer Our FATHER which art in Heaven O Lord who dwellest in the highest heavens thou art the Author of our being thou hast also begotten us again unto a lively hope and carryest towards us the tenderness and bowels of a most compassionate father O make us to render to thee the love and obedience of children and that we may resemble thee our father in heaven that place of true delight and purity give us a holy disdain of all the deceitful pleasures and foul pollutions of this world and so raise up our minds that we may alwayes have our conversation in heaven from whence we look for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. Hallowed be thy Name Strike such an awe into all our hearts that we may humbly reverence thee in thy Name which is great wonderful and holy and carry such a sacred respect to all things that relate to thee and thy worship as may express our reverence of thy great Majesty Let all the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee 2. Thy Kingdome Come Establish thy throne and rule for ever in our souls and by the power of thy grace subdue all those rebellious corruptions that exalt themselves against thee they are those enemies of thine which would not that thou shouldst reign over them O let them be brought forth and slain before thee and make us such faithful subjects of this thy Kingdome of Grace that we may be capable of thy kingdome of glory and then Lord Jesus come quickly 3. Thy Will be done in earth c. Enable us by thy grace cheerfully to suffer thy will in all thy inflictions and readily to perform it in all thy commands give us of that heavenly zeal to thy service wherewith the blessed Angels of thy presence are inspired that we may obey thee with the like fervor and alacrity and that following them in their obedience we may be joyned with them to sing eternal praises in thy Kingdome to God and to the Lamb for ever 4. Give us this day our daily bread Give us that continual supply of thy grace which may sustein and nourish our souls unto eternal life And be thou pleased also to provide for our bodies all those things which thou seest fit for their support through this our earthly pilgrimage and make us cheerfully to rest on thee for them first seeking thy Kingdome and the righteousness thereof and then not doubting but all these things shall be added unto us 5. Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them c. Heal our souls O Lord for we have sinned against thee let thy tender mercies abound towards us in the forgiveness of all our offences And grant O Lord that we may never forfeit this pardon of thine by denying ours to our brethren but give us those bowels of compassion to others which we stand in so much greater need of from thee that we may forgive as fully and finally upon Christs Command as we desire to be forgiven for his merits and intercession 6. Lead us not into Temptation but deliver c. O Lord we have no strength against those multitudes of temptations that daily assalt us onely our eyes are upon thee O be thou pleased either to restrain them or assist us and in thy faithfulness suffer us not to be tempted above that we are able but in all our temptations make us a way to escape that we be not overcome by them but may when thou shalt call us to it resist even unto blood striving against sin that being faithful unto death thou mayest give us the crown of life For thine is the Kingdome the Power c. Hear us and graciously answer our petitions for thou art the great King over all the earth whose Power is infinite and artable to do for us above all that we can ask or think and to whom belongeth the Glory of all that good thou workest in us or for us Therefore blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne to our God for ever and ever Amen PIOUS EJACULATIONS Taken out of the Book of PSALMS For PARDON of SIN HAve mercy on me O God 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 Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds My misdeeds prevail against me O be thou merciful unto my sins Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified For thy names sake O Lord be merciful unto my sin for it is great Turn thee O Lord and deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake For GRACE TEach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee for thou art my God Teach me thy way O Lord and I will walk in thy truth O knit my heart to thee that I may fear thy name Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me O let my heart be found in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not to covetousnesse Turn away mine eyes least they behold vanity and quicken thou me in thy way I am a stranger upon earth O hide not thy Commandments from me Lord teach me to number my dayes that I may apply my heart unto Wisdome For the LIGHT of Gods COUNTENANCE LOrd why abhorrest thou my soul and hidest thy face from me O hide not thou thy face from me nor cast thy servant away in displeasure Thy loving kindnesse is better then life it self Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me Comfort the Soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul THANKSGIVING I Will alwayes give thanks unto the Lord his praise shall ever be in my mouth Thou art my God and I will thank thee thou art my God and I will praise thee I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will praise my God whilest I have my being Praised be God which hath not cast out my prayer nor turned his mercy from
that the God of all purity should vouchsafe to unite himself to so polluted a wretch O my God suffer me no more I beseech thee to turn thy grace into wantonness to make thy mercy an occasion of security but let this unspeakable love of thine constrain me to obedience that since my blessed Lord hath died for me I may no longer live unto my self but to him O Lord I know there is no concord between Christ and Belial therefore since he hath now been pleased to enter my heart O let me never permit any lust to chace him thence but let him that hath so dearly bought me still keep possession of me and let nothing ever take me out of his hand To this end be thou graciously pleased to watch over me and defend me from all assaults of my spiritual enemies but especially deliver me from my self from the treachery of my own heart which is too willing to yield it self a prey And where thou seest I am either by nature or custome most weak there do thou I beseech thee magnify thy power in my preservation Here name thy most dangerous temptations And Lord let my Saviours sufferings for my sins and the vowes I have now made against them never depart from my mind but let the remembrance of the one enable me to perform the other that I may never make truce with those lusts which nailed his hands pierced his side and made his Soul heavy to the death But that having now a new listed my self under his banner I may fight manfully and follow the Captain of my Salvation even through a Sea of blood Lord lift up my hands that hang down and my feeble knees that I faint not in this warfare O be thou my strength who am not able of my self to struggle with the slightest temptations How often have I turned my back in the day of battel How many of these sacramental vowes have I violated And Lord I have still the saâ—e unconstant deceitful heart to betray me to the breach of this O thou who art Yea and Amen in whom there is no shadow of change communicate to me I beseech thee such a stability of mind that I may no more thus start aside like a broken bow but that having my heart whole with thee I may continue stedfast in thy Covenant That not one good purpose which thy Spirit hath raised in me this day may vanish as so many have formerly done but that they may bring fâ—rth fruit unto life eternal Grant this O merciful Father through the merits and Mediation of my Crucified Saviour A Prayer of Intercession to be used either before or after the receiving of the Sacrament O MOST Gracious Lord who so tenderly lovedst mankind as to give thy dear Son out of thy bosom to become a propitiation for the sins of the whole world grant that the effect of this Redemption may be as Universal as the design of it that it may be to the Salvation of all O let no person by impenitence and wilful sin forfeit his part in it but by the power of thy grace bring all even the most obstinate sinners to Repentance Inlighten all that sit in darkness all Jewes Turks Infidels and Hereticks take from them all blindness hardness of heart and contempt of thy Word and so fetch them home blessed Lord unto thy fold that they may be saved among the number of the true Israelites And for all those upon whom the Name of thy Son is called grant O Lord that their conversations may be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ that his Name be no longer Blasphemed among the Heathen through us O blessed Lord how long shall Christendom continue the vilest part of the world a sink of all those abominable pollutions which even Barbarians detest O let not our profession and our practice be alwayes at so wide a distance Let not the Disciples of the Holy and Immaculate Jesus be of all others the most profane and impure Let not the subjects of the Prince of Peace be of all others the most contentious and bloody but make us Christians indeed as well as in name that we may walk worthy of that Holy Vocation wherewith we are called and may all with one mind and one mouth glorify thee the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Have mercy on this languishing Church look down from Heaven the Habitation of thy Holiness and of thy glory where is thy Zeal and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards us Are they restrained Be not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember iniquity for ever but though our backslidings are many and we have grievously rebelled yet according to all thy goodness let thy anger thy sury be turned away cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary which is desolate for the Lords sake and so separate between us and our sins that they may no longer separate between us our God Save and defend all Christian Kings Princes Governours especially those to whom we owe subjection plead thou their cause O Lord against those that strive with them and fight thou against those that fight against them and so guide and assist them in the discharge of that office whereunto thou hast appointed them that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Bless them that wait at thine Altar open thou their lips that their mouth may shew forth thy praise O let not the lights of the world be put under bushels but place them in their candlesticks that they may give light to all that are in the house Let not Jeroboams Priests profane thy service but let the seed of Aaron still minister before thee And O thou Father of mercies and God of all comfort succour and relieve all that are in affliction deliver the out-cast and poor help them to right that suffer wrong let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before thee and according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to dye grant ease to those that are in pain supplies to those that suffer want give to all presumptuous sinners a sense of their sins and to all dispaâ—ring a sight of thy mercies and do thou O Lord for every one abundantly above what they can ask or think Forgive my enemies persecutors and slanderers and turn their hearts Powre down thy blessings on all my friends and benefactors all who have commended themselves to my Prayer Here thou maist name particular persons And grant O merciful father that through this blood of the crosse we may all be presented pure and unblameable and unreprovable in thy sight That so we may be admitted into that place of purity where no unclean thing can enter there to sing eternal praises to Father Son and holy Ghost for ever A Prayer in times of common Persecution O BLESSED Saviour who hast made the crosse the badg of thy Disciples
be as deceiveable and easie to be deluded as one of our ignorant neighbours or else that he is willing to countenance our lyes the former robs him of that great attribute of his his knowing all things and is surely a great dishonouring of him it being even amongst men accounted one of the greatest disgraces to account a man fit to have cheats put upon him yet even so we deal with God if we venture to forswear upon a hope that God discerns it not But the other is yet worse for the supposing him willing to countenance our lies is the making him a party in them and is not only the making him no God it being impossible that God should either lie himself or approve it in another but it is the makeing him like the very Divel For he it is that is a lyer and the Father of it Jo. 8 44. And sure I need not say more to prove that this is the highest degree of dishonouring Gods name 5. But if any yet doubt the hainousness of this sin let him but consider what God himself sayes of it in the Third Commandment where he solemnly professes he will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain and sure the adding that to this commandment and none of the rest is the marking this out for a most hainous guilt and if you look into Zac. 5. You will there find the punishment is answerable even the utter destruction not only of the man but his house also Therefore it concerns all men as they love either their temporal or eternal well-fare to keep them most strictly from this sin But besides this of forswaring I told you there was another sort of oaths by which Gods name is dishonoured those are the vain and light oaths such as are so usual in our common discourse and are expresly forbidden by Christ Mat. 5. 34. But I say unto you swear not at all neither by heaven for it is Gods throne nor by the earth for it is his foot-stool where you see we are not allowed to swear even by meer creatures because of the relation they have to God How great a wickedness is it then to prophane his holy name by rash and vain oaths this is a sin that is by I know not what charm of Sathans grown into fashion among us and now its being so draws dâ—ily more men into it But it is to be remembred that when we shall appear before Gods Iudgement seat to answer for those prophanations of his name it will be no excuse to say it was the fashion to do so it will rather be an increase of our guilt that we have by our own practice helped to confirm that wicked custome which we ought to have beat down and discountenanced 6. And sure what ever this prophane age thinks of it this is a sin of a very high nature For besides that it is a direct breach of the precept of Christs it shews first a very mean and low esteem of God Every oath we swear is the appealing to God to judge the truth of what we speak and therefore being of such greatness and majesty it requires that the matter concerning which we thus appeal to him should be of great weight and moment somewhat wherein either his own glory or some considerable good of man is concerned But when we swear in common discourse it is far otherwise any the tristingest or lightest thing serves for the matter of an oath nay often men swear to such vain and foolish things as a considering person would be ashamed barely to speak And is it not a great despising of God to call him solemly to judge in such childish such wretched matters God is the great King of the world now though a King be to be resorted unto in weighty cases yet sure he would think himself much despised if he should be called to judge between boyes at their childish games And God knows many things whereto we frequently swear are not of greater weight and therefore are a sign that we do not rightly esteem of God 7. Secondly This common swearing is a sin which leads directly to the former of forswearing for he that by the use of swearing hath made oaths so familiar to him will be likely to take the dreadfullest oath without much consideration For how shall he that swears hourly look upon an oath with any reverence and he that doth not it is his chance not his care that is to be thanked if he keep from perjury Nay further he that swears commonly is not onely prepared to forswear when a solemn oath is tendered him but in all probability does actually forswear himself often in these suddener oaths for supposing them to come from a man ere he is aware which is the best can be said of them what assurance can any man have who swears ere he is aware that he shall not lye so too And if he doth both together he must necessarily be forsworn But he that observes your commâ—n swearers will be put past doubt that they are often forsworn For they usually swear indifferently to things true or false doubtful or certain And I doubt not but if men who are guilty of this sin would but impartially examine their own practice their hearts would second me in this observation 8. Thirdly This is a sin to which there is no temptation there is nothing either of pleasure or prefit got by it Most other sins offer us somewhat either of the â—re or the other but this is utterly empty of both So that in this sin the Devil does not play the Mâ—rchant for our Souls as in others he does he doth not so much as cheapen them but we give them freely into his hands without any thing in exchange There seems to be but one thing possible for men to hope to gain by it and that is to be beleeved in what they say when they thus bind it by an oath But this also they constantly fail of for there are none so little beleeved as the common swearers And good reason For he that makes no conscience thus to profane Gods name Why shall any man beleeve he makes any of lying Nay their forwardness to confirm every the slightest thing by an oath rather gives jealousy that they have some inward guilt of falseness for which that oath must be the cloâ—k And thus you see in how little stead it stands them even to this onely purpose for which they can pretend it useful and to any other advantage it makes not the lest claim and therefore is a sin without temptation and consequently without excuse for it shewes the greatest contempt nay unkindness to God when we will provoke him thus without any thing to tempt us to it And therefore though the commonness of this sin have made it pass but for a small one yet it is very far from being so either in it self or in Gods account 9. Let all
Word they are the Messengers of the Lord of Hosts Mal. 2. 7. This obedience the Apostle inforceth from a double motive one taken from their Ministry another from themselves They watch sayes he for your Souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy an dt no with grief The people are by their obedience to enable their Pastors to give a comfortable account of their Souls and it is a most unkind return of all their care and labours to be put to grieve for the ill success of them But then in the second place 't is their own concernment also they may put their Ministers to the discomfort of seeing all their pains cast away but themselves are like to get little by it that sayes the Apostle Heb. 13. 17. will be unprofitable for you 't is your selves that will finally prove the loosers by it you loose all those glorious rewards which are offered as the crown of this obedience you get nothing but an addition to your sin punishment for as our Saviour tels the Pharisees If he had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin Jo. 15. 24 that is in comparison with what they then had so certainly they that never had the Gospel preached to them are much more innocent then they that have heard and resisted it And for the punishment what Christ told those to whom he had preached That it should be more tolerable for Tyre and Sydon which were Heathen Cities then for them the same undoubtedly we may conclude of our selves 10. Lastly We are to pray for them This St. Paul every where requires of his Spiritual children thus Eph. 6. 7 8. having commanded prayer for all Saints he adds And for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel and so again Col 4. 3. And this remains still a duty to these Spiritual Fathers to pray for such assistances of Gods Spirit to them as may enable them rightly to discharge that Holy Calling I shall omit to set down here what is the duty of Ministers to the people upon the same consideration on which I forbare to mention the duty of Magistrates 11. The third sort of parent is the natural the fathers of our flesh as the Apostle calls them Heb. 12. 9. And to these we owe several duties as first we owe them reverence and respect we must behave our selves towards them with all humility and observance and must not upon any pretence of infirmity in them despise or contemn them either in outward behaviour or so much as inwardly in our hearts If indeed they have infirmities it must be our business to cover and conceal them like Shem and Japhet who while cursed Cham publisht and disclosed the nakedness of their father covered it Gen. 9. 23. and that in such a manner too as even themselves might not behold it We are as much as may be to keep our selves from looking on those nakedness of our parents which may tempt us to think irreverently of them This is very contrary to the practice of too many children who do not only publish and deride the infirmities of their parents but pretend they have those infirmities they have not there is ordinarily such a pride and headiness in youth that they cannot abide to submit to the counsels and directions of their Elders and therefore to shake them off are willing to have them pass for the effects of dotage when they are indeed the fruits of sobriety and experience To such the exhortation of Solomon is very necessary Pro. 23. 22. Hearken to thy father that begat thee and despise not thy mother when shee is old A multitude of texts more there are in that book to this purpose whâ—ch shews that the wisest of men thought it necessary for children to attend to the counsel of their parents But the youth of our age set up for wisdom the quite contrary way and think they then become wits when they are advanced to the dispising the counsel yea mocking the persons of their parents Let such if they will not practice the exhortations yet remember the threatning of the wise man Pro. 30. 17. The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth to obey his mother the ravens of the valley shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it A second duty to them is love we are to bear them a reall kindness such as may make us heartily desirous of all manner of good to them and abhor to do any thing that may grieve or disquiet them This will appear but common gratitude when 't is remembred what our parents have done for us how they were not only the instruments of first bringing us into the world but also of susteining and supporting us after and certainly they that rightly weigh the cares and fears that go to the bringing up of a child will judg the love of that child to be but a moderate return for them This love is to be exprest several ways first in all kindness of behaviour carrying our selves not only with an awe and respect but with kindness and affection and therefore most gladly and readily doing those things which may bring joy and comfort to them and carefully avoiding whatever may grieve and afflict them Secondly this love is to be exprest in praying for them The debt a child owe to a parent is so great that he can never hope himself to discharge it he is therefore to call in Gods aid to beg of him that he will reward all the good his parents have done for him by multiplying his blessings upon them what shall we then say to those children that in stead of calling to heaven for blessings on their parents ransack hell for curses on them and powre out the blackest execrations against them This is a thing so horrid that one would think there needed no perswasion against it because none could be so vile as to fall into it but we see God himself who best knows mens hearts saw it possible and therefore laid the heaviest punishment upon it He that curseth father or mother let him die the death Exod. 21. 17. And alas our daily experience tels us 't is not onely possible but common even this of uttering curses But 't is to be feared there is another yet more common that is the wishing curses though fear or shame keep them from speaking out How many children are there that either through impatience of the Government or greediness of the possessions of the Parents have wisht their deaths But whoever doth so let him remember that how stylie and fairly soever he carry it before men there is one that sees those secretest wishes of his heart and in his sight he assuredly passes for this hainous offender a curser of his Parents And then let it be considered that God hath as well the power of punishing as of
of thy Son Behold O God the Devil is coming towards me having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time O save and deliver me lest he devour my Soul like a Lyon and tear it in pieces while there is none to help O my God I know that no unclean thing can enter into thy Kingdom and I am nothing but pollution my very righteousness are as filthy rags O wash me and make me white in the blood of the Lamb that so I may be fit to stand before thy Throne Lord the snares of death compass me round about O let not the pains of Hell also take hold upon me but though I find trouble and heaviness yet O Lord I beseâ—ch thee deliver my Soul O dear Jesus who hast bought me with the precious price of thine own blood challenge now thy purchase and let not all the malice of hell pluck me out of thy hand O blessed high Priest who art able to save them to the utmost who come unto God by thee saye me I beseech thee who have no hope but on thy merits and intercession O God I confess I have defaced that Image of thine thou didst imprint upon my Soul yet O thou faithful Creatour have pity on thy creature O Jesu I have by my many and grievous sins crucified thee afresh yet thou who prayedst for thy persecutors intercede for me also and suffer not O my Redeemer my soul the price of thy blood to perish O Spirit of grace I have by my horrid impieties done despight to thee yet O blessed comforter though I have often grieved thee be thou pleased to succour and relieve me and say unto my soul I am thy salvation Mine eyes look unto thee O Lord in thee is my trust O cast not out my soul. O Lord in thee have I trusted let me never be confounded O Blessed Lord who scourgest every Son whom thou receivest let me not be weary of thy correction but give me such a perfect subjection to thee the Father of Spirits that this chastisement may be for my profit that I may thereby be partaker of thy holiness O thou Captain of my salvation who wert made perfect by sufferings sanctifie to me all the paines of body all the terrors of mind which thou shalt permit to fall upon me Lord my sins have deserved eternal torments make me cheerfully and thankfully to bear my present pains chasten me as thou pleasest here that I may not be condemned with the world Lord the waters are come in even unto my soul O let thy Spirit move upon these waters and make them like the pool of Bethesda that they may cure whatsoever spiritual disease thou discernest in me O Christ who first sufferedst many and grievous things and then enteredst into thy glory make me so to suffer with thee that I may also be glorified with thee O dear Jesus who humblest thy self to the death of the cross for me let that death of thine sweeten the bitterness of mine When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death thou didst open the Kingdome of heaven to all believers I believe that thou shalt come to be my Judg. I pray thee therefore help thy servant whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood Make me to be numbred with thy Saints in glory everlasting Thou art the resurrection and the life he that believeth in thee though he were dead yet shall he live Lord I believe help thou my unbelief My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better Lord I groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with that house from heaven I desire to put off this my tabernacle O be pleased to receive me into everlasting habitations Bring my soul out of prison that I may give thanks unto thy name Lord I am here to wrestle not onely with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness O take me from these tents of Kedar into the heavenly Jerusalem where Satan shall be utterly trodden under my feet I cannot here attend one minute to thy service without distraction O take me up to stand before thy throne where I shall serve thee day and night I am here in heaviness through many tribulations O receive me into that place of rest where all tears shall be wiped from my eyes where there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain I am here in a state of banishment and absence from the Lord O take me where I shall for ever behold thy face and follow the lamb whither soever he goeth I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness O Blessed Jesu who hath loved me and washed me from my sins in thine own blood receive my soul. Into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth Come Lord Jesu come quickly PRAYERS for their use who Mourn in secret for the PUBLICK CALAMITIES c. Psalm 74. O God wherefore art thou absent c. 79. O God the Heathen are come c 80. Hear O thou Shepherd of Israel c. A Prayer to be used in these times of Calamity O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth I desire humbly to confesse before thee both on my own behalf and that of this nation that these many years of calamity we have groaned under are but the just yea mild returns of those many more years of our provocations against thee and that thy present wrath is but the due punishment of thy abused mercy O Lord thou hast formerly abounded to us in blessings above all people of the earth Thy candle shined upon our heads and we delighted our selves in thy great goodness peace was within our walls and plenteousness within our palaces there was no decay no leading into captivity and no complaining in our streets But we turned this grace into wantonness we abused our peace to security our plenty to riot and Luxury and made those good things which should have endeared our hearts to thee the occasions of estranging them from thee Nay O Lord thou gavest us yet more precious mercies thou wert pleased thy self to pitch thy Tabernacle with us to establish a pure and glorious Church among us and give us thy word to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths But O Lord we have made no other use of that light then to conduct us to the chambers of death we have dealt proudly and not hearkned to thy commandments and by rebelling against the light have purchased to our selves so much the heavier portion in the outer darkness And now O Lord had the overflowings of thy vengeance been answerable to that of our sins we had long since been swept away with a swift destruction and
and pitiful eyes with which thou didst once behold Peter that great Shepherd of thy Church and forthwith he remembered himself repented with which eyes thou once didst view the scattered multitude and wert moved with compassion that for lack of a good Shepherd they wandered as sheep dispersed and strayed a sunder Thou seest O good Shepherd what sundry sorts of Wolvs have broken into thy sheep cotes of whom every one cryeth Here is Christ here is Christ. So that if it were possible the very perfect persons should be brought into error Thou seest with what winds with what waves with what storms thy silly ship is tossed thy ship wherein thy little flock is in peril to be drowned And what is now left but that it utterly sink and we all perish Of this tempest and storm we may thank our own wickedness and sinful living we espy it well and confesse it we espy thy righteousness and we bewail our unrighteousness but we appeal to thy mercy which according to the Psalm of thy Prophet surmounteth all thy works we have now suffered much punishment being sousted with so many wars consumed with such losses of goods scourged with so many sorts of diseases and pestilences shaken with so many flouds feared with so many strange sights from heaven and yet appears there no where any Haven or Port unto us being thus-tired for lorn among so strange evils but still every day more grievous punishments and more seem to hang over our heads We complain not of thy sharpness most tender Saviour but we espy here also thy mercy forasmuch as much grievouseâ— plagues we have deserved But O most merciful Jesu we beseech thee that thou wilt not consider not weigh what is due for our deservings but rather what becometh thy mercy without which neither the Angels in heaven can stand sure before thee much less we filly vessels of clay Have mercy on us O redeemer which art easie to be intreated not that we be worthly of thy mercy but give thou this glory unto thine own Name Suffer not that the Jews Turks and the rest of the Panims which either have not known thee or do envy thy glory should continually triumph over us and say Where is their God where is their Redeemer where is their Saviour where is their Bridegroom that they thus boast on These opprobrious words and upbraidings redound unto thee O Lord while by our evils men weigh and esteem thy goodness they think we be forsaken whom they see not amended Once when thou sleptst in the Ship and a Tempest suddenly arising threatned death to all in the Ship thou awokest at the outcry of a few Disciples and straightway at thine Almighty word the waters couched the winds fell the storm was suddenly turned into a great calm the dumb waters know their makers voice Now in this far greater tempest wherein not a few mens bodies be in danger but innumerable souls we beseech thâ—e at the cry of thy holy Church which is in danger of drowning that thou wilt awake So many thousands of men do cry Lord save us we perish the tempest is past mans power yea we see that the endeavours of them that would help it do turn clean a contrary way It is thy word that must do the deed Lord Jesu Only say thou with a word of thy mouth Cease O tempest and forthwith shall â—he desired calm appear Thou wouldst have spaâ—ed so many thousands of most wicked men if in the City of Sodoâ— â—ad been found but ten good men Now here be so many thousands 〈◊〉 men which love the glory of thy name which sigh for the beauty 〈◊〉 thy house and wilt thou not at these mens prayers let go thine anâ—r and remember thine accustomed and old mercies Shalt thou â—ot with thy heavenly policy turn our folly into thy glory Shalt thou â—ot turn the wicked mens evils into thy Churches good For thy merâ—y is wont then most of all to succour when the thing is with us past â—medy and neither the might nor wisdom of men can help it Thou â—one bâ—ingest things that be never so out of order into order again â—hich art the only Author and maintainer of peace Thou framedst â—hat old confusion which we call Chaos wherein without order withâ—ut fashion confusedly lay the discordant seeds of things and with a â—onderful order the things that of nature fought together thou didst â—ly and knit in a perpetual band But how much greater confusion is â—is where is no charity no fidelity no bonds of love no reverence either of lawes nor yet of rulers no agreement of opinions but as 〈◊〉 were in a misordered quire every man singeth a contrary note Aâ—ong the heavenly Planets is no dissention all four Elements keep â—â—eir place every one do their office whereunto they be appointed And wilt thou suffer thy Spouse for whose sake all things were made â—hus bycontinual discords to perish and go to wrack Shalt thou â—â—ffer the wicked spirits which be authors and workers of discord 〈◊〉 bear such a swing in thy Kingdome unchecked Shalt thou suffer â—e strong Captain of mischief whom thou once overthrewest again 〈◊〉 invade thy tents and to spoil thy souldiers When thou wert here man conversant among men at thy voice flâ—d the Devils Send forth 〈◊〉 beseech thee O Lord thy spirit which may drive away out of the â—ests of al them that profess thy name the wicked spirits masters of riâ—â— of covetousness of vain-glory of carnal lust of mischief and of disâ—ord Create in us O our God and King a clean heart and renew thy holy â—pirit in our breasts pluck not from us thy holy Ghost Render unto us â—e joy of thy saving health and with thy principal spirit strengthen â—y Spouse and the Herdmen thereof By this Spirit thou reconciledst â—â—e earthly to the heavenly by this thou didst frame and reduce so â—any tongues so many nations so many sundry sorts of men into 〈◊〉 body of a Church which body by the same Spirit is knit to thee â—â—eir Head This Spirit if thou wilt vouchsafe to renew in all mens â—earts then shall also these foreign miseries cease or if they cease â—ot at least they shall turn to the profit and avail of them which love â—ee Stay this confusion set in order this horrible Chaos O Lord â—e us let thy spirit stretch out it self upon these waters of evil waâ—ering opinions And because thy spirit which according to thy Proâ—ets saying containeth all things hath also the sience of speaking make that like as unto all them which be of thy house is all one light one Baptisme one God one Hope one Spirit so they may also have one voice one note and song professing one Catholick truth When thou didst mount up to heaven triumphantly thou threwest out from above thy precious things thou gavest gifts amongst men thou dealtest sundry rewards of thy Spirit Renew again from above thy old bountifulness give