world to come we never be seduced by our own or any evil Spirit but inspired continually and lead by thee may be ready to every good work and relish those things which are hidden from the world Purify our minds by thy holy inspirations exhilarate them when sad with thy chast and innocent joys lead them when going astray into all truth inflame them when cold with the fire of thy charity and unite them when disagreeing by thy bond of peace Finally be thou the tye whereby we may love the Father and the Son and the sweet fruition unto us of the Father and the Son with whom we worship and adore thee in the unity of the same God-head for ever and ever Amen LITANIES of the Eucharist O God the Father of heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have c. O God the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Father who openest thy hand and fillest with thy blessing every living thing Father to whom the eyes of all things look up and thou givest them their meat in due season Have mercy on us Who feddest Abraham the Father of the Faithful with bread and wine by the hand of Melchisedech thy Priest Have mercy on us Who appointedst to the Israelites the Paschal Lamb in remembrance of their deliverance from bondage under Pharaoh Have mercy on us Who feddest them travelling thro the wilderness with Manna from heaven the food of Angels and didst also severely punish them loathing that Manna Have mercy on us O Father who hast given us thy only begotten Son the true Bread from heaven Have mercy on us Jesu that heavenly Bread who descendedst from heaven and givest life unto the world the Word made flesh and inhabiting in us Have mercy on us Jesu who bestowedst thy self upon us at thy birth for our Brother at thy table for food at thy death for our ransome and at last in thy kingdome for our reward Have mercy on us Jesu who pitying the multitude not having what to eat didst miraculously multiply the five loaves for many thousands Have mercy on us Jesu who invitest all that labour and are heavy burthened to come unto thee that thou may'st refresh them Have mercy on us Jesu who at thy departure out of this world unto the Father left us a lasting monument of thy love in the Sacrament of the Eucharist Have mercy on us Jesu who institutedst this Sacrament for a dayly Sacrifice and pure Oblation of thy self unto God thy Father unto the end of the world Have mercy on us O spotless Lamb of God that wast slain from the beginning of the world Have mercy on us O Living Bread born in Bethlehem the House of Bread who gavest thy own flesh for the life of the world Have mercy on us Jesu the true food which lasteth to eternal life to whom whosoever cometh shall never hunger and in whom whosoever believeth shall never thirst Have mercy on us Jesu whose flesh and blood whoso eateth and drinketh shall never dye but hath life eternal and dwelleth in thee and thou in him and thou wilt raise him up at the last day Have mercy on us Jesu who in this blessed Sacrament givest us our dayly bread and the cup of blessing our Viaticum in the house of death and who hast prepared a table in my sight against all that trouble us Have mercy on us Jesu the tree of Life planted in the midst of Paradise whose fruit gives Immortality to those that eat it Have mercy on us Jesu the Paschal Lamb without spot eaten in remembrance of our deliverance from the bondage of Satan Have mercy on us Jesu the heavenly Manna that containest all sweetness food of Angels and bread of Pilgrims eaten by us in the wilderness of this world whilst we travel towards the heavenly Canaan Have mercy on us Jesu the true Vine which makest fruitful and nourishest with thy heavenly juice every branch abiding in thee Have mercy on us Jesu the mystical Pelican who feedest thy young ones with the blood of thy own breast the good Samaritan who pourest celestial wine and oyl into our wounds Have mercy on us Jesu an High Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech who offerest unto us bread and wine even thy own self Have mercy on us Jesu the good Shepherd who feedest thy sheep with thy flesh and blood Have mercy on us Be merciful O Jesu and spare us From receiving thy body and blood unworthily and to condemnation from all neglect in coming to thy living table from all prophane irreverence and negligence whilst we draw near to thine Altar Be merciful O Jesu and spare us From hungring and thirsting after earthly things from all sin and from everlasting death Be merciful O Jesu and spare us By that exceeding great purity and innocence thou requirest in all them that approach this Sacrament signified by thy washing thy Disciples feet Be merciful O Jesu c. By that enflamed charity wherewith thou institutedst that Divine Sacrament Be merciful O Jesu and spare us By thy Body broken for us on the Cross and bestowed on us in this Sacrament Be merciful O Jesu and spare us In the day of Judgment Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That we may never waver in our faith and belief of the words of thy mouth who art truth it self and an omnipotent God with whom every word is possible We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That we may with all thankfulness adore thee in this blessed Sacrament and worthily commemorate thy Passion so full of charity and that our faith devotion and reverence thereto may dayly be increased We sinners c. That through a true confession of all our sins thou wouldst bring us to a more frequent receiving hereof so that at length as the Hart pants after the rivers of waters our souls may thirst after thee the living God present in this venerable Sacrament We beseech thee to hear us That thou would vouchsafe to turn in unto us miserable sinners to heal our souls which are sick unto death that by this celestial bread they may be sustained and satisfied with the fulness of thy house and inebriated with the rivers of thy bounty We sinners bessech Thee c. That in the strength of this food we may walk through this Wilderness to thy holy Mountain We sinners c. That thou wouldst wash us throughly from the filth of our sins when we desire to partake of thine Altar so that we may approach thereto with longing and gladness and not without a Wedding-garment We sinners c. That at the hour of our death thou wouldst comfort and arm us with this heavenly Viaticum We sinners c. That we may receive thee into our hearts with love and fear that thereby we may be made worthy to
obtain pardon and forgiveness of all our sins We sinners c. That the receiving thy Body and Blood may not be to us to judgment and condemnation but to life and salvation and that worthily receiving thy Body and Blood we hunger nor thirst any more nor dy eternally We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That through the worthy participation of thy Body and Blood thou in us and we in thee may abide for ever and that as many as eat of this Bread may be made one in peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That in innocence we may compass thine Altar O Lord and together with thy unspotted Sacrifice offer up our selves a living holy and acceptable Sacrifice to God We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That whom we believe to be in this holy Mystery really present tho veiled under the external elements we may behold at length with open face in everlasting glory We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. Son of God who takest away the sins of the world Hear us good Lord. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Have mercy on us He gave us food from heaven Man did eat Angels Bread Our Father which art Heaven c. O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray WE adore thee O Lord Jesus with a true and lively faith in the Sacrament of the Altar with thy body and soul thy flesh and blood by the ineffable power of thy wisdome and goodness really present who at thy departure out of this world to the Father left us this Sacrament as a pledge of thy love that by a new and admirable way thou mightst still remain with us whose delight is to be with the Sons of men Cleanse our souls we beseech thee from all our sins and infirmities and feed them with the crums which fall from thy table that we may be filled with the marrow and fatness of thy heavenly blessings Come unto us dear Saviour and heal our sinful souls feed the hungry and refresh the weak Deliver us from all evil make us always adhere to thy commandements and never suffer us to be separated from thee Who livest and reignest one God world without end Amen O God who in this admirable Sacrament hast left us a memorial of thy Passion grant us we beseech thee so worthily to reverence the sacred mysteries of thy Body and Blood that we may daily find in us the fruit of thy Redemption Who livest and reignest in the unity of the Holy Ghost one God world without end Amen WE adore thee O Saviour of our Souls eternal word of the Father true Sacrifice offered for the sins of the whole world O most precious treasure replenished with all delight the resting place of pure and clean hearts O Angelical viand O Celestial bread O Eternal word of the Father which art for us made flesh and yet remainest God in the self same person We confess Thee most undoubtedly true God and Man consecrated in a most miraculous manner on our Altars to be there given to us and offered to thy Father for us Thou art the assured hope and only Salvation of sinners Thou art the Sovereign restorative of those that languish and the inexhaustible treasure of the poor distressed Pilgrims Hallowed be thy name O most sweet Saviour Jesus Christ may all thy Creatures sing forth praises and thanksgivings unto thee for the love wherewith thou tendrest our welfare by descending from heaven and offering up thy pure and innocent Body on the Cross for our Redemption Hallowed be thy name most blessed Jesus that after thy Resurrection and Ascension since thou wast to ascend into heaven there to sit at the right hand of the Father thou vouchsafest to leave us the self same immortal Body as a memorial of thy departure and a pledge of thy infinite love thou bearest us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy on us and grant us thy peace refresh our Souls with this spiritual and heavenly food and comfort us continually with thy graces that neither in life nor death we may depart from thee nor be deprived at any time of thy celestial benedictions who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost in all Eternity Amen O Most loving Father who sparedst not thy own Son but deliveredst him to death for us all who if we ask thee Bread will not give us a Stone or for an Egg a Scorpion Behold we offer up unto thee Eternal Father this Lamb thy only Son and the infinite merits of his Sacrifice performed on the Cross and beseech thee to give us this day our daily bread bread for the body and all necessaries for this present life whereby we may be the better enabled to serve thee but especially the bread of our Souls the gifts and graces of thy Holy Spirit and whatsoever is necessary to strengthen them lest we faint in the way that we are walking in toward our heavenly country where we shall be abundantly satisfied with the pleasures of thy heavenly table who livest and reignest with the Son and the Holy Ghost one God for ever and ever Amen O Most bountiful Father who givest us from heaven the corn of thine Elect and bread of Life who hast sowed them on earth and laid them up in the Granary of thy Church for the feeding of thy children Grant us frequently to be refreshed with this bread yea spiritually at least to receive it daily which is so useful for us every day and that we may be sustained by this heavenly Viaticum in this our Pilgrimage that in the strength of that food we may travel on to the Mount of God by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen O Father of Mercies and God of all Consolation who in the abundance of thy infinite Charity hath given us thy only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him may not perish but inherit eternal Life and that our necessities may be relieved out of the immense treasure of his Merits Behold me a wretched Sinner tho called by thy mercy into the Society of your Son now also partaking of his Body and Blood and therefore at this instant embracing him in my Breast and possessing him as my very self and what 's intimately united to me And as such in union of that love wherewith heretofore He gave himself for us on the Altar of the Cross and now communicates himself to us in the Sacrament of the Altar I offer Him to thee with all his merits and virtues to thine everlasting praise and glory that thou may'st be perfectly pleased in him and that we who by no action of our own can by the merits and patronage of thy most beloved Son may be compleatly acceptable to thee I present thee O Holy Father with that entire Charity Religion Humility Meekness
2. A right ordering of our Judgment concerning Truth and Error 1. Judging of the truth of Doctrines as you see they tend to godliness 1. Tim. 6.3 Tit. 1.1 and as they are more fitted for bringing forth in us the fruits of good works For by their fruits are true and false doctrines certainly known Matt. 7.16.20 holiness and truth vice and error being consectaries one of another §. 46. 2. Taking heed of those doctrines which weaken the practice of Piety c. To name you some of them such as these seem to be If any Should teach you That to abstain from any thing which it is lawful by God's word to enjoy is fruitless will-worship Superstition Should assure you of an equal facility of attaining heaven in all conditions of life not noting to you the great lets and temptations that are in some beyond others as in honors riches marriage c. to excite your choice of the Better or your vigilance in the other Should disallow or discourage Vows and other prefortifications against those things which have been former occasions of sinning and the abstaining where-from is in our Power Should speak against frequent hours of prayer in the day frequent days of solemn worship in the year frequent celebrations of the Eucharist frequent Confession and Communion frequent fasting days and macerations of the Body c. Should remit unto you the reins of your obedience to the authority of the Church requiring it only to her when she commands that which you in your own judgment weighing her reasons do think just and right to be believed or practised Should disallow confession of your sins to the Priest Should affirm that confession to God or the Priest is sufficient for remission of Sin without reformation of life and quitting Sin Or that an internal sorrow of the Soul for them is only required and any further external and corporal penances humiliations or punishing your self for them useless Or teach that these penances and mortifications are necessary only when they are imposed to satisfy the scandal given the Church but no way to appease the wrath of God Or that your sins are remitted by mony alms Ecclesiastical indulgences or Absolutions when these are not preceded by a true Contrition Should teach you that all sins without any distinction amongst them are equally effecting your damnation and either that All or that None put you out of the Grace and favour of God and that several degrees of Penitence are not necessary according to the quality of your offence Should teach you that good works are not necessary to Salvation and that the promises of reward are made only to faith or necessary not from a strict obligation of every regenerate man to do them having time for it but only out of gratitude or as fruits that necessarily spring out of a true faith Should so extol Faith in our Saviour's merits i.e. in his good works as to make supervacuous inherent Righteousness Or faith in our Saviour's satisfaction i.e. in his sufferings as to void all our self-afflictions mortifications and conformity unto his death Should teach your inability though in the state of Grace to observe all God's Commandments and to please him in your works and to fulfil his law as to the forbearance of all greater sins and offences against any part thereof Should hold no degrees of perfection in our obedience nor any latitude of goodness above that of not being in fault making none better than him that only keeps from sinning or him whoever is not the most good to be amongst offenders and one falling short of the highest degree of any virtue as of Prayer Charity c. in this to be guilty of sin to the taking away of all confidence in God for any good or acceptable work done by us and emulation of being perfect and pre-eminence of those who are Saints Should teach the heavenly reward to be to all persons equal so that who is more holy than the rest that enter-in thither Suppose St. Paul than the Publican doth in the overplus of his mortifications c serve God for nought Should extol Predestination Election Grace certainty of Salvation c. i. e. the mercies of God so far as to remit and discourage all Man's endeavours Should deny the continuance of God's miraculous works now as they have been in former times to Holy mens Prayers to the great weakning of Prayer and Faith and of the making use of the intercessions of Saints and of holy men for us Should labour more to instruct you in what sense and quatenus such and such Christian virtues are not to be practised than in what they are whereby you become more inclined to the omission than inflamed to the practice of them As That Confession of sins to the Priest is not to be used if not necessary jure divino or because all our sins cannot be recounted or remembred Not almes not penances that is as self-sufficient satisfactions to God's justice for your sins Not good works that is as thinking to merit heaven by them abstracting from our Lord's Not set times of Prayer of Fasting that is as of divine command or essential parts of God's Worship No Addresses to Saints or Holy-men of God for their Prayers and Intercessions to God for us lawful i. e. with such a belief and intention as if the Divine Majesty did not immediately hear or receive our own Prayers or as if our Lord's Intercessions and Mediation for us were defective or unsufficient without them Should teach you that voluntary poverty or selling our Goods to give them to the Poor Celibacy preaching without charges remitting just Law-suits and not requiring by constraint satisfaction for damages not wearing of gold costly apparel c. 1. Pet. 3.3 are no general Advices and Counsels to all save only in preparatione animi to do them in some time of great exigence as in persecution c. but are particular precepts and so obligatory to some only we know not whom in some particular cases we know not when I say Taking heed and having great jealousy of the truth of such doctrines which you experimentally find do weaken the practice of Piety as several of these doctrines fore-mentioned seem to do §. 47. 3. Considering Doctors Religions Sects according to the less or more liberty or severity of their doctrines remissness or strictness of their discipline the more or less practice of mortifications and devotions in them for the severest Religion is the best and the most Spiritual consolations and the surest way of Salvation are in it According to their erring more in speculative points or more in practicals for the Error in practicals is much more dangerous Since a small measure of knowledge is exacted of Christians but much of duty Again According to the more works and Monuments of Piety and Charity which you find to abound in either For there surely is the greatest love of God and love is never without light
this surely more effectual to ours 6. Doing which necessarily follows from the former of many things that which still tends to his greater glory whilst you endeavour to make all things besides his glory indifferent to you 7. Renewing an actual intention of his glory before every particular action else notwithstanding a general devotement of all your works to him at the beginning of the day nature will frequently relapse to minding her own good which actual intention will help us to undertake still greater things for his glory and to desert all those actions which serve not or less unto it 8. Procuring his praise from others in shewing or proclaiming any part of his wisdome or his works and in accustoming your self to attribute constantly all good things and that in the smallest as well as greater matters unto him since he certainly doth all good And especially since in this his dayly working all good in and by us many yet do rob him of his due glory to get some to themselves taking heed in your doing any thing commended to procure his praise always rather than your own and when any applause comes to you presently to offer it up to him remembring how Herod was stricken for not giving God the glory the people gave to him Acts. 12.23 9. Procuring his outward and visible glory in reverently observing celebrating adorning things amongst us that have more special relation and dedication unto him as places times persons holy and the publick service of him in and by them for all these things excessive love naturally doth 10. Often comparing the acts of your love to him with those of his love to you and the meanness of your service with the greatness of your Lord comparing his perfections and your defects Considering what a thing any man is to Angels what Angels to him what you amongst those multitudes of worthies amongst men on whom he may place his love and then concluding with St. Austine Quid tibi sum ipse ut amari te jubeas a me nisi faciam irascaris mihi §. 76. II. Believing and Hoping in him II. 1. Believing and hoping in Him In all purposes honest though temporal and those of small consequence But especially in spiritual whether concerning God your Self or your Neighbour See Ps 37.3.5.7 55.22 9 10. 27.14 Where you have no private secular interest and purity of conscience And in matters of greater difficulty and where as there is great reason to undertake so little humane likelihood to effect them For to hope in him where affairs are prosperous and where there is another hope besides is also the worldlings hope Job 13.15 Ps 27.3 Digr 1. Some degree of want of Faith the chief obstruction of all good and heroical resolutions §. 77. III. Wershipping him III. 2. Worshipping him First with Prayer In which 1. For our selves 1. Confession of Sins 1. With Prayer 1. Confession 1. Meditating on hell the punishment thereof and imploring pordon 2. Making your Confession of Sins very particular and not such and so general as the most righteous person in the world may truly say it after you Canfessing more specially your last sins after more promises of reformation The sins of the present day Some former greater sins of your life that more burden your conscience which ought continually to be remembred before the Lord Psal 51.3 Not only known sins forsaken but all those actions in which for the present by some excess or other vicious circumstances you doubt whether you may not have offended him desiring his further illumination and remembring Eccl. 9.1 and 1. Cor. 4.4 and professing a ready mind to alter what in them you shall know to be displeasing unto him 3. Begging grace of God to know all your sins and defects that you may remove out of his sight whatever offends him 4. Using several ways of helping to call them to mind By running over and examining 1. The Ten Commandments 2. The Apostles Catalogue of Sins Gal. 5.19 Rom. 1.29 Rev. 21.8 c. 3. The three faculties of the Soul Memory Vnderstanding Will and Affections 4. The five Senses and the Tongue 5. The three ways of sinning thought word deed 6. Against God our Neighbour our selves By reviewing the whole course of our life according to the time year after year places of our abode Societies we lived in imployments we have followed c. 5. Staying our meditation longer on those heads which have been more transgressed by us 6. Reviewing at certain times the greater sins of our former life written down and afflicting our Souls for them Digr Of the benefit of the often remembrance and re confession of old sins §. 78. 2. Thanksgiving 2. Thanksgiving and Confession of God's mercies 1. Meditating on paradise the purchase of Christ's merits for those who serve him and giving thanks 2. Imagining all God's and our Saviours benefits as particularly done for you Or considering them to you comparatively to many others who enjoy a less portion of them or perhaps suffer things contrary unto them 3. Considering our Lord not only as man but as God in all things he did and suffered for you which will make them still greater unto you as his person is and will produce great reverence adoration fear love admiration and praise in you 4. Dedicating some of his benefits still to his service in giving something to his poor or using some other acts of Charity Especially after any extraordinary favour received 2. Sam. 24.24 Digr Of the horrible crime of Sacriledge or robbing God of that which others have given unto him §. 79. 3 Petition 3. Petition Confessing to him 1. your necessities and wants spiritual and temporal your infirmities and present condition for every thing even as if he knew them not except from your relation but indeed that you may the better know them and may become affected accordingly Psal 142.2 Jer. 11.20 2. King 19.14 and so imploring his grace speedy assistance succour c. 2. In these requests remembring and repeating unto our Lord his own words his promises his life he led here as if he had forgot them but indeed to strengthen more your faith in them and adherence unto him Thus Nazianzen Orat. 11. describes the earnest devotion of his sick Sister Gorgonia Ad altare cum fide procumbit eumque qui super ipso honoratur cum ingenti clamore invocat omnibusque nominibus appellat atque omnia ea quae unquam mirifice gesserat velut in memoriam ei revocat c. 3. Beseeching him as for external necessities so for your internal for the good motions of our Soul which seem most in our own power but in which indeed we no less depend on his help 2. Cor. 3.5 for giving us affections suting to our present duty joy sorrow tears praying against our will to be made willing and to wish first that we may will Imagining our understanding as that of a natural fool's and every moment receiving new
of God the benefit of whose prayers you partake consecration of the place c. 2. In such publick service applying the general praise petition c. to your own particular necessities benefits received c. Intercessions to those to whom you have more relation And in confession of sin and some other actions changing universals us our c. into me I which experience will shew you to make your prayers more affectionate and attentive excepting to those who have attained more perfection §. 132. 2. From holy places 2. 2. From holy places Choosing rather as oft as opportunity permits to offer up also your private prayers in a place that is holy and consecrated to God's name and appointed to be the house of prayer Matt. 21.13 And this not only because this place sequestred from transaction of worldly affairs hinders us from many secular disturbances and the reverence thereof makes us more considerate in our behaviour and fervent in our devotions and breeds in us as being his own house a much stronger imagination of God's presence whilst we pray But also because these places seem to have more peculiar promise of his extraordinary presence there and giving audience to our prayers and granting our requests See Exod. 20.24 2. Chron. 7.15 16. Which promises why should they not remain still in force since under the times of the Gospel the publick places of God's worship are not demolished but only multiplied And so of the presence of his Ministers the Holy Angels who are his ordinary train and attendants See 1. Cor. 11.10 Gen. 28.17.19 Psal 139.1 Gen. 4.12.14.16 Therefore hath it been the venerable custome of all Antiquity to repair to Churches to the Memorials of Martyrs and to recommend to God rather there also even their private devotions See Act. 3.1 Luk. 24.53 Act. 22.17 Luk. 18.10 §. 133. 3. From holy times 3. 3. From holy times In laying aside all your own both business and pleasures Isa 58.3.13 Using oftner and longer private devotions and begging some more special favour on those days than at other times 1. On the Lord's day the Christians Sabbath Being a type and pledge of that day to come of eternal rest and praising God in his Temple which is promised us See Heb. 4.9.10 and this seventh portion of our time being the tribute thereof which God hath set apart as for our more solemn service of him and prayers He having as a house so a day of Prayer so for a time when God gives as it were a more special audience unto them and dispenseth greater blessings 2. On the other Festivals of our Saviour Then always meditating for some little time on the action and mystery of the day When also you may advance your devotion by using imaginary composition of place and imaginary senses as if you were present at such action with such persons as in the feast of the Epiphany prostrating your self before Jesus with the wise men embracing him with Simeon c. and saw and heard the several passages thereof and imaginary addresses to our Saviour in such and such a posture saying to him what your heart will pour out As it is a day of his suffering or triumph so tuning your Soul to it in Suspirations or Hosanna's Elegies or Doxologies Using such Psalms c as were chiefly penned for these times as for the one viz. time of sorrow Psal 22. 69. 35. 38. Esa 53. altered to a speaking of them to our Saviour as Psal 22.1 Thy God thy God why hath he forsaken thee c. For the other time of joy Psal 45. 39. 72. c. Preferring to God some special petition with respect to the day See an Example in the Collects of these days 3. On the Festivals of the Saints the former leaders of our faith See Heb. 13.7 12.1 Performing the duty of an honourable Commemoration of that Saint to whose memory the day is dedicated See Luk. 1.48 Matt. 16.13 And saying and doing something in honor of them remembring the intimate communion and spiritual consanguinity you have with them so as you would do for one of near relation to you in the flesh and this not as to them dead but now living in Glory with Christ and as to those by the uncessant and most compassionate prayers of whom our fellow-members triumphant we receive continually great advantages whilst we are yet in the fight where if Dives remembred his brethren much more do they Meditating on the Life of that Saint and proposing some one thing therein for your imitation In that day beging of God some one of those graces and virtues which God had more eminently bestowed upon him See Examples in the Collects §. 134. Digr That those who more honour the Saints those friends of God that laid down their lives c. for him are by God made more partakers of the benefits of their prayers As in ancient time frequent experience hath shewed these our respects to them being only for their faithful service to him and this honouring of the servant finally redounding to the Master Matt. 10.40.42 and God not suffering as not any charity so not any honour done to his to go unrewarded 4. From holy 4 and consecrated persons presenting your Prayers to God 4. From holy persons Digr Of the Reverence to be had to Times Places Things Persons Consecrated §. 135. II. Concerning Meditation 1. Often using Meditation the greatest nourishment of Piety and Devotion And this upon some one particular subject At some set time And that time the space of an hour that you may attain some fervour in it or not less than half an hour And this time rather in the morning when your Spirits are most fresh and clear and undiscomposed This Meditation to be used then as you please as part or out of Prayer the greatest part of Meditation always being Prayers in any posture walking sitting or in bed where there is more privacy so it be toward the morning when you are free from all drowsiness 2. To make you more exact and experienced in all the particular heads of Devotion 't is recommendable to change dayly or often the subject of your Prayers imploying the most of your Prayer time upon some selected points of some one head of Meditation such as those following pag. 3. Concerning your Subject of Meditation always having some chief points upon it some for your reason others for your affections to work on whether composed by your self or borrowed from another See Introduct to a Devout Life and written down that your memory may not be burthened passing in your exercise in order from one of these to another as your thoughts multiply less or more upon them The more you collect and the fewer at one time you insist on the better And if also each point be grounded on or confirmed with some sentences of Scripture you shall find these much more to move you as being God's words than the wisest dictates of
forewarned us like a thief at a time when we are asleep and think less of it than at other times we do Now this imagined great distance still from our death chiefly ariseth from every ones reckoning his own end only from deficiency of nature which yet not one of 1000 dyes of and not from accidental distempers when as most commonly this our lamp goes out either choaked with its own nourishment or violently extinguished by some external accident before its Oyl is half consumed And since nothing is more common then example of this in others on every side what self love and dotage is it to promise our selves a better destiny till we also surprized become the like example to others 23. And consider likewise and think with your self how many are dying in that very time you are thinking and meditating of it 24. 2 When this time shall come your impotency and unfitness from your fears your pains and many times the want of your senses that will then be to order either the matter of your Soul or of your worldly affairs to do any thing with sufficient devotion or prudence and also your friends at that time hiding from you as much as they can the danger of your sickness Nay your self perhaps when decumbent under the stroke of death yet removing it a far off still and certainly presuming being loath to imagine the worst of a recovery only because some few so sick have not dyed of whom your unkind friends will not be wanting to mind you also because your self formerly have recovered 25. For exciting your resolutions and affections Indeavour to make the same judgment of things for the present and to have the same opinion now of your sins of the world and its pleasures and its cares and your designs in it and what you imagine you should in such a case at such a time purpose now resolve upon 26. Prepare your self for that terrible and dreadful hour in some of those Duties set down before 27. Avoid not but use and seek out all the sad memorials of death that may be as visiting Hospitals the sick sore and putrifying dying persons hearing their speeches their groans looking on the skeletons of the dead frequenting funerals Making many reflections on the passing of time decays of your own Body or other mens c. Remembring often Eccl. 7.2 3 4. Repeating often the 90 Psalm Recalling to mind and keeping a Catalogue sometimes to be reviewed of your friends and acquaintance deceased Considering what they were did are Thus much for Sickness and Death §. 169. For Consideration of the General day of Judgment some more particulars may yet be added Consider 1. That that is the proper day of justice and wrath as the present is of Grace and Mercy See Rom. 2.5.8 9. 2. Thes 1.7 8. Rev. 11.18 6.16 Luk. 18.7 2. Cor. 5.11 God's justice upon sin by Christ's Mediation being delayed till that time that many might come to repentance 2. Pet. 3.9 and these his present temporal punishments being inflicted chiefly not for vengeance but for other ends either for their good that suffer or other mens that behold it Therefore the present called our day Luk. 19.42 2. Cor. 6.2 wherein our free will doth as it pleaseth That the day of the Lord 2. Pet. 3.10 1. Thes 5.2 wherein removing this free power we yet enjoy God will gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and all that do iniquity and cast them into the furnace Matt. 13.41 2. The dreadful signs that shall be then of God's wrath and the terribleness of the appearance of that day beyond all other terrors and the alteration of Heaven and Earth and putting out of the Sun before the sitting in judgment Rev. 20.11 comp 12. tho not till after the resurrection 1. Thes 4.16 See 2. Pet. 3.10.12 Psal 18.7 c. Nahum 1.3 c. Esai 30.27 c. Matt. 24.29 c. Rev. 20.11 Joel 3.2.12 c. to 17. Zechariah 14.4 Luk. 21.36 3. As the Bodies of the righteous raised in great beauty and glory so those of the wicked in great filthiness and deformity 4. The horrible fear and trembling of the wicked then living Matt. 30. Luk. 21.25 26. Rev. 1.7 6.16 11.18 Rev. 1.7 this day coming upon them when full of sin and security Matt. 24.12.38 Luk. 18.8 21.35 1. Thes 5.3 2. Thes 2 3. And of the Souls of the formerly dead then being brought out of their prisons 1. Pet. 3.19 and reunited to their loathsome companion the Body Now to be sentenced together with the devil to eternal torments whom also we may suppose deprecating as the Devils Luk. 8.31 5. The confidence and joy of the righteous then living and of the Souls of the dead then coming out of the place of rest and bliss and reunited to their Bodies their Bodies carefully gathered up and brought together by the Angels and such as they are described 1. Cor. 15.42 c. 2. Thes 1.10 both these being then caught up in the clouds and having their ascension like our Saviour's and meeting the Lord coming in his Glory with his Blessed Angels to Judgment in the air 1. Thes 4.17 Luk. 21.28 1. Jo. 2.28 1. Cor. 7.7 2 Tim. 4.8 Tit. 2.13 1. Thes 5.4 2. Pet. 3.12 whom we may suppose singing together as in Rev. 19.6 7 8. 6. A particular appearance and examination of all the Sons of Adam assembled together Sodom and Gomorrah in Abraham's time then confronting Corazin and Bethsaida in Christ's time c. And every one giving account of himself to God the Counsels of all their hearts being made manifest and secrets divulged Rom. 14.10.12 1. Cor. 4.5 Matt. 10.15 Rev. 20.12 Rom. 2.16 Ecclesiastes 12.14 7. Books kept containing all mens works then brought forth and opened Rev. 12.20 In which how many sins never thought of for Repentance shall be then brought to our Remembrance for Condemnation And besides them a peculiar Book of life called also a Book of remembrance Mal. 3.16 being not of actions but only of names i. e. of those who have here served and pleased God that none of them might be forgotten or unrewarded in that day All the rest who are not writ in that happy book being abandoned to eternal destruction Exod. 32.32 33. Phil. 4.3 Rev. 3.5 20.15 Luk. 10.20 Jo. 10.28 29. 8. The manifestation at that time of God's just judgment the manner whereof is set down by St. Paul Rom. 2. from 6. to 17. verse which shall be upon no other point but down-right according to works Rom. 2.6 Rev. 20.12 Matt. 16.27 c. In which works words Matt. 12.37 Jud. 15. and thoughts Rom. 2.16 are contained According to works either those that men have persevered in without any repentance of them at all or where any repentance of them hath been which cancels all the work before it Ezech. 18.21 22. according to the works done after it whether these be good or whether they be evil which being evil
bringest down to the grave and raisest from thence again Have mercy on us Who savedst Noah from drowning in the Flood Lot from burning in Sodom and Isaac from imminent death who slaying all the first-born in Aegypt in one night preservedst safe the Israelites who deliveredst thy People stung with fiery Serpents by looking up to the Brazen one Have mercy on us Who at the Prayer of Elias and Eliseus thy Prophets restoredst the dead to life again who healedst Naaman the Syrian of his Leprosy by Eliseus the Prophet Have mercy on us Who freedst King Ezechias praying unto thee in his weakness with tears from his disease and death who at length restoredst Job most miserably afflicted in his body by Satan Have mercy on us JESU Son of the living God who wast sent to heal the broken in heart to preach enlargement to the captives and to comfort all that mourned who tookest upon thee our infirmities and barest our griefs who wentest about doing good and healing all that were sick and oppressed of the devil by whose power the blind received their sight the lame walked the lepers were cleansed and the dead raised Have mercy on us Who curedst with thy word the man that had been Paralytick eight and thirty years who healedst the woman that had been twelve years sick of her infirmity of blood and spent all she had upon the Physitians by the touch of the hemm of thy garment who restoredst to perfect health the woman vexed with a Spirit of infirmity and bowed down eighteen years Have mercy c. Who restoredst sight to him that had been blind from his birth who absent curedst the servant of the Centurion of eminent faith who deliveredst the woman of Canaan's daughter having respect to the faith of her mother Have mercy on us Who raisedst the daughter of Jairus Ruler of the Synagogue being newly dead who restoredst to life the only Son of his Mother that was dead and carried forth into the street who raisedst Lazarus after he had lain four days from the grave Have mercy on us Who in thine Agony being sorrowful unto death sweatedst drops of blood who praying that the cup of thy Passion and death might pass from thee submittedst thy self to the will of thy Father who dying commendedst thy Spirit into the hands of thy Father Have mercy on us Who by thy death destroyedst him that hath the power of death and diseases who by thy Resurrection procuredst us a lively hope of our rising also from death Have mercy on us Who sending the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles adornedst them with divers gifts of miracles and healings who by the shadow of St. Peter and the handkerchiefs and aprons brought from the body of St. Paul healedst many diseases Who gavest to them that believed on thee power to cast out devils in thy name to take up Serpents to lay their hands upon the sick and heal them Have mercy on us Who ascending into heaven art Lord of life and hast the power of death Have mercy on us O Father of mercies and God of all consolation who comfortest us in all our tribulations who sufferest us not to be tempted above that which we are able to bear but with the temptation makest away to escape Have mercy on us Who chastisest and scourgest those whom thou lovest who judgest and correctest us with weaknesses and sickness and death it self that we may not be condemned with the world Have mercy on us O Lamb of God that takest c. From the guilt and burthen of our sins Deliver us c. From all the temptations and wiles from all illusions and assaults of the devil Deliver us O Lord. From all impatience and murmuring against thy providence from all weakness of mind from distrust and despair of thy mercy from the fear of death and too great a desire of life Deliver us c. From distraction of mind about the things of this world and neglect of preparing for life eternal from grievous pain and agony which may withdraw our minds from thee Deliver us c. From thy wrath and heavy indignation from the terrible sentence of the supreme Judge from the gates of hell and powers of darkness from the bitter pains of eternal death Deliver us c. By the infinite and great mercies of God the Father by the infinite and great merits of God the Son by the grace and consolations of God the Holy Ghost Deliver c. By the pains of death which compassed thee about in the Garden at the approach of thy Passion by thine agony and bloody sweat Deliver us c. By thine affliction of heart on the Cross when thou criedst out unto thy Father by the ardency of thy love whereby thou undertookst our sorrows and with thy stripes curedst our wounds Deliver us c. By thy powerful Resurrection and glorious Ascension by thy gracious and most prevalent Intercession and Mediation Deliver us c. In the time of our necessities and straits in the hour of death and day of judgment Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That thou wouldst not enter into judgment with thy servants for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified that thou wouldst not be extreme to mark our iniquities for who can abide it that thou wouldst lighten our eyes that we sleep not in death least at any time our enemy prevail over us We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That being delivered out of the hand of our enemies we may serve thee without fear in holiness and justice all the days of our life We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That being made whole by thy grace from our disease we sin no more lest a worse thing come unto us We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That being uncertain of the time of our death and thy coming to judgment we may in time set in order our worldly affairs that thou wouldst vouchsafe us the grace to confess intirely and be sincerely contrite for our sins to forgive from our hearts all that have offended us and make satisfaction to all whom we have injured We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That being reconciled to thee and all the world with a constant faith and firm hope we may reverently receive the Viaticum of thy Sacred Body and continue unto the end in thy grace and favour We sinners beseech c. That when and howsoever it shall please thee to dispose of us either for life or death we may most chearfully submit our selves to thy most holy will that as we have received good from the hands of our Lord so we may undergo evil with all patience We sinners beseech c. That we neglect not the chastisement of our Lord nor faint when we are reproved by thee but looking up to the Author and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross may run with patience the race that is
judge the living and the dead Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed O Lamb of God at whose presence the earth shall be moved and the heavens melt away Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed O Lamb of God in whose blessed book of Life their names are written Give eternal rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed The Antiphon DEliver us O Lord and all thy Faithful in that day of terror when the Sun and Moon shall be darkned and the Stars fall down from heaven in that day of calamity and amazement when heaven it self shall shake and the Pillars of the earth be moved and the glorious Majesty of Jesus come with innumerable Angels to judge the world by fire Deliver us O Lord in that dreadful day And place us with thy blessed at thy right hand for ever O Lord hear our Prayers And let our Supplications come to thee ALmighty God with whom do live the Spirits of the perfect and in whose holy custody are deposited the Souls of all those that depart hence in an inferior degree of thy grace who being by their imperfect Charity rendred unworthy thy presence are detained in a state of grief and from thy beatifical sight as we bless thee for the Saints already admitted to thy glory so we humbly offer our Prayers for thy afflicted servants who continually wait and sigh after the day of their deliverance Pardon their sins supply their unpreparedness and wipe away the tears from their eyes that they may see thee and in thy glorious light eternally rejoyce Thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Eternal God who besides the general precepts of Charity hast commanded a particular respect to parents kindred and benefactors grant we beseech thee that as they were the instruments by which thy providence bestowed on us our birth education and innumerable other benefits so our Prayers may be a means to obtain for them a speedy delivery from any privation of bliss which they may suffer for their sins and a free admittance to thy infinite joys Thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen MOst wise and merciful Lord who hast ordained this life as a passage to the future confining our Conversion to the time of our Pilgrimage here and reserving for hereafter the state of punishment and reward vouchsafe us thy grace who are yet alive and still have opportunity of reconcilement to thee so to watch over all our actions and correct every least deviation from the true way to Heaven that we be neither surprised with our sins uncancelled nor our duties imperfect but when our Bodies go down into the grave our Souls may ascend to thee and dwell for ever in the mansions of eternal felicity Thro Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen The LITANY of Christian Virtues O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have c. O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Lord just and good and a rewarder of all those that seek thee diligently Have mercy on us Who createdst our first Parents in innocency and holiness after thine own image and gavest a testimony to the offerings of just Abel Have mercy on us Who savedst in the Ark from the Flood Noah a Preacher of Justice and deliveredst from the Fire just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked Have mercy on us Who gavedst the Promise to Abraham found faithful after many trials Have mercy on us Who deliveredst Jacob endued with a wonderful patience and confidence in adversities from all evils and gavest a joyful end to thy servant Job that pattern of patience Have mercy on us Who rewardest the singular modesty and chastity of Joseph with the rule over Aegypt Have mercy on us Who choosest Moses the meekest man upon earth to be Ruler over thy people and electedst Joshuah notable for valour and constancy to lead thy people into the land of Promise Have mercy on us Who gavest the Priesthood to the Sons of Levi for their great courage in vindicating thine honor and deliveredst from all dangers the Prophet Elias for his incomparable Zeal for thy true worship against the false Prophets and at length took'st him up into heaven Have mercy on us Who set'st Samuel Judge over thy people a lover of Justice and free from bribes And liftedst up David a man after thy own heart in the faithful service of thee to be King of Israel Have mercy on us Who replenishedst Solomon humbly begging Wisdome of thee both with it and many other Graces And adornedst Daniel and his Companions being singularly temperate and sober with wisdome and beauty Have mercy c. Who chosest the Blessed Virgin Mary adorned with singular chastity humility obedience and all other Virtues to be the Mother of thy Son Have mercy on us Who sentest John Baptist a fore-runner of thy Son a Preacher of penance and of great austerities and abstinence Have mercy on us Who sentest JESUS Christ thy only begotten Son into the world the pattern of all Holiness that we should follow his example Have mercy on us Who hast chosen us in him before the foundations of the world that we also should be holy and unblameable in thy sight Have mercy on us Who hast predestinated us that we should be made conformable to the image of thy Son and hast created us in him to good works which thou hast ordained that we should walk in them Have mercy on us Who hast redeemed us from our vain conversation by the precious blood of Christ and hast regenerated us by thy word unto a lively hope of an eternal inheritance Have mercy on us O Jesu who knewest no sin neither was guile found in thy mouth but appearedst to take away the sins of the world Have mercy on us JESUS who barest our sins in thy body on the Cross that we being dead unto sin may live unto Justice and Holiness Have mercy on us Who hast delivered us out of darkness into light from the power of Satan into thy Kingdome and hast bestowed upon us the remission of sins and an inheritance amongst thy Saints Have mercy on us Who promisedst thy Disciples that forsook all for thee twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel who committedst unto St. Peter notably confessing and loving thee the feeding of thy sheep Have mercy on us Who vouchsafest to St. John notable for chastity the singular priviledge of thy love Have mercy on us Who sendedst thy holy Spirit whereby divine Charity is spread abroad in our hearts Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and grant unto us O Lord The virtue of humility and patience spiritual poverty and meekness longanimity and obedience to those that are set over us Grant unto us O Lord A quiet mind and contented with our present condition true peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Grant us c.