in tears of blood to ransome me Open the grave of my dull and earthly Soul with thy Almighty power and enliven the dead therein even all my powers and affections that abundance of holy thoughts may rise out of it in thankfulness for thy Passion with multitudes of praises for my Redemption Shake the earth of my Heart with terror at the approach of every sin that I may die rather than commit one known wilful sin against thee more Blessed Lord enclose my Soul now in that Heart of thine which was opened with the Spear for me There I delight to dwell for I have desired it There will I live and suck life and draw Salvation from thee Thy wounded Heart is my Sanctuary my comfort in sorrow my refuge in trouble here let me live and die and be secure for ever I desire nothing but thee I languish after none but thee all satisfaction lies in thee I desire to creep into this hole of the Rock and there to lie close with intimate individual adhaesion to thee with fulness of love and obedience O nourish me in it fill me with that love which made it and I will return it all in thanksgiving and love unto thee Additional Devotions for the Evening O Blessed Jesus by the eye of faith I now behold thee dead upon the Cross for me and see good Joseph of Arimathea thy holy Mother and Saint John coming to take thee down from the same Among whom I also by faith desire to come upon the Ladder of holy Thoughts with the shroud of my Heart to receive thee O give me the myrrh of Mortification The bitter Aloes of sorrow for my sin And the odour of divine Virtues to present and embalm thee with O that I had tears to wash thy sacred body all begored with blood and spittle for me O that I were but gratefully sensible of thine unspeakable love in all thy sufferings As these good men did draw out the Nails all begored with blood be pleased to draw out all the nails of Sin which lie in my body corrupting my poor Soul Fetch out all my corruptions though thou rent and tear me in the cure Thy wounded shoulders and rented hands were ript from the Cross so fast did the bloody nails and thy love above all fix thee thereunto O dear Lord loosen me quite from the World and from every vain affection that would withdraw my Heart from thee O fix the memory of thy Sufferings in my Heart and my Heart fast unto thee As thy Servants took thee down in their Arms vouchsafe to receive me into thine Methinks I see thee laid in thy Mothers lap while they shroud thee Dear Lord I lay down all my affairs in the lap of thy divine Providence desiring to rest sweetly thankfully and most contentedly in all thy dispensations towards me I resign my self my Soul my Estate my Friends and all that I am or have unto thee Thou hast bought and redeemed me to be thine and thine only will I be for ever Make me to spend hours and days in contemplating thee and thy miraculous sweetness to vapor away in acts of Love Adoration and Thankfulness to thee for this thy redeeming love unto me And now dear Lord I see thee taken away to thy burial also and laid in a new Sepulchre O make me a new Heart and take thy repose in the same I see thee buried for me O bury all my sins in the Grave with thee And thou who wert in that night of sorrow before thy death in thine Agony at Prayer for me in the morning condemned the Third hour crucified the Sixth dead and pierced the Ninth hour and taken down from the Cross at Even-song who wast now buried for me have mercy upon me give me grace daily and duly to apply the same unto my Soul as being my only Help Health and Remedy for in thy Merits Death and Passion is my only hope of Salvation Therefore let my life be hid with Christ in God Let me count all things but dung to gain thee For whom have I in Heaven but thee O Lord and there is none upon Earth that I desire in comparison of thee Compline HAving now dearest Lord passed this day in health and safety by thy divine Providence I give thanks unto thee Blessed by thy holy Name for any good I have done or for any evil I have left undone since it was by thy Grace only that I performed any good or did forbear any evil Blessed be thy Name for thy Mercies received for thy Judgments escaped and thy goodness enjoyed this day O let not my days consume in vanity nor my years in trouble but let every day add some knowledg some practice and some virtue to yesterday Holy Father I beseech thee by the Merits of thine only Son to pardon me the sins of this day and take me now and ever into thine Almighty protection O that thou wouldst visit me with the visitation of thy Saints O that thou wouldst shew me the felicity of thy chosen O that thou wouldst open mine eyes in the Visitations of the night O that thou wouldst give me Songs in the night that I might never cease day nor night from praising thee O that while mine Eyes sleep my Heart might always wake unto thee O fill me with love fill me O Lord with the most enflamed love that ever any of thine had unto thee O that I had all the love of all thy Saints and Angels comprised in my Soul to pour it out unto thee Lord thou hast not denied thy blood to redeem my Soul do not O do not deny me thy love to replenish it I desire to empty it of every thing else fill it with thy self for ever That as of thy fulness we have all received of the fulness of my love thou mayst receive such a full obedience and duty that I may be thine and only thine for ever O make me to think upon thee in my Bed and to remember thee when I am waking Let my first and last thoughts yea let all my thoughts be of thee and let thy blessing most blessed God be now and evermore upon me O make me to be early up at my Prayers and Praises unto thee Amen A Prayer for Lent MOst Holy and ever Blessed Lord Jesus who didst fast forty days and fortynights for me and all thine to teach us that Prayer and Fasting were necessary fortifications against the assaults of the Devil and all his Temptations as also to satisfie for all our excesses by Intemperance and for all deficiencies in our Retirements and Prayers I adore thy goodness and humbly implore thy grace and acceptance of my Humiliation before thee these forty days which I now enter into and continue in in memory of and conformity to thee I offer up this holy time in honour and love of thee in imitation of thy Saints in obedience to thy Church in sorrow for my sins as an act of
Printed for Ionathan Edwin in Ludgate Street DAILY DEVOTIONS Consisting of Thanksgivings Confessions and Prayers In Two Parts For the Benefit of the more Devout and the assistance of weaker Christians By an Humble Penitent LONDON Printed by A. Maxwell for Jonathan Edwin at the Three Roses in Ludgate-street 1673. The Preface to the READER THe following Meditations Praises Prayers and Confessions were the Devotions of a learned and pious Christian humbly offered up in due order to the Divine Majesty as their nature and the time to which they were fitted required being very Rational Comprehensive and Emphatical are offered now to the most sacred Consideration and practice of all those holy and humble Votaries that may in any sort be assisted by or delighted in the same In the Meditations suggested to the Readers use as he is going to Church sitting there and coming thence the best and most opposite Reflections and Resentments of holy David that Royal Pattern which God himself hath set before our Eyes are so collected and digested that they may easily pass into the apprehensions and affections of the Peruser The Praises contain the great and manifold effects of Gods goodness the Demonstrations of his Love the causes of our Joy and the Incentives that feed and enflame our Love and Gratitude The Prayers for the third sixt and ninth hour are every day to be used in memory of our Saviors Passion for the more effectual application of the merits of his bitter Death the more lively exercise of our Faith therein aswel as for our daily Communion with him in the sight and sense of all his love sufferings on the Cross for us after the manner of the ancient Christians in the best most pure Primitive Times The residue are Devotions adapted some to the use of Sinners for the bewailing of their sins at all times others for the use of Christians in our most eminent Fasts and Festivals and some by way of Preparation for Death that meditating upon it wisely fitting our selvs for it here it may be a blessed change unto us 〈◊〉 bring us to the life of â—…nal Glory hereafter I shall not speak more in praise of the Devotions which several learned and holy men have seen and approved but leave them to the experience of all the intelligent and pious that shall use them praying for a Blessing upon their Exercises in the same The Contents 1. DEvotions and Meditations to be us'd as we go to Church 2. Devotions in the Church 3. After Church 4. Devotion comprising all our Duties 5. A Paraphrase upon the Objective Hymn of Praise 6. Thanksgivings for all persons and times 7. An Hymn to Jesus wherein the Soul may expatiate it self with delight in him 8. A Prayer to the Holy Ghost out of St. Augustine 9. A Prayer for the Sixth hour 10. A Prayer for the Ninth hour 11. Additional Devotions for the Evening 12. A Prayer for Lent 13. Daily Thanksgiving 14. A Prayer for Christmas-day 15. A Prayer for Easter-day 16. A confession of sin out of Bishop Andrews 17. Deprecations of Bishop Andrews 18. Intercessions for all Mankind 19. A Christian Dedication of himself unto God 20. A Prayer for acceptation of Acts of Humiliation or abstinence on fasting-days 21. Evening thoughts and exercises to Bed-ward The Advice 22. A Prayer against Afflictions 23. An Exercise preparative to a good death consisting of several Acts of Piety 1. A brief Soliloquy by way of Admonition 2. Submition to the sentence of death 3. Thanksgiving for all benefits of your life past 4. Confession of our sins 5. A Prayer to die to sin 6. A petition for the virtues of the dying Jesus Devotions and Meditations to be used as we go to Church I Was glad when they said unto me let us go to the House of the Lord. Our feet stand within thy gates O Jerusalem Jerusalem is built as a City that is compact together Whither the Tribes go up the Tribes of the Lord unto the Testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. For there are set Thrones of Judgment the Thrones of the House of David O pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy Palaces For my Brethren and Companions sake I will now say peace be within thee Because of the House of the Lord our God I will seek thy good Glory be to the Father c. O how amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God Blessed are they that dwell in thy House they will be still praising thee They go from strength to strength every one of them in Zion appeareth before God O Lord of Hosts hear my prayer give ear O God of Jacob. For a day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a door-keeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he with-hold from him that walketh uprightly O Lord God of Hosts blessed is the man that trusteth in thee Glory be to the Father c. Praise waiteth for thee in Zion and to thee shall the vow be performed in Jerusalem O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy House even of thy holy Temple The Lord loveth the Gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Therefore I will come into thy House in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy fear will I worship towards thy holy Temple Lead me O Lord in thy righteousness make thy way strait before my face One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple I will wash mine hands in innocency so will I compass thine Altar about Lord I have loved the habitation of thy House and the place where thine honour dwelleth Thou art my my hiding place thou shalt preserve me from trouble thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance O Lord instruct me in the way that I should go guide me with thine eye I will wait for thy loving kindness in the midst of thine holy Temple O send out thy Light and thy Truth let them lead me and bring me to thy holy Hill and to thy Tabernacles Then will I go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy I will praise thee O God my God As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God
thee Who givest us joy in our reproaches and in all our labours of serving thee peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost intire love of our enemies and zeal of Souls yet alienated from thee O thou that hast given us such a sense of them hear our prayers for them that they also may see the felicity of thy chosen and rejoyce in thy Salvation That all the Sons of God may shout for joy in the Gates of Jerusalem O thou who hast shewed a miracle of Mercy in converting us who do call upon thee shew the same upon them who do not yet call effectually upon thee O Lord God of Mercy convert all Infidels all dead insensible Souls into a true sense of thee make them and us to yield all obedience to thee And to thy Name be rendered all Honour Praise and Glory for all these and for all other thy abundant mercies shewed unto us from everlasting until now and from this time forth for evermore Amen An Hymn to Jesus wherein the the Soul may expatiate it self with delight in Him JEsus the only thought of thee Fills with delight my memory But when thou dost thy presence shew Heaven into my brest doth flow No Theme for voice so sweet can be Nor to the ear such Melody No Heart can Thought so charming frame As Jesus his most precious Name Our hope when we for sins do grieve Thy mercies all our wants relieve If good to those that seek thy Grace What art thou when they see thy face Jesus in whom we comfort find Life of our Souls light of our Mind Thou dost our Hearts with true joys feed Thy gifts our utmost wish exceed No eloquence of tongue can teach Nor art of Pen this secret reach Only the experienced Soul doth prove What sweets they taste who Jesus love Him then I 'le seek retired apart Shutting the world out of my heart Amidst my business him I 'le strive With fresh pursuits still to retrive Early with Magdalen I 'le come A Pilgrim to my Saviours Tomb Wailing my sins with mournful cries I 'le seek him with my Mind not Eyes My Tears shall on his Grave distill My faithful Sighs the Garden fill Prostrate before him on my face His sacred feet I 'le fast embrace Striving to follow where they lead Jesus in thy blest steps I 'le tread Nor shall my Soul give o're to mourn Till to thy favour it return O Jesus most admired King Who didst triumph ore deaths sharp sting Thy Mystick sweetness first excites Then satisfies all appetites Thy quickening visits life bestow Thy light true good doth clearly shew That they who once have relisht thee Know all the world 's meer vanity Come then dear Lord possess our Hearts Enflame our Love with thy chaste darts All clouds of error drive away And change our night to thy bright day To thee our Hearts and Voices sing To thee our Vows and Prayers we bring That when we end this life 's short race In Heaven with thee we may have place A Prayer upon the third Hour O Blessed Jesus being the third hour was devoted to thee by the ancient Christians in memory of thy Prayer in the Garden thine Agony there suffered before thy Passion and of thy sending the Holy Ghost to thy Disciples accept of me in Communion with them doing honour to thy Name therein Enable me now seriously to consider that in that Garden of sorrow to thee thou didst repair our sin first committed in a Garden Thine Agony there was so great thy Conflict so strong thy Love so forcible thy Fathers wrath so weighty our Sins so hearty that thou didst sweat drops of blood prest out by thine intollerable anguish for our sins I humbly beseech thee to make me in utter abhorrence of all sin to forsake iniquity Give me a deep sense and sorrow for my sins and a thorough conversion to thee from them all Let this suffering of thine make me contented with all sufferings for thy sake And let thine infinite love therein melt my heart into love of thee and fill me with love to all Mankind for thee Great O Lord was this anguish of thine when it urged thee to pray that this Cup might pass from thee But greater was thy Love which did drink it up for me Great was thy dolor in thy prayer but greater was thy obedience Great was thy human suffering but greater was thy divine perfection that therein could make so perfect a Resignation Great was thy love to our Souls that suffered such inexplicable torments in thine own Most deeply fervent were thy prayers when thou didst shed thy very blood for tears O let me ne're refuse to bleed for thee Who shedst this strange prodigious blood for me O thou who didst pray prostrate on the earth and didst repeat the same prayer thrice Grant I beseech thee that by the outward gesture of our bodies we may encrease the inward devotion of our minds and in often repeating the same prayer may still advance to new degrees of pious affections make me in all things resigned unto thee O thou who wert falsly apprehended and betrayed deliver me from the false apprehension and treacheries of Men and grant that neither for reward nor danger I ever withdraw my fidelity from the but learn by thy example to do good with cheerfulness and to suffer evil with patience O blessed Lord thou didst deliver thy self to the violence of thine enemies suffering them to bind scourge deride and abuse thee in most barbarous manner Grant I beseech thee that the sins of our hands may be loosed by the binding of thine that the scourges due for our sins may be acquitted by thine let all our vain affections be confounded by the indecencies cast upon thee Grant that when ever thou callest us thereunto we may not only be bound but be ready to die for the Lord Jesus O by these bindings of thine deliver us from the chains of eternal darkness and bind our Souls and Hearts unto thee in the Chains of a strong obedience and everlasting love and dissolve now all the bonds of my sins O blessed Jesus being bound thus by Annas thou wast sent to Caiphas the high Priest where thou wert yet worse abused buffeted and blindfolded Have mercy upon me and make me to remember that no darkness can hide me from thy sight that so I may ever behave my self as in thy presence and be able to suffer all things rather than offend thee willingly any more Grant also that for thy sake who wert stript mockt spit upon wounded and derided for me I may patiently bear the devesture of all things and the derision of all men for thee hoping that if I be afflicted for thee here I shall by thy mercy and merit be glorified with thee hereafter I furthermore approach thee to commemorate the sending of thine holy Spirit upon thine Apostles humbly beseeching thee not to take it from me but to renew me
daily by it Grant me by the same spirit therefore to have a right Judgment in all things that I may both perceive and know what I have to do and have grace and power to fulfill the same Give me I beseech thee all the gifts and graces of thy holy Spirit Give me the spirit of wisdom to be sober wise and considerate in all things Give me the spirit of understanding to be quick clear and distinctive in my Apprehensions to distinguish between truth and falshood good and evil Give me the spirit of counsel to consult thy holy will and pleasure before I act any thing Make me meekly to receive all good counsel and prudently to give it Give me the spirit of ghostly strength that I may be modestly confident and impregnably couragious in thy service Give me the spirit of knowledg to know all thy revealed will to me and all my bounden duty to thee that so neither thy Law nor my duty thy mercy nor my sin may ever lie undiscerned in my Soul Give me I beseech thee the spirit of piety that I may ever be devoted unto thee And O my Saviour give me above all things thy holy filial fear that I may never more dare to offend thee Deliver me therefore I humbly beseech thee from all rashness inadvertency and inconsideration From a perverse confused unstable Understanding From refusing Counsel or neglecting to give it From ignorance of thy Will and my duty From all confidence of my self or diffidence in thee From all impiety and profaneness From casting off thy holy fear thereby growing bold or careless in offending And now dearest Lord having implored the gifts of thy holy Spirit and deprecated those evils that oppose it I humbly beg of thy divine Majesty the fruits of thy holy Spirit also that by finding those within me I may know thy holy Spirit rules and governs me Give me dear Lord I beseech thee an universal love make me to love thee for thy self my friend in thee and mine enemy for thee Give me joy in thee in thy works in thy ways in thy Laws in thy Saints and Servants in all the friends and blessings which I enjoy Give me O Prince of peace peace with thee my self my friends and enemies Give me patience in all my sufferings mercy to all who offend me or need my mercy Give me meekness in my heart words and behaviour in all to all Give me a true and irreprovable faith Give me modesty in all disputations shamefac'dness amidst all commendations sobriety in the midst of plenty that I never abuse thy bounty And with these give me I beseech thee the four Cardinal Virtues Prudence to govern me Justice to direct me Fortitude to discharge my duty Temperance to be moderate in all things Make me ever mindful Of Death to be prepared for it Of Heaven to desire it Of Judgment to dread it Of Hell to be deliver'd from it O keep me in with bit and bridle when I stick not close unto thee Make me to delight in the Assembly of the faithful to be among them that the holy Spirit which thou didst send upon thine Apostles may descend upon me even me also O my Lord compell I beseech thee my dearest N.N. to come in unto thee Make him to see the felicity of thy chosen Give him a taste and relish of all these Gifts and Graces of thy holy Spirit that he also may be filled with those unspeakable joys which they feel and find who spend their days and hours spirits souls and forces in knowing loving and obeying thee Give me the whole armor of God that I may resist all evil and persist in doing all good O give me the spirit of Grace and Supplication that these and all my other prayers may be acceptable to thee blessed to me and graciously answered for thy mercy sake Amen A Prayer to the Holy Ghost out of St. Augustine O Love of the Divine Power the holy Communication of the Omnipotent Lord and Father and of the most blessed Son come down even now I beseech thee by thy powerful Virtue into my Soul and get into all the corners of my heart and by thy splendor clearly illuminate all the darkness thereof Let thy gracious Visitation and abundant dew make my Soul fruitful in all good works pierce the most retired parts of mine inward man with the keen piercing darts of thy love enflame me with thy holy fires feed me with delicious Viands replenish me with thy Coelestial Graces Give me so to drink of the torrents of thy delights that I may have no taste of vain or sinful pleasures Come O thou comforter of all sorrowful Souls come thou comforter of the weak and strength of the strong come thou supporter of the falling and thou lifter up of the faln come thou cleanser of our sins and curer of our wounds Come thou teacher of the Meek and destroyer of the Proud Come O thou hope of the Poor and reviver of those that faint Come propitious Star of such as sail and haven against Shipwrack Come thou stay and comfort of those that live and thou only hope of all those that die Have mercy upon me have mercy upon me and make me fit for thy self and abide in me for ever And that thou mayst abide with me I do again beg of thee the fear of the Lord because this fear is Beautified by Wisdom Informed by Understanding Directed by Counsel Strengthened by courage Filled with Knowledg And crowned with Piety As this fear advanceth our knowledg so our knowledg brings us to this fear Therefore O thou only spirit of Wisdom give me this knowledg that I may always have this fear Such a fear as may make me wise unto Salvation Give me wisdom to understand thy Word Open mine eyes to see the wondrous things of thy Law Enlighten my Understanding to find out the hidden and glorious treasures thereof Fill me with the love of it With all delight in it Inspire me to meditate humbly of it Make me in every reading or hearing of it to profit by it and in all things to be obedient to it Amen Dearest Lord and most blessed Saviour give me I beseech thee such grace in meditating such divine light in understanding thy sacred sufferings in thy passion for me That by faith I may believe in thee and depend upon thy Merits therein By love feel thy sufferings be crucified to the world and be transformed into thee Make me willing to suffer any thing for thee Enable me to imitate thee in all thy imitable perfections and virtues which thou hast exemplified to me in this thy sacred Passion Give me the vast extensive love which thou didst shew to Almighty God in thy obedience to his Will and satisfaction of his Justice Give me that great Zeal of Souls which thou hadst even to die for their good especially their Coversion as thou didst for their Salvation Give me O Lord I beseech thee thy
mercy upon me By all thine anguish thou didst feel in the suspension of the divine aid have mercy upon me By the immensity of thy love in this thy most copious Redemption have mercy upon me and fill my Soul with the love of thee By all the barbarous outrages which thou didst endure for me deliver me from all mine Enemies visible and invisible My dearest Lord be thou the only supream love of my heart and the life of my Soul Let thy Virtues be in all my Actions and be thy honour the sole end of all my intentions Let me live in thy Wounds and for ever remain in thy love O my dear Lord Jesus thou heavenly Physitian of all humane nature thou great and glorious and eternal King remember I beseech thee all the bitter pains thou didst endure in all thy sacred members when thou wert hoised up on the Cross for me And let not my Soul be lost which cost thee all those inexplicable pains Make me feelingly and thankfully to remember how all thy precious body was rent and torn thy sacred limbs tortur'd and rackt thy head pierced thy bones disjoynted and all thy body broken for me Let me never forget this love of thine or ever offend thee more From the crown of the head to the soal of the foot thou hadst no part left whole in thee Never suffering like thine Never dolor like thine Never love like thy love Yet wert thou unmindful of all thine own Sufferings and didst pray to thy Father for thy cruel enemies O by this mercy of thine give me love and mercy to all that offend me and do thou now have mercy upon me Grant that I may always have such a devout memory and feeling of thy Passion that it may be a most powerful protection of my Soul against all temptation O thou who hanging on the Tree didst there make satisfaction for the sins of the world have mercy upon all Men. Convert the Obdurate Convince Hereticks Reduce Schismaticks Call in the Jews Bring in the fulness of the Gentiles Make all the Profane to tremble at thy Word Enflame all luke-warm Christians with an holy zeal unto thee Take pity on those who do not pity themselves Bring us all into obedience unto thee O holy Father accept of this propitiatory Sacrifice of thine only eternal Son for the full pacification of thy wrath and for the satisfaction and salvation of all returning sinful penitent and believing Souls Bring all that are ignorant of this thy Sons redeeming love to the knowledg of it and thee Since it is life eternal to know thee O holy Father and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Make all those who are ignorant of the terms of the Gospel to know and embrace the same Bring in all who are out of the Covenant of Grace by sincere faith and unfeigned Repentance into Covenant with thee Convert those in particular whom I am obliged to pray for effectually Keep my Soul for ever from offending thee Let this sweet peace my Saviour hath purchased with his own blood never more be broken between me and thee Let none of my rebellions break it keep me from sin that it never be disturbed O blessed Jesus as there was darkness at the hour of thy Passion over all the Earth untill the Ninth hour deliver me from all the works and from the place of everlasting darkness by thy holy sufferings in this hour Amen O soveraign Lord and blessed Saviour Jesus our only Redeemer Saviour of the World who by the sole motive of thy mercy didst humble thy Soul to the death for our Redemption and ascend to thy Father for the full accomplishment of our peace graciously apply to our Souls the infinite Merits of thy sacred Passion and with thy precious blood cleanse us from all our sins nail them to thy Cross hide them in thy Wounds bury them in thy Grave that they may die in us and we live in thee the life of Grace here and the life of Glory hereafter wherewith the Father and the Holy Ghost thou livest and reignest in the Unity of the Glorious Trinity ever blessed World without end Amen Prayers for the Ninth Hour O Blessed Jesus I come now to commemorate thy holy Death which after all thy pains hanging so tedious a time on the Cross thou didst suffer at the Ninth Hour in full satisfaction for all our sins O by this death of thine have mercy upon me let it kill crucifie and destroy all sin in me let me die unto the World and live henceforth only unto thee At the Ninth Hour was thy Heart pierced with a Spear O transfix my Heart unto thee By that precious Water and Blood shed for me have mercy upon me wash cleanse purifie heal my wounded and defiled Soul Then blessed Jesus did the virtue of the Holy Sacraments flow from thy sacred side the Water by which we are regenerated the Blood by which we are redeemed give me evermore the virtue and benefit thereof Then was thy sacred Soul separated from thy Holy Body O separate me from this evil World and unite me wholly unto thee Then didst thou admit the Thief into Paradise O admit me into thy Heavenly Kingdom For all these stupendious Mercies I praise and magnifie thy Name for ever I beseech thee that the power and effect of all thou hast done for me may be saving to me Make me now to feel the horror of Sin and the sorrow due unto it that hath cost thee thy life and the very last drop of Blood to make atonement for it O that I could comprehend the immense love of my dying Saviour that I might make some grateful return of love unto thee Why should not the sense of thy Weeping make mine eyes to overflow with tears for offending Why should not the Blood which thou didst shed for me make me desirous to shed mine for the love of thee O my dear Lord let thy thirsting brest make mine to thirst and languish after thee inebriate me with the delicious viands of thy grace and love since my Soul can take no satisfaction in any thing but thee O fountain of living Waters to thee I come let me by faith drink up the Water and Blood which flowed from thee As thy Heart was broken for me break mine with sorrow for offending thee proceeding purely from the love I owe unto thee Hide me in thy wounded side till thy Fathers indignation be over past By thy precious Blood save me By thy holy Water cleanse me By thy prevailing death give me life and By thy Resurrection Glory O blessed Jesus what a bill of payment hast thou here discharged what an acquittance hast thou made for me The Rocks did rent the Graves open the Heavens mourn the Earth did shake at thy Passion and shall I evermore make leight of any transgression more O strike the Rock of my hard Heart that it may kindly flow forth in tears for thee as thou didst overflow
World a little before I was by thy Judgments forced to leave it altogether I praise thee for all the Ministry of Angels For my Guardian Angel For all the faithful departed For thy great Graces given to them Their good example given to me For the Suffrages and Prayers of all Saints For my Communion with them and with all those who are at Prayers with me now in this holy hour For the large capacity and extent of my Soul that can be in union with all Ages past present and to come worshipping praising and adoring thee For enabling me so to rejoyce in thy Glories to dilate upon thy Excellencies to delight in thy Service so as if all our affections were united in one holy individual oblation of our Souls and Bodies unto thee As if all Souls were in one and one so in all that we could never more be divided from thee nor cease from the love and service we bear unto thee nor be separated from each other in thee I praise thee for preserving me from all perils and dangers either by day or night For that portion of Health I now enjoy For the contentedness and thankfulness thou givest me in all estates For all the necessaries of this life Healthful dwelling quiet safety plenty of food and raiment For all the retirements and happy opportunities thou givest me of Reading Praying and enjoying thee For assisting me to overcome in any measure any of those great Infirmities I am subject to by nature For all thy gifts of Grace and nature infused or acquired attain'd by study or experience in the world For any good use I make of them For all thy wonderful Mercies to me and mine blessing us in all good things For thy great preservation of us in many dangerous Journeys and deliverances out of very many great troubles which my Soul recounteth unto thee For all these and for all other thy Mercies known or not known manifest or secret willingly or unwillingly received I praise thee I bless thee I give thee thanks and I desire to praise bless and give thee thanks all the days of my life What am I that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me especially in that he hath spared and forborn me until now Holy holy holy thou art worthy to receive Honour Worship and Praise now and for evermore Amen A Prayer for Christmas-Day HOly Jesus who being infinitely higher than the Heavens didst condescend to look on the Earth to come down and visit us with the saving Presence of thine Eternal Godhead clothed with our Manhood in the Virgins Womb let this miraculous grace of thine effect another miracle in me Let it raise me by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost and change me by a new Birth and exalt me to a Divine and Heavenly life that I may forsake the world and live unto thee O thou who didst assume thy Body and Soul for me that we might be members of thy Body and of thy flesh and of thy bones unite me unto thee make me sensible of thee my head fill me with the joy of thy Nativity and give thy self unto me who wast born for me that I may be thine and my beloved mine for evermore O Eternal Glory of the Father vail'd over with mortal flesh remove the vail from off my heart clarifie my understanding and draw me near unto thee that I may know the mystery which was hid from Ages and Generations but is now revealed for our Glory Receive me to thy self make me one with thee and be thou more dear unto me than all the world O thou who didst vouchsafe to dwell in the dark Cloysters of a Virgins womb thou who didst vouchsafe to close thine infinity within the confines of Humane shape and advance our Humanity to the Throne of God Prepare the Temple of my Soul make it bright with knowledg and wisdom come and dwell in my understanding take possession of my will reign within my heart let thy Scepter of Righteousness be exalted over me and become the rule of my thoughts and actions O reign over all the World and let the Righteousness and true Holiness wherein thou delightest prevail and prosper in the Earth let the Souls be saved which thou hast redeemed Amen Amen A Prayer for Easter-Day ETernal Son of the eternal Father who wast a man of sorrows and art now the Lord of Joys look down from Heaven thy dwelling place upon me thy Servant who rejoyce in thy glorious and blessed Resurrection Thou hast broken the Bars of Death and Hell for it was impossible that he that was innocent should be holden of them Thou hast broken down the gates of the prison of the Grave because thou hast satisfied thy Fathers Justice He knew thy ability and therefore he trusted thee with so great a debt He knew thy Power and therefore did commit so weighty an employment to thy sacred Hands O cause me to know thee my Saviour to be the Son of God by this glorious Resurrection Let it quicken me and raise me up who am dead in sins and trespasses Our Surety has paid the debt and is come abroad let all the Earth rejoyce and be glad in him Sing O Mountains and break forth into singing all the valleys in the World for our Redeemer and our Saviour hath conquered Death Hell and the Grave Let the light of his Resurrection transform the World into Heaven and turn the Wilderness into Eden let it restore a better Paradise than the old one unto us Let the power of his Resurrection quicken all the dead in sins and convert all the Kingdoms upon Earth and make them the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ wherein Truth and Peace and Righteousness may reign for evermore O my Soul thy lover and thy friend that was killed dead and buried is alive and he is able to save unto the utmost all them that come to God through him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for us He by and for whom the Worlds were made loved thee to the death O let his Love enflame thee and turn thee all into Love and let the love of God which passeth all understanding possess thy Soul and Body for ever Let the Love of Christ constrain thee to forsake iniquity and to esteem nothing easie honourable or delightful but that which is so to him Love all that he loveth hate all that he hateth O Jesus the love and life of my Soul be thou my sovereign Lord and Friend my only treasure and possession be thou my Wisdom and my Glory my Kingdom and my Crown my Life and Blessedness be thou all in all to me Let thy will be my will and thy pleasure mine As thou camest to do the Will of thy Father let it be my meat and drink to do thy Will to glorifie thy Name and finish the work which thou hast given me
to do O give me the Image of thy Soul and let the same mind be in me that was in Christ Jesus both towards thine Eternal Father and towards all thy Creatures Let me despise all the vanities which thou didst contemn that I may enter into thy Joys and live in Communion with thee for ever Amen A Prayer upon the Day of Pentecost O Lord my Light my Life and Confidence my Love and my only Happiness I place my whole hope and trust in thee I now expect from thine infinite Bounty thy Holy Spirit which thou hast promised in thy mercy O send out thy Light and thy Truth unto me Thy Word is Truth thy Spirit is Truth thou O God art the God of Truth Inspire me with thy Truth and make me to know the Truth embrace love live in the Truth believe and speak the Truth serve obey and praise thee in Truth now and for evermore O blessed Jesus all the Treasures and Joys thou gavest us in thy Birth all the Mercies and mysteries of thy Life all the Benefits of thy Death and Passion all the Victories and Joys of thy Resurrection all the Triumphs and places thou givest us in thy Ascension all the advantages of thy Session and Intercession are lockt up and seal'd in this promise of sending the Holy Ghost Till he unlock and open these Treasuries to us till he illuminate us in and fit us for them till he reveal and apply them to us we cannot enjoy them O send thy Spirit then into us and seal all thy Mercies by him upon us now and evermore Amen Confession of Sin out of Bishop Andrews I Confess O Lord that I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my Mother conceived me That I was brought forth in uncleanness That I am a root of bitterness A wild Vine of Sodom A branch of the wild Olive A child of wrath a vessel of dishonour My heart is rebellious like a starting bow My throat an open sepulchre venting folly My lips so polluted that my tongue talketh nothing but vanity Mine eyes and my tongue uncircumcised I have a forehead of brass and a neck of iron My hand slow to do good and my feet swift to do evil I have sin'd against thee O Lord and trespassed in thy sight not fearing thy Majesty My sins are in quantity large of long continuance from my Mothers womb deep heavy like a burden like lead reaching to Heaven with their cry Many in number like the Starrs More than the hairs of my head or the sands of the Sea oftentimes reiterated as a fountain casting out waters till they become as a habit as red as scarlet and crimson For I am sold under sin I sin till they become natural to me like the Aethiopian's skin and the Leopards spots In quality sins as strong as cords and cart-ropes gaining nothing therby For a handful of Barley and a little Bread Committing sin with greediness sin upon sin with impudence not being ashamed knowing it to be sin Giving offence thereby unthankfully like the dog to the vomit Like the Sow to the mire Therefore O Lord because thou art just and thy Judgments true I do or may reap the fruit of my foolishness For what fruit have I in those things whereof I am now ashamed My days are consumed in vanity and my years in the bitterness of my Soul and now there is no health in me because of thy displeasure nor any rest by reason of my sin My Heart trembleth also for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Judgments I feel bitterness beyond the bitterness of death for ever forsaking thee or being forsaken by thee Wo unto me rebellious wretch for so doing by which I become so vile I loath and abhor my self I have roar'd for the very disquietness of my heart And what shall I now say or how shall I open my mouth What shall I answer seeing I have done these things Miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death When I have not what I can farther say or do this only remaineth this is my last refuge that I direct mine eyes unto thee Out of the deep have I cried unto thee O Lord Lord hear my vâ—ice If thou Lord shouldst be extream to mark what is done amiss who may abide it Enter not into Judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Wherefore O Lord I appeal from thee unto thee From thee a just Judg to thee a merciful Father From the Throne of thy Justice to the seat of thy Mercy O Lord be pleased to admit of this appeal if thou do not I perish and carest thou not that I perish who wouldst have all to be saved and none to perish I am thine O save me Despise not the works of thine own hands who hatest nothing that thou hast made I am thy servant the Son of thine handmaid I am called by thy name I am the price of thy Blood O spare thy workmanship spare thy child Thy name the price of thy Son's Blood But I am a sinner and God beareth with sinners be pleased to bear with me and remember of what I am made Remember that I am but dust Frail flesh light wind loose dust and wilt not thou O Lord break a leaf driven to and fro by the wind wilt thou pursue dry stubble Behold O Lord though I have sinned I humble my self before thee Spare the humble and contrite David spared Shimei that railed on him and David was a man after thine own heart therefore do thou spare me Ahab forgave the King of Assyria his offences upon his humiliation Was there ever King of Israel so merciful as thou art Thou therefore whose very nature is to have mercy have mercy upon me spare me and be not angry with thy servant for ever but for the sake of Jesus Christ turn away thy wrath from me and be reconciled to me Accept the sacrifice of a contrite heart and grieved Soul a wounded spirit a troubled conscience pity me and spare me though I have so grievously sin'd against thee It hath ever been thy practice to be merciful They trusted and were not confounded Thy Mercies have been ever of old When I look at the Generations of old I see never any trusted in thee and was confounded and thou never didst despise those that called upon thee Remember thy word unto thy servant in which thou hast caused me to hope Thou hast blessed the man that trusteth in thee my whole trust is in thee let me never be confounded Thy Mercies O Lord are comfortable better than life many plentiful and tender superabundant wonderful and infinite preventing us following us compassing us pardoning iniquity transgression and â—…n Thou art the Father of Mercies Thou sparest when we deserve punishment and in thy wrath thinkâ—… upon mercy Gently correcting in the midst of wrath remembring mercy It being of thy mercy that we