his soul thither And for this sort of devotion no man can want leisure for it may be performed in the midst of business the Artificer at his work the Husband man at his Plough may practice it Now as he cannot want time so that he may not want matter for it I have thought it not unuseful out of that rich store-house the BOOK of PSALMS to furnish him with some texts which may very fitly be used for this purpose which being learned by heart will alwayes be ready at hand to imploy his devotion and the matter of them being various some for Pardon of sin some for Grace some for the light of Gods countenance some for the Church some for Thanksgiving c. every man may fit himself according to the present need and temper of his soul I have given these not as a full collection but only as a taste by which the Readers appetite may be raised to search after more in that Book and other parts of holy Scripture COLLECTS for several GRACES For Faith O Blessed Lord whom without Faith it is impossible to please let thy spirit I beseech thee work in me such a Faith as may be acceptable in thy sight even such as worketh by love O let me not rest in a dead ineffectual Faith but grant that it may be such as may shew it self by my works that it may be that victorious Faith which may enable me to overcome the world and conform me to the Image of that Christ on whom I believe that so at the last I may receive the end of my Faith even the salvation of my soul by the same Jesus Christ For Hope O Lord who art the hope of all the ends of the earth let me never be destitute of a well grounded hope nor yet possest with a vain presumption suffer me not to think thou wilt either be reconciled to my sins or reject my repentance but give me I beseech thee such a hope as may be answerable to the only ground of hope thy promises and such as may both incourage and enable me to purifie my self from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit that so it may indeed become to me an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast entring even within the vail whither the forerunner is for me entred even Jesus Christ my High Priest and blessed Redeemer For the Love of God O Holy and gracious Lord who art infinitely excellent in thy self and infinitely bountiful and compassionate towards me I beseech thee suffer not my heart to be so hardned through the deceitfulness of sin as to resist such charms of love but let them make deep and lasting impressions on my soul Lord thou art pleased to require my heart and thou only hast right to it O let me not be so sacrilegiously unjust as to alienate any part of it but enable me to render it up whole and intire to thee But O my God thou seest it is alreadie usurped the world with its vanities hath seized it and like a strong man armed keeps possession O thou who art stronger come upon him and take this unworthy heart of mine as thine own spoil refine it with that purifying fire of thy love that it may be a fit habitation for thy Spirit Lord if thou see it fit be pleased to let me taste of those joyes those ravishments of thy love wherewith thy Saints have been so transported But if in this I know not what I ask if I may not chuse my place in thy Kingdome yet O Lord denie me not to drink of thy cup let me have such a sinceritie and degree of love as may make me endure any thing for thy sake such a perfect love as may cast out all fear and all sloth too that nothing may seem to me too grievous to suffer or too difficult to do in obedience to thee that so expressing my love by keeping thy Commandments I may by thy mercie at last obtain that Crown of life which thou hast promised to those that love thee through Jesus Christ our Lord For Sincerity O Holy Lord who requirest truth in the inward parts I humbly beseech thee to purge me from all hypocrisie and unsinceritie The heart O Lord is deceitful above all things and my heart is deceitful above all hearts O thou who searchest the heart and reins try me and seek the ground of my heart and suffer not any accursed thing to lurk within me but purifie me even with fire so thou consume my dross O Lord I cannot deceive thee but I may most easily deceive my self I beseech thee let me not rest in any such deceit but bring me to a sight and hatred of my most hidden corruptions that I may not cherish any darling lust but make an utter destruction of everie Amalekite O suffer me not to speak peace to my self when there is no peace but grant I may judge of my self as thou judgest of me that I may never be at peace with my self till I am at perfect peace with thee and by puritie of heart be qualified to see thee in thy Kingdome through Jesus Christ For devotion in Prayer O Gracious Lord God who not only permittest but invitest us miserable and needie creatures to present our petitions to thee grant I beseech thee that the frequencie of my prayer may be somewhat proportionable to those continual needs I have of thy mercie Lord I confess it is the greatest honour and greatest advantage thus to be allowed access to thee yet so sottish and stupid is my profane heart that it shuns or frustrates the opportunities of it My Soul O Lord is possest with a spirit of infirmitie it is bowed together and can in no wise lift up it self to thee O be thou pleased to cure this sad this miserable disease to inspirit and enliven this earthly drossie heart that it may freely mount towards thee that I may set a true value on this most valuable priviledge and take delight in approaching to thee and that my approaches may be with a reverence some way answerable to that awful Majestie I come before with an importunitie and earnestness answerable to those pressing wants I have to be supplied and with such a fixedness and attention of mind as no wandring thoughts may interrupt that I may no more incur the guilt of drawing near to thee with my lips when my heart is far from thee or have my prayers turned into sin but may so ask that I may receive seek that I may find knock that it may be opened unto me that from praying to thee here I may be translated to the praising thee eternally in thy glorie through the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ For Humility O Thou High and Loftie one that inhabitest Eternitie yet art pleased to dwell with the humble spirit pour into my heart I beseech thee that excellent grace of Humilitie which may utterly work out all those vain conceits I have of my self
purifie my heart that I may become a new creature utterly forsaking everie evil way and living in constant sincere universal obedience to thee all the rest of my dayes that behaving my self as a good and faithful servant I may by thy mercie at the last be received into the joy of my Lord Grant this for Jesus Christ his sake A Prayer for Grace O Most gracious God from whom everie good and perfect gift cometh I wretched creature that am not able of my self so much as to think a good thought beseech thee to work in me both to Will and Do according to thy good pleasure Inlighten my minde that I may know thee and let me not be barren or unfruitful in that knowledge Lord work in my heart a true Faith a purifying Hope and an unfeigned Love towards thee give me a full Trust on thee Zeal for thee Reverence of all things that relate to thee make me Fearful to offend thee Thankful for thy mercies Humble under thy corrections Devout in thy Service Sorrowful for my sins and grant that in all things I may behave my self so as befits a creature to his Creatour a servant to his Lord enable me likewise to perform that Dutie I owe to my self give me that Meekness Humilitie and Contentedness whereby I may alwayes possess my soul in Patience and Thankfulness make me Diligent in all my duties Watchful against all temptations perfectly pure and Temperate and so moderate in my most lawful enjoyments that they never become a snare to me make me also O Lord to be so affected towards my Neighbour that I never transgress that royal Law of thine of loving him as my self grant me exactly to perform all parts of Justice yielding to all whatsoever by any kinde of Right becomes their due and give me such bowels of Mercie and compassion that I may never fail to do all acts of Charitie to all men whether friends or enemies according to thy command and example Finally I beseech thee O Lord to sanctifie me throughout that my whole spirit and soul and bodie may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glorie for ever Amen Intercession O Blessed Lord whose mercie is over all thy works I beseech thee to have mercie upon all men and grant that the precious ransom which was paid by thy Son for all may be effectual to the saving of all Give thy inlightning Grace to those that are in darkness and thy converting grace to those that are in sin look with thy tenderest compassions upon the Universal Church O be favourable and gracious unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem unite all those that profess thy Name to thee by Puritie and Holiness and to each other by Brotherly love Have mercie on This desolate Church and sinful Nation thou hast moved the Land and divided it heal the sores thereof for it shaketh make us so truly to repent of those sins which have provoked thy Judgements that thou also may'st turn and repent and leave a blessing behinde thee Bless those whom thou hast appointed our governours whether in Church or State so rule their hearts and strengthen their hands that they may neither want will nor power to punish wickedness and vice and to maintain Gods true Religion and Vertue Have pitie O Lord on all that are in affliction be a Father to the fatherless and plead the cause of the Widow comfort the feeble-minded support the weak heal the sick relieve the needie defend the Oppressed administer to everie one according to their several necessities let thy blessings rest upon all that are near and dear to me and grant them whatsoever thou seest necessarie either to their bodies or their souls Here name thy nearest Relations Reward all those that have done me good and pardon all those that have done or wisht me evil and work in them and me all that good which may make us acceptable in thy sight through Jesus Christ For Preservation O Merciful God by whose bountie alone it is that I have this day added to my life I beseech thee so to guide me in it by thy grace that I may do nothing which may dishonour thee or wound my own soul but that I may diligently apply my self to do all such good works as thou hast prepared for me to walk in and Lord I beseech thee give thy Angels charge over me to keep me in all my wayes that no evil happen unto me nor any plague come nigh my dwelling but that I and mine may be safe under thy gracious protection through Jesus Christ O Lord pardon the wandrings and coldness of these petitions and deal with me not according either to my prayers or deserts but according to my needs and thine own rich mercies in Jesus Christ in whose blessed Name and Words I conclude these my imperfect Prayers saying Our Father c. Directions for Night AT NIGHT when it draws towards the time of rest bethink thy self how thou hast passed the day examine thine own heart what sin either of Thought Word or Deed thou hast committed what opportunity of doing good thou hast omitted and whatsoever thou findest to accuse thy self of confess humbly and penitently to God renew thy purposes and resolutions of amendment and beg his pardon in Christ and this not slightly and only as of course but with all devout earnestness and heartiness as thou wouldest do if thou wert sure thy death were as near approaching as thy sleep which for ought thou knowest may be so indeed and therefore thou shouldest no more venture to sleep unreconciled to God then thou wouldest dare to die so In the next place consider what special and extraordinary mercies thou hast that day received as if thou hast had any great deliverance either in thy inward man from some dangerous temptations or in thy outward from any great and apparent danger and offer to God thy hearty and devout praise for the same or if nothing extraordinary have so happened and thou hast been kept even from the approach of danger thou hast not the less but the greater cause to magnifie God who hath by his protection so guarded thee that not so much as the fear of evil hath assaulted thee And therefore omit not to pay him the tribute of humble thankfulness as well for his usuall and daily preservations as his more extraordinary deliverances And above all endeavour still by the considerations of his mercies to have thy heart the more closely knit to him remembring that every favour received from him is a new engagement upon thee to love and obey him Prayers for Night O Holy blessed and glorious Trinity three persons and one God have mercy upon me a miserable sinner Lord I know not what to pray for as I ought O let thy Spirit help my infirmities and enable me to offer up a spiritual Sacrifice acceptable unto thee by
walls of Jerusalem O God wherefore art thou absent from us so long Why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture O think upon thy Congregation whom thou hast purchased and Redeemed of old Look upon the Tribe of thine Inheritance and Mount Sion where thou hast dwelt It is time for thee Lord to say to thy hand for they have destroyed thy Law Arise O God and mantain thine own cause Deliver Israel O God out of all his troubles Brief Heads of Self-Examination especially before the Sacrament Collected out of the foregoing Treatise concerning the breaches of our Duty To GOD FAITH NOt BELIEVING there is a God Not believing his Word Not believing it practically so as to live according to our belief HOPE DEspairing of Gods Mercy so as to neglect duty Presuming groundlesly on it whilst we go on in wilful sin LOVE NOt Loving God for his own excellencies Not Loving him for his Goodness to us Not labouring to please him Not desiring to draw near to him in his Ordinances Not longing to enjoy him in Heaven FEAR NOt Fearing God so as to keep from offending him Fearing man above him by committing sin to shun some outward suffering TRUST NOt Trusting on God in dangers and distresses Using unlawful means to bring us out of them Not depending on God for supply of our Wants Immoderate Care for outward things Neglecting to labour and expecting God should sup 〈…〉 our idleness Not looking up to God for a blessing on our honest endeavours HUMILITY NOt having a high esteem of God Not submitting obediently to act his Will Not patiently suffering it but murmuring at his Corrections Not aâ—ending by them Not being Thankful to him Not acknowleding his Wisdome in choosing for us but having eager and impatient desires of our own HONOUR NOt Honouring God by a reverend usage of the things that Relate to him Behaving our selves irreverently in his House Robbing God by taking things that are consecrated to him Profaning Holy times the Lords Day and the Feasts and Fasts of the Church Neglecting to read the Holy Scriptures not marking when we do read Being careless to get knowledge of our duty chusing rather to continue ignorant then put our selves to the pains or charge of learning Placing Religion in hearing of Sermons without Practice Breaking our Vow made at Baptisme By resorting to Witches and Conjurers i. e. to the Devil By loving the Pomps and Vanities of the World and following its sinful customes By fulfilling the Lusts of the flesh Profaning the Lords Supper By coming to it ignorantly without Examination contrition and purposes of New Life By behaving our selves irreverently at it without Devotion and spiritual Affection By neglecting to keep the Promises made at it Profaning Gods Name by blasphemous thoughts or Discourse Giving others occasion to Blaspheme him by our vile wicked liâ—es Taking unlawful OATHS Perjury Swearing in ordinary Communication WORSHIP NOt Worshipping God Omitting Prayers publick or private and being glad of a pretence to do so Asking unlawful thigs or to unlawful ends Not purifying our Hearts from sin before we pray Not praying with Faith and Humility Coldness and deadness in Prayer Wandring thoughts in it Irreverent gestures of body in prayer REPENTANCE NEglecting the duty of Repentance Not calling our selves to Dayly account for our sins Not assigning any set or Solemn times for Humiliation and Confession or too seldome Not deeply considering our sins to beget Contrition Not acting Revenges on our selves by Fasting and other acts of Mortification IDOLATRY OUtward Idolatry in Worshipping of creatures Inward Idolatry in placing our love and other affections more on creatures then the Creator To our SELVES HUMILITY BEing puft up with high conceits of our selves In respect of natural parts as beauty wit c. Of worldly riches and honours Of Grace Greedily seeking the praise of men Directing christian Actions as Prayer Alms c. to that end Committing sins to avoid Reproach from wicked men MEEKNES DIsturbing our minds with Anger and peevishness CONSIDERATION NOt carefully Examining whâ—t our estate towards God is Not trying our selves by the true Rule i. e. our obedience to Gods Commands Not weighing the Lawfulness of our Actions before we venture on them Not examining our past actions to Repent of the ill to give God the glory of the good CONTENTEDNES UNcontentedness in our estates Greedy desires after Honour and Riches Seeking to gain them by sinful means Envying the condition of other men DILIGENCE WATCHFULNES BEing Negligent in observing resisting Temptations Not improving Gods gifts outward or inward to his Honour Abusing our Natural Parts as Wit Memory c. to sin Neglecting or Resisting the motions of Gods Spirit CHASTITY UNcleanness adultery fornication unnatural lusts c. Uncleanness of the Eye and Hand Filthy and obscene Talking Impure Fancies and Desires Heightning of Lust by pampering the body Not labouring to subdue it by Fasting or other Severities TEMPERANCE EAting too much Making pleasure not Health the end of Eating Being too curious or costly in Meats Drunkenness Drinking more then is useful to our bodies though not to drunkenness Wasting the Time or Estate in good Fellowship Abusing our strength of brain to the making others Drunk Immoderate Sleeping Idleness and Negligence in our Callings Using unlawful Recreations Being too vehement upon Lawful ones Spending too much time at them Being drawn by them to Anger or Covetousness Being proud of Apparel Striving to go beyond our rank Bestowing too much time care or cost about it Abstaining from such Excesses not out of conscience but covetousness Pinching our bodies to fill our purses To our NEIGHBOUR NEGATIVE JUSTICE BEing Injurious to our Neighbour Delighting causlesly to grieve his mind Ensnaring his soul in sin by Command Counsel Enticement or Example Affrighting him from godliness by our Scoffing at it Not seeking to bring those to Repentance whom we have led into sin MURDER MVrder open or secret Drawing men to Intemperance or other vices which may bring diseases or death Stirring men up to Quarrelling and Fighting Maiming or hurting the body of our Neighbour Fierceness and Rage against him ADULTERY COveting our Neighbours wife Actually defiling her MALICE SPoiling the goods of others upon spight and malice COVETOUSNES COveting to gain them to our selves OPPRESSION OPpression by violence and force or colour of Law THEFT NOt paying what we Borrow Not Paying what we have voluntarily promised Keeping back the Wages of the Servant and hireling DECEIT UNfaithfulness in Trusts whether to the Living or Dead Using arts of Deceit in Buying and Selling Exacting upon the necessities of our Neighbours FALSE-WITNES BLasting the credit of our neighbour By false Witness By Railing By Whispering Incouraging others in their Slanders Being forward to believe ill reports of our neighbour Causeless suspicions Rash judging of him Despising him for his Infirmities Inviting others to do so by scoffing and Deriding him Bearing any Malice in the heart Secret wishing of death or